Keep calm and carry on (shooting)…
Posted by Michal in journalism, photography, photojournalism on 09/03/2010
If you're new here, you may want to subscribe to my RSS feed. Thanks for visiting!
If the recent media stories about the threat to our freedom to photograph in public places worry or anger you, don’t let them.
As for every “Photography under threat” headline, there’s an amazing story on how photography changes or at least influences lives .
So, don’t worry, photography is not under threat. It will be, when you stop shooting.
My nifty fifty
Every now and then I step out of my comfort zone and leave my lovely 24-104mm zoom lens at home. I take with me a lens I normally don’t use and try to spend a whole day taking pictures just with this one lens – and nothing more.
Last weekend I did that with Canon 50mm f1.8. And the past couple of days made me realise that in fact this is my favourite Canon lens so far.
After years of using zoom lenses or cameras with zoom capabilities, the ‘plastic’ 50mm was my first prime lens. Mainly because I couldn’t afford anything else.
At (then) under £60, the lens offered fantastic quality, great speed and opened a new world of prime lenses for me. I remember when I swapped my old zoom lens for this one – and initially couldn’t cope with its simplicity. What? No zoom? You actually need to step back/forward? No image stabilisation?
No, none of those things. But, unlike my previous f4.0 lenses, this one let so much light in that I quickly realised what I’d missed before: the ability to take portraits (as this is when this lens really shines) in low-lighting conditions.
It does take a few pictures to get used to this new reality, if you’ve never used a prime lens. But the rewards are fantastic: crisp, punchy images, fantastic depth of field and the ability to take great pictures in challenging lighting conditions.
So why do I love it so much? Here’s why:
- It allows you to separate your subject from the background and makes it more prominent.
- It challenges you to rethink, reframe, refocus. You can’t stand in one place and rely on your zoom. You have to move and make the effort to frame the image.
- It’s absolutely indispensable for portrait shots. Whether it’s just one person on their own or a face in the crowd, you can focus on them and make their face – or a particular feature of it – a strong focal point of your image.
- It’s incredibly fast. If your standard lens’s aperture is in the region of f3.5-4, then working with a lens which allows you to get crisp images at night with f1.8 makes all the difference. Combine it with a good DSLR, which is capable of producing images at ISO 1600+ without any visible noise and you can really enjoy an evening photo walk without a flash.
- On a bright sunny day you can take images at extremely fast shutter speeds and either get really sharp images, or you can increase the exposure time and experiment with excessive light.
- You learn a lot about depth of field by shooting with this lens in different circumstances.
- It’s really small and light.
This list is probably not exhaustive.
I know its price has gone up in recent years, but it’s still incredibly cheap and I can’t wait to use it again.
Do you have a nifty fifty and – more importantly – do you give it as much attention as it deserves?
Too soon…
Posted by Michal in Uncategorized on 02/03/2010
This is a picture of my former colleague, Pawel Krotoski, who died last night following a stroke.
We both worked in the same BBC World Service newsroom, we both recorded shows together. We were both made redundant at the same time. He went off to explore the world, I was worrying about what to do next.
He couldn’t care less. I don’t know that many people who’ve experienced that much in such a short space of time. He went to live in Mexico and Thailand among other places. From Thailand he sent a short Skype message to another mutual colleague, Greg, who took the above picture. In it he said: “I’m living on a small island, not moving much. There are hammocks and beaches. Keep well, don’t let the cunts get you, they always know how to spoil your mood, you know my friend…”
That’s how I want to remember him: careless, carefree, with a cheeky smile and a fuck-you-all attitude.
He was only 36.
Will mobile phones kill off low-end cameras?
Posted by Michal in kit, photography on 02/03/2010
What is your primary camera? Is it a DSLR? A lower-end pocket digital camera? Or is it a mobile phone?
Chances are it’s probably a combination of at least two devices, one of which is primarily used as a phone. I use a good DSLR, but for projects like The Best Camera I rely exclusively on my iPhone, which as we all know, is not particularly good at taking pictures.
More and more people use their mobile phones as a camera (or instead of one) as the quality of the images they produce has improved dramatically over the past few years. And according to a recent report by iSuppli, the low-end digital camera market is under great pressure from mobile phone manufacturers who release more better quality camera phones boasting, among other things, high resolution image sensors.
iSuppli forecasts that by 2013 the average mobile camera resolution will rise to 5.7 megapixels. Between 2008 and 2009 this resolution rose by 0.6 megapixels, from 1.5 to 2.1 Mp. Within the next three years compact digital cameras will be able to produce images which are, on average, up to 13.9 megapixels in size.
iSuppli reckons that with better image quality management tools mobile phone manufacturers might be able to persuade those who wouldn’t risk “a precious family photo” to ditch their compact cameras for better performing camera phones. It also predicts that Asian and European users will be more willing to make the jump.
It’s all fine and makes sense, but I’m surprised iSuppli in its report ignored one, crucial aspect of the whole issue: the ability to share your photos with the world instantly.
I guess this will be the real deciding factor here. Whether you’re at a gig, witnessing something newsworthy or just want to take a quick photo of something to share, you are probably less worried about the overall quality (which in most cases wouldn’t be that much better if you had a small compact camera on you anyway), but more about being able to share the image.
Mobile phones allow users to do MMS a picture, email it, share it instantly on Facebook, Twitter, other networking sites, upload to Flickr, Picasa, etc. Yes, in theory you could do the same with any camera and an Eye-Fi memory card, but your average Joe probably won’t bother with that. Plus most smartphones – and the iPhone in particular – have some great photo apps like the above mentioned Best Camera app.
So, yes, mobile phones are likely to put pressure and possibly even kill off lower-end cameras (if they haven’t already), but the number of pixels – even though it’s still used as a strong USP in marketing campaigns - will probably not be the most crucial of factors in the future.
Thoughts?
Testing Aperture 3
Posted by Michal in photography, software on 14/02/2010
So I made the jump. I’ve downloaded Aperture 3, the 30-day trial version. Just to see what the fuss is all about.
I’ve been using Lightroom for a few years now and I’m quite happy – and more importantly, familiar with – its workflow, quirks, abilities and shortcomings. But Apple’s generous gesture (doesn’t happen often) of allowing us mere mortals to test drive something for free for a month meant I couldn’t resist. Even if that meant losing almost a gigabyte of space on my hard drive (that’s how big the software is).
So I have 30 days to decide whether all those nice tutorial videos promising fantastic cool features mean much or whether Apple is simply repackaging Lightroom’s existing functionality and applying its usual glossy finish to deliver a shinier, but comparable tool.
I should probably compare the latest version of Aperture with the beta release of Lightroom 3, but to be honest I’m more interested in determining which package copes better with the functions I use every day rather than which package offers redundant functionality, which makes great headlines, but remains unused. I’m hoping to test the extras too (although I do realise that what I consider extras someone else may view as essential functionality), but my aim is clear: I need to know whether for the basic, day-to-day functions it actually makes sense to make the jump.
If you, like me, are also looking for an answer to this question, I’ll post something on this subject in the next, er, 30 days. But hopefully sooner.
If you have however made up your mind already, I’d love to hear what you have to say.
Five days, four cameras, one beautiful video
Posted by Michal in photographers, video on 08/02/2010
Prepare to be amazed
Posted by Michal in inspiration, video on 07/01/2010
If you haven’t seen the video yet, please watch it before you continue reading this post.
And preferably go full screen if you can.
Did you like it? I thought it was one of the most beautiful things I’ve seen on Vimeo in a long time.
But what’s really striking about this video is the fact that it’s fully computer-generated. None of it is real. It’s all animated.
As the author of the video, Alex Roman, says: “The Third and The Seventh is a full-CG animated piece that tries to illustrate architecture art across a photographic point of view where main subjects
are already-built spaces. Sometimes in an abstract way. Sometimes surreal.”
The website for the project, www.thirdseventh.com, describes it as “the visual fusion between the third and the seventh arts.”
Alex Roman is an artistic alias of a 30-year-old Spanish artist Jorge Seva, who studied traditional painting, then worked for a visual effects company in Madrid before developing an interest in architectural visualisation.
In one interview he explained the concept and the title:
I realized that there was a huge aesthetic difference between most clients’ commercial demands and photography of already-built structures. The lack of respect for the architecture itself in some “pure” commercial illustration was very frustrating to me. (Well, this is just my opinion, of course.)
Then, I decided to start a personal journey: to experiment with a more cinematographic and/or photographic oriented point of view of some of my favorites architects’ masterpieces.
Hence, the “TheThird&TheSeventh” project…
You can read the rest of the interview here – he explains some technical details regarding the video.
You have to admit, the video is simply stunning. I can’t begin to imagine the amount of effort and patience required to put the whole thing together. I think I’ll stop moaning about my RAW workflow now.
It also shows what is possible in 2010 and actually when you think about it – it makes you wonder how much of what we see is real – and when it matters. If at all.
I went to see the new Sherlock Holmes and half of the movie was computer-generated, but it didn’t bother me at all, it was good fun.
There might be situations however when this sort of CG footage might be problematic – factual or news footage springs to mind. Sooner or later it will happen.
But I guess this is just the beginning – in five year’s time Avatar and Wall-e will look dated. And I’d rather celebrate the fact we’re able to create such amazing things.
Alex Roman, I salute you!
London photography from the upper deck
Posted by Michal in inspiration, photographers, photography on 03/01/2010
Every now and then I’ll be chatting to photographers who inspire me or do something unusual with their cameras. This is my first quick chat with a London-based photographer, Przemek Wajerowicz, who some time ago set out to create a project called From the Upper Deck.
Here he talks to me about in more detail about his project and the inspiration behind it:
The project started soon after I arrived in London in 2005. I’m a street photography fan and From the Upper Deck is weird version of street photography. The view from double-decker buses fascinated me from the moment I arrived in London. I’ve always taken pictures from buses, sadly I lost the very early ones when my hard drive died some time ago. (Three low-res images survived here http://plfoto.com/730749/zdjecie.html http://plfoto.com/765776/zdjecie.html http://plfoto.com/777852/zdjecie.html – these were my first pictures from the upper deck.)
After a while the whole idea grew into a project and in 2007 I decided to ride every bus route in London from the first to the last stop. The following year I started my photo blog.
What camera are you using? Do you stick to just one lens or do you change them?
Currently I’m using Canon 5D and a Canon 50mm f 1.8 lens. The 5D allows me to take good quality pictures at very short intervals, which is a great bonus when photographing the street from a moving bus. Plus it’s a full-frame camera too. 99% of all my pictures were taken with the 50mm lens. In my opinion the 50mm focal length manages the task best and is ideal for me. And besides the 50mm is like cheap wine. Why is cheap wine is good? Because it’s cheap and good.
I agree, I love my 50mm f1.8 lens. Incredible quality for such low price. Which aspect of this project do you find difficult, what’s the biggest challenge for you?
I don’t look at it this way. It’s difficult to say what the most difficult thing is. Most things about taking pictures are exciting. The most boring – and therefore the most difficult aspect – is not getting lost in all the information: when and where I’ve been, which route I’ve covered… All that admin stuff (two spreadsheets, calendar) is very ungrateful, but I need to remember where and when I’ve visited. The biggest challenge is getting on every single double-decker route in London from the beginning to the end.
Have you ever met with a negative reaction? Or do people prefer to pose for pics?
Usually people don’t see me. But when they do, they react in various ways – they’re surprised, they smile, they seem reluctant. But there has never been a negative reaction – maybe just surprise. Here are some examples:
http://www.ftud.net/p/494
http://www.ftud.net/p/87
http://www.ftud.net/p/357
Has this project changed the way you perceive London and its inhabitants?
No, although I’ve seen places I never knew existed, mainly on the outskirts of London – places like Purley, Biggin Hill or Hillingdon.
How was the project received by other photographers and the general poblic?
I think the feedback was positive. The project was picked up by the BBC website and other blogs/online publications, including a prominent German site I never knew existed 
How many routes have you got left to cover and how are you planning to cover those without double-decker buses?
I don’t know exactly how many as not all of them have double-deckers. I think I’ll simply ignore those.
What’s the next step for the project?
The main aim is to publish an album then to re-edit and rebuilt the website to allow for easier picture browsing.
You can follow Przemek on Twitter and check his site www.ftud.net
All images © Przemek Wajerowicz, used with author’s permission
Stunning 7D advert
I know I wrote a few bitter words about Canon 7D when it was first released, mainly because of the annoying image problems.
But now they have been solved and Canon has released a stunning ad to promote the camera.
It’s beautifully shot… using Canon 7D itself. It features Feargus Kennedy, an award-winning wildlife photographer and forms part of a special campaign called Take stories, which also features other Canon cameras, including Canon 5D Mark II and EOS 450D.
Feast your eyes…
26-gigapixel picture – the biggest in the world
Posted by Michal in inspiration, photography on 18/12/2009
Woah! Have I already told you that I’m in love with Canon 5D Mark II? Have I?
Just like Canon 350D made DSLRs more accessible to millions of users worldwide a few years ago, last year Canon 5D Mark II ushered in a new era of high-spec, mid-range DSLR hybrids, capable of taking stunning images up to 21MP in size – even in low-lighting conditions – and producing some superb HD videos at the same time.
Now we have another proof – as if one was needed – of how stunning this camera is.
A German agency AFB Media in association with Dresden-based newspaper Sächsische Zeitung produced what they claim is a record-breaking, 26-gigapixel panoramic image of the city. Done using Canon 5D Mark II, obviously.
How did they do it? It took them almost three hours to produce the picture. Well, not just one picture. The camera – linked directly to a laptop, as there are no memory cards big enough to store such an amount of data – captured over 1600 individual full-format images. Altogether, they’ve recorded over 100Gb of data.
They’ve used a 400mm lens and a special engine to ensure precise movement and timed the whole process to produce a consistent image which reflects the movement of the sun.
If printed, this photo would measure 105×35 metres. That’s almost the size of a football pitch. A great achievement indeed.
You can read all about the process here (the amount of geeky detail is a bit scary). You can obviously see and play with the enormous picture there too.
To really experience the awesomeness of the whole project, make sure you’re fully zoomed out and then click on one of the 11 thumbnails on the page.
Of course, to break this record they could’ve used any other high-end camera, but I think the fact they’ve opted for Canon 5D Mark II says a lot about its status as the most versatile and powerful DSLR on the market now.
If only the price made it more accessible.
Here’s a video from the shoot:
MY SOCIAL FOOTPRINT: