What to wear at your next portrait session

Here is my top ten list on what to wear at your next portrait session.

1. Remember to wear simple clothes, darker colors work best.
2. Avoid wearing all white, neon colors, busy patterns, bold strips, plaids or polka dots, clothing that’s too tight or too baggy. These all bring more attention to your clothes, rather than your face.
3. Avoid clothing with pictures, writing or large logos on them (for example, graphic t-shirts).
4. For group and family photos, wear similar colors (they don’t all have to match) but be party of the same color family/theme.
5. Pick colors and clothing that’s comfortable and looks good on you.
6. Avoid wearing watches or hair ties around your wrists.
7. Wear minimal jewelry: 2-3 pieces at the most.
8. If possible, remove glasses before the session, as they catch reflections that can cover your eyes.
9. Don’t forget to wear shoes and socks ;)
10. Bring a great attitude to the portrait session. If you are relaxed, and your eyes and smile are genuinely friendly, your portrait will be too!

3 things you didn't know your camera could do

If you are like me, learning all the features of your DSLR or Mirrorless camera can seem like an impossible task. There so many options, features, and settings to pick from, especially on the newer models. It seems like there is always something new to learn as the technologies evolve. Below I will discuss three settings you probably didn't know your camera could do that can help improve exposure compensation and your photography skills. 

1. Metering - metering is used to help determine exposure. Your camera will balance the exposure based on which area is selected (spot, center, or multi-point). There are three types of modes: spot, center-weight and matrix mode. Spot metering only measures a very small area. It is very accurate and is not influenced by other areas within the frame. It can be useful when shooting very high contrast scenes. Center weight is when the meter focuses towards the central part of the viewfinder. It is less influenced by small, bright areas at the edges of the viewfinder. Matrix (multi-point) metering is the measure of light intensity in several points in the viewfinder and then combines the results to find the settings for the best exposure. This option is located under the custom menu settings.

2. Multiple exposure (bracketing) - many photographers use automatic bracketing to ensure that at least one shot gets exposed properly. This is helpful when you don't have time to adjust the exposure or review the image. It works by shoot the same subject multiple times, slightly varying the exposure settings for each image. To use this feature, you must be in one of the four letter modes (P, S, A, or M). Go to your custom menu settings and look for bracketing/flash. Then you need to select whether you want to bracket for the exposure (AE), white balance (WB), or active D-lighting (ADL). Please refer to your user manual for specific settings how to use exposure bracketing on your camera.

3. Active D-lighting - active d-lighting is used to help balance elements that are shaded in the foreground. It utilizes technology that optimizes high contrast images to restore shadow and highlight details that are often lost between bright and dark areas of the image. It can also readjust mid-tones, making the image look more natural. Using matrix metering in combination with active d-lighting can help balance photo exposures while maintaining detail. To enable the active d-lighting, go to your custom menu settings. You can active the d-lighting settings in your camera before taking the picture or after taking it, in Nikon's optional camera retouch menu.

Rain photography

Photos taken during a rain storm in Austin, Texas.

Aperture: f/1.7, Shutter speed: 1/60, ISO 1250

Aperture: f/1.7, Shutter speed: 1/60, ISO 800

Aperture: f/1.7, Shutter speed: 1/60, ISO 1600

Aperture: f1.7, Shutter speed: 1/60, ISO 100

Aperture: f/1.7, Shutter speed: 1/60, ISO 1000

Butterfly photography

Photos taken at a local park in Austin, Texas.

Aperture: f/5.6, Shutter speed: 1/640, ISO 400

Aperture: f/9.0, Shutter speed: 1/800, ISO 400

Caldwell Zoo photography

Photos taken at the Caldwell Zoo in Tyler, Texas.

Aperture: f/5.6, Shutter speed: 1/400, ISO 400

Aperture: f/5.6, Shutter speed: 1/800, ISO 400

Aperture: f/5.6, Shutter speed: 1/400, ISO 400

Aperture: f/5.6, Shutter speed: 1/320, ISO 400

Taking better photos with your DSLR: Series 3

In this series on how to take better photos using a DSLR camera, I will quickly touch on camera settings, image editing processes and ND filters. By maximizing the capabilities of your camera, you can get vibrant and professional looking photos. These settings are based on what I use for my Nikon DSLR camera.

What formats should I shoot in?
There are several formats you can shoot in. I recommend shooting in JPEG (fine) and RAW image formats. You can set your image format to RAW if you want to edit them later, otherwise for quick shots, you can use JPEG fine quality. I always shoot in RAW format, so I can edit the images in Photoshop later.

What about color and post-processing?
I try get the image as close to what I want by adjust the settings on my camera. To do this, I mostly adjust the exposure and saturation settings on my camera. Under menu, go to optimize image, then custom. There, you can customize the saturation, hue adjustment, color mode, etc. I like to enhance the saturation. There is also an exposure button on top of the camera (+/- button). You can increase or decrease the exposure manually to help make the image lighter or darker depending on the lighting conditions you are working with. Finally, I do some fine tuning in Photoshop to get the results I want. I use Adobe Camera Raw into Photoshop. I start out with a pretty natural rendition of a given scene, then I might pump up the colors, warm things up, or cool things off. If you don’t have Adobe Photoshop or Lightroom, there are some free software options you can try: PicMonkey,  Picasa, or Gimp.

What about camera filters to enhance my image?
You can also try using neutral density filters (or ND filters) to reduce the amount of light entering the lens on a very bright day. For example, a polarizer filter is used to help darken skies, increase the saturation, and also help reduce reflections from water surfaces. I find the polarizer filter is especially helpful with correcting an overexposed sky.

Taking better photos with your DSLR: Series 2

Continuing our series on how to take better photos and improve your photography skills, I will be going over composition. I believe great photography is achieved when you have an understanding of technique and aesthetic quality. Having a strong composition can be the difference between a great image, or a bad one.

Composing an image
You want to make sure elements within the frame are balanced and have a focal point. Consider your point of interest and how to place that within the frame. When shooting photos, I find it helps to: get down low, stand on something and shoot downward, shoot upwards from the ground or, straightforward. These different methods help give perspective in your photos. It's important to keep perspective in mind, especially when shooting landscape photography. It helps to have elements in the foreground and background to give depth. Try shooting subjects at a side angle too, so you can guide the viewer with lines or curves that lead into the picture. Try framing your photo by using doorways or arches as a “border” for your compositions. Cropping can sometimes help too, that's why you should include as much of the scene as you can and then trim things out later.

You may have heard of the Rule of Thirds concept. This is where you divide the picture into thirds vertically or horizontally. The best place to position your subject is a point where the lines intersect. The rule of thirds is something to keep in mind, but not a hard and fast rule of composition.

Rule of thumb
Overall, experimentation and experience will help you determine what works and doesn’t work. I've learned the more photos you take, the better photographer you can become. See what works best and try to understand why. Eventually, composing an image becomes a very natural process.

Ghost town photography

Photos taken at the J.Lorraine Ghost Town in Manor, Texas.

Aperture: f/5.6, Shutter speed: 1/400, ISO 200

Aperture: f/5.6, Shutter speed: 1/400, ISO 200

Aperture: f/5.6 Shutter speed: 1/250, ISO 200

Aperture: f/5.6, Shutter speed: 1/500, ISO 200

Taking better photos with your DSLR: Series 1

In this series, I will go over how to improve your photography skills and utilize the best settings for your DSLR camera. These recommendations are based on my experiences and learnings. In the first part of this series, I will cover camera modes and which ones to use.

What are digital camera modes? 
Simply put, there are letter modes and icon modes. Letter modes include Program Auto (“P”), Shutter-priority (“S”  or “Tv” ), Aperture-priority (“A” or “Av”), and Manual (“M”) on the mode dial. These settings allow for the most creative flexility because you can adjust the aperture, shutter speed and ISO yourself. Icon modes include the little pictures or icons on the mode dial (i.e. “Sports”, “Portraits”, “Macro”, “Landscape”, and “Night”). The camera predetermines the settings based on which mode you choose. This sounds great, but they don't always work for what you are trying to shoot and they override most of your manual settings. I do not recommend using the icon modes.

What are the differences between the letter modes?
Program Auto allows you to control the ISO and flash. The camera selects the shutter speed and aperture for you. I do not recommend shooting in this mode because you can't control the shutter speed to make sure your picture doesn't come out blurry.

Shutter-priority allows you to control the shutter speed and ISO. The camera selects the aperture for you. Shutter-priority mode can be useful when the shutter speed takes priority over the aperture in order to get a specific effect. For example, when you are trying to get smooth waterfalls, light trails, or capture a fast moving object.

Aperture-priority allows you to control the aperture and ISO. The camera sets the shutter speed for you so it is properly exposed. If you are shooting landscape photography, portraits or sports for example, aperture priority mode works effectively. You can also increase the ISO (i.e. 200 - 1600) to get faster shutter speeds. A higher ISO can increase noise in your photo, but can help with blurring.

Manual allows you to control the aperture, shutter speed and ISO. This gives the photographer total control over the image. Manual mode can be a bit intimidating to work with, but with a bit of experimentation, you can get just what you are looking for. If you are shooting nighttime photography, manual is the way to go.

What camera mode should I use? 
It depends on what you are shooting. I recommend “Aperture-priority”mode for portraits, landscape photography, etc., “Manual” mode when you need to shoot the same thing repeatedly or situations where you aren't rushed for time, or “Shutter-priority” mode for fast moving objects, like sports photography. In my opinion, it is ok to use “Program Auto” when shooting indoors and you need proper exposure. I use Aperture-priority mode most of the time. Aperture-priority mode works for just about every type of photography, which is why so many professional photographers use it. Overall, your photos will drastically improve if you learn how and when to use P, S, A or M modes.

Nighttime photography

Photos taken at the 1st street bridge, Lamar bridge, and the Capital building in downtown Austin, Texas.

Aperture: f/22, Shutter speed: 30 sec, ISO 200

Aperture: f/11, Shutter speed: 8 sec, ISO 200

Aperture: f/5.6, Shutter speed: 1/4 sec, ISO 200

Tips for taking nighttime photography

DSLR cameras are optimal for taking nighttime photos. Cityscapes, neon signs, twilight and after sunset options are ideal to work with. Incorporating reflecting water and light trails into your composition will create some visual interest as well. Here are a few tips on maximizing your camera settings. These settings are based on my experiences:

1. Make sure to use a tripod when taking nighttime photos. You will be using longer exposures so I recommend utilizing a tripod to keep the camera steady. It also allows you to point the camera up.

2. Utilize the self-timer. Any movement (including pushing the shutter release button) can cause vibration and therefore, result in a blurry image. You can also invest in a timer remote control.

3. Make sure the auto white-balance setting is turned off your camera. Try a different white balance option to create tonal variation. Set the long exposure to off as well. I use a Nikon camera, which has both these options listed under the Menu button.

4. I recommend a higher f/stop (f/18, f/22) and a lower ISO (200-400) setting for cityscapes. For twilight photos, I recommend a lower f/stop (f/3.5-5.6) and a higher ISO setting (800-1600). Both options yielded positive results. Remember, the right settings will depend on how much light you have to work with.

Note: Your autofocus may have trouble focusing under low light conditions, like in nighttime photography. You may have to switch to manual focus to resolve this issue.

Mt. Bonnell photography

Photo taken after sunset at Mt. Bonnell in Austin, Texas.

Aperture: f/5.6, Shutter speed: 2.5, ISO 200