Piedmont Photo

We've Moved

2010-03-28T02:24:00.000-04:00

The Piedmont Photo blog continues at Piedmont Photo. Crazy huh?

That Picture is Unreal!

2010-03-17T12:35:00.003-04:00

All of my pictures are Photoshopped. However, the trick is to make them appear as if they haven't. Everyone has imperfections and, unfortunately, the more perfect I can make a person appear, the better the picture will do in the marketplace. It's just a necessary part of the business.

In the picture above (click the picture to view larger), my model is certainly a gorgeous beauty without retouching, but, when you examine the picture closely and at full size, imperfections start to show up. Here I have removed acne blemishes, lightened moles and removed a few small wrinkles from the forehead. The eyes have been brightened, as have the teeth and the lips have been reddened a bit. Stopping there would have been enough but I thought it might be interesting to do a general smoothing of the skin and narrow the entire face slightly. To do all this to an image takes me about 20 to 30 minutes.

Almost all of my pictures are posed in some fashion. Here again the idea is to make it look as if they are not posed. If a model is having a tough time relaxing I will often give them something to do like talk on a cell phone, hold an umbrella and even sometimes just twirl around. Unplanned candid shots are great but time usually dictates that I have to make the shot rather than wait for it. This doesn't mean that my models "cheese" for the camera. I look at modeling much like acting except models are acting to a still camera instead of a motion picture camera.

Most of my pictures are manipulated in some fashion. Whether my model has been posed or photoshopped, I am always going for a natural look. And it's not that people aren't beautiful on their own but it's about enhancing am image to help it meet the needs of my clients in the marketplace.

More to come...

If You Don't Ask, The Answer Is No

2010-03-07T16:09:00.006-05:00

Where does a photographer find models? Try this the next time you're talking to the cashier at the grocery store:

More after the jump...

"Have you ever thought about doing some modeling?"

"You're kidding me right?"

"No, I'm serious. I photograph models all the time and I think you'd be a great model. You have the look."

"I don't know..."

"I'll tell you what, here's my card. If you want to get some free portraits, give me a call. If you model for me, I'll give you some of the pictures for free."

Sometimes they call. Sometimes they don't. Sometimes when they hear I'll give them pictures, they set up an appointment right away. Sometimes they have more questions. Sometimes they know of a friend. The fact is if I don't ask, I already know the answer. No. And the worst that can happen is that they will say no.

So many photographers seem to think that finding models is hard. All you have to do is ask. Who do you ask? The receptionist at the doctor's office. The guy selling phones at the mall. The girl at the perfume counter. The guy at the drive through window. The woman at the DMV. The man delivering a package. Don't forget your neighbor, your pastor or your family. Models are everywhere.

There are also web sites devoted to hooking up models with photographers. Model Mayhem is one site. One Model Place is another. Searching Google will give you a plethora of options. Don't forget about Craigslist.

Just be honest with your prospective models. They're probably not going to be the next supermodel and you can't promise them stardom but you can tell them it will be fun and that they'll get free pictures that they can give to parents, their spouse or friends. And since they are getting something of value for their time, you can feel free to require them to sign a model release.

"Why do you want me to sign a release?"

"So that I can sell the pictures I take of you. That's why I want to take your picture."

"Shouldn't I get paid for modeling if you're going to sell the pictures?"

"You are getting paid. I'm giving you pictures and the value of those is actually a lot more than what I would pay you in cash."

"I'd rather have cash."

"Okay. If you decide you want to model for pictures, feel free to give me a call and we'll set something up."

Sometimes they say yes. Sometimes they say no. But if you don't ask, the answer is always no. Oh, I almost forgot. If all else fails, you can always pay them.

More to come...

Shoot the One You're With

2010-02-12T23:58:00.037-05:00

Joe McNally says to shoot what you love. Chase Jarvis says the best camera is the one thats with you. Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young said, " If you can't be with the one you love, love the one you're with."

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Okay, so the days of free love may be over and I certainly don't subscribe to the lyrics of the famous song but I do believe that if you can't shoot what you love, shoot the one you're with. It does pay to do the shooting with a camera and the best camera is, indeed, the one that's with you. That means if all you have is a cell phone, whip that puppy out and use it baby!

Now, I like big pictures and where I usually have my cell phone with me and can take pictures with that, I am seldom without a DSLR at my side. The fact is, you ever know when a picture will manifest itself and there is nothing you can do if you aren't prepared by having a ~~drink~~ camera. Of course, carrying a big camera around just begs people to ask, "Are you a photographer?" to which the proper reply is always, "Yes and may I take your picture. Here, sign this model release."

There are some things I love to shoot. I love to shoot sports. I love to shoot nature. I love to shoot historic places. However, most of the time there isn't a game going on inside businesses in the city. But, I do have a camera with me. Alright so there might be a game but Freecell and Doom don't count. Anyway, when something looks interesting or an idea strikes, I have the ability to shoot at that very moment. Why is that? If I need to tell you at this point you need to click here.

I very much do not like it when my wife is in the hospital but, and she will be the first to back me up, I have a camera with me when I'm there with her. I shot the above Life Flight image while she was hospitalized. Medical stock imagery is big business and the perfect place to get those images is where they happen to keep all things medical. "Excuse me nurse. Would you mind signing this model release?" I have shot oodles of medical stuff and my wife, believe it or not, is the first to suggest shots for me. "Did you get the ID bracelets on my arm? Don't forget the IV."

"Yes dear."

These aren't always the most interesting shots but they do sell and who's to say that there isn't some doctor, somewhere, that wants to hang a 20x30 of a Foley bag on their wall.

Shoots get canceled at the last minute and things don't always go the way we've planned. Why let that stop you from shooting? Shoot what's around you. Shoot what you know. The point is that if can't shoot what you really want to shoot that there is always something that can be shot. If you can't shoot what you love, shoot the one you're with. Maybe I can get Steven Stills to write a new version of the song. What do you think?

So, today I was planning on shooting something I love to shoot, football games for i9 Sports. The games were canceled because of a winter storm that blew in last night. Thanks Ma nature! Snow is everywhere. Guess what I'll be shooting today.

2010-02-12T18:49:00.001-05:00

I was writing a blog post about creativity when I ran across this BMW advertisement. I 86ed the post in favor of the video. I think it does a good job of making my point..

A Look at a Master: Ansel Adams

2010-01-16T23:46:00.007-05:00

This week we are featuring a Marc Silber interview. Michael Adams, the son of Ansel Adams and gives us a rare look at the home and work the master photographer.

More to come...

Depth of Field

2010-01-14T14:10:00.006-05:00

My Uncle once asked me how people get pictures of a nearby fence with mountains in the background but manage to get everything in focus. I explained to him that this was simply done by manipulating the depth of field.

More after the jump...

There are actually a few ways to get a picture like the one my uncle described and one way, like the image above, is by cheating. Okay, it's not really considered cheating. This is actually a composite image. A composite is simply an image made up of two or more elements from multiple images. In other words, the golf ball was added to another existing picture. This gives me a large depth of field because I used two pictures that were already in focus. I didn't have to worry about using camera settings to cover a wide depth of field. This worked well in this situation because I didn't actually have to hit golf balls at my camera equipment.

The other way to get a deep DoF is by using camera settings. Using a small aperture will achieve this goal. If you play around with DoF you will soon find that your focus area begins before the point where your camera is focused and ends at an area behind the point of focus. In other words if you use a small aperture and focus on a fence, the grass in front of the fence will be in focus as well as the trees behind the fence. How do you optimize this effect? As a general rule I will focus about one third of the way past the closest point I want to be in focus. In most cases I end up with a well focused shot. However, the closer you get to your subject the more narrow your depth of field, so, this method doesn't always work when shooting in close. You'll just have to play around until you find the optimum setting. Personally, I take multiple shots to ensure that I end up with the image that I want.

You can also use a wide aperture to narrow your depth of field such as in the example to the left. This will allow a small area to be in focus, drawing attention to the focused subject by throwing everything else out of focus.

You can achieve many DoF effects by using camera settings or by manipulating images using software. Both can be used effectively. There are many indepth tutorials on the Internet that can teach you more than the small taste you have gotten here. Just remember that depth of field can be your friend, it can be your confidant, your right hand man, your caterer, your auto mechanic, your hairdresser... oh who are we kidding? Just go learn more about it, okay?

More to come...

Which Camera Should I Buy?

2010-01-05T00:29:00.014-05:00

Without a doubt, the number one question I am most asked when out in the field is, "What kind of camera should I buy?" Silently I answer, "Do I look like a Soothsayer," but out loud I ask, "What is it that you're going to be shooting?" Now, most people, when they ask this question are really asking, "What kind of Digital Single Lens Reflex should I buy," and I'm usually thinking that they actually don't need a DSLR. My basic reason for asking what it is they will be shooting is due to the fact that most folks benefit best by getting a good point and shoot camera. Why? Read on!

More after the jump...

Is a DSLR really what you want? If you are interested in learning photography and are going to learn how to use the camera to its fullest then a DSLR is certainly what you want. If you understand that with a DSLR you are going to have to do some post processing with a program like Photoshop or the like, then you should go ahead and get one. If you're planning on using it like a Brownie Hawkeye then you're not going to be happy. More money and bigger lenses don't equal better pictures and a DSLR will not magically make good photographs.

It's not that I'm trying to steer anyone away from the purchase of a DSLR but if all you want to do is take pictures of vacations, birthdays and Christmas then perhaps a good compact digital, or "point and shoot," is for you. There are plenty on the market that make excellent quality photographs without having to learn the ins and outs of a DSLR. There are plenty that look like a DSLR. Point and shoot, as the name implies, is for those folks who just want good pictures without having to do a whole lot. Point at it and shoot it. The camera does it for you. It sharpens, reduces noise, auto focuses, auto exposes along with a plethora of other neat and cool tricks they pack in those things nowadays. There are plenty of point and shoots well suited for little league action. There are plenty of point and shoots that will make prints suitable to hang on your wall.

I know lots of people who have been greatly disappointed in their photographs after buying a DSLR. "My pictures just don't look as good as they did with my old digital camera." Sure they don't. They are just plain images that haven't had anything done to them. They need correct white balance and exposure. They probably need some sharpening or noise reduction. Perhaps the shadows or highlights need some enhancement. The colors may need tweaking. This is something that most folks just don't realize before buying a DSLR and a fact that can lead to disappointment after a very expensive purchase. Some of the best deals around for DSLR's can be found on Craigslist after people have lost interest or have become frustrated when trying to figure out the camera.

I'm all for getting the best picture possible and sometimes, for some people, that means using a camera that takes the work out of picture taking. I'm all for photography being fun for everyone and for some, a DSLR can take the enjoyment out of taking pictures. My advise is to buy the camera that will give you the best result for the amount of effort you're willing to put in to the pictures you are going to take. If you really want to learn photography and you like playing with the photo after you take it, get a DSLR. If you just want to capture memories like you did with that old Instamatic, you can't go wrong with a point and shoot.

More to come...

Hero

2009-12-13T00:51:00.004-05:00

I have decided to post something unrelated to photography this time but certainly something worthy of the written word. When most people think of the word hero they think of someone like a soldier or an athlete. Most of the time ordinary folks aren't lumped into that category. This post is about an ordinary guy who became a hero by doing something out of the ordinary. It is about my son.

More after the jump...

My wife Gail is a diabetic. A couple of years ago her sugar level bottomed to the point where she passed out. I was out working and my son was home alone with her. When he was unable to wake her, he called me. "Daddy, Mommy won't wake up," he said calmly. "I think her sugar is dropping." An eight-year-old boy had just made a medical diagnosis. He was right.

I instructed him to shake her arm and when that yielded no result I told him to shake her violently. He did and she still wouldn't wake up. "I'm going to hang up the phone and call 911. Don't worry. I'll call you right back, okay? I'm on my way home right now." I hung up the phone and immediately called 911. He did the same thing.

I reported what had just transpired to the operator and she informed me that another operator was on the phone with my son at that very moment. An ambulance had been dispatched as my son relayed that his mother was breathing but still unresponsive. The operator told me that she would call me when the ambulance had arrived.

At this point I was still about thirty minutes out but was doing everything in my power to shave off the seconds. Fifteen minutes from home my phone buzzed. It was the 911 operator calling to let me know that my son had just gotten off the phone with her and had let the EMS folks in the house.

I arrived home to find Gail awake and alert after having been given a dose of glucose. She was eating and after being checked thoroughly by the EMS her sugar level had stablized. It was then that the EMS guys told on my son. Apparently, as soon as they entered the house my son insisted that they check Gail's blood sugar. "She's a diabetic and I think her blood sugar is dropping." They did check and found her level to be dangerously low. A few more moments and she surely would have slipped into a coma. My son was able to give them all the vital information they needed and was also able to locate Gail's list of medications for their report. "He's quite a kid," they said. "He saved you wife's life."

After the commotion had died and the emergency personnel had gone, I sat my son down to talk with him. "Do you know what a hero is?" I asked.

"It's like a basketball player or superman right."

"Well yes but a real hero is an ordinary person who does something super ordinary. It's an ordinary person who sets an example for other people by doing something extraordinary."

"Like superman."

"I'm talking about you, son. Because of what you did, Mommy is alive. You saved your Mommy's life today by doing what a hero does. You're an ordinary kid who did something super ordinary and set an example for other people. That makes you a hero."

Last year we were able to have his heroism recognized by nominating him for G105's, Bob's Good Kid of the Week, an award given by a local radio station. Not only did his feat win him the weekly award but he also won Bob's Good Kid of the Year. The only reason I mention these awards is because they were not expected by my son. He didn't nominate himself and had no clue he would win but was nominated by his proud parents who wanted the world to know that their son is a hero.

I hadn't thought about any of this for a while until the other night when my wife told me of something he had done. She was suffering through a bout of chronic pancreatitis when my son made an impromptu visit to her bedside. "Mommy, is there anything you need or anything I can do for you?" he asked. My wife thanked him but told him no, that she didn't need anything right then. "Well, let me know if you need anything."

At the time, although proud of his concern for his mother, I was a bit surprised by what he had done. I think of a ten-year-old being wrapped up with the TV, video games or the computer and not being tuned in to the needs of others. I guess I really shouldn't be that surprised though. He was only doing what a hero does.

More to come...

Death of an Icon

2009-11-14T12:03:00.013-05:00

June 22, 2009 is a day that will live in infamy. At least as far as old ~~fart~~ time photographers are concerned. It's the day that Kodak announced the last production run of Kodachrome 64 film. Yes, that old industry icon that Paul Simon sang about in his 1973 hit by the same name will cease to exist later this year. Those "nice bright colors" and "the greens of summer" is no more. No longer will it make us think "all the world's a sunny day."

More after the jump...

Kodachrome has been around since 1935 and became the world's first successful color commercial film. It was a main stay for photographers who used it in the field and studio as well as remote location work. It was used by military photographers in World War II to document the conflict as both a still and motion picture film. I myself have used it by the miles. It had a long shelf life and could remain useable under a wide range of harsh conditions making it an excellent all purpose film. Kodachrome 64 was the last remaining Kodachrome film.

Kodachrome is full of outstanding features but its E-6 development process is complicated. It isn't one that is tackled by even the most experienced photographers, and as a result,the film is mainly sent to processing labs for development. This lead to the innovation of newer color films that were easier to process, making workflow more efficient and less time consuming. Kodak has even introduced 3 new professional films this year, however, the characteristics and look of those films are not that of Kodachrome. The closest films would probably be Kodak Professional Ektar 100 Film and Kodak Professional Ektachrome Film E100G. There are already digital programs available that attempt to mimic the famous Kodachrome look.

According to Kodak, "Due to declining customer demand for Kodachrome, continued production of this film in no longer viable." Kodak says that the film makes up less than one percent of revenue for the company. Over the years the company has seen declining sales due to the increased popularity of digital products and film uses have turned to products that are cheaper and quicker to process. Kodak expects the current supply to last until ~~yesterday~~ the end of 2009. Dwayne's Photo Service will continue to process the film through the end of December, 2010. Dwayne's is the only remaining certified processor of Kodachrome film.

I'm sorry to see this historic film go but there is no doubt that it's place has been established in the hearts of photographers worldwide. As silly as it may sound, I have bought a couple of rolls just for keepsake and sentimental value. It's a film that I have depended on personally and although I haven't used it for several years, it was always nice knowing that it was around. The final result is that, Mama has taken our Kodachrome away and it will be missed by many.

More to come...

Photography is Not a Crime

2009-10-07T21:57:00.002-04:00

Apparently there is an increase in photographers, both pro and amateur, being harassed by police for taking pictures. It seems to have picked up since 9-11 and police will sometimes site this as a reason in their attempts stop photographers from snapping away. However, it isn't always the police who are the culprits as security guards have made attempts to detain and even disarm photographers of their equipment. It turns out that the very people who we assume to know the law, in fact, many times do not.

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Here's the reality. Police in the United States of America do not have the right to stop you from taking pictures in a public area even if you are taking pictures of the police. (Unfortunately, due to recent legislation, this is no longer the case in Great Britain) As long as you are on public property you are not only allowed to take pictures but those who stop you are most likely breaking the law by doing so. Neither the Patriot Act nor the Homeland Security Act contain any restrictions on photography but both of these documents have been cited as reasons to stop the legal use of a camera in public places. The fact is you can photograph anyone and anything from public property as long as there is no reasonable expectation of privacy. In other words, if you can see the cool looking pipes of an oil refinery from the road, you can take pictures. The refinery security cannot stop you. If John Doe wants to take pictures of the crowd at a parade, he can.

Photographs of events, places and people, even law enforcement, have been key in molding the laws of our country. It has been instrumental in the fight for civil rights. It has aided in law enforcement with solving crimes. It has routed out abuse. Historically, if there had been restrictions on photography our society would not enjoy the human rights we now take for granted. Historically, if there had been restrictions on photography, not one single act of terrorism to date would have been avoided.

So, what is a person to do if the uneducated try to stop them from taking a picture? Try educating the offender. Hand them a copy of "The Photographer's Right" by Bert P. Krages, Attorney at Law. You can grab a free copy at his web site, http://www.krages.com/phoright.htm. I always keep several copies with me that are highlighted in key areas.

Interested in the horror stories of photographers who have been accosted in the name of security? Check out Photography is Not a Crime.

More to come...

2009-09-22T22:40:00.002-04:00

I didn't think I'd like Twitter but I do. It's interesting to see what friends, photographers and oddballs are up to at any given moment. I get breaking news and interesting links to pictures, articles and all sorts of useful things as well as those things that are a complete waste of time. You should look me up if you happen to Twitter. I'm piedmont_photo or just do a search for Rob Byron.

More after the jump...

Searching my name will not only find me but you'll find a guy who wants you to become an expert or an "Ethority" if you will. It appears that his only two posts are blurbs about his web site where, basically, you can set up a blog. He's one of the not so interesting folks on Twitter. Don't fret. There are a plethora of folks who are interesting.

If you want to learn more about photography there's Joe McNally, Chase Jarvis, David Hobby and Moose Peterson to name a few. Your favorite news sources are there. Doing a simple search for your favorite subjects will bring up a wealth of people and organizations for you to follow. You can even follow your favorite personalities if you're into that sort of thing. (Word has it that Kermit the Frog claims he's not dating Lady Gaga)

Now, I realize that some of you are saying, "Rob, we know all this." Well, I'm not talking to you. You are free to go Twitter. For the rest of you, check it out. It's fun and besides... all the cool kids are doing it.

More to come...

Shoot Now!

2009-09-17T21:04:00.004-04:00

I had written an article for Shutterstock a while back where I talked about shooting a scene the moment it's happening. In other words, if you're driving past a beautiful landscape scene, stop and take a picture then. Don't wait. Do it now. When? Right now. There have been countless times when I have driven past a scene and thought, "I'll stop on the way back and get that shot," only to discover that the light was different or it had begun to rain etc. So I have adopted the policy to "shoot it now." It takes just a minute or two, usually, to stop and take the picture. Pull over to the side of the road or tell your spouse, "I'll catch up in a second" and take the shot. "I'll take the picture later," can very easily turn into never.

More after the jump...

This was put into practice for me recently when I was on my way to pick up some items. I saw some utility workers over on the side of the road and the thought struck, "That would make a good stock image. I'll stop and shoot it on the way back." Then I thought, "No. Why not stop and shoot it now?" So I stopped, shot a poke sack full of frames and continued on my way to the store. The delay cost me maybe two minutes in total. As I returned from the store guess who I passed? No really guess. Stop guessing, I'll tell you. Three utility trucks. Count them. Three. The very ones I had photographed thirty minutes prior. If I had waited, I would have missed the shot.

How did this philosophy come about? There used to be an old barn about 100 feet from my house. While exploring the ancient building with a neighbor, I discovered a huge wasps nest that had long been abandoned. The late afternoon sun shone through a crack in the aging wall and wonderfully illuminated the nest and the rugged wood where it attached. First of all, I should have had my camera with me but, because I didn't, I should have immediately walked to my house to retrieve it. Instead I though, "That old barn will always be here. I can shoot that picture anytime." Two weeks later I looked to see a bulldozer plowing through the antique building. The moral of the story: if you see a great subject, take the picture then. A few minutes out of your busy schedule won't matter much in the long run and the rewards of the perfect image will last forever.

More to come...

What's This?

2009-09-16T23:33:00.005-04:00

Although this is Piedmont Photo's first blog, I’m not new to the world of the Internet. I’ve had a web presence for many moons but ever since the creation of the web site for my photography business, I have been looking for new avenues of exposure. Besides, all the cool kids are doing it. This is not to say that this blog won’t be entertaining and filled with loads of wisdom from my years of experience. The is not to say that it will but I will do my best to not disappoint myself since I’m probably one of the few who will actually read this blog. It is also quite possible that the only time I read the blog is when I’m writing an entry. Time will tell my friends. Time will tell.

More to come…