This week we are going to talk about the focal length of lenses. At it’s simplest, the focal length is the effective length of a lens as is measured from the front element of the lens to the film plane (the digital sensor). The focal length is measured in millimeters (mm). The longer the lens (greater focal length), there greater the number of mm’s. Make sense?

OK, so what does that mean? The longer the lens (more mms), the greater the magnification. As we briefly talked about in Part 1 of this series, more magnification comes at a price. The greater the focal length, the less light makes it to the sensor.

Lenses can be divided into two basic groups. The first are lenses that have a fixed focal length (called prime lenses). For instance a 300mm prime lens will always be a 300mm lens. If you want to get more magnification, you have to move closer to your subject. The second type of lens is a variable focal length lens or zoom lens. For instance, I frequently use a 24-70mm lens in the studio. This is a lens that adjusts between 24mm and 70mm. So if I have it set at 50mm and want to tighten up a shot, I don’t have to walk any closer. I can just zoom in to 70mm.

So all this begs the questions, why doesn’t everyone just use zoom lenses to save the effort of walking back and forth? There’s a couple of reasons why prime lenses are popular. First of all, a good prime is almost always sharper than a zoom lens. The reason is that there are fewer elements inside the lens barrel. When you introduce more elements for the light to pass through it can hurt image quality. The other advantage is that prime lenses transmit more light to the sensor make them faster than zoom lenses.

Some zoom lenses have a constant maximum aperture, while others have a maximum aperture that is determined by it’s focal length. For instance my 24-70mm lens has a constant max aperture of 2.8 throughout it’s focal length. However my 10-22mm lens has a max aperture that changes from f/3.5 to f/4.5 as I zoom from 10mm to 22mm.

So is the focal length all about magnification? Well sorta, but not always. It’s also about perspective. For example, consider the two photos below. The one on the left was shot with a 200mm lens from about 20 feet. The one on the right was shot with a 10mm lens from less than 2 feet away. The size of the figurine in each is the same, but because of the different proximity the perspective changes. At 10mm much more of the background is visible.

This next photo shows how proximity can cause a distorted view of reality. In the photo below both markers are in the same position however they appear very different due to the camera’s distance to the subject. The photo on the left was shot with at 200mm, whereas the photo on the right was shot at 10mm. Notice that at 10mm the red marker appears to be twice the size of the blue one, even though they are the same size. At 200mm the markers appear to be next to each other even though there is a about a foot between them.

This distortion is particularly important when photographing people. When you are too close, body parts can extremely disproportionate, which can be very unflattering. For portrait work a focal length of about 100mm is ideal because it provides enough distance between the camera and the subject so that everything is proportional.

To see more of my portrait work click here.

Well that’s it for this time. Thanks for reading and if you have any questions let me know.

-Ken

Yesterday was a long but fun day. I was in Michigan shooting photos of machinery that is used in a production line. The machines were going to be outlined for use in printed materials as well as for a website. Since most of the machines had windows so you could see things that move down the line, in many places you could see thru the machines. To make things easier on the graphic designers who would extract these machines from the background, I shot everything against white and laid white paper on the floor.

To make the white background I used a series of 15×18 ft. steel rolling panels that the company used as partitions. I used a scissor lift to clamp rolls of 9ft wide paper to the panels (see the photo below. Also note, no lighting was setup at this point). Fork lifts and the overhead 10 ton crane was used to move the machines into place in front of the background.

Background panels.

We shot for almost 10 hours and got great photos. The clients were very pleased so it was a very successful shoot! I crashed in my hotel room a little after 1am, then drove back to my studio in the morning. It was a lot of work and long hours, but the payoff was a set of images that myself and the clients loved. So worth it.

For more examples of the my commercial work click here.

Thanks for reading!!

-Ken

Last week we talked about the 2 main properties of lenses, aperture and focal length. This week we’ll talk about other properties and characteristics of lenses. Since this post is about basics and I am not an engineer or physicist, I won’t get into the science behind all this. Partly because I don’t want to lose my reader, but also because I don’t understand all the deep science behind optics.

Last time, we talked about how the lens’s aperture controlled how much light hits the camera’s sensor. It achieves this much like the human eye. When you look into bright light, your pupil contracts and limits the amount that enters the eye. When you are in dark room, your pupil dilates and lets in more light. Your lens does the same thing. There is diaphragm inside the lens that opens and contracts in increments called f/stops.

While the aperture controls the amount of light that hits the sensor, it does more than that. It also controls depth of field (DOF). So what is depth of field? It is the area in a photo that is in focus. For example, look at the two photos below. The first photo was shot at f/1.2 with a 50mm lens. Notice that the pot is mostly in focus, but as you move away from it, things quickly go out of focus. (Now, shooting at f/1.2 is pretty extreme, most lenses don’t open that wide but it helps illustrate the point). Now look at the photo below it. It was shot with the same lens, but was shot at f/8. You’ll notice that you can now see the background and also that the handle is now in focus. The depth of field is much wider at f/8 than it was at f/1.2.

The top image at f/1.2. The bottom image at f/8.

Depth of field is not only a function of aperture, but also a function of focal length. For example, if you shoot a photo with a 200mm lens at f/2.8, then you shoot that same photo with a 50mm lens at f/2.8, the photo shot with the 200mm lens will have a shallower DOF than the photo shot with 50mm lens.

The final component of DOF is the distance between the lens and the subject. The closer you are to the subject the shallower the depth of field. The greater the distance, the wider the depth of field. Simple, right?

OK, now that we have this information, how do we use it? Let’s discuss this scenario, you are shooting a photo of a person in an alley. The alley is really cool looking, but when you get just the right angle there is a garbage dumpster that is just visible in the background. So what do you do? You select an exposure that uses a wider aperture that allows the background to go out of focus. The dumpster no longer becomes an issue.

Here’s another scenario. You are shooting snapshots at a family function and must shoot at f/2.8 to get a good photo. If you want to have a wider DOF, select a wider angle lens. Your DOF will increase.

There is a particular characteristic of lenses called bokeh. This term describes the quality of the out of focus area and it varies between lenses. There are lots of factors that goes into creating the bokeh, including the number petals on the diaphragm, the types of glass, and the lens construction. Generally a smoother, creamier bokeh is more favorable. If you look at the photo above at f/1.2, you notice how the background is very smooth and the colors blend together in a pleasing way. Some lens’s bokeh as less pleasing that the out of focus area can be blocky or you’ll have unpleasing artifacts.

Now that you understand depth of field, go out and take some photos and play with the depth of field. It’s a great tool and can be used to create powerful images.

Thanks for reading!!!

-Ken.

OK, today I had a photo shoot at a tool making company in Michigan. My shot list included product photos of some cutting tools and also some shots of tool making equipment. While these shoots went great, one of the real treats was the facility itself. As it turns out, the owner of the company was a collector of Americana. He collects all kinds of cool stuff from antique bronze church bells (one weighing over 2400 pounds) to vintage oil cans. Everywhere I went on the production floor was all kinds of cool, collectable stuff including gas stations signs, fast food signs, antique police call stations, all kinds of stuff. It was a museum as much as it was a manufacturing facility. So it was a good day.

Here are a few photos of a small portion of building. Everywhere I went I discovered a sign here, or a bell there, it was an adventure of discovery.

It was a shame that I found out that many of these signs lit up after I shot these snapshots before I left the plant.

Anyway it was a fun day in an unanticipated way. To see more of my commercial photographer click here.

Thanks for reading!

-Ken

Well this past Christmas must have been the year of DSLR because I’ve heard from a lot folks that got them as gifts. One of the main questions I’ve been asked is about what lenses to get. (I also have been asked how to use the darn thing. ) The simple answer is “buy the best lens you can afford”. But that’s not really the best answer. It mostly depends on what you are going to be shooting and the environment in which you are going to be shooting

The 2 most basic qualities of a lens are the focal length and the maximum aperture. The focal length determines the field of view and is expressed in terms of millimeters. The more millimeters the less field of view. For instance a 300mm lens will have a narrow field of view (more magnification) compared to a 35mm lens.

The other quality is the maximum aperture. This is expressed as an F/stop and determines how much light the lens lets in. The lower the number the more light passes thru the lens. So an F/2.8 lens lets in more light than a F/4.5 lens.

The problem we run into is that these qualities are at odds. When you make a lens with lots of magnification, you have to use a longer lens tube and/or more elements. This reduces the amount of light hitting the sensor. In order to compensate, lens makers make the front element of the lens larger in diameter. This lets more light it but increases the price and weight.

Two common terms to describe these qualities are speed and length. For instance a 300mm lens is longer than a 50mm. Although the physical length may not hugely different between 2 lenses, because one has more magnification than the other, it is considered “longer”. The other term speed refers to the maximum aperture. In this case a faster lens has a wider maximum aperture than a slower lens.

A “longer” 70-200mm f/2.8 lens versus a “shorter, slower” 10-22mm f/3.5-4.5 lens.

So, in order to determine what lenses to buy you need to decide what you are shooting and your lighting situation. Next week we’ll discuss other lens attributes in more detail.

Thanks for reading.

-Ken

In the past, my slow time of the year has been from Thanksgiving thru mid February. For some reason (and I’m not complaining), things haven’t slowed down much. Is it a sign that the economy is beginning to rebound? I certainly hope so.

Next week, I am meeting with some folks about putting on a Modeling Workshop. We are just now beginning to talk about the format and other specifics. There’s a ton of details that need to ironed out. So, if you want to try modeling or if you just want to feel what it feels like to be a professional model, stay tuned and I’ll have more details in the next few weeks. The workshop will also benefit experienced models as well.

I still want to do a studio lighting workshop for photographers. I need to plan that for this summer.

Once I get caught up, I need to work on some personal projects, just to be creative. I have a bunch of ideas rattling around in my head. I need to flesh them out and plan the shoots. Maybe after the first of the year.

I want to do some renovation to the studio too. I want to add a new shooting area and put in some new wood flooring.

I told you these were random thoughts.

Thanks for reading and have a happy, safe, and prosperous New Year!!!

-Ken

The last few weeks I’ve been working on all kinds of stuff. I don’t think I’ve had more than one day off in a row in quite a while. But I love what I do, so it’s not like it’s a burden.

For instance I was in Detroit for a couple of days shooting for Recycling Today Magazine and after that I was in Ohio shooting photos of multi-million dollar robots from a 30 ft boom lift. Before that, I shot products for White Oak Lavender Company. Somewhere in between those shoots were portrait sessions.

Here is a sample photo I shot for White Oak Lavender.

Raw Lavender

For more examples of my commercial work click here.

I have also added a new product to my high school senior portrait line up. Seniors can now a order a video of the shoot. The video offers glimpses behind the scenes, photos, and also an interview section. The video is perfect for graduation parties and parents love them. Call or email me for more information about a custom senior video.

Well that’s it for now. Thanks for reading and I hope everyone has a Merry Christmas and a Happy Holiday Season.

-Ken.

Ok. I don’t normally rant or get political on my blog or on social media sites. However, I get sick and tired of people ranting ad nauseam about their political beliefs on Facebook, Google+, etc. This posting is directed to those people who are always throwing their beliefs in everyone’s faces.

Most people’s political view points are relatively fixed and aren’t going to be changed by anything you post. If someone “friends” you, it means that, either they already agree with you politically, or they feel you have something important or interesting to say about other topics. No one friends you because they want you to convince them to change their political viewpoint. So, if you are going on and on and on about your pro tea party, pro occupy, pro whatever beliefs, you are either pissing someone off, or preaching to the choir. Neither are productive.

I have real friends that have viewpoints different from mine and that’s OK. There’s other common ground that’s more important. As long as you believe in America and want to improve our lives, all the rest is just details and it’s Ok if we disagree about the details. I just don’t want hear about them over and over again.

Once again, thanks for reading!

-Ken

By “lucky”, I don’t mean that I win the lottery or that when there’s a raffle, I always win something. So I guess lucky isn’t the right word. “Fortunate” is a better choice. Since this is the beginning of the Holiday Season it’s a good time to give thanks for the all that we have. I know the economy isn’t in good shape, but we all have something to be thankful for.

For me, I am the most thankful for my friends and family, who I love and cherish. I am also thankful for my customers. I am fortunate to be able to work with some amazing and creative people. This encompasses not only my corporate clients, but also the people that trust me to shoot their portraits. Especially when they want something creative and different.

Not many people have a job that they absolutely love. Yes, it’s stressful, it’s demanding, and it can be frustrating. However, it’s also very rewarding. I wouldn’t change a thing.

Yellow Pipes and Gears - shot for a metal fabrication company

To see more of my commercial photography click Here.

To see more of my portrait photography click Here.

Once again, thanks for reading!

-Ken

I know this is a weird post, but let me give you some background and it will make sense. Recently someone asked me to review his photo portfolio and tell him what I thought about the quality of his work. He is a beginning photographer and is looking to improve.

I went to his Flickr page and looked over his work. Honestly, most of it was OK, but unremarkable. There were a few images that were pretty strong. So, in my review I complemented the good images and told him what I liked about them. He thanked me and asked what I thought about a couple of the weaker images. I told him I thought they were weak and gave him the reasons why I thought so.

He said he was confused because the weaker images got lots of positive comments on his Facebook page. With good reviews from his friends, how could those images not be good?

The ugly truth is that, while most everyone knows what they like, that doesn’t mean they can judge quality. For instance, one photo was of a pretty girl in a dress outside at a park. Someone may look at the photo and see a pretty girl and make a positive comment. Someone else may see the photo and love the dress and like the photo. Yet a third person may love the girl’s shoes and make a comment.

What these people failed to notice is that the sun is casting ugly shadows across the girl’s face and no fill light was used. They also didn’t notice that there is a telephone pole growing from the girl’s head and that the background is really distracting (something that could be fixed by opting for a shallow depth of field or by having the girl move to a different location). These not the things most people will notice, but they really weaken an image.

I know nothing about pottery. However, I can look at a vase and say that I like it because I like the color or the shape. But it doesn’t mean I can judge it’s quality. I can’t tell how much effort went into making it or if it was glazed or fired properly. The potter shouldn’t consider my opinion when assessing his own skills.

I guess what I’m saying is that, having your work critiqued is a very useful exercise, but make sure the person’s opinion you are asking for is capable of judging the quality of your work.

One of the many interesting things about photography is that you never stop learning. You can never know everything about the craft. If you think you do, you’ll never grow and your skills will stagnate.

Thanks for reading!!

-Ken