ISO in a Nutshell.

Have you ever wondered what ISO is?  Well, after reading this post you should have a pretty good idea of how it works.


ISO has been around for a long time.  It is a abreviation for International Standards Organization.  In the old film days it meant the same thing as ASA.  ISO traditionally measures film speed.  The higher the number, the more sensitive the film was to light. So, ISO 400 is a more sensitive film than ISO 100.  Since you are probably not using film anymore,ISO is now how a reference to how sensitive your cameras light sensor is to light. Most cameras have several ISO setting ranging from 100 to 1600.  


Most of the time lower ISO's are most desirable because they give you less noise in your photograph.  However, choosing a higher ISO allows to you to use a smaller aperture or a faster shutter speed.  There are times when a higher ISO setting is useful. If you are shooting in low light or if you are shooting action shots you might want to raise your ISO settings. Also, If you are using a really long lens, such as a 500mm, it might be wise to raise your ISO setting to help avoid camera shake.  


If this is new to you it might be a good idea to do some tests.  Go out and shoot the same scene in all of the ISO setting your camera offers. This way you can get a feeling for what the different ISO settings produce.

My Favorite Time of Day to Shoot in Autumn

So, most of the time when you ask a professional how to get the most of your photos in autumn, you will hear two things:
1. On an overcast day, shoot in the woods.
2. On a sunny day shoot landscapes, or out of the woods.

Well, I am going to say something a little different.
Shoot at night, or right after the sun goes down.

I know, it takes more effort, and you have to drive home in the dark and, well there are a lot of other excuses.
I think that when you shoot at night, there is a whole other world you get to be a part of.  You really should try it.
I think you will be pleasantly surprised.
Oh, and make sure you use a tripod.
Here is one of my shots I took at night.
It was taken at F/11 at 60 seconds

Rule the World with the Rule of Thirds

If you want to get good at composition, you need to know about this rule. The rule of thirds is probably the most popular “rule” in art and photography. How does it work you ask?  Well, imagine two lines dividing your photograph horizontally and two vertically.

They look like this:

Important elements go where the lines intesect or on the lines.

Above are examples of the Rule of  Thirds at work.  Notice the placement of the moose?  The moose is placed where the lines intersect. This is the Rule of Thirds. You place your subject on one of the intersecting lines (click on the photos and you can see an enlarged version of them). Using the rule of thirds in this photo makes it more visually stimulating.

Notice in the photo of Salt Lake City, Utah where I placed the sky in this photo.  This is the Rule of Thirds at work again. This rule works great for landscapes.

Now that you understand how it works, go out and try it.  After you have it down good, go out and break the rule. The Rule of Thirds is just a rule.  If  we followed the rule all the time it could cause some problems, so learn to use it when it is needed.  If you have any quesions let  me know and I will do my best to answer them.  Now go out and start shooting.

How to Photograph a Real Estate Agent and Get Paid for it!!!!

How many times do we see an ad in a real estate magazine that looks like this:

Probably a lot!  Well, here is an idea on how to make a few extra bucks.  Go through the Real Estate guides in your town and mark the agents who need a better shot.  Call them and sell the idea that their photo is kind of like a first impression. Let them know that for so and so $ you can produce a better image for them.  This might help them get more business.  This is what you want their new photograph to look like:

Much better!

Now, for those of you who are thinking that you can’t do this, I have news for you. It’s easy!

Here is a basic diagram on how do to this.

What you want to do is:

1.  Find a location where the background is shady but you have a little light to bounce off the reflector.

2.  Have an assistant hold the reflector.

3. Have the subject turn his body slightly toward the reflector, tilt his head a little toward the reflector, and smile.

4. snap away! I always take about 5 shots of each pose. This makes sure you don’t have blinking eyes and also helps the subject relax.

Here is the cool thing. This doesn’t have to be a realtor. this could be a senior or your child, or other family member.  I really could be anyone who wants a portrait.  I suggest that you go and practice a few times before you go out and get paid for it, but seriously, this is easy!  So, grab a guy (or girl) and get out and at least try it!

Remember, have fun and if you have a question, let me know.

P.S. If you don’t have a reflector, get a piece of cardboard and tape some aluminum foil on it or use a white sheet or T-shirt.