Photography Tips

Gimme Some Bokeh

October 14, 2020 by Mary Buck

bo·keh

/bōˈkā/

noun

Photography

noun: bokeh

the visual quality of the out-of-focus areas of a photographic image, mostly as rendered by a particular lens.
“a quick, visual survey of the foreground and background bokeh of a variety of lenses.”

Creating a bokeh in a photographic image is a technique that can have a positive impact on an image.

Bokeh is also known as a shallow depth of field, selective focus, or a blurring background. This process helps define the subject, and the remainder of the image becomes a negative space.

What are the three methods of creating a bokeh?

First, the most commonly used method is choosing a wide aperture: the wider the aperture (2.8 is wider than 5.6), the greater the blur. If you are interested in achieving a creamy background, choose a lens and aperture to give you the best results. Below are examples of images that illustrate the effect.

Notice the amount of blur and f/2.8 and lack of it starting at f/8

The second method for creating a bokeh is choosing a long focal length lens. The focal length is defined in millimeters, and The longer the focal length, the narrower the angle of view, and the higher the magnification. The shorter the focal length, the wider the angle of view, and the lower the magnification. For example, if you have a 70-300mm lens, the longer focal length of 300mm will provide a more noticeable bokeh than a focal length of 70mm. Below are examples of a 200mm focal length, a 400mm focal length, and a 600mm focal length.

The third method is the proximity to the subject. The closer the camera is to the subject, the blurrier the background will be. This procedure can present a focus issue, so make sure you use your single AF points.

Not sure what AF Points are? Check out my online courses and private lessons.

ART BEAT: Duluth photographer finds new artistic subjects in her own back yard

May 27, 2020 by Mary Buck

Reprinted from the Gwinnett Daily Post – May 24, 2020. Article by Holley Calmes, Staff Correspondent

Mary Buck has traveled far and wide, creating photographic art at colorful locales of Cuba, Venice, and Paris.

Quarantined at home by COVID-19 and wondering how to spend her time, she found new artistic inspiration outside her window.

The Duluth resident, a talented and versatile photographer, found being sequestered difficult. To pass the time, she decided to decorate her backyard, adding new visual interests that include a birdbath, a squirrel feeder and a hummingbird feeder.

“Little did I know what was in store for me,” Buck said. “I soon found the silver lining in my quarantine when birds started to appear.”

Buck’s small, intown back yard was perfect for bird watching, with young trees and the new birdbath and feeders.

“Little by little, more birds started to appear. I was fascinated by their colors and songs, and marveled at their instinctive skills,” she said.

Gifted photographer that she is, it didn’t take long for Buck to grab her camera and start photographing her winged visitors. Using her longest lens, she was able to capture photos of birds splashing in the birdbath. The fascination grew from there.

Bucks said: “I knew little about birds except for the common ones like robins and cardinals, so I installed a bird identity app on my phone. I quickly learned to identify the birds and learned so much about them. I was astonished at how many types of birds my yard in Duluth attracted.”

Buck has learned to be prepared for her avian friends.

“My outdoor set up is simple,” she said. “It consists of fencing, which acts as a perching platform, as well as many small trees which are within reach of my 400 mm lens. And it amazes me how often the birds splash in the bird bath.”

As a portrait photographer, Buck knows that light is an all-important factor in capturing the perfect image.

“Lighting is a key element in achieving optimal results,” she said. “The morning light is best and provides that ‘glint in the eye’ which is just as important for a bird portrait as a people portrait. The late-day sun is a little harsher, but I am able to capture rim lighting on the birds which highlight their unique feathers and plumes.

“I am partial to the brightly colored birds which are usually the males.

I love the goldfinch, Carolina bluebird, and the cardinal. The house finch is also a favorite and probably the most common bird in my yard.”

Before she was sequestered at home, Buck knew nothing about birds.

“I never took the time to listen and watch birds. Now that I have become familiar with them, it has opened up a whole new world for me,” Buck said. “All this time, they were right in front of my eyes.” Now they are in front of her camera, too.

Mary Buck teaches private photography lessons for photo enthusiasts who would like to learn how to take better pictures.

To learn more about her private lessons visit the website.

You can visit Buck’s fine art web site at https://1-mary-buck.pixels.com/

A Creative Guide for Photographers During the Coronavirus Pandemic

April 1, 2020 by Mary Buck

Are you a photographer stuck at home?

Most cities now have a “shelter in place” mandate to stop the spread of the awful Coronavirus. The safest thing to do is stay at home, but how can you keep your creative juices flowing? Our new normal (at least for the next 30-60 days) can be a great time to learn new skills in Photoshop, Lightroom, photography and video. I have found many ways to continue being productive and help pass the time while having fun. I would like to share a creative guide for photographers with you.

Below is my shortlist of ways you can be creative.

Linkedinlearning.com
CreativeLive
Harold Davis books and videos
Spring flower photography
Macro photography
Start a photo journal

Let’s start with Linkedinlearning.com

Formerly lynda. com., LinkedIn offers a plethora of online learning including everything you have ever wanted to know about Photoshop, Lightroom and ACR. If you are new to Photoshop, I would start with the Essentials Training Basics and Essential Training Photography. I took both courses and then I jumped on to Photoshop 2020 One-on-One Fundamentals. I have been a Photoshop user for almost twenty years, but I still learned so much about the software and how I can improve and enhance my photography. Best of all, the subscription is only $30 per month and you can cancel it anytime you want.

Here are some of the best tips I learned so far:

Use the content-aware tool to extend a background when cropping.
Add your copyright to an image that will be posted online.
Use scrubby sliders to increase or decrease a setting (now I am getting really excited)
Converting to a smart object for a non-destructive edit.
Lots and lots of keyboard shortcuts.

Here is just one of the Photoshop tips I learned.
The image above was converted to a smart object and next an oil paint filter was applied. Copyright information was embedded using the file info command.

Creative Live rocks!

I have been an active member of Creative Live since 2012. Their online workshops are intended for those who have a passion for being creative. You can learn new photography skills such as wildlife photography, or try something new like public speaking. (we can all use that). If you are a parent homeschooling your child, you can probably find some crafty projects to work on with them. Creative Live’s tagline is: Master your craft, your passion, or something new with creative classes taught by the world’s best.

The trick with Creative Live is to find out their schedule for their FREE ON-AIR and LIVE classes. They are usually during the day, and now what else to you have to do? You can also pay a fee to watch an online course at your own freedom. Creative Live offers a Pass for a very affordable monthly or annual fee. To learn more about Creative Live click the link below.

Join in on the this phenomenal, ground-breaking, learning environment and register for a CreativeLive Photography online course, or any course that interests you.

If you haven’t heard of Harold Davis

you are in for a big treat. He is not only one of the best photographers on earth, he is also a poet and wonderful instructor. He has a knack for creating beauty out of simple subjects and is willing he is to share his skill and talent. I would start on his website to learn more about his books, webinars and live workshops.

Harold’s creative vision is unparalleled in the industry. He has been one of my favorite photographers for a long time. I have enjoyed one of his webinars: Painting in Transparency Using a High-Key Layer Stack Webinar with Harold Davis, that I have watched it over and over again. For this process, you will need a lightbox, and there are lots of DIY instructions available online. It will be worth your time to check out Harold Davis.

An example of a high-key layer stack.
(Harold’s are much better)

Here is another example of the high key layer stack method. Apparently I used it for a holiday greeting.

The spring flowers are amazing

depending on where you live. In Georgia, spring has sprung, and the landscape is filled with cherry blossoms, azaleas, tulips, dogwoods, and a very high pollen count. Going outside in nature can be a great way to unstress in today’s uncertain times. Maintaining social distancing is a must.

You can research the botanical gardens where you live to see if they are open. Near where I live, Gibbs Gardens is still open. Although I have been there many times, I find the early spring to be the most beautiful time to witness and photograph nature. Gibbs Gardens is in Ballground, GA, about 50 miles north of Atlanta. If you go, make sure you pay online in advance and go online for their hours.

An image from Gibbs Gardens taken March 22, 2020. A Topaz Impression filter was used to enhance this image.

I tiptoed through the tulips at Gibbs Gardens on March 22 and never saw such a beautiful display of tulips in my life.

Macro Photography is like discovering

a parallel universe that can not typically be seen with the naked eye. I am just beginning my adventures in this genre of photography, so I do not have tons to share except get out there and give it a try.

You will need a macro lens or an extension tube kit. The extension tubes are the cheapest way to go and are a great way to start out in macro photography. I used the tube kit for years but decided to invest in a macro lens this year. I have the Canon EF 100mm f/2.8L IS USM Macro Lens which is an awesome sharp lens, which I can also use for portraits.

Macro photography is something you can do in your own backyard or at your kitchen table. Crawl around on the ground and look under plants and in the soil and you might be surprised what you can see with a macro lens. For indoor work, I usually buy a bouquet of flowers from Publix and photography them all week long. If you live in an area where spring flowers are in bloom, you will have a special advantage.

This image was taken using extension tubes. The water droplets underneath the brush were barely visible with the naked eye.

This image is a macro of the back of a sunflower. I used my extension tubes for this image focusing on the foreground and letting the background present an ethereal look.

Who doesn’t love a rose? I photographed this rose using my Canon Macro 100mm lens. I used an aperture of f/18 so the layers of petals would not be blurred due to a shallow depth of field.

Lastly, I would encourage you to journal

during these difficult times. You never know, your journal could become a best-seller someday. Since you are a photographer, accompany your text with photographs that tell a story. Your story could be handed down to your grandchildren and great-grandchildren someday.

I hope I have given you enough ideas for a month.

Hopefully, we will not be hunkered down after April. We will all get through this together. Be safe, stay healthy and keep shooting!

Looking forward to the day when we can all bask on the beach together!

Learn more about Private Lessons for Adults

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Learn more about the one-day Photography Immersion Workshop

Artsy Photography Tip 1

January 4, 2016 by Mary Buck

I am starting off the New Year by blogging about some of my favorite tips on how to improve photography. The first several tips for the New Year will be artsy techniques. Creating a work of art with a camera starts with a unique composition. In all of my classes and on blog posts, I talk and write about the rule of thirds, so I will skip that and go right into the positive impact of negative space.

What is negative space? It is space to the right, left, top or bottom of a subject that surrounds the subject in a photograph. Placing the negative space is in itself an art. When correctly placed, it adds balance to the composition. Negative space in a photography prevents the subject from looking too crowded. Negative space is most effectively used when photographing a subject off-center. The image above is nicely balanced with the subject on the right and the pond ripples and reflections on the left. An added bonus is that the egret is facing to the negative space.

Exercise – Try this simple and quick exercise to view the impact of negative space on a subject. Find a subject and draw an imaginary tick-tack-toe pattern over it. Photograph the subject in each of the four quadrants (where the lines intersect). Try this with several subjects and see how each one makes you feel. You will soon discover the power of negative space in your photographic compositions. Below is an example of a photograph that I took of my dog Jazpur in the fall leaves. The next photograph is of a hiabiscus flower with the stamen leading to a colorful bouquet of negative space.

Make Sure YOU Are In YOUR Family Pictures

September 17, 2015 by Mary Buck

I meet many fellow photographers who are the “family photographer” and consequently are never in their family pictures. WHAT!!!! I hear this all the time. It is easier now than ever to make sure you are included in every family photo that you take.

I recently visited Wisconsin (my home state) to go to a Badger Football Game and visit with my relatives. My niece invited us all over for brunch and it was a perfect time for the family photo. I arranged everyone and my sister (who is also a photographer) set up the camera on a tripod. Here are some tips for using a timer so you can be in the photo.

Set the camera to manual focus and manually focus on the middle row of people
Set the camera to a low ISO (100 or 200) and aperture priority (around f/11)
Set the timer to 10 seconds. (make sure you do not set to 2 sec; that will not be enough time)
Depress the shutter and run like heck to get in the photo. Make sure there is a space for you.

Make this a point to include yourself in your family photos. Your kids and the rest of your family will thank you some day.

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For more information on DSLR photography check out the online course.

To view the camera store visit Buck Camera and Photo.

To view my portrait photography site visit Lightscapes Portrait Studio.

To view my fine are photography site visit Message in a Petal.

Five Shooting Modes on a Digital SLR Camera – Part II

January 19, 2015 by Mary Buck

A Comparison Between Program Mode and Aperture Priority.

This blog is a continuation of the blog post from last week on the five shooting modes on a digital SLR Camera. In the last blog post I compared the auto mode with the program mode. In this blog, I am going to compare shooting in program mode vs. aperture priority.

Aperture priority which is AV on the mode dial for a Canon or A on a Nikon. With this mode the photographer now starts to takes more control of the settings, by choosing an aperture which will create either a shallow depth of field or an extreme depth of field. I kept the same settings for ISO and white balance and chose an aperture to f/32 for an extreme depth of field. The camera chose the shutter to correctly expose the image. The shutter chosen by the light meter was 2.5 seconds. That created the nice silky look of the waterfall by slowing down the motion of the water. The difference is amazing with crispness in the image from front to back. Again, I had to use a tripod and a cable release. Below are the two comparisons and their settings. Review the previous blog for a comparison of auto vs. program mode. Please stay tuned for next week’s blog with a comparison between aperture priority and shutter priority.