Avoiding Beginner Photography Issues and Mistakes

Travel photography requires versatility and knowledge of a variety of photography genres. Beginner travel photographers must be serious about learning the craft if they want to produce solid travel images. Beginner photographers, especially when engaged in travel photography, have two major issues to overcome; a lack of confidence and basic photo knowledge.

It's hard to gain essential knowledge and experience when you have little confidence, which often shows up in beginners thinking their equipment is letting them down.

Often, when I'm leading photowalks or workshops I hear, “If only I had your gear.” Just about every beginner I've worked with has gear capable of capturing magnificent images. Today's consumer Digital Single Lens Reflex (DSLR) and Digital Mirrorless Interchangeable Lens (DMIL) cameras are excellent. I've proved this to more than a few beginners by swapping cameras with them, then making some great shots with their gear, better than they've produced with mine.

Top 8 Photography Myths

Like many fields of endeavor, photography has many misconceptions and myths which can hold photographers back from producing their best work. Here are my top eight photography myths.

8. Never shoot into the sun — Most photographers will tell you to always shoot with the sun at your back, so that your subjects will be well lighted with few shadows. The problem is that precludes getting wonderful backlighted images, especially portraits with great backlighted hair which can make very interesting and outstanding portraits possible.

Time to reset your camera's clock for the change to Standard Time in US

On Sunday, November 1, 2015, most of the US will have switched from “Daylight Time” to “Standard Time.” Note, I said “most of the US will have switched.” Arizona, except for the Navajo Nation, Hawaii, American Samoa, Guam, Northern Mariana Islands, Puerto Rico, and the US Virgin Islands, don't switch between “Daylight Time” in the spring, and “Standard Time” in the fall. They stick to “Standard Time” year round.

Moreover, the switch between “Daylight” and “Standard” time doesn't universally occur across the globe. More than 100 countries never change to “Daylight Time”, and more than a few countries switch between the two on different dates than other countries.

Tripods according to TSA - Straight from D.C.

The rules and regulations about what items may not be carried into scheduled airlines' airplane cabins is definitive. TSA (Transportation Security Administration) lists items in their Prohibited Items List which are definitively banned.

It's to be expected TSA can't list everything which might be a good idea to prohibit. There are far too many items that travelers might take in their carry-ons, to think any group of people could possibly imagine them all or even most.

Unfortunately, when we try to use the list to evaluate if a questionable item would be permitted or prohibited, we find it's virtually impossible to use the list to predict what a TSA TSO (Transportation Safety Officer) will decide.

Intro to Night Photography: Cityscapes — Focus, Noise, Exposure, Effects

At night in a city, virtually any city, the scene before you changes dramatically. In some locations the architecture and spirit of the city is merely enhanced, shown with a different, though recognizable look.

In other locations, the city at night transforms into a new place, sometimes brighter and more adventurous, sometimes more alive and mysterious.

Either way, making images of cities at night can allow you to often capture a “new city” with a different life than it has during the day. Making photos at night has its own challenges, but it's still subject to the same set of constraints as daylight photography; aperture, shutter speed and light sensitivity. The difference is, these constraints often push you and your equipment “to the edge,” compared to photographing the same city during the day.

Last week I discussed night photography trade-offs and constraints, the potential of star trails at times, and the equipment needed to produce high quality night photography in cities.

This week we'll get down to the nitty-gritty of actually making our night cityscapes. We'll talk about focus, noise and camera settings

Don't let passport hell ruin your vacation or kill your business trip

Jon renewed his US passport about a decade ago and happily traveled with it across the globe. Last year, planning a great trip to France, with its myriad of travel photography opportunities, for the summer, six months away, he glanced at his passport to see it still had eleven months before it expired, so he put it away in his desk.

Three months before his trip, by chance, Jon learned his passport needed to be valid for at least six months when he entered France, and an additional three months beyond his planned departure back home. He immediately applied to renew his passport and got it in time. Had he not discovered his passport wouldn't pass French passport rules, his trip would have been over before it started. His lack of knowledge about passport regulations could have cost Jon several thousand dollars.

While US passports for adults are valid for ten years from their date of issue, the problem with trying to maximize one's ten year passport term is that many countries won't let you use your passport as it nears expiration.

Intro to Night Photography: Cityscapes — Constraints and Equipment

At night in a city, virtually any city, the scene before you changes dramatically. In some locations the architecture and spirit of the city is merely enhanced, shown with a different, though recognizable look.

In other locations, the city at night transforms into a new place, sometimes brighter and more adventurous, sometimes more alive and mysterious.

Either way, making images of cities at night can allow you to often capture a “new city” with a different life than it has during the day. Making photos at night has its own challenges, but it's still subject to the same set of constraints as daylight photography; aperture, shutter speed and light sensitivity. The difference is, these constraints often push you and your equipment “to the edge,” compared to photographing the same city during the day.

Greece financial crisis for travelers over . . . for now

In case you missed it, the Greek bailout was approved and the cash is again flowing into Greece. All is well for travelers for now.

For the Greek people, while the crisis is over, it will still be a long haul before life in Greece can return to “normal.”

That said, how long before another Greek financial crisis will erupt is unknown. If the previous loan balance was unsustainable for Greece, how does adding €86 billion of new debt make the financial situation in Greece sustainable for the future, especially with repayment terms imposed? It doesn't, in my opinion! Repeating past action which failed, and expecting it to be successful in the future is folly.

Wildlife photography and Lyme Disease

Are you a wildlife photographer? Do you photograph wildlife in the Eastern half of the United States, especially in the Northeast, or along US west coast? Perhaps you're making wildlife photographs in Europe? If you photograph wildlife in those areas you're photographing in locales where Deer Ticks live out their two year life cycle.

I'm not suggesting you skip wildlife shooting in areas which have deer ticks. I enjoy more than 100 sessions each year in those areas, and in fact, after shoots, about once a year, I've found deer ticks under my clothing.

This article is intended to inform you about deer ticks and Lyme Disease, how to hopefully prevent yourself from being infected, recognize if you're infected, and if infected, what to do to minimize the effects of Lyme Disease.

Update on Taylor Swift's contract for concert photographers

In my article last month about music superstar, Taylor Swift, I wrote a highly critical piece about Swift and the contract she required photographers of her concerts to sign. I called Swift a hypocrite?

In late June, Swift wrote an open letter to Apple Inc. explaining why she was holding back her album “1989” from Apple Music, the new Apple streaming service.

In the letter, Swift decried Apple Music's free three month trial policy, during which they were not going to pay royalties to the musicians, writers, producers and others for playing any music. Swift said of Apple's decision,

“I find it to be shocking, disappointing, and completely unlike this historically progressive and generous company [Apple]. …Three months is a long time to go unpaid, and it is unfair to ask anyone to work for nothing.”

Most people in the arts including me, and the general public thought Swift was dead-on. Soon after Swift made her letter to Apple public, the company announced they changed their policy and would pay the royalties after all.

Finance update for travelers to Greece - July 17, 2015

After the Greek Parliament passed the first hurdle, passing legislation, getting 229 out of 300 possible votes for the austerity measures, as required under the €96 billion bailout plan to start its implementation, the European Central Bank authorized an emergency loan of somewhat under €1 billion, which would help the quickly dwindling physical cash situation in Greece, but do little else.

The IMF (International Monetary Fund), currently owed about €32 billion by Greece immediately called for significant debt restructuring in the final deal for the €96 billion bailout plan, which is essential to the success of the bailout, in my opinion, or the Greek Eurozone crisis will be back in short order.

Later yesterday European Union finance ministers approved a €7 billion series of bridge loans to Greece to allowing it to make a bond payment to the ECB (European Central Bank) Monday and clear its arrears with the IMF.

Finance update for travelers to Greece - July 16, 2015

The Greek Parliament has passed the first hurdle, passing legislation, getting 229 out of 300 possible votes for the austerity measures, as required under the €96 billion bailout plan which implements the start of the bailout.

But, Greek people at work, at home, and travelers enjoying the great locales, beaches, museums and historic sights the Banks will remain closed for now, and cash will be hard to come by within Greece.

The IMF (International Monetary Fund), currently owed about €32 billion by Greece is calling for significant debt restructuring in the final deal for the €96 billion bailout plan, which is essential to the success of the bailout, in my opinion, or the Greek Eurozone crisis will be back in short order. I ask if the debt Greece has now isn't sustainable, how is adding substantially to that debt and then going down the same financial road going to arrive at a different outcome. The answer is ... it can't and it isn't.

Finance update for travelers to Greece - July 13, 2015

Greece has a deal, or at least the start of a deal, a €96B bailout deal after a marathon negotiating session lasting 17 hours. They will stay in the Eurozone.

Greece wanted the IMF (International Monetary Fund) out of the agreement. The IMF is owed about €32B. The EU said no and finally Greece agreed, so the IMF is part of the deal, as are all the debt holding banks, central banks, and others holding Greek debt.

A privatization fund was set up and up to €50B of Greek assets is to be put into this fund which is like a trust fund. The money while in the fund, stays in Greece, but the money is specifically to pay down debt, pay down bank recapitalization, and there is a portion for Greek growth, which is something Greece wanted and finally got. It's perhaps the single major difference between the prior plans the EU wanted and what this agreement has in it.

UPDATE: European Parliament vote on "freedom of panorama"

Today, July 9, 2015, the European Parliament voted to remove the proposal by MEP Jean-Marie Cavada to restrict the scope of freedom of panorama in the European Union.

The result of the vote means that while the freedom of panorama won't be extended to France, Belgium, Luxembourg, and Italy, which currently restrict the freedom of panorama, that restriction won't be extended to the other European countries which have instituted it to their copyright law. In other words, the status quo is preserved and while rights weren't added for those without them, they weren't taken away from those who already enjoy them.

By the time the vote was taken, the online petition calling for Cavada's attempt to restrict the freedom of panorama to be thrown out had more than a half million signatures. There was a lot of power added to those MEP's fighting in the EP to at least maintain the status quo by those signatures.

Only 40 of the 751 Members of the European Parliament voted to retain the Cavada restrictions in the proposed new copyright law.

On her website, MEP Julia Reda, who proposed to extend the freedom of panorama throughout Europe wrote, “… most Europeans will continue to be able to post selfies online and view photos of famous buildings on Wikipedia unencumbered by copyright.

We must now continue to fight for an extension of important copyright exceptions such as this one to all member states.”

The next opportunity to extend the freedom of panorama through the European Union will occur at the end of the 2015 calendar year. While many are hopeful that the vote will be positive at that time, everyone should not assume it will as the conservative faction, particularly from France and Belgium, and others scattered through the European Union will fight the proposal with all the political power they can muster.

Vote on EU selfie ban set for Thursday

Do you take photos of buildings, street scenes, cityscapes, skyline panoramas, and selfies in front of famous landmarks when you travel? Do you post your photos on Facebook, Google+, Twitter, Pinterest, Instagram, or others?

After the European Parliament votes on “freedom of panorama” on Thursday, July 9, travelers to Europe, along with millions of Europeans might have to watch their backs after posting their photos, as the “law” could be just a few footsteps behind.

Under an “upside down” proposal to EU (European Union) copyright law, posting building photos on Facebook and alike could make travelers liable for civil penalties, and even jail.

If the proposed law passes, even if you post images solely to your own online gallery, if it has advertisements on any page with your photos, you could still be liable under the proposed law.
What is “freedom of panorama” and why should we care?

Photograph fireworks like a professional

This week in the United States we'll celebrate our nation's birth. In Philadelphia, America’s birthplace and it's first capital, that means after a concert at the foot of the Philadelphia Museum of Art, with more than a half million people in attendance, all will also enjoy one of the largest, most spectacular fireworks displays in the nation, with many more watching on television.

If you're in Philadelphia, look for me shooting the festivities and fireworks, just southeast of the Philadelphia Museum of Art.

Here are some of my tips so you can photograph the fireworks near you, like a pro, using your digital camera:

The photography ban during White House public tours has been lifted

During the presidency of Gerald R. Ford (1974–1977) photography by White House public tour visitors was banned and stayed that way for about forty years.

The ban on photography, according to White House historians, was put in place to due to a range of concerns. Those entrusted with maintaining the White House's historic artifacts, artwork and the White House itself were concerned with the damaging effects of flash photography at the time. Others were concerned that visitors constantly stopping to take photographs would disrupt White House tours and could allow some visitors to become separated from their tour group and stray from the tour route itself.

Financial tips for travelers to Greece in summer 2015

It's not often I write an article in this blog, which seemingly has no link to photography at all, but the finance situation Greece finds itself in, as it approaches national default on its debt is most definitely affecting travelers, including those in Greece primarily for photography. For travelers, Greece's financial situation has been sometimes perplexing, sometimes disruptive, and this week very difficult to overcome.

Greece closed their banks this week, but they are expected to open on Monday, July 6. At this time the ATM's throughout Greece are being refilled, but they are being emptied by travelers and Greeks as fast as they're being filled. Many travelers are reporting they have had to try as many as ten ATM's before they could obtain any cash.

Museums fed up with travelers' selfie sticks

They used to be called self-portraits. Today they have a shorthand name; “selfies.” With selfies becoming more and more popular, a piece of gear designed to help make selfies, the “selfie stick,” has emerged, and is causing major concerns and consternation at museums across the globe.

While smartphone selfies are a 21^st century phenomenon, the first selfies appeared more than 33 centuries ago. Archaeologists, discovered a selfie made in 1365 BCE by Pharaoh Akhenaten's chief sculptor Bak. The great Dutch painter Rembrandt van Rijn is the all-time king of the selfie. He painted self-portraits from the time he was a young man, until shortly before his death in 1669.

During the first half of the 19^th century selfies became a photographic staple. Robert Cornelius, a life long Philadelphian, is reputed to have made the first photo selfie in 1839. The famous US Civil War photographer Mathew Brady made many self-portraits.

Travelers have been making selfies in front of favorite sights such as the Mona Lisa in the Louvre, at the edge of the magnificent Grand Canyon, or while just having a meal on a cruise, since photography became mainstream.

Is Taylor Swift a hypocrite?

On June 21st, music superstar, Taylor Swift wrote an open letter to Apple Inc. explaining why she was holding back her album “1989” from Apple Music, the new Apple streaming service.

In her letter, Swift decried Apple Music's free three month trial policy, during which they were not going to pay royalties for playing any music. Apple is offering the free trial to entice users to sign up and eventually pay for the streaming service, but weren't going to pay the musicians, writers, producers and others who would be owed royalties, during the trial.

In her letter to Apple, Swift said of Apple's decision,

“I find it to be shocking, disappointing, and completely unlike this historically progressive and generous company [Apple].”

Swift went on to say,“Three months is a long time to go unpaid, and it is unfair to ask anyone to work for nothing.”

New bird ID website and smartphone apps have been released

I don't know about you, but when I post an image in my galleries, Facebook, when published in a magazine or on the web, or even just printed, I want to be able to tell viewers exactly what they're seeing in the image.

Perhaps it's part of my engineering background or the journalist in me, but I'm always drawn to answer the “Five Ws and How” questions, “who, what, when, where, why and how.”

In journalism, the questions constitute the formula to obtain a complete story on a subject. Hermagoras of Temnos (1^st century BCE), an ancient Greek rhetorician (an expert in the use of using language effectively) is apparently the originator of the “Five Ws and How.” He defined seven “circumstances” which describe an issue as, “Quis, quid, quando, ubi, cur, quem ad modum, quibus adminiculis,” translated as “who, what, when, where, why, in what way, by what means.” (This is from Halm's edition of “De rhetorica” as Hermagoras's precise original quote hasn't survived the ages.)

French court's copyright infringement decision devastating to intellectual creativity in France

Henri Cartier-Bresson was a French photographer who is considered to be the father of photojournalism. He was a master of candid photography and, in my opinion, the greatest street photographer ever. He coined the expression, “The Decisive Moment,” which has inspired generations of photographers.

I can imagine that Henri Cartier-Bresson is rolling over in his grave over the French Court's ruling that Gered Mankowitz's 1967 portrait of Jimi Hendrix wasn't proved to be an original work of his, because they weren't convinced its originality was the result of choices made by Mr. Mankowitz, despite agreeing that Mr. Mankowitz did indeed make the image.

What makes a photograph great?

It seems to never fail, that in an exhibition of photographs, there are always one or two which stand out from the rest. Even though decisions are mostly subjective about how great an image is, most people zero into the same few images they consider great.

Invariably it's not one or two characteristics of an image that make it great, but a host of them, and how they work together. Contrary to popular belief, the qualities which make a great photograph aren't a secret of professional photographers and editors. Anyone who thinks about it, can figure it out.

Arkansas Senate Bill SB-79 assault on photographer's rights vetoed

Today, Arkansas Governor Hutchinson vetoed the Arkansas Senate Bill SB-79, “The Personal Rights Protection Act,” which the Arkansas legislature had worked hard to pass.

The bill, which passed the Arkansas legislature last week was designed to protect the privacy and rights of Arkansas citizens, but unfortunately, in that effort, it would have effectively made street photography illegal for making or viewing, even from out of state via the Internet in the state of Arkansas, unless the photographer was able to obtain a written release from each and every person recognizable in each photo, with a few exceptions.

The bill, sponsored by friends of longtime Arkansas football coach Frank Broyles' family, in a far reaching, unfair way, would have, in my opinion, unconstitutionally expanded the definition of “commercial photography,” well beyond what has been settled law in the US for decades.

Real Life Consequences of Railroad Photography Dangers

I've been writing about the dangers of photography, videography and filming on, at or near railroad tracks for some time. In my recent article, “Update: Photographing near the railroad — Don't!!!” I included the example of the death of Sarah Jones, about what can and has gone wrong when people film on railroad tracks without the permission and cooperation of the railroad.

On February 20, 2014, during the filming of the movie “Midnight Rider” after two trains passed their filming location near Doctortown, GA, USA, the film crew setup to shoot a “dream sequence” on a railroad trestle over the Altamaha River.

Soon, a third train, which wasn't expected, came chugging across the bridge over the river connecting to the trestle. The crew had less than a minute to clear the trestle. It wasn't enough time, and as a result, second camera assistant, Sarah Jones, was killed by the train.

A giant in photographic gear innovation and invention has died: Paul C. Buff

Paul C. Buff, one of photography's greatest inventors and innovators passed away this week at the age of 78.

He lived through the depression era where his philosophy of life was formed. For decades Buff, an American, had been one of photography's most amazing lighting innovators, not only for photographers, but for filmmakers and videographers alike. Buff formed his company, Paul C. Buff, Inc. in 1980 as a research company.

Buff was a long time inventor and engineer. Some called him a visionary inventor. Prior to entering the photography lighting design and manufacturing world, he had been an audio recording studio owner, with many gold records. That business evolved into designing and manufacturing professional audio equipment. To this day Buff still remains widely recognized in the audio community for his savvy, innovation and success, especially with his high quality computerized recording console technologies. He worked with such music industry luminaries as Frank Zappa, Ray Dolby, The Beatles, Carol King and many others in the field.

Update: Photographing near the railroad — Don't!!!

I've been writing about the problem of photographers and videographers, amateurs and professionals alike, working at, on or near railroad tracks and yards for a long time, without the permission and the cooperation of the railroad. Too often, they're putting themselves and others unwittingly in serious jeopardy by the way they are conducting themselves.

Just last September, you might have read my article, “Photographing trains…Stay off the Tracks!!!”

Unfortunately, my articles, and those of colleagues haven't had enough of an effect. Photographers, videographers, and sometimes those being photographed or videod, continue to die needlessly while making images or videos at, on or near railroad tracks.

Printing your travel photos: PPI vs. DPI

While these days, most travelers display their photos online instead of in the photo albums of the past, many travelers still print more than a few images to keep and show off their travel memories. Some even hang prints of their travels on the walls of their home.

Unfortunately, many travelers, like other photographers, are often confused about sizing their images for printing because countless photographers incorrectly use the terms, PPI (pixels per inch) and DPI (dots per inch) interchangeably.

PPI and DPI are not at all the same, and they are independent of each other.

Six tips from Ansel Adams for making your travel photos

Ansel Adams, the great American photographer and environmentalist died more than 30 years ago, however, people viewing his work for the first time or even for the thousandth time still are wowed, often blown away by his images.

While known for his amazing landscape photographs, he was also a major innovator of systems and techniques. Along with Fred Archer, Adams developed the Zone System for determining optimal exposures. He worked as a long time consultant to Polaroid, and unknown to many, made thousands of photographs using the Polaroid system.

While Adams died in 1984, about a decade before the digital camera was generally commercially available, with the Apple QuickTake and the Kodak DC40, I believe he would have, at the least, seriously experimented with them and would have likely embraced their use.

OS Support for Next Version of Lightroom (Lightroom 6)

Yesterday, Adobe released their announcement, “Update on OS Support for Next Version of Lightroom.”

The announcement about the upcoming release of one of the most popular image editing programs for amateur and professional photographers alike, Lightroom 6, is going to make some photographers, those with older computers and older versions of Microsoft Windows, including the 32bit versions of Windows 7 and Windows 8.X as well as MAC users on OS X Lion (10.7) or older upset, because they won't be able to run the new Lightroom when it's released.

Nikon begins taking D750 returns for free flare banding fix

If you own a Nikon D750, by now you've probably read about the confirmed reports that many D750 owners have a problem with lens flare in images, under specific conditions, due to the D750 itself. At certain angles, an ugly dark band shows up across the top of images, separating lens flare from the edge of the frame.

On December 29, 2014 Nikon acknowledged the problem and stated they were working on it. Then on January 9th, Nikon announced they planned to offer free D750 inspection and servicing, including all shipping costs, of the D750's light-shielding components and would adjust, as necessary, the AF sensor position which apparently is the major cause of the dark banding problem.

The reports of Windows 7 death have been greatly exaggerated

Mark Twain didn't say it, but he might have, had he been alive today, “The reports of Windows 7 death have been greatly exaggerated.”

Yes, yesterday, January 13, 2015, Microsoft ended Windows 7 “mainstream support,” but the deliberate fear-mongering by too many publications to increase readership is outrageous. The authors of those articles do, or at least should know better.

Those articles are confusing the public, including legions of photographers successfully using the operating system, implying Windows 7 has just entered the same graveyard as Windows XP.

Nikon announces free repairs for D750 flare banding problem

If you're a Nikon user, you might have been following the stories about the confirmed reports that D750 owners have been reporting about a problem with lens flare in images, under specific conditions, due to the D750 itself. At certain angles, an ugly dark band shows up across the top of images, separating lens flare from the edge of the frame.

On December 29th, Nikon acknowledged the problem and stated they were working on it. This morning Nikon announced that starting at the end of the month, they will inspect and service at no cost D750's light-shielding components and adjust the AF sensor position. (See story update below.)