Photography by Randy Hanna » Photography information

Lightroom 4 – about time

Randy Hanna — Wed, 07 Mar 2012 20:11:44 +0000

I can tell you that I have been a long time user of Lightroom (LR) 3 since it was first released. Now, we have a seriously improved and massively updated version to play with. For me this will re-define my workflow from start to finish. The expanded brush controls are reason enough to jump into the new version. As if this was not enough, the publishing module AND the price caused me to pause only about 5 milliseconds before I ordered my two copies.

This version is updated across all of the LR3 modules and I would strongly encourage you to spend some time across the ADOBE training sites for highlights of the new program. Take the jump if these improvements are for you.

Once I return from Africa, I’ll do a fast update on how I used LR4 while on safari as well as a summary of the more serious improvements.

Cheers and happy Lightroom’ing

Me and the D800

Randy Hanna — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 21:02:16 +0000

Well Folks the long awaited and source of many rumors, the D800 is finally out. Available with and without the anti-aliasing filter; consumers should start to see these cameras late March or April, depending upon who you are listening to. No doubt in my mind that this camera, along with the D4 will be a game changer for Nikon, it is not for me. While the 36 mega-pixel is of some interest to me, let me summarize what is going through my mind in regards to this camera and why I am not going to jump on the bandwagon – at least for a while.

I already own a D3x, and at 24.5 mega pixels (mp), and jumping to 36mp is not that much more of a jump when everything is considered.
From everything I have read and the photos that I have looked at, it appears to me that the low ISO is no better than the D700 (already own one of those) or the D3.
With my current Nikon kit being made up of D3x, D3s, D700, D300, I have been able to standardize on cards, batteries and chargers. When comparing the D3x and D3s, the menus and controls are nearly identical, thus less mental hoops for my old brain when shooting in the heat of the action. Furthermore, when on safari, standardization means less equipment to bring (weight can be a challenge), and less equipment involved in creating redundant systems.

For those wanting to grab one, Nikon Rumors reports that production is in full swing. Referencing a new release from the Malaysia International News Agency, Berma.com, production from the Sendai facility is set to produce 30,000 D800 and 5,000 D4 bodies per month. This is great news for everyone that has been waiting in the wings for several years for the next generation Nikon.

One question that lingers in my mind: Will the increase in mega pixels drive the medium format (Hasselblad and Phase One) prices down a bit?

Just my thoughts on the matter…….

Cheers and happy photoing.

Safari Update 1 PLUS Six Building Blocks For Better Image Capturing

Randy Hanna — Wed, 16 Mar 2011 17:38:05 +0000

With multiple flights and time zone changes, we finally arrived at the Mara Plains Camp. Within 15 minutes of leaving the Mara Intrepid Air Strip, we were sitting on a male and female cheetah that were seriously into each other . Although we stayed with them for several hours, we did not get to observe any mating. The next thing we know, we are watching a pride of lions tear apart a Wildebeest carcass. Tomorrow we head deep into the Masaai Mara Plains for a full week of intensive photography. I’ll be trying out several different blogging options in hopes of blogging everyday from the bush. This will be a test and I’ll have to wait until the end of the safari to see what worked versus what didn’t work.

Sitting around the table tonight with John, Brett, and Scott, I briefed everyone on what to expect over the next week and the best way to shoot it typical scenes. A discussion then unfolded into what I believe is key to making outstanding images. I prefer to think of this as my six foundations for making outstanding images. Once these foundations are in place, you can build on them with composition, display, processing, etc. For your consideration, here are my thoughts on the basic foundations.

1. PLANNING. No doubt about it, a poorly planned shoot will more than likely return poor images. Plan your shoot, pack the necessary gear and be prepared. My adage is: “plan your shoot and shoot your plan.”
2. GLASS. Yep, the better your optics the better chance you will have at pulling in a better image. In my opinion, there is no way around it. Simply put, there is a huge difference between a $400 80-200 zoom kit lens and the professional $2700 70-200 f2.8 Nikon pro model. With very noticeable improvements in light gathering, edge to edge sharpness, and resolving power, this is what professional glass is all about. Having said this, good glass on a poor camera will still result in a poor image; think of it as the least common denominator defining your image quality. If you are going to get serious about capturing outstanding images, plan your investment accordingly. If you are only interested in snap shots, then I suggest that the kit lenses would most certainly meet your needs. No doubt, there are some wonderful kit lenses out there so read the reviews and the performance specs. If you are not using higher end glass enough to justify the purchase, consider renting from any of a number of lens rental companies.
3. SENSOR/CAMERA. You must know and understand the limits of your camera/sensor. Learn how to master the capabilities and overcome the camera’s limitations. The sensor must be equal to or surpass the quality of your best glass; yes, the two are directly linked. Plan for the future and take into consideration your shooting style. You must also learn how to maintain your sensor – keep it clean.
4. FOCUS. Funny thing about our brain, in all but the rarest occasions, the brain will use focus as the immediate basis to either reject or accept an image as acceptable. So, if the image is out of focus, I consider it a lost leader. By this I mean no software will make it better, so you have to get this part correct.
5. STABILITY. Stability is more than just using a tripod or monopod. For me, stability includes using the correct shutter speed so vibration or motion is not transferred to the sensor and thus to the image. Using a tripod or monopod is also key, so always use one when you can get away with it. Using a tripod makes me slow down just a bit. If I slow down, I usually can think through things just a bit more completely and walk away with a far better image. On this trip we will be shooting from tripods almost exclusively, even when we are shooting from inside the trucks (watch for photos of this setup in the next posting or two).
6. POST PROCESSING. Take time to learn Photoshop, Lightroom, or your choice of editing software. If solid post processing can make a good image look great, just think about what you will end up with if you started with a great image.

As you can see, these foundations are closely linked to one another. In my opinion, focus is the deal breaker – gotta get this one right. Let’s go on safari………
Cheers and happy photo’ing.

Dubai, UAE

Randy Hanna — Thu, 05 Aug 2010 06:53:26 +0000

TWELVE hours later from Washington DC, I faced a temperature of 107F on landing. Dubai, an interesting mix of modern finance, incredible infrastructure, all with a mix of classic Muslim overtones. With Starbucks on just about every block, and often sightings of everything from Pizza Hut to Tony Roma’s, it took no time at all to feel somewhat at home. Staying at the Jumeirah Beach Hotel, while en-route to Kenya, I spent most my time doing night photography of the wonderful skyline. With the winds blowing off-shore and the atmosphere full of fine sand particles, the sky was set ablaze with reflections from the artificial lights that adorn the night scape . This later proved to be somewhat of a challenge, as I found myself working vary hard for angles that minimized the reflected light and the impacts of the airborne sand particles. Armed with my Nikon D3s, optimized for long exposure noise reduction, I hit the beach in hopes of finding just the right spot to photograph the Dubai Icon, Burj Al Arab. The constantly changing lights on the surfaces of the hotel put on a wonderful light show. The images below are all single shot exposures from different locations along the Jumeirah Beach Road Exposures were taken in manual mode after doing a fast exposure calculation (sometimes my brain really does work). Exposure times ranged from 15 to 45 seconds, all at ISO 400 and f/9. No noise reduction, other than in camera settings, was applied. Kudos to the new D3s sensor!!! Everytime I turn around, the D3s just keeps surprising me. More on the Jumeirah Beach Hotel on the next update. Meanwhile, enjoy the light show below.

The Photographers Ephemeris (TPE)

Randy Hanna — Tue, 20 Apr 2010 03:46:02 +0000

Not very often does one run across an application that makes your life simple when it comes to taking photographs. In this case TPE is free, available for Mac, PC, was well as the the iPhone. While there are many applications for the computer and iPhone which annotate sunrise and sunset for a given location, this little beauty stands apart from the crowd as a true interactive planning tool. The Photographer’s Ephemeris can depict sunrise, sunset, moonrise, and moonset PLUS it will show the actual sun angle at any give hour from any given location, all with the Google Earth / Google Maps in the background. TPE is fairly simple in concept: 1) display a Google Map 2) choose a date 3) calculate and display a bunch of astronomical data. The tricky part comes from the connection between 1 and 2. Most similar programs and web-sites have you select from a pre-defined list of locations, where, presumably, things such as the relevant time zone are already saved – not much help if you are in the middle of BFE and it is not on the pre-defined list. I love it as a planning tool and will use it in planning my outdoor shoots. As an example, the screen shots below indicate the sun angle by the thin yellow line, while the thicker yellow/orange lines indicate sunrise and sunset direction. Lots of detailed explanations are on the site so give it a look.

Head on over to The Photographer’s Ephemeris and run the tutorials, download the application. If you like it be sure to come back and toss the author some coins for his efforts.

Cheers and happy photo’ing

Hyperfocal Distance Baiscs for Landscape Photographers (part I)

Randy Hanna — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 04:12:34 +0000

Hyperfocal distance is a function of focal length, f-number, and the circle of confusion (or most correctly, the circle of least confusion). Simply put, using the hyperfocal distance setting at any given aperture will result in the greatest depth of field (New York Institute of Photography). At the heart of the hyperfocal equation is a value known as the circle of confusion (CoC). The CoC is, without a doubt, the most misunderstood and controversial variable among imaging experts. The basis for the CoC has invoked a debate that has been raging for some 70 plus years and will certainly continue into the future as the purists refine the resolving power of imaging devices. Boiled down to the most basic level, the CoC is the reciprocal of resolution and is directly related to the sensor size of the digital camera. The CoC describes the smallest image element that retains identifiable details. Obviously, this would vary based on the distance from the object in primary focus.

Although I will further explain and provide examples of how to use hyperfocal distance in the next update, if you have an iPod or an iPhone, you are in luck because there are two good applications to assist you. Rather than carrying around a number of tables, simply let Mr. Apple do the math for you. In coming postings, I will review the hyperfocal distance applications as well as demonstrate several applications of hyperfocal focusing and the benefits of such, so come on back for parts II and III. ‘Til then,

Happy photo’ing