How to blur a background with the lens blur filter

Over the holiday weekend my studio went portable and I shot this image and many others for the Liechty family. In total they were 10 adults and 7 kids. Groups this big can fit in my studio, but often times with the number of young kids is close to exceeding the number of adults it's best to bring the studio to my clients. I would say 90% of all kids under the age of 5 photograph better in a familiar location (thus the reason I'm always pushing for parents to do location portraits). Whether it's a favorite park, your backyard or in this instance, Grandma's house, any location will do!
For this session we used some of my most portable studio backgrounds- white and black fabric. The white tends to be the most prone to wrinkling so prior to shooting I spent 2 hours (no joke) ironing it. I would have done the black too if I had time. So when I set up the black background it was of course a giant pile or wrinkles. There are two ways to get around this. 1. Shoot with a wide open aperture so the background naturally blurs in the camera or use photoshop to retouch out the wrinkles. Since the entire group was to be photographed on the black I had no choice but to shoot at maximum depth of field. For those images the exposure was 1/250 @F22. And you guessed it, every wrinkle on the background was visible. After a bunch of large group photos we did the parents/grandparents of this entire group and again even with less depth of field, still a messy background. Here is what the image above looked like before any editing.

I find the background very distracting. Below are the steps I took to isolate and blur the background.

• Make a duplicate layer and then use the lens blur filter (photoshop CS3 and higher) to blur the duplicate layer until the wrinkles pretty much disappear from the black background. For me these settings were as follows: 

Shape: Octagon
Radius: 61
Blade Curve: 41
Rotation: 63
All other settings at default

• Mask out the background from the people. I added a layer mask to the duplicate layer and using the paint brush I made my selection. You can also do this with the quick mask, or magic lasso, pen tool, etc. There are a hundred and one ones to mask in Photoshop. I chose the quick and dirty method since you don't have to be exact in this process just close. Basically I ran the paint brush along the shape of their bodies and then filled in the rest once the basic outline was done. It took about 3 minutes to do.
• You'll notice that the lens blur filter has a small outline where the background and people blur together. (see enlarged photo) You'll want to select the image on your duplicate layer (not the mask) and using the clone tool and healing brush I removed this. Since the background and subjects are each now visible from different layers thanks to the mask I made, I can get right up the edge of their hair and bodies without damaging the visible layer and distorting the couple.

• The next step is to add use the add noise filter to make the two different layers match in grain.You can see below how the added noise makes the two layers blend together better.
  

•  Finally I merged the two layers and used the healing brush to touch up any last spots that didn't look smooth. The final result is a wrinkle free backgrounds, a look of a more shallow depth of field on the subjects and a suede-like quality to the fabric. Much better!

Here is the final product again.

Now I must say something here about how important it is to try to do things right in camera so you don't spend hours fixing little mistakes in Photoshop. In my opinion, Photoshop is best used as a creative tool to enhance already creative and interesting images. It is not a substitute for correctly applied knowledge, the right equipment or an answer for lazying shooting habits. I spent 4 hours editing a dozen images with this black background. It would have taken me half the time to just iron the black fabric if circumstances allowed. As great as Photoshop can be, it's not the answer to ever photographic problem and I feel a good photographer shoots smart and does everything possible they can to create the best image when the shutter clicks and not hours of mouse clicks later. That being said, tomorrow: More photoshop tutorials!

If you would like to see more images from this session please visit my facebook page. Don't forget to become a fan!

Location, Location, Location

Like I mentioned yesterday, we opened a portrait studio in Everett just a few months ago. In the studio I have this image as well as many others hanging on the walls. I was a little hesitant to use this image at first, since I thought it might not make sense or even bother some of my customers with small children. I asked my husband, "Do you think she looks naked?" His reply, "She's not naked...she's got a bracelet on." Truth is, she's actually wearing a wedding dress! During a free moment in the reception the Bride grabbed me and asked if we could do some photos in the claw-foot tub she saw in the upstairs bathroom of the main building. I agreed and off Terice, Sarah (the bride), and I went. We didn't have a lot of time so I had Terice grab a monolight. The bathroom was small so she got the great job of being the HLS (Human Light Stand). Without any light modifiers, we had two choices for the lighting, point it at Sarah directly and blind her while also creating a very unflattering image, or point the strobe at the ceiling at a 45 degree angle and let the white walls, ceiling and light colored tile do some of the work. The image was shot at  1/50 @ F 10; ISO 200. The bounced flash created a gentle wrap to the light as well as soft pleasing shadows. I love the fact that the room is free from color; white curtains, walls, bathtub: it's great with her skin tone.

The image is all about location. A sense of place can change everything. But let's not be boring, some of the best places to shoot in the world are obscure and that alone makes them interesting. I'll admit this isn't my first time shooting a bride in a bathroom. I've done many shots inside of restrooms over the years. Oddly enough I've actually shot in the restrooms of many of Seattle's most expensive hotels. The key to finding a good location is to always have your eyes open. Here are a few tips that will help you choose the best spot for your next location shoot.

1. Whenever possible scout out a location prior to shooting there. Look for features that speak to your sense of style and include design elements that will complement your over all vision. 
2. Think about how you can use different angles and what you will need to include/avoid to create the mood of your image. 
3. Most of all, think about the light and time of day. It's best to scout about the same time of day as your shoot will be whenever possible.
4. Get permission. The world changed after 911. Trespassing with a camera can get you into a lot more trouble these days then it did just a few years ago.
5. Go for the unexpected but make sure your background doesn't outshine your subject!
6. Don't be afraid to get a little dirty to get the shot you need. I've stood in fountains, lakes, rivers, knee deep mud, etc if it means getting the right shot.
7. Be prepared for all kinds of weather. 
   

Tomorrows blog: Panning and Blur

High School Senior Portraits are the New Enviromental Portraits

When I was in high school senior portraits were a big deal but the type of images were completely different. We went to a studio, posed with giant numbers that read '99 (feel free to guess my age here) and called it a day. Back then, that was a non-traditional photograph and we all loved it. Things have evolved slightly in the last 10 years and more and more soon-to-be graduates are taking their portrait sessions on location and expressing themselves in more interesting ways then the kids in my graduating class.  For example, this senior is obviously a tennis player. Now a similar shot done in the studio with her racket and tennis outfit would have told you the same thing, but it wouldn't have been as interesting.

By shooting on location I was able to design an image that included the wonderful evening light as well as the texture of the asphalt and tennis net that comes on any regulation court. As usual though, my favorite part is the light. On the west side of the court tall pine trees were growing and as the sun sunk low in the horizon they formed these "beams" of light on the court. It also created the shadows from the net (which are just awesome). After taking a few shots of the subject standing behind the net I decided to have her sit in this spot and try a different angle. Standing directly above her (with slightly wide angle lens obviously) I shot this image at 1/60 @ f 6.3. I wanted good depth of field from head to toe on her and from the angle I shot it at (16mm) I was able to get her full body.

We shot a variety of images on location at with several different outfits and then finished our session at my studio. And just so no one asks, I don't have any giant letters or numbers that I force students to stand by.

The key to shooting portraits on location is creating a connection between the subject and the place. This is what environmental portraiture is all about. When you can create an image that tells a story using all visual elements that are at your disposal, you'll find that your work has more meaningful to you personally and your clients.

For more information about having your senior portraits with Irene Jones Photography please visit our High School Senior Site or our main page for pricing information and samples. You can also view this session and others in their entirety by visiting our client log in page.  Click on the session you wish to view and enter password 21366.

Next up: Infant Photography and photos of the newest member of our family!

Flash in Daylight: Creating Dimention and Mood

Before I took this shot I said to my subject, "Okay, now we're going to take a few where it looks like it's evening and your under a street light." She responded with a classic, "That's cool." For a photo geek, that's an understatement since it was 2pm in the afternoon, in the summer. This shot was done downtown Snohomish, Washington. I love the historic feel of this little town and the the Snohomish River waterfront that is only steps from shops and restaurants. It feels like Pioneer Square in Seattle but without the tourists and transients to distract my subject. So how does one create a false street light and evening light? I'll answer that with a  diagram- including stick figures!

It was a windy day, so umbrellas on the speed-light would spell disaster, so instead I grabbed my Lightsphere to add a little softness, but not much, I wanted the light source to mimic the harsh quality of street lights, so it put it up about 8 feet and pointed it down on the subject. I also put the light close to the building to extend the shadow behind her. Then I asked her to look in the direction of the flash for three reasons: to create a classic lighting pattern on her face, emphasize her great cheek bones, and to add interest to the portrait by insinuating that she's waiting for something or someone on this street. To add to the concept of a pretty young girl alone on a street at night, I shifted her to the far left of the frame and balanced the image with the window in the top corner. This design creates a visual triangle; your eye starts at the light coming from the top corner, moves to the subject, and then up again to the window, and back to the light. Does the set up seem simple ?  It is! The hard part is the exposure and even then it's not very difficult. It's just involves a little guess and check.

I didn't want a lot of ambient light affecting the shot, keeping the illusion that it late evening light was very important, but at the same time I didn't want to have to use another strobe unit to light the window separately, so some daylight had to be included; just enough to add detail in the window and wall and allow the flash to be the main light on the subject. Even though my flash unit was only about 4 feet from the subject, I set it 1/1 power (or full power). I then set the f-stop to match the power of the flash. The exposure turned out to be 1/160 at F9. I also tried slower shutter speeds to see the difference in the ambient light. At 1/60 a second the daylight overpowered the shot and the shadow on the wall dissipated. At 1/250 the window was barely visible. In total we probably took about 10 versions of this shot to get the right expression and exposure. On the right is another version shot at 1/160 @ f 6.3 . On this one I simply backed the light stand and flash combo back a foot farther from our High School Senior. By increasing the distance between the light and the subject I changed the intensity of the light falling on her face. I still can't decide which image I like better, the second one has softer shadows and looks be be earlier in the day then the first, but I love her face in the second one more. These are the tough choices we photographers have to make! What do you think? Please share your comments. Also if you would like to view more of my High School Senior Portraits please visit our senior site or Irene Jones Photography Online.

Next up: Painting with strobe light.

Fill Flash Basics: Simple things you can do to make a better portrait.

What do you do when it's 45 degrees outside, starting to rain, and late in the afternoon in October? Well in my case you end up shooting a family portrait. I am based in Seattle you know so many of the days here fit this description. The family shown to the left had been planning this shoot for quite some time and until we actually started shooting it had been dry. Undaunted, and knowing I had to work quickly, I grabbed a single speed-light and we all went for a walk in the woods admits the autumn leaves. The lighting lacked direction and depth, but that was okay since the main focus of any family portrait is good illumination across the faces of all subjects, so in this case I went with it. The best part was that with no harsh light or shadows to be found we could shoot anywhere in the park uninhibited. It was a cold day, so I'm glad my clients thought a head and planned matching coats.  Another blessing from the low light was the shallow depth of field. This image was shot on a monopod at an exposure of 1/60 @ f 5.6. The lens was a 28-80mm zoom to 80mm. The combination of the wider aperture and ever so slight telephoto lens adds great separation from the background and turned the trees behind into a soft blur of color.

Now this shot could have easily been done without the fill flash but a few things would have happened. I would have lost about a whole stop of light, maybe even two. This would increase the possibility of blurry people from camera shake or just good old fashion movement on anyone's part. (People breathe and the simple act of doing so can make them blurry at low shutter speeds.) It also would have meant less detail and color in the background. A washed out background would have been detrimental to this image since the color of the leaves mirrors their warm skin tones and the Mom's hair.

Using fill flash did the following things:

1. Added light to the faces of the subject to balance the exposure against the background.
2. Removed shadows that often come when the subject has deep set eyes (the Dad) or the side of the nose (the Mom).
3. Added catch lights to all of the subject's eyes.
4. Acted as a warming filter in the cool cloudy light and enhanced the color in the skin tone/background.
5. Increased the exposure and created a stop-action image that was sharp and pleasing.
6. Added detail to the shadows (their coats) so the contrast level included both shadow and highlight detail and looks more natural.

Flash on camera has it's faults too; just like any technique it needs to be applied correctly. First off, it's important when using an accessory flash (speed-light) to choose the right power setting. On this photo I had my speed-light on a  flash bracket (see below for more info) just slightly above and to the left of the lens so the best choice was to set it to TTL  metering (Through The Lens). This system is designed to adjust the flash's power to match the exposure, not overwhelm it. If I had my speed-light set to full power on this image the people would have either been extremely over exposed, or my background would have been severely underexposed- to the point it would look like 10pm at night!
Second, when using a speed-light so close to your camera you will get shadows, harsh ones too if you don't find a way to diffuse them. My strategy was shooting though a small soft-box attached to the speed-light. This made the shadows that would have appeared under their chins and eyebrows soft. Additionally by shooting this image horizontally (landscape) any shadows that the speed-light created "fell off" behind them since they were several feet from the trees shown in the background. The same shot framed vertically (portrait) runs the risk of shadows along the entire length of the subjects when using on camera flash. That would have been detracting. To combat this there are wonderful device known as a flash bracket. It allows you keep the flash in relatively the same position above the camera but turn your camera and avoid the weird shadows that looks so unnatural.

Overall, it's a very simple shot-executed simply, and here's my point: better photography comes from knowing when to rely on the basics and when to apply a more advanced technique. There is no silver bullet for every image, that's why it's an art form. For this photo, the weather dictated the need for speed and accuracy. As much as I would have loved to use a more complicated lighting set up, keeping my clients in the rain for longer then necessary was not an option.

To review follow these simple steps:

1. Add fill flash to images to balance an exposure and create greater interest.
2. When using an accessory flash resist the urge to attach it to your camera's hot-shoe. Instead use a flash bracket or light-stand (I'll talk about this more tomorrow) to move the light up and away from your lens. This will reduce unnatural shadows.
3. Use anything (and I mean that literally) that will modify and diffuse your light so harsh shadows bite the big one.
4. Choose the setting for your flash that is appropriate for the situation. This means knowing ALL of the features of your equipment. So stop using the owner's manual as a coaster and read it.
   
5. Try not to over complicate things and always consider your situation when choosing what equipment you plan to use.
   

Tomorrow we'll go to the next level and discuss how taking your flash off the camera changes everything. In the mean time please post your comments and links to images you've done with simple flash techniques. It's great to see what others are producing.

Working with natural light: benifits and limitations

In Seattle we have an average of 266 overcast days of the year. Californians hear this and cringe. I'm a native though, and I have come to love the soft dispersed light of the Great Northwest as do many portrait photographers, high overcast clouds make for great natural light portraiture.  This doesn't mean you should leave all of your equipment at home just because there are a few clouds in the sky, like any good boy scout, you should always be prepared. Here is what I bring with me on every outdoor shoot.

1. Camera (duh)
2. Tripod or monopod depending on the time of day and the position of the sun
   
3. 2-3 Nikon speed-lights
   
4. Light stands and adapters to use with my speed-lights
   
5. Gary Fong Lightsphere
6. Umbrellas (in case it's not windy)
7. Collapsable 4 in 1 diffuser/fill card
8. 16-85mm, 50mm, 70-200mm, lenses

Now I don't carry all of this with me as I shoot, I keep whatever portion I don't need in the car and only bring with me what I feel is necessary once I am on site. In Washington the weather at my house near Everett can be great while just 12 miles south in Lynnwood it's hailing; so again, be prepared.

Once I've arrived, talked to the people I'm going to photograph, and reviewed the situation I gather the gear I feel best suited for the situation and begin the shoot. Right now it's very trendy to shoot people at wide open apertures with shallow depth of field then later manipulate the images to have greater (sometimes way to much) contrast and saturation. I'm an old fashioned photographer in the sense that I think I should be the one dictating my exposure not the Aperture Priority Mode on my camera. This is the main reason I often shoot with fill flash on location, I like to be able to control the light, exposure, and every other factor perfectly so my time spent editing in minimized. When you do the volume I do, it's necessary to get the leg work done up front instead of "fix it in Photoshop." This is part of the ethic I learned in college, and sadly I feel it's severely lacking in the work of many of my colleges. Nothing is scarier to me then to go on location and run into another "professional" photographer who says something like "So, what's this?" when they see me put my light stand up.  But I digress...

When appropriate, natural light is the best thing available, but as with anything else, it's a skill to know how to use it correctly. Here are some situations in which photographing people (and most other things too) in natural light will give you bad results.

1. On a bright sunny day when the sun is directly overhead. (In the summer it's between 10am-2pm here  in Washington. The best light no matter the season is within 2 hours of sunrise and 2 hours of sunset.
2. When the subject you are photographing is in shade or bright sun and you want detail in the background/foreground to establish place. For example, thousands of tourists come every year to the Pike Place Fish Market and stand on the corner of 2nd and Pike for a photo opportunity with the famous red sign behind them. After 3pm on any given day I can promise you that most of those photos have one or two problems. Either the sign is exposed correctly and the people are too dark to recognize, or the people look great and the sign is barely readable due to over exposure.
3. Too little light. When you are in a low light situation of any kind remember your eye can see far more then any camera can comprehend. We can't expect (well at least not yet) the camera to have the wide spectrum of abilities when it comes to gathering light that our eyes have.

On the other hand natural light can be a gift from God in the following situations.

1. On a overcast day where the clouds are high. The clouds act as a giant diffuser to a giant light source to illuminate harsh shadows, enhance vibrant colors, and provide almost limitless possibilities.
2. When it comes in any north facing window, or most windows for that matter. Harsh sunlight redirected a few times becomes (say it with me now) diffused. Window light provides a lovely wrap around look on the face that highlights dimensionality and depth.
3. In the evening or early morning. "Magic hour" where the light is low in the sky, colors seem to glow and shadows fall long and lean. Some of the best environmental portrait photographers in the world shoot strictly with natural light and only during these times. Oh how I wish I had that luxury! Working with the general public means working around their schedules and most of the time that is NEVER when the best light is available.

So as I mentioned before, it's best to know how to work in all circumstances, and then adjust accordingly. I live by the rule that if the light looks good as is, don't mess with it! But when it isn't just right, know what trick to pull out of my bag to make anything possible!

The image for today was shot with a combination of indoor lighting and window light. Let me set the scene for you. The bride and her bridesmaid were touching up her make up in a dimly lit conference room at the back of church. ( I won't mention which one because if the wedding coordinator for this location found out that I stood on their table to get this shot she'd never let me back in.) The room was filled with a ton of scattered clothes, other bridesmaids and a giant conference table. I do my best when shooting to minimize distractions. This often means cleaning up for people as they work to get ready for the ceremony. Nothing is more unphotogenic then a room filled with clutter when you're trying to shoot. Sadly, in this instance there wasn't room to put anything away, there was barely room to walk. So I stood on the table. This may be a minor offense anywhere else, but I've been yelled at by this coordinator before for less. Once I was up there, I could look down at the bride without distraction and capture the action. At first I did a few shots with flash to fill and get stop action but it didn't have the look I wanted. So I turned the flash off and told the bride to make sure she was holding really still. My exposure was down to 1/4 of a second at F 4.5 so I knew blur was inevitable. With my camera on a tripod I set the timer for 2 seconds to avoid camera shake and did my best not to rock the table. Handing Terice a speed-light, I told her to pretend she was the sun. She proceeded to also stand on a chair and hold the flash pointing the speed-light directly at the bride so as to follow the path of the light already streaming in the window. Set to remote, the speed-light was in TTL mode to give a similar exposure as what my camera was metering at, but due to the distance away from the camera, I knew there would be at least a whole stop difference between the power of the flash and my set exposure. This actually was a good thing since I only wanted to use the flash to provide some sharpness and stop action on the bride without overpowering the natural light.  This image is what happened. The motion blur on the bridesmaid's hand couldn't have been more perfect. It gives a sense of action while the natural light from the window (with a little flash for sharpness to contrast the blur) gently illuminates her face. Best of all, it's a great exposure with both shadow and highlight detail, great color, and perspective. Once I saw the image in the viewfinder I couldn't help but say out-loud "Yes!". I love when properly applied technique and serendipity collide. If anyone is interested in seeing this same shot with just flash so you can see the difference the natural light and long exposure made let me know and I'll dig it out of my archives.

Tomorrow: Fill flash on location part 1.

Leading Lines: Good Composition Starts Here

Congratulations to Julia and Josh! They will be tying the knot in 2010; this image was taken from their engagement session. To view more visit the online ordering portion of Irene Jones Photography Online. Select the session for Julia and Josh and enter password 21366.

For me this was an obvious favorite from their shoot for a few reasons, I love the shadow of the railing on the dock cast behind them, the sun reflecting off the water, and the slight perspective and angle created by the wide angle lens used to photograph this couple.
The best compositions are the ones that direct the attention of the viewer to your subject again and again. This is done by appealing to the part of our brains that looks for geometric shapes. By creating compositions that move the eye of the viewer in a pattern such as a triangle. circle, or pattern of lines, you hold the attention of the audience. Also the couple is positioned ever so slightly off center and to the right thanks to a few degrees of camera tilt. This way the photograph is not perfectly symmetrical. Asymmetry can often provide visual interest and in photography is key to the rule of 3rds; which I'll talk about another day. The flair of the sun on the water directly behind the couple helps to also draw attention to them since your eye will automatically look to the brightest portion of an image first before your eye reads the shadows.

All of these elements combine to create an appealing  circular composition. Here's what I mean.

1. Your eye starts at the top, where the sun hits the water.
2. The longest shadow from the railing draws your gaze down and to the left. 
3. From there your eye follows the planks for the wooden dock to the right and bottom of the frame.
4. Then you look at the faces of our couple, the wind slightly blowing her hair, then on to the lines of the bench they are sitting on.
5. From the bench your eye again moves to the shadow of the rail and back to the top where the process starts all over again. 

  By using lines, highlight, and shadow you create interest the image becomes more dynamic. These elements when applied correctly enhance and never detract from what you are trying to portray. There is a nice feeling of intimacy between these two because of how close they are sitting together and they look comfortable with one another which helps to convey a sense of love and togetherness. People viewing this image should think, "They look like they belong." As a portrait photographer that's my first and foremost goal; I need to send a message about the person(s) I'm photographing, especially in engagement sessions! I want the subjects to look comfortable together. For many guests and family members alike, the engagement photos that come with Save-the-Date cards or wedding announcements can be the first glimpse they have into the coming nuptials. This first impression can go a long way in explaining the connection between two people!

Now let's talk about the technical execution of this image. Like most of my work, this image is one of many examples of fill flash in daylight. (In case your wondering I'll be discussing this in depth later.)

To set up this image I had Josh and Julia sit on the bench together with the sun to their backs. This way they wouldn't be squinting into the bright reflection of the water or the sun that was about two hours away from setting behind them.

Then I positioned a Nikon SB-900 speed light on a light stand 90 degrees from the couple and 45 degrees from where I was standing. I turned my on camera flash to commander mode and fired the speed light in remote mode at full power; knowing very well I would need some serious flash to balance against the bright background. Here is a poorly drawn stick figure diagram of what I'm describing.

Many photographers dislike wide angle lenses in portraiture and they are afraid to get close to their subjects. That is not the case with me. Using my favorite lens, a Nikon 16-85mm. I stood about two feet away from Julia and Josh and used a focal length of 22mm. Because I do my best to build a rapport with each customer, I think I can capture more intimate moments without having to lug around a 300mm telephoto lens.

In the end the exposure was 1/125 @ F9 with +1 exposure compensation to make sure the shadows on their faces were minimized. All in a days work.

More on composition tomorrow when I'll talk about the rule of thirds and make more stick figure lighting diagrams much to the dismay of art teachers everywhere.