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The photography books I recommend
If you are a photographer or looking for a gift for a photographer then this list is for you.
One of the biggest perks to expanding your library is the alternate point of view you get from reading another photographers writings. Having a new perspective can inspire you in ways not intended by the author. Reading photography books exercises your brain in ways just shooting cannot.
Learn, Shoot, Repeat.
To get you started, here are some of my favorite photography books:
Technical:
- The Creative Digital Darkroom
Authored by Katrin Eismann and Sean Duggan. Mrs. Eismann is a well known Photoshop expert and photographer, while Mr. Duggan is a fine art photographer, educator, and Adobe Certified Photoshop Expert. Together they create a well rounded book that is a must for any professional and fantastic for the hobbyist. - The Digital Photography Companion
Written by Derrick Story who also wrote Digital Photography Hacks and Digital Photography Pocket Guide. All three are good reads and recommended. - Understanding Exposure
Written by Bryan Peterson, Understanding Exposure simplifies exposure in photography. An eye opening read giving the reader a fundamental knowledge.
Inspirational:
- Annie Leibovitz at Work
Annie Leibovitz, is arguably one of the most famous photographers to the general public. Insight to some of her most famous images with stories, and technical details of how those images were created. - Henri Cartier-Bresson: The Mind’s Eye: Writings on Photography and Photographers
Henri Cartier-Bresson captured some of the most thought provoking timeless images during photographic art infancy. Another suggested read is his book The Decisive Moment which I do not currently have but is on my wish list!
Business:
- Fast Track Photographer, Revised and Expanded Edition: Leverage Your Unique Strengths for a More Successful Photography Business
Dane Sanders is an industry icon. This book is a must for any professional that is looking to expand their business in the modern age of photography. - Best Business Practices for Photographers, Second Edition
John Harrington authored this book. Detailing the business side of photography in a well written form. One critique is that my copy could use an update and this link points to the newest edition. I have not grabbed this yet but I liked the first edition so much it is on my read list for the future.
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Wedding Photo Equipment -What I Bring
Depending on what type of shooter you are really reflects the wedding photo equipment you will use. I have what equipment I use with links below.
When buying new equipment in the photo video industry it is easy to get caught up in the fuss. You really don’t need much to create beautiful images.
Cameras
I use the Canon 5D MIII as my primary camera. I have a back up Canon 7D that also gets use if I need to be quick and have an additional focal length.
Lenses
Invest heavily in lenses. They retain their value pretty well and last longer then your camera. I use my 70-200mm most. Second would be my 35 1.4 with the 24-105 really close third.
This is the Wedding Photography Equipment I bring when I am the main shooter: If you are on a mobile phone or tablet click here
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Here is the Yongnuo YN685 review and a short comparison will be coming to Canon’s flagship model, the 600EX II-RT.
Canon’s Speedlite 600EX II-RT is currently selling on Amazon for $479. Yongnuo’s YN685 is currently $101. So, for the price you can get 4 YN685’s for the price of one 600EX II-RT.
On it’s own, the YN685 is not a bad flash.
It’s features include:
- Powerful
- Wireless radio TX and RX
- Compatible with Canon EOS ETTL
- High-speed Sync to 1/8000 second
- Second-curtain Sync
- Flash Exposure Compensation in 1/3 EV increments from -3 to +3 EV
- Exposure Bracketing ( FEB ) in 1/3 EV increments from -3 to +3 EV
- FE Lock
- Manual power output from 1/128 to 1/1
- Locking metal foot
I forked over $200 bucks to pick up a few of these YN685’s and compare them to my 600EX II-RT. Upon opening the box I was impressed with the build quality of the unit. A few test shots and all seems to be working great.
I really like the locking metal foot. It feels solid. The overall build quality feels good too. It’s a poly-carbonate shell and seems like it will take a beating. The head moves smoothly and the range of movement is impressive.
The unit is powered by 4 AA batteries and there is an option to plug in an external pack. I am using it with my Quantum Turbo 3, to give it a little bump in the recycle time and extend the use. Recycle time at full power is a bit more than 3 seconds on fresh AA batteries.
I already had the YONGNUO YN-622C-TX E-TTL Wireless Flash Controller and that is compatible with the YN685 allowing control and wireless function of the flash. With the master slave setup I am also able to control my other flashes in groups and channels.
Internet Complaints and what to do:
- Over heating
Over heating seems to be caused by the flash head plug getting dislodged while spinning the head. Opening up the unit and re-seating that plug seems to clear the error.
Be warned, this is not for the faint of heart. There is enough voltage in a flash to kill you. Even with the batteries removed and the unit has been powered off for a while. Take care!!!
- Under exposure when bounced
I found more than a few mentions of this issue and there is a workaround. Setting the camera’s metering mode to “average” instead of “evaluative,” improves the exposure.
In the end, the Yongnuo YN685 was not as powerfull as Canon’s flagship model, the 600EX II-RT. The 600ex-RT was about 1-stop hotter than the YN685 at full power.
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You can learn anything online! Check out these Photography and Videography Tutorials Online.
The ugly truth about online tutorials is that you may or may not be learning the best way.
The photography and videography industry is constantly growing. Competition is getting better every day. Hone your skills and make this an every day exercise. Shoot everyday, read every day and watch tutorials every day. Staying current with the trends and practicing your craft is the only way to remain competitive.
If you are an aspiring creator or a professional looking to learn more with Photography Videography Tutorials online, I have some links for you:
Check out Skill Share! For just $10 a month Skillshare offers ton’s of tutorials for everything under the sun! Try it free for 30 days.
Lynda.com has a tremendous library of tutorials on tons of subjects. There are some great photo and video sections too. Out of my picks, this is the best organized and at 24.99 a month it’s a great deal.
YouTube.com Free is always good. Trouble here is that there is no control on what get’s uploaded and the organization is a little all over. Find some quality users and subscribe to have great content coming you way.
Not a big fan of McDonalds but you have to respect the success of the business. One thing has stuck in my brain for many years is a quote from the founder and it relates to Photography Videography Tutorials.
When you’re green, your growing.
When you’re ripe, you rot.
-Ray Kroc
Bruce Lee
Wedding Photography Schedule Made Easy
“You must be shapeless, formless, like water.
When you pour water in a cup, it becomes the cup.
When you pour water in a bottle, it becomes the bottle.
When you pour water in a teapot, it becomes the teapot.
Water can drip and it can crash. Become like water my friend.”
-Bruce Lee
Mr. Lee could have been a describing a typical wedding photographers day with that quote. It’s a fitting statement. I could count one one hand how many weddings have gone exactly as planned over the last 20 years. So, while I will give my bride’s a schedule, down to the minute, of how I would prefer the timing of the day would progress, I quote Bruce Lee. Schedules are given to relieve a bit of stress and let family and the wedding party know when they are expected for pictures. If we do not follow the wedding photography schedule on the big day it is no big deal. As long as we are able to catch up at some point of course.
So, here is a typical wedding photography schedule that I would give to a client when the wedding ceremony and reception are located at the same location:
- 12:45 pm Bride Getting Ready (We start at the last 5 minutes of hair and makeup. So, our goal is that hair and makeup should be finished at 12:50 pm.)
- 1:20 pm Groom Getting Ready
- 1:30 pm Bride with Family and Bridesmaids (45 minutes, then go hide. Be sure flowers are available)
- 2:30 pm Groom with Family and Groomsmen (25 minutes)
- 3:00 pm Ceremony (30 minutes)
- 3:45 pm Altar pictures -All Family, All Bridal Party (20 minutes)
- 4:10 pm Formal Pictures with Mr. and Mrs.(45 minutes to 1 hour)
- 5:10 pm Ready for grand entrance to reception
Here is a typical wedding photography schedule that I would give to a client when the wedding ceremony and reception are located at the different locations:
- 12:45 pm Bride Getting Ready – hotel address (We start at the last 5 minutes of hair and makeup. So, our goal is that hair and makeup should be finished at 12:50 pm.)
- 1:20 pm Photo crew departs for Ceremony location (Travel time 30 minutes)
- 1:30 pm Bride with Family & party depart for Ceremony location (Travel time 30 minutes)
- 1:50 pm Groom Getting Ready –ceremony address
- 2:10 pm Bride with Family and Bridesmaids (45 minutes, then go hide. Be sure flowers are available)
- 3:00 pm Groom with Family and Groomsmen (25 minutes)
- 3:30 pm Ceremony (30 minutes)
- 4:05 pm Altar pictures -All Family, All Bridal Party (20 minutes)
- 4:25 pm Formal Pictures with Mr. and Mrs.(45 minutes to 1 hour)
- 5:25 pm All parties -Depart for reception address (Travel time 30 minutes)
- 6:00 pm Ready for grand entrance to reception
Once we are at the reception I leave all scheduling up to the Master of Ceremonies or D.J.. I approach, introduce myself and get the timeline.
Travel time aside, here is a short review of the amount of time I like to have for pictures:
- Bride with family, bridal party and individual pics – 45 minutes to an hour
- Groom with family, bridal party and individual pics – 25 – 30 minutes
- Altar pictures 20 minutes
- Formal pictures of the newlywed 45 minutes to an hour
If your client is willing to see each other before the ceremony you can add extra time for pictures. One way I use to help sway their decision to see each other before is to show them a few First Look shots and how they look in a finished album.
Here is the review for the Canon Vixia HF G40 released a little over a year ago.
Canon says is ideal for “advanced amateur filmmakers, wedding videographers, and student reporters.”
I picked up the Canon Vixia HF G40 about a month ago. Searching for in depth reviews and didn’t see the info I was looking for. Finding a lot of videos that went over the specs and a few open box reviews but nothing really substantial. While this post suffers from the same substance lacking content, I will be creating a video review soon. It’s there I will go into detail how I setup the Canon Vixia HF G40 to use with my 5D MIII and 7D.
I wanted a 3rd camera for filming events. Mostly Wedding ceremonies. I needed a setup in the back of the ceremony and let it run to get an overall shot for when I am shooting alone. In considering the Canon XA30 but from all that I read the Canon Vixia HF G40 is the same camera without the XLR inputs. Audio is recorded off camera and only use the cameras audio to sync in post so I did not see a need to spend the extra dough.
When you open the box you can expect the following.
Canon Vixia HF G40
- Lens hood (with Lens Barrier)
- Battery Pack BP-820
- Compact Power Adapter CA-570
- Wireless Controller WL-D89
- High Speed HDMI cable HTC-100/S
- Interface Cable IFC-300PCU/S
- Stereo Video Cable STV-250N
Weighing in at just around 2 pounds and measuring around 7.5 x 3.5 x 4.5 inches, the G40 is pretty compact but still substantial enough to feel like a solid piece of equipment.
On the front we see a 20x lens that is a 35mm equivalent of 26.8–576mm. There is also a 400x digital zoom, but that will degrade the quality of the video so I never use it.
The heart of the Canon Vixia HF G40 is the DIGIC DV 4 image processor and the new HD CMOS PRO Image Sensor which is the same sensor the XA35 and XA30 models use. That gives us high quality video and better low light performance and low-luminance noise rating of +3 dB. A big improvement over the previous models.
To save those videos Canon has provided us with dual SD card slots that allow relay recording or dual recording. Relay recording will continue to the next card when the first card is full. Dual recording will record a duplicate video in mp4 format. Great for those times when you have a quick same day edit or just want a back up created dynamically on location. The Canon Vixia HF G40 records in 1080p/60p video in MP4 or AVCHD formats in 24/30 fps. At 24 frames per second you would get what is considered cinematic quality. You can also set the G40 for slow motion or fast motion but beware it is easy to forget to switch it back.
To see what is happening Canon put an impressive 3.5-inch OLED display. Still difficult to see in the bright sun, my hoodman hanging around my neck helps check focus and exposure.
Wide DR Gamma mode on the G40 helps achieve a wide dynamic range of 600% to produce excellent tonal gradations. It also reduces the chance of blown-out highlights. There are controls to cut the contrast and sharpening to get you closer to a raw out put but unfortunately there is no raw available. Still, the ending result is stellar.
The optical image stabilization system features an impressive Dynamic Image Stabilization mode. That helps stabilize the camera across all zoom levels. Even zoomed into 20x, it is possible to get very stable shots.
When it is complete, I will link the YoutTube video review.
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DJI Phantom Vision 2 Plus
Aerial Videographer, Pilot: Matt Fukushima www.fukushimaphoto.com
Ground Videographer, Quad Catcher: Jim Conner www.jamesdconner.com
Captain of the ship, GoPro Operator: Andy Templeton www.atempletonphoto.com/
Hand launching the DJI Phantom Vision 2 Plus from a speed boat in the Long Beach Marina
To prepare for an upcoming shoot of the annual sailboat race in the Long Beach Marina, we rented a little speed boat from a spot in Shoreline Village to test hand launching the DJI Phantom. I have to admit that this was more than just a test. It was a blast cruising around in the Marina while pretending to work. Give us a chance to shoot from a boat, train or helicopter and we are all over it!
Hand launching the DJI Phantom is surprisingly easy. I have done it many times. Controller in one hand while the other hand reaches out to grab the landing gear. Avoiding the props seems to come naturally as they can inflict a nasty bite and make scary noises!
I wasn’t sure what to expect launching and landing from a boat. There are a few things to consider here that would not be an issue on land. Of course, the boat moves in elevation with the waves. Up, down and rolling with the water while hopefully the quad-copter will stay pretty stationary. The pilot, in this case, uber photog Matt Fukushima, is attempting to stand straight and keep both hands on the controller while bouncing around with the waves. Our boat captain, photog extraordinaire; Andy Templton attempts to keep the hull of the boat aimed upwind to stabilize and tries to avoid the wake caused by neighboring boats. Being the driving force behind the boat was not Andy’s only responsibility, he also was the cameraman, operating the GoPro during the operation.
A single mistake, battery malfunction or loss of signal would result in one quad-copter sinking slowly to it’s watery grave on the ocean bottom. All of those things have happened while flying on land. In the end, it’s important to note. The quad-copter is nothing more than a tool. Much like a hammer is to a carpenter. While the loss would hurt, getting the shot is the only goal. The quad’s days were numbered the moment ‘Add to Cart,’ was clicked.
A successful mission overall. The footage looked great and we had no issue with the launching and landing of the quad-copter. It started out like every shoot, butterflies in the tummy, hands a little shaky, but at the end of the day we were satisfied and goals were achieved.
Check out the video above to see the results.
Here is a link to the quad used on today’s shoot:
DJI Phantom P3-STANDARD Quadcopter Drone with 2.7K HD Video Camera
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