I just discovered that if you hold down the play button and press the left or right arrow simultaneously, you can quickly toggle to compare successive images while zoomed in. I previously thought this was something only Nikons had – glad to see this handy review feature on the M9 and M9-P, too. Should make assessing images on the fly a lot faster. MT
Photoessay: Cigars
March 21, 2012 by
One of my other passions is to have a good cigar now and again. Although I mostly prefer Cubans, there are also some very good things coming out of the Dominican Republic such as the Fuente Opus X and Padron brands. Needless to say, a camera usually accompanies me to these outings; partially because it’s attached to me like an extra limb, and partially because I write the occasional review and video for My Cigar Blog. MT
This series shot with a whole load of different equipment.
POTD: Sunset clouds over the sea
March 21, 2012 by
Sunset clouds over the sea. Over Hat Yai, Gulf of Thailand. Leica M9-P, 35/1.4 ASPH FLE
Nikon D800 update
March 20, 2012 by
I’m impressed, Nikon is delivering on time for once: worldwide launch day is supposedly Thursday, 22 March; I got a call from my local NPS rep informing me that my D800 will be ready for collection that morning. However, I’ve got a whole day shoot booked – no chance that’s going to happen – so I’ll pick it up first thing Friday. Can’t wait! Expect first impressions Friday evening. Now I’m off to pick up new hard drives and cards – these files are going to be monstrous. MT
Observing vs. participating: behind the camera
March 20, 2012 by
Today’s post is a follow-on spurred by the discussion following yesterday’s article on hiding behind the subject. Apologies to anybody if I lose you in the second paragraph, but I promise it will be worth it.
A camera can be many things.
A tool, to produce an image.
A bridge, to start a conversation.
An observer, to record an event, or bear witness to something.
A shield, to distance and separate the photographer from the scene he or she is attempting to capture.
There’s a big difference between being part of the action, and just being a witness to the action. Which do you think makes for stronger images? Unquestionably, the former. However, it’s not that simple: photojournalism is like quantum mechanics.
Let’s take a little detour. Quantum mechanics 101: under the quantum mechanical realm – i.e. the very small – an observable event has no distinct state, but rather a continuum of probability. This means that there’s the potential for any possible outcome to our observable event; however, until we observe it, we don’t know what the outcome will be. However, the very act of observing the event changes the outcome – because once the outcome has been observed, it can no longer be any of the other possible outcomes. This changes the probability continuum for the event, thus changing the event itself.
The best example of this is Erwin Schrodinger’s (the famous physicist) cat experiment. A box contains a live cat, whose lid triggers a mechanism that <em>might</em> kill the cat. So until you open the lid of the box, you don’t know if the cat is dead or alive; by observing the cat, you interfere with its state of being: namely, you might kill it by checking if it’s really alive or not.
A demonstration of the link between quantum mechanics and photography. Behaviour of the person in the middle didn’t change until he saw me bring the camera up.
New year’s eve 2011-12, Kuala Lumpur. Olympus Pen Mini E-PM1, 12/2
Back to photography. As a photojournalist, if you are an observer, you do not generally interfere with the course of events – other than any secondary impact arising from people viewing your images, and possibly taking action or interfering with the course of history. However, if you are a participant rather than an observer – then by taking photographs, you are directly interfering with the event. From a photographic point of view, it means that the images you get may be more powerful, but not necessarily as genuine because the subjects are aware of the camera and will almost certainly change their behavior accordingly, which again changes the image and changes the course of events because the subjects change the way they act around the camera. As a stealth operative, you will capture the natural reactions of your subjects – but at the expense of involvement for the viewing audience.
Active participation at a family event. Olympus Pen Mini E-PM1, 12/2
They’re very different types of images, and both have their advantages and disadvantages – to say nothing of the ethical dilemmas posed for a photojournalist when covering certain events, for instance wars and natural disasters. I can’t say whether one is better than the other, but I do know that it’s much more difficult to get powerful images if you are not a participant – simply because the focus of the subject is not the camera.
Passive observer. Epicure 2011. Nikon D700, 85/1.4G
I’ve always felt the best compromise is to be an observer, but an active one: anticipate and seek out your targets; study behavior and be ready for what comes next, so when that one fleeting moment of critical action – what HC-B memorably termed ‘the decisive moment’ – you are ready, and manage to capture it.
The kiss, hommage a HC-B. London. Leica M8, Zeiss ZM2.8/21.
Required a lot of anticipation because a) the M8 is manual focus; b) you have to shoot wide open in the low light conditions of the Underground; c) here’s the kicker: they were on an escalator moving in the opposite direction to me, so there was really only one chance to get the shot.
There are times when you should not be a passive observer. In intimate social situations, for example – hiding behind your camera would just come across as awkward, antisocial and downright rude. Portraiture is another example. People naturally connect and express emotion more easily when there’s another human on the receiving end, rather than an enormous and intimidating piece of glass attached to a big black camera.
Perhaps this is why smaller cameras such as the compact system cameras and rangefinders are seeing a modern resurgence (aside from the obvious size and weight benefits) – they remove a layer between you and your subject in a couple of ways. Firstly, if you’re interacting with your subject, they can see your face; body language is the vast majority of communication, and your subject will take visual cues from you. If you’re not interacting with your subject, smaller cameras attract a lot less attention, and let you shoot without the subject being conscious of your presence. I have no problem shooting in very close quarters with a good point and shoot or mirrorless camera – the Ricoh GR-Digital III and Olympus Pen Mini are my favorites because of size and responsiveness – and to a lesser extent, the Leica M9-P. The full-sized Nikons are a no-no (especially anything with a battery grip or large aperture lens) unless you’re in a public situation where the expectation is a lot of people will have cameras and be taking photos.
Never a problem finding a protest if you’re shooting a Leica. Just look like you’re a world-weary photojournalist and you’d be surprised how many ‘official’ lines you can get past. Leica M8, Voigtlander 50/1.1 Nokton
Speaking of expectations, this should be a good guide to what equipment and technique is best suited to get the best images: if you’re expected to look and play the part of a photographer – a fashion shoot, for instance – using a small camera so the model can see your face probably isn’t going to get you the results you desire. If you’re trying to be stealthy and cover an insurgent protest, then a point and shoot probably is a good idea to help you keep a low profile. Street photography is something else that’s best done with compacts, too. Bottom line: take your cue from your subjects.
One final word: if you are not comfortable, then it will show in your body language. Remember, most communication is nonverbal: this means you’re also going to make your subjects aware of your discomfort (and probably also make them feel uncomfortable with the situation). Most important tip: be confident, regardless of whatever your equipment choice, and however you chose to shoot. Photographers create images: appearing the part is a very important piece of the puzzle. MT
POTD: The hidden market
March 20, 2012 by
Woman at the hidden market, Witthayu Soi Polo, Bangkok. Leica M9-P, 35/1.4 ASPH FLE
Concealed in a back alley near the Polo Club off Embassy Row (Wireless Road) in the heart of downtown Bangkok is a traditional old Thai community – complete with elderly people, wooden houses on stilts and plenty of small businesspeople selling one or two items from little stalls. Nestled in the high rises and million-dollar condominiums, how long can a place like this last before a developer sweeps in to make another quick fortune? Sad, but also touching at the same time that pockets of the old life like this still exist. MT
Hiding behind the subject
March 19, 2012 by
Photographers normally hide behind the camera (though we shouldn’t, because it distances us from what we’re shooting and makes us observers rather than participant-observers, but that’s another story for another time) right? So what’s with hiding behind the subject?
A friend once said this to me about a watch: I’m expecting exceptional photos because it’s an extraordinary subject. I didn’t quite understand what he meant at first, but I do now. How many images are famous because of the content – maybe the rarity of the subject, the famousness of the person, the momentousness of the situation – rather than because the photograph itself is exceptional? Look carefully. For instance, imagine the photo wasn’t of say Obama, but instead an ordinary man. Would it still be a special photograph? Probably not. The examples go on. Some of these images are truly special for their composition etc – but a lot are also well known solely because the photographer happened to be in the right place at the right time.
I’m not saying that news photographers can’t shoot, but there is a continuum. I often wonder whether I’d be able to produce images as good or better than other people if I was in one of those once-in-a-lifetime situations. The honest answer is, I don’t know.
But I digress; back to the watch.
Supposing you make what is perceived as an ordinary photo of an ordinary subject; that is probably par for the course. If you can make an exceptional photo of an ordinary subject, then the talent lies with you as the photographer rather than the subject for being special. However, if you fail to make a ‘wow’ photo with a very special subject – I dunno, say a Bugatti Veryron for instance – then you’ve both failed to capture the essence of the subject in the photograph, and failed to apply your nascent talent as a photographer.
I bore this in mind as I photographed the watch – a Lange & Sohne Datograph.
The image on the manufacturer’s site looks like this (slightly different to the actual watch shot because this is an updated model):
It’s technically competent, but a very flat, very boring shot that fails to capture any of the magic of the piece. I can’t say I was happy with my first, second or even third try; I too made an ordinary photo out of an exceptional subject (you’ll see why, shortly) or at best, a good photo. Which still didn’t do the subject justice, in my mind.
Early attempt. Nikon D700, 60/2.8 G
Later attempt, which you’ve probably seen in another article; I use this for illustration purposes. Yes, it’s compositionally and technically much stronger, but also fails in many ways to capture the essence of the subject. Nikon D700, 60/2.8 G
Here’s an interesting attempt to capture the idea of cool precision. I think by throwing out conventional notions of how I’d shoot a watch, I was definitely making progress. I didn’t even use my usual D700 and 60 macro combination with flashes; this was shot with the Olympus Pen Mini, Panasonic 20/1.7 and continuous LED lights.
Final attempt. I like this idea because it subtly represents the ‘best of Germany’-teutonic-aesthetic, yet it’s still a little bit imperfect (like anything handmade, especially the subjects) and a bit surreal. The watch was actually resting on the same surface as the lens, but the laws of optics reverse the projection (and in turn required mirror-imaging in photoshop to make the orientation look correct). Nikon D700, 60/2.8 G and a Leica Noctilux 0.95 ASPH.
This philosophy is something I now keep in the back of my mind when I shoot: don’t hide behind your subject. At very least, do it justice. If you can, then make an extraordinary photo. If you can’t, then try, or at least know when it doesn’t come up to scratch. It isn’t easy to do, but I think just one more way to raise your game. MT
POTD: The roof-harp
March 19, 2012 by
The roof harp. Siam Paragon, Bangkok. Leica M9-P, 35/1.4 ASPH FLE
The Nikon D4 – ergonomics
March 18, 2012 by
I was at my regular purveyor of addictive substances camera equipment this afternoon; fresh in: four Nikon D4s. That’s it. Four units for one of the largest dealers in the country, and only because he had two stores. The unit that I got to handle briefly was a customer unit to be collected later this week; because of that, I got to hold it and that’s about it – certainly no deflowering of somebody else’s baby.
Three surprises. Firstly, it was light – it felt a lot lighter than the D3 I used for a year or so; almost as light as my D700. Secondly, the ergonomics are the best of any Nikon I’ve held to date: everything just falls to hand precisely under your fingers, as though the thing was designed for you, personally. The D3 felt a touch large to me, but the grip was comfortable. The D4, is perfect. Perfect
The final surprise was the price: close to RM20,000 – or US$6,500. Apparently, the deferral in collection by that customer was because he wasn’t sure if it was worth it – and for a tantalizing moment, I could have walked home with it (and a much, much lighter wallet). It felt so good in the hand that I was contemplating it seriously, if only for a moment. And how things feel in the hand is very important because if something feels good, you’ll want to use it more, rather than cast it aside in frustration.
However, I did come to my senses: I actually need the built in flash to trigger my speed lights and strobes, and 16MP is not really a meaningful increase in resolution. I don’t need 9fps or a vertical grip. And I certainly don’t need to pay that kind of money for it. But – if you do need the speed, then you’re absolutely going to love using this camera – I figure the image quality and menu system/ firmware can’t be any worse than the D3, and that is still the benchmark in many ways. MT
Reader photo critique: Temples
March 18, 2012 by
Leica M9
Today is the second in the series of my reader’s image critiques. This images comes from Hilmar.
Once again, I’ll break down the assessment into three categories – composition, technique and other; the other category deals with things such as lighting, timing, subject opportunity, etc. Photography is subjective, so I won’t give points or scores.
Composition
The body of the composition follows classical rule of thirds division – 2/3 sky, 1/3 subject/ foreground. However, the intrusion into the sky of the tree at left both breaks up the monotony of the solid block of color, but also creates a bit of an imbalance, despite sitting neatly in the notch between the left hand temple and foliage. Lateral balance is good, with the architectural detailing mirrored somewhat in the plants and trees, as well as being roughly symmetric about the middle (again, except for the tree at left). It is a pleasing composition, but not a particularly strong or dynamic one.
However, the biggest question I’m left wondering is: what is the subject? The temple? Which temple? The tree? The sky? The scene in general?
Technique
The last point bridges into technique: clearly this image was shot with a wide angle lens; remember one of the golden rules of photography: select your perspective, THEN only select your focal length. I suspect that this shot was composed in reverse: get in whatever you wanted to get into the frame with the lens you’ve got. Although there is clearly perspective distortion and keystoning present caused by the perspective, there’s no clear foreground-background separation – which means the dynamic potential of the lens could have further been maximized. Yes, it would have resulted in a significant change in composition (as is the norm when moving the camera slightly with all wide angle lenses). However, it’s important to remember that the end goal isn’t to ‘get the scene in’ but to create a representative image which contains the key elements you wish to capture – in effect, the essence of the scene – not necessarily the entire scene.
I want to talk a bit about post processing. In a scene with challenging dynamic range, you’ve got three options: expose for highlights and lose shadows; expose for shadows and lose highlights; finally, HDR and retain all or nearly all tonal information. In my mind, only the former approach works well here; exposing for shadows would have resulted in a very washed-out image, with white sky (and lots of seemingly blank space). HDR looks unnatural, and should be avoided unless there’s no other way of retaining the desired tonal information – and even then, used with great care. In a nutshell: the exposure here is bang on, and the photographer deserves commendation for that. However, I feel a little more shadow detail could have been extracted through judicious use of ACR or the shadow/ highlight tool.
Other
How would I have framed this shot with the same equipment? Assuming the key elements of the scene are sky, temple and tree (i.e. natural context/ setting), I’d have gone closer to the temple at left to place it in the foreground and lower half of the image; shot in portrait orientation and placed the tree silhouetted against the sky in the upper half.
In conclusion
One important takeaway here: choose your perspective then only compose, not the other way around.
MT
