Camera Settings – Landscape Photography

It is April and spring has arrived at Monument Valley along the Arizona/Utah border. The pastel glow of twilight dyes the valley a cool hue while warm light from a setting Sun catches the wispy overhead clouds. (Bill Ferris)

It is April and spring has arrived at Monument Valley along the Arizona/Utah border. The pastel glow of twilight dyes the valley a cool hue while warm light from a setting Sun catches the wispy overhead clouds. (Bill Ferris)

There have been more than a few days when I’ve wondered if I travel to do photography or if the camera is just an excuse to get outside amidst inspiring landscapes. Actually, there is no wondering about it. It’s the latter. I have a deep, soulful connection to nature. Truth be told, if faced with the choice of spending my remaining years alone in a magnificent wilderness or amongst the beehive of activity in a major city, I might choose the wild.

It should come as no surprise, then, that landscape imaging is my first love in photographry. Since a move from the Midwest to northern Arizona nearly 20 years ago, I’ve been blessed to have ready access to some of the most dramatic and iconic landscapes of the American West. Grand Canyon, Monument Valley,  Arches, Canyonlands – these are nature’s cathedrals. These are the places where I hone my craft and renew a spiritual connection with the world.

This blog continues the series in which I share the camera settings I use for specific genres of photography. Today’s genre is landscapes and these are the settings:

  • Mode: Aperture Priority
  • Aperture:  f/13 to f/22
  • ISO: 100 to 200
  • Image Format: RAW
  • Focus: Back Button or Live View
  • Shutter Release: Timed with a 5-second delay
  • Essential Gear: Tripod
Late day light paints Zoroaster Temple in Grand Canyon a deep amber hue as seen from a campsite along Clear Creek Trail. (Bill Ferris)

Late day light paints Zoroaster Temple in Grand Canyon a deep amber hue as seen from a campsite along Clear Creek Trail. (Bill Ferris)

Great light is the first element of a great landscape. While it is absolutely possible to make a fantastic landscape exposure in midday light, the golden hour times of sunrise and sunset are the most prized. The soft earthy glow adds a dramatic feel and reveals the inner beauty of a place. Weather, is the second key element. Clouds, rain and lightning put passion on display. Snow reveals the essence of a place and hints at possibilities to come.

A common theme connecting the above, is the relatively low light levels one encounters when shooting under such conditions. Unlike other genres (e.g. sports, wildlife and portraiture), short exposures and shallow depths of field are not necessarily desirable when shooting landscapes. More typically, you want great depth of field. Also, since your subject is mostly static, exposure times can be longer without compromising image sharpness.

An f/13 to f/22 aperture will deliver an in-focus, sharp image through the fore-, mid- and backgrounds. (APS-C bodies can achieve the same at f/9 to f/16.) With depth of field being so critical to achieving the desired result, I usually shoot in Aperture Priority mode and dial in an aperture – more accurately, a focal ratio – of f/13. Depending on the lighting and composition, I’ll go as large (in focal ratio) as f/22 or more.

Of course, I always shoot in RAW to allow as much latitude as possible during processing.

White House ruin in Canyon de Chelly National Monument (Chinle, Arizona) (Bill Ferris)

White House ruin in Canyon de Chelly National Monument (Chinle, Arizona) (Bill Ferris)

To maximize image quality and minimize noise, I typically use the base ISO of the camera body. In the case of the Nikon D610, the base ISO is 100. This combination of low light, small aperture and low ISO forces the camera to use relatively slow shutter speeds to make a properly exposed image. When shooting just before sunrise or shortly after sunset, an exposure of 1-second or longer may be needed.

Long exposures demand a solid, stable platform to ensure good sharpness in the resulting image. This makes a tripod essential gear for the landscape photographer. I use a Benro model tripod. It is designed to be lightweight and portable, while still providing good stability. It is not as rock solid as other beefier designs, which means I’m always in need of a sheltered location when doing photography in a strong wind.

A technique I use to minimize vibration, is setting a 5-second delay on the shutter release. This allows any vibration introduced when I push the shutter release to dampen before the exposure begins. I also use either back button focus or contrast detection focus in Live View to help ensure best focus. Contrast detection, while slower, is sometimes a bit more accurate than phase detection. Moving focus control off the shutter release button minimizes the risk of a last second focus change when an exposure is made.

Using these settings, allows me to take full advantage of the spectacular landscapes populating the Desert  Southwest. If you are a landscape enthusiast, I hope you find they help your results, as well.

So, get out there and shoot.

Bill Ferris | April 2015

Wilderness Basics

Clear Creek cuts a path from the North Rim to the Colorado River in Grand Canyon. It is also home to one of the sweetest perennial water flows in the great chasm. Arguably, the signature feature of Clear Creek is the 10-foot waterfall about a mile from the Colorado River. It is a popular day hike destination, both for river parties and for backpackers. This 1-second exposure captures the delicate beauty of the sideways waterfall and invites you to make Clear Creek a destination on your next visit to Grand Canyon National Park. (Bill Ferris)

Clear Creek cuts a path from the North Rim to the Colorado River in Grand Canyon. Arguably, the signature feature of Clear Creek is the sideways 10-foot waterfall about a mile from the river. (Bill Ferris)

Last month, I did my 23rd overnight backpack in Grand Canyon National Park. The first was in 2006, an experience that forged a lifelong connection to the most spectacular of America’s national parks. During the years since, I have hiked nearly 1,160 miles and camped 109 nights below the rim. From Nankoweap to Crazy Jug north of the river and south from the Little Colorado to Bass, I’ve walked through every side canyon that empties into the mighty Colorado.

What motivates these treks is two-fold. First, is the deeply spiritual experience of hiking in Grand Canyon. It is a feeling and place like no other. Second, is the opportunity and challenge of using my camera to capture the magnificence of this natural wonder. This recent trip confirmed my thinking about the equipment and techniques essential to making a successful photograph in a wilderness environment. In short, you need to get back to basics.

Wilderness backpacking is an activity where success or failure rests on your ability to manage resources. The resources include the gear you bring, the food you eat and the water you drink. Successful management of these items rests on your ability to prioritize, to identify those things which are essential, of value or merely trivial.

Water is essential, something you need to consume every day to maintain physical and mental well being. In a desert environment such as Grand Canyon, you had better have it or know with confidence where it can be found. Food is essential. Your pack, clothing, safety gear and first aid kit are essential.

A camera and tripod, while of value, are not essential. Neither are critical to day-to-day survival. Neither is a tool that helps you get from point A to point B. Neither provides shelter from the elements or assistance during an emergency. For most backpackers, these would be considered trivial items. Most people would bring a smart phone as a resource for communication with family and friends, during an emergency. At other times, it can function as a camera. Some hikers would bring a point & shoot – something lightweight that fits nicely in a pocket – or perhaps a small tripod or Gorilla Pod.

The gravelly carpet of the lower narrows yields to the stoney floor of the upper, in this photograph of Vishnu Narrows in Grand Canyon National Park. (Bill Ferris)

The gravelly carpet of the lower narrows yields to the stoney floor of the upper, in this photograph of Vishnu Narrows in Grand Canyon National Park. (Bill Ferris)

As a dedicated landscape photographer, the camera and related equipment – while non-essential – are highly valued by me. Two years ago, I replaced and upgraded several critical pieces of backpacking kit with the goal of reducing weight while maintaining performance. The items included my backpack, shelter, sleeping bag, sleeping pad and water treatment kit. The net result was a reduction of nearly five pounds in my backpacking base weight. (Base weight is the weight of the pack and all non-consumable contents.)

What did I do with those five pounds? Did I walk a bit lighter and quicker down the trail? Of course not. I reassigned it to photographic equipment. Instead of hiking with a crop format camera body, I now bring a full-frame sensor body. I also added a lightweight but full-size travel tripod to my kit. These items added a bit over four pounds to the weight of my pack. They also significantly increased the enjoyment I get from doing photography while backpacking.

Here’s the complete list of photographic gear I brought on a recent eight-day Grand Canyon backpack:

  • Nikon D610 camera body (w/ two spare batteries and two spare 32 GB SD cards)
  • Nikon 16-35mm f/4 wide angle zoom lens (w/ lens cleaning cloth and wipes)
  • Benro A1690T aluminum travel tripod with Benro B0 ball head (w/ backpack straps)
  • Peak Design Capture Camera Clip Pro mounting system
  • Peak Design Slide camera strap

Almost any camera (smartphone, point & shoot, etc.) can make an excellent picture in the full light of day. The equipment I packed allowed me to make excellent photos in any lighting, even at night. The D610 is a top-5 ranked camera body when it comes to the combination of resolution, dynamic range and low light performance. That 24 megapixel Sony sensor is a beast. The 16-35mm zoom lens allows me to capture awe-inspiring wide angle views. An equivalent lens on a crop-frame body would have a focal length in the 10-11mm range. No smart phone or point & shoot comes close to delivering such a wide angle view.

Early on a March morning, the summer Milky Way rises over Grand Canyon National Park. A pristine night sky is a treasure. Standing beneath a starry canopy, one can simultaneously feel insignificant and connected to all things. There is no greater cathedral, no place I feel more at home. (Bill Ferris)

Early on a March morning, the summer Milky Way rises over Grand Canyon National Park. A pristine night sky is a treasure. Standing beneath a starry canopy, one can simultaneously feel insignificant and connected to all things. There is no greater cathedral, no place I feel more at home. (Bill Ferris)

The tripod enabled me to capture quality exposures during the golden hour and at night. Without the tripod, I would have had to shoot with wide open apertures and high ISO’s to keep exposure times reasonable. With the tripod, I could use the base ISO, a small f/13 aperture and capture tack sharp landscapes during twilight. I could also make longer 1-second exposures of a waterfall to give the flowing water that silky smooth quality. Or, I could make 30-second exposures of the night sky at very high ISO to record a stunning image of the Milky Way rising over Grand Canyon.

Equally important, was what I did not bring: no backup body; no second (or third) lens; no filter(s); no speedlight(s); no reflector. Under different circumstances, I would normally have brought all these items. However, in an environment where every ounce and each square inch of space matters, these accessories are non-essentials.

I know a lot of landscape photography enthusiasts will question the decision not to bring even one filter. After all, filters are relatively small and light. Surely, I could have fit a neutral density filter, a graduated ND or a UV filter in my kit? Well, I could have. I also could have used that weight or space for more water, more food, rain gear, another clothing item or some other even more essential item.

The bottom line reality is that much of what filters offer can be achieved in Adobe Lightroom. Shooting in RAW combined with good decision-making about what to photograph and judicious use of exposure compensation allows me to capture original exposures that can be edited in Lightroom to optimize exposure, details and highlights in any area of the final photograph. All this can be accomplished in a few minutes or less. Filters, while definitely of value, are non-essential.

The 24 MP sensor combined with Lightroom’s single button click tools correcting lens distortion and chromatic aberration give me the option of shooting at 35mm in the field, then cropping to 50mm or even 75mm during post-production. In short, image processing offers the option of converting a wide angle image into a photograph captured with a standard focal length lens.

Of course, the real fun during the hike was making images that take advantage of what a true wide angle lens offers. Of the more than 1,000 photographs I took during the eight-day trip, only a handful have been cropped more than about 10% during processing. Ninety percent or more have not been cropped, at all. Some may view shooting with just one lens for a week as limiting. I saw it as both a challenge and an opportunity. The opportunity was to make dramatic wide angle landscapes in a truly stunning natural environment. The challenge was to be creative with my use of the lens throughout the week.

A backpacker steps carefully along a crumbling ridge while late day light paints a Tapeats tower in Grand Canyon National Park. (Bill Ferris)

A backpacker steps carefully along a crumbling ridge while late day light paints a Tapeats tower in Grand Canyon National Park. (Bill Ferris)

In hindsight, it wasn’t a challenge, at all. It was easy. Throughout the week, there was only one time when I missed not having a long telephoto lens in my pack. (We were standing at the edge of the Tonto Plateau looking into Vishnu Canyon and found the remnants of an old miner’s cabin. The ruins were about half-a-mile distant and, while plainly visible through a 10X monocular, were simply beyond the reach of a 35mm lens.) But for that, it was a genuinely enjoyable week of hiking in and making landscapes of Grand Canyon National Park.

You don’t need to spend a week backpacking in a wilderness area to experience the joys of shooting with a minimal kit. You can do it, any time you wish. All it takes is the willingness to leave all but your most basic and necessary gear at home. This weekend, choose one camera, one lens, a tripod, a couple of spare batteries and media cards, and allow yourself to spend an entire day taking and making great photographs with just that essential equipment. Get back to the basics.

Go ahead, get out there and shoot.

Bill Ferris | April 2015

Camera Settings – Wildlife Photography

An American White Ibis preens in the late afternoon light at Disney World Epcot theme park. (Bill Ferris)

An American White Ibis preens in the late afternoon light at Disney World Epcot theme park. (Bill Ferris)

This post continues a series on camera settings for specific genres of photography. As I mentioned in the first installment, I am not suggesting these settings will be best for every photographer. I am sharing them because they work for me and may be of some help to you.

As the above image indicates, this post will focus on settings for bird and wildlife photography. Let’s begin with my goals when shooting animals in a natural setting:

  • Communicate the wild
  • Convey the personality of the animal
  • Bring the viewer close

There is something about an animal in a wilderness setting that captures the imagination. This is particularly true in cultures that feel a strong connection to a past when people lived, struggled, thrived and died in wilderness places. They competed not only with the land and weather but also with animals. Some animals were hunted as sources of food and clothing. Others were hunted as competitors for scarce food resources or as threats to people.

A photograph of an animal in a wilderness setting has the potential to reconnect us with that pioneer heritage. It can make the pulse quicken and loose a surge of adrenalin in the blood. Communicating the wild is as much about setting as the animal, itself. Framing the shot with a rugged terrain or severe weather conveys a sense of wilderness. The personality of the animal comes to life through action. Interesting – even aggressive – behavior does the trick. Sometimes, the suggestion of a behavior that is about to happen can be even more compelling. Capturing the instant before the animal becomes aggressive hints at wildness and allows the audience’s imagination to fill in the rest.

The Kilimanjaro Safaris tour at Disney World Animal Kingdom exposes visitors to a host of animals native to Africa, including the giraffe. (Bill Ferris)

The Kilimanjaro Safaris tour at Disney World Animal Kingdom exposes visitors to a host of animals native to Africa, including the giraffe. (Bill Ferris)

A long telephoto lens can bring the viewer close enough to feel the breath of the animal. Stealth and patience, when skillfully employed, can have the same effect. Every guideline has its exceptions and this one is no different. A wide angle lens capturing the interesting behavior of a collection of animals in the wild can be just as inspiring.

Bird and wildlife photography is a relatively new interest for me. I’m still searching for that heart-stopping image of an apex predator in the wild, or an iconic creature persevering against nature’s maelstrom. However, the technique of capturing such moments is fairly well ingrained. I’ll be ready when the moment arrives. Here, are my settings:

  • Aperture: f/2.8 to f/5.6
  • ISO: ISO-auto with 1/500 to 1/1000-second as minimum shutter speed and 6400 as maximum ISO
  • Back Button Focus: AE-L/AF-L button assigned to autofocus control
  • Burst Rate: Low (3 fps) to Continuous High (6 fps)
  • Image Quality: RAW
  • Exposure Compensation:  +2/3 to 0 to -2/3 stop

I use a large aperture to blur the background and isolate the subject. A wide open aperture also allows for the use of more reasonable ISO’s when shooting early in the day. Now, an aperture closed one stop from wide open will do a better job of capturing pin sharp detail in the animal. So, if the light level will allow it and if there is significant distance between your subject and the background, consider closing down the lens a bit.

Back button focus is a great technique for just about any type of photography. It gives you more control over focus point and framing. If the animal is moving slowly, a shutter speed of 1/500-second will do an excellent job of freezing action. However, birds in flight and other more aggressive actions demand a faster shutter speed. A low burst rate works fine for an animal slowly grazing for food. A faster burst rate is called for when shooting birds in flight and other more dynamic action.

A bull Elk eyes a gathering crowd of tourists on the South Rim of Grand Canyon National Park. (Bill Ferris)

A bull elk eyes a gathering crowd of tourists on the South Rim of Grand Canyon National Park. (Bill Ferris)

Finally, you’ll want to pay attention to the coloration of an animal. Animals with dark fur may require an exposure compensation of +2/3 stop to preserve detail. By contrast, compensation of -2/3 stop will preserve feather detail when photographing a bright white bird.

These are the settings I use when photographing birds and animals. If you give them a try, I think you’ll find the results rewarding. At the very least, you’ll gain a better understanding of the settings that work best for you.

Now, get out there and shoot!

Bill Ferris | April 2015

Camera Settings – Sports Photography

NAU's Eddie Horn grabs a handful of facemask to prevent Eastern Washington's Quincy Forte from reaching the end zone

NAU’s Eddie Horn grabs a handful of facemask to prevent Eastern Washington’s Quincy Forte from reaching the end zone (Bill Ferris)

With this post, I’m launching a series in which I will share the settings I use for specific genres of photography. Each article will focus on one kind of photographry: landscape, wildlife, event, portraiture and, in this entry, sports.

Right off the top, I want to be clear about something. The settings I use are not necessarily best for everyone. In fact, I suspect the opposite may be closer to the truth. Many professional and experienced amateur photographers prefer to shoot in full manual mode. I don’t.

In any given situation, there are some settings I absolutely want to control and others I’m perfectly comfortable allowing the camera to control. It’s been my experience that modern digital cameras are reliably competent at choosing settings like shutter speed and ISO. Even if the setting the camera chooses is off by 1/3 to 1/2 a stop, shooting in RAW allows me to correct for that in post with just a few clicks of the mouse.

In short, the settings I use work for me and my workflow. My intent in sharing them in this series is that they may help you to make better photos and get more satisfaction from photography.

So, let’s get to it. Here, are the  settings I typically use with my Nikon D610 when shooting sports:

  • Mode: Aperture Priority
  • Aperture: f/2.8
  • ISO: ISO-auto with 1/1000-second as minimum shutter speed and 6400 as maximum ISO
  • Autofocus: Continuous with a 9-point cluster at the center
  • Back Button Focus: AE-L/AF-L button assigned to autofocus control
  • Burst Rate: Continuous High (6 fps)
  • Image Quality: RAW

Why? Let’s start at the beginning. Before I start shooting, I give some thought to what I want to accomplish with the photograph. Here are my goals for sports photography:

  • Capture the decisive moment
  • Communicate the emotion of that moment
  • Put the audience in the middle of the action

The above settings allow me to accomplish all three.

A goalkeeper prepares to send the ball out of her zone.

A goalkeeper prepares to send the ball out of her zone. (Bill Ferris)

The first decision I make when setting up the camera is selecting a mode to use. I never shoot in full Auto. In that mode, the camera makes all the decisions and I’ve yet to find a camera having an aesthetic identical to mine. I rarely shoot in Manual. In that mode, I make all the decisions and, frankly, that’s just a lot of work.

Aperture Priority allows me to lock in a focal ratio. Normally, I’ll set the lens to f/2.8. Since I’ll be using a fast shutter speed to freeze action, I need to deliver big heaping gobs of light to the sensor to produce a properly exposed image. Shooting at f/2.8 maximizes the light collected by the lens and delivered to the sensor, at any given moment.

A large aperture also produces an image with a shallow depth of field. That is a huge plus when shooting sports. Often, the shot is focused on one player, coach or person. But how to draw attention to someone who is surrounded by a melee of athletes, officials and fans? A shallow depth of field serves to isolate the subject by putting everything and everyone else out of focus.

With a wide aperture selected and locked in, the next choice is which shutter speed to use. For basketball, soccer and football, I have found a shutter speed of 1/1000-second does a great job of freezing the action. Now, I could do this by putting the camera in manual mode, selecting the aperture (f/2.8), shutter speed (1/1000-second) and ISO. But I’m lazy. I don’t want to be responsible for all three variables. I want the camera to do some of the work. I’ll choose the aperture and shutter speed, and let the camera choose the ISO.

This is why I use Nikon’s Auto-ISO setting. In this setting, you choose a minimum shutter speed and a maximum ISO. For sports, I select 1/1000-second and a maximum ISO of 6400. Shooting with the D610, I’ve been very pleased with the quality of images taken at ISO 6400

At this point, I’m almost ready to start shooting.

This photograph was taken with a Tamron 70-200mm at 135mm, f/2.8, ISO 3600, 1/640-second

This photograph was taken with a Tamron 70-200mm at 135mm, f/2.8, ISO 3600, 1/640-second (Bill Ferris)

Next, i check the image quality setting to confirm it’s still in RAW. Shooting in RAW serves several purposes. First, it is the format that captures and preserves the most information about each image. The more information there is at my disposal, the greater the flexibility I have in post. RAW allows for adjustments to be easily made in Lightroom, not just in exposure, but also in white balance, contrast and a host of other key settings. As such, shooting in RAW gives me the greatest latitude when processing an exposure. And since I’m trusting my camera to choose the ISO, RAW acts as my insurance policy against a setting that is off by as much as a full stop. Typically, however, the Nikon D610 is within 1/3-stop in the ISO it chooses.

To ensure that my photographs are properly focused, I use Nikon’s AF-C or continuous autofocus mode. In this mode, the camera continuously adjusts focus to keep the subject sharp, For most events, I’ll use a cluster of nine autofocus points – sometimes, a single point – to allow the camera to focus on the subject while ignoring distracting objects within the frame. The autofocus points at the center of the frame are most accurate. Hence my preference for a central grouping.

Now, to give myself more control over when and where focus is set, I also engage back button focus. This is a technique where you assign focus control to a button on the back of the camera body. I assign focus control to the AE-L/AF-L button on my Nikon D610. With back button focus engaged, I am able to push the AE-L/AF-L button when I want to set focus. If I’m shooting a stationary subject, I can set focus then remove my finger from the button and recompose. If the subject is moving, I’ll continue pressing the button and allow the camera to follow focus while I’m keeping the subject framed.

With 12-seconds left in regulation, NAU's Dan Galindo hauls in a Jordan Perry pass to score the game-winning touchdown

With 12-seconds left in regulation, NAU’s Dan Galindo hauls in a Jordan Perry pass to score the game-winning touchdown. (Bill Ferris)

Almost by definition, athletes are quick and fast-moving subjects. As such, I use my camera’s highest burst rate to rip 6-10 exposures in a 1-2 second burst. This gives me the best chance of capturing the decisive moment. The only thing that’s missing from the above photo, is the official’s arms in the air signaling a touchdown. But that didn’t happen until long after the receiver made the catch.

While we’re on the subject of moments, let’s address a setting that, all too often, is ignored. Moments are fleeting. As soon as you recognize one as being of significance, it is already gone. One of the keys to successful sports photography is anticipating a decisive moment, recognizing that it is about to happen. This has more to do with you, as a student of the game, than with your camera settings. Know the sport. Decide ahead of time the kind of moment you want (a score, a collision, the joy of victory, dignity in defeat), watch for that moment, recognize when it is about to happen and press the shutter release.

Now, get out there and shoot.

Bill Ferris | January 2015

Top Ten Photos of 2014

White House ruin in Canyon de Chelly National Monument (Chinle, Arizona) (Bill Ferris)

White House ruin in Canyon de Chelly National Monument (Chinle, Arizona) (Bill Ferris)

It’s a chill January afternoon in northern Arizona, just perfect for reflecting on the previous year and sharing my favorite photos from 2014 with you. The photos, while representative of my best work, have meaning to me, which is why they made the cut.

WHITE HOUSE – I made this photo during a February 17 trip to Canyon de Chelly National Monument. More than a millennium ago, Ancestral Puebloans lived in this canyon complex in eastern Arizona. Among the structures that remain, is one known simply as, “White House.” It was built in a natural, water-carved opening in the Navajo sandstone cliff face. I include this photo i tribute to Ansel Adams, who made a famous black and white portrait of this ruin. I also like the organic blending of the ancient human structure within the softly curving stone wall of the canyon, the vertical streaks painted by rain and snow melt, and the balance of the ruin site in the lower left corner with the deep Arizona blue sky in the upper right.

It is these qualities that make this one of my favorite photographs of 2014.

Cool winter light paints the softly curving stone surface of inner Antelope Canyon (Bill Ferris)

Cool winter light paints the softly curving stone surface of inner Antelope Canyon (Bill Ferris)

BLUE CURVE – In March of last year, I made a week-long driving tour to do photography in the Four Corners region. I visited sites in Arizona, Utah, Colorado and New Mexico during a whirlwind tour. On the second day, I drove from the South Rim of Grand Canyon to Page Arizona and took the photographers tour of Upper Antelope Canyon. There are thousands – if not millions – of photographs of this iconic slot canyon so, I don’t pretend that the above image is anything unique. It is, however, meaningful to me.

If you’ve taken a tour of Antelope Canyon, then you know you are jostling for position with at least a hundred other tourists within the close quarters of this narrow slot canyon. Every image I made on that afternoon was shot handheld. I wanted good depth of field but I also didn’t want to shoot with too high an ISO. This image was shot with the excellent Tamron 24-70mm, f/2.8 Di VC USD zoom at 55mm, f/4.5, ISO 1600, 1/100-second.

I like the subtle raspberry blue hue of the light painting the gently curving stone wall, the warm caramel hues of the midsection and the chocolate tones of the stone in the upper-right. The f/4.5 aperture delivers just enough depth of field to capture the tight grooves of the lines in the stone. The contrast of those sharp grooves with the swooping curves is another quality that appeals, making this a top-ten photo from 2014.

High passing clouds catch the warm glow of a setting sun and wash the inner gorge of Grand Canyon in an earthy hue. A watchful eye may catch Desert View Watchtower as a subtle projection from the edge of the South Rim just right of center in this photograph (Bill Ferris)

High passing clouds catch the warm glow of a setting sun and wash the inner gorge of Grand Canyon in an earthy hue. A watchful eye may catch Desert View Watchtower as a subtle projection from the edge of the South Rim just right of center in this photograph (Bill Ferris)

SEVENTYFIVE MILE SUNSET – The Sunday of Memorial Day weekend, I made an impromptu trip to the South Rim of Grand Canyon National Park. It’s a 70-minute drive and I love the views from every rim overlook. I also enjoy the challenge of finding original and fresh perspectives to photograph in capturing the mood of the canyon from these popular tourist spots. On this trip, I decided to take a different approach.

Rather than photographing sunset from an established overlook, I decided to do a short day hike, blazing a trail through the Ponderosa Pine forest to the rim at Papago Point. There are no roads, no trails to this spot on the rim. As a result, I’m sure very few photographs of Grand Canyon have been taken from this vantage point. Papago Point offers a clear view up Seventyfive Mile Canyon to the South Rim. Off in the distance, you can see the winding Colorado River and the spectacular Palisades of the Desert.

What I really like about this image is the tiniest of elements – Desert View Watchtower. It is visible as a small projection reaching skyward from the South Rim a bit right of center. The tower is three stories tall and is simply dwarfed by the surrounding landscape. It is this element of scale that conveys the sheer vastness of Grand Canyon and earns this photograph a place among my ten favorite images from last year.

A soft summer glow bathes Mt. Hayden in eastern Grand Canyon in a pastel light. (Bill Ferris)

A soft summer glow bathes Mt. Hayden in eastern Grand Canyon in a pastel light. (Bill Ferris)

MOUNT HAYDEN PASTEL – The first week of July is historically when the summer monsoon kicks off in the Desert Southwest, bringing ten weeks of rain and thunderstorms to the region. The clouds, lightning and rain can add a dramatic element to landscape photos so, I drove up to the North Rim of Grand Canyon for the July 4th holiday weekend hoping to capture the drama with my Nikon D600. Well, I got more than I bargained for.

A typical monsoon day dawns clear and bright, clouds build during the morning, afternoon thunderstorms wash the landscape with rain, rumbles and lightning. By late afternoon, the clouds start breaking up, ushering in a spectacular sunset and clear night skies. On this trip, the clouds and rain were persistent. There was one morning, however, when conditions delivered fine conditions.

I had driven to Point Imperial for a sunrise photo shoot. With rain rhythmically tapping the windshield, I stayed in the comfort of the car longer than usual. Eventually, the rain eased enough to entice me from the vehicle and I walked down to my favorite perch just below the overlook. About an hour after sunrise, the clouds broke enough to allow a clean early morning light to spill into the canyon. This image is a portrait of Mt. Hayden bathed by that wondrous pastel light and is among my ten favorite photos of 2014.

Warm early morning light casts a golden glow on the canyon floor visible through Mesa Arch in Canyonlands National Park. (Bill Ferris)

Warm early morning light casts a golden glow on the canyon floor visible through Mesa Arch in Canyonlands National Park. (Bill Ferris)

MESA ARCH GLOW – In late July 2014, my wife, son and I connected in Denver, Colorado to spend a week exploring Rocky Mountain National Park. Alice and Matthew flew in from Niagara Falls, where they’d been enjoying some quality mother-son time. I had driven north from Flagstaff to Denver to check in at the hotel and pick them up at the airport. Since I would be travelling solo, I decided to extend the road trip over four days, to stop at some favorite landscape sites along the way and do some landscape photography.

On the morning of the fourth day, I had planned to shoot sunrise at Mesa Arch in Canyonlands National Park. The intense monsoonal weather followed me from northern Arizona into southern Utah. A sunset photo shoot in Arches National Park the day before had not gone as planned. The hoped for golden late day light never materialized on iconic Delicate Arch. While driving out of the park toward the highway, I started having second thoughts about heading north to Canyonlands. The weather to the north looked seriously threatening and, after three days of early mornings and late nights, the idea of a soft bed at a Moab hotel was quite appealing.

However, I resisted temptation and stayed on course. Arriving at the campground just outside Canyonlands, I set up the tent and climbed into my sleeping bag just as rain started to fall. I never did settle into sleep as sporadic showers, thunder and lightning flashes filled the night. The watch alarm went off at 3:30 AM with a light rain pattering  the nylon fabric of the tent. It was all I could do to extrude myself from the sleeping bag. Driving through the darkness into Canyonlands, the clouds seemed to be breaking up a bit. I was actually feeling a bit optimistic as I pulled into Mesa Arch parking area.

With my headlamp illuminating the trail, I made the half-mile trek to Mesa Arch and, as expected, was the first person to arrive. On a normal summer morning, as many as two dozen photographers are jostling for position to capture sunrise at Mesa Arch. On this morning, there were maybe five of us who’d braved the weather. We were rewarded for our tenacity. As the sun rose, the clouds parted just enough to allow some of that magical dawn light to paint the underside of the arch. Even better, mists and high humidity filled the inner canyon and the morning light cut through it like a lighthouse beacon.

While I really like the quality of the captured scene, I chose this image as a tribute to the rewards of dedication. The art and craft of landscape photography demand persistence. You can’t make the picture, if you’re not there when the light emerges to paint the scene.

From left to right: Nik, Nicole, Lucas and Kaidon (Bill Ferris)

Family Portrait (Bill Ferris)

FAMILY PORTRAIT – One of my goals for 2014, was to get out of my photographic comfort zone. I wanted to shoot more sports, and to do more client work. This photograph is included as an example of the rewards that come from taking risks and pushing your skill set to new levels.

A good friend at work had approached me about doing a family portrait shoot with her, her husband and their boys. I eagerly agreed. It was as much a favor to me as to her. She wanted to do the shoot outdoors and to feature fall color as a strong element. That’s what I had in mind, as well. On October 11, we met at the agreed time and location, and then spent the next hour taking group and individual portraits in and amongst aspens.

I thoroughly enjoyed myself and am very pleased with the outcome. This photography captures the true personality of this family, their enjoyment of each other and the outdoors. Of greatest satisfaction to me, is the obvious smile on the young boy’s face. He had fun during the shoot. On what could have been a frustrating day for a little boy who would rather be at home playing with his friends, we all had a great time making this family portrait.

Just looking at it brings back those memories and makes this one of my favorite photographs taken in 2014.

With 12-seconds left in regulation, NAU's Dan Galindo hauls in a Jordan Perry pass to score the game-winning touchdown

With 12-seconds left in regulation, NAU’s Dan Galindo hauls in a Jordan Perry pass to score the game-winning touchdown. (Bill Ferris)

TOUCHDOWN! – This photograph was made on October 25, 2014. I have been a football fan since I played in a Pop Warner league as a young boy. Shooting a football game has been a goal of mine for a couple of years. However, at Northern Arizona University where I work, I am part of the television production team on football game days. Well, another production company was going to be in town to televise NAU’s Homecoming game so, I had the day off. What did I do with that free time? I grabbed my camera and went to the game to try my hand at photographing football.

My knowledge of the game paid huge dividends on this shoot. A strong sense of what was going to happen, next, allowed me to pick and choose locations that were perfectly positioned to capture the action. It was early in the fourth quarter when I identified this spot as where I wanted to be if NAU would have the ball at the end of the game with a chance to win on a last-second score. As good fortune would have it that is exactly how the game played out.

With less than one minute remaining, Northern Arizona took possession deep in their own end of the field. I went immediately to this spot and waited for the magic to happen. Three plays later, I captured this photograph of the game-winning touchdown catch. The Lumberjacks had just defeated the second-ranked team in the country. As excited as I was for the team and fans, I was even more excited for myself. I can’t recall having that much fun working on a personal project. For that reason and the significance of the moment, I’ve included this image among my top ten from 2014.

This Discovery Channel Telescope stands bathed in late day glow and waiting for darkness.

This Discovery Channel Telescope stands bathed in late day glow and waiting for darkness. (Bill Ferris)

DISCOVERY – Four days after shooting the NAU Homecoming football game, I made this portrait of the Lowell Discovery Channel Telescope. I have been a fan of Lowell Observatory since my youth. After all, Pluto was discovered at Lowell. The observatory is also what brought me and my wife from Madison, Wisconsin to Flagstaff in the mid 1990’s. The move happened when she took a position as the fundraising director for Lowell.

On October 29 of last year, I drove out to the Discovery Channel Telescope (DCT) site to shoot a time lapse night sky video sequence for a work project. Shortly after arriving, I made some test exposures in the dome. After the sun had set, I went to work outside and promptly forgot about the early test shots.

In December, the longtime trustee of Lowell Observatory, William Lowell Putnam III, passed away. Mr. Putnam’s death was hard on the staff. Going through my photo archive in search of an appropriate image, I found this photograph from that October 29 shoot. With the dome shutter doors open, a pure white light fills the space and illuminates the massive telescope from behind. This cold piece of technology is brought to life by an angelic glow. It gives a real personality to DCT. I shared the photograph with the observatory and include it, here, in tribute to Mr. Putnam.

A lone juniper tree clings to life on a stony outcrop overlooking Grand Canyon. (Lipan Point, South Rim) (Bill Ferris)

A lone juniper tree clings to life on a stony outcrop overlooking Grand Canyon. (Lipan Point, South Rim) (Bill Ferris)

JUNIPER – On December 7, I made another of my impromptu drives from Flagstaff to the South Rim of Grand Canyon. I wanted to capture the sunset and chose Lipan Point as the location. Lipan Point is one of my favorite overlooks at Grand Canyon. It offers a clear view of the Colorado River. To the east, Desert View and the Watchtower can be seen. Directly across is the North Rim. To the west is Vishnu Temple, Angels Gate and the farther reaches of the canyon.

I was paying close attention to the quality of light while setting up my gear and could tell the sunset light would not be special. Certainly, there are many worse places to enjoy sunset on a December day than Grand Canyon when the light is dishwater grey. The view would still be gorgeous and the environment inspiring. However, there would be no golden light on this evening.

Still, I was there with my camera and determined to come away with something. Looking about, I took notice of this small Juniper tree. It was barely three-feet tall and growing in a shallow depression in the Kaibab limestone. Normally, I use a small aperture for landscape photography to ensure great depth of field where every detail is in focus. This subject seemed better suited to portraiture. So, I set the aperture to f/2.8 to ensure a shallow depth of field. I am very pleased with the result.

The Juniper is in good crisp focus on the left side of the frame. To the right and in the distance, the Colorado River and natural monuments of the inner canyon fill the frame. This scene provides a context clearly identifying where the photograph was made. The slightly opaque late afternoon light spilling into and filling the canyon adds just the right touch to make this one of my ten favorite photographs from last year.

An African Spoonbill preens on a rainy mid-winter day at Disney World Animal Kingdom theme park. (Bill Ferris)

An African Spoonbill preens on a rainy mid-winter day at Disney World Animal Kingdom theme park. (Bill Ferris)

AFRICAN SPOONBILL – This last photograph was made during another family vacation. Over the Christmas holiday, we went to Orlando to visit Disney World. While researching the trip, I planned to take advantage of the opportunity to do some bird photography. On our last day, we visited Animal Kingdom for the morning and early part of the afternoon. It was a grey day with a constant drizzle wetting the northcentral Florida landscape. As we were leaving the park, I stopped at a small enclosed pond where ibis and spoonbills were gathered. Most were just standing, backs to the rain. Others were bathing and a few were preening like this African spoonbill.

I like this photograph for the buttery smooth texture of the bird’s feathers. The bird looks so creamy that you just want to reach out and touch it. It is also in an interesting posture and entirely focused on the task at hand. For these reasons, I included among my top ten photographs of 2014.

For me, 2014 was a year of being open to stepping outside my photographic comfort zone and trying new things. These ten photographs are a product of that effort. So, before 2015 is too far gone, I would encourage you to take stock. Review your photographs from last year and select your favorites. While you’re doing that, think about the photography you want to do, this year. Make an intentional effort to try something new, to step outside your comfort zone. I think you’ll find that effort will be well rewarded.

Now, get out and shoot.

Bill Ferris | January 2015

Dedication

Warm early morning light casts a golden glow on the canyon floor visible through Mesa Arch in Canyonlands National Monument. (Bill Ferris)

Warm early morning light casts a golden glow on the canyon floor visible through Mesa Arch in Canyonlands National Park. (Bill Ferris)

Photography is a democratizing pursuit. How so? Well, it is often said that the camera is not the most critical element of a great photograph. The most critical element is the photographer, the person who makes the image. An eye for composition, an understanding of the role light plays in transforming a nice view into a stunning scene, and a knowledge of how to manipulate a camera’s controls and settings to achieve the envisioned photo are the most important tools a photographer brings to the craft.

The unsung and often ignored quality all great photographers bring to the table is dedication. In a nutshell, dedication can be defined as your willingness to give up something of value in order to achieve something of equal or greater value. The above photograph of Mesa Arch in Canyonlands National Park illustrates the matter.

July 27, 2014 was hot and muggy in southern Utah. I had begun the day photographing sunrise in Monument Valley Navajo Tribal Park in northern Arizona. Afterwards, I enjoyed breakfast at The View Hotel along with a number of guests just beginning their respective days. The drive north along state highways 163 and 191 delivered me to Moab, Utah at lunchtime. Moab is the gateway community to Arches and Canyonlands national parks. After lunch, the balance of my day was devoted to driving into Arches to the Delicate Arch parking area, making the 1.5-mile hike to the arch and waiting for a golden hour that never really materialized.

July happens to be the heart of the summer monsoon in the Southwest US. This seasonal weather patterned is defined by hot, muggy conditions, increasing cloudiness during the day and afternoon thunderstorms. The afternoon clouds were so thick on this day that they blocked the sweet, warm late-day light from painting Delicate Arch. The most dramatic thunderstorm activity was well off to the north. As a result, conditions just didn’t come together to make for a compelling photographic opportunity on this day.

After sunset, I made the return hike to my vehicle and, along the way, considered the available options. The issue occupying my thinking was, how should I spend the next morning? Should I find a place to photograph sunrise or just hit the road? July 28, I needed to drive 5 1/2 hours to Denver, where I would pick up my wife and son at the airport. They were flying in from New York. I was in the midst of the drive up from Flagstaff. After connecting, the three of us were going to spend a week in Estes Park exploring Rocky Mountain National Park.

There were plenty of good reasons to skip the sunrise photo expedition: the monsoon would probably play havoc with the early morning light; I had a long drive ahead and the rest would do me, well; there was almost always a crowd at Mesa Arch competing for the best locations. In the end, there was just one reason to follow through on my plan to photograph sunrise at Mesa Arch: it might be spectacular. That being reason enough, I left Arches National Park and – rather than heading back to Moab to find a hotel – turned north to make the drive to Canyonlands.

The decision grew less wise and more foolish as I drove through the darkening evening hours. Thunderstorm activity increased the further north I drove. Setting up my tent at a campground a few miles outside the entrance to Canyonlands, rain began to fall. I hurried to finish making camp and climbed into my sleeping bag just as the first deluge of the night began. I never slept more than an hour at a stretch, the occasional thunderclaps and constant patter of rain teaming to interrupt any semblance of restful sleep. When my watch alarm went off at 3:30 AM, I gave serious thought to just staying in the tent and getting more sleep.

But sunrise at Mesa Arch might – despite clouds, thunderclaps and rain – be spectacular.

So, I unzipped the sleeping bag and began to pack up. Leaving the campground, I drove through the darkness and into Canyonlands National Park. Through the windshield, it appeared the rain clouds were breaking up. Or was that just wishful thinking? Pulling into the parking lot for Mesa Arch trailhead, mine was the first vehicle on the scene. “Well,” I thought, “If it does clear, at least I’ll have my pick of spots to set up for the shot.”

Clear, it did. My dedication – however wishful or foolish in its origin – was rewarded with a fine sunrise at Mesa Arch. To be sure, this wasn’t the most dramatic of sunrises. Though warm and red, the intensity of the dawn light was muted by lingering clouds. But it was still beautiful. It was worth the worry, the sacrifice and the effort to awaken in darkness, eat a cold breakfast, remain optimistic in the face of bad weather, hike through the mist, choose my spot and to wait in hope that something magical would emerge from this monsoon morning. I could have taken the easy path. I could have driven into Moab, gotten a hotel room and slept in comfort through the night and the sunrise.

If I had, I would have missed sunrise at Mesa Arch. Now, get out there and shoot.

Bill Ferris | December 2014

Shallow

A lone juniper tree clings to life on a stony outcrop overlooking Grand Canyon. (Lipan Point, South Rim) (Bill Ferris)

A lone juniper tree clings to life on a stony outcrop overlooking Grand Canyon. This photograph was made with a Nikon D610, Tamron 24-70 mm, f/2.8 VC lens at 60 mm, f/2.8, ISO 100, 1/800-second. (Lipan Point, South Rim) (Bill Ferris)

Depth of field is as important to photography as lighting and composition. Normally when doing landscape photography, I use focal ratios in the f/9 to f/16 range. Large focal ratios deliver images with great depth of field where objects in the fore-, mid- and background are all in focus. On a recent trip to the South Rim of Grand Canyon, I decided to experiment with using shallow depth of field and the above photograph is the result.

I was at Lipan Point, one of my favorite overlooks on the South Rim. From Lipan Point, you are treated to a fine view of Desert View and Palisades of the Desert to the east, and of Wotans Throne and Angels Gate to the west. I followed a social trail from the parking lot to a stone outcrop offering an unobstructed view of the canyon. Even on days when the light isn’t good for photography, the view from this little perch is still worth the 90-minute drive. In the truest sense of the phrase, the view from this vantage point is awe-inspiring.

The sun was low in the southwest sky and painted the surrounding landscape with a slightly warm hue. A small juniper tree clinging to its perch atop the Kaibab limestone was bathed in a wonderful rim light. As I set up my tripod and Nikon D610 to frame the shot, it occurred to me that this photograph should be a portrait of the tenacious tree.

In portraiture, wide open apertures and the associated small focal ratios produce shallow depths of field. This blurs everything not in the focal plane and helps to create separation between the subject, and anything in the foreground or background.

For the above portrait, I used the Tamron 24-70 mm, f/2.8 VC lens. I chose a composition that would include the distant South Rim, inner canyon temples and buttes, a short section of the Colorado River and the creamy late-day light streaming into Grand Canyon. This context clearly identifies the location of the portrait as being Grand Canyon. blurring the background allows the tiny juniper tree to be the subject of the photograph, the star of the show so to speak.

The tenacity of life in a desert environment is on full display, here. The tree clings to a rocky outcrop, a place where you might think a plant would have no chance of survival. But life is determined and defiant in such places. Water can pool in the small rough divots atop the limestone. And where water collects, life is almost always found.

The next time you head out with your camera, why not try something you don’t normally do? If you usually shoot with long focal lengths, try using a wide angle lens. If you often shoot with wide open apertures, make it a point to use a small aperture. Wherever your comfort zone may be, step outside it and try something new.

Now, get out there and shoot.

Bill Ferris | December 2014

Giving

Arizona fundraisers and non-profit organizations gathered at Prescott Resort to celebrate 2014 National Philanthropy Day.

Arizona fundraisers and non-profit organizations gathered at Prescott Resort to celebrate 2014 National Philanthropy Day. (Bill Ferris Photography)

I recently had the opportunity to photograph and document a 2014 National Philanthropy Day celebration at Prescott Resort. My wife, founding partner of GoalBusters Consulting and a long time fundraising professional, asked me to be the photographer for the event and I readily accepted. While my first love in photography is landscapes, I have been actively seeking opportunities to expand my horizons – and develop new skill sets – by doing portraiture, sports and event photography. Taking on this assignment would not only allow me to grow my event photography portfolio, it would be an opportunity to give back by volunteering my time and talent in support of people who make it their daily mission to improve the lives of others through the arts, charitable and other not-for-profit organizations.

My task list was fairly straightforward; make photographs of the following:

  • Award plaques
  • Speakers making remarks at the podium
  • Each honoree with their presenter
  • Group shots of the honorees and also of the honorees with their presenters
  • People attending the event

As you can see in the above photo, the conference room where the event was held features a panoramic wall of windows. With most clear skies on the day of the event, a wonderful, soft midday light filled the room. Seeing the award plaques displayed on a table at the front of the conference room, I started the morning by capturing a series of photos of the awards. I made at least one photo of each plaque, individually, and also of the awards as a group. After some introductory remarks by my wife and her business partner, the attendees settled in for a catered lunch.

I took advantage of this break to make some photos of the attendees relaxing and chatting with each other. I also scouted the outside terrace patio for a location to use for the group photos. The patio outside the conference room overlooks the town of Prescott, Arizona to the west-northwest. Arranging the honorees with their backs to the terrace wall would position the sun behind and to their right. This would put their faces mostly in shadow so, I made a trip to my vehicle to retrieve the speedlight kit, light stands, umbrellas and modifiers.

GoalBuster's Jim Anderson speaking at the podium during National Philanthropy Day at the Prescott Resort

GoalBuster’s Jim Anderson speaking at the podium during National Philanthropy Day at the Prescott Resort (Bill Ferris Photography)

The photo immediately above shows how the ambient outdoor light served as a beautifully soft light source when filtered through the window wall. I would have continued to shoot the event from this vantage point with my back to the windows, if not for two significant issues.

With most attendees seated directly in front of or to the left of the podium, speakers tended to look straight ahead or to their left to make eye contact with the audience. Rarely, would they look in my direction. As a result, there were few opportunities to see their eyes. The other and more significant issue was that honorees would approach the podium from the speaker’s left to receive their plaque. In hindsight, this is something I could have anticipated given that the awards were arranged on a table along the wall behind and to the left of the speaker.

When the first honoree approached the front of the room, she quite naturally stood to the left of the podium. This placed the podium between me, the honoree and her presenter, which made for an unflattering composition. I walked around the back of the room to the other side to get a better angle on the presentation. While standing with the podium to my left gave me an unobstructed view of the award presentations, it also meant that I was more or less facing the window wall. A proper exposure for the half of a person’s face illuminated by that gorgeous ambient light would leave the other half of the face darkened by shadow. A proper exposure for anything in shadow would leave the rest of the shot blown out.

Earlier after retrieving my speedlight kit from the car, I had made the above photograph of the attendees enjoying lunch in the conference room. Wanting both the view through the windows and the interior of the room to be properly exposed in a single shot, I had set up four speedlights to illuminate the room interior during the exposure. Two were Yongnuo YN-560 III’s, which have built-in radio receivers. The other two were Nikon SB-700’s, which were mounted on Vello FreeWave Fusion radio receivers. With a Yongnuo 603 NII radio transmitter attached to my Nikon D610 hot shoe and a Vello radio trigger mounted atop the 603 NII, I experimented with shutter speed and flash intensity until I was happy with the result.

Here, are the settings for the final exposure (Nikon D610, Tamron 24-70 f/2.8 VC):

  • 24mm
  • f/10
  • ISO 450
  • 1/160-second
  • Two speedlights at 1/2-power
  • Two speedlights at 1/4-power

While making my trek to the other side of the room to a vantage point with an unobstructed view of the honorees, I powered up and the speedlights (they were still set up and in position) and switched on the radio triggers on the D610. After a couple test shots to adjust settings, I was back in business.

An honoree (left) and her presenter at the National Philanthropy Day celebration at Prescott Resort

An honoree (left) and her presenter at the National Philanthropy Day celebration at Prescott Resort (Bill Ferris Photography)

The above photograph is one of many I shots I made using speedlights on radio triggers to illuminate the subjects. I bounced the flashes off the ceiling to create and even wash throughout the conference room. With four speedlights at between 1/4- and 1/2-power, the recycle time was kept to a minimum. When photographing the presenter speaking at the podium, I used the following settings (Nikon 610, Tamron 70-200 f/2.8 VC):

  • 200mm focal length
  • f/2.8
  • ISO 200
  • 1/200-second exposure

When the honoree came up to accept their award plaque, I made portraits using different settings (Nikon 610, Tamron 70-200 f/2.8 VC):

  • Variable focal length (95mm to 140mm)
  • f/5.6
  • ISO 640
  • 1/200-second exposure

My only concern with this set up was that the speedlights, when firing, would be something of a distraction for the attendees. However, I can safely say very few people even noticed I was using flash to illuminate the room. There was one gentleman who asked me about my lighting after the awards ceremony. Rather than finding it a distraction, he wanted to know more about the radio triggers and receivers.

While processing the RAW exposures, I noticed that the depth of field at f/5.6 was not quite enough to guarantee crisp focus on the eyes of both people. While the images are acceptable (in my opinion), I would probably shoot at f/7.1 or f/8 in the future to ensure sharp focus on both sets of eyes.

A group photo of the honorees and presenters at Prescott Resort for Arizona's National Philanthropy Day celebration

A group photo of the honorees and presenters at Prescott Resort for Arizona’s National Philanthropy Day celebration (Bill Ferris Photography)

After the ceremony, I went outside with the honorees and presenters to take the group photos. I made an exposure of the full group without using speedlights and, as expected, the faces were in shadow. After retrieving the Nikon SB-700’s, I recruited a couple of lighting assistants to hold the speedlights, one to the left and the other to the right of the group. I then made an exposure firing the SB-700’s at full power. This photo looked overexposed so, I reset the flash intensity to 1/2-power on each unit and retook the group photo. The resulting image is presented, above.

While the speedlights definitely help this photograph, I should have done a better job of arranging the group so nobody would be in shadow. Also, I had to do a fair bit of processing in Adobe Lightroom to recover highlights and reduce the overall exposure. Shooting in RAW compensates for a multitude of sins. I reduced the exposure by 1.10 stop without losing any detail in the final image.

So, what did I learn from this experience? First, it is critical to be equipped for any lighting situation. The speedlights gave me more shooting options. When the ambient, natural light was at my back, I could simply switch off the radio triggers. When shooting toward the window wall and into the light, I could switch on the triggers and use the speedlights to illuminate my subject. Second, using down time (I chose to forego lunch) to make the wide angle photo of the luncheon paid huge dividends. With the speedlights already set up, it only took me a minute to power them back on and adjust their intensity. As a result, I was able to very quickly adapt to a new shooting location and a different lighting environment. I only missed photographing one award presentation during the ceremony and was able to make that up as soon as the ceremony ended.

Finally, I should have taken the time to better arrange the group shot and do test exposures on the outdoor terrace. This would have taken only a few minutes, but would have resulted in better images and saved some worry on the drive home. Shooting in RAW allowed me to recover all the detail that was lost in the original, overexposed photographs. If I had taken the time to properly arrange the group photo and to adjust my exposure settings, those original RAW files would have been better exposed and nobody would have been in shadow.

A celebratory embrace during the National Philanthropy Day event at Prescott Resort

A celebratory embrace during the National Philanthropy Day event at Prescott Resort (Bill Ferris Photography)

I was also reminded of the joy of giving. As each presenter shared the story of their respective honoree, I was so impressed by the generosity and compassion of the human spirit. Each award recipient had generously given their time, talent or treasure in support of a non-profit organization or cause. Attending this event and hearing these stories, I was reminded that the simple act of giving often delivers the greatest personal rewards.

Now, get out there and shoot.

Bill Ferris | November 2014

 

Anticipation

NAU quarterback Chase Cartwright releases a pass toward receiver Ify Umodu

NAU quarterback Chase Cartwright releases a pass toward receiver Ify Umodu. Photograph made with Nikon D610, Tamron 70-200mm f/2.8 VC at 200mm f/2.8, ISO 4500, 1/1000-second. (Bill Ferris)

Sports photography is one of those disciplines where there is just no getting around the fact that the gear you need to consistently make great photos is expensive. Scan the sidelines at an NFL game and you’ll find twenty or more photographers. Each brings at least two camera bodies and numerous lenses to the game. Many will be shooting either the Canon 1DX or a Nikon D4s. The two most common lenses are long, fast telephotos: 300mm f/2.8 and 400mm f/2.8. If some conniving super thief were to devise a scheme to steal all that gear, they’d easily walk away with over $1 million in kit.

Why is sports photography so expensive? It all boils down to one thing: speed. The sports photographer needs a fast camera and fast lenses. The top Canon and Nikon professional camera bodies have burst rates in excess of 10 frames per second. In a profession where the job is to capture the defining moment and where the players have world-class size, strength and speed, the difference a tenth of a second can make is astounding. In that brief instant, a player can go from diving for the goal line to fumbling the football. The sports photographer needs a camera capable of capturing that moment.

Because of the speed at which the game is played, a sports photographer needs to use very short exposures to freeze the action. Yes, there are situations where a slow shutter speed can allow you to make an image that perfectly captures the astounding pace of the action. But in most circumstances, the objective is to freeze action. Exposures of 1/1000-second or faster are commonplace. To shoot at 1/1000-second, you need lenses that collect available light in big, slurping gulps.

A 400mm f/2.8 lens drinks light with gusto. It focuses in a blink and follows focus even as the player with the ball is doing everything possible to elude both you and the other team. It also delivers images having a very shallow depth of field. The subject is sharply focused but the background has a pleasing, soft creaminess. This creates separation between the subject and background, making for a better photo.

To shoot at 1/1000-second in an indoor stadium or at night, you need a camera body that makes great images with a minimum of light. To accomplish this demanding task, your camera sensor needs to make clean images at ISO’s of 4000 or higher. While the lighting at professional venues is typically pretty good, the light level at a collegiate venue is often much lower. The light levels at high school football stadiums makes you wonder how the players can find the end zone without using a flashlight. There is no escape from this. If you use longer exposures to allow the sensor time to collect more light at a lower ISO, the athletes will be blurred and the detail lost. Even indoors or at night, the sports photographer needs speed.

This level of performance is unavoidable and it’s not cheap. Are you familiar with the old phrase, “Cheap, fast and good; pick any two.” In sports photography, there is no such thing as cheap…not if you want to make great images.

Having the right equipment is only the start. The most critical tool available to the sports photographer is something that cannot be bought. That critical tool is knowledge and there is no substitute. If you know the game, you have the ability to anticipate where the next play is going. If you can anticipate where the next play is going, you have the opportunity to position yourself, to focus on the right athlete or place on the field and to be there ahead of all the other photographers to capture the decisive moment in the contest.

NAU running back Casey Jahn looks to turn a run north-south

NAU running back Casey Jahn looks to turn a run north-south. Photograph made with Nikon D610, Tamron 70-200mm f/2.8 VC at 200mm, f/2.8, ISO 3600, 1/1000-second. (Bill Ferris)

I recently had the opportunity to photograph my first NCAA football game. I’ve been a sports fan – particularly football – most of my life and have been working professionally in televised sports coverage for 25 years. In other words, I know the sport and I know what makes for a great sports image.

My photographic equipment can be accurately described as pro-sumer. I shoot with a Nikon D610 digital SLR camera body. Nikon classifies this as an Enthusiast level camera. The 24 megapixel full-frame sensor is among the best available in any digital camera. I’ve shot with it at ISO 6400 and been very pleased with the quality of the images. The 39-point auto focus system is good – not great, just good – and the burst rate is a respectable 6 frames per second. The buffer allows me to shoot at continuous high burst for 2-3 seconds before the camera will start choking on new image files.

Like most of you, I’m on a budget. So, when I made the move to full-frame, I went with third party lenses to maximize both performance and value. The Tamron line of f/2.8 Di VC USD lenses deliver both. I am primarily a landscape photographer who does occasional portraiture. The Tamron glass gives me a range of focal lengths and apertures that meet the needs of both disciplines. Best of all, they deliver excellent image quality at a fraction of the cost of the equivalent Nikon lenses.

I used the Tamron 70-200 f/2.8 Di VC USD zoom with my Nikon D610 body to shoot the football game. The D610 was set to aperture priority and I shot at f/2.8 throughout the game. I also used the D610’s auto-ISO feature to configure the camera to use a 1/1000-second  shutter speed and choose the ISO that would allow for the proper exposure. Auto focus was set to AF-C (continuous servo), with 9 central auto focus points selected. I did experiment a bit with offsetting the auto focus points to the left or right (top or bottom when shooting in portrait aspect) but invariably came back to the central auto focus point. I also experimented with the D610’s continuous focus lock setting, ultimately choosing a setting that is slightly more responsive to motion than the default configuration.

The first decision I had to make was where to position myself for the opening kickoff and first offensive series of the game. Now, I am an NAU employee and support my Lumberjack sports teams. That said, Eastern Washington entered the game as the 2nd-ranked team in FCS football. They were 7-1 on the season with their only loss being a 52-59 decision against the Washington Huskies. To be perfectly candid, I expected the Eagles to put up a lot of points against NAU so, I set up at the end of the field where they would be scoring. This decision paid off as Eastern Washington’s first touchdown of the game was scored at that end. Unfortunately, while reviewing the shots I’d made of the play, I realized a corridor labelled, RESTROOMS, was the prominent background element in the images. Note to self: always be aware of your background.

As the 1st quarter progressed, it was clear that NAU had come to play. They weren’t intimidated by Eastern Washington and were gradually building momentum. So when the end of the quarter arrived, I decided to stay at the south end of the field to be in position to capture a Lumberjack touchdown. That proved to be the right decision as, early in the 2nd quarter, NAU quarterback Chase Cartwright hit receiver Beau Gardner in the end zone for the Jacks’ first touchdown of the day. For that score, I was positioned to photograph the celebration with NAU cheerleaders and fans in the background.

Eastern Washington's Cooper Kupp skies over NAU defender Marcus Alford to score a touchdown

Eastern Washington’s Cooper Kupp skies over NAU defender Marcus Alford to score a touchdown. Photograph made with Nikon D610, Tamron 70-200mm f/2.8 VC at 90mm, f/2.8, ISO 4500, 1/1000-second. (Bill Ferris)

The Eagles blocked the extra point attempt and the two teams battled to a standstill for the next 8:00 as Eastern Washington held a narrow, 7-6, lead. Sensing that the Eagles were slowly reclaiming the momentum, I hustled to the north end zone to position myself for a possible Eastern Washington score. My instincts paid off as Cooper Kupp found the land of milk and honey on a 14-yard pass from Jordan West. I was positioned at the back corner of the end zone and had a great view of Kupp leaping over the pylon for the score. NAU battled back, scoring two field goals in the final 5:00 of the 2nd quarter to cut the EWU lead to, 14-12. Recognizing the shift in momentum, I moved to the south end of the field and made some nice photographs of Northern Arizona’s final drive of the half.

During halftime, I weighed the question of which team would come out of the locker room having made the correct adjustments. I gambled on NAU and set up at the north end zone. Almost immediately, I was questioning the decision as Eastern Washington marched right down the field. But the Jacks held them to a field goal and, on their next possession, Northern Arizona quarterback Chase Cartwright led the team on a drive that culminated on a 1st & goal from the 3-yard line. Seeing receiver Ify Umodu breaking out to my side of the field, I rolled the dice again, isolating on Umodu on the next play.

As a result, I completely missed a touchdown pass to NAU’s Alex Holmes. In hindsight, I should have continued employing the technique that had been working throughout the day of focusing on the quarterback, reading his body language after the snap and breaking for the receiver on the throw. I also decided I had been over thinking the game since the start of the half. So, I returned to a mode of trusting my gut instinct on where to go for the next series and then being smart about following the development of the play.

NAU's Eddie Horn grabs a handful of facemask to prevent Eastern Washington's Quincy Forte from reaching the end zone

NAU’s Eddie Horn grabs a handful of facemask to prevent Eastern Washington’s Quincy Forte from reaching the end zone. Photograph made with Nikon D610, Tamron 70-200mm f/2.8 VC at 112mm, f/2.8, ISO 5600, 1/1000-second. (Bill Ferris)

This strategy paid off on EWU’s next possession. I had gone back to the other end of the field, setting up on the Eastern Washington side. Running back Quincy Forte powered his way to the 1-yard line before being tackled by the face mask. I had a perfect angle on and view of the face mask tackle. On the very next play, Forte forced his way into the end zone right in front of me.

Eastern Washington had a 24-19 lead and the teams battled back-and-forth, trading field goals over the next 15-minutes. It was during the 2nd half that I identified the spot where I wanted to be when the game ended. The location offered two great options for backgrounds. One, was the NAU bench on the opposite side of the field. The other option was the NAU cheerleading squad along the back of the south end zone. Either would make a perfect background, if the Jacks were able to score a late touchdown to win the game.

When the Eagles took possession of the ball with 4:37 on the clock, I sensed a game-clinching score coming and worked my way through the EWU bench to the north end of the field. Facing a 4th & 4 at the Northern Arizona 23 yard line, Eastern Washington burned two timeouts in succession before going for it.  A conversion would have allowed the Eagles to run out the clock but Jordan West’s pass to Cooper Kupp fell incomplete.

The final seconds were setting up exactly as I’d hoped: Northern Arizona had the ball on their own 23 with no timeouts and :47 left on the clock. They needed a touchdown and would have to be aggressive in their play-calling. So, I hustled back to my spot at the south end zone and waited for the magic to happen.

With 12-seconds left in regulation, NAU's Dan Galindo hauls in a Jordan Perry pass to score the game-winning touchdown

With 12-seconds left in regulation, NAU’s Dan Galindo hauls in a Jordan Perry pass to score the game-winning touchdown. Photograph made with Nikon D610, Tamron 70-200mm f/2.8 VC at 70mm, f/2.8, ISO 8063 (Hi 0.3), 1/1000-second. (Bill Ferris)

On NAU’s second play, backup quarterback Jordan Perry completed a toss to Alex Holmes who sprinted 54 yards before going out of bounds at the Eastern Washington 20 yard line. On the next play, Perry took the snap and immediately looked to his left and my side of the end zone. As he cocked his arm and released the ball, I instinctively panned to pick up true freshman Dan Galindo breaking open across the goal line. Galindo was right in front of me as he cradled the ball, rolled across the turf and sprang up in celebration. With :12 left in the game, Galindo had just scored the go-ahead touchdown.

A huge celebration ensued as Galindo was surrounded by teammates. Team mascot, Louie the Lumberjack, even joined in. Cheerleaders and fans were frantic with joy. The Skydome was filled with the roar of fans who knew they were witness to something very special. Northern Arizona was about to defeat the number two team in the country. But there was more work to be done. NAU went for a 2-point conversion and failed. They squib kicked on the kickoff and Eastern Washington’s offense took the field with just :07 remaining. Their final desperation play ended when NAU defensive back Darius Lewis intercepted a backwards lateral and ran with the ball until time expired.

I immediately ran onto the field to capture the bedlam and ecstasy of the win. After making a few exposures with the 70-200, I ran over to my camera bag to exchange the telephoto zoom for the Nikon 16-35mm f/4 VR. I used this wide angle zoom to document the post-game celebration.

Jerome Souers, acknowledges the crowd after the comeback win versus Eastern Washington

Jerome Souers, acknowledges the crowd after the comeback win versus Eastern Washington. Photograph made with Nikon D610, Nikon 16-35mm f/4 VR at 30mm, f/4, ISO 5000, 1/1000-second. (Bill Ferris)

In hindsight, there are two lessons I took from this experience. The first is the importance of knowing the sport you’re shooting. Understanding the game and having the ability to anticipate what will happen next are critical to getting great photos. This is particularly true if you are limited to shooting with a relatively short focal length. (200mm is pretty short for football and other outdoor sports.) The second lesson is the value of choosing a location that allows you the opportunity to make a great photograph. Envision the scenario you would like to capture, go to the best spot for capturing that moment and allow the game to come to you. Of course, there is no guarantee things will play out as you want. That’s where your talent as a photographer comes into play. You’re there to document the event as it happens so, do your best with the cards you’re dealt.

Whatever your sport, whatever your photographic passion, today is a new day. It’s time to get out and shoot.

Bill Ferris | October 2014

Vibration Compensation

AFP sign photographed with Nikon D610 and Tamron 70-200 Di VC USD zoom lens at 200mm, f/8 with Vibration Compensation engaged.

AFP sign photographed with Nikon D610 and Tamron 70-200 Di VC USD zoom lens at 200mm, f/8 with Vibration Compensation engaged. (B. Ferris)

In the Nikon universe, it is referred to as vibration reduction. In Canon parlance, it is called image stabilization. In other worlds, it is referred to as vibration compensation. However you say it, the ability of modern lenses and cameras to compensate for the inherent shakiness of hand-holding your camera to make a photograph has been a significant and positive development in the art form of digital imaging.

To take a closer look at and better understand vibration compensation technology, I decided to set up a test. I used my Nikon D610 camera and a Tamron 70-200 Di VC USD zoom lens to make a series of photographs. The photographs ranged in exposure length from 1/25-second to 1/4000-second. I made at least two exposures at each length, one with the Tamron lens’s vibration compensation engaged and active, and the other with vibration compensation disengaged. For exposures between 1/100-second and 1/2000-second, I made two sets of exposures with VC engaged and disengaged.

I chose a yard sign as the photo subject. The sign features bold lettering against an off-white plastic surface. I set  up the sign in my garage in the shade so it would be illuminated by a soft, even and constant light level. I then set up a folding camp chair in the driveway about six feet from the sign. With the Tamron lens set to 200mm, I began making exposures.

I used the camera’s auto ISO setting to make the exposures from 1/100-second to 1/2000-second, first. With the D610 in aperture priority, I would set the minimum shutter speed at the desired exposure length. Then, I would adjust aperture until the camera would select an ISO that would produce an exposure of the desired length. The D610 will not make an exposure shorter than 1/2000-second in auto ISO so, I put the camera in manual mode to make the exposures at 1/4000-second. Here, are the settings used to make each shot:

  • 1/25-second: Two exposures, one with VC on and the other with VC off. Both at ISO 100, f/25
  • 1/40-second: Two exposures, one with VC on and the other with VC off. Both at ISO 110, f/20
  • 1/100-second: Four exposures, two with VC on and two with VC off. Two at ISO 125, f/11. Two at ISO 100, f/11
  • 1/200-second: Four exposures, two with VC on and two with VC off. Two at ISO 125, f/8. One at ISO 200, f/11. One at ISO 220, f/11
  • 1/400-second: Four exposures, two with VC on and two with VC off. Two at ISO 250, f/8. One at ISO 160, f8. One at ISO 100, f/8
  • 1/800-second: Four exposures, two with VC on and two with VC off. Two at ISO 250, f/5.6. One at ISO 140, f/5.6. One at ISO 110, f/5.6
  • 1/1000-second: Four exposures, two with VC on and two with VC off. Two at ISO 320, f/5.6. One at ISO 160, f/5.6. One at ISO 120, f/5.6
  • 1/1250-second: Four exposures, two with VC on and two with VC off. Two at ISO 400, f/5.6. Two at ISO 200, f/5.6.
  • 1/1600-second: Four exposures, two with VC on and two with VC off. Two at ISO 500, f/5.6. One at ISO 220, f/5.6. One at ISO 250, f/5.6
  • 1/2000-second: Four exposures, two with VC on and two with VC off. Two at ISO 640, f/5.6. One at ISO 280, f/5.6. One at ISO 320, f/5.6
  • 1/4000-second: Two exposures, one with VC on and the other with VC off. One at ISO 640, f/5.6. One at ISO 500, f/5.6

I performed the test for several reasons. One, was to see for myself the extent to which vibration compensation delivers sharper, more detailed images than those made with without VC. Also, I wanted to test a couple of assertions made by photographers who don’t use vibration compensation when shooting at fast exposure rates – 1/1000 to 1/1600 or faster. The usual thinking is that VC offers no benefits at such fast exposures. Some even claim that VC introduces blur when engaged at fast exposure rates.

The results of the above test do not support either claim, not in the least. At all exposures, the images made with vibration compensation turned on appeared sharper and more detailed than those made with VC disabled. Even the VC-engaged image made at 1/4000-second was noticeably sharper than the strictly handheld image made at the same rate. Below, are 100% crops of several exposures. They are JPEG conversions from unprocessed RAW files:

Photographed with Nikon D610 and Tamron 70-200 Di VC USD zoom lens at 200mm, f/8, ISO 125, 1/200 with Vibration Compensation engaged.

Photographed with Nikon D610 and Tamron 70-200 Di VC USD zoom lens at 200mm, f/8, ISO 125, 1/200 with Vibration Compensation engaged.

Photographed with Nikon D610 and Tamron 70-200 Di VC USD zoom lens at 200mm, f/8, ISO 125, 1/200 with Vibration Compensation off.

Photographed with Nikon D610 and Tamron 70-200 Di VC USD zoom lens at 200mm, f/8, ISO 125, 1/200 with Vibration Compensation off.

Photographed with Nikon D610 and Tamron 70-200 Di VC USD zoom lens at 200mm, f/5.6, ISO 160, 1/1000 with Vibration Compensation engaged.

Photographed with Nikon D610 and Tamron 70-200 Di VC USD zoom lens at 200mm, f/5.6, ISO 160, 1/1000 with Vibration Compensation engaged.

Photographed with Nikon D610 and Tamron 70-200 Di VC USD zoom lens at 200mm, f/5.6, ISO 140, 1/1000 with Vibration Compensation off.

Photographed with Nikon D610 and Tamron 70-200 Di VC USD zoom lens at 200mm, f/5.6, ISO 140, 1/1000 with Vibration Compensation off.

Photographed with Nikon D610 and Tamron 70-200 Di VC USD zoom lens at 200mm, f/5.6, ISO 280, 1/2000 with Vibration Compensation engaged.

Photographed with Nikon D610 and Tamron 70-200 Di VC USD zoom lens at 200mm, f/5.6, ISO 280, 1/2000 with Vibration Compensation engaged.

Photographed with Nikon D610 and Tamron 70-200 Di VC USD zoom lens at 200mm, f/5.6, ISO 320, 1/2000 with Vibration Compensation off.

Photographed with Nikon D610 and Tamron 70-200 Di VC USD zoom lens at 200mm, f/5.6, ISO 320, 1/2000 with Vibration Compensation off.

Photographed with Nikon D610 and Tamron 70-200 Di VC USD zoom lens at 200mm, f/5.6, ISO 640, 1/4000 with Vibration Compensation engaged.

Photographed with Nikon D610 and Tamron 70-200 Di VC USD zoom lens at 200mm, f/5.6, ISO 640, 1/4000 with Vibration Compensation engaged.

Photographed with Nikon D610 and Tamron 70-200 Di VC USD zoom lens at 200mm, f/5.6, ISO 500, 1/4000 with Vibration Compensation off.

Photographed with Nikon D610 and Tamron 70-200 Di VC USD zoom lens at 200mm, f/5.6, ISO 500, 1/4000 with Vibration Compensation off.

Based on the results from this test, I am persuaded to keep vibration compensation engaged whenever shooting handheld and regardless of the length of the exposure. Doing so will not introduce blur or distortion and will probably result in a sharper, more detailed photograph.

But don’t take my word for it. See for yourself. Get out and shoot.

Bill Ferris | October 2014