Photographer's Candy Store

Canyon Silouette

Buying Sunglasses For Your Camera

Have you ever though about treating your camera lens to a pair of sunglasses? Probably not! But I just thought I would share this little secret with you if you can buy a polarizing filter. I went out this afternoon to take these test photos on a new polarizer I purchased.
I wanted to place these photos right next to each other so you had a reel feel for the results. Not all polarizers give the same results. I would suggest you do a little research before you purchase but they do add a ton of possibilities to your photography.
The polarizing filter used for this test is a HOYA HMC, Multicoated CIR-Polarizing 77mm Filter. Lens is a Nikon 17-55mm, f2.8. Camera is a Nikon D90. Photos shot is Shutter Priority with a 17mm focal length. Time gap between the two photo is 5 secs. Photo A - f13 @ 1/200 sec, iso 500. Skylight Filter only. Photo B - f10 @ 1/200 sec, iso 500. HOYA HMC, Multicolored CIR-Polarizing Filter.

photo A skylight filter

photo B with polarizing filter

Now if you wish to see the real results. Copy a big size version on to your desk top and toggle between the two photos. The sky and cloud details that are viewable in the polarized version are incredible. The price for this filter was about $170. They aren't cheap but I do enjoy the added color benefit. I will particularilly enjoy having these filters while at the Grand Canyon and in Monument Valley next month.

Hope that helps.
Nikonsniper Steve

The Power Of Post-Processing Software

Did you ever look at your photos and wish ... "if only that or that _____ wasn't there"?
Did you ever get excited to see the print of a photo only to be disappointed that it really wasn't like you had hoped?
I have found that some of the very best tools to give your photos pop or to eliminate distractions are by using post-processing software.
Some call this cheating. OK. It is! But I paid thousands and thousands of dollars of dues in my learning process during the days of film. So, I'll do whatever I want for my remaining days of photography.
Truth said ... in order to get what you want ... you need the best possible original. That means it is worth taking classes on how to shoot, FIRST! You may find that it would be very helpful for a class in post-processing software NEXT.
Some programs are fun, free and very easy to use. Some cost a bit of money but may be well worth a modest investment. Keep in mind, none of these programs are worth a dime if you buy them and leave them on the shelf. They take work to learn.
First, I recommend the free downloadable software from Irfanview. You can google this and learn this program pretty quickly.
Second, I recommend using Photoshop Elements, latest revision available (I have 6.0). I believe the 9.0 version is already out. Pros use programs like Photshop CS5. Don't buy the full version of CS5 or CS6 without planning on studying it thoroughly. This is powerful stuff that usually is recommended for related careers.
If you decide to purchase Photoshop Elements, I still recommend finding a class to get a teachers overview of the product. Check out your local community college evening classes. You are well worth the education and you will be able to do many things with your photos to clean them up for presentation.
Here are a couple examples of the before and after using photoshop elements. In order to see these examples clearly, it is probably best to click on them to enlarge, then right click and save them to a folder so that you can toggle between the before and after photos to see the examples of what was done.
The first photo is on the San Antonio Riverwalk. The subject is the Riverwalk with my wife and daughter on the bridge. I have removed dozens and dozens of major distractions by several methods. I have taken what was a busy day on the Riverwalk and turned it into a more intimate version.
The second photo is a vacation photo that my son-in-law took on and evening in Mexico. The subject is simply a sunset over a waterscape. He was battling a lens that kept fogging up with salt and moisture in the air. This takes the edge off any photo.

Original File 1

Altered File 1 using Photoshop Elements

Original File 2

Altered File 2 using Photoshop Elements

The Coveted Stylish Blogger Award

So, It's a fact.
I am the worst blog award accepter in the world! So many of you send me these kind of thingys to place on NikonSniper. I usually just thank you for mentioning NikonSniper and for dropping by to see the photos.

Generally speaking, the awards are kinda similar ... however, it's just the rules to receive the awards that seem to vary greatly.
Some want you to tell your life story in a short form novel. Preferably in paperback form.
Some want to play word association games. When I say "PeeWee Herman" ... you say?
Some ask for your birthdate, social security number, recent photo and your bank tracking records.
Some ask for 3 things about you, 7 things about you, 9 lies you've told, etc.
Some ask you random questions like Potato(e) or Rice?

OK, … I gotta nuther award. This time it came from Child of God. So thank you Child of God for passing on the coveted Stylish Blogger Award that has eluded me for years. I would often lie awake in bed wondering why this one award kept dodging me. Is it my style? Is it the black background on the blog? Is it the Sniper part of the name? So, Child of God, congratulations on your Stylish Blogger Award and for being willing to pass this wonderful treasure along to me. I will certainly sleep easier tonight!

NikonSniper Stylish Blogger Rules
1. Tell your readers 10 things about yourself that indicate exactly how weird you really are.
2. Select one bloggie to give the award to so they can have their 15 minutes of fame.

So here are the 10 things you might know (or might have assumed) about me:

1. I ate "A LOT" of lead base paint chips when I was a child.
2. I spent many years of my youth handcuffed to a water fountain in a Texas grade school.
3. My favorite movies are Uncle Buck and What About Bob.
4. I would like to see every member of the House of Representatives and Senate defeated by a newcomer in EVERY election.
5. I have a crazy psycho large jazz collection. I decided to buy this instead of college education for my children. To me, it was basically a good decision because man those CD's sound good.
6. I would like to take all my bloggies on a field trip to Australia for a serious photographic field study.
7. I fell out of the front of a trailer being pulled by a tractor when I was 10. The trailer wheel went over my head while I was on the ground. Thanks for stoppin’ Gramps!
8. I spent time doing standup comedy on a dare in Canada in my mid-twenties. I didn't find myself funny enough when the big guy in the front kept shouting, "That's Not Funny, ... I Said, MAKE Me Laugh".
9. My father was a pastor in Canada during my most trying teen years. That was his bad luck not mine.
10. I am amazed every day of my life by God’s mercy, grace, love, and provision for me.

By the way, ... those lead base paints chips still taste good.

And now … ending my short-lived fame, I would like to bestow the coveted Stylish Blogger Award upon MontanaGirl. I have always enjoyed viewing her photography blog and the wildlife in that beautiful part of the country. Congratulations MontanaGirl.

All the best to you. I hope you all have a great weekend!

NikonSniper Steve

I Just Got SKooled In Photography Again!

Based on the response to various posts over this summer, I would say that I have discovered that Bloggies really want ya to say stuff. I guess I'd rather just post the photos and walk away but so many comments thank me for the writing. I really don't know why writing stuff seems so difficult for me because, if you knew me ... you would know that I can go on and on about life's minutiae. I have full command of my ability to misspell the King's English.

I’d just rather think that a picture is worth just short of a thousand words ... which means that I have now written my version of War and Peace on this blog. As for the photos, I know I continue to search for new and better ways to shoot things ... but sometimes I hit mental blocks and want to throw my camera against the wall because it all feels the same. The idea of travel to new places always seems to motivate me to charge the batteries and get me ready to shoot again.

Tonight, I have to share a recent find with you. One of my new followers really skooled me in photography. Check out the photos from the Jackal. Do yourself a favor and page back into the older posts at the bottom of the pages. This is a really gifted photographer! I sit and look at these and have a great appreciation for the patience required to shoot like this. Enjoy! Many of you inspire me in this very same way. I enjoy a new look at the world through your eyes.

So, if you find yourself in a photographic rut ... look at what others are doing ... and keep on shootin’!

NikonSniper Steve

My General Guidelines To Photography

Here are a list of guidelines that I deploy automatically after 30 years of shooting.
I have not arrived, photographically speaking. I am still searching to improve all the time. Many have stated they want to improve their photography on this blog. I sure do.

Before I tell you my general guidelines, answer this question, "Do you really want to improve your photography?" If the answer is "yes", then you should be willing to work at it ... and don't expect for the muscles to show up when the weight set gets delivered to your door step. We couldn't tie our shoes without practice when we were young ... and yet many expect good photography or computer skills to be something for which you just flip a switch and it's there. OK, here are my rules.

What Makes A Photo Appeal To Others (IF You Care)
I say IF you care because you don't have to care what others think. I enjoy photography and I would still take pictures even if I was the only one who liked my photos. I get all kinds of time while taking pictures to think and to process events of my life. Photography is like therapy to me. So in a real sense I think you need to enjoy photography first for YOU! So if you want it to appeal to others ... that's another subject. Read on.

1. There are no rules.
The first thing I recently heard a teacher say at an introductory photography class was that "in photography, there are no rules". I thought, "But what about the rule of thirds, and the rule of movement and ... the rule of flying monkeys." Apparently, there are no more rules. Agnostics! Well, It's true. I have countless photos that disobey all the rules I thought existed and yet have extremely important photographic value to me, if no one else. I suggest you read up on general rules of photography and then try to break a few. See if you can't break the rules and discover good photos. I bet you will sooner than you think. Oh and by the way, I'll bet learning some of those basic rules will be good for your photography most of time. Most book stores offer a wide selection on introductory photography.

2. Take a basic photgraphy course.
What? That's totally stupid! Why I have owned this here digital camera forever and of course I know exactly how to take pictures. All you have to do is set the camera to Auto and Aim and Fire. NUFF SAID!
Well, actually that is what most people do. I have been at this for years and I learn about the cameras I use all the time. Mostly by accident.
Community colleges offer very affordable classes on photography. You will be stretched, especially if you tend to shoot your photos in Auto mode. Auto is OK, but please understand that the camera is doing 90% of the thinking and in some cases 100%. If that's what you want, that's OK. But please realize you are not in control and your photos won't be able to improve. Auto mode also limits your ability to really go after the some effect you are after.
Here's how I shoot. I don't recommend this until you learn a bit about what you are doing. Take a class please. You are worth it.
I always try to shoot in Shutter Priority in ISO 200. I actually shoot in Shutter Priority and Aperature Priority at the same time in my head. I understand that the faster I shoot, the less depth of field ... meaning the lower (bigger opening) Aperatures. More on this later. All this is done by understanding what is going on with all the variables and I don't want to make this sound really hard. So I am going to shut up on this and just repeat ... if possible take a class. It's a great way to meet others in your area who also love photography.

3. Think critically and BE critical of your photos.
Many of you look at the photos posted on this blog and have been very kind with your comments. I really appreciate that. I don't even mind when you offer suggestions to improve or give another perspective. I always learn. I have been known to shoot as many as 1500 photos in the evening hours of a weekday. I have been known to shoot thousands on a weekend. I also once shot over 4000 in Sydney Harbour, Australia in about 8 hours.
The world doesn't see all of those photos. Many I throw out right away. Not perfect to me = trash. My loving wife will sit beside me while I throw out photos ... wondering why. Some of those general rules and guidelines I stated don't exist ... are worth knowing. So I have developed a very critical eye for what I might show off. Learn some of these tips and ask yourself how the photo could have been better. Be critical of yourself. You can take it! After all, most people are their own best friend!

4. Listen to feedback from people who are blunt and honest.
Seriously, these are things you never ask your mother ... unless she's rare! You need to find people you respect and you need to brace yourself and not be fractured if their opinion is different than yours. I am often stunned at what photos receive the most comments from people. Some of my most favorite recent posts were called "Runaway Rail Car" and "Rail Turn Bridge". They didn't get much notice. Why? I dunno! I love them. People that don't know you have no trouble being blunt and honest. We need to find people that will do this for us. The most painful way to get truth is to ask a blunt person we trust if they like a specific photo. Some of you may be ready for that but often that is life threatening or marriage splittin' talk. Offer 10 photos and ask to have them ranked. Then ask why some were better than others.
Admission of guilt here. I am painfully blunt with family and some of them have returned the favor quite nicely. Truth told ... I have often said stupid things unintentionally. If I tell someone ... say a son or a daughter-in-law that makes awesome spaghetti that I think a photo is so-so ... it might be over magnified by their perception of my knowledge on photography. They might actually value my opinion more than I thought and if I appear to be hoe-hum on the photos it can be discouraging when not intended. Lesson here ... make sure you forgive the IDIOT (me) if he/she does something like that to you because they were not aware, too tired, or a million other things.
Once you learn what makes a good photo for others ... you won't need to ask as often. If this is just too painful you need more reading from guideline books.

5. Define your subject.
Choosing a photographic subject is often more difficult than you think. Let alone the obvious issues with subject selection, many are surprised after looking at their photos that the subject they thought they chose ... wasn't the subject.
So how do you choose a subject? The subject IS NOT what is in the middle of the photo. The subject is chosen when you depress the camera fire button and you hear (on most cameras) a soft beep. That beep means the auto-focus system has chosen a subject and has locked on it. If you continue to press the fire button ... you get a photo that focused on something. That something is the subject. It may not be what you wanted so you need to learn about your camera.
As soon as I buy a new camera, I choose the center of the viewfinder in the camera as the focus point. I lock out the multi-focal point averaging system nonesense where the camera tries to take all things into consideration and choose the best overall focus distance. I don't like to let the camera make my decisions. So I set the center of the view finder as the only reading for focus distance.
Lesson here is ... just because grandma is in the middle of the photo doesn't make her the subject. If the wall 20 feet behind her is in focus with her shotgun hanging there ... that just became the subject. Maybe next year grandma.

Note: I'll mention here that if you don't wait for that beep sound before you fire your first round (so to speak) and you press all the way all at once. It may not give the camera the opportunity to get the best focus of the shot. I call this "mashing". Some people mash the button and wonder why it's outta focus. Slow down a tiny bit. In other words, hear the beep, then fire.
There is another problem people deal with on multiple round shots. This is where you see a guy on a motor bike coming towards you and you start to fire and hold the button down for 8 shots. Then go racing into the house to see the results on the computer. Then they are disappointed because the closer the bike got to them the worse the focus was. This is because of the depth of field limitations were based upon the first shot when the beep sounded. When you are going to take shots like this try to fire 2 shots, lift your finger enough to make the camera recalibrate (beep) and fire 2 more, lift, fire 2 more, lift, fire 2 more. It really is easy when you get used to it.
All these tips are based upon DSLR cameras.

6. Focus, reposition and shoot.
This is key to everything I shoot. It is easy for me because I have done this for years. I actually believe it is the most reliable way to declare your subject and make sure it is in focus no matter where it is in the photo.
Remember I set my camera so that the focusing distance is ONLY measured in the center of the camera. So let's say I want to focus on a tree. I aim the center of the camera at the tree and push the fire button just until I get the beep sound. Then I hold my finger in that half depressed state and quickly reposition my photo so that the tree is in the bottom right section of the frame. Then I continue to push and take the photo. As a result, I get the beautiful farm fields and the setting sun to the left side of the photo while making sure that my tree is in focus.
This is just an example of what I mean by focus, reposition and shoot. At first you will think this feels weird. If you do this for a week, you will learn to do this easily keeping the subject in focus without placing the subject in the dead center of every photo.
Remember the subject IS NOT what is in the center of a photo. It's what your eye is naturally drawn to when you look at the photo. Your eye naturally will seek things that it sees clearly and that may not be what is front and center.

7. Clear the clutter.
This is where I think people struggle the most in their photographic efforts. I actually believe that clearing the clutter is the key to good composition. There are exceptions to EVERY rule (that doesn't exist). I am not talking about a Christmas morning where family is opening presents and you have to clear away the wrapping paper before you shoot. At Christmas a trashed floor with wraping IS part of the story.
For example, I recently saw a photo of a person wearing a nice suit. The person was the subject of the photo but the room had a Christmas tree, a guitar propped against the wall, a dog running in front, paintings on the wall, other junk (clutter), coffee cups, and even lights that were in the background appearing to grow out of the persons head. I was asked to comment on the photo. I said, "Hey man, look's great", and quickly handed it back. I felt like asking for an 8 x 10 glossy. It was exhibit A on how to do so many things wrong. Now keep in mind that I REALLY believe that if that person enjoys that photo ... more power to him. Keep on going. Don't change a thing and live it your way. I really believe that. In other words, ... who cares what I think?
But if you want others to see what you see as a subject. Move in close on that person so I can see them. I don't care what their shoes look like. Do you understand what I am saying?
That same person showed me a professional photo taken of his mother. It was black and white and beautiful. Great composition. So I asked the person which they liked better. He agreed it was the photo of his mother that was best. I asked him why and he could name several good reasons that cleared clutter on his own. If you are willing to think critically ... I believe we all can find ways to improve our photos. Sometimes this is a pain. Look at your photos and see if there are things you would crop out during the photographing process rather than after the fact.

8. Try crazy stuff.
This is a return to the 60's suggestion! Learning photography begins after you take a class, put down the book .... and pick up your camera. Have you ever just sat and fiddled and fiddled and fiddled with the buttons, taking pictures to see the results? This is why digital photography is so much cheaper than film. With film ... ya better know what your doing, unless of course your filthy stinking rich reading this blog on a yacht at a dock in some far away place sucking down drinks with umbrellas delivered by a kid named Chachi. Digital allows you to try things and not pay for the education. I spent thousands in processing years ago and sometimes the photos were disasterous. Fortuneately, it never happened at a wedding, the no-no of do-overs. Um, about the photos ... um, not so good.
Pick up your camera, get it off AUTO mode and learn how it reacts when you shoot in different modes. Recent photography class assignments were to take a photo in AUTO and the same photo in another mode to compare. After you learn what you are doing you will almost always like the photo that was NOT taken in the AUTO selection. Oh, however, I do sometimes recommend AUTO mode ... like say if your drunk. Otherwise never.

9. Shoot, shoot, shoot.
The more ya shoot the more you learn. The more you learn the higher your percentage of good to so-so photos. I have so many photos ... I try to not show 99 out of 100. Sometimes I arrive home after shooting for 6 hours and my wife asks how was the trip. I'll say 7! That isn't 7 out of 10. That is 7 out of 431 that I think are killer good. Funny sometimes they don't get a reaction from others but remember ... it's those 7 that I live for getting and I don't care what anyone else thinks of them.
You will quickly have numbers higher than a 7. And then something is going to happen. You will take a stunner that is priceless to you. You will look at it and say, "that's the one." And then you will store it in a seperate a file and start chasing more in that class of photo. And you'll hit again, maybe on a different subject but another that is clearly better than 99% of your previous class of bests. That is progress.
Shoot, shoot, shoot. You will learn. Also if you are young (under 45) please realize that your best days in photography may be still ahead. I did not have the patience to shoot like I do today when our kids were all at home and the world was constantly spinning with noise. Sometimes I thought photography was boring. Just realize a stage of life may come that is better suited for your photographic interests so learning as much as you can will be really incredible when your are more mature! HA! Keep on shooting.

10. Yeah! What Charlotte said. Get up and go somewhere.
One the first suggestions was by Charlotte! Absolutely right. I call it the "Oh, gee, my photos are so boring" problem. I live in Illinois and I had to travel all the way to Australia to see birds and butterflies that looked beautiful and weird. I was entranced to their beauty and even the God that would make such beautiful things for us to see. OK, so I had a bit of a photographic awakening to my scenery in Illinois. I realized in Australia that the corn fields of Illinois have a majesty beauty that is unique too. The Northern Cardinals of our back yards are incredible to see in snow.
On this trip to Washington and Oregon I am seeing mountains that we just never see in Illinois. They are unique to this area. In a few months I will spend time in Arizona. I can't wait.
I am saying this because no matter where you live, you are near a unique world that only you can photograph. Those things you see are likely strange for a person from Indonesia or South Africa. Do your best to explore anything you can in your world. Find out what is happening around you and go to photograph. You will discover a whole world of subjects. When I bought my first good camera back in 1980, I sat in my parents home and took about 24 photos (film) of their TV set. Well, I am living proof that you can learn, you can be creative and you can improve.
Get up and go for a walk or a drive. Keep your camera ready at your side. Don't leave it all boxed up in case you have to stop fast. Keep it ready to grab fast. I drive down the road with my camera in Shutter Priority, ISO 200, and ready to fire at 1/320 of sec. You know why? Because if a deer jumps out and it's set at 1/60th the photo will be blurry. If a turtle is walking accross the road ... I have plenty of time to slow down that shutter speed. I drive expecting stuff to happen.

Well, that's a start. There's a whole lot more and certainly better written tips at your local book store ... but there ya have it. I will come back periodically and add detail to these points and others if I think it is noteworthy. Best of luck to you all.
NikonSniper Steve

A Few Reminders

Photo Usage By Churches - No Permission Needed

All images are copyright protected by NikonSniper and you must have written permission to publish any materials. One exception ... churches have my permission without written permission to use any NikonSniper photo for the purpose of large screen display to enhance worship services. No problems at all. In fact, thank you for this compliment.
If you would like to use a photo for posting on your blog, all we ask is that you credit the photo to NikonSniper and add a link back to the original posting of the photo on NikonSniper.
Please feel to contact us at nikonsniperguy@aol.com for support using these photos for any other specific requirements or needs. I tend to allow more things than you might think depending on the purpose!

NikonSniper 3000 Drawing

Also, don't forget to enter the drawing for a 750GB Hard Drive in the
NikonSniper 3000 Celebration.

Photo Opportunities

Sometimes when I look back over the pictures I have been able to shoot this past year, I am a bit blown away by the incredible beauty I have had the luxury to see. WOW! I feel lucky to be able to do this kind of thing. Most of these photos are shot when I am moving like a wild man to keep up with a schedule of visiting our hundreds of customer locations in the wild western USA. The better photos are actually shot on the weekends of downtime when I am waiting to begin another week on the road.
Either way, the photos rarely reflect the emotions of what I am feeling at the time of shooting. I am often exhausted and racing from one stop to another. I dart every direction chasing the flashes of light I see out of the corners of my eyes. These flashes always drag me back for a closer look. Do you ever see flashes of light or color and turn around to go back and shoot? I never did when I was young but it seems I do this all the time now. I'll bet I have days where I put the car into reverse more than 100 times. Now my nose has become my guide and I follow it as much as possible. Maybe they will find me at the bottom of a hill one day after my nose sends me chasing a flash of light off a cliff. Either way ... for sure I had a blast all the way down taking pictures.
The term "run and shoot" was used to describe an offense used in the CFL and NFL for a while ... it also describes most of my weekends. I really appreciate your comments and encouragement when I see your reactions to the photos I have taken over this past year but I have seen a bit of a pattern of what you are all collectively appreciating.
It is with that in mind that I would like to make a suggestion for you who are photographers and want to live a day like me. Try to nail down places you do not normally go on a sheet of paper and set out early to chase those photo opportunities. Chart out 4 or 5 major things to shoot. Fill the whole day. Figure out the best times to be in each of them and shoot from every angle possible when you are at each one before moving on to the next one. THIS IS THE KEY I HAVE DISCOVERED ... >>> Try to have moments along the way while traveling between your 4-5 spots when you deliberately say ... I am going to backup and go and see that other thing that you see along the way. It seems to me that my best shots are often the shots in between when I had no idea something would happen. Prepare yourself for that. Be careful driving if you are not used to thinking like this along the way.
When I am driving, my camera is literally on the floor within quick grabbing distance. It is always ready to fire in a fast shutter speed. That way I have a chance to catch that deer that suddenly appears. Remember ... if a turtle shows up ... you always have a chance to slow down your shutter speed for greater depth of field. You just don't get that opportunity when a beautiful Corvette comes flying around the corner.
The most important thing you do is to take in as much as possible of what you are seeing. Stopping to smell the roses IS really a good idea. Creation is a beautiful thing to see and it is most often ignored. God is screaming out to get your attention. I think He is shouting, Hey, come see this thing I made for you to see and learn more about me!
Trips are now scheduled in the next few weeks for Los Angeles and finally the beautiful State of Colorado. Have a great Thursday.
NikonSniper Steve

This Is How I Cheated

I recently posted a closeup photo of an Eastern Bluebird on which many commented favorably. Bluebirds are not easy to photograph and I want you to know that I don't have Bluebirds landing on my shoulder to eat from my hand. In fact I was about 100 yards away when I shot those photos remotely.
I set up a tripod about 10 feet from the box and walked back up a hill to the car. I had watched the birds for hours and learned that they always landed on top of the box to scout for trouble before they fed their young in the box. So, I watched through binoculars to see the birds and I rigged a remotel fire switch to the top of my binoculars so I could still feel like I was taking the pictures. The remote switch allowed me to focus and fire. That's all. Sassy huh?