Photowalking Utah FAQ

What is Photowalking Utah?

Photowalking Utah is a "group of like-minded individuals who get together regularly for photographic fun and learning".


How did Photowalking Utah begin?

Local photographers Bryan Jones, Ann Torrence and Rich Legg organized the first event in October of 2007. The event was modeled after the photowalks organized by photographer Thomas Hawk that had begun earlier in the year in the San Francisco California area.


Who can join?

Photowalking Utah is open to anyone who has an interest in photography. Skill level or type of camera is not a requirement. Anyone from beginner to pro is encouraged to attend.


How much does it cost?

There is no "membership fee" to be a member. The only cost is on certain photowalks the participants will be required to pay an admission fee for the venue we are photographing. Additionally, there is sometimes a suggested "Tip" to compensate models.


Where are the events held?

The photowalks are held in and around Northern Utah. We have had events from as far South as Provo to as far North as Ogden.


How many photographers usually attend?

The average event has around 40-50 participants. We have had events with as many as 120 and as few as 6.


Do I have to come to every event if I am a member?

Members can pick and choose only the events they want to come to. We hope that it will be so much fun though, that you will rarely miss one :)


How long has Photowalking Utah been around?

The first event was held in October of 2007 with six particpants.


Is there a place to ask questions and discuss events?

Discussions take place on the Flickr group. It can be found at flickr.com/groups/photowalkslc


How can I share the photos I took at a Photowalking Utah event?

Photowalking Utah has a group on Flickr. It can be found at flickr.com/groups/photowalkslc


Who can I contact for more information?

Group founders Ann Torrence, Rich Legg and Bryan Jones are always open for questions. Ann can be reached at ann@anntorrence.com , Rich at rich@leggnet.com and Bryan at bryan.jones@m.cc.utah.edu


Who designed this Awesome website?

The official Photowalking Utah website was designed by member Jeremy Hall. He rocks!

I Bought This Expensive Camera, But My Pictures Look BLAH!

The following tip is provided by Rich Legg. Rich is a full-time photographer and a founding member of Photowalking Utah. You can find him on the web at www.leggnet.com.

"I bought this expensive camera, but my pictures look Blah!" I have heard a variation of this expression many times. It usually comes from people who have recently upgraded to a digital SLR camera. With Christmas coming and many more photographers hoping to find a box of Digital SLR goodness under a tree, let me state my opinion on this subject as a cold, hard fact:

If you use a digital SLR camera, your images WILL require editing!

Unlike their inexpensive point-and-shoot cousins, digital SLR cameras are aimed at the more experienced photographer. These shooters are the type that don't want the camera to do all the thinking for them. The camera's job is to record the scene accurately at a high level of quality. It is essentially creating a digital negative which then needs to be developed.

Here is the unedited file* straight from the camera of today's photo of a newlywed couple on railroad tracks.

Notice how blah the file is. The colors are drab, the contrast is low, the whole scene is rather dark and unsharp. In keeping with the film vernacular, this file is my "digital negative". Like any negative, it needs developing. Today, we do this in our digital darkroom - photo editing software.

For my stock portfolio images, I do the bare minimum of editing. This is done intentionally to leave the final editing to the buyer, usually a graphic designer. But even my bare minimum consists of several steps.

- Cropping (if necessary)
- Adjusting exposure (I shoot at -1/3 f/stop to preserve highlights)
- Tightening Levels
- Adjusting Vibrance and Saturation
- Sharpening (using the High Pass Filter method)

For portrait and client work, I do much more editing. This includes:

- re-touching
- softening
- saturation
- color adjustment
- dodging & burning
- vignetting

and so on...

Some of this work is done with Photoshop actions (it is no secret that I am a big fan of Kenneth Linge's actions). I would never want a client to receive an image that I have not edited - period.

If you are shooting a digital SLR, think of it this way: You capture the image with the camera, you develop the image with the software. A little bit of work with an editing program goes a long way in removing the BLAH.

Canon 5D, Canon 70-200 f/4L lens - 1/1000 second, f/4, ISO 160

* - This image was shot in RAW mode and converted to JPG with Adobe Camera Raw (added 11/29/07)

Creating a Photo with a Pure White Background

The following tip is provided by Rich Legg. Rich is a full-time photographer and a founding member of Photowalking Utah. You can find him on the web at www.leggnet.com.

Love it or hate it, a popular style of shooting in stock photography is the photographing of models or objects against a pure white background. By pure white I mean a background with absolutely NO detail, RBG values of 255,255,255 - Nothing!

There are an abundance of ways to create this look from simply cutting out the subject in Photoshop to doing it entirely 'in camera'. I prefer to go for the latter method.

For today's featured image of Michelle holding a weight, I relied on a studio setup to create the majority of the 'pure white background' in camera and then finished off the look in post-processing. To setup the shot, I placed two monolights shooting through white umbrellas onto the background of white seamless paper.



I set the monolights so that the exposure on the background was in the range between f/11 and f/16. For me, using lights of different power it took a small bit of adjustment to get it right.

The next step was to place Michelle in front of the white background at a distance that would give a nice rimlight from the background reflection but not overpower her. Since this photo was for a stock purpose I allowed the light to reflect a bit aggressively onto the left side of her face. Had this been for a portrait, I would have adjusted differently to eliminate this.

I lit Michelle with a combination of a large softbox and a reflector. The exposure metering for her was f/8. This is what I set my camera on. By doing so, I had a background that was sufficiently over-exposed but not so much that it caused excessive blow-back which can lead to problems like lens flare, blown edges and such.

In post-processing, I shoot RAW so the first step is to convert the RAW file in AdobeCameraRaw (ACR). My default setting in ACR is to show pure white highlights as red and pure black lowlights as blue. As can be seen in the screenshot, my shot came close to having a pure white background with very little adjustment.



Now, with the majority of the work done, I open the image to complete editing in Photoshop. I know from what I saw in ACR that I will have a few areas to clean up to guarantee a pure white background.

After opening the image in Photoshop, the first thing I do is create a temporary Brightness/Contrast adjustment layer and pull the brightness slider all the way to the left. What this does is show me the areas that I have to finish cleaning up to get the desired white background. Any area that is not absolute white (255,255,255) will be immediately apparent.



To clean up these areas, I will use one of a couple methods. If it is an easy spot in a corner or two, I will simply create a new layer and paint the area(s) white. If it requires a bit more finesse because it's around the model (like this image), I will use a levels adjustment layer along with some vector masking. Once I get the background how I want it, I then delete the temporary Brightness/Contrast adjustment layer that I created.

After creating my white background, I then go on to complete my processing including other steps like facial retouching, whitening eyes and teeth, sharpening, etc.

As you can see by this example, the easiest way to create the background and my preferred method is to do as much as possible in camera. In doing so, the Photoshop work required for a series of images is minimized and this dramatically drops the time needed sitting in front of the Mac.

Canon 5D, Canon 24-105 f/4L lens - 1/160 second, f/8, ISO 100

Removing Dust on the Sensor of a Digital SLR Camera

The following tip is provided by Rich Legg. Rich is a full-time photographer and a founding member of Photowalking Utah. You can find him on the web at www.leggnet.com.

Shooting with a digital SLR camera provides a lot of benefits over non SLR models, but the increased functionality comes at a price - sensor dust. Since an SLR camera is an open system (one that allows users to change lenses) the probability of dust entering the camera is nearly unavoidable. Learning to deal with dust is a part of owning a digital SLR.

After I made the move from film to digital, the discovery of dust on my camera's sensor was a major shock. But now after a couple years of shooting digital and dozens of sensor cleans, I now look at it as just a minor annoyance.

There are two types of digital SLR shooters - those that have dust on their sensor and those that will have dust on their sensor. I believe that every photographer should learn how to handle it. Here are the steps I take with my cameras.

To see if you have dust, stop your camera down to its smallest aperture (usually f/22-32) and take a shot against a blank scene (blue sky works well). The dust will show up as dark blotches. The photo above shows numerous dust spots that I recently had on my Canon 5D. Keep in mind that these spots will only show up on photos taken with smaller apertures and they can easily be removed in post-processing, so you don't have to obsess over cleaning them daily.

I use a few different items to clean my camera sensors. My kit consists of a manual bulb type blower along with sensor cleaning swabs & fluid.



The first step I take in cleaning is to set my camera into "SENSOR CLEANING" mode. This is a menu function that opens the shutter and locks the mirror up allowing access to the sensor. Since moving these out of the way uses power, be sure to have a sufficiently charged battery before starting.



Once I have the camera in cleaning mode, I remove the lens and blow off the sensor with the bulb blower. I do this with the lens opening aiming down to allow the dust to exit. Take care to not touch anything inside the camera with the tip of the blower. If I only have a few dust spots, this will frequently be the only step necessary since the blowing air will dislodge the dust.



To remove stubborn dust spots, I use the sensor cleaning solution with a swab. This is the most effective method for me. I put a few drops of solution on the swab and make two passes across the sensor - once in each direction. I use very little pressure on the swab. It is very imperative to only use a swab once on each side to avoid re-contaminating the sensor with previously removed dust.



Note that most camera manufacturers state in their user manual that you are to never touch the sensor with anything and using this method can risk voiding your warranty. However, if you took your camera in to be professionally cleaned this is probably the method they will use.

Sensor dust is part of the price we pay for shooting with the great digital SLRs that are available today. The internet is full of stories of photographers obsessing about every little speck of dust. Don't be like these shooters and let it consume you. Learn how to clean your own sensor when needed and spend your time worrying about the next great photo instead of a microscopic piece of dirt.

(Was this helpful? If so, please DIGG it.)

Use Leading Lines to enhance the shot

The following tip is provided by Rich Legg. Rich is a full-time photographer and a founding member of Photowalking Utah. You can find him on the web at www.leggnet.com.

Here's a quick tip for making your photos more appealing: Leading Lines.

A leading line is a feature within a photograph, either natural or man made, that creates a line from the bottom of the shot moving upward toward the subject. The addition of this to draw the viewers eye into a photograph is a great tool.

When composing a shot, take a moment and see if there is anything that can be used as a leading line. Items like paths, long shadows, natural features and such work very well. The line should begin at or near the bottom of the shot and work its way toward the top - preferably near the main subject. Diagonal lines are sharp and dynamic while curved lines are smooth and graceful.

Today's featured capture is an example of a smooth and flowing leading line. I captured this winding mountain road just outside of Idyllwild California. While the double yellow line does not lead to a particular 'subject', it does create depth to the photo.

In another example of this technique (below), I used the natural feature of a patch of turquoise ice as a leading line. The brightly colored strip draws the viewer's focus into the lake and ultimately to the snow covered mountains.



I find that the use of leading lines improves my shots. Give it a try and see how it works for you.

Road: Canon 30D, Canon 24-105 f/4L IS lens - 1/500 second, f/10, ISO 100
Ice: Canon 30D, Canon 24-105 f/4L IS lens - 1/80 second, f/16, ISO 100

The Rule of Thirds - Simplified

The following tip is provided by Rich Legg. Rich is a full-time photographer and a founding member of Photowalking Utah. You can find him on the web at www.leggnet.com.

One of the first things to get emphasized to novice photographers by those who claim to be more knowledgeable is to "Follow the rule of thirds". While this is sound advice, the phrase can be confusing. Let's take a few moments and simplify this "Rule" so that we all can use it when making captures regardless of our experience.

Simply put, the Rule of Thirds is a tool to use when composing a photograph. The way I like to instruct it is this: Place four evenly spaced imaginary lines on your image, 2 horizontal and 2 vertical. I have even further simplified it to some (mainly children) by suggesting that they imagine a "tic-tac-toe" board over the photo. Once you can picture the lines, place your subject very near a line and, if possible, arrange the main focal point of the subject where two of the lines intersect. In doing so, you increase the odds that you will create a photo that is visually appealing to how the human mind interprets the image.

For today's image (above) I took one of my favorite hawk photos and added yellow lines to help illustrate the process. When composing the photo I placed the bird on the right most vertical line. The main focal point of the bird is the eyes and beak, but I found that if I placed them on an intersection the photo was a bit bottom heavy. Instead, I placed the bird's body where the two nearest lines meet. Doing so creates a pleasing composition since the birds head is close enough to an intersection to take advantage of the rule. Had I taken the same photo and composed it differently by placing the bird in the center of the image, the result would not be as pleasing.

Since I'm on the subject of image composition, the image above demonstrates another "Rule" that can be followed to make a shot more pleasing. In most situations it is desired to have the subject looking toward the center of the image. If the bird were looking to the right rather than the left, the photo would not be as pleasing to the viewer's eye. In fact, to many people it would just "feel uncomfortable". The same can be said for motion. If the photo is of a subject in motion, compose it so it is moving toward the image's center.

Lastly, remember the old phrase "Rules are made to be broken". There are plenty of times when a more pleasing image can be created by breaking the Rule of Thirds rather than following it. Try using this rule as a guideline and see if your work improves.

Canon 30D, Canon 70-200 f/4L lens - 1/500 second, f/4, ISO 100

Lowlight Photography Tips

The following tip is provided by Rich Legg. Rich is a full-time photographer and a founding member of Photowalking Utah. You can find him on the web at www.leggnet.com.

Many people believe that when the lights go low the best way to capture a shot is by utilizing the camera's flash. While I'm a frequent user of strobes in my photography (mainly in studio environments), my first instinct in a low-light scene is to go flashless. I find that by using available light the scene can be captured in a more dramatic fashion. Here are some tips I use in photographing in low light:

Bump That ISO Increasing the camera's ISO setting will allow you to handhold shots in lower light situations. The caveat to this is the increase of digital noise into the image. I would rather deal with noise in a sharp image than deal with a blurred shot due to camera shake. I use Neat Image noise reduction software on my high ISO shots and find that it greatly improves the images.

How Low Can You Go (with the aperture) Find your fastest lens and use it. The lower the f-stop the faster the lens. Canon sells a relatively inexpensive lens that works great in low light, the 50mm f/1.8. This lens can be picked up around $75 and will give you the freedom to shoot in much darker settings than a stock 18-55 kit lens.

Burst It Put your camera in continuous mode and shoot three to five frame bursts. By doing so you will greatly increase the chances that one of the shots has less camera shake and thus less motion blur. You will be amazed at how effective this trick can be in low light settings.

IS is What it Is....Great! Image stabilization has come on strong over the past few years. Lenses with this technology are coming down in price and can offer you much more freedom when it comes to dim shooting scenarios. In shooting with an IS lens compared to a non-IS lens, I find that I can routinely shoot 3-4 stops slower and still have good results. This equates to shooting with a shutter speed of 1/125 a second on a non-IS lens versus 1/15 or even 1/8 of a second on an IS lens, a very big improvement. Many point-and-shoot cameras are also adding this feature. My pocket sized Canon G7 has it and it is extremely helpful.

Three Legs are Better Than Two Find something to stabilize your camera on to eliminate hand shake. The old standby of a tripod is a great choice, but when one is not available look around for something else. Many photographers carry a beanbag in their kit for this very purpose. There have been numerous wonderful sunset photos taken with professional quality results by a camera resting on a beanbag atop a car hood. Another tip I have heard is to carry a few feet of cord with a loop on one end and a threaded mounting screw on the other. Use this to stabilize your camera by standing on the loop, attaching the other end of the cord to the camera's tripod mount, and then pulling it taught.

Go Wide and Get In Close By shooting with a wide angle lens you minimize the effect of camera movement on the image, thus reducing motion blur. Put away that telephoto glass when it gets dark and shoot with your widest angle lens. For many folks, the kit lens that came with their SLR will be the choice. If this is the case, don't be tempted to zoom in - keep it at 18mm.

If You Must Flash, Bounce It If you find that you absolutely must resort to using a flash, bounce that light. By bouncing your light off of a light colored ceiling or wall you will eliminate that blown out two dimensional look that straight on flash causes. Bouncing can be difficult (if not nearly impossible) with a cameras on-board flash, but it can be done with a little ingenuity. I have seen many photographers tape or rubberband a piece of white paper in front of their on-board strobe unit to diffuse and bounce the light. Give it a shot.

The image I have featured on this post was taken in a very dark church during a worship service. I used my Image Stabilized lens combined with a high ISO and slow shutter speed to capture the scene. Had I made this same shot with a flash, the band in the background would be completely dark and all I would have had was a blown out shot of a bald guy raising his hand. By choosing to go strobe-less, it made for a much more interesting capture.

Please share any low-light photography tips you use in shooting when the lights go down.

Canon 30D, Canon 24-105 f/4L IS lens - 1/25 second, f/4, ISO 1600