Tag: artist

ISO: What? Why? …what?

IMG_2838

Film speed is the way to measure the light sensitivity of film or digital imaging systems. This is measured using a numerical scale. The common modern scale is the ISO (International Organization for Standardization – I have no idea why it isn’t IOS, but I don’t make the rules). Film that requires less light during exposure is more sensitive to light and is considered fast film. Film that requires more light is less sensitive and is considered to be slow film. For both film and digital photography, when exposure is reduced because of the use of more sensitive film (or digital sensors) the image quality is reduced because courser image grain and more image noise is the by-product of a higher sensitivity.

To put this into the simplest terms: the higher the number of your ISO, the faster the film speed; the faster the film speed, the more grain/noise will appear in the image.

So why should I ever go higher than the lowest setting? In situations where there is very little available light (think dark restaurants, concert venues, etc.), using a higher ISO can allow for a correct exposure without necessarily having to change your shutter speed or your aperture (F-stop). Since there is little available light, the grain/noise that is created by the higher ISO is not visible.

Travel

That being said, if you were to use a high ISO in a location where there is a good amount of available light (think outdoors on a sunny day), you can still get a correct exposure, but the image will be incredibly grainy and have a lot of background noise. (If you have difficulty seeing the grain, click on the image below and you can zoom in further).

cormorant

ISO was one the mistakes that I made most often while learning to use my DSLR in Manual (and one that I sometimes still make when I’m not paying attention). I think it was because the technicality of the concept initially just went straight over my head and it wasn’t until I understood the ‘theory’ of it that I actually learned how to use it. It was a mistake that was second only to figuring out how and why to change my aperture; a topic that I will cover next week. In the meantime, happy photographing!

– Hazel

Photos (1 and 2) © 2015 Hazel Arroyo

Photo (3) © 2015 Bryan Arroyo

Photo of the Day (24 September 2015)

blackvulture5

Happy Thursday! Today we have a black vulture from Everglades National Park in Florida. Everglades National Park is the largest subtropical wilderness in the United States and is home to many endangered and rare species, the most well-known being the Florida Panther, American Crocodile, and Manatees. The Everglades are a World Heritage Site, Wetland of International Importance, International Biosphere Reserve, and is protected under the Cartagena Treaty. Have a great day everyone!

– Hazel

Photo © 2015 Bryan Arroyo

Frozen Spiderwebs

Nature52

On this first day of autumn, I find myself missing my college friends and my college town, so I’ve decided to share this picture and a story with you all.  I went to school in Buffalo, New York: a place notorious for having some pretty cold winters. In fact, we made national news last year when in the span of less than 24 hours, parts of downtown received about 8 feet (almost 2.5 meters) of snow. Last year was no exception. In fact, we actually had about five snow days at the university, which up until that point was practically unheard of. This picture was taken at the apartment that my roommate and I shared during my last year of college. During one of those snow days, I glanced out of the backdoor and noticed that there was something that looked a bit cloudy on the awning. When I got closer, I realized that there was a spider web that had completely frozen into an icy silk sheet. I had never seen anything like it before and I just had to take a picture of it. If I remember correctly, that day was about 4˚F (-16˚C) and the wind chill was around -12˚F (-24˚C). While there were definitely days when I wished that I had just gone to school in the south or on a beach somewhere, I actually found that I had grown to enjoy the cold. I also had some pretty great experiences like learning how to push a car out of a snowy parking space, learning the importance of having thermal everything, and learning how to efficiently use the tunnel system on campus so that I wouldn’t have to go outside to get around. In my experience, nothing forms friendships faster than having to stay warm.

– Hazel

Photo © 2015 Hazel Arroyo

Photo of the Day (23 September 2015)

DSC_0056

Happy Wednesday! This morning’s Photo of the Day was taken this weekend at Great Falls Park in McLean, Virginia. Great Falls borders the Potomac River and include the Patowmack Canal: a canal which was partially funded by George Washington and began operating in 1785 for the distribution of manufactured goods. Have a great day everyone!

– Hazel

Photo © 2015 Hazel Arroyo

Photo of the Day (22 September 2015)

Hooded oriole

Happy Tuesday! Today we have a Hooded Oriole (Icterus cucullatus) from the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum in Tucson, Arizona. The Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum is actually an aquarium, zoo, botanical garden, natural history museum, art gallery, and publisher all rolled into one. This little guy is just one of over 230 different species that can be found there.

– Hazel

Photo © 2015 Bryan Arroyo

Photo of the Day (21 September 2015)

ppotd13

Happy Monday! This morning we have a lovely little sparrow taken at Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge in San Antonio, New Mexico. Bosque del Apache is probably most famous for the annual Festival of the Cranes where the endangered Whooping Cranes, among other species, can be seen beginning their annual migrations at the Fly-Out. Have a great week everyone!

– Hazel

Photo © 2015 Bryan Arroyo

Photo of the Day (19 September 2015)

ppotd5

Happy Saturday! This morning we have an orchid (Cranichis tenuis) from Maricao State Forest in Puerto Rico. Commonly referred to as the Narrow Helmet Orchid, it is one of the many varieties of orchids that are present in the Caribbean. Have a great weekend everyone!

– Hazel

Photo © 2015 Bryan Arroyo

Photo of the Day (18 September 2015)

ppotd6

Happy Friday! This lovely morning we have a pair of Northern Pin-Tail Ducks. The behavior they are displaying is called ‘up-ending’ and is the primary method of feeding for the Northern Pin-Tail. So, bottoms up to a great Friday!

– Hazel

Photo © 2015 Bryan Arroyo

Smartphone Food Photography

Food2

I’m sure you’ve seen those people. You know who I’m talking about. Those people who seem to have an errant need to photograph every waking moment of every single day with their smartphones. You may have noticed that this need has extended itself to meal time. While some people may scoff at how vain people can be, to the point where they photograph their food instead of eating it, I see it differently. While having adventures abroad, I found that taking pictures of my food was a ritual which has been a blessing in disguise. By taking images of the enticing and occasionally strange foods I’ve eaten, I inadvertently created a reference point in time for myself. Whenever I look back on an image of a meal that I had, not only am I able to recollect the amazing flavors that I was tasting at the time, but I am also able to remember the amazing company that I had, as well as the fond memories that I now share with those people. It is because of this that I am able to look at a plate of bangers and mash and smile with fondness and regard for an amazing set of people that I would have never otherwise met.

Food13

My first tip: set the scene properly. When taking these pictures, attention to detail is likely to be one of the most important skills to have. The most obvious but often times forgotten parts of setting the scene is to clear and remove as much refuse from the table as possible (assuming you are eating at a table). In the case of street foods where a table is not in use, ensure that the background of your image (whether it’s a building or a street or a sidewalk) is clear of any refuse or anything that would create distraction in your shot.
IMG_0133
For the casual food photographer who simply looking to capture the moment, this is probably enough preparation for your shot. However, if you’re looking to garner a higher quality image from this, it’s probably best to also ensure the aesthetics on the plate or other vessel in which your meal has been presented to you. For this, photographer discretion is best used. Each dish will require different types of fluffing, per se, in order to make it most aesthetically pleasing. (A sandwich will require a different type of attention than a salad or soup.)
FullSizeRender 3
Next, a decision needs to be made by the photographer. Depending on the venue that you are in, as well as the meal you are photographing, the angle of the shot must be decided. Most often, a straight down birds-eye view will do the trick. However, if you are looking to change the tone of the image or include parts of the scene around you to enhance the memory, a side or diagonal view may also do the trick. For this step, as well as the previous step, photographers’ judgment comes into play due to the unique situations that are presented with on-site food photography.
IMG_0818
Now, to filter or not, that is the question. While some may mock the use of a smartphone filter, I argue that a filter can actually be quite useful if the intent of the photograph is to preserve memory. A filter may allow a more obvious visual representation of the feelings and mood of the moment. Because of this, I believe that filters have a unique function within the realm of food photography. However, if you are disinclined to use a filter I would highly recommend that you at least consider color correcting or correcting the shadows and highlights of the image whether on your phone or in another program such as iPhoto, Photoshop, or aperture.
Food5
Do you take pictures of your food? If so, is it all of the time, on special occasions, or on travel? Any additional tips or tricks that you have for food photography on a smartphone? Let us know in the comments section below.
– Hazel
Photos © 2015 Hazel Arroyo

Photo of the Day (17 September 2015)

ppotd7

Happy Thursday! This morning we have a shorebird that is getting a band placed on it’s leg in order to aid conservation efforts by biologists. Just a friendly reminder to do your part for our shared living space on Earth. Have a great day everyone!

– Hazel

Photo © 2015 Bryan Arroyo