Guest Feature: Bret Edge's Five Steps to Better Adventure Photography

By: Bret Edge www.bretedge.com

My interest in landscape photography evolved as a natural extension of my love for the outdoors.  I hike and backpack to gain access to high alpine lakes surrounded by jagged mountain peaks and deep desert canyons carved by raging rivers.  Why not use the time in between sunrise and sunset to expand your photographic horizons by shooting adventure images?

Hiker Gazing at Mountains

The words “adventure photography” conjure up images of daring climbers clinging precariously to granite cliffs and river rafters navigating huge rapids.  But such high adrenaline pursuits aren’t the only outdoor sports that make for dynamic adventure photos.  Day hiking, backpacking, mountain biking and even car camping can offer opportunities for interesting photography all day long.  With a little practice and a little knowledge you’ll soon be making photos on par with those in Backpacker, Outside and the now deceased Adventure magazine (RIP).  Here are some tips to get you started:

More accurate and sensible focusing for your Nikon or Canon

Recently, my friend Daniel Milchev (www.photovenom.com)  separated the focus away from his shutter button and instead using the back AF-ON button.  The idea is very simple and I've finally adopted this smart method.  With the focus no longer a part of the shutter button, it's much easier to pre-focus for action images.  It also becomes simpler to run continuous focus when shooting action coming towards you.

Why does it work?  When it comes to pre-focus, I find that I'm often setting my focus on a certain point that is about the same distance the athlete will be away from me.  The problem is that occasionally no focus points cover that location so I have to recompose the image after setting my focus.  With the back AF button, I can simply lock in my focus and recompose the image.  No more switching to manual focus or holding down the shutter half way to lock in the point.  Instead,  press the AF button on the location you want focus, release the button, recompose, and shoot away.

With this setting you have the ability to CHOOSE when you want to focus.  The camera won't try to re-focus every single time you hit the shutter button.  This makes things much simpler so that you will no longer have to switch to manual focus or press AF-Lock to maintain focus on the point.  It even works better than the AF-lock button since you no longer have to hold the button to ensure it maintains focus.

It's all in the location and style.

Here's a quick thought to get the creativity flowing.  What separates a technically good image from a great image?  Content.  This consists of the location, the model, and clothing/make-up.  It really doesn't have anything to do with camera settings.

Camera settings do make a difference, but the content of the picture is key.  Taking pictures of ordinary things, no matter how great the camera settings and lighting, will still be ordinary pictures.  It's important to try and make the content as different as possible.  Location plays part of this in a HUGE way.

Shoot a skateboarder on a normal street performing a very simple trick and spend time making sure the angle, color, lighting, and composition are all great.  The picture looks technically sound and is a quality image.  Now take that same shot in an incredible and stunning location (i.e. mountaintop road, grungy alley, etc.) and you've created an extraordinary image.  What changed?  Not your camera settings.  The content!

I firmly believe that about 98% of the population (not formally trained in photography) will look at a picture based purely on it's content.  Of course it's important for the exposure to be right, but the amazing content brings the image to the next level.

Quick tip for the day

Today is a day and it's just like any other day.  Except...... Today you are going to make a positive difference or at least try to make a positive difference in your photography career.

I'm talking marketing here, and marketing in it's simplest form: E-mail.  Send a company or person that you are interested in working with a nice and personal e-mail.  That's it.  Don't let your fear of rejection run your life.  If you want a photo published in Pop Photo magazine, go ahead and contact them about it.  If you want a new client, reach out to one and let them know who you are and why your so good at what you do.

The main thing your doing here is opening a line of communication.  It's the first step to any great working relationship.  Take the step and never look back.  Commit and jump-start your future today.

Why today?  Because you know that if you put it off until tomorrow it's just not going to happen.  Don't let fear or laziness run your life.

Get outta that Funk! GO SHOOT!!!

As aspiring professional photographers it's very easy to get into the photographer's funk.  I just coined that term but feel free to borrow it and spread it around.  Photographer's funk is when you aren't out shooting enough cause your always finding excuses not too.  I've been there before and am sure it will happen again.  Next time I will get outta that funk quick!

It's really disappointing when it happens and kind of depressing.  Whether your not shooting cause the weather is bad, or your spending all your time in front of the computer hoping to land more jobs. The funk happens, and when it sets in it's tough to break.  It's kind of like writer's block.

Photographer's are SMART people, some of the smartest in fact.  We are tech savvy, artistic, and intelligent.  Sometimes, we are thinking too much, and let that thinking block us from shooting.  So here's a phrase you need to block out of your mind "I can't shoot today because...."  There is always an excuse.  Quit making it.

Just go out and shoot some images.

That's it.  Shoot now, shoot tomorrow, shoot everyday.

Call your friends up and get them to come with as models, make it fun and don't worry about what to do with the images when your done.

I can guarantee right now that your career will fall out of it's depressing downward run.

Nikon Rumors - Nikonrumors.com

If your anything like me, than announcements of new gear and even rumors of new gear are mind-blowing and extremely exciting.  Nikonrumors.com has provided me with some rumors to be incredibly excited about!  They are constantly posting updates on anything and everything Nikon.  If you love Nikon, then this is a site you'll want to add to your list.  I won't forget about the Canon users either (though this post is all about Nikon).  If your a Canon user, be sure to check out canonrumors.com.

Then new Nikon D4 (When it's released) is speculated to be 16 megapixels (finally we get some more pixels....) and shoot full HD video with a continuous photo drive of 11 images per second.  These are some outstanding numbers.  I'm also going to speculate that autofocus will work continuously through HD video shooting like the D3100.

After that, the D4X should be released, only it will shoot 34MP.  HUGE IMAGES with what I'm sure will be OUTSTANDING QUALITY!

And finally, the D700 will be replaced by the brand new D800.  It will shoot full HD as well and run at 24MP, SWEET!!


All this is great and exciting, but I'm sure it will come with a steep price tag.  I would like to remind all of you that gear does not make you a better photographer (it can help with quality) and that you should be proud of and happy with what you already have.  Don't let the excitement of new gear overpower the excitement of capturing a great image.  New tools are sweet but they are useless unless you know how to use them to create something great!

10 Awesome photography articles and tutorials for learning and inspiration

The internet is such a vast source of information that it's sometimes tough to wade through all the junk and get to the good stuff.  As a loyal APB reader, you have already found one site that's loaded with the good stuff so go ahead and give yourself a pat on the back!

Here are some articles that any photographer can find useful.  I've placed links with a brief description.  So check em' out and spread that APB love.

These links are in no particular order, and all are highly recommended.

• Digital Photo Buzz - Lighting- Keep it simple  - This great post covers a philosophy that I've tried to convey many times here at APB.  Don't overcomplicate your work.  Sometimes the best images occur naturally and don't need any flash or extra gear.  I like this philosophy and think that Mark does a great job explaining it in this article.
• Chase Jarvis Blog - Take a Chance  - Chase Jarvis is a huge name in the photography world right now, and he continues to grow.  This post talks about the risk you need to take to make it big.  In photography, it's important to take risks and put it all on the line.  I love the way Chase explains it here!
• Speedliting.com by Syl Arena - Dimming the sun with high-speed sync part 1 and part 2  -This amazing article will teach you all you could need to know about high-speed sync on your flash.  Syl's explanations are very clear and easy to remember.  I highly recommend spending some time on his site learning even more about your flash (specifically Canon users but just as useful for Nikon guy's like me.)

Camera Basics 101: Shutter Speed

Shutter Speed is one of the most important aspects of capturing any image.  When I think of the settings I need to adjust for a shot, there are three that are the most important.  These three include: Aperture, ISO, and Shutter Speed.  These are THE most changed and used settings on your camera for creating proper exposures.

So what is shutter speed exactly, and how does it work?  The concept is actually fairly simple and relates directly to how long the shutter is open.  The shutter is what lets light onto the sensor thus creating an image.

(This is an example of a long shutter speed taken at night.  The colored lines are cars tail lights and headlights.)

When the shutter speed is set for a longer time period, say 1 second, this means that the shutter will stay open for 1 full second.  When it's set shorter, 1/2500th of a second, then the shutter is only open for 1/2500th of a second.

10 Tips for Shooting Action Sports Like A Seasoned Pro

Action sports is a tough genre of photography to learn.  It takes a lot of practice, knowledge of the sport, and know-how to create great images.  I can tell you all of these tips, but there is only one way for you to make them work.  Experiment!  Get out there and shoot as many action sports as you can, and try applying at least one of these tips to every image.  You won't be a pro overnight but with practice and effort I believe that anyone can take great action sports images!

#1: Know the sport your shooting -- Simply heading out and shooting randomly can yield good images, but to truly create great images, you have to know what the athlete will be doing.  I find that a big part of the reason that I've been successful shooting skiing, mountain biking, and skateboarding images is because I enjoy and spend time participating in these sports.  Know-how can take you a long way while understanding why the athlete loves the sport and what the key moments are is necessary to get awesome and creative images.

Video Tutorial: Selectively brighten shadow areas of an image using photoshop.

This video works best when viewed full screen, please click the full screen option in the lower right corner.

Eliminating the specialty work mindset (sell your work to the world!)

I do it, you probably do it, we all do it.  And no, I'm not talking about procrastination, though this does relate (and we all do that as well)!  What I'm talking about is when we don't believe that theres much of a market for the type of work that we do.  I call this the "specialty work mindset".  By definition (which I'm making up right now...) this means that we believe that our work is very niche and only has a very small and certain market.

Action sports photographers find themselves in this niche all the time.  My eyes were first opened wide to what I was doing when I spoke with pro skier Trevor Hiatt.  He explained to me that "the money is outside of the ski industry."  But how can that be?  Here I was thinking the whole time that the only places to sell skiing photos, was to skiing companies, resorts, and ski related magazines.

Nik Software HDR Efex Pro now available!

Just downloaded the free 15 day trial and ran two super-quick HDR's.  The program is UNREAL!!  Soo fast and simple, yet full of every adjustment you could ever need.  I was using photomatix pro before which I enjoyed, but this program put's it to shame!  I'll have to test it a bit more before I give the full review here on APB.  For now, head over to Nik Softwares Site and test it out for yourself.

The program has far more adjustments than I've ever seen, and they all work at hyper-speed.  This IS the next-generation of HDR imaging tools!

Here's the two sample HDR's that I created in a just a few minutes.  Let me know what you think of the program in the comments below based on your experiences with the trial.  Definitely going to have to buy this one!

Grunge (2 versions) Free Lightroom 3 Presets

I'm feeling a bit Grungy today, maybe it's because I haven't showered in weeks (ok, so that's not true, just showered today.) Most likely, it's because I'm sitting here listening to Pearl Jam. And finally, because I'm a skater and skaters love the grunge look!  Anyway, here's the preset(s) for this week, scroll down for samples, or for installation info.

Click here to download the new APB-Grunge and APB-Grunge Light presets. 

I'm turning every week into a time for giving here at APB. From now on, there will be free presets for the Lightroom 3 develop module posted and available for download each week. Some weeks there will be several, other's just one. If you have any ideas for a style you like, send me a link to a picture, or explain it to me in e-mail and I will do my best to create an accurate preset to render edits like it. Also, any suggestions are greatly appreciated for making the presets I release better. Contact me at info@cnwphoto.com.

Remember, these presets may not improve images depending on lighting and capture settings. Though they will work great for most! Installation instructions are posted below the sample images.

Here's a few samples.  This effect is intended to drastically change your images and create stronger texture and grain, while at the same time giving the image a more "grungy" black and white look while still retaining saturation in the very colorful areas.

With Grunge Effect Applied

Without Grunge effect applied

Video Tutorial: Make your images pop using LAB mode in Photoshop

Video is easiest to watch in full screen mode, click the bottom right corner button to enlarge!

Magazine Submittal Season

It's fall and magazine submittal season is upon us.  Nope, not winter shots, it's time to send in your summer sports imagery.  Magazines are typically looking for image submittals about 6 months before the magazine goes on shelf.

Anyways, here are a few previous articles that I've written to help you establish contact with photo editors, and begin making submittals.

Magazine Submittal Season

Get Published!

These should help get you on your way.  If you have any advice please feel free to add it in comments to the articles it relates to.

Good luck!

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Setting up flashes on uneven ground

Often times, I find myself off deep in the woods, needing to mount a flash from a high angle, or on rough uneven ground.  This is where traditional flash-stands fail.  Unless you have perfectly even ground they tip over.  All three legs are always the same length, and they are clearly designed for in-studio work, or on perfectly level pavement.  What's with that?  I get the idea that they are quicker to setup, but there are better ways.

When I'm shooting biking or skiing I know the ground will be uneven.  Here are the two solutions I've come up with to help in almost any situation:

Fall *PoP* Lightroom 3 Preset

Fall is here and if your anything like me, you've been gathering a ton of great fall images!  If not, get out there now!

I'm turning every week into a time for giving here at APB.  From now on, there will be free presets for the Lightroom 3 develop module posted and available for download each week.  Some weeks there will be several, other's just one.  If you have any ideas for a style you like, send me a link to a picture, or explain it to me in e-mail and I will do my best to create an accurate preset to render edits like it.  Also, any suggestions are greatly appreciated for making the presets I release better.  Contact me at info@cnwphoto.com.

Remember, these presets may not improve images depending on lighting and capture settings.  Though they will work great for most!  Installation instructions are posted below the sample images.

Here is the grab link for this weeks free preset titled Fall *PoP* and designed to pop the sky and golden colors in your fall images:  Click Here to Download the Fall Colors Preset

Here's a few samples, the small scaled down images don't show the dramatic difference, so download the preset and try it on your own images.  The effect is not intended to be overdone, just enough pop in just the right color channels!

With Fall *PoP* Effect Applied

Rechargeable Batteries- Sanyo Eneloop

The photographers quest for perfect batteries is never-ending.  There is NO perfect solution out there.  I've tried just about everything and for a long time gave up on rechargeables.  I'm not a wasteful person so running through batteries and throwing away money on them is incredibly annoying.  In my opinion, everyone shooting flash should be using rechargeables.  I have not tried every option out there by any means, but I've found a solution that works well for me.  Enter the Sanyo Eneloop battery.

(Product Shot taken with Nikon D3S, using SB-900 flash unit with LumiQuest SoftBox 3 under the batteries, and one SB-900 bare unit from above and left.  All triggered via PocketWizards.)

Not only does it look cool (coolness is very important to my generation) but it has the performance to back that up!  I used to use the energizer rechargeables and found myself disappointed that I would put the batteries in my flash, use them for a few shots, try and shoot the flash again a week later, and the batteries were almost dead.  The problem with most rechargeables is that they lose their energy very quickly if stowed away and not used within a few days of charging.

Composition 101

This is a basic post for photographers just getting into photography, but it is also a great refresher for those of us who shoot professionally.  Composition is one of the most important lessons to learn in photography. It takes practice and skill to get it correct, and is easily learned using a point-and-shoot when your beginning.  If you try and learn this at the same time as full manual control it might become overlooked.

Great pictures don't always mean full manual settings like many pros believe.  The composition of a photo is key to creating amazing images.  Let's start off with the "Rule of Thirds" which is simple to understand once you see what I mean.  Below is a diagram showcasing the rule of thirds.  The "Rule of Thirds" is simply a way to compose your image by dividing it into sections.  The frame is visually divided into 3 even rows, and 3 even columns.

So how do you apply this to your images?  Try and move the elements into the individual thirds.  For landscapes, place your foreground feature in the bottom third, background in the middle, and sky in the top.  It's more appealing this way then placing the horizon in the middle (most of the time...).  This rule can apply to any type of work that you shoot.  Most action images typically look best when the athlete is one-third of the way into the image.  Here is an an action image I captured that really demonstrates this composition:

Shoot Journal: Basketball Dunk

Looking through my current portfolio, and thanks to my friend Daniel Milchev, I've realized that I need to expand my realm of shooting.  The idea is to capture more mainstream sports and work those into a more full portfolio.  I'm also trying to achieve a more "commercial" look to my work.  Sure, I've got a ton of great skiing and biking shots that are very artistic.  But I would also like to be shooting exciting portraits and sports action from other sports.  So the other night I headed out and shot some basketball images with a friend.

Luckily for me, my friend has some serious talent and can actually dunk!  Exactly what I was hoping to capture!