Flatland

One of photography’s most interesting problems is the simple fact that it is an art form predicated on capturing a three-dimensional impression onto a two-dimensional expression.

Most people forget this and they end up shooting whatever it is that caught their eye as if it were still 3D. Thing is, unless your camera is specialized for it, you end up with a 2D image. Something that looked really interesting in 3D may look like crap when you force it into flatland. People can’t help it, we see the world in 3D. Binocular vision is something we were born with.

Looking at the world in two-dimensions isn’t something that we’re all used to. Important thing is to either plan out the photo in two dimensions or add a semblance of depth with the composition and lines.

Proper Post Play

Part 2: Basic Offense

First tip: Have a go-to move.

I don’t care if it’s:
a drop step, to high off glass lay up or a dunk
spin to the middle to a jump hook or teardrop
space create into step back/fade away jumper
face up, dribble, head fake, up and under

Have a go-to move.
Which center doesn’t have a go-to move right now?
Which center will NEVER get to take over a game?
Dwight Howard. Point made.

I suggest trying out the drop step first.
Basic offensive tool. Wanna see how click HERE

You’re a center, use your size.
Next installment, other offensive options.

All the lenses you need

A wide lens
A fast prime
A fast telephoto

BUT

1 is enough
2 is playing safe
3 can be too much

bringing more than that can be stupid.

Why? You’re going to be thinking too much.
You’re going to be thinking about which lens to use.

CONSTANTLY rethinking your shots will mess you up.
Your photos will suffer. YOU will suffer.

Learn to stick with one lens.
Learn to figure out which lens to bring.
Learn to move so that you can still compose no matte what your lens is.
Learn about your camera, learn about your lenses.

Repost from my tumblr

I’m practically a luddite

I have two cameras, a Canon EOS 450D/Rebel XSi and a Sony DSC – W200. Both cameras have 12.1 megapixels. Do I use 12.1 megapixels?

Nope, I shoot 6MP fine on my Canon and 5MP on my Sony.

Why? Because there is no real point.

Firstly, for everyday shooting there isn’t really a need for hi-res, it’ll just take up space. Let me tell you, I’ve taken 4,000+ photos on a 3 hour event already so space is pretty important for me. If you tell me that I’m doing a photoshoot with Georgina Wilson, Solenn Heusaff or Christine Reyes I’ll be changing to RAW but until then, no need.

Secondly, since I upload most of my photos, 5/6MP is already enough for the internet. Megapixels matter for PRINTING. I print my photos, all the way up to 8R and there isn’t any pixelation, the way I PP gets rid of that.

Thirdly, RAW slows you down. I don’t have a prime laptop that can really handle RAW. When I upgrade to a Mac, I may just try it out again but I’m not holding my breath. I can do most of my PP on Jpeg so I have no need to go for RAW.

Finally, most of my photos are SOOC. If I want to do PP it’s because I want to make it unrealistic or I want to crop it. Otherwise, whatever.

Don’t upgrade just yet

I hear so many “photogs” go around lusting for a new lens, new camera, new whatever.

Yes, WHATEVER.

Getting new things all the time is one of the STUPIDEST things a photographer can do.

Why? Here’s why.

You gain ZERO mastery over your equipment if you keep changing it. At right about the time that you’re getting good with something you end up having to learn something new. It’s the same as getting past the first semester of majors for a particular course then changing your primary focus to a different one. This is no way to learn anything.

It’s the basics, learn them, master them THEN you can try something new.

Stick with your kit lens or a 50mm prime until it begins to fail you. By “fail you” I don’t mean until it breaks, that’s what I do, but until it can’t do what you ask it to anymore. When the kit lens stops being telephoto enough or wide enough even with you moving around to change the composition then you can buy a new lens.

Your camera is another thing. Learn the idiosyncrasies your camera has. Learn to make good photos in spite of them then learn to make good photos BECAUSE of them. Learn the controls of your camera to the letter. Have a system, know your camera settings inside and out. Learn how to tweak your camera with your eyes closed, so that when you’re looking through the viewfinder tweaking won’t be an issue. When you’re already that good with your camera you may just rethink upgrading.

Missing my nifty fifty

It’s been more than a months since I lost my 50mm f/1.8 lens. I say lost in the loosest term possible. I actually destroyed it from overuse. Overuse? Yes, 20,000 actuations of overuse. You might say that it was a sucky lens in terms of how long it survived but you can’t really expect me to feel bad about it since I paid the equivalent of 80USD on something plastic.

I just miss it because it made my job so much easier. 50mm lenses with an aperture that big just sorta make me happy. LOL that it came out that cheap was a big bonus on my part. I could use it for anything because I was normally unafraid to get up close to my subject.

My problem now is that I feel myself getting lazy with my zooms. It’s now a problem for me because I find myself just sitting on my ass and just settling for whatever shot, whatever composition I can get rather than actively looking for a good photo.

I need a prime to get up off my ass.

Sticking with one lens

This is an exercise I tend to do for weeks at a time.

I normally find it wasteful when I bring more than one lens with me.
I end up trying to switch out into what I think is the better lens.

So alot of the time I just bring one and deal with whatever.

This forces me to do a few things:

Move around. Zooms make me lazy, packing the wrong focal range means I have to actively move to make my composition actually fit.
Try something new. Take landscapes with a telephoto lens, take portraits with a wide, whatever.
Actually learn about my lens.

Another benefit is that I carry far less.

Getting new tech tomorrow

— 16 Gb Sandisk Extreme III pro SD Card

I still prefer CF cards since they’re so much faster BUT my camera uses SDs so I don’t really have that much choice. This’ll help since I can actually shoot RAW all day with this card if the need arises (I mostly shoot Jpeg now, usually 6MP so space is not an issue on 8Gb cards. RAW on the other hand…)

— A lightsaber laser pointer.

For the geek in me. ‘Nuff said.

So, this stuff is gonna happen…

I have a convivence this weekend, goodbye weekend.

My PSP will be my best friend.

Comic review will be later than normal…

Sunday shitsies will probably be up on monday.

Whatever works right.

Monster hunter to keep me happy.

A good deal

I just bought a set of close up filters for 1,320 pesos. I’ve been pretty interested in taking photos of nature/flowers/insects lately and I think this is a better choice compared to buying a macro lens for close to 30,000 pesos.

The close up filters are pretty simple, just screw them on the camera lens and take photos. They’ll allow you to focus much much closer than you normally would be. As I’m not really thinking of doing macro photography as a livelihood I’m sticking with this.

This opens up a whole new world for me to look into because I’m really used to taking photos of people and their surroundings so taking photos of the little things should be an adventure.

Sample photos will be up soon!!!