What I learnt from a Turtle Tour: Part 1 “Half a loaf is better than none”.

Watching turtles haul themselves onto the beaches of their birth to lay eggs in the dead of night, then heave themselves, exhausted, back towards the sea is a wildlife experiential mega tick. For me it was right up there with trekking with gorillas and means that diving with sharks (sans cage) and tracking tigers each move up a notch. But man was I disappointed!

Canon EOS 7D. Sigma 18-50mm lens at 18mm. ISO 400. f/5.6 @ 1 sec. Flash bounced of dunes and depowered to 1/8th

Don’t get me wrong the turtles (leatherback and loggerhead), the seeing (at night from about 8pm till 11.30pm), the laying (about 80-120 spherical eggs, each a little larger than a golf ball), the effort (120m each way) and the odds (2-3 hatchings in every 1000 surviving to adulthood) is truly humbling. But man was I disappointed!

My biggest disappointment was with myself. I was reminded of something I knew already, but I was somehow not able to apply my own advice: “Sometimes it is okay not to take pictures”. I always tell my students that sometimes things don’t work out, conditions are too far gone and you have just got to enjoy the experience and be anything other than a photographer. Easier said than done!

The conditions, photographically speaking were terrible: overcast, no moon, wind, flash was only occasionally allowed and nowhere near the head (more detail on this in Part 2) and red torches only. Also, I was with another group of four and I detest front row camera competitiveness (this is why I have seldom, and have no aspiration to derive income from political photojournalism). Furthermore, having my photographic roots in the safari industry, I also fiercely hold to ethical and respectful treatment in every situation and in all wildlife encounters. I also expect others to.

Canon Eos 7D. Sigma 18-50mm lens at 18mm. ISO 400. f/2.8 @70secs. 3sec light paint with hand held torch.

So what was the problem? I’ll give you the photographic answer first: Long exposures, tripod, de-powered fill flash and deep breaths. The problem is trying to get all red torches (and the rest!) turned off and everyone’s flashes to pause and everyone out the shot, or to stop moving about, or standing in the way or… you get the picture (pun intended). Setting up a shot in generous darkness is tricky, finicky to say the least and obviously takes a while. People don’t have the patience to wait when they feel they’re there to watch (which they are). The more I fussed the harder it became and the angrier I got. And this meant simply that I forgot to enjoy myself, I forgot to revel in the experience, the sights, the smells the sounds the privilege. I was fixated on what photographs I was missing. I should have just put my camera away and been a grateful observer. Because I didn’t, I didn’t get the pictures and I also didn’t get the experience. As the Shona in Zimbabwe sometimes say, “half a loaf is better than none”. 

The solution? Go turtle watching twice. Once with a group. Leave your camera at home and just soak it in. It’s a privilege. Second time round go on your own, or perhaps with a likeminded professional photo buddy. You can then be photographers, do the work you love to do, get the results you want and in so doing compliment and swell the experience you’ve already had.

Canon EOS 7D. Sigma 18-50mm lens. ISO 800. f/11 @ 81 secs. Light painted with handheld torch.

Panoramic Stitches - A simple 10 point checklist for success

One of the great spin-offs of the digital dominance of photography is the ability to use existing technologies as a means to push ones experimentation/creativity. Panoramic stitches where multiple images are stitched together at the post production stage has been greatly simplified and resultant images have the added benefit of being hi resolution and large physical size which means great print out put and large if you like. So stitching is not neccessarily about 'getting everything in', it can also be about generating large file and physical size for printing. In this post I'll attempt to outline a simple checklist approach to taking images that will work when stitched.

This is not a post about the aesthetics of the image set up, or a post production tutorial, but it is a shooting stage checklist to help ensure the images stitch successfully.

1. Exposure. Do multiple meter readings, across the entirety of your sweep and decide on the best combination given the scene you are about to capture. When doing multiple frame stitches there is often a large dynamic range present across your scene. Shoot in manual so that your exposures remain consistent through out. Not only does this help with the stitching, but it also makes the image look uniformly better- no alternating light and dark washes across the image.
   
   
   
2. White Balance. Get out of Auto White Balance (AWB). Either dial in your own preset or pre determined WB setting or choose one that will work for you. White balance assumes that neutral white light is best and so tries to eliminate all other conflicting colour casts. As you sweep across your scene taking a number of images, the light changes, as does its colour temperature. Leaving your camera set to an AWB setting will mean variations in colour casts will be evident across some/many/all of your frames. Similar to above, but with colour washes instead.
   
3. Image Stabilization. This is not necessarily specific to doing stitched panoramics, but any time you are shooting off a tripod make sure that your lens IS/VR/VC/OC (image stabilization/ vibration reduction/ vibration compensation/ optical stabilizer) is switched off. Leaving it on will induce camera shake and resultant blurred images.
   
4. Fix your focus. Keep your focus constant. Make use of your hyperfocal distance to maximise depth of field if necessary. Allowing your camera to refocus between shots may alter the area covered by depth of field and if it doesn't cause your stitch to be thrown out by the editing software altogether, it will cause ugly blurry areas in certain areas of your image.
   
5. Fix your focal length. Whilst some image editing software can still stitch or compensate for lens distortion it is often easier, if you have the room, to minimize distortion at the capture stage. This means shooting at 50mm if you have a full frame sensor, or its equivalent if you don't (normally around 35mm for most sensors). Shooting for a 'non-distorted' series also minimzes undulating horizons which are suspicious and a giveaway for poor shooting and therefore stitching. Fixed focal length has the added benefit of more accurate composition. You can also correct for lens distortion at the post production stage too.
   
6. Overlap each frame by about 1/3rd. Stitching software works best with an overlap on each frame of about 1/3rd. If you are careful, about a 1/4 is sometimes better.  The overlap gives the algorithms something to chew on and will help ensure they spit out a decent stitch.
   
7. Shoot portrait, not landscape. The algorithms used to correctly match pixels work best when they can build up a bit of a stride. The long axis of the frame helps with this and gives the stitch a greater and more importantly, longer surface area to work along.
   
8. Keep your horizon level. It goes without saying that shooting off a tripod is very preferable, not only because it helps by keeping the camera steady, therefore minimizing camera shake, but also because skew horizons are even less forgiving on a stitch.
   
9. Make global adjustments across all of your images at the post production stage prior to stitching. This way you will not reintroduce colour and/or exposure changes between images that you have worked so hard to avoid by sticking to the above points. Rather stitch the image then make localised adjustments.
   
10. Previsualise and be methodical. Look with both eyes and 'see' the completed image. Don't just shoot a bunch of frames and think you will decide on the exact composition later by doing a post production crop. You will neaten the image up with a post production crop anyway but invariably what would have been your 'perfect frame' has a chunk of sky missing or not enough tree on the left etc. Think through the dominant elements in your frame and compose them. You'll avoid awkward central dominance and visual imbalance.
    

Thanda and the new Tamron (SP 70-200mm f/2.8 Di VC USD)

EOS 7D; Tamron 70-200mm @200mm; 1/350th; f/2.8; ISO 200

In June I decided to buy the new Tamron 70-200 f/2.8. Clearly I had agonised over the decision for months. As alway when buying more equipment, the key governing factors can be broken down into three categories. First is always budget. Second is need, and third is performance. It is a three-way seesaw.

EOS 7D; Sigma 18-50mm @40mm; 1/90th; f/11; ISO 100

Budget is self explanatory so I'll move right onto need. As photographers we are a very needy group of people. The manufacturers love us. We are so easy to hook into upgrading, expanding and spending. Need is not the same as want. I want a EF 800mm f/5.6L IS USM. Can I continue to work as a professional photographer without one? Of course! When you have sorted out your budget, buying a new lens is all about balancing the budget against what serves you and your photography best. As an aspiring sports photographer, a 10-20mm lens might not be your best choice if you lack a lens with a bit of reach. Would the 10-20mm be nice? Yes! Would you probably get some decent sports images to expand your portfolio. For sure! But a longer focal length, given your aspirations and dominant type of photography will probably prove to be a better investment.


Thirdly, you have to balance the performance of the lens against your type of photography and shooting conditions. If you are even a little bit aspiring, lens performance and quality are important. Personally I do a very mixed bag of work from journalism and editorial type shoots to fine art and commercial photography. A relatively generous share of work is under poor lighting conditions. I do a lot of theater and performance shooting and other work in poorly lit galleries and in-doors. So fast lenses are important as is quick and responsive autofocus. IS/VR/VC/OC (image stabilization/ vibration reduction/ vibration compensation/ optical stabilizer) is also a must and (budget aside) you would be silly now days to consider anything less.

So it was with some concern that I read reviews on the Tamron SP 70-200mm f/2.8 that suggested that the lens' focus was a bit slower than its twice the price canon counter part. From what I read quality was on a par, even better some people suggested. For some 'commentors' the slower responsive time was unnoticeable or negligible. Nobody, from what I read, came out particularly strongly against the lens' supposed slowness. I am a canon user and was spoilt back in the day when canon cleaned up the competition gamboling faster focus against changing their lens mount. So I gamboled a little too. I reasoned that the 'less responsive' tamron, when compared to the canon would be negligible. If the argument is merely a matter of hundreths of a second then it is marketing hoo haa and would bring little to bear to the detriment of my photography.

So I got the Tamron. And was I right? The answer is no. Having used the Canon 70-200 f2.8 II and now the Tamron I can tell you that the Tamron's slugishness is indeed noticeable. Not all the time, but in bad light, which is when I do quite a bit of photography (and when you need the rapid responsiveness the most) the Tamron takes a bit. In good light it is, in my opinion, on a par, but with strong back light the lens hunts far more readily than I am used to with the Canon version.

So what is the verdict? Do I regret buying the lens? Absolutely not. Do I wish it was a little quicker and a little more responsive? Yes I do. Will I still be able to work professionally and capture quality images that my clients love? Absolutely. I am a HUGE believer in working within your means. Too many photographers are too quick to blame their equipment (or lack thereof). Students of mine constantly claim to not be able to shoot sport or theater because they don't have an image stabilized lens. So I see red and remind them that the dawn of sport and theater photography did not begin when manufacturers brought in IS/VR/VC/OC or the like.

Below are some images taken during a recent wildlife and landscape photography workshop conducted in the Thanda private nature reserve in Kwa Zulu Natal, South Africa. Thanks to team 'Girl Power' for their enthusiasm, eagerness and humour.

Team Thanda- June 2013, 'Girl Power'. Light painting with fill-in flash and torchlight. Canon EOS 7D; Sigma 18-50mm @ 18mm; 30 sec; f/5.6; ISO 200

EOS 7D; Tamron 70-200mm @200mm; 1/350th; f/4.5; ISO 100

A particular highlight of this photo workshop was meeting up with two, otherwise shy male Nyala antelope. Normally the males are solitary and retire in thick bush. During territorial disputes males engage in the most beautiful high-heeled, circular dance, heads lilted, fur fluffed and horns ready. EOS 7D; Tamron 70-200mm @152mm; 1/180th; f/2.8; ISO 800

EOS 7D; Tamron 70-200mm @152mm; 1/1000th; f/4.5; ISO 400

EOS 7D; Sigma 18-50mm @20mm; 1/45th; f/4; ISO 100