CELL PHONE PHOTOGRAPHY

Cell phone photography accounts for 40% of every photo and video taken in the world every day. As a teacher and photographer I am excited about helping folks learn how to get great images from this small 2 button camera that is always with you in your pocket. Phone-ography is the ability to photograph everything we see, edit those photos in our cell phone with some 2,000 apps that are available and then instantly share these images around the world. Questions like:

What are the best apps to have on the camera?, how do I get sharper images that I can blow up to 16X20 inches?, what cell phones have truly the best cameras?, how do I move photos between cell phones, digital tablets, and my main computer(s)?

Mentor: Jerry Hug, APSA·

References & Resources

Examples of Cell Phone Photography by Jerry Hug (click to enlarge)

Tug

CPI 3

3 and A Bees

Art 2

Untitled

Lg Birds

HDR PHOTOGRAPHY

HDR refers to High Dynamic Range. Our cameras are limited in what they can see in a single exposure. Unlike our eyes which can see a range of light in a scene of approximately 20 F stops, most cameras can only see a range of about 6 F stops. To fill the gap we can take multiple shots with our cameras and merge them together into one image. 

If we shoot in RAW we can actually expand the dynamic range of a scene by 3 to 4 F stops using specialized HDR software. Unfortunately, many people associate the letters, HDR, with heavily saturated images and prints that some refer to as cartoon like. However, HDR software and techniques can be used to create surrealistic images or to enhance traditional photographic images and prints.

About the Mentor, Michael R. Anderson·

In 2018 Michael became the PSA Director of Mentor Services and he is currently focused on promoting those educational benefits in the recruitment of more PSA members through his contacts and using his expertise in Internet marketing via social media outlets. His goal is to enhance the PSA educational experience and to recruit younger PSA members that will help shape the future of PSA.

References & Resources

Books to Check Out

Examples of HDR Photography by Michael R. Anderson·

PANORAMIC PHOTOGRAPHY

Panoramic photography is a style of photography that aims to create images with exceptionally wide fields of view, but has also come to refer to any photograph that is cropped to a relatively wide aspect ratio. While there is no formal definition for the point at which "wide-angle" leaves off and "panoramic" begins, truly panoramic images are thought to capture a field of view comparable to, or greater than, that of the human eye - about 160° by 75° - and should do so while maintaining detail across the entire picture. The resulting images are panoramic, in that they offer an unobstructed or complete view of an area - often, but not necessarily, taking the form of a wide strip. A panoramic photograph is really defined by whether the image gives the viewer the appearance of a "panorama," regardless of any arbitrary technical definition.   

Photo-finishers and manufacturers of Advanced Photo System (APS) cameras also use the word "panoramic" to refer to any print format with a wide aspect ratio, not necessarily photos that encompass a large field of view. In fact, a typical APS camera in its panoramic mode, where its zoom lens is at its shortest focal length of around 24 mm, has a field of view of only 65°, which many photographers would only classify as wide angle, not panoramic. Cameras with an aspect ratio of 2:1 or greater (where the width is 2 times its height) can generally be classified as being "panoramic."

Mentor: Lynn Thompson, FPSA, MPSA·

References & Resources

Examples of Panoramic Photography by Lynn Thompson, FPSA, MPSA·

Peggy's Cove

White Pelicans

Buttermilk Country

PORTRAIT PHOTOGRAPHY

Portrait photography is challenging and you need to have a personality that is upbeat, lively, and sensitive. Top models get paid so much because they know how to provide the expressions that sell products and services. The best technique and print quality; however, cannot guarantee a great expression. Since many people are shy in front of a camera, a photographer's skill at establishing a rapport with the subject is crucial. People photography is as much about human relation skills as it is about camera knowledge. To get good expressions, you must create rapport with the subject.    

Today's software provides the portrait photographer with the tools to enhance any face or body. Using Photoshop and various plug-ins; one can removed blemishes, add makeup, adjust hair color, sculpt features, and apply glamor actions.   

Mentor: Susan Cowles, FPSA, GMPSA, EFIAP· 

References & Resources

Workshop

Try enhancing this portrait and then send it to the Computer Portrait Enhancement Mentor for comment.

Examples of Computer Portrait Enhancement by Susan Cowles, FPSA, GMPSA, EFIAP·

(Click image to enlarge)

Facial Sculpture		Nose Sculpture
Before	After	Before	After

Blemish Removal, Eye Makeup Change, Glamour Blur Action		Hair Color Adjustment
Before	After	Before	After

VISUAL STORYTELLING

Photojournalism is telling stories with photographs, and a strong picture can tell the story quickly and completely, A great photojournalism subject is Human Interest--images that depict a person or persons in an interactive, emotional, or unusual situation, excluding recreational and sports action, set up situations and manipulation. 

Mentor: Lynn Troy Maniscalco, HonFPSA, EPSA·

References & Resources

Examples of Storytelling Photography by Lynn Troy Maniscalco, HonFPSA, EPSA·

(Click image to enlarge)

Eisenstaedt 92

Farm Boy

Who Needs Legs?

Lost Tutu

His Buddies

Gas Stop

3D PHOTOGRAPHY

The definition of 3D Photography is described by Michael Gabriel in An Introduction To 3D Photography as follows:

The simplest way to define 3D photography is “it is a form of photography that captures and displays two offset images that are a little different from each other, so much so that they produce 3D images”. It’s pretty much like putting two images together in a distance similar to that of your eyes. You can create 3D images in different ways using a variety of methods. For majority of photographers, the most ideal way is to take photos using any digital camera and then use a 3D image software for achieving the three-dimensional effect.

The PSA 3D Photography Mentor, Steve Wessing, says that, “Modern 3D photography can be can be confusing. There are many choices, from what camera format to use to how to display your work. I can help you choose a stereo camera, create 3D from a single camera, or build a multi camera rig based on the kind of photos you want to make. So yes, it can be confusing, but 3D can also be easy!  Let's get you started!”

About the Mentor: Steve Wessing·

Steve Wessing comes from a long line of amateur and professional photographers, starting with his  grandfather who participated in salons of the Amsterdamsche Amateur Fotografen Vereeniging in the 1940s and was one of the first to teach photography in Indonesia. Like many of us, his interest in photography began at a young age. He got his first camera at age 5 and has been hooked ever since.

Mr. Wessing has varied interests in photography, e.g., abstract and travel photography, but his greatest interest is stereoscopic photography. His photos have been used as album cover art, and published in various magazines and books. Mr. Wessing is currently on the Board of Directors of the Cascade Stereoscopic Club, and a member of the National Stereoscopic Association.

Examples of 3D Photography by Steve Wessing·
(Click image to enlarge)

Psychedelic Bus, Seattle

Glass Ceiling, Chicago Cultural Center

Square Houses, Rotterdam

Birds Eye View, West Linn, Oregon

Hyper Windmill, Haarlem

Manders Fountain, Amsterdam

360 PANORAMIC PHOTOGRAPHY

360º images allow viewers to immerse themselves in a location. They can interactively turn around, looking up and down, letting them "be there." It’s a wonderful way to show a location for marketing or just for fun, offering a more realistic view than a series of static images or a linear video clip. Spherical panoramas are also used by 3D artists to create a 360º environments, and 360º HDRIs capture lighting information to virtually ’light’ CGI objects. Photographing a 360º scene, like other kinds of photography, has it’s own unique challenges. But we’re photographers so all it really takes is a bit of practice — and a panoramic tripod head.

About the Mentor: Ron Pepper·

Ron Pepper (just call him “Pepper”) is a commercial panoramic photographer and photography trainer based in San Francisco with over 15 years experience creating 360º images, making him one of the early practitioners and leaders in the genre.  His clients include resorts, local small business, hospitals, interactive media creators and more.  Training and demonstration clients range from individuals who want to start their own photography business to software companies who create panoramic stitching software.

Resources

Examples of 360 Panorama Photography by Ron Pepper·

(After video is open, click three vertical dots and then  [ ] to expand to wide screen)  

UNDERWATER PHOTOGRAPHY

Underwater photography is the process of taking photographs while underwater. It is usually done while scuba diving, but can be done while snorkeling or swimming.  

Mentor: Steven Fisher, FPSA, MPSA·

References & Resources

Facebook

Underwater Photography Facebook Group Free for PSA members

A by-invitation Underwater Photography Facebook Group has been created for PSA members. Those PSA members interested in underwater photography are able to share news about specific locations, guides, and equipment; and they have the opportunity to post photos from their latest underwater photography trips.

If you are a PSA member who is into or would like to begin underwater photography, please send your name and email address to Kelly at: scubakellyw@comcast.net. Kelly will send you an invitation to join the group via Facebook.

Examples of Underwater Photography by Steven Fisher, FPSA, MPSA·

Alien and Octopus

Skunk Anemone Fish

Diver and Anchor, Guam

Beaded Anemone

Melibe Swimming

Nautilus, Papua New Guinea

WATERFALL PHOTOGRAPHY

Experience Makes The Difference:

As some of us have learned, waterfalls can be tough to photograph for a variety of reasons. Depending on the lighting and the amount of water flow, areas in the scene can appear blown out and without detail. That silky look that we all strive for in a waterfall photograph can be elusive. We all encounter beautiful waterfall scenes, from time to time, in our photography related travels but few of us really understand what it takes to artistically capture the scene. 

Those that have mastered the techniques and settings have learned through trial and error and likely have missed opportunities while learning the necessary techniques and settings. Fortunately, some experts are willing to share their expertise and we are fortunate that we have one of those experts in our Mentor Program. His name is Gary Thurman and he lives in the Pacific Northwest where beautiful waterfalls are prevalent. 

About the Mentor: Gary Thurman·

As this photo of Gary shows, he is a fun guy who uses a lot of tricks to capture his beautiful images. Photography has always been a big part of Gary’s life since the age of twelve when he started developing and printing printing his own black and white pictures.  He had a rewarding 29 year career as a firefighter and paramedic and now that he is retired Gary has more time to pursue his passion for photography. He is also an excellent portrait photographer but waterfall photography is his passion and he is willing to share his knowledge through workshops, lectures and here in PSA Mentor Program and Study Groups.

Mr. Thurman is well known for his social media posts of waterfall images on Wednesdays. That event has become known as, “Waterfall Wednesdays” and his waterfall image posts are looked forward to by photographers around the world. If you want to learn how to capture beautiful waterfall images in color or b&w, Gary can help you as the PSA Waterfall Mentor. In addition to being the PSA Waterfall Mentor, Mr. Thurman is a member of the PSA Digital Fine Art Study Group where he shares his expertise as a successful fine art photographer.  Gary has also received numerous awards for his beautiful images and some of his images have been published.  If you have an interest in capturing stunning waterfall images, Gary can help you achieve success and avoid learning through the “trial and error” process.

Examples of Waterfall Photography by Gary Thurman·

(Click image to enlarge)

PHOTOGRAPHY WEBSITES

The definition of mentor is “an experienced and trusted adviser” and when it comes to setting up a new web site for your PSA camera club Marty and his assistance can be a big help. This mentorship position may not be your best option if you are dealing with a website that has already been created and you have found yourself in a position to manage it moving forward.

A website can be very complex to create with many elements to them, both seen and unseen. While complex, they can be created relatively easily with some great online tools we have available to us today. There is no shortage of website building applications that are internet-based and many require little to no knowledge of coding. They are drop and drag applications where you follow the directions and guidelines and you can create a great looking, functional website in a relatively short period of time. Most of the applications offer helpful online help pages to assist you along your journey.
The PSA Website Mentor is available to help you create your website and in some cases  improve upon an existing website. He can provide you with suggestions for the type of content you might need on the website, how to place content and elements, keywords and search engine optimization (SEO) data. Websites are always a work in progress and must be updated and maintained on a regular basis so that your information and content is always up to date for your viewers. If you are brand new to creating a website, the mentor can walk you through the proper steps you need to take to get started.

About the Mentor: Marty Welter·

 Marty Welter has been involved with photography for over 40 years and has been a professional rodeo photographer for 26 of those years. It was during this time that he started to learn about building websites. He started off with having a website built for his business by a small website developer, that was in the late 1990’s. Around 2004 he designed a new website for his business using Apple iWeb, a WYSIWYG (what you see is what you get) program. The great thing about this was that a person did not need to know how to code using HTML, CSS and/or PHP and the program took care of the coding behind the scenes. A few years later and needing more functionality, he moved to a software product called Sandvox, a Mac based program that was also a WYSIWYG program. His proficiency in using the software grew and soon he was being asked to develop websites for others, so as part of his photography business, he added website building to his business and to date, has built over 30 websites. Today he currently maintains about 20 + websites for a variety of clubs, civic organizations, churches and small businesses. He uses 2 software programs, Sandvox and weebly.com to build these websites. 

Marty has been a PSA member since 2015 and has been a Judge for the annual PSA Website Contest the past 3 years. His own club website has won 2 Honorable Mentions and 2 Second Place awards in the contest under the Small Club Category.

Examples of Marty's Work can be found via these links:

WILDLIFE PHOTOGRAPHY

Wikipedia essentially defines Wildlife Photography as follows:

It is a genre of photography concerned with documenting various forms of wildlife in their natural habitat. As well as requiring photography skills, wildlife photographers may need field craft skills, e.g., some animals are difficult to approach and thus a knowledge of the animal's behavior is needed in order to be able to predict its actions. Photographing some species may require stalking skills or the use of a hide/blind for concealment.

While wildlife photographs can be taken using basic equipment, successful photography of some types of wildlife requires special equipment, such as macro lenses for insects and long  lenses for birds, wolves and other animals that are difficult to approach. However, a great wildlife photograph can also be the result of being in the right place at the right time and often involves a good understanding of animal behavior in order to anticipate interesting situations to capture in photography. We are fortunate to have a PSA Wildlife Photography Mentor with extensive experience and the desire to share what he has learned with other PSA members. His name is Jim Shane and he can help PSA members who shoot images for Open PID and/or simply for their own portfolios. 

About the Mentor: Jim Shane·

Jim Shane did not start out as a wildlife photographer. His early work was primarily shooting motorsports events for Car and Driver Magazine but he was also published in Road & Track, Motor Trend, Sports Car and others. He left photography for over 20 years to pursue a full-time career in motorsport management and in 2008 he retired to Idaho, an area without much auto racing but a lot of wildlife. He loves wildlife and nature photography and claims that he has become a “citizen scientist” who donates much of his work to various scientific or research organizations, e.g. the Cornell ebird program and The Peregrine Fund American Kestrel Partnership. In 2018 he became the Photographic Artist in Residence for the 25th anniversary of the Morley Nelson Snake River Birds of Prey National Conservation Area where he contributes to several other research programs.

About 5 years ago he was asked to assist The World Center for Birds of Prey in Boise, Idaho in developing their annual photo contest. It was the process of organizing and operating the PSA Recognized “Raptors at Risk” International Exhibition that introduced him to the PSA ROPA program and entering exhibitions.  Through this process he has become intimately aware of the Nature and Wildlife rules and can help PSA members who wish to pursue participation in those categories.

Examples of Wildlife Photography by Jim Shane·

Examples of Wildlife Photography by Jim Shane·

Baby Raptor Eyes

Madison Crossing

Dogbane Beetle

The Sentinel

Woodland Ruler

Rising Snows