Photoshop Insider

We posted another new online training class from the amazing Joe McNally at KelbyTraining.com this week, and this one is on corporate photography, in particular, shooting an executive portrait on location.

Joe takes you through the entire process, and it’s really fascinating to see how he deals with problems that crop up, how he deals with lighting challenges, and how he works with the executive to get the shot. Click here for more info.

I was talking with my buddy Terry White earlier this week about my photo storage problems. It seems that no matter how much extra drive space I add, before long I’m out of space again. He’s got the same problem. Maybe worse.

Part of the problem is our files are just too darn big; now even entry-level DSLRs are 12 megapixels, and a Canon 50D is up to 15 megapixels. If you shoot in raw, after five or six clicks you’ve eaten up nearly 100MB, and if you’re shooting a wedding or event, you can eat up 10 or 12GB fairly easily. If you have a 500GB hard drive for backing up your photos, and you only shoot one wedding a week, it’ll start getting kinda full in around 8 or so months.

What got me to thinkin’
In a moment, I’m going to go over my backup strategy, but before we even get there, I honestly think I might be backing up too much. Here’s what made me start thinking like that. Terry recently did a portrait shoot where he took 710 photos during the shoot. His subject reviewed the images in Lightroom, and choose the shots she liked (around 70 initially, then she narrowed it down to her favorite 5 or 6). Then Terry picked his favorites, and he chose 5 or 6.

So, what do we all do next? That’s right, we back up all 710 photos, even though the subject has already said, “I only like these 70.” She looked at them all, told the photographer straight up, “I don’t want any of the other 640 images” but we back them all up anyway. Now, Terry asked me, “What are the chances that she is going to come back some time in the future and ask for one of the ones she didn’t like? Right. Slim to none. Yet, we still store ‘em, and watch them eat up our drive space, and add more complexity to our file management. Like Terry says, “Those 640 images are never going to see the light of day. I don’t have any use for them. She doesn’t have any use for them, but I’m backing ‘em up anyway. Why?”

Client Work Backups
Now, Terry can make a good case for not backing up all 710 shots, but if you’re (more…)

So a few days ago, I’m standing in my kitchen, having a bowl a cereal, and I notice a large bird flying right outside my kitchen window, and I say, out loud (with nobody around but me), “Oh my gosh was that a bald Eagle???!!!!!”

I’ve lived in Florida my entire life, and I can tell you the only time I’ve ever seen an American Bald Eagle in person was in a zoo, and now there’s one in my backyard. Anyway, I keep looking out the window and he lands at the top of a tree right in my backyard. I am stunned. So, I grab my camera, put my new 200-400mm f/4 lens on, attach a monopod, and go running out the door.

Amazingly, he’s still there once I get back there with my gear, but I’m not 100% certain it’s really a bald Eagle (for the reasons listed above), until I zoom in on him, and son-of-a-gun; it is! Now, you’d figure that I would carefully, slowly, and deliberately find a hidden vantage point to shoot from, but I was so excited, I just plopped my monopod right on a walkway in the backyard and aimed up at the tree. You can guess what happened next.

Needless to say, I scared the eagle away, and he took off, but just as he did I was able to snap a few shots (shown above—click for a larger view). I totally know that these aren’t great eagle shots, and I know that it was silly to run out there and clunk down my monopod and start firing, but I was just so freaked out/amazed that there was a bald eagle in my backyard, that I’m lucky I got a shot off at all. Sadly, the Eagle hasn’t been back since. He must know that now I’m poised and ready.

One thing I didn’t expect during my sideline shoot at the Chicago Bears vs. Eagles game, was that I’d meet celebrities Ashton Kutcher and Demi Moore before the game (I’ve learned since, that Ashton is a longtime devoted Bears fan). My buddy, Bears Chairman Mike McCaskey, brought me over to meet them for minute before the game, and they were both just as nice as they could be.

They talked about their Fantasy teams (they each have one), and how they have big football parties at their house on Sundays, and they just seemed really nice and regular (Demi was much more petite than I realized), despite the fact that everyone standing around them were freaking out as if a bald eagle had flown into their back yard (see the post above).

As I stepped away, another field photographer came up and asked, “Was that Ashton and Demi?” and I said “Yeah.” He said, “Did you get a shot of them?” I hadn’t, so I stepped back (way back, because I had my long glass on), and took the snapshot you see above (that’s Mike McCaskey on the right—one of the nicest and most genuine guys you’d ever want to meet).

I started writing this post earlier in the week—-right after my Chicago Bears vs. Philly sideline shoot, and I hadn’t had a chance to finish it, but last night I shot the USF #10 ranked Bulls vs. Pitt from the sidelines, so I thought I’d go ahead and finish off the week with it (the top shot above is of Pitt Running Back LeSean McCoy just after scoring a touchdown during last night’s game).

So here’s where my problems started: I need to take five bags with me on my flight to Chicago to shoot the Bears vs. Eagles. They are:

1. My Camera Bag
2. My Lens Case (the 200-400mm is so big is has it’s own separate case with shoulder strap), but at least I can strap my monopod to the case.
3. My laptop bag (I have to have my computer, right?)
4. My rolling overnighter luggage (I have to take clothes)
5. My Think Tank gear belt for shooting on the sidelines

Of course, we’re only allowed two carry-ons on the plane. The easy choice was to check my overnight luggage bag (which I did), and since I was only going away for one night, and didn’t have to pack much, I took apart my Think Tank belt, and put it in my overnight luggage as well.

That still left with me three carry-ons (one over the limit):

1. My Camera Bag
2. My Lens Bag
3. My Computer Bag

…so something had to get checked or left behind. My first thought was to use a backpack camera bag that would hold my camera gear and my laptop, but on the sidelines of a game, you don’t really have any place to store your gear—your stuff has to stay with you (which is why I wanted to try out my new Think Tank modular gear belt).

So, here’s what I tried: Pelican makes a case called the “Pelican Case Cruzer” (see the photo below from Pelican’s website) and in the main compartment you store your camera gear, and up in the lid is a panel, and inside that panel is a cutout sized for an Apple 15″ MacBook Pro and an Apple Power Adapter. Plus (and this is a big plus)….it rolls!

I loaded mine with two camera bodies, a 24-70mm f/2.8 Nikon lens, a 10.5 Nikon fisheye lens, a 50mm f/1.4 prime lens, an SB-900 flash (hey, ya never know), an Epson P-5000 photo viewer/backup, and an assortment of back batteries, cables, and other stuff that rolls around in your case.

Pros: This actually solved my main carry-on problem, because now my camera gear and computer were both in one crazy-rugged, rolling carry-on. It’s small size is really great, because it’ll fit in the most any overhead, or under your seat if need be. The inside dividers are completely configurable, so you can set it up exactly like you need it. Plus, it looks cool (and looks count).

Cons: Every camera bag I’ve ever owned had a zipper pouch area, or a zippered pocket, etc. where you could store extra batteries, cables, and all that extra little stuff, but with the Case Cruzer you don’t—it’s just configurable dividers and that’s it. I really miss that little zippered pouch (even more than I imagined). Also, it’s just a little too shallow, so you can’t fit a Nikon D3 without laying it down flat, which takes up a lot more room (notice in the photo above, how they have the Canon body lying flat), and the same with Nikon’s new SB-900s. The other downside is that while it’s designed to hold your Apple power adapter, it’s not really designed to accommodate the cord (especially the longer white power cord), so I had remove that part of my adapter and toss that in with my camera gear. One more con: there’s a “lack of laptop access” challenge since your laptop is stored in your camera bag. If you need your laptop during your flight, you have to pull your whole bag down, which is a bit of a hassle, since it’s so heavy when fully loaded.

All in all, I pretty much liked Case Cruzer, and it did work to get me down to two carry-ons, but it’s just not quite 100% there. I wish I could design two camera bags myself; a “Nikon shooter’s bag” and a “Canon shooter’s bag.” But in the meantime, this will have to do.

I wanted to take my “Think Tank Modular Belt System” out for a try (you can see it in the photo above from Sunday’s shoot—it wears like a belt, with different compartments for different lenses and accessories). But here’s the new problem–how do I get it to Chicago? I don’t know what everybody else does, but I packed it in my checked luggage. There’s probably a better way, but I don’t know what it is. Anyway, the Think Tank system absolutely rocks for Sports Photography. I hate carrying a camera bag over my shoulder, and on the sidelines, there’s really no place to store yours safely, so you have to lug it around (but nobody does, because nearly everybody has a Think Tank system around their waist).

Anyway, I’m amazed at how well it works; how handy your gear is, but most of all how it distributes the weight so well that you forget you even have it on. Really brilliantly designed and thought out. I still don’t know the best way to get it to the sidelines, but I sure like having it (and I used it for last night’s USF game shoot).

I also packed two of the greatest inventions known to man; Gel Knee Pads. They are absolutely invaluable!!! (I bought mine at Home Depot, and they have the word “Gel” on the front, under a clear plastic part of the pad).

So, to recap:

1. I checked my overnight luggage
2. I packed my Think Tank belt and cases in that luggage, but that only worked because I didn’t have much to pack for just an overnight trip.
3. I used the Pelican Case Cruzer to hold my camera gear, and my laptop and power cord, and I carried that on the plane.
4. My second carry-on was the Nikon lens case, so I made the “two-carry” limit no problem.

So, you can see how hard it’s become to travel with photo gear, and because of the very real worries of theft from checking camera gear in your luggage, you really have to take your gear on board as a carry-on. Also, I’m pretty queasy about shipping my gear by Fed Ex to my shoot, especially if all I can do is ship it to the hotel I’ll be staying at (I’ve had hotels turn down or refuse a delivery to a guest for no apparent reason).

Anyway, if there are any other sports shooters out there who have come up with other ideas for getting your gear to the event, and managing it once you’re there, please let me know (post a comment here), because while what I did, worked—it ain’t great.

We’re just days away from the release of the 2nd edition of my award-winning “The iPhone Book” (co-authored with my close friend and total iPhone freak Terry White), and we wanted to do something really fun to celebrate the upcoming launch of the book, so here’s what we came up with:

An Apple “iPhone Photo Contest” for photos you take with your iPhone’s built-in camera (which is a surprisingly good little camera. Just ask my wife, who has nearly 700 photos she’s taken on her iPhone). Anyway, here’s how it works:

1. You can enter up to three photos (total) taken with your iPhone (doesn’t matter if it’s the original model, or the new 3G).
2. There are five different categories; Friends, Pets, Family, Fine Art, and Office. The winner in each category gets a $100 iTunes Gift card and a copy of “The iPhone Book” 2nd edition.
3. The Grand prize winner gets a $500 Apple Store Gift Card, and a copy of “The iPhone Book” 2nd edition.
4. From the photos submitted by the deadline of Oct. 24, 2008, Terry and I will choose three finalists in each category, and then the public gets to vote for the winner in each category (the one getting the most votes wins). Then, from those Winners Terry and I will choose a Grand Prize Winner on November 3, 2008.
5. This may seem obvious, but of course, the photo has to be taken with your iPhone’s built-in camera.
6. You can edit your photos using any iPhone application available from the iTunes Apps Store, or any other image editing application, but no other non-iPhoto photos may be included in your entry (so you can’t take your iPhone photo and composite it with a photo taken with your DSLR, point-and-shoot, or a stock photo).
7. You may not give your iPhone to Jay Maisel, Joe McNally, or Moose Peterson. Not even to make a phone call.
8. There is no entry fee, and the contest is open to everyone; You do not have to buy “The iPhone Book” to enter, but it certainly wouldn’t hurt.
9. Whining of any kind, about anything, is strictly prohibited.
10. You can submit your photos, and learn more about the contest at the official contest site (here’s the link).

So that’s the scoop. I hope you guys will help me spread the word about this very cool contest, and if you have an iPhone, or know someone who has an iPhone, or if you’re just loose with money, I hope you’ll check the book out (By the way; the 1st edition of “The iPhone Book” was named by Amazon.com’s Editors as their “Computer and Technology Book of the Year” last year, and this new updated version is even bigger and better!).

Just in case you want to pick up a copy, here’s the link to the book on Amazon.com, (it’s only $13.59).

On Sunday I headed up to Chicago to shoot the Eagles/Bears NFL game at Soldier field (a few shots from the game are below). I’m totally beat (and sore, and tired), so I didn’t have time to do anything decent to them—I just ran them through Lightroom and well, here they are.

SPECS: All the shots were taken with a Nikon D700, at (are you ready for this), 4,000 ISO. I had to shoot at that high an ISO because of the stadium lights (it’s not nearly as bright as you’d think) to get my shutter speed up to at least 1/1000 of a second so I could freeze the action (though a number of times it dipped down to 1/800 of a second). But I gotta tell you—-the noise is so minimal that I am just astonished. In most cases, you have to blow it way, way up before you can really see any, and even then, you don’t really need to even run noise reduction software on it. It’s just sick (and I mean that in the good way). I used my new Nikon 200-400m f/4 VR lens for the long shots, and a Nikon 24-70mm f/2.8 for the wider shots.

You can see from the shot of me on the field below (photo by Bill Smith), I had a Think Tank gear belt on (not it’s official name), and gel knee pads (the greatest invention since Coke Zero. Thanks to Mike Olivella for turning me onto those). More about this gear, and my struggles in getting it there, tomorrow.

Anyway, I had a blast, and to top it all off the Bears won! My thanks to Mike McCaskey, and everyone in the Bears organization (they are a class act), and also to Bears team photographer Bill Smith. What a night! Come on, everybody—sing with me:

“Bear Down, Chicago Bears, make every play clear the way to victory. Bear down, Chicago Bears, put up a fight with a might so fearlessly. We’ll never forget the way you thrilled the nation, with your T-formation. Bear down, Chicago Bears, and let them know why you’re wearing the crown. You’re the pride and joy of Illinois, Chicago Bears, bear down!”

I gotta tell ya, people are lovin’ that free “Instant JPEG from Raw” utility Michael Tapes and Imagenomic created! Look at some of these comments posted by readers on Wednesday:

• “Works fantastic, Now I can shoot just in RAW instead of RAW+JPEG and get more pictures on the cards. It makes life alot easier and I can hand out the smaller sized JPEG´s much faster. Thanks for a great tool!”
• “Great program and it works so fast that I thought it was NOT working. You made my day.”
• “THANK YOU!!! you’ve literally saved me! “
• “Wonderful! Literally dropped my jaw after the first extract. I’ve already processed about 20 directories. THANK YOU!”
• “It works just fantastic!. The clearest jpegs I have seen after first shooting in raw, and then converting them.”
• “Wow, this is really useful! Big thanks Michael and Scott. I was exporting 600 RAW files the other night after a rugby tournament I shot and it was painful waiting 2 hours for them to turn to jpgs.”
  
• “This utility is a boone. Thank you very much indeed for it! “
• “It’s amazing. No more RAW+JPG!”
• “Michael-thanks for giving back to the photo community. As an aside, the program works with DNGs. Nice work!”
• “…thank you for a great little utility!! Very quick and effective!!”
• “Adobe’s PS development group have done a great job for CS4 and Michael Tapes has done a great, great, great …….great job for photographers, that too at free of cost and he deserves all credit and best wishes for making our lives so enjoyable in this profession.”
• “Thank You so much, it’s awesome!!!!”
• “I think this utility should be licensed by the camera manufacturers and adobe, implemented in the software that comes with the camera and/or Lightroom and Photoshop, and the RAW+jpg setting should simply disappear from cameras forever. Thanks so much for posting this. This is truly fantastic!”

Michael, if you were running, I’d vote for you! My thanks once again for doing something so cool and useful for our community!

On Saturday I shot the Florida State Seminoles vs. the Chattanooga Mocs from the sidelines (FSU won 46-7). Being a longtime Noles fan, this was really a treat for me (let the “Gators” comments ensue).

Below are some pics from the shoot (which are pretty much raw from the camera—I didn’t really have time to do anything but fix the white balance on two of the photos and add an unsharp mask).

SPECS: I shot with a Nikon D3, and a 300mm f/2.8 Nikon lens (which I borrowed from my buddy, sports shooter Mike Olivella) but I attached a 1.4 tele-extender attached to get me closer to the action, because the full-frame sensor puts me farther away than with my D300. All the shots were taken wide open at f/4 (with the tele-extender, you lose a stop of light) to blur the background, and most were taken at 200 ISO at around 1/2000 of a second. I also did use the D3’s high-speed Crop mode a number of times when I couldn’t get close enough to the action (because of the team’s bench, and their position on the field).

I had several challenges during the day; since the game started at 3:45 pm, by the 2nd half the field was 2/3 in the shadows, so plays would start in the sun, and end in the shade, which wreaks havoc on your white balance. I wound up having to increase my ISO to 800, which was no problem whatsoever on the D3 (I didn’t see any visible noise whatsoever). The other problem was my camera itself—it wasn’t shooting nine frames per second—for some reason it was hiccuping, and skipping frames all day. I brought a back-up D300, but my brother Jeff was with me, and I let him shoot with it, so I didn’t want to snag it back. (Had I been on assignment, I would have had to switch to it). Either way—the D3 goes to Nikon for repair today.

Overall, despite the frustration of the hiccuping, I had a great day of fun and football, and of course a win is a win!

If you’ve been wondering how the Westcott TD-5 Spiderlites you always hear me talking about here on the blog, work—I’m doing a live demo of them at the Westcott booth on the Expo Floor at 1:30 pm on Thursday (the opening day of the show).

I’ll be using the brand new brighter fluorescent bulbs, and I’m going to show how I use them, some of the set-ups I use in the studio, some of the accessories I use, and other stuff like that. I hope you’ll stop by and catch this “mini-session.”

IMPORTANT: Westcott will be also giving away one of my Westcott “Scott Kelby Studio Kits” (sold by B&H Photo) during the show, so even if you can’t catch my class, make sure you stop by and sign up for the drawing (hey, the total prize package is worth around $1,300 and comes with the new brighter bulbs—not too shabby!).