What Settings Did You Use?

I get asked “What settings did you use?” pretty often, and I don’t mind letting the cat out of the bag, but telling someone the settings for a particular picture doesn’t do that much good without a background in the fundamentals of photography. If you know just a little, you should be able to guess the settings. Here’s the secret to guessing what settings I used on a photo:

Quick-and-Dirty Rules for Aperture

Note that most of the time, but not always these q&d rules work.

Ask yourself this question: Is everything in focus from the foreground near where the photographer was standing to the background near the horizon?

• If yes, then that photo has a deep depth of field (DOF), which means that it was shot with a f/stop of 11 or above.
• If no, then that photo has a shallow DOF, which means that it was shot with a f/stop of 5.6 or below.
• If maybe, then that photo might have been shot with an f/stop of 5.6 to 8 or was focused somewhere that created fuzziness.

Quick-and-Dirty Rules for Shutter Speed

Ask yourself this question: Is the action stopped or blurred?

• If stopped, then it was a fast shutter speed probably above 1/125th of a second.
• If blurred, then it was a slow shutter speed probably under 1/15th of a second.
• If it’s really blurred, such as with many of my Lake Superior pictures, then it was a super slow shutter speed probably around 30 seconds.

The Answer Key

Aperture controls DOF, which is how much appears to be in focus in the picture. Apertures of f/11 and above make lots of the frame in focus. Apertures below f/5.6 often blur the background. For landscapes, you use f/11 and above most of the time, and for portraits you use f/5.6 and below to blur out the background and separate the subject from the background.

Shutter speed controls action. To stop it, you use a shutter speed above 1/125. To blur it, you use something below 1/15. Once you get out into 1.5 seconds or longer is when water starts to get that blurred silky look.

Shameless Self Promotion

We filled my waterfall workshop at Lutsen Resort, so I’ve started a waiting list. If I can get four people on the waiting list, I’ll run a second waterfall workshop on April 13 to April 15 in Grand Marais. Email me at bryan@bryanhansel.com for more information. That leaves only three more workshops that I’m teaching this year:

• June 15 to 16, 2012 - Minnesota Wildflower Photography Workshop at the North House Folk School.
• September 26 to 30, 2012 - Fall Color Lake Superior Photography Workshop in Grand Marais.
• November 9 to 11, 2012 - Lake Superior Gales of November Photography Workshop at Lutsen Resort.

The June workshop started filling up months ago, so if you want to get on it, you’ll need to act quickly. The Fall Color Photography workshop also is starting to fill up. Right now, I haven’t partnered with a local hotel on it, but I’m working on a package, and I’ll announce it if it happens. People that signed up already will be able to get into the package if it happens. It’s pretty far out to think about Gales, but that one always fills up. I also teach one-on-one and small group workshops if you can’t make it to one of my main workshops.

A Shameless Dilemma

A couple of weeks ago, I posted on my Facebook page that I needed 35 people to buy a $100 print so that I could buy a new camera. One person who follows my photos on Facebook mentioned that I should try to get 100 people to buy a $35 print instead. I think that’s a really good idea. For those of you that are thinking, doesn’t this guy save for capital investments like a new camera system; I do, but here’s the issue: I got surprised. I have money set aside to buy a camera, but I wasn’t expecting Nikon to come out with a 36mp camera at the price they did ($3000). This new extremely high MP camera is going to require that I buy a new computer system just so I can process the images, and I’m going to need to buy one new lens because one of my lenses just won’t be up to par on this camera (computer + lens = $3000).

I need a new camera, because my primary camera is from 2005. That’s ancient history in the digital world. It makes great images, but when I see what the new cameras can do, I’m amazed. Plus, I feel like I’m running up against the limitations of this camera, especially during night shots.

The benefit to you is that if you follow my daily photos on Facebook, you’ll see them get better! Plus, I’d make a new ebook called A Photographer’s Guide to Minnesota’s North Shore. I’d even give away my favorite spots and some hidden gems that just don’t ever get photographed.

So, I’m considering starting a Kickstarter project to raise money. I’d have several reward levels, such as:

$10 – A copy of the ebook.

$35 – A 8×12 print signed by me.

$120 – A 16×20 print signed by me.

$200 – A one-on-one photography lesson

$500 – A full-day photography lesson for you and three of your friends.

etc… Probably a couple of other levels, too.

If I could get 100 people to back that project, I’d be able to afford the camera and new computer system. I’d love to hear your thought.

Pretty Pictures from March

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This is a post from Bryan Hansel Photography. Respond and ask questions at The Grand Marais Photographer Newsletter April 2012.

Why did I get so many good ones this year?

I think a couple of reasons: 1. I shot every sunrise and sunset that I could. I missed out on a week when I was under the weather, 2. This year is different. Usually, February gives us lots of ice and clouds, but we had no ice and clear days. That left the basalt on Lake Superior exposed, and 3. The sun rises and sets over Lake Superior during the entire month.

How to Organize Your Photos

Those of you that attend my Lake Superior Photography Workshops know that I use and love Adobe Photoshop Lightroom 3 for about 99% of everything that I do. The reason that I use it is because it’s an organizational tool and an image processor in one program. It simplifies computer work for the photographer, because it includes almost everything that you’d need, and, in many ways, it works just like the old chemical black and white darkroom worked — you can dodge and burn and make any kind of mask that you can think of.

Here’s what I do to organize my photos.

1. Import all my photos into Lightroom and rename them as I import. I rename the YYMMDD-XXX, so the 17th picture that I took on March 1, 2012 would look like 120301-17. If I shoot a sunrise and sunset on the same day, I start the sequence for the sunset at 250 to 500 depending on how many sunrise pictures I took. I also assign general keywords to the entire import, so from sunrise on Lake Superior in March it might look like: sunrise, Lake Superior, winter, ice, waves, yellow, Cascade River State Park, etc…
2. I sort through all the images looking for images that I can delete and I flag all those with an “X.” I usually delete at least 5 out of 10 photos and sometimes 7 out of 10 photos. I shoots lots of the same composition with different waves until I get the wave that I love, and then delete those that I don’t like. On a commercial shoot, I usually only delete 1 in 10.
3. I then sort through all the photos and flag those that I want to work on. This sometimes occurs with step 2.
4. I also work on rating the images with this scheme: No rating for images that I want to keep but I don’t think will ever earn money. One star for images that might make me $25. When bulk requests for images come in, these are often what goes out. They’re good, but I don’t care if my name is on them. Three stars for stock images that I would like to have my name associated with. Five stars for those signature images and top quality. I use two and four stars as a placeholder until I can decide exactly where they belong. Two stars means I’m waffling between one and three stars, and four means I’m waffling between three and five stars. I basically use the same method as Galen Rowell via Thom Hogan. (If you shoot Nikon you should follow Thom’s website.)
5. I keyword individual photos with more specific keywords as needed. For example, if I used the general keywords in step one, I may refine them with: river mouth, running water, long exposure, blurred water, dreamy, cold, etc…
6. Then I work on those flagged photos and export any five star images to put on my website or Facebook. I sometimes add three star images to my website or Facebook as well.

And that’s it. I can generally get one morning of shooting done in about one to two hours of computer work. So, a sunrise photo shoot usually ends up being about four or five hours of work. That includes the driving, the shooting and the image processing.

Shameless Self Promotion Section

Wherein I shamelessly self promote:

• I still have space in my Spring Waterfall Photography Workshop at Lutsen Resort.
• I made a new Flickr group for people that have taken my photography workshops. If you’ve been on one of my workshops, just join and I’ll approve you. If you have an unusual user name on Flickr send me a note on who you are and which workshop you took. Then feel free to add pictures from the workshop or pictures that were influenced by the workshop. If you haven’t been on a workshop, you can see a few pictures of me doing embarrassing things.

Photography Resources

Speaking of Galen Rowell, you should own one of his books if you’re an outdoor photographer. I was lucky and after he passed away I found many of these books on sale at a book store, so I think I got all three for $15. They’re not that cheap anymore. While some of the info is related to film in these books, most of it is about inspiration, technique and vision.

• Galen Rowell’s Inner Game of Outdoor Photography
• Mountain Light: In Search of the Dynamic Landscape
• Galen Rowell’s Vision: The Art of Adventure Photography

Hope you had a good photography month and a better one in March.

A Few Photographs from Feb

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This is a post from Bryan Hansel Photography. Respond and ask questions at The Grand Marais Photographer Newsletter March 2012.

How Do You Know When There Will Be Big Waves on Lake Superior?

Last month on Facebook, I was asked, “How exactly would a person know what the waves are like up there? I am in the Cities and have been dying to see big waves.”

Here’s my answer:

It’s a black art of weather prediction. The waves get best for us on northeast and southwest blows. Although a really strong wind from directly east, west or south can also give us good waves. North and northwest winds do nothing for us. The shore will be calm on those winds.

Waves are created by wind and their size results from the combination of wind speed, wind duration and the fetch (distance that wind blows over the water). To get bigger waves you need a long fetch (NE & SW), strong winds and the wind blowing for a long time.

With 15 to 20 mph wind from the right directions we’re likely to see between 2 and 6 foot of waves depending on the time the wind is blowing. With winds between 20 and 30, we’ll often see 6 to 8. When winds get above 30 mph is when the big waves hit.

The Grand Marais lighthouse works best on 20+mph days with SW winds. It can also go with south and really big NE winds. The East Bay explodes with NE winds. If it’s raining and the NE winds are blowing often the downtown parking lot in front of the Co-Op will flood, because the water level of the East Bay rises with a storm surge and seiche which prevents the water from draining out of the parking lot.

There are a few tools you can use to help your search for waves. The first is the NOAA Marine Forecast  and the second is NOAA’s Great Lake Forecasting System.  Both have flaws, they often predict waves bigger than we actually get, but they give you good info to go off of.

I use the tools and combine that with NOAA’s weather forecast for Grand Marais (or wherever I’m at). I look back at the weather history for the last few hours, look at the forecast and then make that black art prediction about whether or not we’re going to have the right weather to make big waves.

But the quick and dirty answer is there will be waves if the wind blows from the northeast or southwest at 15+ knots for longer that a couple of hours. For big waves, the wind needs to blow at 20+ knots for four or more hours.

Mogul’s Ice Bar

If you’re in the area this winter, make sure to stop at Caribou Highlands to see the sculpted ice bar. I had the opportunity to photograph the ice bar on the night it opened. You can see a picture to the left. After I photographed it, I stopped in a Mogul’s to chat with a buddy of mine and had Mogul’s hamburger. I’m a big fan of hamburgers and I’d have to say that Mogul’s serves one of the best on the north shore. See more picture Mogul’s Ice Bar website.

Shameless Self-Promotion – Lake Superior Photography Workshop Edition

December brought about some exciting news for me. My Winter Photography Workshop filled up. We added a waiting list. If we get four people to signup before Feb 3-5, I’ll teach another workshop on that weekend. It’s $250 at Lutsen Resort. To sign up call 218-663-7212.

I still have space in my North House Folk School Capturing the Frozen Shore: Photographing Lake Superior in Winter 1.5-day photography workshop March 9 to 10. This is a bargain at $135. Call 888-387-9762 to sign up.

We opened up the Lake Superior Spring Waterfall Photography Workshop for sign ups. This is a fun one. When the winter snow pack melts, it flows 100s of feet off the highlands down to Lake Superior through basalt canyons and over waterfalls. The ground thunders, and it’s one of the most amazing experiences to witness in person. The workshop is hosted by Lutsen Resort, runs from April 20th to the 22nd and costs $250. Call Lutsen Resort at 218-663-7212 to sign up.

Consider an one-on-one Lake Superior Photography Workshop if you want individual instruction.

Winter is a unique and great time to get your family portrait taken in Grand Marais.

Inexpensive Photography Resources

I’m always on the lookout for inexpensive ways that I can learn to improve my photography. Craft And Vision offers many ebooks for just $5 a piece. I have almost every one that they produced and I really enjoy them. Something to check out if improving your photography is a new year’s resolution.

Photos From the Northland

Here are a few of my favorite photos from the northland from December.

Happy New Year!

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This is a post from Bryan Hansel Photography. Respond and ask questions at January 2012 Newsletter – The Grand Marais Photography Update.

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This is a post from Bryan Hansel Photography. Respond and ask questions at A Stream Inside a Circle.

• When: February, 10 to 12, 2012 (full)
• Added session!: February 24 to 26, 2012 (still space left) – Call 218-348-7864 or email me at bryan@bryanhansel.com to register.
• Workshop Fee: $250/person
• Lodging From: $99/night
  Dining: Meals will be available in our Lakeside Dining Room and Poplar River Pub
• For Reservations: Call 218-663-7212 or 1-800-2LUTSEN (258-8736)
• More Info
• Winter Photography Workshop Package
  

Winter Photography Workshop Activity Descriptions

Like my other photography workshops this winter photography workshop in the Lutsen and Grand Marais area combines classroom time with plenty of field-work time and a final review.  You’ll learn photography techniques for landscapes, how to stay warm in February temperatures, and how to keep your camera running in the cold.  There’s plenty of time for one-on-one instruction with the small group size.

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 10
Meet at 7PM for introductions and two classroom presentations.  The first discusses how to stay warm.  The second presentation focuses on keeping your camera gear running in the cold temperatures.

SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 11
The day starts early with a morning session on the Lake Superior shoreline photographing the sunrise.  Then we will break for breakfast which is available at the main lodge or on your own.  We’ll assemble after breakfast for a brief classroom session and then head back out into the field for a full-day adventure.  Box lunches may be ordered at the front desk.  Depending on the weather, we may hike deep into a canyon of a North Shore river to photograph frozen waterfalls, or we may visit multiple locations warming up in the van before we venture out.  After sunset, we will break for dinner.  After dinner you may use the classroom to sort through the day’s pictures.  Bryan will be around until 9PM to answer questions and give feedback.

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 12
We assemble before sunrise in the Main Lodge lobby to head out for a sunrise photography session. A late breakfast will be available at the main lodge or on your own.  After breakfast we’ll have a slide show.  The workshop ends at 1PM.

Required Photography Equipment

Camera: A SLR style digital camera or a point and shoot that allows you to manually set your shutter speed and aperture is highly recommended, but other cameras will also work.

Filters: A polarizing filter is highly recommended. Two and Three Step ND Grads with Holder and rings for your lenses. Learn more about filters for this workshop.

Other Suggested Equipment: Bring a tripod, your camera’s manual, and a laptop computer. Call for recommendations.

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This is a post from Bryan Hansel Photography. Respond and ask questions at Lake Superior Winter Photography Workshop 2012.

Via Flickr:
Canoeing on Sag in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness. A dense fog covers everything.

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The calendar is printed on sturdy card stock and is 11 inches wide by 17 inches long when open. The colors jump off the page. After 2010, I felt bad recycling mine, because the images looked that good.

Image Locations

Here’s a list of where the Lake Superior calendar images were taken:

• Cover: Artist’s Point in Grand Marais
• January: Paradise Beach
• February: 121 Beach
• March: George Washington Pines
• April: Flute Reed River
• May: Artist’s Point in Grand Marais
• June: Near my house in Grand Marais
• July: 121 Beach on the Superior Hiking Trail Lake Walk section
• August: Near the Grand Marais campground
• September: Near the Grand Marais campground
• October: Northern Lights Lake on the Gunflint Trail
• November: Artist’s Point in Grand Marais
• December: Grand Marais

Buy Now

Buy my Lake Superior Calendar for $19.99 now. Buy it from Lulu by clicking here now.

Click on a thumbnail to see the full image.

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This is a post from Bryan Hansel Photography. Respond and ask questions at Northern Landscapes 2012 Calendar – a Lake Superior Calendar.

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I think photography workshops need to accomplish a few things:

1. You need to learn how to use your camera better.
2. You need to learn how to see and capture photos better.
3. They need to take place in beautiful locations.
4. They must be fun.

By combining those four aspects, I set up a learning experience that helps you capture stunning photos during the photo class. When you leave, you’ll have the knowledge to do it on your own. During my individual and small group Lake Superior Photography Workshops, I tailor the lesson plans to you. If you need to learn about depth-of-field to get everything in focus or to blur the background or how to make waterfalls look silky or how to freeze the motion of a wave, the workshop will teach you those things. If you don’t understand white balance, ISO, file sizes, camera buttons, then by the time the workshop is over you will. I also help you see photos while along the jaw-dropping Lake Superior shoreline, and then I teach you techniques to translate those scenes into a stunning photo. Plus, I keep everything fun!

For locations, I offer Grand Marais Photography Workshops, Lake Superior Photography Workshops, Boundary Waters Photography Workshops, and workshops in the Lutsen and Tofte area. Other areas are possible.

Lake Superior Photography Workshops Price:

1 person: $225 half-day / $375 full-day
2 people: $280 half-day / $480 full-day  ($140/$240 per person)
3 people: $330 half-day / $585 full-day  ($110/$195 per person)
4 people: $380 half-day / $660 full-day  ($95/$165 per person)

Time:

Half-day: We meet before the sunrise and shoot until 11am, or meet for a four to five hour session mid-day or before sunset.
Full-day: We meet before the sunrise and shoot until sunset. During the long summer days, we’ll take a break mid-day to eat lunch and relax. Total lesson time runs between eight and nine hours.

Required down-payment: 50% of the total cost of the program. These down payments are non-refundable but may be transfered.
Questions? Email me at: bryan@bryanhansel.com

Reserve Now:

Lake Superior Photography Workshops

1 person half-day $225.00 2 people half-day $280.00 3 people half-day $330.00 4 people half-day $380.00 1 person full-day $375.00 2 people full-day $480.00 3 people full-day $585.00 4 people full-day $660.00

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This is a post from Bryan Hansel Photography. Respond and ask questions at Individual and Small Group Lake Superior Photography Workshops.