When I frame an image in my viewfinder, I know that my medium format camera has a 3:2 aspect ratio. This aspect ratio translates exactly to the popular printing dimensions of 4×6 inches. So, when I give the digital images to a client, I generally keep the original 3:2 aspect ratio even though I may crop something out. This gives the maximum area for each image, so that the least amount of the image is cropped out.
This concept can be confusing if you’re not used to dealing with it. I hope I’m explaining it well enough. If I’m not, these examples may help my fellow visual learners:
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I usually allow for extra space around the edges when I’m framing my shot, so that nothing important will be cropped out if someone decides that they want an 8×10 of an image. While capturing a fast paced event like a wedding, sometimes it’s difficult to frame an image perfectly. If someone wants a 3:2 image cropped down to an 11×14 print, sometimes there’s not a lot to work with. In other words, not every image will look good at any aspect ratio. Here is an example of what you wouldn’t want to happen:
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The original crop was a bit tight to begin with, but it had to be done to get rid of my fellow photographer’s flash popping into the shot. In my opinion, this shouldn’t be cropped anymore. If I cropped to 11×14, I’d still be cutting a lot of somebody off, and I think that would ruin the excitement of this image.
I try my best to give some extra room around the edges, but when someone or something pops into a great shot, there may be nothing you can do to save the photo besides cropping it out. This means that some images were fated only to be printed at 4×6, as much as it pains me to say. The good news is that custom print sizes are available, but they might be harder to mat and frame. I can do all of that for you of course. 😉
*Update: I found another good explanation of this concept by Joe Farace on PhotoFocus : http://photofocus.com/2011/06/02/full-frame-vs-full-image/
I just want to say that I haven’t forgotten that I have a blog to keep up with. I do have a valid excuse, I swear!
And here it is: I just had a hard drive crash. I have been going through a lot to get back into the swing of things. If you’ve never had a hard drive crash, first thank your lucky stars. Secondly, read on to find out what a nightmare it can be…
This is my second hard drive failure in very recent history. The first one taught me to back up everything immediately. I did lose a few things, including precious, irreplacable photos. I fortunately had almost everything backed up onto DVDs and CDs, but it was still painful to lose even some of my things. After that crash, I invested in a RAID external hard drive. It is 2 drives in one, and everything that I put on one is automatically copied onto the second. In additon to that, I continue to back up everything on DVDs as well. I would say that I am less paranoid than prepared, especially considering my recent crash. Good thing I have that external hard drive, huh?
So, I didn’t lose anything that I couldn’t get back this time around, but this time it was my new computer’s internal drive that crashed. This time it was only a matter of inconvenience for me. Once I figured out what the heck happened to my brand spanking new Mac, I took it in and got a new drive within 2 days (still under warranty, woohoo!!). When you decide to purchase a new computer, you’re usually too excited to care about all of the updates and installations you have to do, but when you unexpectedly have to do all of that (right after having just done it weeks earlier), it can be quite annoying. I’m still in the process of doing everything. I seem to have lost some software since installing it the first time… I know it’s around here somewhere.
Anyway, it’s been a huge pain. I mean I JUST did all of this a couple of months ago! I had everything the way it should be and then bam! I had to do it all over again. I really shouldn’t complain since I didn’t lose anything important. I would just like to emphasize how important it is to BACK UP EVERYTHING! Hopefully you’ll take my word for it, because it’s not a matter of IF, it’s a matter of WHEN. Or so I’ve heard. And for me, I guess it’s a matter of how often?
So, this weekend is dedicated to getting my software installed, and then I can continue with my posts. I’m also in the process of updating the look of my site. So far I have added some social media buttons, including Twitter updates. Have you noticed the little sidebar drawer tab? Pretty cool, huh? Next I will probably be updating my gallery pages to look very sleek. Just before the crash I was able to upgrade my ProPhoto 2 WordPress theme to the fabulous ProPhoto 3 version that you see before you. This one includes some gallery options that I’ve been searching for for far too long. I’ll let you know when those are up. I can’t wait!
Now if I could just find that software…
I’m offering a $40 photo session to raise money for Get Hitched, Give Hope, an organization that grants wishes to breast cancer patients. The sessions I’m offering: engagement, maternity, baby, or family. I will donate $100 of my own to this non profit organization and you will get a very affordable photo session! But hurry, this has to take place during September!!!
I will only have time for one photo session before the end of September. This means, you’ll have to win yours by leaving a COMMENT in response to THIS post, about why you want to do this and I will pick which one I like the best!
Find out about the organization, how you can attend a fun event, and how else you can help at www.gethitchedgivehope.com .
To be a photo giver yourself: www.gethitchedgivehope.com/2010/08/be-a-photo-giver .
I helped my friend, Natasha Ali, shoot a wedding several weeks ago at the remote Strathcona Lodge on beautiful Vancouver Island. After delivering the goods to my friend, I was able to kick back and not worry about editing too much since I didn’t have all of the responsibility that I usually have. Now that I’ve got a little more time on my hands and I’ve gotten her permission, I wanted to share what I shot of the wedding.
It was a gorgeous setting for a wedding! The mountains, the lake, and even the weather made the drive up from Seattle totally worth the effort!
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We began with the “getting ready shots” as I tend to call them. I shot much of the ladies getting ready, which allowed Natasha to get some shots of the guys as well as the girls. The girls got all gussied up in a huge cabin that overlooked the lake.
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Meanwhile some of the non-wedding party guys were waiting patiently outside…
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Natasha and I ended up with some free minutes, so we headed up into the woods to find the barn where the reception was to be held.
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After some group shots, of which I didn’t many because we were short on time, everybody started heading to the ceremony.
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I don’t think I’ve ever seen a more beautiful ceremony! The setting was unbelievably beautiful. I just wish I was the main photographer so that I could have gotten all of the shots that I was looking for. Sometimes when you shoot with someone else, it’s hard to keep them out of the photos! You can see Natasha’s flash diffuser peaking into one of the shots if you look for it. 🙂
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This couple was really great. We couldn’t have asked for a prettier, more expressive bride. And the groom was just a ham! The whole wedding party was wonderful as well, as you can see from some of the group shots I was able to catch towards the end of the day. They wanted to pose by the trucks because the groom’s family owned a logging company. I thought the trucks really made these photos.
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Then, of course, there was dancing…
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So, all in all, it was a great day! Low(er) pressure for me as the second shooter, ideal location, laid back people, and time with a friend. Good times!
You should check out what else Natasha can do at cargocollective.com/Natashaaliphotography . Her extraordinary talent also goes beyond photography, check this one out too: www.natashaali.com .
My friend Lisa came out to visit me from Virginia. We grew up there together and have kept in touch ever since I left for college. I was maybe a little too excited to finally have a visitor from VA, so I made sure to show her as much as possible in the few days that she was here.
I wanted to give her a good sample of what the beautiful Northwest has to offer. We started right away, not even an hour after her plane landed. I had a small window of opportunity to show her a lesser known view of Seattle from the top of the Columbia Tower, our tallest skyscraper. The hours that we could access the observation deck gave us just enough time to get up there and see the city on this beautiful day.
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The next day I took her whale watching, because I knew we were both obsessed with whales as kids (I still am I guess). We climbed aboard the Mystic Sea, a comfortably sized boat that took us from Anacortes, WA out to the San Juan Islands and practically into Canada. I chose the Mystic Sea Charter company because the price was good for the amount of time spent on the vessel and because Anacortes seems more convenient than bothering with ferries. I was happy with our distant sightings of breeching Killer Whales, but not happy with the quality of the lens I chose to borrow for the trip. It’s the longest one I could get my hands on right away, so I’m grateful that I at least had some reach for those long shots. Anyway, we had a great time and the crew was extremely nice and informative.
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Next on our agenda was camping. Lisa had never been before, so I thought I would ease her in at the nice campground at Deception Pass… and it was really close! No pictures of that because I was pretty busy setting everything up and cooking a yummy campfire dinner. She seemed to be okay until she remembered the stories she had just been told about bears and serial killers from WA. Silly Lisa! Anyway, she was fine after awhile and crashed pretty hard after our long day.
The next day we headed north and paused in Bellingham (my old college town) for a coffee. Then we continued driving on to Mt. Baker so that Lisa could see her first waterfall and go on her first hike. Like I said, I wanted to show her as much of the best of the Northwest as possible! We stopped briefly for Nooksack Falls, a waterfall that wasn’t far from the road. Then we continued along the spectacularly gorgeous road that ended at Artist’s point, where we started our hike to Ptarmigan Ridge. I’m not sure how far we made it on the hike, but we weren’t hiking for very long before we decided to stop and eat. We made it far enough for me to show Lisa what I wanted her to see; the magnificent views of Mt. Baker and Mt. Shuksan. I had planned on taking her here specifically because of the nearly panoramic views of our mountains, which can’t be compared to anything she’s ever seen before. She said the hike was her favorite part of the trip!
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By the end of the hike we were pretty tired of going, going, going. Unfortunately, we still had to GO back home! So, I allowed Lisa to sleep while I drove… afterall, she was still on VA time, 3 hours ahead. The drive wasn’t too terribly long, but we did take it easy for awhile after we got back to Seattle. The next day was going to be another full one!
I wanted to show Lisa the sites of Seattle. I took her to the Ballard Locks, Alki, Kerry Park, Husky Deli (mmmmm!!), and the Fremont Troll. I just love Seattle and all it’s little parks and viewpoints, but I didn’t get to all of my favorites. Of course we also went to Pike Place Market, which she had heard a lot about. I’m never that excited about Pike Place because of the crowds, but it was relatively painless that day since she wasn’t too interested in shopping. I remembered to try and find the famous gum wall again. I had failed once in the past and forgotten to look every other time. This time I was successful and happy with this new (to me) discovery at Pike Place. Lisa seemed to be fascinated by the wall of gum too. I’m not sure why everybody likes it so much, but it is pretty intriguing… and disgusting!
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After the troll, we were pretty spent. I know that Lisa had fun though, so I’m glad I subjected her to so much Northwest activity in a 3 and 1/2 day period! Thanks for coming Lisa! You’re awesome! 🙂
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