Alaska Photos

The Alaska Range above the clouds.

Here is another page I’ve sponsored:

alaska photos

Please visit the website and take a look at the fantastic work!

Selling Photos

A fall day at Cape Neddick Lighthouse

This year, I’ve slowly gotten started selling my artwork online.  Obviously, it’s not the best way to sell huge volumes of art, but I don’t have much time for selling my work at art shows, marketing myself to galleries, etc.  So I’ve posted a lot of my work online at FineArtAmerica.com.

They make it real easy to set up.  I get my own website at http://rick-berk.artistwebsites.com/, with the ability to mark up my prices as I see fit. They give you all the tools needed to market your work, and do a good deal of marketing themselves to drive people to their website.

In addition, you can sponsor pages and categories of art- so your work is sure to show up when people search those categories.

I just sponsored this page Lighthouse Photos.  Definitely go check them out.

Been a while….

The sun was coming from over my right shoulder here, and really allowed the red rocks of the canyon to glow. I decided to get low and place the palms in the foreground for interest and contrast. The polarizer and ND grad filter helped keep the sky a nice deep blue.

Hi everyone.  I apologize for the long break away.  Life’s been busy and I haven’t had as much opportunity to shoot. I’ve also started a new job, and been going through some major life changes as well.  I wanted to share a couple of shots from a recent outing.  Getting back to landscape photos when I can.   I’m on a business trip to Las Vegas and managed to get out shoot at sunset in Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area. It’s a beautiful place that bears exploring. I didn’t have much time to explore, but managed to get a few shots I was happy with.  The shots are posted below.  Both were shot using the Canon EOS 5D Mark II, with EF 24-70 f2.8L lens. I

added a Tiffen circular polarizer, as well as a HiTech 1.2 Soft Edge ND Grad filter.

Comments and critique always welcome.  Thanks!

This shot is the opposite side of the canyon from the one above. The ND grad was even more important here, to keep the rock from going into a silhouette. The glow of the rocks comes from the sun reflecting off the opposite wall of the canyon.

There’s More To Flash Than What’s On Camera

Recently I’ve been working with a lot of models and doing some portrait work as well, which has prompted some to ask me questions regarding the setup, as well as what would be a good place to start.  The first thing to remember is a lighting setup need not be complicated, and once you learn a few basic principles, it becomes infinitely easier.

Bounce Flash: This image of Yahaira was made using the EOS 1D Mark IV and and 24-105L lens. The flash was on-camera, but we are not using direct flash to light the subject. Using a reflector positioned above the camera to the left, I bounced the flash into the reflector, which then lit Yahaira's face. Mixed with the ambient light from the window behind her, this setup provided nice, soft directional lighting, and was simple to set up.

First and foremost, direct light from the camera will never be flattering to your subject.  It’s harsh, and coming straight on from the camera, that flash illuminates every forward facing surface on your subject, making them appear larger. Not what anyone wants. The easy solution is to remove the flash from the camera and use more directional light from the side.

Direct flash aside, I’ve found the simplest way to achieve nice lighting is to use your camera’s flash system.  All camera makers today have full featured wireless flash systems, that will allow you to move light off camera when ready. But before we even get to that, keep in mind that on-camera flash does not need to be direct flash.  I’ll often use a reflector set up on a stand to the side of the camera, to create a nice soft bounce on my subject. The flash then stays on camera and all I have to do is adjust the flash head to aim it at the bounce.  Remembering high school geometry helps.  By playing the angles and working with your subject’s pose, as well as using whatever light is available, you can create a number of looks. Just about any reflector will do.  I have one friend who uses the silver side of home insulation boards from Home Depot.  I have used several 5-in-1 reflectors that provide a choice of gold, silver, or white, and I’m currently loving the Westcott Bruce Dorn 42″ reflector, with the unbleached muslin.  The main key here is to use a large reflector- at least 36″.  One of the key tenets of lighting- the larger the light source, the softer the light will be. A 36 inch reflector can be had for around $40-50, with the Bruce Dorn model I use going for around $80.

Once you’ve started working with this technique, there are a number of things you can work off it. Eventually, however, you will want to move the flash off camera, for greater control of the light. I

This image of Sashalee was captured using the Canon wireless flash system. A 580 EXII was placed in a large (40x60") softbox to camera left, while a second 580EX II was placed behind the model and aimed at the red wall. A large 42" reflector was then positioned at camera right for fill.

find using Canon’s wireless speedlight system to be very easy to control the light and create different effects. Other manufacturers have similar systems.  Unfortunately, you can’t just start positioning flashes off camera wherever.  Why not?  Well, there’s that first tenet again- the larger the light source, the softer the light. Flashes are very small light sources, and thus create a very harsh light.  Which leads us to modifiers.

There are countless flash modifiers on the market. I liken them to diet pills and weight loss aids. Each one will be the one that pushes your lighting where you want it to be, with little to no effort. the problem is while there are many excellent modifiers out there, most require at least some basic lighting knowledge to be used effectively.

My favorites are the softboxes.  There are a variety out there, but for someone just starting out, it’s hard to go wrong with Westcott Apollos. They come in several sizes.  The beauty of them is that they collapse like umbrellas, so they travel well, and set up quickly and easily.  I currently have a 28″ Westcott Apollo, as well as the 16 inch Mini Apollo.  The 28 inch kit with a stand retails for less than $150.  One other softbox I use is a Westcott Bruce Dorn 18×42″ strip box.  This one’s a bit tougher to set up, but creates a soft, beautiful light.  It’s also a bit more expensive, with the softbox and Magic Slipper speed ring running at about $400 for the kit.

You’ve probably noticed I haven’t mentioned umbrellas yet.  The

This shot was made using one off-camera flash in a Westcott MiniApollo softbox. The flash was a Canon 430 EX II, positioned in the softbox to camera left, behind the model. To camera right, in front of the model, was a reflector, to kick light back into her face.

reason for this is I’m not a huge fan of umbrellas.  Don’t get me wrong, they certainly have their place in a lighting kit.  My issue with them is that for a single subject, umbrellas “spray” the light far too much.  The great thing about a softbox is that for the most part, the light goes where you aim it.  Softboxes don’t provide much in the way of spill.  Umbrellas throw a much wider swath of light, making it more difficult to control.  You may get spill on your backgrounds, or in other places you didn’t intend. I find umbrellas more useful for groups where I’ll need that wider spread. My main advice though is to find what works for you.

So, as far as what do you need to get started- I’m a Canon shooter, so I can speak to getting started from there.  Other system users, you’ll have to do a little research.  First off, you need a flash. Canon makes two that serve the purpose well- the 580 EX II or the 430 EX II. For a first flash, to be completely honest, either one makes an excellent choice. Both have swivel heads and bounce capabilities, allowing you to start mastering bounce flash using those reflectors right away.  If you’re just starting with flash, I’d suggest purchasing a flash and good reflector first. If you don’t have a permanent assistant, look into a light stand and a reflector holder.  Worth the money.

When you’re ready to go off camera, you’ll need a few things. First off, you need a Master to trigger the wireless flashes. In the Canon system, you have a couple of options. The first option is the ST-E2 transmitter. This unit mounts like a flash and can trigger flashes in two groups, A &B. Your second option is the 580 EX II.  This flash can be used in “Master” mode, to trigger other off-camera flashes, in three groups, A, B, & C.  The important thing is that the Master Flash on the camera, does not need to fire for the exposure, so even though you have a flash on camera, your image will not have that straight on flash look. For 7D and 60D owners, the pop up flashes are both built with this Master flash capability, so there is no need to purchase anything extra for these cameras.

For this business portrait, we wanted the owner, Sharon, to be lit well and then have some coworkers in the background. I used the Westcot 18x42 strip box as the main light on Sharon, and a Westcott Mini Apollo as a hairlight behind her. The room behind Sharon was lit by two unmodified 430 EX flashes, bounced off the ceiling to just throw some light there and illuminate them.

Next, you’ll need off camera flashes- at least one to start. In the Canon system, both the 580 EX II and 430 EX II can be used off-camera in “slave” mode. You can have as many flashes as you want in up to three groups. One note- older Canon EX flashes such as the original 580 EX, 550 EX, and 430 EX, will all work as slave flashes. They don’t all need to be brand new. You’ll want light stands to position these on, and probably want umbrella brackets- especially with the Apollo softboxes. After you have the off-camera flashes, you need to decide what modifiers you want.

Start slowly. Most beginners I speak with go wrong when they try to do too much with the light. Master one light first, then begin adding more.  One other tenet to remember when positioning your lights: the closer the lights are to your subject, the softer the light will be. You want to have the lighting positioned just off camera, as close to the subject as possible. This will create some wraparound, softening the shadows a bit. try this sometime.  Take a household lamp with a bright shade, and move it closer to a subject.  Take a photo if you want.  Then, move it away and take another photo. Look at the difference in the light.

Once you’ve started playing, head over to my Facebook page and post your results to my wall.  I’d love to see what you’re all up to!

Creating Your Own Light

For this shot, the softbox was positioned at camera left. Mary was posed in open shade, under the canopy of trees in the park. Due to how bright the sun was, I needed to use hi-speed flash sync so I could still use a shallow depth of field. This was not an issue since the softbox is only about a foot or two away from her. Settings were 1/500 @f2.8, ISO 400. Flash exposure compensation was set to +2/3.

Last week, an old friend (meaning I have known her awhile- she doesn’t look a day older than the way she looked when I knew her 20 years ago!) asked me to take some photos of her for her new website and blog. Mary is a jewelry maker and does some fantastic work with metals and enamel.  It was very spur-of-the-moment, and there wasn’t much time to plan.

We decided on a local park- which happened to be a place we used to go 20 years ago to hang out, and take photos. Mary loves the outdoors, and much of her jewelry work uses nature as a theme, so the park seemed a good choice.

It was a sunny day, which was fine, but the time was mid-day, and the light would have been too harsh in direct sun. I knew the park had lots of trees, so finding shade was no problem, but the light would have been very flat. I didn’t want to use direct flash, since that too would have been flat.

The settings for this shot were similar, but shutter speed was 1/60 @ f5.6 to allow for more depth of field.

My solution was to use a Canon speedlite off-camera in a Westcott 28-inch Apollo softbox.  I positioned the softbox to the side of Mary, and adjusted the flash output so the flash was my main light, and the shaded sun was fill.  This created a dramatic, yet natural look, that was flattering to Mary, but still blended with the sunlight filtering through the trees.

The idea wasn’t to feature the jewelry so much as it was to photograph Mary wearing it- at least, I don’t think it was- so I just allowed it to fall out of depth of field naturally, but also made sure to allow it to stay sharp at times.

I really love how simple to use the Westcott Apollo lightboxes are to use. They collapse like umbrellas and fold nice and compact. I use small compact stands with them and my Canon speedlites.  The combination allows me to use studio quality lighting on location, without worrying about electricity, wires, or heavy cases to lug around.  It’s really a beautiful system.

For more information on the Westcott softboxes, visit Westcott Lighting.  To see more of Mary’s jewelry work, visit Paisley Peacock Designs.

Concert Photos- New To Me!

Brian Ashland of Shadow Gallery. This image used only the available light from the stage, with no fill. The backlighting created a nice halo, and the soft warm front light created just enough illumination to light his face.

Shooting concerts can be as challenging as it gets as far as lighting goes. The stage lighting can create some amazing effects, but it’s so inconsistent and changes constantly, that it can be a nightmare to expose correctly. Big arena shows are one thing- there’s usually plenty of light for that, but what about shows done in a club or a small venue for bands just getting started with live shows? Therein lies the real challenge.

So, Sunday night I had my trial by fire for shooting a concert. Shadow Gallery has been a force in the world of progressive rock and heavy metal for the last 15-plus years, and I’ve been a fan for most of them. Several years ago I began working with them as a graphic designer and more recently, as a photographer and cinematographer on their recent music video.

In this photo, the 580 EX II was fired and created just the right amount of fill on Carl Cadden-James' face, without killing the yellow and green spotlights that were iluminating him.

I arrived at the venue in time to see the opening act go on. I didn’t plan on shooting them, but I did use the time to test various

exposures for the lighting that would be in use. I planned on below average light anyway, but wasn’t sure if I would need a flash or if stage lighting would be enough. I did know that I wanted to pick up some of the color from the stage lights in the photos, no matter what.  I also knew that the surest way to kill that color was to use a flash as the main light source.

As I tested the lighting, I found that I would need to be at around ISO 3200- higher than I really wanted, but not terrible with today’s DSLRs.  I used the EOS 1D Mark IV with a 70-200 f2.8L IS Mk II lens, and the EOS 7D with EF 24-105 f4L lens.   I rated both cameras at ISO 3200, set the 7D to 1/100 at f4, and the 1D to 1/200 at f2.8.

Brendt Allman on lead guitar. As the show went on, I noticed Brendt had this blue spotlight on him time and again, especially during solos. I decided I definitely wanted a dark, dramatically lit shot just using that spot, so I flipped the switch on the flash and waited for it during a few songs. Came up with several variations, but this is one of my favorite.

Once I started shooting, I quickly found myself on my toes.  The lighting changed so drastically, I found myself alternating between having the flash on, and shutting it off to let the stage lighting take over. In doing this, I got a variety of lighting styles, and I began to be able to predict how the light would show up.  I set my flash- a 580 EXII on the 1D, and the pop-up on the 7D, to about minus 2 stops of flash exposure compensation.  I just wanted to fill, not create the main light source.  I also didn’t want the flash to overwork due to the black background, where the flash would fire almost full blast every time.
Overall, I got a great mix of flash and non-flash shots. It took a lot of work to keep switching the flash, the focus points, and the flash exposure compensation and remember what settings I was at, so I knew when I needed to turn the flash off for the ambient lighting.

All in all, it was a great show and I was thrilled with the shots I came away with, as were band members and their fans. I was also happy to be able to record their first ever live show, which has to be a significant moment in any musician’s career. Another highlight for my career reel.  The rest of the images can be viewed at my Facebook page.

Photoshop Replaces Talent?

This is an image of Mount Brooks as it would have come straight from my camera, using the Landscape picture style. Not bad, but definitely not complete in my eyes.

This is the same image, processed from the RAW file, using Digital Photo Pro and Photoshop. This image does a much better job of capturing the emotion I felt, flying up to this mountain. The same elements exist, and my exposure had to be perfect, but using Photoshop to bring out elements, dodging and burning certain areas, and enhancing color rendition, brings the image to a new level.

I have been struck recently by the number of people who seem to think that using Photoshop to enhance photos- or do post-processing of any kind- is somehow cheating. Recently, on my trip to Alaska, I was in a store that had photos from a local photographer who did an amazing series on the northern lights.  The shots were beautiful, but a comment from one of the staff when I asked about the prints struck me: “He doesn’t do any manipulation in Photoshop- everything is just as it came out of the camera.” I shrugged and walked away. First of all, I believe the statement is a bit disingenuous- there is post processing done on every shot taken with today’s digital cameras. Either you’re doing it yourself, or you’re letting your camera do it for you.

Then this morning, I was reading George Lepp’s column in Outdoor Photographer. A reader wrote in, railing against “post-processing” and wondering whether Photoshop has replaced photographic talent. George very nicely dispels “the myth of the simple, good old days of photography, where photographers were judged on their skills behind the viewfinder.” George then explains that it was the print that was judged, and whether you or someone else made the print, darkroom work- yesteryear’s “post-processing”- was still an essential part of photography.

George then sites Ansel Adams’ “Moonrise, Hernandez, NM” as a perfect example.  In the book “Ansel Adams: Some Thoughts About Ansel And About Moonrise“, by Mary Street Alinder

The finished "Moonrise, Hernandez, NM" print, by Ansel Adams

(Copyright 1999 Alinder Gallery), Mary Street Alinder explains:

“Moonrise, the negative, was far from perfect. It took me two years to convince Ansel to make a ‘straight’ print of Moonrise. He printed it without his customary darkroom manipulation as a teaching tool to show the basic information contained within the negative. Comparing this print with a fine print, one is struck by the immense work and creativity necessary for Ansel to produce what he believed to be the best interpretation of the negative. His final, expressive print is not how the scene looked in reality, but rather how it felt to him emotionally.”

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again- clicking the

The contact print for "Moonrise" by Ansel Adams

shutter is only half of the process. And asking “Is that what it really looked like?” is somewhat misguided is well.  That’s what it looked like to

ME.  All of the elements were there, but it’s my skill in Photoshop, and my skill at the moment the moment

of exposure, as well as my eye for composition, that brings out everything I saw.

The Importance of Backing Up

This image from Nova Scotia in 2002 is one of a handful of images that made it onto another hard drive before the one holding the original files crashed.

We’ve all taken trips that were special to us, maybe even “once in a lifetime”.  These trips cost time, money, and take a lot of planning.  For those of us addicted to capturing these trips with our cameras- either photo or video- in the digital age, it is more important than ever to safeguard these memories.

In 2002, early in my “digital” career, I took a trip with my wife to the Canadian Maritimes.  We flew into Halifax and proceeded to drive from Nova Scotia, to Prince Edward Island, to New Brunswick, and back to Halifax. Along the way I captured some beautiful scenery with my EOS 1D.

Sadly, of the few hundred photos I took on the trip, less than a dozen survive. Shortly after I returned- maybe a month or so later- the hard drive I had stored the images on failed. A few I had worked on managed to find their way onto other drives, or burned to a CD, but I wasn’t obsessive about burning those images to disk the way I should have been.

So today, as I return home from my second, and for all I know, my last trip to Alaska, I have yet to even view my images.  Why?  I am burning every last one of the over 1600 RAW files to DVD so I have a backup in case, Heaven forbid, my hard drive crashes again.

So the moral of the story is PLEASE back up your important images. It’s easier than ever to lose them in the digital age.  Redundancy is key. DVDs, portable hard drives, online storage- whatever your backup of choice, please be sure you make that backup happen before you do anything else.

FYI- last time I checked, failed hard drive recovery can cost upwards of $2000. It’s just so much cheaper to back things up as soon as you can.

Less Than Perfect Light When Photographing People

In this image, I positioned the model looking away from the sun, and had a reflector positioned to camera left, angling light back into her face. This created a nice, soft light on the model, while also creating nice catchlights in her eyes.

Sometimes, the conditions for photographing are just not what we hope for. Maybe the sky is overcast, or maybe the sun is just too darn harsh. Neither condition is ideal, but it shouldn’t stop you from shooting.

In these sample photos, we were dealing with some very harsh light. The shoot was planned for early morning- I had assumed we’d still have nice light at 8am.  Didn’t work out that way. The sun was harsh, and anyone looking into it was forced to squint. My solution? Put the sun to Robyn’s back, but the last thing I wanted to do was use a flash.  Instead, I pulled out my trusty reflector, and positioned that in such a way as to put more angular light onto the model’s face. It worked like a charm.  I was able to create a nice soft light, using the sun as a hair light and rim light, and use the reflector to light Robyn’s face.

So the moral of the story becomes, in harsh light, don’t look to the sun to be your main light in a situation like this. The light will be

On this shot, the sun is even higher now as we get later in the morning. The reflector is positioned below and to the right of Robyn.

harsh and most likely, not pleasing to you, or flattering to your model.  Keep a reflector handy, and failing that, don’t be afraid to use a little fill flash if needed.

The setup for this image is similar to the bikini shot, but for this one, the sun has moved slightly and is to camera right. With the reflector again positioned at camera left, we're getting nice warm, soft light into her face and body.

Best Laid Plans

Photographing families with small children can be a challenge all its own.  You can plan all you want, devise group poses, and choose the perfect location, but if those kids don’t want to sit still, those plans won’t do you a bit of good. So you have to decide- how am I going to make my client happy?

Now, I am not a big fan of formal studio portraits. Yes, I do them, but for the most part, I would much rather do an environmental portrait in a natural setting.  This holds especially true when photographing children. Why?  Well, mainly because it gives me options. If the kids refuse to sit still, I can find other ways to capture them, and the family, where they don’t HAVE to sit still.

Here on Long Island, this is particularly easy.  Everyone goes to the beach, at least a little, so it makes a great place to go for portraits. I can pose people on the beach, by the lighthouse,  or on the boardwalk. There are a variety of possibilities.

This particular session was for a good friend of mine. They hadn’t had a good family portrait since they started having kids, and one of the reasons why, according to his wife, was that they were always afraid the kids wouldn’t sit still. She was right! But at the same time, that didn’t mean we couldn’t get some meaningful portraits!

Almost immediately, the kids were off an running. I decided the 7-month old would go first- he wasn’t walking yet, so he was getting a formal portrait.  I sat him down and got a nice shot or two. Then I had the kids pose around the parents for a formal group shot. The problem was, between the 7 month old eating sand, and the 3 year old and 7 year old distractions, no one looked right at me! So it became much more casual looking, and as I kept working with them, we just went with it and got some great group shots.

After that, it was time to go down by the water.  The kids love playing in the water, and I just let it all happen in front of me and got some great interactive shots with the kids and their parents. I love using the wet sand for reflections and other added interest, and I wasn’t disappointed. And I have a happy client to show for it, so it was win-win all around!