Those of you who already do a lot of sport or wildlife photography may well be familiar with this method already. However if these subjects are an occasional dabble for you then this may be an interesting technique that you can arm yourself with.

In essence this method allows you to de-couple the autofocus from the shutter button half-depress and puts the autofocus control solely on a button at the back of the camera. You will either have an ‘AF-ON’ button on your camera or you will be able to re-program the ‘AE/AF’ lock button.

By doing this you are able to put your camera into ‘Continuous Autofocus’ mode and set a dynamic autofocus area of 9 (to keep tracking fast and accurate) and be able to utilise both ‘Single Autofocus’ and ‘Continuous Autofocus’ without having to switch between them. You will be able to choose a larger dynamic area of 11, 19, 21, 39 or 51 points (camera make dependent), should you wish, but this will slow down the autofocus system.

So once you have re-programmed the appropriate button, switch your camera into Continuous autofocus. When you press the AF-ON button (or AE/AF) this activates the autofocus on your camera and a single press and release, will lock the focus. If you wish to ‘track’ a fast moving subject such as Wildlife or Sports, then keeping the AF-ON button pressed will ensure that your dynamic autofocus area is activated and the camera will automatically track your subject after initial lock.

In laymen terms – a single press of the AF-ON button activates Single autofocus, whereas a continuous press of the AF-ON button activates Continuous autofocus.

So you get the best of both worlds. You can leave your camera in Continuous autofocus at all times and always be ready should you need to quickly adjust to a fast moving target. It is method that will take some getting used to, but a lot of pro photographers have been using this method for years.

To explain how to set your camera up better and how it works, please look at the videos below which will give you a visual tutorial. I hope that you find this method and article of use and are able to make use of it.

For Nikon users:

For Canon users:

This is one of Line and Light’s more popular courses. Yes I know I am bound to say that, but statistically speaking, it really is, so there. One of the reasons is that for some of our returning customers it is a great opportunity to return to Bolsover Castle having previously attended our Castles and Ruins course. The second reason is that there is the opportunity to shoot, or take pictures of, two beautiful models in equally beautiful surroundings.

Having recently attended this course, I thought you might like to hear about my experience so that you may wish to consider this course for yourself in the future. If you have never been to Bolsover, it is easily located off Jcn 29A off the M1. This is the newly created junction when they widened the motorway.

Just a short drive along the main road and you will see the imposing castle at the top of the hill. This was my second visit to Bolsover and it couldn’t have been any more dramatically different weather wise. On my first visit the weather was glorious which was ideal for numerous exterior shots, however on this occasion the heavens had well and truly opened and were trying their best to wash away our spirits. As it happens the majority of this day’s course is held indoors so it was never going to be much of an issue, just connecting from one building to another would mean hasty means and careful not to leave too much of a trail of mud on the expensive carpets.

Upstairs shoot using natural light and window sill

There is a secure classroom that is set aside for use on Line and Light’s course days at Bolsover and it is well laid out with large tables and plenty of chairs. Once everyone arrived the most important part of the day commenced… putting the kettle on! Yes Martine has gone to great lengths to ensure that tea and coffee facilities (along with biscuits… shhh… I’m not supposed to mention those) are laid on for everyone, which is greatly appreciated when you see the trouble she has gone to. Also fitted out in the room is a large white board and Martine also brings along a projector so that some basic tuition can be em-parted before the main event starts.

There were seven of us in total and two models whom we were to photograph. As part of the agreement in being able to photograph these models we are not to name them, so for this report I will be calling them Model A and Model B. Not very original I know, but there you go. After initial introductions Martine introduced her new helper for the day – Mr Dan Billings who is a professional portrait photographer. He was on hand throughout the day to offer his expertise especially regarding model poses, studio/indoor lighting and distance from subject affecting several of your camera’s settings. Dan even found time to manage a bit of impromptu modelling at the bequest of one of our group (as you’ll see in one of the pictures I’ve posted). We all had to give an idea of what we wanted out of the day so that Martine could tailor her talk accordingly and structure her advice for the remainder of the day along with Dan’s help.

Studio lighting indoor shoot

Martine gave a talk/slideshow presentation for roughly 45 minutes explaining about all aspects of photography that were particularly relevant to portraiture. I’m not going to give away trade secrets here but suffice to say there was an awful lot of information which came into play, once we started shooting. It’s not necessarily knowing how to shoot exactly right from the word go, but knowing what little corrections and tweaks you can apply in camera and also physically that make all the difference when you don’t get what you want.

We were split into two groups. First group was to head upstairs with Model A to take some window shots while the second group headed over to the museum room where a lighting set up was brought along and put up for shots with Model B. So the largest group was no more than four people. After nearly an hour we swapped over so that we all had the opportunity to take the same scenarios. Although the light was muted because of the clouds it was still pretty bright through the windows so we weren’t struggling due to the weather. The models however braved the drafty, cold castle and were still able to light up the room with a smile, so very well done to them. There was also time to take a few shots in the old stables area or horse paddock room, which still looked like it was used for it’s intended purpose. Both the models were on hand in this room.

Dan taking time out from tutoring to be a model

That part of the day took us up to lunch time where we all headed over to the onsite restaurant which offers a great selection of home-made hot or cold meals and sandwiches or like me, you can take a packed lunch of your own. You are also welcome to walk into Bolsover to sample the food there if you wish but on a day like this there weren’t many takers! We had reserve seating set aside for us and chatted about, what else, photography!

The afternoon saw a change of location, to the stand alone castle house within the gardens. Here we occupied two floors and were split into two groups once again. One room using natural light and the other lit with a large room light. The models had changed into their ‘glamour’ clothes so it gave us a different perspective with fresh surroundings. Dan took charge of one group and Martine the other and they were on hand for advice, tips and tricks all afternoon. If we were a bit shy directing the models they would help out, but encouraged us to speak with them and try out different poses, as most of us had never photographed or directed a model before.

Taking pictures in the stables/paddock area

After a jam-packed day full of shooting it was time to retire back to the classroom to collect all of our things and then head home. We had learnt about interaction with models, controlling lighting both natural and artificial, focusing distance, aperture, ISO and shutter speed and how best to use them in the scenarios we had experienced that day.

In summary the Portraiture on Location course is great for anyone who wants to learn about portrait photography, especially indoors, learning more about using your camera’s settings in varied light conditions, how to direct a model and how to vary your subject and location to keep pictures interesting and fresh.

Martine is happy to answer any other questions you may have about this or any other of her courses available through her website. Please contact her on 0115 960 6934, info@lineandlight.co.uk or use the contact form here.

Upstairs on the glamour section of the shoot

Panelled room upstairs in the castle

Portraiture Group shot

Let’s start in the CANON corner.

The All New Canon 1-DX

Here we have their all new Pro camera the Canon EOS 1Dx which sits at the top of the range and completes their updating of their line-up….or does it? There is already talk of an EOS 1DxS which may bump up the mega pixel war. But why should this matter to us mere mortals I hear you cry? We’re not looking, wanting, willing or even able to spend over £5k on a pro camera, so why should it matter to me? Well it matters, quite simply because the features that are bundled into this camera will filter down into the lower range cameras, just like in the car industry where top-of-the-line models soon end up sharing their gadgets with the most mundane base models. Rumours abound that there may also be an update to the 5D MKII. I’ll have a stab and guess that they’ll call it the MKIII. Any takers? But Canon, having announced their flagship model towards the end of last year may well have shown their cards too early, as over in the NIKON corner, they have indeed been very busy little pixies in producing not one, not two but THREE brand new cameras that have all launched before the Canon 1Dx.

Unveiling their Nikon D4 they stole a march on Canon.

The New Flagship Nikon D4

Not only have they under-cut the Canon launch date but they under-cut the price tag too with a price seemingly £400 cheaper or so at RRP. They have really gone for the work-flow maximisation and allowing the camera to be used in very low light conditions even with illuminating buttons! In addition they are trying to steal back the crown in video/filming territory that Canon stepped on Nikon’s toes after they were first to market with the D90.

But…not satisfied with the release of one camera, Nikon also released their D800 with a massive 36Mega Pixels which is clearly designed for use in the studio. But hang on a second, why release two cameras when three could just as easily be done. Yep, you’ve guessed it, Nikon have done it again with their D800E which is a ‘tweaked’ version of the D800 for those that want to reduce moire effects and can cope without any anti-aliasing. It is also rumoured that hot on the heels of the D800 is the long awaited upgrade of the D300s called the D400. It’s officially listed as a camera model, I think they are waiting for the dust to settle before producing yet another new model into the line-up.

All this amid the production facility in Thailand having major problems. Scratch that. Not major problems, shutting down completely. If you remember from my previous posts regarding choosing a DSLR, the ideal option was the Nikon D7000 but the price was too high? Well the price actually came down to near-as-dammit reachable but then the world inventory of the D7000 (which happened to be the lowest of all their models!) has slowly become depleted and the price has now started to soar! Grrr!

Moving on, here in Nottingham recently we had ‘Light Night’ in the city, which if you haven’t been before is an interesting event with all kinds of mini functions going on around the city by way of exhibits, acrobats, shows, sculptures and puppets both indoors and outdoors and I can recommend it for doing something a bit different.

Light Puppet

The TARDIS

"EXTERMINATE!!"

Dragonfly

Sound Flower

Castle Heart

We have also had quite a cold snap even with some snow. I didn’t manage to get out and get any snow pictures but if you did then please feel free to post them onto our Facebook page we’d love to see them as always. While we’re on the subject of Facebook we have been very pleased by your responses to our posts and comments. The page had been neglected for a long time and although it took a while to jolt it back into life we are really enjoying the interactions that we get from each of you, to your own posts and comments as well as ours. We will try to keep it fun and light hearted and may occasionally step away from pure photography subjects but on the whole we think it is a much better forum for interaction than other social media sites that I won’t care to mention. So from all of us here at Line and Light Photography Courses a very big “THANK YOU”.

All that remains is to give you a quick reminder that our Digital Photography Stage 2 will be taking place on Saturday 25th February and we look forward to seeing new faces and familiar ones. Spread the word about our Facebook page as we’d like to ramp up the number of people we interact with, so please share with your friends and invite them along.

Until the next time…

Not only do we have a new-look blog but we have placed many useful links throughout the site directing you specifically to the right pages of the main Line and Light website depending on the topic or subject matter. Our aim is to make things as simple and as straight forward as possible and also to remain relevant to what you might want for further information. We have also added our Videos showing our courses in action. Take a look, you might spot yourself!

The Line and Light Blog now also ties in with our Facebook page which we aim to use to communicate with you on a far more frequent basis. As the comments feature has had to be removed from the blogs on here due to unprecedented levels of spamming, we encourage you to interact with our Facebook page if you have any comments, questions, anecdotes or experiences you wish to pass on or share with us and the rest of the Line and Light Community. Our goal is to more fully integrate each of our sites so that past customers and new people looking to discover us for the very first time get a real sense of online ‘community’ spirit and that your experiences with Line and Light remain current and ongoing long after you have attended a course or two with us.

We are constantly looking at new course ideas and locations and trying to keep things fresh and up to date. New courses for 2012 include our How to Photograph Transport Heritage, HDSLR Video Skills and our Image Assessment Workshop. From the wonderful feedback forms that we have been receiving throughout last year we have tailored these new courses to meet your wishes. We hope you will support us by trying out these new amazing courses and spreading the word. Of course they are all at Line and Light’s great value pricing!

New Year, New Cameras! The very latest flagship cameras are being released imminently, for example the new Nikon D4 has just been officially announced, right on the heels of the new Canon EOS 1DX which means that even if you can’t afford these levels of pro cameras, their technology and features will be filtering down through their respective ranges and making your photography ever more dynamic, versatile and exciting! We are here to help you get the most from your camera and your photography. If you need help looking for that next camera then please get in touch, we are only too pleased to be able to help and advise.

We want to hear from YOU! The best place to do so is on our Facebook page. Here we want you to post pictures that you take that you want to show off or would like some basic tips with if you aren’t achieving what you want. For a more thorough review of your images then may we suggest our new course, the Image Assessment Workshop as mentioned above. Your comments, opinions and views on the world of photography are all welcome and we want to hear from you about ideas for future courses and or locations that would prove popular.

Winter is still here and that means the weather is still highly unpredictable! Not the best time of year for getting out on a regular basis and expanding your photography portfolio. So what better way to spend some warm quality time indoors on post production of images that you have already taken that could be enhanced or transformed with our course; How to use ADOBE ELEMENTS 9 – Stage 1- Beginners. Saturday 28th January is the next available date for this popular course and places are limited so please book early to avoid disappointment. The course runs from 10am until 4:30pm and is held at one of our regular venues in Sherwood. It’s easy to get to, easy to park and is warm and dry! Refreshments are provided throughout the day but you will need to bring a ‘packed lunch’. Map

We hope you like the new look Line and Light Blog and more importantly find it a useful resource to keep coming back to. We hope to see you on Facebook and back on one of our courses in 2012 very soon! Happy shooting!

Who wants to be a label? Amateur, Semi-Pro, Enthusiast, Professional, Pro-sumer, Consumer and let’s not forget to mention Bridge, Super-zoom, Compact, DSLR, HDSLR and they are just the ones I can think of, off the top of my head – which is now wildly spinning by the way.

I know from buying mobile phones, laptops, software and musical instruments in the past, that advances in technology have presented us, the consumer, with a bewildering choice and multitudes of over-lapping options, especially when it comes to deciding on brand association as well. Looking to buy my first DSLR having owned a Bridge camera for the last three years, has meant that once again I have had to go into full-on research mode and weigh-up more options that you can shake a monopod at!

So I had hoped that my experience of buying from these different market sectors would stand me in good stead. I knew that as long as I had a definitive use for what I wanted to shoot in the majority along with a budget, then this would almost certainly narrow the field to a choice of one or two. How wrong could I be? To date I have seriously considered over eight cameras and have settled on a final choice on three separate occasions. Ha. Even now I am slightly hesitant with my latest and hopefully final choice because of what some people call ‘buyers remorse’.

I knew from the outset that I wanted to develop my skills towards being semi-pro in Live music photography which is the home of low-light photography which also meant that after the initial criteria of budget was settled, ISO was the next major factor. It seems that Nikon is synonymous with excellent low-light performance so I started off down that route. It turns out that Nikon is significantly more expensive than other brands when comparing like for like. I quickly determined that my ‘perfect’ camera choice would be the Nikon D7000. Only problem was that it blew my budget – big time! So trying to stay with the Nikon side of things I looked at the D90 which appealed with the top-down LCD screen and exterior button controls. Rapid changing of ISO, Shutter Speed, Focus and Metering are very important when shooting a live concert, so no time to start drilling into screen menus.

The DSLR Forest

So the D90 was looking good, very good in fact until I noticed the D5100 with enhanced HD video capability and higher resolution for a cheaper price than the D90. The drawback to the D90 was the resolution as I crop all my finished pictures and I was concerned that it was becoming ‘out-of-date’ technology and if I am to buy-in now it needs to be relevant for at least three years or more. So I turned my attentions to the D5100. This had fast auto-focus and a similar sensor to the D7000, so I was hoping to achieve all the great things the D7000 offered but in a less expensive package. It came close but fell short on the top LCD screen, lack of exterior buttons, burst rate and the user interface being clunky, even for Nikon which meant no super-fast way to change the crucial settings for me.

The D5100 was very frequently compared to the Canon 600D which put Canon on my map. I then had similar issues with the model ranges here looking at the 550D, 50D even the old 5D model (yes full frame) but none of them ticked all the right boxes. Canon seem to be inferior in noise level performance to the tune of one stop. So where Nikon can go to 6400 ISO with practically no noise, the Canon is on a par further back at 3200 ISO. But increasingly it is looking like this might be the only sacrifice I need to make as the Canon 60D is looking like the current favourite for me to buy. It seems that Canon’s models are discounted more and I can get more camera for my money than with Nikon. As I need to also invest in good lenses that offer f2.8 throughout the range I need to buy as economically as possible for the body and the prospect of being able to film some performances may create more opportunities for me in the future.

So unless the D7000 suffers a £250 price drop in the next couple of weeks or Sony, Pentax or Olympus release a killer camera, then it is looking like I will have finally made a decision and will take the plunge.

Now for the lenses……..gulp!

Useful sites that I have used in my research are;   (not endorsed in any way by Line and Light)

Digital Photography Review – Very well known and respected review site. Unbiased and thorough

Camera Labs – Gordon Laing presents many videos and very thorough reviews from Queensland, New Zealand

Snapsort – Great for any make camera comparisons, this link shows D90 vs 60D as an example

Simon will write from another perspective, with interests and experience very in tune with LINE+LIGHT clients. As a keen photography enthusiast, his shopping list for kit is likely to be on a par with the things you’re searching for, the tips and tricks he’s using whilst shooting are the things you want to know about, and the questions he’s finding answers about on your behalf are the things you want to read about as you photograph during 2012.

I shall continue to post course reports for Bob & I, and to tell you things that I think are relevant, but I shall enjoy reading what Simon posts and his contribution is greatly anticipated by us here at LINE+LIGHT.

So, its not ‘over and out’ for me, more a case of you spotting who has posted what, and whilst we don’t allow comments directly on the blog (we’ve had more spammers than hot dinners in 2011- 65,000 at one point- yes, truly!), this is still very much the platform in which we can answer and advise, so please email us at info@lineandlight.co.uk in the usual way, or send us a message via our Facebook site, and we’ll respond.

Have a fabulous Christmas and although we’ve not really seen any snow in the midlands this winter, I hope you can get out with your cameras over the festive season and post some great images to our Flickr site.

Seasons Greetings from the team- Martine, Bob, Paul, Melanie and…Simon!!

For me personally, I’ve seen a massive change in my patterns since starting LINE+LIGHT. Having been a commercial Architectural Photographer since 1990, photography was my day job, and other than actually going on holiday, it simply never occurred to me to carry a camera unless I was being paid to do so. For me, my leisure time represented other interests, and photography was certainly NOT a hobby. Since using images to teach with and to explain the photographic world to our clients, my folio of images with which to do so has had to upscale a hundred fold- I could demonstrate many things with my very large commercial archive; speed, aperture, lighting, colour temperature etc, but only with buildings- and after the 100th picture- oh how dull!

A beautiful staircase, but perhaps not the most exciting subject matter for some!

I’ve been forced to diversify my image making, and in doing so, have re-discovered the joy of the medium which drew me to my career in the first place. It seems I have an enthusiasm for subject matter which previously held little interest, Bob struggles to keep me away from the Birds of Prey day, I’m like a child in a sweet shop:) and guests will verify my enthusiasm for portraiture, macro, flowers….. to name but a few.

So, in short, what I’m saying is that doing this made me start to use my camera to describe the OTHER things in my life, and if you don’t already carry a camera outside of your specific photo trips, perhaps you should. It may awaken an interest in things you perhaps don’t currently think of as pleasurable subject matter. ENJOY!

Readers of this blog will know that we’ve been very excited to be working with the team at Crich, and to be based at their new education centre (which is VERY nice indeed!).

Crich can be very busy in the mid summer with visitors from far and wide, but on this rather chilly, dreary October day, it was really a case of us and only a handful of other guest in evidence over the entire site, which meant some VERY individual shot opportunities with the drivers and their fabulous historic working trams, and no pressure on either time spent with them, or in asking them to pose for the group.

In the afternoon, we were able to have 40 minute slots in the restoration workshop in small groups and a tutor, which allowed for some lovely portraits up close with craftsmen, the tools of the trade and the workshop atmosphere up close as opposed to being seen form a balcony afar as the public normally do. Our own double decker tram sat on the yard for us to explore leisurely too, and guests we able to climb on and off for details, top deck shots and viewpoints that wouldn’t usually be viable, or accessible if it were one of those in public service on the trackway.

At the end of the day we requested the all-vital feedback. Was it a success? Well, trying to second guess tram arrivals was tricky- getting in position for a shot and then discovering that drivers had gone for lunch was probably something we’d want to fine tune the timings for next time (oops!), but on the whole, the view was that there was SO much to photograph, the wonderful bonus of having re-entry for the following 12 months on a special LINE and LIGHT pass which was given to all guests on the day means that our course can be viewed as a vital recce with tuition, and backed up by a 12month opportunity to return and polish for some really sparkling results. Now that’s what I call a good plan for a course!

* Images Courtesy of Mark Price

Martine on the tracks with a guest at Crich

Bob and guests at Crich Tramway Village

We value these posts, as two or three regular contributors, Guy Berresford (aka Berega) and Lamar Francois in particular are very skilled photographers, whose eyes enthuse and encourage others to go out and shoot what’s around them; their work is creative, technically accomplished and very inspirational.

We sometimes get images up from Dave Jones 2 too, and those who have attended our Digital Stage Days will recognise the name as he’s one of our regular assisting tutors, and his images are simply stunning.

However, the bulk of our contributors are in the first of the groups- Friends and Pictures, and we now have over 60 members. Their work is a testament to their visual progress, their expanding folio of images, and a great guide to image opportunities on LINE+LIGHT days. What never ceases to amaze me though is how you can put a bunch of people in front of the SAME subject, on the SAME day, in the SAME lighting, with the SAME tutor advocating a particular style, or lens choice and boy, how the results vary.

No two sets of eyes and brains are the same and the delightful variety of interpretations that come from a single scenario are a joy to see. Sometimes of course, the technical barriers that certain group members still have to overcome as they learn their craft means that some images are far stronger than others, but even those that perhaps would have benefitted from a different aperture choice, or a slightly stronger composition, will still have visual merits which place them as ‘valued images’ in the group pool.

If you joined the groups when you came on a course and haven’t posted since, well, we’d LOVE to hear from you and see what you’ve been up to recently. For these submissions, you’ll need to post to the Nottingham Group, and for course based images, it’s the ‘Friends’ group of course.

If you have a Flickr account and haven’t shared your images with us yet, log on, ask to join the group and I’ll sign you in. Submit away after that, as I tend to log on weekly and do a batch upload.

See you there………….!

We always enjoy running Digital Stage 1 days as our clients are always either brand new to photography, or have been using their cameras for a while (sometimes years), but have reached an impasse with their kit, where pleasure is replaced by frustration; they’re not getting the results they want, but have no idea why.

We note the keen but slightly stressed air in the room after the introductions have gone round, and then watch the body language change with the first revelations about ISO, the joy on understanding histograms, and by first break, excited chatter between folk as they start to compare shots on their cameras from previous shoots, and are able to then interpret the results and see how exposures were created, successful or otherwise.

After the break, we move into practical operation and get shooting in Program mode, judging our results with histograms, adjusting the exposure using ev+- compensation and change ISO according to the varying indoor/outdoor situations.

It’s at this point I tend to say to people that even if they learn nothing else in the day,  just being confident with these controls is a massive leap forwards from where they were at 10am, and that the rest of what we’re going to teach them will be demonstrated and followed today, but will be ‘learned‘ on forays out with their cameras in the weeks that follow – its simply impossible to go from a starting point of zero, to full confidence with aperture and shutter priority in six or seven hours.

If you’re taking the first steps towards control with your camera, taking one new skill at a time and practising that single element, incorporating it into your shoots BEFORE moving onto the next control, is a really good idea. Its SO easy to get bamboozled, especially with a compact or bridge camera, where the controls are quite buried in menu systems and not easily accessible.

I began teaching a beginners night school class at Toothill Academy in the south-east of Nottinghamshire this month too, and three of the class members are really struggling to grasp photographic concepts with their limited control compact models. Watching the ‘eureka’ moments with the rest of the group who are armed with DSLR’s is very rewarding, and I do feel sorry for the compact brigade as it takes twice, or even three times as long to access features such as ev+-compensation on these models.

Anyone who knows me, has been taught by me, or even reads this blog will know that I passionately advocate the use of compact and bridge cameras though, I’m simply not a camera snob. I would always personally purchase models with as many manual controls as possible though, it annoys me that so many compact cameras are ‘dumbed down’  with scene modes rather than proper aperture or shutter speed dials. Its really hard trying to explain to someone that when they’re using the running man scene mode, that their camera is using shutter priority and selecting a fast shutter speed, and that in firework mode its using a slow shutter speed to catch the colour trails!

Nonetheless, even if someone turned up with a phone I’d teach them what I could, but certainly, the vast majority of guests who seek LINE+LIGHT’s training are DSLR users, excited with their kit, and keen to explore the wonderful world that photography brings to them.