When I was a photojournalism student in the 1980s, my Domke camera bag bulged with lenses and not one was a zoom. I had 24, 35, 50, 85, 135, 200, and 300mm Canon lenses. For a starving college student, my choice of primes over zooms was all about economics: High quality zooms are more expensive than comparable primes.

So I learned to alter my composition by either changing lenses or moving closer to or farther from the subject. I also learned my preference of lenses for portraits (85mm) or street shooting (24mm or wider). I became keenly familiar with each lens and its advantages and drawbacks.

Today I carry three zoom lenses but just one prime, my beloved Canon 100mm f/2.8 macro. My zooms include Canon’s 17-40mm f/4L, 24-105mm f/4L IS, and 70-200mm f/2.8L IS lenses. A Canon 1.4x Teleconverter extends my 70-200 to 320mm, and if I switch from my full-frame Canon 5D Mark II to my Canon 50D or a similar camera like the newer Canon 7D, the smaller sensor with its 1.6x crop factor turns that 320 into nearly 450mm.

Full frame with a 17mm lens

With all those choices and that range of focal lengths, which would I choose for that one focal length workshop? I’d set my 17-40 to 17mm and attach it to the 5D Mark II for the widest focal length available to me. It’s purely a personal decision based on my own shooting style, but I love to get in close with a wide angle lens. I can fill the frame with my subject yet still include the surrounding environment.

If you want a challenge and an education at the same time, try shooting for a day with just one focal length. Better yet, watch for the next one focal length workshop with Blue Ridge Workshops and join us for a real learning experience. You may be challenged, but the reward will be a better understanding of composition, your equipment, and your own shooting style.

© Copyright 2011 by Tim Farmer

During a recent “one focal length” field shoot with Blue Ridge Workshops, owner Elliot Stern and I spotted a trend: Many of the dozen or so students were using prime lenses rather than zooms. For this workshop, we typically use gaffer’s tape to hold any zoom lenses to whatever focal length the student selects, and it had to be left there for the rest of the day. But hardly an inch of tape was needed this time around.

Our students were packing primes, single focal-length lenses that have no zooming capability at all.

We were in Annapolis, roaming the streets and waterfront of Maryland’s historic state capitol. Our subjects were as varied as the imagination, with quaint street scenes, fabulous architecture, boats along the waterfront, and plenty of people.

With so many diverse potential subjects to shoot, why would anyone limit themselves to one focal length? The answer is simple: This workshop is a valuable exercise that can help you learn to make better pictures.

Shooting with a single lens or one focal length has to be one of the toughest challenges for any photographer. But it can also be a liberating experience that eliminates some of the variables cluttering the photographic thought process. Most importantly, it provides a better understanding of composition and how to approach a scene or subject.

So exactly what is a “prime” lens?

Simply put, the term refers to any fixed focal-length lens rather than a lens that zooms to change its focal length. Examples of prime lenses include 50mm or 200mm, while zooms are designated by the range of focal lengths available, like 18-55mm or 70-200mm.

Zooms are obviously more flexible and convenient that primes, allowing the photographer to change composition or perspective without changing lenses or moving in relation to the subject.

But because zooms involve more complex construction, more moving parts and additional optical elements, they are also heavier and more expensive than comparable prime lenses. Primes also typically offer greater light-gathering capabilities for these same reasons.

Of course, one zoom might take the place of several prime lenses. The choice of what’s right for you is a trade-off. A couple of zooms may be all you need to cover a wide range of shooting situations, but several thoughtfully selected primes could offer advantages that outweigh convenience.

Editor’s Note:Tim Farmer is Public Relations Coordinator for the State Arboretum of Virginia and joined Blue Ridge Workshops as an instructor this year. He can be reached at tim@blueridgeworkshops.com.

I don’t know where the idea came from, but I do know that the resulting photo is still one of my favorites.

It was 1981, I was in college studying photojournalism, and the assignment was ‘fast food.’ There were no other rules or guidelines, just those two words. Fast food.

So I called my friend Fred and told him I’d buy his lunch if he’d let me photograph him for my class assignment. Fred was a fellow student, and the prospect of a free lunch was too good to pass up.

Fred had a Harley-Davidson motorcycle, a Sportster with blue paint that was his true passion. So, shrugging off a few odd stares, we pushed the bike into the basement photo studio at Western Kentucky University and I set up lights.

I needed some way to make it look like Fred was speeding along on his bike, so I wrapped a scarf around his neck and propped it out straight with a coat hanger. Crude, but effective.

Fred donned his biker sunglasses and straddled the motorcycle. The lunch I had promised was a Big Mac that he crammed into his mouth, along with a few fries. I shot a roll of black and white Kodak Tri-X film, and the best composition was straight on. Fred’s scarf appeared to be blowing wildly like he was going 50 miles per hour, and the Big Mac hung precariously from his mouth.

When the assignments were graded and returned, I looked at the back and saw that my crazy idea had paid off: A huge A+ was written three inches high in red Magic Marker.

It was proof that a little humor can go a long way.

Photography requires lots of intense concentration. We check our exposure, histogram, composition, white balance, and all the technical stuff required to make a good photograph. And along the way, sometimes we forget that photography should be fun.

What are some of the reasons we shoot photos in the first place? We try to capture moments, emotions, and the excitement of a child’s birthday party. Is the best photo from that birthday party the one where the youngster is carefully posed and perfectly groomed? Or is it the one where that child is grinning and has cake smeared all over his face? I know which one I’d choose.

So how do we put the fun back in photography?

First, the serious stuff has to be second-nature so we don’t have to think about it too much. (At Blue Ridge Workshops, we’re here to help you with that.) After that, we need to get silly sometimes.

Recently I was shooting scenics when I spotted a couple walking their puppy. I bee-lined over to them and began shooting, and after a few dozen images I decided to lie on my back and let the puppy lick me relentlessly. I held up the camera and turned it around to shoot a few photos of Lila the puppy slobbering all over my face.

A good photo? Not even close. But I was giggling like a kid and enjoying the moment.

So how can you put the fun back into your own photography?

Do something silly. Come up with a whimsical theme or idea for a photo. Put yourself in the middle of a children’s game and let the camera show how much fun it is to be a kid. Get a friend to pose with funny sunglasses or a silly hat and shoot away. Watch a few I Love Lucy re-runs. Do whatever it takes to make you laugh out loud, and take a photo.

Most of all, relax and lighten up. Put your camera on automatic for a day if you must.

You may discover that, despite all the intimidating technical elements, photography really is fun.

After all, isn’t that why we are photographers?

© Copyright 2011 Tim Farmer

News photographers are familiar with the phrase, “f/8 and be there.” It means being prepared, and in the right place at the right time, with your camera set and ready.

Sometimes, it involves pure luck, like being at the spot in a bike race where riders wipe out in a tumble of scrapes and bruises. And at the height of the action, there you are, focused and ready: “f/8 and be there.”

Recently a friend was describing a fellow shooter as an “f/8 and be there photographer,” and argued that no one could teach such fortuitous good luck.

At the time, I let it go and our conversation wandered to some other topic. But it had me thinking: Could “f/8 and be there” be taught? Was it just luck? Or was there a skill or technique that could be taught and learned?

Many elements combine to make a great photograph: the composition, the light, the color, the moment. Each of these elements requires decisions and judgments on the part of the photographer, and that’s where good photographs can become great ones.

A great “f/8 and be there” photo starts with a thorough understanding of your camera and lenses, and mastering the technical skills. The camera has to become an extension of your body, setting controls something that’s as second-nature as breathing. But as the phrase implies, “f/8” is only part of the equation; the other part is being there.

Being at the right place at the right time might involve luck at the poker table, but in photography it involves anticipation. Going back to my opening analogy of capturing the perfect moment in a bike race, choosing a spot to plant yourself and your gear means understanding the sport, becoming familiar with the course, and anticipating the action. Only then can you plan your shot, compose the scene, and be ready for the moment.

So does “f/8 and be there” have a place in landscape photography? Absolutely! Similar technical skills are needed to understand what your camera is doing and how to achieve the results that you envision. Anticipating a sunrise or sunset or composing a scene requires judgments and decisions that could make or break your shot.

But in the end, sometimes it does come down to just being there.

Will you be ready?

As a former photojournalist, I never had to worry about being in an upper tax bracket or how to spend disposable income. Quite the opposite, I was always trying to find ways to avoid spending big bucks on photo accessories so I could instead afford better lenses.

That upbringing has remained a part of my psyche: that the real money should go into good glass. The lenses I buy will outlast my camera, because the camera will become obsolete while, barring disaster, the lens will live on and most likely fit the next camera I buy.

But what about all that gear I bought years ago, when I was shooting film? Truth is, I never was interested in fancy filters or things like that, but I did buy a handful of those venerable flash units which many photojournalists carried, the Vivitar 283. These babies are powerful, reliable, compact, and relatively inexpensive. There’s also an optional power reducer that allows you to adjust the flash from full to 1/32 power, a fantastic feature.

I used to delight in being able to plug my 283 into my Quantum QB-1 battery pack and shoot away, rapid-fire. After a while, I bought another 283 and another QB-1. And before you know it, I was syncing the second flash with an add-on slave, using one flash to trigger the other. I could shoot off-camera flash and find unique ways to light subjects. It wasn’t long before I had four 283s!                                                                                            

Pretty soon, I wanted softer light with more control than just a bounce card or translucent cover. But how could I afford one? Out of the question. Until I remembered that old mantra, well known to farmers: You either make do, do it yourself, or do without.

I found just what I needed at the closest convenience store: a Styrofoam ice chest. It was pure white, totally reflective, lightweight, and cheap. I cut a hole through one long side of the ice chest to allow my flash to poke through facing the back of the box, and used a muffler clamp to hold it in place. A hot shoe mount atop a light stand gave me wonderfully soft, yet directional, even light.

When I photographed my friend Sandy, I used one Vivitar 283 in my homemade softbox and a second direct and over her shoulder as a hair light.

I used it for quite a few portraits, with great results.

But that was then, this is now.

 The ice chest and muffler clamp are long gone, but my 283s and those Quantum batteries (after replacing the batteries insides each pack) still work as well as they did 20-plus years ago.

 Believe it or not, Vivitar still makes the 283, albeit an updated version, not the dinosaurs I have. In fact, never put an old flash directly on the hot shoe of a digital camera, because the high voltage could damage the camera. And of course Quantum still makes battery packs.

 So with wireless technology using a Cybersync transmitter from www.paulcbuff.com on the camera and Cybersync receivers on each flash, I can enjoy shooting off-camera flash using umbrellas or soft boxes (real ones!) anywhere, not just as far as an extension cord could power my studio strobes. If you have trouble finding just about any kind of camera-related cable or cord, check out www.flashzebra.com. They specialize in hard-to-find cords and cables for cameras and flashes, and owner Lon Coleman will even custom make ones if needed.

 Tim Farmer is Public Relations Coordinator for the State Arboretum of Virginia and an instructor with Blue Ridge Workshops.

Three camera settings can be easily manipulated while shooting to adjust an image’s exposure: ISO, shutter speed, and aperture (f-stop).

ISO

ISO refers to the image’s sensitivity to light. A lower ISO is usually more suitable for brightly lit situations where lack of light is not a problem. On the other hand, using a higher ISO setting is often used to take photos in low-light situations, where greater sensitivity to available light is needed.

Back in the days of film, you were pretty much stuck with whatever ISO you chose when you selected your film, unless you could specially process your film to squeeze out another f-top or two. With today’s digital cameras, each image can have its own individual ISO setting, so you can change your ISO setting to suit the lighting conditions and the effect you hope to achieve.

Like most everything in life, there’s a tradeoff between ISO settings and camera noise in your image. Most cameras have an optimal ISO setting, which may or may not be its lowest setting. But in general, a higher ISO setting usually results in more noise being introduced into the image.

Shutter Speed

A fast shutter speed of 1/2000th of a second was used to freeze this kayaker in mid air at Great Falls, Virginia.

Shutter speed is exactly what it sounds like, the speed at which the camera’s shutter takes the picture. A faster shutter speed will stop fast-moving action, freezing the beating wings of a bee, for example. A slower shutter speed can be used to create the feeling of motion through blur, but may also show unintended camera shake or subject movement.

Aperture

Aperture, or f-stop, refers to the size of the opening of the lens and determines how much light can come through the lens in a given amount of time.

ISO, f-stops and shutter speeds work together in an inverse relationship; in other words, when one goes up, the other goes down to achieve an equal exposure.

Think of filling a bucket of water from a faucet (bear with me on this). Let’s say you want to fill the bucket to a preset mark (your perfect exposure). Two things work together to fill the bucket to the mark: the rate at which the water comes out of the faucet (the size of the lens opening, i.e. your aperture setting), and how long you leave the faucet running (your shutter speed).

If you turn the flow of the water half-way on, it will take twice as long to fill the bucket as if you were to turn the water on full flow. Similarly, if a proper exposure in a given lighting situation calls for 1/500th of a second shutter speed at f5.6, the same exposure will be achieved if you set the shutter for 1/1000th of a second (half as long) and set the aperture to f4.0 (twice the “flow,” or light allowed in the lens).

Or, the same would be achieved if you set the shutter to 1/250th of a second (twice as long) and the aperture to f8 (letting in 1/2 as much light).

When one goes up, the other goes down.

Do it in equal, inverse steps and the exposure is the same.

Similarly, changing the ISO results in the same inverse relationship. ISO 200 is twice as sensitive to light as ISO 100, and half as sensitive as ISO 400. A higher ISO will allow a faster shutter speed or smaller aperture opening; likewise, a lower ISO will permit a slower shutter speed or a larger aperture opening.

By manually manipulating your ISO, aperture and shutter speed, you can achieve creative results such as silhouettes or overcome difficult lighting situations. You can use a long shutter speed to blur movement and create the illusion of motion, or you can use a fast shutter speed to stop the action of a kayaker running a waterfall.

If you take your camera off “Auto,” the decision is up to you, not your camera.

Copyright 2009 Tim Farmer
www.timfarmerphoto.com