Light and Lens:
Photography
in the Digital Age
Second Edition
Robert Hirsch
©FocalPress
ELSEVIER
AMSTERDAM • BOSTON • HEIDELBERG • LONDON • NEW YORK • OXFORD
PARIS • SAN DIEGO • SAN FRANCISCO • SINGAPORE • SYDNEY TOKYO
Focal Press is an imprint of Elsevier
Contents
Preface XXIX
Artist Contributors XXXVI i
CHAPTER 1 Why We Make Pictures: A Concise History of Visual Ideas 1
Not Just Pictures But Photographs 2
The Grammar of Photography 3
The Evolution of Photographic Imaging 3
Full Circle: Some Things Remain the Same 4
Determining Meaning 5
BPS: Before Photoshop 5
Combination Printing6
The Advent of Straight Photography 7
The Pictorialists 7
The Photo-Secessionists 8
The Arrival of Straight Photography 8
Modernistic Approaches 9
Documentary9
Straight Photography and Previsualization 10
Group f/64 and the Zone System 10
Postvisualization 10
Social Landscape and the Snapshot Aesthetic 11
The Alternative Scene 11
The Rise of Color Photography 13
Postmodernism 13
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
Electronic Imaging: New Ways of Thinking 'J
The Digital Imaging Revolution 14
New Media 16
Questions about Photo-Based Imagemaking 17
1. How does one become a photographer? 18
2. What traits do good photographers often possess? 18
3. Why is photography important? 18
4. Why is it important to find an audience for your work? 19
5. What can images do that language cannot do? 19
6. What makes a photograph interesting? 20
7. How is the meaning of a photograph determined? 20
8. How can photographers know and define beauty and truth in the twenty-first century? 20
9. What are the advantages of digital imaging over silver-based imagemaking? 22
10. What are the disadvantages of digital imaging? 22
11. How can 1 find something intriguing to photograph? 23
12. Hasn't it been done before? 23
13. What if I'm not in the mood to make photographs? 24
14. What happens when I have difficulty photographing a subject? 24
15. Why is it important to understand and be proficient in your medium? 24
16. Why is it important to make your own photographs? 24
17. How much visual information do I need to provide a viewer to sustain meaning? 25
18. How much of my output is likely to be "good"? 25
19. How do photographers explore subjects like time and space? 25
20. Why study the history of photography? 25
21. What are the limitations in studying the images of others? 27
22. Can too much knowledge interfere with making photographs? 27
23. Is it necessary to explain my photographs? 27
24. What is the role of critics and critique? 27
25. What is the role of theory in relation to contemporary photography? 28
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26. What do good teachers teach? 28
27. How do photographers earn a living? 28
28. Which equipment is the best? 28
29. Can creative efforts in other fields inspire your work? 28
30. Now it is your turn. Add a question and answer to this list 30
References 30
Chapter 2 Design: Visual Foundations 33
Learning to See: Communicating with Design 33
Beginners Mind 33
The Design Process 34
The Nature of Photography: Subtractive Composition 34
Departure Point 35
Attention Span and Staying Power 35
Photography's Privilege 36
The Language of Vision 37
Photography's Native Characteristics 37
Design Principles 38
Unity and Variety 38
Emphasis 39
Scale and Proportion 41
The Golden Mean: The Rule of Thirds 42
Balance 44
Visual Elements 46
Line 46
Shape 47
Space 49
Texture 50
Pattern 52
A* I ix
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Symbolism 53
General Symbol Categories 54
Shapes and Their General Symbolic Associations 57
Color Symbolism 58
Common Symbols and Some Potential Associations 58
References 61
Chapter 3 Image Capture: Cameras, Lenses, and Scanners 63
The Role of a Camera 63
What Is a Camera? 64
How a Camera Imaging System Works 65
Digital Cameras 66
Digital Observations 67
Image Sensors: CCD and CMOS 68
Color Filter Array: Bayer Filter Mosaic 68
Pixels 69
Image Resolution 69
PPI: Pixels per Square Inch and Digital Camera Resolution 70
DPI: Dots per Square Inch and Printer Resolution 70
The Differences between PPI and DPI 70
Visual Acuity and 300 DPI 71
Types ol Cameras 71
Compact Digital Cameras 72
Digital Single-Lens Reflex Cameras 72
Single-Lens Translucent Cameras 73
Other Camera Types 74
Choosing a Camera 78
Camera File Formats 78
Image Compression Algorithms: Lossless and Lossy 79
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Major Image File Formats 79
JPEG 79
TIFF 80
RAW and Post-Processing 80
DNG 80
Opening Files 80
The Lens System and Exposure 81
Aperture 81
Aperture/F-Stop Control/Shutter Control/Exposure Modes 82
Depth of Field 83
Lens Focal Length 84
What Focal Length Establishes 84
The Focal Length Rule 85
35mm Film Camera Equivalencies 85
Angle of View 85
Calculating Lens Equivalency for Digital Sensors 86
Focusing the Image 87
Autofocus Modes 88
Types of Lenses 88
Zoom Lenses 88
Normal Lens 89
Wide-Angle Lens 89
Telephoto Lens 90
Special-Use Lenses 91
Shutter 91
Shutter Speed Control 91
Shutter Lag 92
Camera Movement 92
Shutter Modes 92
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
Determining Exposure94
Digital Camera Features94
Resolution 94
Monitor 96
Monitor Playback Mode and Histogram 97
Metadata/EXIF 98
Optical and Digital Zoom 98
Digital ISO/Sensitivity 99
Digital Aberrations: Noise, Banding, Blooming, and Spots 99
White Balance 99
Metering Modes 101
Aspect Modes 101
Color Modes 101
Image Enhancement or Scene Modes 101
Special Effect Modes 101
Motion Picture Mode 102
Sharpening Mode 102
Guide or Help Mode 103
Noise Reduction 103
Image Stabilization 103
Flash 104
Memory Buffer 105
Removable Camera Memory Storage 105
Firmware 106
Software: You Press the Button and the Camera Does the Rest 106
Battery 107
Battery Choices 107
Battery Care in Cold Conditions 108
Camera, Lens, Monitor, and Sensor Care 109
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Protection against the Elements 109
Scanners 112
Flatbed and Film Scanners 112
Drum Scanners 114
Scanning Guidelines 114
Scanning Steps 114
Frame Grabber 117
Effects on Photojournalists and Event Photographers 117
Storing Digital Images 118
Storage Media for Final Image Files 118
Compact Disc (CD) and Digital Versatile Disc (DVD) 118
Mechanical Storage 119
Internal Hard Disk Drives 120
External Hard Disk Drives 120
Solid-Stale Storage: Hard Drives, USB Drives, Jump Drives, and Flash Memory Media 120
Image Transfer 120
Living Photography: Authorship, Access, and the World's Largest Picture Book 120
Chapter 4 Exposure and Filters 125
Exposure Basics 125
Camera Light Meters Are 18 Percent Gray Contrast 125
Reflective and Incident Light 126
How a Light Meter Works 127
How a Histogram Works 128
Using a Gray Card 128
Camera Metering Programs 129
Matrix Metering/ln-Camera Metering Methods 129
Using a Camera Monitor 129
Electronic Viewfinder (EVF) 130
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How a Meter Gets Deceived ^31
Exposure- Bracketing 132
137fcjqwswre compensation
*"'
Manual Override 132
HWJfeciy Meters 133
Brigflwiroes* Ran^e133
Exposing, to ihe Right 133
Hiigjh Pxnamic Range ^HDR> Imaging133
lEUtsic Uglhiii Reading Methods 136
«%ttTj$c- PUvlight ^36
MDonu Mnnlight136
raiuis«n udni 137
Piimm Usjhii^37
CiOflMrasi CiOMroifTew Compensation 137
Litdte 'Mliiucmin)^ Techniques139
Mctueinrntg 'k«s the Sulbjeci 139
E^jnctaBBg few Tonal Variations 139
Btamiw Plash and! Basic Fill Flash 139
Bfadl Em- 142
I'tamiBwiul bJ^timg, Conditions 142
Suulfejiifini Him Shadow* 143
idbfott mm Bright Light 143
ZCUOTOI E^lpXoSUIR'143
Mxmgmg, liBckkm and Reflect Exposures 144
-kititK \ksdt ExjM'Sures144
Long. Lxp&smt* sstd Dagput] Noise 144
feaijp'twoav Law144
fM£im$ the Lsg?w --
145
Our yim: A Cttmitmnts \Miite Light Spectrum 145
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Color Temperature and the Kelvin Scale 145
The Color of Light 147
White Balance 147
Camera Color Modes 148
Color Saturation Control 148
Hue Adjustment/RGB Color Mixing 149
Why a Color May Not Reproduce Correctly 149
Lens Filters 149
How Filters Work 149
Filter Factor 149
Neutral Density Filters 150
Dealing with Reflections: Polarized and Unpolarized Light 151
What a Polarizing Filter Can Do 151
Using a Polarizer 151
Linear and Circular Polarizers 152
Ultraviolet, Skylight, and Haze Filters 152
Special Effects Fillers 153
Homemade Colored and Diffusion Filters 153
Digital Filters and Plugins 155
Fluorescent and Other Gas-Filled Lights 157
High-Intensity Discharge Lamps/Mercury and Sodium Vapor Sources 158
CHAPTER 5 Interpreting the Light 161
Natural Light 161
The Thingness of Light 161
Good Light 162
Light and the Camera 163
The Time of Day/Types of Light 164
The Cycle of Light and Its Basic Characteristics 164
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
Before Sunrise 166
Morning/The Golden Hour 166
Midday 166
Afternoon 1^7
Twilight/Evening ^ 67
Night 167
The Seasons 167
The Weather and Atmospheric Conditions 168
Fog and Mist 169
Rain 169
Snow 170
Snow Effects 170
Dust 171
Heal and Fire 171
Beach and Desert 172
Artificial Light 173
Add a Light 173
The Size of the Main or Key Light 174
The Placement of the Light 174
Contrast/Brightness Range 174
Basic Lighting Methods 174
Front Light 175
Side Light 175
High Side Light 175
Low Side Light 175
Top Light 175
Back Light 175
Under Light 179
Lighting Accessories 180
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Barn Doors 180
Dilfusor 180
Gels 181
Reflector Card 181
Seamless Paper Backdrops 181
Snoot 181
Studio Strobes 182
References 182
Chapter 6 Observation: Eyes Wide Open 185
How We See 185
Literacy 185
Learning to Look 186
The Difference between Artistic and Scientific Methods 186
Visual Literacy and Decision Making 187
Why We Make and Respond to Specific Images 190
Victor Lowenfelds Research 190
Visual-Realists as Imagemakers 190
Visual-Realist Photographic Working Methods 191
Haptic-Expressionist Imagemakers 191
Haptic-Expressionist Photographic Working Methods 192
The Effects of Digital Imaging 193
Photography's Effect on the Arts 193
Pushing Your Boundaries 193
Aesthetic Keys for Color and Composition 195
The Color Key 195
The Composition Key 196
Recognizing the Keys 196
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
Figure-Ground Relationships
The Importance of Figure-Ground Relationsh
CHAPTFR 7 Time, Space, Imagination, and the Camera
In Search of Time
The Perception of Time
Controlling Camera Time
Exploring Shutter Speeds
Extending the Action
Stopping the Action
Stopping Action with Electronic Flash
Blur and Out-of-Focus Images
Motion Blur Filters
Lensbaby
The Pan Shot
Equipment Movement
Free-Form Camera Movement
Flash and Slow Shutter Speed
Extended Time Exposures
Drawing with Light
Projection
Multiple Images
Sandwiching/Overlapping Transparencies
Rephotography
Post-Camera Visualization
Sequences
Using a Grid
Many Make One
Contact Sheet Sequence
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Joiners 226
Slices of Time 227
Compound Pictures/Photomontage 227
Photographic Collage 227
Three-Dimensional Images: Physical and Virtual 228
Image-Based Installations 229
Public Art 231
Social Media 232
Imaging Software Solutions 234
Recomposing Reality 234
Animation (Timeline) 236
Getting Started: Making Your Animation (Timeline) 236
Preparing the Still Image Files 237
Steps for Importing Still Images, Sound, and Working with the Timeline 240
References 256
CHAPTER 8 Digital Studio: Where the Virtual Meets the Material World 259
The Megapixel Myth 259
Displaying the Image File: Transferring Image Files for Display, Web, or Print 260
The Display 262
Image Output: Display and Print 262
The Web: Pixels per Inch (PPI) 263
Print Resolution: Pixels per Inch and Dots per Inch (Embedded Resolution) 264
Properly Adjusting Image Size and Unchecking Resample Image 266
The Importance of Keeping Equivalent Pixel Dimensions 267
Sizing a Digital File 267
Resampling or Interpolation 267
Working with a Digital Negative: The Original Capture 270
Working with RAW File Formats 270
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
Resampling/Interpolation and the Digital Negative 271
True Resolution and the Real World 273
Default Image Preview Confusion 273
Digital Post-Production and Cataloging 273The Image Window 273
The Bottom Line: The Best Setting to Get the Desired Results 276
Making Photographic-Quality Prints 276
Inkjet Printers: Convening PPl to DPI to Dots 276
Droplet Size: Picoliters 276
Paper: Uncoaied and Coated 277
Inks: Dye and Pigment Based 278
Print Permanence 279
Printing Systems and Output Concerns 279
Thermal/Dye-Sublimation Printing 279
Desktop Inkjet Printers 279
Iris Print 279
Giclee Printing 280
Lightjet 280
Mural-Size Prints 280Unusual Printing Materials: Mixing Media 280
Preparing a Digital Print for Mixed Media 281Service Bureaus 282
Images and ihe Computer Workstation 282The Color Monitor 282
How Monitors Display Color 283Bit Color
283
Comparing 8-bit and 16-bit Modes 284Color Management (ICC Profiles) 285
Controlling Color Space: Profiles and Lights 285
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WYSIWYG: What You See Is What You Get 285
Lighting in the Work Space 286
Digital Colors: CMYK and RGB 286
Digital Memory 286
RAM 286
ROM 287
Hard Disk 287
Software and Imaging Applications 287
Raster/Bitmapped Software 287
Vector Graphics Software 287
Basic Digital Imaging Categories and Tools 288
Top Main Menu Options 288
Cut/Copy and Paste Functions 288
Scale and Distort Functions 289
Digital Filter Function 289
Toolbar Icons for Additional Photo Editing 290
Common Toolbar Icons from Photoshop 291
Finding Tools 291
Black Arrow 291
Select and Move Tools 291
Marquee Tools 291
Move Tool 291
Lasso Tools 292
Magic Wand Tools 292
Quick Selection Tool 292
Crop Tool 292
Drawing Tools 292
Brush and Pencil Tools 292
The Retouching Tools 293
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
Healing Brush and Patch Tools293
993
Clone Stamp ToolOQO
History Brush Tool^-/J
nqq
Eraser Tools
Fill Tools293
Dodge and Burn Tools293
")CkA
Type Tools
Eyedropper (Color Picker) Tools294
3D Tools294
Zoom Tool294
Additional Photoshop Tools294
Masks294
294Layers
*.->-t
Changing Mouse Pointer295
Option/Shift/Command Keys295
The Computer as a Multimedia Stage: Moving Images296
The Internet and the World Wide Web297
Information Sharing: Search Engines and Weblogs298
Digital Galleries298
The Digital Future298
References300
CHAPTER 9 Presentation and Preservation303
Digital Retouching and Repair303
Archival Presentation303
Presentation Materials304
Mat Board Selection304
Window Mat304
Dry and Wet Mounting306
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The Dry-Mounting Process 309
Cold Mounting 311
Floating a Print 311
Frames 311
Unusual Frames and Presentations 311
Portfolios 312
Books: Print on Demand 312
Images on a Screen: Web Sharing 314
Website Design/HTML 314
Factors Affecting Print Preservation 315
Materials to Avoid 315
Factors Affecting Print Stability 316
Color Print Life Span 316
Print Display Environment 316
Storage Environment 317
Digital Archives 317
Transferring Film-Based Images to a Digital Format .-317
Long-Term Storage and Migrating Digital Archives 317
Post-Production Software 319
Cataloging Your Image Files 320
References for Digital Archives 320
Digital Print Stability 321
Dye-Based Inks 321
Pigmented Inks 321
Printing Media 322
Protecting Pigment Prints 322
Camera Copy Work 322
Lens Selection: Macro Lens/Mode 322
Copy Lighting 323
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Exposure324
Presenting Work on a Disk324
ojc
Ensuring a Good Welcome325
Shipping
Copyright of Your Own Work325
Where to Send Work326
327References
Chapter 10 Seeing with a Camera331
331
The Framing Effect: ViewpointJJ 1
331
Seeing Dynamically33 '
Working Methods333
Effectively Using Angles of View333
Selective Focus336
337
Contrast-j-j /
337Complementary Colors
Warm and Cool Colors338
Creating Color Contrast338
Dominant Color340
Be Straightforward340
Sustain Compelling Composition340
Harmonic Color341
Effective Harmony342
Isolated Color343
Chance Favors the Prepared Mind344
Monochrome Images345
The Personal Nature of Monochrome346
Color Contamination346
Aerial Perspective347
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Perspective 347
Basic Methods of Perspective Control 347
Converging Lines 350
Subdued Color 350
Operational Procedures 351
Highlights and Shadows 351
Attraction and Repulsion 352
Surmounting Preconceptions 353
Counterpoints and Opposites 353
Chapter 11 Solutions: Thinking and Writing about Images 357
Thinking Structure: A Process for Discovery and Problem Solving 358
A Thinking Model 361
Stage 1: Thinking Time 361
Getting Ideas 362
Challenging Fear 363
Source Notebook and Journal Keeping 363
The Success Game 364
Stage 2: Search for Form 365
The Possibility Scale 365
Stage 3: Definition and Approach 365
Stage 4: Bringing It Together 367
Stage 5: Operations Review 368
Stage 6: Evaluation 368
The Photograph as a Matrix 369
Size Matters 370
Communicating Cultural Knowledge 370
The Image Experience: Photographic Meaning Is Unstable 372
Writing about Images 373
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
Writing an Artist's Statement 376
Essentials of Image Discussion 379
John Cage's Rules 379
References 383
CHAPTER 12 Photographer on Assignment 387
Making Portraits: Who Am I and Who Are You? 387
Self-Portrait Research 387
Self-Portraits 388
Portrait of Another Person 388
Environmental Portrait 390
Fauxtography: Photography's Subjective Nature 390
Truthiness and Wikiality 391
Picturing Social Identity 392
Depicting Social Customs 392
Who Can Represent Us? 394
Interior Experience: The Significance of Daily Life 395
Philosophical Belief: Optimism, Pessimism, and Existentialism 396
Psychological Drama 397
Social Issues 399
Fabrication for the Camera: Directorial Mode 400
The Social Landscape 400
Still Life 403
Still-Life Deliberations 404
The Human Form 406
The Display: Another Picture Reality 408
Alternative Approaches 408
Text and Images 409
Artists' Books and Albums 415
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Artists' and Photographic Books: References 419
Self-Assignment: Creation and Evaluation 419
Evaluation Guide—Before Making Images 419
Guide to Evaluation—After Photographing 419
Addendum 1: Safety: Protecting Yourself and Your Digital Imaging Equipment 423
Ergonomic Workstations 423
Monitor Emissions: ELF/VLF 423
Eyestrain 423
Proper Posture/Lower Back Problems 424
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome 424
Taking Breaks 424
Neutral Body Positioning 424
Change Your Working Position 424
Addendum 2: Careers 427
The Working Photographer 427
Getting Started 429
References 430
Index 431
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