Depth of Field in Macro Photography

One of the greatest challenges for macro photographers is achieving sharp focus for all of the scene's important elements. In this image the wings of only one of this pair of caper whites are in focus.

The defining characteristic of macro photography is of course that subjects are shot at close distances. While this close camera-to-subject proximity can lead to visually arresting images captured from an intimate perspective, this sort of photography presents unique technical challenges as well.
In this article I'll address one of the most significant of these challenges - controlling depth of field (DOF). The term depth of field refers to the area in front of and behind the point on which focus is set that can be rendered in sharp focus. As we'll explore throughout this article, DOF control plays a very prominent role in macro photography.
The cute creature in the image below is a cicada nymph, by definition the larval or sub-adult stage of an insect with partial metamorphosis. For me, this image is a failure. Why? Almost all the interesting parts and features of the nymph are are out of focus - its abdomen, wing buds, legs, even the front of its head.

In this image of cicada nymph , satisfyingly little of the subject is rendered in sharp focus.

Why are so many of the image elements blurred? It's not due to poor focusing technique. If you look carefully, you’ll see that I placed focus on the cicada's eye, always a good choice whether photographing people or insects. The lack of sharp detail results from insufficient DOF. That is, the range of objects in front of and behind my point of focus that can be simultaneously rendered in sharp focus is extremely shallow. The result? We see sharp detail in just a tiny portion of the whole image.

Here's another example of shallow DOF. When focus is placed on the mantis’ eye, the rest of its body is out of focus.	As you can see, the problem isn't solved simply by focusing on another area. If I place focus on the rest of the head area, the is eye then out of focus.

Understanding depth-of-field

Before we can begin to figure out how to better control DOF, we must first understand the factors that make it so problematic in macro photography. Depth of field is dependent upon three factors: aperture value, focal length and subject distance. When each of the other two variables are fixed, setting a larger F-stop number (which actually means a smaller aperture opening) will result in a larger DOF. Using a longer focal length will result in a smaller DOF. And shooting at a closer subject distance means a smaller DOF.
In macro photography, however, DOF depends primarily on just two factors: aperture value and magnification. At any given aperture value, the higher the magnification ratio, the smaller the DOF. And this explains why DOF is so shallow in macro;  the magnifications are simply much larger than in any other type of photography.
With this in mind, let's go back to the cicada image that began this discussion. When photographers see such a shallow DOF, they instinctively think the aperture was set very wide (a small F-stop number). But this shot was made at f/9.0 which, outside of macro photography, is considered to be a narrow aperture. That leaves magnification as the main contributor to shallow DOF. This nymph is only 2 or 3mm in length, and since I wanted to photograph it filling a large portion of the frame, I had to use an extreme magnification ratio – in this case, of 5:1, meaning that the cicada's projection on the sensor was 5 times its actual size! Extreme indeed, and so DOF is extremely shallow, at only a fraction of a millimeter.

One might think that a too-shallow DOF appears only in extreme macro. This is not true: even in this image of a devil’s horse nymph, shot using a magnification much lower than 1:1, a larger DOF would definitely be welcome.

Since DOF is affected by aperture and magnification, let's see what happens when we alter them. First - aperture value. The robber fly below was shot using a very small aperture: f/16. In fact, this aperture is so small that is causes a significant loss of sharpness due to diffraction. And it still doesn’t help this image much; the DOF is too shallow with most of the subject out of focus.

Here, even a very small aperture couldn’t help making the DOF large enough to have the whole subject in focus.

The second thing that can be done is to lessen the magnification by stepping back from the subject and making it take up less space in the frame. This most certainly works to increase DOF. Yet I have two major problems with this 'solution'. Having the subject fill a smaller part of the frame than intended forces you to crop the image in post processing. And while a large  crop may make the subject appear as if you shot it at closer range, you end up with less detail, eliminating one of the most appealing aspects of macro photography.
Furthermore, as a wildlife photographer I always wish to capture my scene in as close a state as possible to the final image. Using a small magnification and then making a significant crop collides with this ideal and personally I avoid this unless there is simply no other choice.

Landscape Photography Primer

A successful landscape photograph conveys an emotional sense of place to the viewer.

Landscape photography is among the more enticing genres among enthusiasts. Many draw inspiration from twentieth century giants like Ansel Adams and Edward Weston, American photogaphers who saw the continent's vast spaces as opportunities for artistic expression. Yet the roots of their work go back even further to those who took on the decidedly unglamorous and backbreaking survey work of the American West. This was performed by unsung heroes like William Henry Jackson and Timothy H. O’Sulllivan, who were skilled in wilderness survival and able to endure the hardship required to map and photograph the new frontier.
Being a landscape photographer today no longer means trekking through unmapped terrain with pack mules hauling 50 pounds of camera gear and darkroom equipment. Yet there remain both technical and logistical hurdles in photographing the great outdoors. In this article, we'll explore equipment options for the landscape specialist, discuss the logistics involved in planning a shooting trip and look at techniques that allow you to capture the essence of the scene unfolding in front of your camera.

Equipment

Superb image quality and the ability to record as much detail as possible are hallmarks of landscape photography. For this reason the view camera has long been, and still is, the tool of choice for many serious landscape photographers.

The 4 x 5 field camera has long been a favorite for landscape work, combining a large film area with the ability to fold the camera flat for storage.	One of the greatest advantages of view cameras is that they allow for independent movements between the lens and film/sensor plane.

Back in the days of film, resolution was mainly determined by film size. The bigger the film, the greater the resolution and hence the more detail could be recorded. The most common film sizes for view cameras are 4 x 5 inches and 8 x 10 inches (though much larger formats exist). These represent significantly more film area than the more common 24 x 36 mm full frame format. And they are not obsolete in the digital age, as digital backs can be adapted to fit on them in place of a film holder.
View cameras also allow for significant tilt, shift, rise and fall movements of the front standard (where the lens sits) that are independent of the rear standard (where the film or sensor sits). This allows for a control of perspective and depth of field that is simply not possible with standard lenses on 35mm systems.
Obvious downsides of view cameras are their hefty size and bulk. It also takes significantly longer to frame, focus and expose an image and you'll most certainly be setting up and using a tripod as well. Given all this, the likelihood of missing spur of the moment photo opportunities like a short-lived rainbow or the quickly fading evening light are quite high.

Digital camera systems

Film was still king when I started to take photography seriously, and the format choices were pretty straightforward: 35mm format for wildlife and other ‘fast’ photography, medium format (6 x 4.5 cm, 6 x 6 cm, 6 x 7 cm) for macro/close up photography, and large format view cameras for landscape and architectural work.
The rise of enthusiast and professional digital cameras, however, made these decisions much less straightforward. Today, full frame DSLRs can have equal or even better resolution than medium format film.

The high resolution APS-C sensors in enthusiast level DSLRs can produce satisfyingly detailed landscape imagery.	Today's pro level full frame DSLRs are built to withstand harsh environments and provide image quality that was once only possible with medium format film.
Medium format DSLRs, while still beyond the means of most of amateurs, have come down significantly in price.	Digital backs can be fitted to both film and digital camera systems and represent the state of the art in high resolution digital capture.

Even APS-C format DSLRs and mirrorless interchangeable lens cameras offer resolution sufficient to produce well-detailed landscape images. The medium format DSLR market is also seeing a bit of a renaissance, with bodies now available in the $10k price range and resolutions exceeding 40MP. And at the very high end there are digital single shot and scanning backs that are compatible with view cameras and offer resolution as high as 80MP.
Click here to continue reading our Landscape Photography 

Nikon D90 Review

Review based on a production Nikon D90 with firmware V1.0

Almost exactly two years after the D80 was announced comes its replacement, the rather predictably named D90. The D80 has been one of Nikon's quiet successes, and even today, despite being positively Methuselah-like in digital camera terms it continues to sell and often makes its way into our top 10 most clicked on cameras. Because it looks so similar to the D80 the D90 appears at first glance to be one of those rather subdued incremental upgrades, but dig a little deeper and you'll find there's plenty to keep Nikon fans happy.

First and foremost there's a new CMOS sensor, which Nikon claim produces D300 quality output at up to ISO 6400 and - one of several features to 'trickle down' from higher models - the same highly acclaimed 3.0-inch VGA screen as the D3/D300. Naturally it has Live View with contrast-detect AF and it would have been surprising had it not sported some form of dust removal system. More surprising is the inclusion of the world's first DSLR movie mode (720p HDTV quality, no less) and HDMI output, though as we'll see later it does come with some limitations. A lot of the core photographic spec is the same as or very similar to the D80, though there is a new shutter and an implementation of the 3D tracking AF seen on the D3/D300.

And it's not just the high end models that have lent features and technology to the D90; the user interface has been given the same user-friendly treatment as the D60, as have the retouching options. As it was explained to us the D90 is intended to appeal to the broadest audience of any Nikon SLR, from first-time 'step up' customers moving from a compact to serious amateurs wanting comprehensive photographic control without the cost and weight of a D300. Whether the D90 is as capable as its feature set suggests, we'll see as the review unfolds.

Nikon D90 Key Features

• 12.9 megapixel DX-format CMOS sensor (effective pixels: 12.3 million)
• 3.0-inch 920,000 pixel (VGA x 3 colors) TFT-LCD (same as D3 and D300)
• Live View with contrast-detect AF, face detection
• Image sensor cleaning (sensor shake)
• Illuminated focus points
• Movie capture at up to 1280 x 720 (720p) 24 fps with mono sound
• IS0 200-3200 range (100-6400 expanded)
• 4.5 frames per second continuous shooting (buffer: 7 RAW, 25 JPEG fine, 100 JPEG Normal)
• Expeed image processing engine
• 3D tracking AF (11 point)
• Short startup time, viewfinder blackout and shutter lag
• Slightly improved viewfinder (96% frame coverage)
• Extensive in-camera retouching including raw development and straightening
• Improved user interface
• New optional compact GPS unit (fits on hot shoe)
• Same battery and vertical grip as D80
• Vignetting control in-camera
• 72 thumbnail and calendar view in playback

Nikon D90 vs D80: Key Differences

Although it's had a bit of a design refresh with slightly sharper lines, the D90 is externally very similar to its predecessor (dimensions are identical, though it is heavier). Looking at the differences it's obviously a solid incremental upgrade rather than a total reinvention of the popular D80, with several key improvements (most importantly the sensor and screen) and a welcome smattering of must-have 2008 features (live view, dust removal). Oh yes, and of course there's that one little new feature sitting at the back of the classroom with its hand waving in the air, shouting 'Sir! Sir!'; the 'world's first' DSLR movie mode.

• 12.3 MP CMOS sensor (D80: 10.2 MP CCD)
• Dust removal system
• Bigger, better screen (as D3, D300)
• Live View with contrast detect AF
• Movie Mode
• Wider ISO range, upgraded AF system (3D tracking, face detection)
• Active D-Lighting, vignetting control and extra retouching options
• Automatic chromatic aberration correction
• Picture Control presets
• Faster continuous shooting and larger buffer
• Pictmotion slideshows

Compared to the Nikon D80, major feature and specification differences

As you can see from the table below the D90 carries some quite significant improvements compared to the D80.

	Nikon D90	Nikon D80
Sensor	• 12.3 million effective pixels • 23.6 x 15.8 mm CMOS (DX format)	• 10.2 million effective pixels • 23.6 x 15.8 mm CCD (DX format)
Image sizes	• 4,288 x 2,848 (12 MP) • 3,216 x 2,136 • 2,144 x 1,424	• 3872 x 2592 (10.0 MP) • 2896 x 1944 • 1936 x 1296
Sensor cleaning	• Image Sensor Cleaning • Image Dust Off reference data (optional Capture NX 2 software required)	• Image Dust Off reference data (optional Capture NX software required)
Autofocus	• 11 area TTL • Nikon Multi-CAM1000	• 11 area TTL • Nikon Multi-CAM 1000
Lens servo	• Single-servo AF (AF-S) • Continuous-servo AF (AF-C) • Automatic AF-S/AF-C (AF-A) • 3D Tracking AF (11 points) • Manual focus (M)	• Single-servo AF (AF-S) • Continuous-servo AF (AF-C) • Automatic AF-S/AF-C (AF-A) • Manual focus (M)
Sensitivity	• ISO 200 - 3200 • ISO 100-6400 with boost	• ISO 100 - 1600 • Up to ISO 3200 with boost
Built-in flash	Guide number 17 (ISO 200)	Guide number 13 (ISO 100)
Active D-lighting	Can be selected from Auto, Extra high, High, Normal, Low, or Off	No
Continuous	• 4.5 fps • 23 / 6 frames (JPEG / RAW)	• 3 fps • 23 / 6 frames (JPEG / RAW)
White balance	• Auto • 6 presets • Kelvin color temperature • Manual preset (immediate or from photo)	• Auto • 6 presets • Kelvin color temperature • Manual preset (immediate or from photo)
Image presets	• Standard • Neutral • Vivid • Monochrome • Landscape • Portrait • Storage for up to nine custom Picture Controls	• Normal • Softer • Vivid • More Vivid • Portrait • B&W
Viewfinder Frame coverage	• Approx. 96%	• Approx. 95%
LCD monitor	• 3.0" TFT LCD • 920,000 pixel TFT (RGB x 3 colors) • 170 degree viewing angle • Removable protective cover	• 2.5" TFT LCD • 230,000 pixel TFT • 170 degree viewing angle • Removable protective cover
Dimensions	132 x 103 x 77 mm (5.2 x 4.1 x 3.0 in)	132 x 103 x 77 mm (5.2 x 4.1 x 3.0 in)
Weight	• No battery: 620 g (1.4 lb) • With battery: 703 g (1.6 lb)	• No battery: 585 g (1.3 lb) • With battery: 668 g (1.5 lb)
Image processing engine	• Expeed • 12 bit	• New for D80 • Based on D200 / D2X • 12-bit algorithms, 2-channel
In-camera retouching	• D-Lighting • Red-eye reduction • Trimming • Monochrome & filter effects • Color balance • Small picture • Image overlay • NEF (RAW) processing • Quick retouch • Straighten • Distortion control • fisheye	• D-Lighting • Red-eye reduction • Trimming • Overlay • Monochrome and Filter • Small picture • Image overlay
Movie mode	Yes	No
Live View	Yes	No
Others	• Scene Recognition System • Face Detection • Calendar Display • New information display on main LCD • Vignetting control in-camera

Software Pengolahan Desain

Aplikasi-Aplikasi Pengolah Gambar

Entah karena hobi atau karena senang memotret aku jadi senang mengoleksi aplikasi-aplikasi pengolah gambar, baik yang freeware maupun shareware. Sekadar ingin berbagi daftar aplikasi pengolah gambar tersebut, maka aku coba tuliskan daftar software tersebut beserta sedikit keterangan secara ringkas yang kuperoleh dari berbagai macam media dan tentu juga berdasar pengalaman sendiri .

Pada prinsipnya ketika kita mengambil gambar/foto baik melalui kamera digital, HP kamera, ataupun scanner, mempunyai karakteristik beragam dan tentu saja hal ini banyak dipengaruhi oleh faktor hardware dan kondisi ketika kita mengambil objek foto tersebut. Jika kita merasa tidak puas akan hasil foto yang telah kita dapatkan ada baiknya kita mengolahnya terlebih dahulu menggunakan software-software pengolah gambar, tujuannya sudah barang tentu untuk meningkatkan kualitas dari foto yang telah kita ambil atau mungkin sekadar ingin memberikan efek atau variasi pada gambar yang kita olah. Software yang ku list di bawah ini ada yang dihkususkan untuk kalangan professional, tapi ada juga bagi pemula dan menengah.

 

1. Adobe Photoshop CS 3 - untuk professional (situsnya di www.adobe.com)
Software ini adalah yang paling populer bagi kalangan profesional. Software ini memberi banyak keleluasaan bagi penggunanya untuk melakukan kreasi, serta fleksibilitasnya yang dapat memberikan efek-efek khusus pada gambar yang boleh dibuat oleh pihak ke tiga (plug in).

2. Light Zone 1.7-untuk professional (www.lightcrafts.com)
Software ini menurut pengembangnya dibuat oleh para fotografer dan memang ditujukan untuk para fotografer profesional. Software ini menawarkan konsep (digital dark zoom) atau apa yang biasa kita sebut kamar gelap digital. Namun untuk para penguna awam pun aku kira software ini akan sangat mudah dipahami karena memang tampilan antarmukanya sangat sederhana dan informatif jadi bisa dengan melakukan try n error dulu ketika pemula menggunakan software ini.

3.Corel Paint Shop Pro Photo -untuk kalangan menengah (www.corel.com)
Dari judulnya mungkin anda mengira software ini akan sedikit mirip dengan aplikasi paint bawaan windows. Yap... Program ini interface sedikit mirip dengan paint namun memiliki lebih banyak fitur menawan disamping itu juga tampilannya lebih komunikatif dan mudah digunakan.

4. Adobe Photoshop Element- untuk kalangan pemula (www.adobe.com)
Software ini sebenarnya adalah bentukan sederhana dari Adobe photoshop CS. Tujuannya dikeluarkan software ini menurut pengembangnya adalah membidik sasaran pengguna pemula yang kesulitan menggunakan photoshop prefesional. Software ini cukup mudah digunakan dan resource yang digunakan tidak sebesar photoshop professional tapi kualitas hasilnya cukup baik.

5. Ulead PhotoImpact -untuk kalangan menengah (www.ulead.com)
Software ini boleh dibilang paket pengolah gambar terlengkap yang cukup nyaman digunakan. kelebihan dari software ini adalah kemampuannya dalam membuat aneka kartu undangan, kartu ucapan, label, kalendar, bahkan sharing foto dan kartu ucapan melalui email. Sebagai tambahan photoimpact juga menyediakan tool khusus untuk membuat tampilan 3 dimensi.

6. PainBuster -untuk pemula (www.softbuster.com)
Seperti pengolah gambar lainnya, software inipun dapat membantu melakukan pengaturan pencahayaan pada foto yang diambil pada kondisi dengan cahya yang minim atau foto yang diambil menggunakan hp kamera tanpa blitz. Kelebihannya dari software ini adalah jenis format gambar yang didukungnya hingga lebih dari 200 format file, selain itu software ini cocok untuk pengguna amatir hingga profesional.

7. PhotoPlus-untuk kalangan menengah (www.freeserifsoftware.com)
Photoplus merupakan software yang sangat simple tapi hebatnya kualitas foto hasil olahannya sekualitas foto olahan software profesional. Banyak sekali fitur unik yang ditawarkan oleh software ini. Yang lebih menawan adalah software ini juga tergolong kedalam freeware alias gratis tanpa batasan waktu. Meskipun gratisan namun tersedia juga beragam efek yang dapat mempercantik foto anda.

8.The GIMP (GNU Image Manipulator Program) -untuk kalangan profesional (www.gimp.org)
Melihat dari judulnya kita sudah bisa menebak bahwa software ini gratisan, ya karena memang dikembangkan oleh komunitas pecinta desain grafis. Namun jangan salah software ini juga bisa disejajarkan dengan software profesional lainnya. Fleksibilitas yang tinggi ketika memproses gambar adalah salah satu kelebihan yang dimilikinya. Software ini juga tersedia untuk beragam sistem operasi seperti Linux, Windows dan MacOS.

9. Magic Phot Clinic -untuk kalangan menengah (www.magix.net)
Software ini sangat mudah digunakan dan dilengkapi oleh efek siap pakai yang beragam dan sudah barang tentu gratis. Cocok untuk kalangan pemula hingga menengah meskipun kemampuannya tergolong cukup terbatas tapi kelemahan ini tertutup oleh lisensinya yang freeware.

10. Picasa-untuk pemula (www.picasa.google.com)
Dilihat dari situsnya sudah barang tentu ada kaitannya dengan mesin pencari terhebat di dunia ini. Ya memang picasa ini dibuat oleh pemilik portal pencari online google. Picasa mempunyai kemampuan yang sangat menakjubkan . Kemampuannya dalam mengolah gambar digital dan menyimpannya kedalam beragam format sudah tak dapat diragukan lagi karena memang hasil olahannya sangat baik, namun yang paling penting adalah lisensinya yang gratis tis tis tis tis..........

11. Photobie -untuk langan menengah (www.photobie.com)

Daftar terakhir dari software pengolah gambar ini ditempati oleh Photobie yang sudah barang tentu dapat mengolah gambar yang cukup baik yakni dengan teknik layering macam photoshop. Hal inilah yang menyebabkan software ini boleh dibilang memilki kemampuan menengah. tak lupa juga pembuat software ini melisensikan software ini ke dalam freeware alias cuma-cuma. kelebihannya lainnya adalah dapat merekam layar, membuat animasi GIF, dan kemampuan mengolah banyak gambar dalam satu waktu (batch).