I recently had a student taking my online class with the BPSOP submit a picture that was obviously shot under an overcast sky with no directional light. In other words no light except the gray ambient kind.

Thinking back, I also remember people taking my “Stretching Your Frame of Mind” workshops talking about shooting in the Golden Hour, but not completely understanding exactly what it meant.

In the case of the BPSOP student, she told me in her written explanation of the submitted shot that she had taken it in the Golden Hour. For her to say that, to me, was a signal ( a cry for help) that she was expressing more of a romantic expression…and then and there I had to explain to her exactly what shooting during that time actually meant.

She may well have shot this during the last hour of the day, but that’s only half of the concept. The other half is obviously the quality of the light.

Golden Hour is usually just that. The first hour after sunrise and the last hour before sunset. I say “usually” because the time will vary depending on where you are in relation to the equator, and the time of year.

I say time of year because in the summer months the sun gets high and hot very fast and as far as I’m concerned Golden Hour is more like thirty minutes of quality light.

In the winter months the sun doesn’t get up as high and not nearly as strong, so you have a little more time when the light is right…at least for me.

When the sun is this low (either at sunrise or sunset) it will travel through more atmosphere, the angle the light travels to the Earth is longer, and there’s more water vapor that scatters the rays of the sun. This in turn warms the different hues (colors), minimizes contrast, elongates and renders the shadows light, and also keeps the highlights from becoming too overexposed.

Another way to determine Golden hour is to calculate the degrees the Sun is off the horizon. I’ve found that fifteen to twenty degrees fits into the time frame when the sun is low and warm; and what I consider the Golden Hour.

After explaining this to her she quickly picked up on the fact that shooting in the Golden hour is actually a practical phrase.

Having said all this, there are certainly times when shooting in the Golden Hour is both a romantic expression and a practical phrase, as in the photo taken above.

By the way, have you ever noticed that sunsets are usually more colorful? Want to know why? The reason the sky can be more dramatic is because of dust, debris and pollution that’s had time to build up during the day. You and I help with both!!! Just people walking around causes the dust and debris to rise into the atmosphere.

Visit my website at: www.joebaraban.com, and check out my workshop schedule at the top of this blog. Come shoot with me some time. This coming January Along with William Yu, I’ll be taking a group to China to photograph the flooded rice terraces and also the tribal villages. Next February in conjunction with the Santa Fe Workshops, I’ll be returning to Cuba for the fourth time. My next springtime workshop will Berlin next May; an incredibly beautiful city.

If you send me a photo with a question to: AskjoeB@gmail.com, I’ll create a video critique for you.

JoeB

I Invariably have the same conversation in both my online class I teach with the BPSOP, and I now have it down to occasionally in my “Stretching Your Frame of Mind” workshops I conduct around our planet…why so you ask?

Because in my workshops a lot of my fellow photographers have taken either my online classes, several past workshops, or both and they know by now that I always encourage photographers not to take the road well-traveled; take the one with fewer footprints.

After a fifty-three year career in advertising, editorial, and corporate photography, while also teaching for thirty-four of those years, I’ve talked to a wide variety of photographers that are content with listening to others tell them (in so many words) to follow the rules, aka, the Yellow Brick Road and at the end of said road will be a great and powerful wizard that will show them the road to photographic Nirvana; the ultimate happiness and spiritual liberation.

But perhaps they won’t find a great and powerful wizard, maybe they’ll find an old circus magician from Kansas (that would be Oz) that will instead take them straight down the one-way road to mediocrity…and a state of non-creative purgatory.

YIKES!!!

Without sounding like someone that always assumes the worst, it seems to me based on years of experience, most photographers out there are afraid to step out and color outside the lines; better safe than sorry is their motto. They have their close friends and family to tell them that their pictures are wonderful, and that can be just good enough; enough to get you through the day.

I’ve found that the majority of the students that come to me are not sure of themselves, and without some level of confidence they trust others to guide them; when in fact they just might know more than those offering advice.

What’s the worst that can happen? They’ll laugh at your art, call you names behind your back, make you cry in front of strangers, and maybe even kick you out of their camera club!!!

There are worse things in life; however, I can’t think of any as I write this post.

🙂

In my opinion you should venture out, get some dirt on your shirt while looking at things from a different perspective. Forget about encountering the ubiquitous negative viewer that may not like what you’ve created in the form of a photograph. Your first attempt may or may not be a “wall hanger”, but that’s to be expected. One has to learn how to balance themselves while trying to stand up and stand before they can walk, and walk before they can run.

Open your eyes to new ways of thinking. Try to remember you’re an artist with a camera as your medium. Work on making not just taking pictures. Bob Marley conveyed it best when he said, “Some people feel the rain while others just get wet”.

Take some chances and follow the road less traveled…even if it means getting wet.

Visit my website at www.joebaraban.com, and check out my workshop schedule at the top of this blog. Come shoot with me some time. This coming January Along with William Yu, I’ll be taking a group to China to photograph the flooded rice terraces and also the tribal villages. Next February in conjunction with the Santa Fe Workshops, I’ll be returning to Cuba for the fourth time. My next springtime workshop will Berlin next May; an incredibly beautiful city.

JoeB

I’m closing in fast on fifty years of taking pictures, and by now I’ve learned how to keep the viewer an active part of my images.

I do this to keep him looking at my images for as long as possible, and I don’t know about you but I like for people to enjoy my photography.

There are ways to control how the viewer perceives and processes information that you lay out to him in the form of a photograph. For me, creating stories for the viewer to listen to visually, or making the viewer wonder about certain things in my images, is one of the best ways to keep him around longer.

 One way, and something I’ve been doing for a very long time, is to imply content outside the frame. In other words let the viewer think there’s more to it than meets the eye; there’s something going on outside the frame that he wonders about and tries to figure out just what it is…which keeps him around.

By placing the subject close to the edge of the frame and have him/her looking out will imply that there’s something happening  just outside his field of vision. I like to have the subject smiling as though he/she  was looking at someone they know.

I can’t tell you how many times I’ve offered this suggestion to both my online classes with the BPSOP, and to the people that sign up for my “Stretching Your Frame of Mind” workshops I conduct around the planet.

The response I often get is, “I’ve always been told to have your subject looking, walking, riding, etc., into the frame”; the Leading in Rule…I hate rules!!! Rules are the iron shackles that bind creativity. What I usually tell them is that anyone that tells you this nonsense is hoping to lead you down a one-way path to mediocrity; run away from them as fast as you can.

FYI, Ansel Adams once said, “There are no rules for good pictures, there’s just good pictures”.

So my fellow photographers give it a try, better yet shoot it both ways. Put your subject in the Rule of Thirds (another stupid rule), or have him looking into the frame so the viewer will know what he or she is looking at…then ask yourself if the viewer already knows what he’s looking at then there’s no story, nothing for him to wonder about so why stick around longer than he has to. Then place the subject close to the edge of the frame looking out and compare them side by side.

Visit my website at: www.joebaraban.com, and check out my workshop schedule at the top of this blog. Come shoot with me some time. This coming January Along with William Yu, I’ll be taking a group to China to photograph the flooded rice terraces and also the tribal villages. Next February in conjunction with the Santa Fe Workshops, I’ll be returning to Cuba for the fourth time. My next springtime workshop will Berlin next May; an incredibly beautiful city.

Send me a photo and question to: AskJoeB@gmail.com, and I’ll create a video critique for you.

JoeB

I was relating a story to a fellow photographer that was taking my “Stretching Your Frame of Mind” workshop (who had also taken my two online classes with the BPSOP) that I conduct around our planet. I was telling him how I could imply a family of four by only showing one person. It was for a Texas Tourism campaign I worked on about a million years ago.

Every year they sent a photographer down to South Padre Island, a resort area way down on the Texas gulf coast and close to Mexico; and had been doing this for quite some time.

As always, they wanted the photographer to show a family of four on the beach. I asked the art director if we had to do that once again since to me it was a boring predictable photograph that had been done just about every way there was; needless to say his answer was , “Yes absolutely, and if we don’t come back with that shot it’s going to be a problem”.

Well I can tell you that there was no way I was going to take a photo that had been done so many times before me…even though mine would be the best they ever had!!!!!!

🙂

In the above photo, an idea came screaming into my head so I told the art director that if I could imply a family of four could he sell it? He was as tired as I was of shooting the same photo year after year, so he said, “Maybe”?

I went to a general store for tourist on the boardwalk and found what I was looking for…four colorful beach chairs that would glow when backlit. We put just one kid in the chair and left the other ones empty. The art director loved it and would up selling it to the client.

In the photo of the two bicycles almost the identical story happened. This photo was taken for Alabama Tourism, and as always they wanted a couple riding on the seawall. Once again I asked the art director about an idea I had that would imply a couple without showing them; and once again it worked.

So my fellow photographers, you don’t have to be literal when you’re shooting. Think about implied photos so you can give yourself a much better chance in “coloring outside the lines”.

Visit my website at: www.joebaraban.com, and check out my workshop schedule at the top of this blog. Come shoot with me some time. This coming January Along with William Yu, I’ll be taking a group to China to photograph the flooded rice terraces and also the tribal villages. Next February in conjunction with the Santa Fe Workshops, I’ll be returning to Cuba for the fourth time. My next springtime workshop will Berlin next May; an incredibly beautiful city.

Send me a photo and question to: AskJoeB@gmail.com, and I’ll create a video critique for you.

JoeB

I’ve been shooting closing in (fast) on fifty years, and to me being a photographer has always been sort of a calling card, a way to introduce myself and meet people all over the world. Lifting up your camera and aiming it at someone hoping to take their portrait is for me, such a small part of the total experience.

If you want to go home with more than a few photos of people you’ve taken either on your vacation, or during a workshop, then I suggest you get to know your subject before moving on. I realize that there might be time restraints especially if you’re traveling with a group of non-photographers. but if you’re on vacation you usually have the time to get to know the people whose country you’re in; isn’t that part of your trip?

Yes I know that they might not understand a word you say, but I’ve never had that problem and I’ve traveled around the world.; of course I try to seek out people that speak at least a few words of English. I have also tried to learn a few expressions in their language, and I can tell you from experience that people are more likely to open up to you if they think you’re trying to communicate with them.

As I said, I’m into the total experience so I enjoy hanging around and eventually even having our photos taken together. I would be hard pressed to think of a better way to spread goodwill around the planet than with a camera. Being in the digital age enables us to share the photo with the people whose photo you just took. Just that one small act can make someone smile and perhaps leave that smile on their face for the rest of the day.

I’ve promoted that idea to everyone that takes my online class with the BPSOP, and especially when I’m traveling with people that are with me in one of my “Stretching Your Frame of Mind” workshops. It’s a lot of fun to see how my fellow photographers can get into it and having it be something we remember sitting around in the evening with a glass of wine.

Visit my workshop at: www.joebaraban.com, and check out new workshops as I add them in 2018. Come shoot with me sometime. I have two spots left in my joint workshop with William Yu to photograph the tribal villages and rice terraces in China

I have two spots left in my Springtime Workshop in Berlin starting May 23rd. My sixth workshop in conjunction with Santa Fe to Cuba is now open to register. It begins February 11th.

Send me a photo and question to: AskJoeB@gmail.com, and I’ll create a video critique for you.

JoeB

Over the years, it just seems like I get the same feedback from both the students that sign up for my online class with the BPSOP, and my fellow photographers that attend my “Stretching Your Frame of Mind” workshops I conduct around our planet. It’s weird that over the course of a few days I’ll get the exact same thoughts that seem to come in waves of three or four.

Well, it happened again to me, and this time I was walking down the street minding my own business, my Canon EOS 5D Mark III ( now outdated) over my shoulder when I was accosted by a couple that said…since I had such a great camera I must be a great photographer.

Then during a conversation with a couple of online students a few days later the conversation’s focus was about cameras and what ones should we buy. First I started out with this line, “In my opinion, the last person you want to talk to about it is friends, fellow camera club members, and salespeople that make a commission.”

Then I went on to remind them that most cameras (and I don’t keep up with new designs and innovation) have a place to put your finger when you’re ready to take a picture; called a shutter release. They all have a place to put on the lens (unless it’s a fixed lens found on smaller cameras), All DSLRs have a viewfinder where you put your eye to compose your pictures.

Continuing into the exchange of ideas, I said that those three things are all you need to create memorable photos…why they asked? Because, I told them, that it’s not the camera but the ten inches behind it that’s important; the most important piece of equipment.

All cameras have the ability to let you see just enough to compose a picture, then it’s up to you to perceive what’s in front of you and realize when you have enough information to process, thus resulting in a good shot; that’s the tricky part.

Ok, I’m not telling you not to buy a good camera, because there are advantages in doing just that. I will advise you to do some research, read the reviews when possible, and find the camera best suited to you, your needs, and what level you’re at now or want to be in the future.

Staying in this vein of logic, I will tell you what I often tell people that are in a position to buy new photography equipment..of any kind. Buy the best you can so you only have to cry once. You take care of your camera and it will last you a lifetime of enjoyment.

Having said that, I leave you with this…you have a great camera, so you must be a great photographer. is like saying…I’ve read all your books, you must have a great typewriter.

🙂

Visit my website at: www.joebaraban.com, and check out upcoming workshops at the top of this blog. Come shoot with me some time.

Send me a photo and question to: AskJoeB@gmail.com, and I’ll create a video critique for you.

JoeB

I’ve been an advertising and corporate photographer for almost fifty years and I’ve also been teaching my “Stretching Your Frame of Mind” workshops for thirty-four of those years and an online class with the BPSOP for six. One occurring theme throughout all these years is when I observe photographers taking pictures…which has happened a lot!!!

🙂

What I just about always see is a student taking a photo without taking any time at all between the time he/she first sees something they think is worthwhile enough to bring the camera up to their eye, to clicking the shutter, to moving on to look for something else to shoot. They don’t spend enough time smelling the roses.

They will invariably walk up to a subject or location, shoot the first idea that comes to mind, and then move on leaving a lot still ‘on the table’. By the way, the photograph is usually taken at eye level and horizontal since it’s the easiest and less stressful way to compose.  STOP!!! Don’t leave!!! Use this first shot for what I call the ‘Master Shot’ and stick around to observe what else is going on.

I’ve seen photographers that have become stronger shooters put a lot of undo pressure on themselves to continue the upward path they’re now on. This is the time to relax and enjoy your new way of seeing things.

Look at your subject from as many different positions as you can. While doing so check out where the sun is and how it’s affecting your composition. Btw, this is probably what I see happening the most when I observe my fellow photographers about to take a picture. I can tell you that your odds of coming back home with a good photo will greatly increase if you just take a second to observe what’s going on around you.

Having said all this, there’s going to be times when you don’t have the extra time to think before you shoot. I’m talking about street shooting when capturing the moment is essential in creating strong memorable images. Of course, if you’re always thinking about what I’ve been saying you have an even better chance of capturing that moment in time and have great light on your subject at the same time…and this can be somewhat controlled…how you say?

By picking the side of the street to walk on. If I’m walking on the shady side of the street I’m going to look for ways for the sun to hit certain areas. For example buildings of different sizes next to each other, intersections close together allowing light to come down the street highlighting some areas and keeping some in the shadow…a great combination.

If I choose to walk on the sunny side I then look for areas in shadow. Remember that the use of light and contrast are two ways to generate visual tension.

All this boils down to one thing to remember. Think before you act, slow down, and smell the roses.

Visit my website at: www.joebaraban.com and check out upcoming workshops at the top of this blog. Come shoot with me sometime.

Send me a photo and question to: AskJoeB@gmail.com, and I’ll crate a video critique for you.

JoeB