Introducing Rick Sammon's Light It! An iPad App That's All About Lighting

My latest app, Rick Sammon's Light It! – has just arrived. The iPad app is designed to help you make (not just take) professional-quality digital SLR people pictures – without spending a small fortune on professional lighting accessories. It's ideal for photographers who want to learn about shooting with an accessory flash and basic lighting accessories. Some of my favorite photo philosophies are included, too.

The 1.5 hour training app (packed with 1.5 GB of info) includes both video lessons and before/after photographs. At 1.5 GB you want to download the app from your home computer and then transfer it to your iPad.

Click here see the intro movie - and a mini-lesson on lighting.

Click here to order the the app. Pricing note: the app is being offered at the introductory price of $8.99 until September 30, 2010. After that, the app will be priced at $10.99.

I took the illustrative photographs with a range of Canon digital SLR cameras – from entry-level to top-of-the-line models. While watching the video lessons, you’ll learn how pros photograph people indoors and outdoors, in bright light and in low light, at home and on location, and even in a studio. In looking at the photographs, you’ll see the effects of my recommended techniques.


In the easy-to-follow and fun video lessons, some of which were originally shot for our Wiley Publishing DVDs, I’ll show you how to use reflectors, diffusers, a flash, flash accessories, basic strobe kits, basic hot-light kits and more. I also cover camera settings, as well as some of my photo philosophies. Although I often refer to specific cameras, the basic camera settings can be applied to any digital SLR - and even some compact cameras.


Two of the videos in this app – Top 21 People Photography Tips and Top Ten Digital Photography Tips – feature some of my favorite digital SLR pictures from around the world, accompanied with how-to tips, of course!

This is a basic, or starter, app about lighting. However, as you will see, pros use many of these techniques and accessories to get great shots. (Yes, we are already working on Light It II!)

The movies, shot by Emmy-award winner David Leveen, are divided into five sections:

Basics: 33 Minutes
Outdoors: 15 Minutes
In Your Home: 16 Minutes
On-Location: 12 Minutes
Studio Shooting: 23 Minutes

The total viewing time is about 1.5 hours.What’s more, I have included more than 100 end-result pictures in the app to illustrate the techniques I discuss in the lessons. So in effect, the app is taking a private lesson with me – but only at your own pace.

The app was developed by Craig Ellis of Great Oak Software. In discussing the app, Craig said, “My goal with the design of Light It! was to make it an intuitive yet rich learning experience that showcases Rick’s favorite lessons that are embodied in beautiful videos and before/after photographs. His lessons are fun and easy to follow where he makes learning fast – so user experience supports that flow. I am especially proud of look and feel where iPad users should be immediately familiar, comfortable, and productive using the app to become seasoned photographers in taking better people pictures by learning from the teachings of Rick Sammon.”


This is my fifth app. My other apps: Rick Sammon’s 24/7 Photo Buffet, co-developed with Dr. Dave Wilson; Rick Sammon’s Social Media Marketing for Photographers, co-developed by Juan Pons, my business partner in the Digital Photo Experience; Life Lessons We Can Learn From Mother Nature, also developed by Juan Pons, and Butterfly Wonders, another Pons/Sammon app. Click here to see all my apps.


I hope you enjoy this app. Let me know by shooting me an email at ricksammon at mac.com.

Explore the Light – and explore the joy of people photography.

Rick Sammon

P.S. My publisher, Wiley, has put together a special page for ordering my books and DVDs. Click here to check it out.

Turning a Snapshot into a Great Shot in Maui: Controlling the Light

Photographs © Rick Sammon

DPE co-founder Juan Pons and I, as well as several members of the Digital Photo Experience gang, are just back from the 2010 Maui Photo Festival & Workshops. What fun, and what a fantastic learning experience.

One of the highlights of the event was the "Hula Dancers at Sunset" shoot, organized by DPE contributor Randy Jay Braun, a local photographer on Maui. Many of the presenters chimed in with tips on using reflectors, diffusers and a flash. Here is just one example.

We made the opening picture for this post by controlling the strong, direct and unflattering sunlight. Two diffusers were held between the sun and subject to soften the shadows, and a gold reflector was held to bounce some light onto the darker side of the subject. The gold reflector also added a beautiful glow to the subject's face.

See! It's easy to turn a snapshot into a great shot - and it's easy to control the light.

Best,

Rick

Snapshots to Great Shots: Make the Picture

Today at the Maui Photo Festival, we had fun demonstrating how to turn a snapshot into a great shot.

After finding a willing subject, who was on her honeymoon, I took a snapshot of her along one of the busy hotel paths. Then, I grabbed a red table cloth and had two assistant hold the table cloth behind her - which created a studio-type atmosphere. Basically, we made the picture.

The lighting on the subject was soft and sweet. Notice the natural hair-light, too. We also made the picture by choosing the location based on the light.

We made a quick video of this snapshot-to-great shot moment. It will be posted on DPE soon!

Explore the light,
Rick

What Do You See in This Picture?

What do you see in this picture? Post a comment here.

I think it's interesting that we are often are drawn to photograph a subject that looks familiar.

Explore the light,

Rick

24/7 Photo Buffet App Sale! One Week Only.

Just about a year ago, I met Dr. Dave Wilson in a helicopter during the Maui Photo Festival. We were both taking pictures while flying high over beautiful Maui.

When we landed, I asked Dave, "What do you do in real life?" He replied, "I'm an app developer."

I said, "How cool is that! Do you think we could develop an app together?"

Within four months, we had our first iPhone app: Rick Sammon's 24/7 Photo Buffet.

A few months later we launched Rick Sammon's 24/7 Photo Buffet for the iPad.

I supplied the content, Dave did all the cool programming.

You can read about, and order, the apps here.

To celebrate our first year of working on apps, and to celebrate the Maui Photo Festival, we are offering a sale on both the iPhone and iPad versionsof 24/7 Photo Buffet – from August 22 to August 29.

The $4.99 iPhone version is on sale for $1.99.
The $8.99 iPad version is on sale for $3.99.

Again, this sale ends August 29th.

Explore the light,
Rick

Atlanta Workshop Photos/Tips All This Week on DPE

I spent last weekend in Atlanta teaching a digital imaging workshop with my good friend Rob Knight.

I'll be posting photos/tips from the shoot all this week on DPE.

Explore the light,
Rick

Come to Croton-on-Hudson for a Cool Digital Photography Workshop

I only have a few spots remaining on my Fall 2010 digital photography workshops.


For complete info, click here.

Hope to see you – and shoot with you – soon!

Explore the light,
Rick

Chill Out!

Hey, no photo tip here - for a change. I just wanted to post an image that would cool us off. It's just too hot here in New York.

Okay, okay! Click here for a few quick tips.

Explore the light,
Rick

Don't Ruin the Mood of Your Picture with a Flash

If you watch Jersey Shore, you know all about Pauly D and his hair.

Well, last night my son did the Pauly D: hair, t-shirt and tattoos. Good fun.

As long as I had a good model on hand, I thought I'd take two shots to illustrate a photography philosophy: Don't let an on-camera flash ruin a shot.

The picture on the left is a natural light shot. The picture on the right is an on-camera flash shot.

In this situation (sorry The Situation), the flash obviously ruined the mood and feeling of the moment. What's more, the flash created a harsh, unnatural shadow.

Sure, I could have simulated the available light effect had I used a flash in a soft box. Or, I could have set the camera to manual and balanced the light from the flash to the available light – for a much more natural-looking picture. Here, I just wanted to illustrate a basic technique.

I also wanted to illustrate another point: don't be afraid to boost your ISO in low-light situations – even with a mid-range digital SLR. One of the more recent advancements in SLRs is that you get less noise at high ISO settings. I took these pictures with my Canon 7D with the ISO set to 1600.

If a picture does have some noise, don't worry. That noise may actually add to the mood of the scene.

Explore the light,
Rick

P.S. A flash is still my #1 recommended accessory. Master your flash, and you'll get natural looking flash pictures. Here's a link to an older post on making flash pictures look natural.

Changin' Lanes - A preview

Andy Williams in his new "lane."

Earlier this week I announced a new project: Changin' Lanes. The concept: I am looking for personal and positive stories about people who have changed lanes, so to speak, in the business world and in the field of personal growth. These are people who changed lanes to follow their passion – to live the life they want to live.

These inspiring stories will be posted on the Changin' Lanes web site (a work in progress). We are also planning a web-based TV series (we start shooting next month).

For more on Changin' Lanes, click here.

Here's a preview. Keep in mind that Changin' Lanes is not only limited to photographers.

• • •

Changin' Lanes
Andy Williams – From Suits & Ties to Shorts & T-Shirts

Andy after changing lanes

For 20 years, I worked in technology and sold big ticket software to big companies, big banks and other financial institutions. However, I've always been a photographer, and I have always have done professional photographic work for many years.

In 2003 I was looking for a way to get my photographs online - and to sell photos online. I stumbled upon SmugMug in 2003 and it's changed my life. From the very beginning, I was contacted by the founder, who offered assistance as I was setting up my website. And then, we got to talking about the business, and from there it snowballed. I became an adviser to SmugMug, then joined on full-time as General Manager and House Professional in 2005.

Andy before changing lanes

I was the 10th employee. This was a big change for me! Going from the big-corporate world, suit-and-tie, working on Wall Street, to shorts and t-shirt, and a 20-foot commute to my home office :)

Now, 5 years later, I'm COO and we're up to 60 employees and hundreds of thousands of fanatical customers. I'm immersed in photography 24/7 and I wouldn't have it any other way. I love working with all of our customers, family shooters, serious amateurs, and all types of pros as well.

I still shoot professionally, and I also do a bunch of workshops each year. My passion now is the landscape, and I love teaching others how to improve their craft. Here's a link to my site.

It's funny - even though I work tremendously long hours - I don't consider it work! I get to be part of an amazing company, providing a service to photographers all over the world, and I get to shoot - all the time. I get to meet with other photographers on a regular basis and I see amazing photography every day from so many wonderful shooters. I can't imagine ever changing lanes again!

• • •

Thank you Andy!

If you have a Changin' Lanes story, email it to me at ricksammon at mac.com. To those of you have emailed me, thank you! The stories are amazing.

Good luck,
Rick

P.S. You can follow the progress of this progress on Twitter.

Changin' Lanes

I am working on a new motivational project: Changin' Lanes.

I am looking for personal and positive stories about changin' lanes, so to speak, in the business world. People who changed lanes to follow their passion – to live the life they want to live.

I actually did this myself – several times in my career. I know many folks who have made the move.

I announced this project on twitter and facebook last week and the response was overwhelming.

You can follow the progress of this project on twitter.

One goal of this project is to offer inspiration and motivation to those who want to change lanes. Another is to put like-minded folks together.

This project is not limited to photography. If you own a bicycle shop and used to be an investment banker, for example, we'd love to hear from you.

Much more planned for Changin' Lanes.

If you have changed lanes, if you are thinking about changing lanes, or if you know someone who wants to change lanes, etc., please have them email me their story. ricksammon at mac.com.

I can't respond to all the emails right now. All stories will be saved. If we use your story, you will be notified for more information.

Remember: "It's never too late to be who you could have been."

Here's another cool quote: "If you love what you do, you never have to work a day in your life."

Thank you – and good luck in following your passion and dreams.
Rick

P.S. Need some inspiration now? Check out my app for the iPad, Life Lessons We Can Learn From Mother Nature.

Quick HD DSLR Video Tip

I just posted a quick – and I mean quick – tip on shooting HD videos with your digital SLR camera on my YouTube channel.


Explore the light,
Rick

Fashion Week Day 5: Ask the Model To Take Over

This is the last post in this week's series. I hope you have enjoyed the photos - and the tips.

Here is the final tip in the series: After you take your shot, ask the model what kind of shot she or he would like you to take. You may be surprised at how much you like the model-suggested shot – perhaps even more than the shot you had in mind. What's more, you'll make the model happy!

The opening photograph in this post is the model-suggested pose. It's fun and exciting. It was the last shot of the day.

The image below is a much more serious shot. I like it – although the lighting in the opening photo is bit more dramatic. (See the earlier posts this week on lighting.)

So, listen to your model. Work together. You'll have more fun during the photo session. Plus, you'll probably get some cool and unexpected images.


Explore the light,
Rick

Fashion Week Day 4: Digital Darkroom Effects

I hope you have enjoyed this week's posts. All the photographs were pretty much straight shots.

For some added fashion fun, I thought I'd share a few digital darkroom effects that I created in with Nik Software.

Above: Polaroid Transfer effect is Nik Color Efex Pro.

Above: Antique Plate effect in Nik Software's Silver Efex Pro.

Above: straight shot.

You can get a discount on all Nik Software by clicking here.

Tomorrow is the final post in this fun series. Tune in for the topic :-)

Explore the light,
Rick

Fashion Week Day 3: Styling is So Essential

When I used to write about my underwater photography adventures, I always gave my scuba dive guides credit. They played an important role in helping me find cool subjects – and keeping me safe under water.

In my photography books, I often give my guide credit for their assistance, especially when it comes to getting me into remote villages on the other side of the planet.

This week, I am giving credit to the person who helped with the sidewalk shoot photographs that illustrate this week's fashion photography posts.

Vered Koshlano found the model for the shoot, showed me the wall, bought several different outfits for the model, did the model's hair and make-up, helped with the lighting - and suggested several poses. In essence, Vered styled the shoot. I could not have done it without her.

What did I do? Well, in addition to pressing a few buttons and adjusting a few knobs on my camera, I composed the shot. I also determined and adjusted the lighting – which I talked about in yesterday's post. In this photograph, the shadow is even more pronounced that in yesterday's photo. That shadow adds a sense of depth to the image. It also makes the photo look a bit more dramatic than yesterday's image.

Keep styling in mind when you are making a photograph. And speaking of making, as you can see, a lot went into the making of this image.

Tomorrow: Digital Darkroom Effects.

Explore the light,
Rick

Introducing Rick Sammon's Butterfly Wonders – an interactive iPad app for nature lovers & close-up photographers

Rick Sammon's Butterfly Wonders – my interactive iPad app for nature lovers and close-up photographers, is here! The interactive iPad app features my favorite photographs of living butterflies – exotic species from around the world.

To celebrate the app, I am giving away 10 free redeem codes. Scroll down for info.

Co-developed with wildlife photographer Juan Pons, the app was designed to convey the beauty of the butterfly, and to share with butterfly enthusiasts – and nature photographers – fascinating facts about these amazing creatures. Fifty-five photographs, each accompanied by detailed camera/exposure information, illustrate the Butterfly Wonders section.

To help photographers capture their own beautiful close-up pictures of butterflies, Butterfly Wonders includes a comprehensive Photographing Butterflies section. Twenty-eight images illustrate my tips, trick and techniques. I was going to produce a separate app on close-up photography, but I decided to include this how-to information as a bonus in Butterfly Wonders.

Butterfly expert Alan Chin Lee supplied the scientific information, as well as fun facts, for each butterfly (and moth). For example, did you know that once a butterfly emerges from its chrysalis it never grows any larger? And did you know that silk moths have no mouth with which to feed?

In the Emersion section, the app illustrates one of Mother Nature’s miracles of transformation – an animal that starts out life as a crawling sack of goo and changes into a beautiful flying flower.

The app also takes the viewer on a visual journey, via the Migration section, to Sierra Chinqua in Michoacan, Mexico, where I photographed in a colony of more than 30 million monarchs during their annual migration. In this app, Dr. Thomas Emmel, a world-renowned butterfly expert, writes about this journey in a beautiful essay. Both Dr. Emmel and Mr. Lee were with me in Sierra Chinqua when I photographed the monarchs.


The butterfly, with its amazing metamorphosis from a crawling caterpillar into a vivid and graceful winged creature, symbolizes the infinite potential within every living creature to evolve: from darkness into light, ugliness into beauty, and lethargy into activity.

Rick Sammon's Butterfly Wonders, and the life of a butterfly, is a coming-of-age-story in the most profound sense. As an exotic metaphor for transcendence and renewal, the butterfly has been celebrated in art, literature, dance, fashion, myth, and spirituality throughout history and in cultures around the world. Now, the butterfly is celebrated in the first iPad app on living butterflies.

How did I get so many close-up shots of butterflies? Well, I captured the butterflies with my Canon digital SLR cameras, Canon macro lenses and Canon ring lights. The ability to see every shot immediately on my camera's LCD monitor allowed me to make critical exposure and lighting adjustments on site. That was of the utmost importance, due to subject movement, changing lighting conditions and the reflectivity of some of the butterflies.

Here’s what Maria Morris Hambourg, former Curator, The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, said in a review about my butterfly photographs: “For their inclusive vision, sumptuous textures and colors, and the sheer wonder these finely detailed descriptions of butterflies awaken in us, I think Rick Sammon’s photographs are marvels.”

Thanks Maria!

For more info and to order, click here.

Click here to see my other apps.

To celebrate the app, I am giving away 10 free redeem codes:

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Note: To redeem a code, go to the home screen of the App Store and click "Redeem" in the upper right hand corner. Enter your redemption code and sync your iPad (in this case). Make sure to do so immediately as promo codes do expire and cannot be replaced if this occurs. Sorry friends around the globe, but the codes only work in the US App Store. Also note that the process for redeeming a code is Apple's standard process, not ours.


That's me on the left and Alan on the right.

Explore the light,
Rick

P.S. Is this cosmic or what? I found this butterfly chair shortly before the app was approved!

DSLR HD Videos: Steady Shooting and Superb Sound are Key

When it comes to shooting HD videos with your digital SLR, steady shooting and superb sound quality are super important. Of course, if you want your video to look like Hurt Locker, you can hand-hold your camera as you run down the street at top speed. For steady results, however, you'll need some sort of camera support.

In the above photograph, the videographer is using a shoulder mount (Cavision RS5DM2SET-F Shoulder Mount Package) to steady his camera – actually my Canon 7D :-)

The shoulder mount is very effective and gives you mobility while shooting in the field. However, for super steady shots, you'll want a very sturdy tripod with a video head that is designed specifically for movies, such as the Manfroto 701HDV Pro Fluid Video Mini Head shown below. Ahhhhh, don't ya just love smooth pans and tilts.


When shooting videos, you'll get less camera shake with wide-angles lenses than you will with telephoto lenses – which is also true for still photographs.

Also note that you can reduce some camera shake in Final Cut Pro by using the Smooth Cam feature.

Sound - it's more important than you may think. In fact, great sound can save a poor quality video – but not vice versa.

First off, you want to use an accessory mic, such as the Rode Video shotgun mic – shown in the opening photo with a Pearson Fuzzy Windjammer.

Placing a mic on boom (such as the Rode Mini Boompole) is even an better idea than using an camera-mounted mic – because the mic is closer to the subject.

Another option is to use wireless lapel mics, such as the Sennheiser EW112-0 G3 system. The Sennheiser receivers for a two-mic set up, along with a BeachTek mixer, are shown in the photo below. In that photo, the sound is being recorded directly to the CF card.


Sure, you can record directly to the CF card in the camera. The results are okay. For best results, however, you'll want to use an external recorded, such as the Zoom H4n, which is attached to the rig in the opening photo with several rubber bands. Yes, mounting brackets are available, but hey, if pros can use duck tape, you can use rubber bands.

Note: You still need to record the sound to the CF card, as you'll need that sound track to sync your off-camera mic recording.

One more thought, for now, on sound: You must wear good headphones when shooting. Not only do you want to check the volume and quality of your sound, but you want to VERY carefully listen for background noise and audio "hits." These hits can be caused by everything from fabric rubbing on the mic to an HD signal (depending on which channel you have selected for your mic) to an iPhone.

I have heard these hits/clicks on several recordings. They ranged from being barely noticeable to being so obvious that they ruined the video.

Let me know here if you'd like to see more posts on shooting videos with you digital SLR camera.

If you want to see a cool digital SLR HD video by my friend/co-founder of the Digital Photo Experience, Juan Pons, click here. Now that is steady!

For a list of the DSLR video gear I recommend, click here.

Explore the light,
Rick

P.S. As you noticed, the videographer in the opening photo has both eyes open. If you learn how to shoot with both eyes open, you'll have a better chance of keeping an eye (so to speak) on what's happening around the main action in your viewfinder. This technique could save you from tripping while walking and shooting, and could save your shot by letting you know if something or someone is about to enter/ruin the scene.

Fashion Week Day 2: Try the KIS Lighting Technique

When I'm shooting on location, I like to keep the lighting simple and easy – using only one light whenever possible. It's called the Keep It Simple (KIS) technique. My graffiti wall shot is an example. It's amazing what one can do with just one light!

For the main added light, I used my Canon Speedlite 580EX II in a Westcott softbox. I fired the flash remotely with my Pocket Wizard. I say added light because the daylight also played a major role in the lighting.

My goal was to use a mix of the two light sources. Setting my camera on manual, I controlled that mix. As I increased the shutter speed, the amount of natural light entering the camera decreased – increasing the effect of the added light . . . and therefore increasing the shadows in the image.

You will notice some shadows in the opening image for this post. Look closely at the model's face. Below you see the effect of balancing the light from the flash to the available light: virtually no shadows. Again, look at her face.

When shooting with only one added light source, I always have reflectors and diffusers on hand.

Below, my good friend/excellent photographer, Vered Koshlano, who found the model and who styled the shoot, is holding a reflector. In this case, the reflector helps to fill in the shadows that were caused by the added light falling on the face of the model, Minyoung Cheong.

Vered is using the reflector from my Rick Sammon's Light Controller and Tote, produced by Westcott.

I use a diffuser when strong, natural light needs to be diffused.

Re using a soft box (or any light source):
• The closer the light, the softer the light.
• The larger the light, the softer the light.
• For a softer light, don't aim the light directly at the subject. Rather, feather it (tilt it away from the subject) so that the light "spills" onto the subject.

Tomorrow's topic: Styling.

For more on lighting, see my book, co-authored with Vered, Studio and On-Location Lighting Secrets.

To see more of Vered's work, click here.

For a list of my gear, click here and scroll down to the bottom of the page.

For this shoot, I used my Canon 5D Mark II and Canon 24-105mm IS lens.

Explore the light,
Rick

P.S. If you are a scuba diver, you may have noticed a wight belt on the base of the light stand. When using a soft box or umbrella outdoors, using a weight of some sort may save your light (which can become a sail) from crashing to the ground in a gust of wind. Weights are a good idea indoors, too.

Fashion Week – Day 1: Background/Setting is Key

One of the elements that adds impact to the picture in the previous post is the totally cool background. I chose it after driving around Queens, New York for three hours – checking out different backgrounds and settings for the model shoot.

The "hip" wall was perfect for the shoot, because it complemented the "hip" model. What's more, the wall was in the shade, which made controlling the light easier than had the wall been in harsh sunlight.

Positioning the model in just the right spot took some time, because I wanted the viewer's attention to go directly to the model's face.

You see my basic lighting setup in the behind-the-scenes photograph. Basic lighting is tomorrow's topic.

Explore the light,
Rick

P.S. Here are three more examples of how the background/setting complements the subject. Your assignment: Find a background that complements the subject, take a shot, and post a link in the Comments section of this post.

I guess I have a thing for graffiti!

Fashion Week This Week on My Blog

Starting tomorrow, I will post a picture from a recent shoot – along with a tip –every day here on my blog.

As you will see, you don't need a lot of expensive gear to get cool photographs.

I hope you tune in!

Explore the light,
Rick