How to see in Black and White

by benmweilertNo Comments
There’s something in the simplicity of Black and White photography that speaks to the art of the medium. Maybe the removal of colors accentuates the composition? Maybe the monochromatic tones show more than initially captured? Maybe it’s an act of getting back to the roots of photography? Whatever the reason, there is a simple charm and stark boldness in Black and White photography. This image received 1st Place in a Black & White Contest, partly due to the contrast of light and darkness. Over the years, I’ve been able to train myself to see which pictures are best suited for the Black and White conversion. Back when I was photographing with a point-and-shoot Olympus C770, I would occasionally take pictures with the “Black and White” filter. At the time, I didn’t have the post-processing tools I needed to create stunning Black and White photographs, so I relied on the simple (and limiting) in-camera filter. Now, with the help of Photoshop, I have...
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The Wildlife Challenge

by benmweilertNo Comments
While I enjoy capturing wildlife with my camera, I can attest that these subjects are the most difficult to shoot. Perhaps this is why the terminology between hunters and photographers is the same in this respect. There are a number of reasons why photographing wildlife is a challenge. First, the fickle nature of animals means they can be unpredictable. You’re never quite sure when they’ll appear, and when they do, it’s uncertain how long they’ll stick around (birds are often the most challenging in this respect). It’s almost like Pokémon: certain animals are more common in specific areas, but you’re still never guaranteed to run across one if you’re going out to photograph it. As you can see, this ptarmigan is good at camouflaging itself with its surroundings. Secondly, wild animals aren’t used to humans. Much of the time, we move quickly and with jerky motions, both of which can scare off wildlife. We tend to be loud as well (in how...
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A Change of Scenery

by benmweilertNo Comments
Do you find yourself taking the same pictures again and again? Do the pictures you take no longer have the pizzazz they used to? Do you find your inspiration waning? You may be in a rut and not even realize it. Have you tried taking a vacation? In the years after buying my first DSLR, I was hesitant to bring it with me when I travelled away from home. Part of the reason for this was the bag I was using didn’t allow me to carry the camera, lenses, and support equipment in an efficient and comfortable manner. For my birthday one year, I invested in a sling bag that can carry my camera and three other lenses. From then on I used it as the personal item I brought on flights to distant destinations. My first trip where I used my camera extensively was to the wine country of California. This week-long vacation included visits to the ocean, Muir Woods, and San Francisco. Of course...
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Tricking the eyes

by benmweilertNo Comments
I'll be the first to admit that Photoshop (or the post-processing program of your choice) is a powerful tool. There’s a lot that it can do to help a photograph reach its full potential. From color-balance to adjustments in light and shadow, Photoshop helps make a good picture great. Even slight composition errors can be fixed with Photoshop (usually through a bit of cropping to achieve the “rule of thirds”). All this being said, for a long time I was a staunch supporter of “pure” photography; that is, presenting a photograph as it was taken by the camera, with no adjustments or tweaks made after the fact. With the public outcry of Photoshopping pictures so people appear more “beautiful” than they really are, I certainly can see the benefit of pure photography representing the world as it really is. This double exposure was aided by some post-processing of the colors and shadows. Of course, once I started to see my pictures pop...
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Fun with a Fish-eye lens

by benmweilertNo Comments
Of the variety of lenses I own for my camera, I would have to say that the wide angle (or fish-eye) lens is perhaps the most fun and the most challenging to use. There are a number of interesting effects that can be achieved with a wide angle lens. Cramped spaces can suddenly be captured in a single frame, extreme close-ups can focus on a single object while also showing the world around it, linear compositions can become twisted and distorted. While all of these aspects are interesting to the photographs I produce, I find that it's actually quite challenging to set up the right shot. With every other lens I own, it's easy to mentally frame the shot I want just with how I see the scene with my eyes. With a wide angle lens, that's not the case. Because the wide angle lens distorts everything that isn't in the center of the frame, it can be difficult to know...
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Making the Leap

by benmweilertNo Comments
Greetings! My name is Benjamin M. Weilert and I'm an amateur photographer. Actually, now I'd like to consider myself as a professional photographer. This happened slowly, taking pictures over time to refine my craft was quite the fun adventure and now I have quite a portfolio of interesting photographs that are now lining the walls of my house. For the longest time, I always would consider myself "amateur" because I wasn't confident enough to compare myself to other photographers out there. I would merely take the best photos I could and keep it at that. It wasn't until I started diving into post-processing of RAW images from my Nikon D7000 that I realized my pictures really "popped". Shortly before this, I had started entering my photographs into various online contests to see how they stacked up against other photographers. Soon, I'd collected a few wins and my confidence was built up. Then I started entering into more serious photography contests. My first...
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