Quick Tips & Know Your Rights - pinned

This is an updated repost of the information presented on April 4, 2008 at the New York Press Association Annual Convention.
While there is no way to "pin" a post, I have set the date to keep this post on top for new visitors. Please scroll down to see newer content as it's added.

video, narration, beats by Mark M. Hancock / © DFWmark.com
photos by Mark M. Hancock / © DFWmark.com, The Beaumont Enterprise and/or The Dallas Morning News

If you find the "Quick Tips" version to be visual hot sauce, please watch "Savory Tips to Improve Photos." It's the same presentation with more time to savor each image.

Additional information is located on the All PJ-related posts section of this blog. Underlined topics are linked to previous posts with detailed information about the subject.

Basics:
Read equipment manuals three times.
Have the right equipment for the job.
Know the difference between nouns and verbs.
Pre-consider potential visual problems and solutions.

Photo basics (see below for specifics) 
Fill the frame.
Have sharp focus.
Get the right exposure.
Time the images.

Fill the frame:
Get close.
Use long lens.
Crop in camera.
Get wide.
Back away when necessary.

Focus:
Stabilize the camera.
Focus on lead eye.
Adjust plane of focus / angle.
Use depth of field.
Adjust focal length for available light.
When focusing manually, use one finger.
Zone focus.

Exposure:
Zone V.
Hand meter the area.
Use alternative meter techniques: Sunny 16, palm, grass.
Understand the dynamic range.

Timing:
Have patience.
Look for repeated action patterns.
Anticipate the action.
Shoot at apex.
Shoot before collision - wind through reaction.
Get reflective shots (quiet moments)
Seek "timeless" images.
Time of day.

Composition:
Shoot horizontals and verticals.
Start with a clean background.
Have dark corners.
Place subject in background.
Use subject and foreground to cover unwanted elements.
Leave leading space.
Use Rule of Thirds/Fifths.
Build a strong skeletal structure.
Frame items within other items.
Avoid tangents.
Have clean edges.
Lead eyes with light and focus.
Layer the image.
Employ leading lines.
Employ repetition of pattern.
Block corners.
Juxtaposition (harmony / irony)

Where to crop:
Avoid cropping joints.
Contain subject within rectangle (Golden Ratio).
Avoid lights, reflections and voids.
Frame arcs and lines.

Before shooting:
Research stories - find those with emotional elements.
Verify location, access.
Double-check equipment.
Have business cards, pencil and notepad.
Refuse access contracts.

Upon arrival:
Arrive early. Stay late.
Shoot signs and rosters. Collect paperwork. Shoot name tags and numbers.
Shoot basic package: scene, normal, tight
Shoot story: lede, transitions, kicker, emotion.
Get cutline information (5W & H). Get sound if possible.


Selecting subjects:
Hunting techniques: shadows, oblique angle, concealment, pre-compose, pre-focus
Emotion
Activity
Color
Sound
Use attention span limitations.

Goals:
Tell the story.
Get main subjects.
Get emotion.
Shoot 100-frame minimum.
Use each lens.
Shoot each angle (left, right, high, low).
Shoot reflection / refraction.
Shoot silhouette / isolation.
Shoot blur.

Before leaving:
Understand the story.
Be able to tell the story in one frame, three frames, five frames, 20 frames.
Have all cutline information.
Have 100+ images.
Count equipment.

Advanced:
Find new word.
Make unique (rare) images: access, subject, news value, combination.
Multi layers
Multi meaning

Artificial light:
Use flash whenever it's helpful (no light, too slow).
Use flash from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. outdoors (fill light).
Get flash off the camera.
Understand what causes red-eye.
Try to keep flash angles from 45 to 90 degrees.
Diffuse light.
Color balance artificial light.
Learn to light large areas.
Use multiple lights to add depth.
Be ready to manually calculate exposure (guide number).
Understand inverse square law of light.
Speed techniques (stop action).
Light painting with mixed light and flash (holiday lights, fireworks, lightning).
Increase depth of field with artificial light.


video, narration, beats by Mark M. Hancock / © NewsEagles.com
photos by Mark M. Hancock / © NewsEagles.com, The Beaumont Enterprise and/or The Dallas Morning News

Do you know your rights as a photojournalist?

Please watch “Know Your Rights as a Citizen Photojournalist.”

Know your rights (most is covered on this link)
It's best to be courteous to defuse confrontations.
Don't be belligerent.
The First Amendment provides the right for anyone to make photos.
Anyone can shoot in public places, streets and sidewalks.
Anyone can shoot where access is granted.
Property owners have the right to deny access.
Understand trespass law by state.
Generally, PJs can shoot until asked to stop.
Exceptions include military facilities and some areas within nuclear plants.
Model releases aren't required for editorial use (but pubs may still require).
Celebrities, politicians and emergency workers limited their right to privacy (injected themselves into spotlight).
Felony criminals have no right to privacy until in prison.
The right to privacy is seriously limited in public places.
The exception to this is medical facilities (which include ambulances in some states).
Business security isn't sufficient to prohibit photography.
Trade secrets aren't in public view. Trade dress doesn't apply to photojournalism.
Police may limit access, but can't prohibit photography (prior restraint).
You aren't required to explain the purpose of your photography.
Coercion and harassment by private security is a criminal offense in all states.
Private parties have limited rights to detain and could face criminal and civil charges.
Without a court order, private parties can't confiscate film.
Ask what law was specifically violated.
Ask for this person's name, and who they represent.
Report rights violations to police. Call before the offender does.
Enough for now,

Annual Pie Party 2019

photos and video by Mark M. Hancock / © DFWmark.com

Fun was had by agents, clients and referrers during the annual Pie Party held at Maple Street Biscuit Factory by Century 21 Fine Homes & Estates Judge Fite agents. The event featured food, drinks, crafts, activities, photos, Santa and many, many, many pies!
I offer a pie per client or closed referral. Send me some clients and stack up your pies for next year! If you, a friend or associate need to buy, sell or lease a property, please call, text or email DFWmark.com

I've got your six! (or more, if it’s pies)

Welcome Home Aluko Family

video and soundstripe by Mark M. Hancock / © DFWmark.com

Congratulations to my amazing clients in their home! I couldn't be happier for them! I'm never too busy for your referrals!

I've got your six!

FREE DFWmark Halloween Cards

video and soundstripe by Mark M. Hancock / © DFWmark.com

These are limited-edition, laminated Halloween cards for 2019. They are build-it-yourself skeletons!

Want a card for FREE?
I'll give away these cards to the first 100 proper requests.
Please send your full name, phone number and postal mail address via email to DFWmark21@gmail.com

Must be 18 or older and live in the continental United States of America. One card limit per mailing address.

Open House on Mitchell in McKinney TODAY

Photos and Soundtrack by Mark M. Hancock / DFWmark.com

OPEN HOUSE
Saturday, Oct. 5, 2019 from 2 to 4 p.m.
Lease Townhouse - NEW TO MARKET
7201 Mitchell Dr. in McKinney
Includes refrigerator, washer, dryer.
Low maintenance, Frisco ISD, pool view, ideal location.

This 2,018 sq. ft. premium-location townhouse in McKinney has 3 bedrooms, 2 and a half baths, a pocket office and a flex/game room with upgrades throughout.
HOA grounds maintenance makes this stunning property ideal for travelers. Premium end unit was built in 2017 and inside the Frisco school district. It overlooks the community center, fountains and pool. Kitchen is a chef’s dream with stainless steel appliances that include a refrigerator and gas cook top. Wood floors are in living room, kitchen and pocket office. A half bath and garage finish the ground floor. Two secondary bedrooms are split from the master suite. Washer and dryer are included in a utility closet off the flex-game room. Master suite has a huge walk-in closet, dual sinks, beautiful shower and separate vanities. Pets considered case by case.

Improve Photos with Mark M. Hancock

SATURDAY, SEPT. 21, 2019

5 p.m. - 8 p.m.

6255 Frisco Square, Ste. 100

Office: 469-621-0081 or 214-862-7212 (cell)

Take your photos to the next level. Get past capturing images inside a box. Tell stories with your images.

Mark M. Hancock is a former staff photojournalist at The Dallas Morning News and The Beaumont Enterprise as well as a book editor. He also freelanced for magazines and corporations. His images have won professional news and art competitions against the best shooters in the world.

He will show examples of his award-winning work for clarification and context. You’ll learn about composition, light, focus, skeletal structure, layers and more.

In his 25 years as a pro photojournalist, he’s witnessed life from the first breath to the last and all the drama and emotion in the middle. From state championship sports to hurricanes, he’s been there and shot that. Now, he’ll share how you can do some of the same.

After a short introduction, and quick lesson, ask your complex photo questions and get the answers you need.

This is part of the C21JF Frisco Square Activities with REALTORS series.

Free, and please preregister so we’ll have enough refreshments at

https://bit.ly/2PdpiNX.

Boots & BBQ auction - sports action session

© Mark M. Hancock / DFWmark.com

I'm donating a sports action or custom portrait session in DFW as a live auction item for the Century 21 Judge Fite annual Boots & BBQ charity fundraiser for Easter Seals. These are examples of my previous portraits for various publications and art projects. Please bid high!

Boots & BBQ auction item - portrait session

© Mark M. Hancock / DFWmark.com

I'm donating a custom portrait session in DFW as a live auction item for the Century 21 Judge Fite annual Boots & BBQ charity fundraiser for Easter Seals. These are examples of my previous portraits for various publications and art projects. Please bid high!

Hurricane Season Starts Tomorrow

Hurricane season starts tomorrow. If you know anyone in hurricane zones please check on them and ensure they have evacuation plans. I covered several hurricanes as a photojournalist. Although my advice in this post is mainly for other photojournalists, there's some good general information mixed in with the other info.

iPhonography 101 - Storage

Previously, this iPhonography series discussed the camera and editing images for color balance and tone.

Today, we'll look at how to store the images in the iPhone for quick retrieval through albums and archival safety through downloads and file name conventions. 

DON’T DELETE YET!

If there is still storage space on your iPhone, don’t waste your time looking through the images to delete a few – just save them all. They often have little details you will need later. They may let you know the who, what, when, where, why and how of a better image that doesn’t contain the same information.

I’ve written a post titled, “Take pictures of signs and rosters.” The point is to get additional background information to go with the photos of value. Don’t delete these until they are saved on a computer or in the cloud. One day, they may be vital to complete your family story.

In general, I NEVER delete ANY images other than completely useless shots.

What is completely useless?

A random palm of the hand or inside of a pocket happens from not turning the camera app off after a photo. Some images are completely black or completely white. Some are nothing but blur or grossly out of focus.

If it has ANY use, it isn’t useless.

Library sorting

When it’s time to make images, make images. Don’t sort the images while you are prepared to make images. Check occasionally to ensure the images you need were captured. Then, make some more!

As images are made, they’re stored in the iPhone’s library. These can be sorted later when you have time and nothing interesting to shoot. If you’re waiting for an oil change or traveling by air, it’s a perfect time to sort images.

From the Camera App of the iPhone, hit the library box (lower left corner). The last image will appear.

If it appears with black borders, tap once to show options. If it appears with white borders and options, tap once to show black borders.

It’s easiest to sort in assess image quality with black borders, but images can only be favorited and sorted with a white border. Each person must find their own level of comfort switching back and forth between the two modes.

Sorting through photos

Open the photo Library. You can start immediately editing by swiping left and right through the photos. Or, you can jump to different parts of your Library by selecting “All Photos” and swiping up and down until you find the area where you want to focus. Tap on a photo icon and start swiping left and right through those images.

When there is time to sort images, you need a plan. Be efficient and don’t waste your own time. Choose your Favorites, add those to folders and stay organized.

Favorite and edit down

The first edit adds selected images to the Favorites album.

With a photo in full screen, hit the heart button at the bottom of the screen for any images you like. This will immediately add them in your “Favorites” folder.

After you’ve made a pass through the entire library, go to the Favorites folder. Next, compare similar images and select the better of similar images. Un-heart the lesser of the two. If you change your mind, you can return and re-heart until you leave the album or put the iPhone in sleep mode.

It’s OK to keep two similar shots as long as you unselected four others. You can compare those later.

Create albums

Once you’ve selected the best images in your iPhone’s library, you need to add them to specific albums for easy access. You can make albums for different categories: cities, subjects, dates, etc.

The image is still located in the same place in your main library. The Albums streamline your search later. If you have business photos or photos of your dog that you like to show, the best images are only a few clicks away.

Open the Library box, tap the screen to switch to the white selection border on the screen. Click “All Photos” in the top right. Click “Albums” on the bottom of the screen.

At the top of the Albums page is a + icon. Tap the + to create a new album. From the pop-up options, select “New Album.” Name the new album in the pop-up window and hit Save. Continue to create albums for major categories.

Don’t DELETE from Albums

CAUTION: If you “Delete” an image from an Album, it DELETES it from your Library. If you no longer want a photo in an album but want to keep the image, hit the Trash icon, and choose “Remove from Album” instead of “Delete.” Then, the image remains in your Library rather than moving to the trash.

Social Media albums

If you manage your own social media, you may want to create some specific workflow albums. These include:

·         To edit (see the iPhone editing post) 

·         Ready to post (these have been toned and color corrected enough to post)

·         Future posts (these are either scheduled through services or held until a specific time)

·         Holidays or specific days (can be long- or short-term storage for future holidays or events)

As you complete the tasks or posts, you can remove photos from the albums to stay organized.

Add to Albums

Rather than using the word “Copy” or “Move,” I’ve used the word “Add.” This is because the photos aren’t copied (duplicated) or moved (physically relocated) to any albums. There is still only one photo. It’s located in the Library. However, a link and icon (alias or shortcut) of that photo are added in as many albums as you choose.

Select from Favorites

Once all appropriate albums are created, click on the Favorites album. The images you chose before (by hitting the heart icon) should be in this album now.

Tap the “Select” option in the top-right of the screen. Next, tap on any photos you want to add to one particular album. A blue circle with a white check mark will appear on the photo icon. Continue to select all photos that will move to the same album.

Tap on the photo again to unselect it.

Once all images are selected, tap “Add To” at the bottom-center of the screen. The “My Albums” page will appear. You’ll also see the number of images you’re about to move near the top of the screen. Locate the specific album where you want to add these photos. Tap once on the icon for that album. You’ll see an animation of the photos being added to the specific album.

Remove from Favorites

Once an image has been added to another album from the Favorites album, it should be removed from the Favorites album to stay organized. The heart icon can be removed from the photo in any album (Camera Roll, Favorites, or a specific album), and the photo will be removed from the Favorites folder.

Download often

Download images from your phone to your computer frequently to avoid accidentally deleting images. They’re also far easier to organize on your computer.

Consider setting up an automatic cloud storage system. Ensure the images are safely stored in at least one secure location (two is better) BEFORE deleting an image from your phone.

Make duplicates

Don’t make any changes to originals that can’t be undone. Once on the computer, you’ll need to copy images to make any changes to the copied version and leave the original as it was.

To easily sort through images that you have worked on, keep those separate from the original files by placing them in a different folder.

File name conventions

For color-corrected and other important photos, give them specific names. Start the name with the date the image was CREATED. Because computers sort differently than we write, here is the pattern to use: For May 20, 2019 the file name should start 190520 (19=year, 05=month, 20=day).

Then, possibly add a short term for a group of images. “NOLA” for images made in New Orleans, Louisiana. Finally, something specific about the image such as “bridge sunset.”

The finished file name would be “190520 NOLA bridge sunset”

What stays on the phone?

The biggest advantage of keeping any photo on a phone is access. Those images are in the device’s memory. They can be referenced quickly at any time without need of a Wi-Fi or cellular signal.

Your permanent images should be set aside and easy to access in specific albums. If the image isn’t important enough to set aside, post it online and store it on your computer.

You should have your folders set up by now. You’ll know which images you want to have handy forever. Many of your favorite images are probably also on social media (Facebook, Twitter, etc.). So, you don’t always need to carry the full-size versions with you.

Delete after saving

When the photos on your phone are safely saved elsewhere (preferably with a second external-drive backup), it’s time to delete the non-essential images from your phone. It’s easier to manage a few images rather than an entire life history.

Once you confirm that the images are safely on your external hard drive(s), select those images in your iPhone folder and hit delete. Now, there’s more space for new images.

Enough for now,

iPhonography 101 – Editing

Last time, we talked about the basic functions and some tricks of the iPhone camera to maximize the quality of the images you make. Today, we’ll focus on improving images through in-app editing software after images are made.

Unlike Photoshop edits, iPhones give photographers a Plan B and Plan C for mistakes.

Plan B: When you complete your first set of edits and/or crops, the iPhone will create and save a new image with a different name. Your original photo will no longer appear in your phone’s library, but it is still there. When you download your images, you’ll see the original plus another file that contains the edits.

However, if you DELETE the corrected photo from your phone, the original (unfiltered) image will also be deleted. I’ll explain later, but NEVER delete an image from your phone unless it is backed up elsewhere, or it’s completely useless (a photo of the inside of your pocket).

Plan C: If you completely mess up a photo with too many filters, it isn’t a problem. Close the edit. Reopen the same photo and press the “Revert” option on the bottom-right of the screen. You’ll get a pop-up screen that states “Revert to original will remove all edits made to this photo. This action cannot be undone.”

Then, choose “Revert to Original.” You’re back to where you started, and the image is uninjured.

Crop

Professional photographers learn to “crop in camera.” We include only items we want to see in the frame and/or use the edge of the frame to remove items we don’t want to see.

However, sometimes we don’t have the option to do much more than point-and-shoot before the moment is gone. In those instances, we can use a digital crop to make the image look better (banish the portable toilet beside your friend).

A strong caution about software crops: You will lose detail, and the image will suffer substantially if you digitally crop it. Your goal should be to use every pixel of the frame. If you must crop down, do so sparingly. iPhones are good at hiding their flaws – until you crop. Then, every flaw, interpolation and “invented” or “rounded” pixel becomes obvious.

With the selected photo open, select Edit in the top-right corner of the screen. Near the bottom-left of the screen the crop box will appear beside the word “Cancel” (it looks like a square with curved arrows). Tap the crop box.

This creates a bounding box around thee image. You will also notice a portion of a circle under the bottom of the bounding box with compass degrees for fine-scale rotations. At the bottom-left of the active area is a box with a curved arrow to control orientation. At the bottom right of the active area is a box with additional shaded boxes to represent crop formats.

Autorotation

When an image is first open in the crop area, the iPhone will try to help the photographer by applying an autorotation and crop. It selects a horizontal or vertical line as a “key,” then it rotates & crops the rest of the image to match the key line.

Depending on your shooting style, this is useful. If you’re very deliberate, you’ll need to undo this by either tapping “Reset” (back to zero degrees) or swiping left or right on the rotation wheel under the photo until it is to your desired position.

Orientation

This is the most basic edit. iPhones are good at detecting horizontal camera orientation (if the camera is horizontal and perpendicular to the ground). However, if the camera is used to photograph something flat on a table (parallel to the ground), it will default to vertical orientation.

If the captured image isn’t in the desired orientation, it’s simple to fix.

With the photo open, select Edit in the top-right corner of the screen. Near the bottom-left of the screen the crop box will appear. Tap the crop box.

If the image autorotates, see if it’s OK or Reset the image to zero degrees.

The orientation box will appear in the bottom-left corner of the active area. This allows the photographer to rotate the image in 90-degree rotations. If the image is upside down, press the box twice (a 180-degree total).

If direction isn’t vital (food photos), it’s often best to rotate the image until the dominant light source appears to come from the top of the frame.

If this is the only change, hit Done.

Fine-scale rotation

As mentioned above, this is used to make subtle image alignments. The image can be rotated slightly or severely by swiping left or right over the semi-circular dial at the bottom of the bounding box.

As a genera rule, it’s wise to choose one line as a “key” within the frame and orient the remainder of the image off the key line. Often this is the horizon or a vertical line of a wall or beam.

Sometimes, photographers create visual tension by choosing a harsh, perpendicular rotation.

If this is the only change, hit Done.

Size

When dealing with mobile social media, you can either choose the crop or settle for whatever the media platform does to your image. I prefer to make proactive choices whenever possible.

Click on the size button, the available options are Original, Square or the ratios 2:3, 3:5, 3:4, 4:5, 5:7, 9:16.

Most social media platforms will use a 4:5 crop on your image. By choosing this option first before sending to social media, the photographer chooses what is cut or remains in the image area.

Instagram prefers square images. However, it will generally accept 4:5 single-image posts. Multi-image posts will all be cropped to square (or the special template used).

Again, the photographer wants to be in control of the crop. If a photographer only shoots with Instagram in mind, s/he may as well shoot in square format to have better edge control. If the image will be on several social media platforms, it’s best to make images with the full frame, then crop to 4:5 for Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, etc.

Once those are posted, crop square for Instagram. At this point, there is the square version of the image, plus the original. You can download both to your computer or you can “Revert” to eliminate the square version.

9:16 is a widescreen cinematic crop. Use this crop to make custom YouTube covers for your videos from the field. It can be replaced later if needed.

Non-standard crops

The bounding box around the image can be moved to make non-standard crops. This is useful to deliberately crop something out of the frame or crop to change frame orientation. If the image will be emailed or used in a non-standardized location, this is the preferred crop.

However, for standardized media platforms, an additional crop size requirement may be applied. Once the original crop is made, a standard size can be applied to the remainder of the image. This may require additional crops until only the desired portion of the image remains.

Edit Suggestions

Over time, Apple’s basic iPhone image software has become extremely good. The automatic mode is good enough for most people. However, it is designed to present “vanilla” images, they’re good but not amazing without something else.

Luckily, there’s a full editing suite available in the photo library.

With any library photo active on the screen, choose Edit at the bottom of the screen. The bottom of the screen will now show “Cancel,” a crop symbol, a triple ball for filters (see above), a “radio dial” for settings and “Done.”

Select the radio dial.

You will see a stack of options. They are Light, Color and B&W (black & white).

Light Edits

Choose the toggle button on the far right of the screen in the Light section. You will see the following seven options: Brilliance, Exposure, Highlights, Shadows, Brightness, Contrast and Black point.

Each of these can be individually adjusted for up 2.3 positive stops (lighter) in 1/5^th stop increments, and 2.3 negative stops (darker) in 1/5^th stop increments. Please adjust as necessary.

In photography, a “stop” is one level of light. In most photos, there is a “dynamic range” of 5 stops where 1 = black with detail and 5 = white with detail.

For my particular shooting style, my Go-To settings are typically: negative 2/5^th highlights, positive 1/5^th black point, and a touch of Brilliance if needed to open the mid-tones.

Color Edits

Choose the toggle button on the far right of the screen in the Color section. You will see a sliding bar of color options. This sliding bar makes changes to several background options simultaneously to speed editing. However, it becomes a hammer when a tweezer might be more appropriate.

If I’m in a hurry and the image is close to correct, I will often start with two frames worth of positive color shift to make the colors pop. This is often too much, so I back down a little if the colors start to overpower the scene.

When a more subtle approach is needed, press the three lines on the left side of the screen above the sliding scale. You will see the following three options: Saturation, Contrast and Cast.

Saturation is the intensity of the colors.

Contrast is the difference between light and dark.

Cast is the color balance from cold (shades of cyan and blue) to warm (shades of red and yellow).

Most often, the sliding scale will handle the Saturation and Contrast. However, you may need to manually adjust the Cast depending on where and/or when the image was made.

If the image was made in a completely shaded outdoor area, it is probably a cool scene that needs to be warmed some.

If the image was taken in tungsten, halogen or sunset light, it could be very warm (red to orange). So, you might need to add some negative cast to remove some of the orange tint. But the iPhone software probably tried to make the light “normal” colored by adding blue/cyan. So, it may be best to add warm light back into the scene to make it look like it did during the actual sunset.

The opposite holds true when shooting blue flowers or sky. The software may try to remove the cyan/blue shades. It’s best to slide the Cast settings to the negative side to make the cast cooler (blue/cyan).

The iPhone color and light balance options are limited, but better than depending on the camera software alone. If you want to learn more about color balance, temperatures and more, please see my blog post “BalanceThe Light.”

B&W Edits

B&W = Black & White (grayscale)

When you first tap the button, the image remains in color, but you’ll see a gray sliding scale at the bottom of the screen.

Slide through the entire scale. It will go through a series of grayscale version equating to Red, Green and Blue filters.

You can make additional changes by tapping on the three lines on the bottom-right of the viewing area. Under B&W, you’ll now see Intensity, Neutrals, Tone and Grain

Intensity adjusts color filtration separate from the other options to shift light emphasis to specific areas of the image.

Neutrals adjust the middle gray tones toward the lighter and darker ends of the spectrum.

Tone adjusts the contrast or “flatness” of the image.

Grain adjusts the amount of artificial film grain introduced into the image. Don’t use it.

Enough for now,

Please see Part 3: Storage

iPhonography 101 – Camera

Almost all photos and video on my Instagram page and IG business page are made and edited on my iPhone.

Not everyone has the cash to invest in a full camera rig (camera body, lenses, flash, etc.). Even those of us with “serious” cameras don’t always have them handy. However, most of us can’t leave our homes without a cell phone with a camera feature (or three).

In 2011, I wrote a magazine piece about submitting photos for publication. It addressed the difference between professional cameras and iPhones. All cell phone manufacturers have stepped up their game since then. The difference between cell phone images and professional camera images have narrowed considerably.

Additionally, many newspapers pay a little extra over the assignment fee to get some "atmosphere" cell phone images before a major event to post online. It's enough of an incentive to have a decent cell phone camera and arrive early. 

So, let’s address some iPhone basics to maximize the use of the camera you have in your pocket rather than the camera that’s safely stored in your closet.

Just the basics

This post is only going to address a basic iPhone (i7 and below). The information should be useful on most cell phones, but there will be differences between brands.

I also understand there are many ways to attach cell phones to other gadgets and vice versa to make them do many beautiful tricks. I have a closet full of add-on lenses and gadgets too. They’re fun, but I’ll only address the basic as-is cell phone camera today.

Base Information

All photography composition rules apply to cell phone cameras.

A basic iPhone view roughly equates to a 28mm lens on a 35mm camera. It’s considered to be a wide-angle of view. “Normal” is 35mm to 50mm on a 35mm camera system.

This means there will be edge distortion and objects will appear farther away and smaller than normal on an iPhone. It also means the depth-of-field will be greater (more things in the photo will appear to be in focus). You will want to get very close to the main subject if you want it to dominate the frame.

Shooting Suggestions

This section will cover the basics of how to use the iPhone. Other brands of cell phones may have more or less of these features. Please check the user manual or online.

Swipe on lock screen

By the time someone wakes up the camera, unlocks the screen, finds the camera app and tries to make a photo, the moment is normally over. Here’s the fastest way to get shooting.

Wake up the camera with the wake/sleep button on the right side or the home button on the bottom of the screen face. Then, swipe left to open the camera screen without unlocking the screen.

You’re now ready to shoot without searching for the camera app.

Use volume as trigger

The two buttons on the left side of the iPhone control volume. Additionally, either of these buttons function as triggers while in camera mode. They also work in burst mode (see below).

In low-light situations, it’s best to use these buttons to minimize camera shake. You may still have rotation if you don’t stabilize the phone, but it rotates in fewer directions than pushing on the face of the phone.

To avoid any rotation, you can attach your EarPods (hardwire) to your iPhone, stabilize the phone (see below) and use the EarPod volume as a remote trigger. This ensures there is no camera rotation or shake from user interaction. This feature doesn’t work with AirPods (wireless).

Select focus and light balance

The iPhone is designed to “average” a scene for focus, color balance and exposure (amount of light included). It will ALWAYS BE WRONG with extreme scenes (white snow, black coal, monochromatic scenes of most colors, etc.). This can be corrected if you pay attention while you shoot.

You can select where focus will be by touching that area of the frame on your phone’s screen. A yellow bounding box will appear to let you know the area where you have chosen for focus and exposure.

Adjust exposure

If the exposure is too light or dark due to the subject (snow or coal), you can adjust the exposure. When focus and exposure above are selected, a yellow dot with tiny radiating lines also appears. This is a sliding exposure scale. Change the exposure of the whole scene by sliding your finger up and down near the sunshine dot.

AF/AE lock

AF means Auto Focus and AE means Auto Exposure. These can be locked to a specific distance and exposure.

Choose the distance you want to focus and the exposure you want and press the screen where focus/exposure should be. The bounding box mentioned above will appear. Continue to hold until the box becomes larger and “AF/AE LOCK” appears in a yellow box at the top of the screen. Now, you can recompose your camera without affecting the focus or exposure.

It will remain locked until you put the screen to sleep or otherwise leave the camera mode. Every photo you make will be at the same focus distance, exposure and color balance. If you have an adjustable color-temperature and lumen desk light, you can easily see the difference it makes.

Trick color balance

When shooting some monochromatic scenes (detail shots of roses for instance), the phone will try to “correct” the color of the scene. It often ruins the entire photo beyond what can be repaired with iPhoto edits.

To avoid this, you can view a “normal toned scene” (typically something white) with the phone. Then, lock or rapidly recompose the scene on the desired location and immediately shoot. Both have the same effect of tricking the camera into using the previous color balance in the new location.

The major difference between the approaches is focus. If the AF/AE is locked, the subject needs to be focused at the same distance. If the rapid recomposition approach is used, the iPhone sets a new focus before shooting the new scene – however, it won’t have time to change the color balance to the new scene.

Shoot too many

If your best shot is the last frame, you should have shot more.

The basic rule is to always shoot three to get one (pro ruleis 10:1 minimum). Something will happen each time photos are made. Shutter lag, camera shake, subject movement, blinked eyes, wrong exposure, wrong focus, bad color balance and more can ruin a single frame. It’s best to make several alternatives to ensure one works.

Hold down for burst mode

iPhones are notorious for “shutter lag” (the time between trigger actuation and the camera response). It isn’t a big deal with a photo of your lunch, but it’s a huge issue with anything involving action.

To give us a fighting chance at a decent shot, the iPhone has a “burst mode.” This feature makes about 10 frames per second while the trigger is held down. It doesn’t guarantee that you’ll get a baseball on a bat, but you can get part of someone blowing out their birthday candles.

The vital part of this feature is selecting which frames to keep. Before you transfer and delete photos from your phone, you need to select which images you want to keep from the burst.

Tap the photo in your library. You will see a shadow box at the top-left of the screen that states, “Burst (7 photos)” or a different number. At the bottom of the screen, you will see an additional editorial feature labeled “Select…” Press that option.

You’ll be able to move left and right through the entire burst sequence. In the bottom-right corner of each photo is a small empty circle. Press that circle to select the images you want to keep. The circle will turn blue with a white check mark if it’s selected.

After you have selected images to keep from the burst, choose “Done” in the upper right-hand corner. It will give you the option to keep everything or only those selected. If “only selected” is chosen, all others will be deleted to save memory space.

“Chimp” before leaving

The term “chimp” means to look at your photos on the viewing screen after you shoot. While it has a negative connotation, it’s still a good idea to ensure you have more than one useful shot before you leave a scene (or eat your meal). Unless you checked each frame with a magnifier before you leave, you might have a bad surprise when you prepare images later.

Zoom to check focus

When you have a photo from your library displayed on your screen, you can touch it with your thumb and finger. As you increase the distance between those to points, the photo will zoom into more detail. As you decrease the distance between those points, the photo will zoom out to the full photo.

While you are zoomed in, you can look at the focus to ensure the image is sharp. If not, shoot it again. Then repeat.

If the shot will be vital, consider carrying a lupe in your car or bag. This will let you look at the image in minute detail to ensure it’s useful.

Stability

I’ve written an entire post about eliminating camera shake, so I won’t go over it again.
However, let’s address how to manage it with a phone that doesn’t have a post hole.

Love or hate them, everyone has seen “selfie sticks.” These are basically extra-long arms so more people can fit into a selfie or more of the background scene can be included in the frame. They are ubiquitous because they’re cheap.

While I’m too ugly for selfies, I still purchased a cheap, discontinued one to repurpose it. The part of the selfie stick that holds the camera also mounts on a tripod (or other ¼-20 screw). It holds the phone in a stable position while it is attached to any other regular camera mount screw (including flexpods and clamps).

Top Settings

Across the top of the photo screen are five additional buttons. The lightning bolt is flash, HDR is for high dynamic range, “live” records a tiny (.MOV) video rather than a still photo (.jpg), the clock is for delayed timer, and the triple balls are for different color filtration variations.

Flash

iPhones have a tiny light next to the camera lens. It’s typically used in dark forests to search for masked murderers in horror movies or to find keyholes in the dark by everyone else.

It can also discharge a brighter blast of illumination (flash of light) for photos in a dark area. It can be turned On, Off or Auto.

Before reaching for the flash, understand color quality is poor compared to camera flash units. It also can “blow out” (overexpose) parts of a subject or scene.

Leave it “Off” most of the time. The camera is fairly good in low light for casual uses.

Turn it “On” when you know the scene is too dark OR when the subject is backlit or in severe sunlight that casts bad shadows.

Use “Auto” while frequently moving from indoors to outdoors. While it hurts many images, it’s an effective safety net for extreme light situations.

HDR

HDR means “High Dynamic Range.” It has more stops than the normal 5-stop dynamic range. This setting is used when you want to add texture to the darkest shadows or the brightest highlights.

For simplicity, let’s say HDR photos are basically several photos superimposed on each other to utilize the best parts of each. It’s more complicated, but I don’t want to slow us down.

You will see in the HDR photo that there is detail in both the highlights and shadows, which wouldn’t be possible with a direct photo.

However, this magic comes with some tradeoffs. For instance, the contrast tends to be muted. Also, if there is any phone or subject motion while the camera is recording the frames, there will be “ghosting,” subjects may appear translucent in several places rather than solid in one place within the scene.

Timer

The primary purpose of the timer is to let the photographer frame the image, set the time, and race into the scene to be part of the photo. It functions fine in this mode as long as the phone is stabilized (on a tripod or leaning against something immobile).

The secondary use is to avoid camera shake (blur). It’s an image-saving technique during low-light situations. Camera and/or subject shake is most likely in low light because it takes longer for the camera to collect the correct amount of light to make a properly-exposed image.

Choose your scene, stabilize the camera, instead of pressing the shutter, use the timer on a reasonable time (3 second delay). This ensures the iPhone isn’t rotating or still vibrating from your touch while the image is recorded. It’s sharp.

Filter

I’m not a fan of specialty filters. If you’re into permanently destroying your originals, that’s your choice.

If you desperately want to use software filters on your images, send the original photo to yourself as an email, save the emailed photo (it will have a new name now), and apply after filters to the second image. If you make images with a permanent filter, there’s no reasonable way to “undo” it.

Enough for now,

Please see Part 2: Editing 
             or Part 3: Storage

Make Your Closing Memorable

Mark M. Hancock / (c) The Beaumont Enterprise
Lindsay (left) and Tyler Briggs (right) of Bridge City officially sign for their home in Beaumont on March 6, 2008. The Briggs bought the home and took advantage of a first-time buyers incentive.
REALTOR Magazine recently ran a piece titled "The Dual Value of Post-Closing Photo Shoots." It validates the unique program I offer as the core of my professional REALTOR service. If my clients prefer, I'll make professional portraits and authentic moments of clients I represent along with their property and pets. My clients get digital versions of the images shortly after the event for social media and printed keepsakes at the property closing. These are forever keepsakes that they can hang on the wall, share with their family and friends. I'll personally photograph the properties for sellers. I'll host and document a house warming party for buyers and a pre-listing party (going away party) for sellers. These services are at no additional cost to my clients. If you're curious, below is an example video of a C21JF Fine Homes & Estates agents' party. #pro #photos #SocialMedia #marketing #referrals #RealEstate #realty #closing #gift #invitations #housewarming #REALTOR

Curious about neighbors selling their homes?

Who is selling their homes in your neighborhood?
Check out my free interactive map of homes for sale.

BONUS: For most of y’all, it will be the first time you see me without a hat.

Farewell to NewsEagles

Well folks, I've decided to shut down NewsEagles. It will be up through February. This change will affect the SoundSlides shows on the PhotoJournalism blog, but I plan to reformat those as YouTube videos in the future.

Enough for now,

Quick Tips to Improve Photos Video

video, narration, beats by Mark M. Hancock / © NewsEagles.com
photos by Mark M. Hancock / © NewsEagles.com, The Beaumont Enterprise and/or The Dallas Morning News

Please watch and share “Quick Tips to Improve Photos.”
The companion "cheat sheet" on this blog is located here: quick-tips-to-improve-your-photos.

This version is visual hot sauce to some. There is a slower version to savor each frame. It's located at "Savory Tips to Improve Photos."

Please share and subscribe to the NewsEagles YouTube channel (it’s free and easy). Please follow this link, sign in to YouTube (or create an account) and hit SUBSCRIBE at www.youtube.com/newseagles

Although I will do some additional work in the future, this is my Magnum Opus.

Enough for now,

I'm officially a REALTOR!

Hi Friends,

I’m now a REALTOR at Century 21 Judge Fite Fine Homes & Estates! I passed the Texas real estate exam on my first try! It would be my honor to help you with all your real estate needs!

If you need real estate questions answered, I’ll answer them or quickly find the answers for you.

If you - or someone you know - want to buy, sell, lease or invest in real estate, please contact me first. If you or your friends have a major life change (graduation, engagement, new baby, new work position, retirement), please call me. You know me, and you know I’ll work hard for your best interests.

It’s my honor to help you.

To my military Brothers and Sisters in particular, Century 21 offices are located around the globe and in every major U.S. city. If you are relocating or completing your service, I can arrange relocation services and make arrangements to find a home for you to buy or lease. Our relocation department only uses the most experienced professionals. I’ve got your 6.


Mark M. Hancock
REALTOR
Century 21 Judge Fite Fine Homes & Estates
214-862-7212
markhancock@judgefite.com
judgefite.com


For Collin County Real Estate Information, please follow me on Facebook and Twitter.

Consumer Protection Notice
Information About Brokerage Services

Instagram Posts - July 2018

video, photos and SoundStripe by Mark M. Hancock / © NewsEagles.com

This is the recap of the Instagram feed at https://www.instagram.com/mark.m.hancock.

This is the recap of the July 2018 Instagram feed. This month included our patriotic Independence Day yard decorations, images from a trip to Rochester Hills, Michigan (near Detroit) along with tasty food and lots of summertime flowers. All photos made with an iPhone and includes an original SoundStripe music composition.

Instagram Posts - June 2018

video, photos and SoundStripe by Mark M. Hancock / © NewsEagles.com

This is the recap of the June 2018 Instagram feed at https://www.instagram.com/mark.m.hancock.

This month included images from two trips to Rochester Hills, Michigan (near Detroit) along with even more tasty food. All photos made with an iPhone and includes an original SoundStripe music composition.

Instagram Posts - May 2018

video, photos and SoundStripe by Mark M. Hancock / © NewsEagles.com

This is the recap of the May 2018 Instagram feed at https://www.instagram.com/mark.m.hancock.

This month included some images from warm San Diego, California and rainy spring days in Detroit, Michigan along with lots of tasty food. All photos made with an iPhone.

San Diego - Art

photos, soundstripe and video by
Mark M. Hancock / © NewsEagles.com

Various modes of art imbue the Southern California city around San Diego on April 8 to 11, 2018.

This is the second of the San Diego series. Please subscribe and be the first to see additional slideshows about San Diego’s Animals, Art, Architecture and Aquatica.

Included in this slideshow video are images of various art: public art, statues, landscape, flowers, mosaics, tile, steel, chrome, food, culinary, cuisine, graffiti, kitsch, functional, municipal, fountain, waterscape, wrought iron, colorful pinwheels, windsocks, kites, fountains, abstracts, performances, corporate, glass, safety, camouflage, natural, transportation, tourism, plaza, dessert.


Please share and subscribe to the NewsEagles YouTube channel (it’s free and easy). Please follow this link, sign in to YouTube (or create an account) and hit SUBSCRIBE at www.youtube.com/newseagles


Enough for now,

Instagram Posts - April 2018

photos and soundstripe by Mark M. Hancock / © NewsEagles.com

This is the recap of the April 2018 Instagram feed at https://www.instagram.com/mark.m.hancock. This month included some cold days at home, some warm days in sunny San Diego, California and lots of tasty food. All photos made with an iPhone. Royalty-free licenses are available for the Soundstripe (music) through my Pond5 account at https://www.pond5.com/artist/newseagles. It is titled, “Xtown Disco-2 features funk and jazz with a 70s flair.”

Included in this slideshow video are food, fire, dogs, salmon, storms, hamburger, ceiling fan, San Diego, California, flowers, pancakes, statues, taxes, Turkish gyros, art, "Flame Of Friendship," coffee, Petco Park, palm trees, seagulls, Childrens Park, fruit basket, Patrons Corner restaurant, churros, architecture, breakfast, trolley, tourists, USS Midway aircraft carrier, filet mignon, kabob, Seal Tour boat, and a JetBoat

San Diego: Animals

photos and soundstripe by Mark M. Hancock / © NewsEagles.com

Local and imported wildlife thrive in the mild climate around San Diego, California on April 9, 2018.

Included in this slideshow video are native animals such as sea lions, seagulls, grackles, brown pelicans, cormorants, and grebes. This slideshow also contains rare images of Atlantic bottlenose dolphins training at the U.S. Navy Marine Mammal Program. These dolphins are trained in mine detection and clearance as well as equipment recovery.
This is the first of the San Diego series. Please subscribe and be the first to see additional slideshows about San Diego’s Art, Architecture and Aquatica.


Please share and subscribe to the NewsEagles YouTube channel (it’s free and easy). Please follow this link, sign in to YouTube (or create an account) and hit SUBSCRIBE at www.youtube.com/newseagles


Enough for now,

My Royalty-free Music and More is on Pond5

Pond5 displays seven music compositions by Mark M. Hancock / NewsEagles. Pond5 accepted all 17 compositions submitted into their royalty-free music library.

If you need quality royalty-free products for your projects (slideshows, video, movies, commercials and more), I suggest Pond5.
They accepted my first 17 song submissions. If you want to purchase a royalty-free license to these or future music, photos, video, After Effects, illustrations and more, please go directly to my page:
https://www.pond5.com/artist/newseagles#1/2064

Enough for now,

Mardi Gras World Tour

photos and soundstripe by Mark M. Hancock / © NewsEagles.com

Artisans work while tourists are guided through the Mardi Gras World fabrication areas and float den in New Orleans on April 13, 2015. The facility prepares and manages more than 500 floats. Artists work all year, and tours are available every day except Christmas, Thanksgiving, Easter and Mardi Gras Day (Fat Tuesday).


Please share and subscribe to the NewsEagles YouTube channel (it’s free and easy). Please follow this link, sign in to YouTube (or create an account) and hit SUBSCRIBE at www.youtube.com/newseagles


Enough for now,

Video Portfolio playlist on NewsEagles

I created a new video Portfolio playlist on the NewsEagles Channel. It includes both PhotoJournalism and Squadron TV work. I'll add more in the future.

Enough for now,

Savory Tips to Improve Photos

video, narration, beats by Mark M. Hancock / © NewsEagles.com
photos by Mark M. Hancock / © NewsEagles.com, The Beaumont Enterprise and/or The Dallas Morning News

Please watch and share.

This is the long form of this video. It allows viewers more time to savor each image. For a spicier version of this same presentation, please see "Quick Tips to Improve Photos." It is only about 14 minutes long. Don't blink.

The companion "cheat sheet" on this blog is located here: quick-tips-to-improve-your-photos.

Please share and subscribe to the NewsEagles YouTube channel (it’s free and easy). Please follow this link, sign in to YouTube (or create an account) and hit SUBSCRIBE at www.youtube.com/newseagles

Although I will do some additional work in the future, this is my Magnum Opus.


Enough for now,

Know Your Rights as a Citizen Photojournalist

video, narration, beats by Mark M. Hancock / © NewsEagles.com
photos by Mark M. Hancock / © NewsEagles.com, The Beaumont Enterprise and/or The Dallas Morning News

Do you know your rights as a photojournalist?
Please watch “Know Your Rights as a Citizen Photojournalist.”


Please share and subscribe to the NewsEagles YouTube channel (it’s free and easy). Please follow this link, sign in to YouTube (or create an account) and hit SUBSCRIBE at www.youtube.com/newseagles

Enough for now,

What is a Photojournalist? (short video version)

video by Mark M. Hancock / © NewsEagles.com

Have you ever wondered about the why, how or what of being a photojournalist?
Please watch “What is a Photojournalist?” – the shortened version.

Also, if you’re not a subscriber please subscribe to my YouTube channel (it’s free and easy). Please follow this link, sign in to YouTube (or create an account) and hit SUBSCRIBE at www.youtube.com/newseagles

Enough for now,

NYT "The Uncertain Future of Photojournalism"

This NY Times Lens Blog interview with Donald R. Winslow is brutally direct about the future of photojournalism.

Even if you are at the top of your game, you’ll need real income to support your photojournalism habit.

Enough for now,