Some call it a Multi-Element Diopter, some an Achromatic Filter and others a close up lens.  Very confusing but really it’s just a high quality filter made up of two elements that allow you to get really close to your subject and still focus.  Think of it the same way you do a pair of reading glasses…you know, the ones you put on when you can no longer hold your book close and still focus on the words.

Don’t confuse this with the inexpensive close up filters made of a single piece of lower quality glass.  This filter is made of two pieces of high quality glass and doesn’t degrade your image the way the cheap ones do.  Spend the extra money; you’ll be glad you did.

The cool thing about this gadget is it can be used with any lens 70mm or longer.  Put it on your telephoto lens and get really close to that Dahlia or stick it on the front of your macro lens and magnify things beyond life-size!  It’s that easy.  Put it on, get close and focus.  (One word of caution, it will make your low quality lenses look even worse so use it only with your higher quality lenses.)

How do they work?  As you get closer to your subject it gets bigger in your viewfinder (and on your sensor).  The problem is that you can get close to something to make it big but that doesn’t mean that you can focus on it.  A Multi-Element Diopter lets you get closer than normal (to make something big) and still focus (to make it sharp).

There’s one SMALL catch; once you put it on your lens you’ll loose your ability to focus on anything that’s not close.  Kinda like looking across the room at something through your reading glasses.  No biggie, put it on only when you’re going to shoot macro, after all it’s a macro accessory!

Much like your reading glasses Multi-Element Diopters come in different strengths.  And much like your glasses they are “rated” in diopter strengths.  Simply put, as the number gets higher you can get closer and still focus, resulting in more magnification.

I know that by now you might want a little shopping advice so I narrowed the list down to two that I’ve used and love.

Canon 500D Close Up Lens (+2 Diopter Strength)
Marumi DHG Achromat (+3 or +5 Diopter Strength)

So, grab one, put it on your lens and start getting close!

If you are interested in learning more about macro photography and want to learn to create big images of tiny subjects, I will be teaching a Macro Photography workshop from June 30 – July 5, 2013. Hope you can join me!

Most equipment tends to make us sloppy or lazy in our craft.  We zoom our lens instead of moving.  We set up our tripod at eye level instead of bending our knees.   We take hundreds of images on 32GB memory cards hoping we get a few good ones.  Sound familiar?  We all do it.

In our effort to make photography more convenient we are losing sight of how to be better photographers.  So if equipment isn’t the answer, what piece of equipment will help us become better photographers?  It’s cheap, it’s simple and it’s going to make you work…it’s a 50mm lens.  You may already own one, heck; you may have a zoom lens that includes this focal length.

It’s not expensive, glamorous or exciting.  You won’t see people drooling over one in catalogs but it will change the way you approach photography.  A 50mm focal length* records the world in much the same way that your eyes do in terms of perspective and angle of view, which is its biggest strength and greatest weakness.

In my view, photographs are interesting when they capture the world in a way that we can’t see with our eyes.  So then, why would I recommend using a lens that sees the world the way your eyes do?  Because it makes you do three things you need to do more: Move, Think and Work!

Put a zoom lens on someone’s camera and watch them; they often remain stationary and just zoom through their focal lengths until they arrive at a composition that is acceptable.  Switch it out with a 50mm lens and you’ll observe a progression.  First you’ll see a mixture of terror and frustration that is eventually followed by a significant behavioral change: The photographer starts to move!  They will change the height of the camera, the angle and distance of their position and their connection with the subject.  They will move with the concentration and intensity of a prizefighter; adjusting, reacting and repositioning as they photograph.  They will think more about the light on the subject or the background behind it.

Once acquired, this new approach will change your photography regardless the lens you use. Your sharpened powers of observation and new found approach to each subject will result in photographs that are interesting, compelling and unique.

*One note about focal length.  A 35mm focal length for those with APS-C sensors (“crop sensors”) will result in a 50mm effective focal length.  If you don’t own a camera with a full frame sensor use a 35mm lens or the equivalent on your zoom lens to get the effect of a 50mm lens.

You can catch Tony at one of our upcoming Photo Weekends in 2013 in these cities:
Las Cruces, NM
Cleveland, OH
Portland, OR
Portland, ME
Chicago, IL
Nashville, TN
Duluth, MN

Tony is also leading these Workshops in 2013:
Intermediate Photography
Macro Photography
Photography of People

Courtesy of Joe Massa

If you are even a little bit familiar with Rocky Mountain School of Photography, you probably know by now that we kicked off our 24th session of Summer Intensive (SI) on June 4. The first week of SI is always a flurry of activity with students getting situated in town and our staff running around making sure everything is ready. Once things are underway however, it becomes clear that all the effort is very, very worth it.

One aspect that makes the first week so much fun is that we get to reconnect with a handful of people who represent our Educational Partners. One of these people is Joe Massa with Manfrotto. Since Joe has been making the trip to Missoula to welcome our students since 2005, and is an integral part of our program, we thought it was about time to give him a shout out on the blog.

Tell us a bit about yourself. Who are you? Where are you from?
I’m NYC born and raised. The child of 2nd generation Italian immigrants. I grew up along with the computer, so naturally my first career was in technology as a Novell Netware systems engineer for Wall Street technology firms. After about 10 years I got bored with technology and wanted something low tech and creative.  I got into photography just at the birth of digital imaging…  Funny how life works…

You recently drove across the country to speak to our SI students. How was that? Have you made the drive from NY to MT before? Will you ever do it again?
This was my fourth or fifth cross-country road trip.  I like the freedom that a road trip provides. There is adventure at almost every exit if you are open to it.  There is also a lot of nothing in between.  Air travel has become so unpleasant that I only do so if driving is not an option.  I consider the time it takes to get someplace as part of the vacation and plan my route according to certain attractions I might never otherwise get to.  On this trip to Montana it was “The Great Platte River Archway” monument outside of Lincoln, Nebraska.  It is a terrific museum and attraction on the pioneer movement and the westward expansion of the United States.  I also figured that if we hustled across the country we could spend two days in the Grand Tetons and Yellowstone.  I’ve always been fascinated with the diversity of landscape in this country and a road trip is really the best way to see America….  As the old ad claimed…“See the USA in your Chevrolet!”

©Marcy James

When I think of Manfrotto, the bomb-proof tripod my grandpa gave me comes to mind, but there is more to it than that. What all does Manfrotto do? What other companies or products do you rep?

In addition to Manfrotto Tripods, we have:
Gitzo Tripods
Manfrotto Lighting Supports
Avenger Grip supports
Kata Bags
Manfrotto Bags & Apparel
National Geographic Cases
Metz Flashes
Gossen Meters
Rotatrim Cutters
Manfrotto Video Supports
Manfrotto on Camera LED lighting
Elinchrom Studio Lighting
Lastolite Light Modifiers

©Marcy James

You’ve been coming to Missoula to talk to our Career Training students for 8 years now. What is your favorite part of the visit?
I fell in love with Missoula the first time I got off the plane in 2005. I arrived at night and in the morning I awoke to find myself surrounded by mountains and some of the most beautiful scenery I had scene up to that point. I met Liz Dybdal and the staff at the school and they were just the nicest people.  Up until then, everyone I seemed to meet in the industry wanted something.  RMSP was thrilled to get literature and the fact that I was there to speak about my product was terrific.  All I seemed to have to do was show up and everyone was happy.  That was my first year with Manfrotto and I was soooo nervous getting up and talking to over 100 people. That first year I had about eight tripods, no bags, and no prepared presentation.  Over the years, the gear has grown, the presentation has gotten better, and I am not only comfortable up there, but it’s something I look forward to!

I consider everyone at RMSP not only colleagues, but my friends. So for me the best part of the visit is spending time with my friends.

General impressions of Missoula?
I love Missoula. The people, the pace of life, the location.  A wave of calm overcomes me as soon as I get into the airport (assuming I fly in).  I’m not naïve to think that Missoula is a utopia and not without some problems,  but coming from NYC,  and for me personally,  there is no place I’m happier.

Our students?
Quite simply … the students are the best.  I love helping people become better photographers because that’s how I learned – asking questions and paying attention to the answers.

With the help of Career Training assistant and underwater shooter Jimmy White, and Larry Cohen at B&H Photo Video in NYC, we have compiled this list to help you map out the landscape of what is available for shooting underwater and to hopefully get you pointed in the right direction. Like all things photography related, the options are seemingly limitless, so this is just meant to be a primer. Naturally, specific equipment needs will vary based on your own personal goals and needs. If there is something missing from this list that you use or can’t live without, let us know in the comments below.

POINT AND SHOOT
To help you navigate these waters, I have broken this post up into three sections according to the type of camera: Point and Shoot, DSLR and Specialty. Since they are more affordable, available and hold mass appeal, I’ll kick things off by highlighting a few point and shoot cameras, specifically the Nikon CoolPix P7100, Canon G12 and Olympus XZ-1 models because of their underwater options and abilities.

Nikon’s CoolPix P7100, when combined with the Fantasea FP7100 housing offers a great solution for not just underwater shooting, but for protection from sand, mud, dust and anything else the elements can throw at you. In addition, there are gels, wide angle lens attachments, and a light kit available that works great with this camera/housing combo. This camera boasts 10.1 Mp, a 1/1.7″ CCD sensor, and captures HD videos (720p). If you are looking for an affordable, yet expandable way to get into shooting below the surface, the P7100 kit might be a great option.

If you are already the proud owner of a Canon G11 / G12, but want a way to experiment with shooting underwater, the Canon WP-DC34 Housing, allows you to enjoy your G11 or 12 to a depth of 130 feet. Or, you can opt for the Ikelite housing for the G11/12 and extend the depth rating to 200 feet. Many reviews for this housing spoke to how strong and durable it is. In fact, “built like a tank” were the exact words one reviewer wrote. With 10MP still image capture, RAW and JPG capture modes, 1280 x 720p HD video, DIGIC 4 image processor and an ISO range up to 3200 the G12 is a very capable camera above or below the surface of the water.

From Olympus, their XZ-1 camera and PT-050 housing are a great combination for underwater work. Since this housing was made specifically for the XZ-1, all of the camera’s functions are easily accessible through the housing. Among the list of favorite features various users have mentioned, it’s the 67mm lens screw that stands out. This feature allows the user to add filters or change lenses seamlessly while underwater.

DSLR CAMERAS
If you are looking to dip your toes into the subject of underwater photography, a point and shoot system with the appropriate housing is the way to go. But maybe you are reading this with greater ambitions, and are in need of the added features and improved image quality that a DSLR camera can provide. What does the landscape look like for shooting with your DSLR underwater? Well, the conversation becomes all about housings and lighting when talking about taking your DSLR into the water.

Rather than dissecting the pros and cons of each piece of equipment, I am going to refer to RMSP graduate and professional underwater shooter, Jimmy White for a glimpse into his gear and some of his personal thoughts. As a standard set up, Jimmy uses a Canon 5D Mk II, with an Ikelite housing and twin Ikelite DS-161 Substrobes on articulating arms. When shooting wide-angle, which he says is about 50% of the time, he use Ikelite’s 8″ Dome Port coupled with a Canon 16-35mm f/2.8 (not the 16-35mm II).  When shooting macro he uses Ikelite’s Focusing Flat Port coupled with Canon’s 100mm f/2.8 Macro lens.

As he puts it, “with this set up, I can access approx 98% of my camera functions, and it has a maximum depth of up to 200 feet (way deeper than I’ll ever go).” When it comes to lighting, Jimmy also adds “good strobes are super important if you are going to photograph in depths greater than 25 feet.  At around 10 feet you’ve lost most of your reds and that becomes more pronounced as you go deeper so there is little light penetration (anything other than greens and blues) past 25 feet. So you are really bringing most of your light with you.”

SPECIALTY
The last category I will touch on is the Specialty category, although, I should probably just call it the Go Pro category. If you are unfamiliar with the Go Pro line of cameras, they are (according to GoPro.com) “the world’s leading activity image capture company.” In layman’s terms, they are the little cameras that surfers, bikers, skydivers, skaters and other outdoor enthusiasts like to strap to themselves before getting radical. While few can argue how popular the Go Pro system has become since coming on the scene (aka: 2.3 million Facebook fans) they don’t necessarily appeal to everyone. Since the big attraction to these units is for people to capture images of themselves, the fixed position, and constant jarring motion of the footage can be hard on the stomach.

There are many versions of this camera, each one being suited to a different sport. The surf edition is capable of capturing HD video at 1080p at 30 frames per second, 960p at 48 or 30 fps, and 720p video at 30 or 60 fps, as well as 5, 8 or 11 megapixel digital still photos. Even cooler, the HD HERO2 Surf Edition “supports live streaming from the web and Wi-Fi video preview and playback on your smartphone, tablet, laptop or desktop computer.”  Even if the style of footage isn’t your cup of tea, you have to admit these little devices are quite capable … and very cool.

And what would the “specialty” category be without some information about the iphone?
As the favorite camera of many, many users, Apple’s iphone camera isn’t just an add on to the phone part of the device. But is it possible to take an iphone underwater without risk? Thanks to the folks at Aquapac, the answer is yes! With their waterproof cases designed specifically for the iphone, you can capture great photos and video underwater. How cool is that? While I have not tried this case for myself, their website says that users can still talk and hear no problem with the phone in the case, and “everything works normally through the case including the camera and the capacitive touchscreen*.”  However, that little asterisk at the end of that statement led me to a disclaimer saying that the … touchscreens don’t work underwater, but that with the iphone 4 users can use the Home button to snap photos, and to capture video you have to start filming above water. If you are interested in giving this case a try, you’ll definitely want to check out the videos on their website (follow the Aquapac link above). And then let us know how it went in the comments below!!

I hope this primer piqued your interest in the world of underwater photography. If you are inspired to give it a shot, or have been shooting with some of these tools for a while, I would really love to hear your thoughts, opinions and experiences from your own equipment.

And by the way, Larry Cohen with B&H is a tremendous resource for underwater shooting. For further education, check out his in-depth video and read through his blog. Very inspiring!

If you are like most people, when you hear the name Ansel Adams, it might inspire thoughts of a bearded man standing near a massive tripod somewhere in the wilderness. If the tripod in your mental picture is supporting a camera that looks like an accordion or a wooden shoe box (and in no way resembles your fancy Canon 5D Mark II) you’ve got the right Ansel.  For many, this may be the extent of what they know about the equipment he used.  So, today we thought it would be interesting to take a quick look at some of the gear Ansel had tucked away in his camera bag…which was often carried by his mule, Mistletoe, high into the mountains.

Let’s start from the ground up. Many times, Ansel would set up shop a few feet off the ground in order to get a unique perspective. This meant climbing on top of his eight-passenger Cadillac which was outfitted with a 5 x 9-foot camera platform on top. Not a bad idea!

image from wikipedia.org

Next up – the tripod.  According to one quote we found, Ansel Adams said that the ideal tripod “is a cubic yard of solid concrete with a 1/4″ X #20 bolt head sticking out of the top.” While Ansel used a variety of tripods, they had to be sturdy enough to support his massive camera.

photo: ©Neil Chaput de Saintonge

Now for the camera. More often than not Ansel used what is called a large-format view camera. Typically large, heavy and rather complicated, a view camera has a light-safe bellows between the lens and the film plane. This bellows is flexible, allowing the photographer to adjust and control the focus, perspective and depth of field. View cameras accommodate single sheets of film at varying sizes up to 20×24 inches, however typical sizes for a view camera are 4×5 and 8×10. Although the technology progressed throughout his career, and cameras became smaller, he preferred his large-format view camera for the incredible detail they provided his images.  Needless to say, Ansel’s view camera did not have a motor drive, nor did it allow him to upload anything to Facebook.

image from wikipedia.org

The light meter. Ansel used a Weston Master meter to take readings of the light. Largely considered to be a “workhorse” in the realm of light meters, the Weston Master series provided Ansel with important baseline readings. From there…well he used this little thing called the Zone System. In the interest of keeping this blog post under the length of War and Peace, we won’t get into the Zone System today.

example of a Weston Master series light meter.

The hat.  Although not a typical piece of photo gear, Ansel is often seen in photographs wearing a cowboy hat. Apparently it was a Stetson. As many people know – especially in our home state of Montana – a good hat can make all the difference. Maybe this was Ansel’s secret???

Do you have any experience using any of the equipment Ansel used? Perhaps you’ve rigged up your own top-of-car platform. We’d love to hear about your experience in the comments below.