Through The Lens Archives – Page 13 of 15

Through The Lens: Understanding ISO

June 6, 2012

If you are a professional photographer, amateur photographer or just a photo enthusiast I, S, and O are three letters that you should be very familiar with. Understanding ISO is a huge part of understanding how photography works and is one of the three major factors in balancing out the perfect exposure; the other two being shutter speed and aperture. Most all digital cameras from a point-and-shoot to a full size pro DSLR have multiple ISO settings for you to choose from. Of course every camera is different and some have much bigger ISO ranges than others but no matter what camera you are using the benefits of having a solid grasp on exactly what ISO is and how it works is mandatory to taking your photography to the next level. Hit up this crash course on ISO and then get out there and shoot.
[Read more…]

Through The Lens: Contest #2

June 1, 2012

All right people! Here we go again! The second photo contest is here thanks to the support of Madera!

This time around we’re looking for your best photo that you shot!
Here are the rules:
1. The photo can be of street, park, trails or even flatland if you want.
2. You are allowed to use flashes or whatever equipment you want to shoot the photo.
3. You are allowed to edit the photo. Here’s a little advice on how to make your shot look good.
4. You are allowed to enter more than once.
5. All photos must be ORIGINAL and never before seen!
6. The photo MUST be shot by you. Stealing photos for this is sleezy! You don’t want to be sleezy.
7. This contest is open to all amateur photographers. Professionals, you are already getting paid for your work, so let’s let these guys have some fun.

The contest will run until June 18th where we will pick the top 3 photos for the prizes.
1st place will get a pair of red Protocol Cranks
2nd place will get a red 48mm Mast Top Load Stem
3rd place will get a red 25 tooth Helm Spline Drive sprocket

To enter, head over to our Facebook Page and drop your photo on the wall. Please put “Madera Photo Contest” as the description of the photo just to make sure we don’t miss it! Easy as that!

On June 18th we will take all the photos and pick the top 3 winners. We will also drop a photogallery featuring some of the honorable mention submissions as well! We will notify the winners through a Facebook message, so keep your eyes out for that if you submit a photo!

Now, get to work! The clock is ticking! Oh, and don’t forget to Like Madera’s Facebook Page while you are at it!

Please leave any questions in the comments!

DUE TO REQUESTS FOR MORE TIME, WE HAVE EXTENDED THE SUBMISSION DEADLINE TO MONDAY, JUNE 25th!

Through The Lens: The Basics of Editing

May 30, 2012

When it comes time to sit down and edit photos after a shoot everyone has their own process and steps that they go through to get the final look they are after and technically there is no right or wrong way to edit a photo. But, of course there are a few guidelines that you can follow to keep your photos looking on point and that is the basis of today’s TTL. I wanted to run down a few steps to help clean your photos up and make them pop. The key to a well-edited photo is making sure you don’t over do it. Every adjustment should be done for a specific purpose and the end result is something that you want people to appreciate without knowing exactly what you did to achieve that certain look. For the first editing column though I wanted to keep things very simple and give some insight into a few basic editing techniques using Adobe Photoshop that every photographer should know. Check it out.
[Read more…]

Through The Lens: Adapting To Your Environment

May 23, 2012

For this weeks TTL I figured I would break down the four main styles of riding which are street, dirt, park and flat and give a little bit of info on what I like and in some cases don’t like about each one when it comes time to shoot. Every photographer is different and everyone has their own opinions on what they prefer to shoot so I figured this would make for an interesting read. Whether it’s shooting in the streets, at a skatepark, at the trails or in an empty parking lot it’s up to you as the photographer to make the photo look as good as possible. When it comes down to it the rider is there to act as the subject and you are there to shoot the best photo you can while working within the existing environment. Keep reading to get a little insight into how I break down each category in my head and approach shooting each style of riding.
[Read more…]

Through The Lens: WYDK: Featuring Ryan “Biz” Jordan

May 16, 2012

There has always been something intriguing to me about getting some behind the scenes details on a photo. I don’t know what it is about it but I just get stoked on seeing exactly how someone shot a specific photo and get a little insight into the process. I suppose it has something to do with the fact that every photographer shoots a little differently, which in turn makes each story unique in its own way. I can remember studying photos in magazines and borderline obsessing about the way that they were shot and honestly over the years not much has changed. I still find myself getting lost in photos to this day with the same level of curiosity that I had when I first started shooting. I suppose that is why I am introducing “What you didn’t know” for today’s TTL. Ready, set, go.
[Read more…]

Through The Lens: 5 Tips For Better Composition

May 9, 2012

Photography

Composition is “the act of combining parts or elements to form a whole.” When it comes to photography it is an integral part of any photograph. The difference between a good photo and an amazing photo is all in the way you compose the image. You can take two photos with identical subject matter and lighting but the one with the best composition will always be more appealing to the masses. With BMX photography specifically it helps to pay close attention to the entire photo as opposed to simply worrying about the rider themselves. There is much more of a story to be told with each and every photo if shot correctly. Lets break it down and find out more about what it takes to compose a shot that will stand out from the rest.
[Read more…]

Through The Lens: How To Create Seamless Sequences In Photoshop

May 2, 2012

Kevin Kiraly

This is something that every BMX photographer should know how to do. With riding getting more and more tech/combo based on the daily knowing how to create a seamless sequence is incredibly beneficial to anyone behind the lens. All you need is a DSLR that can shoot sequences, a tripod and Photoshop. The cool thing about shooting seamless sequences is that you can really show a trick in a different way as opposed to with a still shot. Sometimes a single shot just doesn’t do the trick justice. That was the case with this photo of Kevin Kiraly whipping down the famous Wallenberg set. I really wanted to show the length of this whip and after looking at many angles, the side view seamless really stood out to me as the best way to show the entire trick and really try to give it as much credit as it deserves. As a photographer you should always be looking to tell some sort of story with your photos and sometimes a seamless sequence can help do just that. Also, I want to point out that this is the way that I personally put together a seamless sequence and the way that I have found works best for me. Everyone edits a little differently and there are many different ways to get to the same end result. Hopefully this all makes sense and inspires you to get out and shoot as soon as possible to try out these steps for yourself. Let’s get started.

Don’t forget to “Like” and Tweet this if you are into it!

[Read more…]

Through The Lens: Five Things Every BMX Photographer Should Know

April 25, 2012

If you are a true BMX rider then you have probably committed a crime or two in your day. Anytime that you hop a fence to ride your bike somewhere you are not supposed to, or grind a handrail in front of a downtown office building in any city across the globe you are technically committing a crime. There are laws against trespassing, as well as destruction of property, which can both come with hefty fines. Sure, it doesn’t seem like a big deal to you and in your eyes you are just riding but there are a hell of a lot of people out there that just don’t quite understand what riding is all about. This in turn means that you have a good chance of being approached by the neighborhood hero, security, or the police in certain situations and without knowing the proper way to deal with them; you could find yourself in debt with a criminal record before you know it. Curious as to what I am getting at? Read on to find out.
[Read more…]