Every month, National Geographic staff photographer Mark Thiessen answers your photography questions—and spills the secrets behind the shots.
Widely published in books and magazines, Thiessen has been on staff at National Geographic since 1997. He's covered subjects from the discovery of the U.S.S. Yorktown to the search for other Earths. He's also a certified wildland firefighter.
April 2008
- In the digital darkroom, how much information do you store with each photo and what do you suggest for archiving photos?
- Do people you are shooting get distracted by the presence of your camera? How do you keep them acting "normal"?
- What preparation do you undertake and what techniques do you use to help deal with the time and patience necessary to wait for a shot?
- Is it possible to take time-lapse photographs with a non-SLR digital camera? If so, what function do I use?
- How do you handle paperwork, such as release forms, while in a sensitive or perhaps even dangerous environment?
- I assume I always need to use the auto setting for flash on my digital point-and-shoot. Are there some simple guidelines for when to use—and not use— flash?
- What is the best general-use lens for shooting portraits?
- What are five essential items (not camera or lenses) you take with you on assignment?
- I don't want to carry around five different lenses. Is there one lens I can depend on for shooting anything from landscapes to family events?
- Have you ever shot with infrared film? If so, do you have any tips, warnings, or lessons learned to share?
Q: In the digital darkroom, how much information do you store with each photo and what do you suggest for archiving photos?
A: I attach metadata to every photo I take. Metadata is information about the photo, such as the caption, date shot, exposure data, etc., that is embedded into the digital image file. The convenience of metadata is that it travels with the image, but you have to be disciplined to enter it into your images. There are many software programs that allow you to embed data into different metadata fields. Lately I've started to embed the latitude and longitude coordinates of where the photo was taken. I've begun carrying a simple GPS receiver that is no larger than a film can and has an on/off switch and no display. Every 15 seconds it records a latitude, longitude, and time-date stamp to a track log. Special software compares the time the picture was taken with the track log and embeds the coordinates into the image. Now I not only know what I shot, but where I shot it. I used to archive images on CDs and DVDs but with hard drive prices falling I prefer to archive my images on large hard drives. Optical storage like CDs and DVDs don't last forever, plus someday it will be difficult to find a device that will read them. I use hard drives because I can always move the images to larger, cheaper hard drives when they are available. But whatever method you use, make sure to back up your images so they are in two separate places. That might mean burning copies of CDs or buying a second hard drive for backup purposes.
Question submitted by Sean from Kansas City, MO
Q: Do people you are shooting get distracted by the presence of your camera? How do you keep them acting "normal"?
A: There are a couple of ways to make your subject feel comfortable when taking their picture. One is to meet your subject beforehand—but leave your camera at home—and explain that you would like to photograph them. Hang out with them, get to know them, and look for photo opportunities that you can come back and shoot. This helps your subject relate to you as a person first, not as a photographer. It also gives them time to get used to the idea before you bring out your camera and begin shooting away. Unfortunately this method takes an investment of time. Another method, if you don't have time to get to know your subject first, is to come across very comfortable with what you are doing. If your subject senses you feel awkward or shy about photographing them, they will find it difficult to relax. The only way to feel comfortable photographing people is to do it and do it a lot. Start by shooting pictures of friends, then work your way up to total strangers. After a while you will become more relaxed and so will your subjects.
Question submitted by Jeff from St. Petersburg, FL
Q: What preparation do you undertake and what techniques do you use to help deal with the time and patience necessary to wait for a shot?
A: First I make sure I bring my iPod loaded with classical music with me on assignment. But really, it comes down to persistence. One of the best things about working at National Geographic is that photographers can spend more time shooting a story than at nearly any other magazine. To be a tenacious photographer, you have to put in the time. I've learned that if a certain photograph is eluding me, if I put in the time and be persistent, I will be richly rewarded. Maybe not with the shot I was looking for, but something better. I recently shot a story on wildfires. This required a great deal of patience. Not only did I have to find fire, I had to find interesting pictures once I was in the fire. You can only shoot so many pictures of vegetation burning. There were plenty of days I felt discouraged, but I kept at it. Fires are so unpredictable; you never know what is going to happen next. Then, one day everything came together and I was in a great situation where amazing things were happening all around me. I couldn't shoot pictures fast enough. When a subject requires lots of time or patience, I know that if I put in the hours and don't give up, I'll get some wonderful pictures.
Question submitted by Mary from Dunedin, NZ
Q: Is it possible to take time-lapse photographs with a non-SLR digital camera? If so, what function do I use?
A: Some rangefinder cameras have an automatic night setting that allows the shutter to remain open for a long time during night scenes. (Look for the moon and stars icon.) Some cameras have a manual setting (M) that lets you set the aperture and shutter speed manually. Hopefully your camera will have a shutter speed long enough for what you are shooting. Look for a shutter speed setting called B (for "bulb"). This setting will keep the shutter open for as long as you press the shutter release button.
Question submitted by Kate from Washington, DC
Q: How do you handle paperwork, such as release forms, while in a sensitive or perhaps even dangerous environment?
A: Model releases are always a tricky business. For shooting editorial photography for National Geographic magazine, we don't need a model release. But if you hope to sell that picture for commercial use, then you need to get a release signed by anyone identifiable in the photograph. If I'm in a situation where I don't have much time, I will get brief contact information for the subject, such as a phone number or email address, and get back in touch with them later.
Question submitted by Scott from San Francisco, CA
Q: I assume I always need to use the auto setting for flash on my digital point-and-shoot. Are there some simple guidelines for when to use—and not use— flash?
A: I suggest you experiment with your flash on and then off in different situations. Your pictures will capture the mood of the ambient light from your scene. If your camera is set on automatic mode, then it's likely you can't control when the flash goes off. It will fire when it detects that there isn't enough light for a properly exposed photo. Try other automatic modes that will allow you to turn on or off your flash. Often you will be surprised by the results of turning your flash off and increasing the ISO, which determines how sensitive your camera is to light. Another technique is to turn your flash down so it just fills the foreground but doesn't overpower the ambient light of the scene. Look for an icon with a +- sign next to a lightning bolt. There will be a scale that allows you to turn down your flash in 1/3-stop increments. Experiment by trying different settings and see which one looks best.
Question submitted by Derek from London, UK
Q: What is the best general-use lens for shooting portraits?
A: To make the most flattering portraits, it's best to use a telephoto lens. This will allow you to fill the frame with the subject's face yet stand back enough to de-emphasize features like their nose. A telephoto lens also has a shallow depth of field, meaning there is a very narrow plane of focus. If you focus on your subject's eyes, your background will be out of focus and less distracting. Typical portrait lenses range from 80mm to 200mm. But you can use a longer lens if you prefer. Try this experiment. Use the widest-angle lens you have and fill the frame with your friend's face and take a picture. Then use the most telephoto lens and take another picture. Since you are most likely using a digital camera, compare the two pictures immediately. Notice how the wide-angle lens exaggerates your friend's nose while the telephoto lens tends to make a more flattering picture.
Question submitted by Sarah from Brooklyn, NY
Q: What are five essential items (not camera or lenses) you take with you on assignment?
A: OK, I'm assuming you aren't including laptop, hard drive, and batteries. This list may surprise you. Ear plugs—you never know when you will be flying transcontinental next to a teething baby or staying in a hotel next to a busy freeway. Melatonin—a natural sleep aid that can help you beat jet lag when you are expected to hit the ground running. Cipro—the mother of all antibiotics, it saved me in Madagascar when a few scratches in my leg turned into a systemic infection with two red lines running up my leg. Pencil and paper—to jot down caption information and story ideas. Toilet paper—believe it or not, there are some airports in the world that don't have any toilet paper. Once you learn the hard way you will never be without it in your carry-on luggage.
Question submitted by Stephen from Olney, MD
Q: I don't want to carry around five different lenses. Is there one lens I can depend on for shooting anything from landscapes to family events?
A: When talking about lenses with digital cameras, you need to understand the size of your camera's sensor. Most digital SLR cameras use smaller chips than a traditional 35mm file frame. In effect, the sensor magnifies the image 1.6 times. Try a 17-85mm zoom lens on a small chip camera. It's equivalent to a 24-120mm lens on a 35mm film camera. It's wide enough for landscapes and telephoto enough for sporting events and portraits.
Question submitted by Brian from Boston, MA
Q: Have you ever shot with infrared film? If so, do you have any tips, warnings, or lessons learned to share?
A: I have only shot with color infrared film. It's very tricky. I recommend you use a deep yellow filter on your lens and set your camera at 100 ISO if using Kodak's Ektachrome Professional Infrared film (EIR). Be sure to bracket your exposures (shoot some lighter and some darker) as the exposure latitude is very narrow. The film can be tricky to handle as well. It needs to be frozen until you are ready to use it, then warmed up to room temperature before you use it. About two hours will do it. It has to be removed from the film can and loaded into the camera in total darkness. You can use a film-loading bag to do this in the field. After the film is exposed, you have roughly 24 hours to have the film processed, because the emulsion will deteriorate. Images produced with color infrared film have a unique look. Once you understand how the film interprets colors and how you can control it with color filters, you can make it work for you creatively. It's not likely you'll use this film all the time, but it could become one you come back to when you're looking for something a little different.
Question submitted by Jon from Alexandria, VA
