Only Photography can capture the "Microexpressions"

Microexpressions

Lie to Me is the hit TV [January 21, 2009 to January 31, 2011] series based on the research of Dr. Paul Ekman. Haggard and Isascs are credited with the discovery of Micro Expressions in the 1960s. Paul Ekman created a coding system for microexpressions and in 2001 he was named by the American Psychological Association as one of the most influential psychologists of the 20th century.

A microexpression is a brief, involuntary facial expression shown on the face of humans according to emotions experienced.  They are very brief in duration, lasting only 1/25 to 1/15 of a second. The 1/25 second was determined because back in 1960 this is how they slowed down a film that ran at 1/25 frame rate.

Even in the TV show Lie to Me you see that when a microexpression is detected they must investigate further, because one must not conclude that someone is lying if a microexpression is detected but that there is more to the story than is being told.

While some people are natural at seeing microexpressions many people learn how to detect them through training.  What is important it is much harder to detect a microexpression on people in person or within video.

The easiest tool to practice detecting micro expressions are photographs. So as you will see if you watch the TV show Lie to Me, which you can get on Netflix, is they use photographs to isolate and show the facial expressions.

The major emotions-how surprise, fear, anger, disgust, sadness, and happiness are registered by changes in the forehead, eyebrows, eyelids, cheeks, nose, lips, and chin. These help as there are not just one type of each expression. For example the emotion of surprise has many different expressions; questioning surprise, dumbfounded surprise, dazed surprise, slight, moderate, and extreme surprise. The intricacies of facial expressions are more easily read in photographs of how various emotions can blend or create different expressions.

Charles Darwin believed that facial expressions were universal. Through the years many have disagreed with Darwin.

Dr. David Matsumoto however agreed with Darwin basked on his research during the 2004 Olympics.  He studied both the sighted and blind Olympians during the 2004 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

What is important is how he conducted the research. He studied the thousands of photographs and compared the facial expressions of sighted and blind judo athletes, including individuals who were born blind. All competitors displayed the same expressions in response to winning and losing. So it is not something learned, but innate.

Take away

I believe that the power of the still image is because it can capture the microexpression that video cannot do. Sure you can argue that if you slow down video you can see a microexpression, but you are then trying to stop the video and thus creating a still image.

Today we can record up to 200 million frames per second, but the most common used high speed cameras record around 1000 frames per second. Television series such as MythBusters and Time Warp often use high-speed cameras to show their tests in slow motion.

We use these high speed cameras for seeking the truth and helping us scientifically build safer cars for example.

So if we want to understand something and get to the truth as in TV shows like MythBusters we must examine things in fractions of a second. This is where the still photographer has worked for decades.

My take away from all this about the microexpression is the the power of the photograph is it's ability to freeze the moment for us to truly understand. For most people microexpressions are not controlled and therefore when we see these expressions tend to hold them as truthful moments.

It is important to point out that some people are born able to control their expressions (such as pathological liars), while others are trained, for example actors. "Natural liars" know about their ability to control microexpressions, and so do those who know them well. They have been getting away with things since childhood, fooling their parents, teachers, and friends when they wanted to.

Photojournalists are very aware of "The Decisive Moment" and what I believe is that microexpressions is more about that moment. This research and material published on microexpressions is great content for the photojournalist. Understanding microexpressions will make you a better photojournalist in my opinion.

Child Prodigy Photographer: Still Waiting

By definition a Child Prodigy is:

A child prodigy is someone who, at an early age, develops one or more skills at a level far beyond the norm for their age.^[1] A prodigy has to be a child, or at least younger than 18 years, who is performing at the level of a highly trained adult in a very demanding field of endeavour.

Here is a formal list of child prodigies and as you can see there are no photographers. This past week I had some time to hang out with Dave Black. It was Dave that made this observation about there are no child prodigies in photography.

Why no prodigies?

Photography has been around now for two hundred years and you would think that if it were possible that we would have a prodigy by now.

While I do not know exactly why there are none I do have my hypothesis. Why even care if there are any prodigies? I believe the answer is that this is a learned field and that even if you have an artistic eye you still need to have some training to succeed.

No Degree Required

Photography does not require a degree or certification to practice. If you own a camera you can hang your shingle out as a professional photographer.

Many professionals have tried to create certificate programs to help them in their business. It doesn't work, because of one simple problem. People will look at your work and not your degree to hire you.

We look no further back in history than to 2012 to see what it takes to be a successful photographer. Why only last year? Well in many articles written about photography, many are saying that due to the camera phone that more photos are made than at any other time in history and that 2012 was the biggest of all time.

While many photos were made last year only some are rememberable. The great photos were not just made because the camera was set on "P" mode [professional mode].  Hopefully, you know I am joking. They are great because the photographer had a vision and knew how to manipulate the controls and/or light to capture what they were wanting.

Abstract Thought Required

"The formal operational stage begins at approximately age twelve [adolescence] and lasts into adulthood. During this time, people develop the ability to think about abstract concepts. Skills such as logical thought, deductive reasoning, and systematic planning also emerge during this stage.

While children tend to think very concretely and specifically in earlier stages, the ability to think about abstract concepts emerges during the formal operational stage. Instead of relying solely on previous experiences, children begin to consider possible outcomes and consequences of actions. This type of thinking is important in long-term planning.

In earlier stages, children used trial-and-error to solve problems. During the formal operational stage, the ability to systematically solve a problem in a logical and methodical way emerges. Children at the formal operational stage of cognitive development are often able to quickly plan an organized approach to solving a problem."

Formal Operational Stage of Cognitive Development
By Kendra Cherry, About.com Guide

While today's cameras allow you to point and shoot and come away with an image even for someone blessed with a visual eye needs to know how to manipulate the controls to give them an image that is superior.

Painters can include and exclude from the canvas much easier than a photographer can be selective with a camera. But both the painter and photographer must have a vision of what they are creating for the image to have impact.

Depth-of-field is a tool the photographer learns to use over time. How much will be in focus in front and behind the subject. There are varying degrees to which the photographer decides what is in focus and helps to create more impact by using this creative tool

Motion is either frozen or blurred in photography. While varying the shutter speed controls this the photographer can even choose to add motion to the camera during the exposure to keep a subject sharp and while at the same time blur the rest of the photograph.

Light is the greatest influence in photography. The absence of light alone means there is no photograph to be created. How the photographer chooses to use light helps improve the photograph. Sometimes they may choose to use the available light, light everything or only light part of the photo. They can also choose to vary the light values through out the photograph as well.  

Learning these technical tools and how to use them in conjunction with one another to create an artistic image requires abstract thought. 

Many photographers are masterful technicians who learn to use the aperture, shutter speed and light to give them different affects. 

Photographers who specialize photographing people must also master body language. Body language is everything from the very obvious smile down to the subtle pinky finger being raised while drinking tea.  To tell stories with people in the photos, the photographer must master the art of body language and all the technical skills of the camera to help make photos that impact the audience.

Photography is an acquired skill

The good news from all this is that even if someone feels like they do not have an artistic eye they can over time develop the skills to become an outstanding photographer. Those who do have an artistic eye must also study and learn how to master the camera and light to make photos or they will never be able to make photos—the camera will do it instead.

Great Visual Storytellers master these skills:

1. Depth-of-field—You need to understand how the focal length of a lens and the lens opening in combination affect a photograph. After you understand how this works you need to then be able to look at a scene you want to photograph and consciously make a decision as to what you want in focus. 
2. Shutter Speed—Not only does shutter speed help you freeze objects and blur parts of a photograph it can determine if you have color shifts in a photograph. You need to master how this impacts the photograph so you can choose how this tool with affect the photograph.
3. Light—Seeing light and being able to capture the natural settings is a must. Once you have mastered capturing light as it is naturally, then you can manipulate it to help situations look more natural. You can add light to a scene to improve it. You can add light to overpower the natural light and make it what you want it to be. 
4. Composition—Studying the masters in art will help you to know how to use compositional techniques to lead the viewer where you want in a photograph.
5. Body Language—For the people photographer you need to understand what your subjects are communicating so you can control the message. You are able to anticipate the moment and capture the ones which help the message you want to communicate become clear and concise.
6. Combining the techniques—After truly mastering each of these skills will you then be able to see how they are used in combination to create what you want, just like the painter who decides what will go onto the canvas.

While there are no prodigies, there are great photographers. Great photographers are self made through persistence. You can be a great photographer. You need only to master the skills and most importantly have a vision for what you want to appear on your canvas.

Christmas Holiday Moments

Fly On The Wall

Ever heard someone say that would like to be a fly on the wall during that conversation?  This means you would like to be over hearing the conversation as if you were not there. You want the situation to be real and them not know you are there.

Being the Fly-on-the-wall is also referring to the documentary style of photography where you are working as unobtrusively as possible to capture those candid moments.

In the first photo I was able to capture the newest addition to our family. His older cousin and great aunt are entertaining him and loving his reactions.

Body Language

I just love this photo of the nieces and nephews getting measured to see who is taller while their aunt looks on.  What also makes this photo fun for me is this isn't all that is going on, you have the youngest boy being held by his mother looking at me.

The body language tells the story that most likely happens during the holidays at many homes where the children are measured to see how much they have grown since last year.

Leaving some things out

You don't need to see everything in a photo for it to work. Here the proud mother holding her child comes through clearly. Do you need to see all of the kid for it to work? I don't think so. You may actually want more in the photo and if you took it you would include more. The strength sometimes by leaving something out makes you want to know what is really going on. By leaving something out you help peak the curiosity of the audience.  Keep everything in and often you loose that curiosity.

Details

So often the small things around the holidays help tell our family story. How often does your family talk about something grandmother cooks at the holidays? Do you have photos of this to pass along in your family.

My sister makes these rainbow cookies every year and so I thought I would be sure to document this for our family history. I keep talking about gathering our family recipes and creating a book. Now just imagine this photo with a photo of the recipe card in the original family members handwriting that started the tradition. Maybe you have a photo of them as well on the page of the family book.

The Patriarch Speaks

Every year my dad likes to remind us how important family is to us. This year he read The Dash Poem by Linda Ellis. Here is a link to that poem in case you might want to make it part of your family tradition.

Crawling on the floor

Please don't walk around the room and take all your photos from the standing position. Get down to the little ones level like I did here. What happens when you are eye level to the baby of the family. Well the last time most of us saw things from this perspective was when we were just children ourselves.

When you get down on the ground you help the audience feel like they did when they were children.

Have some fun

Here my daughter on the right with her friend are making music with Dan Cathy, the president of Chick-fil-A. He had these shakers with cow spots that are egg shaped.  During my daughter's Christmas break she had fun with not just her friends but Dan Cathy.

Where did you go?

We decided to drive just a few miles from the grandparents house to where they filmed some of the Hunger Games.

You may recognize this photo as the baker shop.

Maybe you remember Katniss running here in this scene.

Holiday's are about memories and here you can see my daughter is quite excited to be in front of the water falls where Katniss ran across.

How did you do with capturing your family this Christmas?

Overuse of the smile with photos leads to feeling of setup

I find people who smile all the time creepy.  I also find people who are in the same mood all the time just as disturbing. When I say I have a friend who is real, I am saying I see all the sides of emotions with them. They smile, frown, tear up and even get mad in our relationship. 

Take a moment and look at your communications, especially your photos. Is everyone only smiling in all your photos?  Are they all sad? Do people ever have puzzled looks on their faces?

Maybe the reason your company is slipping is your communication style if frankly creepy and disturbing on some level. 

I have been working with higher education for years and even have my master in communication through the education department of a seminary. I see my role as an educator as much as a communicator and storyteller. 

I just want to chase a rabbit here so you might see where this thought came from.

Lev Vygotsky believed children’s thinking is affected by their knowledge of the social community. One of the things he helped to develop was the Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD). The ZPD is the distance between a student's ability to perform a task under adult guidance and/or with peer collaboration and the student's ability solving the problem independently.

The concept also is applicable to adult learning. When you look at what you can do right now with no one’s help and compare this to what you could do with someone who is an expert on the subject you see the gap that often exists between the two.  Vygotsky believed teacher’s role is to be the scaffolding to help the student reach things that alone they would not be able to do in the present moment.

I look to others who are experts to help me process material I want to understand. I love going on tours of places and have tour guides give me information that I wouldn’t have gotten without them being there. It enriches the experience.

Many organizations I am seeing have a gap of their present communications and what they could be doing. One of these areas is the overuse of the smile in photos.


Sometimes I walk into a classroom with a person from the school organizing the photo shoot and they will tell everyone why we are there and please look natural and then after a couple of minutes of shooting they stop everything and ask everyone to smile and look like they are having a good time.  Mind you they maybe dissecting a frog in a biology lab, but they must smile.

This is when I am reminded I see the bigger picture and they are just starting the journey of using images to communicate. 

Now I want to contrast this to a recent photo shoot.  The client gave me the class schedule and I was to walk around and get photos of the classes going on.  Everyone was told I was there and to go on as normal.

They even said you know what you are doing and I trust you. They wanted what I produced for other clients and let me have the freedom to gather the content for them.

I went from classroom to classroom with my photo assistant. Everyone was natural and occasionally I had to use some flashes to get photos, which I know were disturbing the class a little, but everyone was great.

The school was a seminary and this is where people are being stretched.  The students come with perceptions and thoughts guided as much by the pop culture as by their scripture. The seminary will challenge their faith system and help them construct one built on scripture and not pop culture.  The students are often not smiling, they are often perplexed and I show this.

Since my wife and I both went to seminary and in my family we have more than 30+ who went through seminary I consider myself more of an expert as to how people pick a seminary. 

I want to look for a school that is academic and presents me with information that challenges me. I want to go to a school that I can relate not just to the professors, but the students as well.  I want to go somewhere that the student population seems to be a family and enjoy one another.

People who are looking for a seminary tend to be much deeper in their thoughts than the general population. They are choosing to go to school and when they graduate with this masters will most likely mean their salary will go down and not up. To choose this path one must feel called.

I wanted the photos at the end of the day to communicate some of these emotions, thoughts and content that I had felt while I was there that day.  I think the photos do look like more than all smiles and the people look real to me.

Why is this so important to me? I think if I were to capture only the smiles I would have made the seminary look more like a school for a cult than a seminary for those who will be leaders of the Christian faith.

As professional communicators we need to understand the "big picture" which is often beyond the reach of the present audience.  We are to help them by providing those step stools to get them to reach their goals. We have to help to inspire them to look up as well.

Emotional Intelligence

I really enjoy picking up books and reading from all aspects of life. The latest book I read was Emotional Intelligence 2.0 by Travis Bradberry & Jean Greaves.

Here is a link to it on Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Emotional-Intelligence-2-0-Travis-Bradberry/dp/097432...

What strikes me as a photographer is how my experiences with other photographers seems to support the notion that emotional intelligence does predict your success as a photographer better than your IQ does.

There are 4 areas the book covers:

1) Self-Awareness
2) Self-Management
3) Social Awareness
4) Relationship Management

I personally feel that this is a great book to read for the photographer who wants to grow. People skills are extremely important and I believe can make or break your career. 

Emotional Intelligence is the dimension of intelligence responsible for our ability to manage ourselves and our relationships with others. The culture you grow up in can help give you an advantage here.  What was amazing in the book was how China's managers from business tested higher than Americans.  The book attributes this to their culture.


The good news that the book gives us is that while our IQ doesn't change all that much, because it is more about your capacity to learn the emotional intelligence is more about how you choose to react to situations and events and that over time you can change this.  


The research showed how over many years American's tested higher each year than before until 2008 when the economy affected us in so many ways.  It is difficult for all of us to know how to respond when your career choice no longer exists and you have to remake yourself overnight to survive.  


If you are a person who likes to follow the rules and when following the rules hasn't always led to success then this is a great book for you.  It will help you to see how logic isn't the only way to problem solve.

Hire a professional photographer for technical and for the artistic

When you hire a professional photographer, they show up with the right equipment to deliver high quality images.  One thing is a seasoned pro shows up with is flashes to use outside with group photos on sunny or cloudy days.

I used a flash on this overcast day to help with being sure you see everyone's eyes.  If you don't use a flash you will often have raccoon eyes, where those with deep socket eyes have shadows covering the eyes.  The flash also gives a catch light.  One more thing is often on overcast days the color shift can rob a photo of the color that the flash can put back.

This is the time of year for diploma presentations to graduates as in this photo.  A seasoned pro will be sure the background is appropriate and the lighting looks natural and you can see everyone's faces.

While posed photos are often the ones chosen, today people always like to have a "fun" shot.  While you would never have a person who is part of a group photo up above everyone else for the "fun" photo it can work.  Again the photographer needs to be ready for the moment when it happens.  This is not a 1, 2 and 3 count off photo and then fire the camera--you have to anticipate.  If you wait until you see it--it is too late.

Using flashes effectively comes from years of not using a flash like in this photo.  You have to see the light before you can make it look natural.  It is also another reason to hire the seasoned pro, they will deliver "moments" rather than just lining people up and getting good expressions in a group photo cannot replicate.  This requires a photographer to feel the moments and capture the mood. 

Graduations are ceremonies for change.  We need them to help us say goodbye to the way things were and help us to prepare for the future.  Weddings are as much a funeral celebration to the single life as they are to the future as husband and wife.  Graduations are a time when people are saying goodbye to the friends they shared for the past year or years on a journey.

Photography plays a really big part in helping us with these transitions in life.  They give us something tangible to help us remember.  We will remember the friends and maybe want to reconnect after looking back at the photos.

If you hired the pro rather than having your friends with cameras take the photos you are more likely to have memories that tell the story to future generations. The professional photos capture your personality and tell something about you to your grandchildren that words alone would not capture.

Is it real or is it Memorex?

Back before digital Memorex ran a commercial asking the audience, "Is it live or is it Memorex?"

I have found that when instrumentalists are warming up for a concert is a great time to make photos.  The look is the same for the most part, but you can get closer to the subject with the camera.

Some of the photos bellow are from the actual concert and others are from the time warming up, can you tell the difference?

Student stands up during his solo

I like showing a perspective to put the musicians in context

It is important to keep your eye on the conductor and look for his tempo

Conductors use all their bodies to communicate what they want from the musicians.  Here the conductor uses his face expressions in addition to his hands.

Not everything has to be about them playing.  The conductor letting the audience know something is just as important.

OK you can tell this wasn't during the performance, but I like it because it communicates that music is fun.

Get close and show the intensity of the musicians.

Use the background to help complement the foreground.

Next time you are at event, especially for your children, don't wait to take pictures when they start to perform.  Take photos of them warming up.  Be sure you don't wait till the end, because they all leave right away.

Want better photos then start early.

"Photos Keep the Memories Alive"

Just some photos from this past weekend capturing the moments of Nelson Lalli, my step-son, graduating from the Citadel.



"Photos keep the memories alive," is what I heard one of the Citadel seniors during graduation. My son's friends came up to me over and over this weekend thanking me for the past four years of taking pictures of them at the Citadel and sharing them with them.

Parents came up and told me often they couldn't be at an event and really appreciated the photos we would post for them to see.

What I had reaffirmed this past weekend is that photos help make emotional connections and keep them alive.

My son was ambivalent about graduating. He was thankful he had accomplished his goal and done so with honors in so many ways. He was sad that next fall he will not be joining his friends for another year at the Citadel.  I hope that as the years go by the photos I made will help him remember and stay connected to his friends from school.

Nelson, my son, and his graduating senior friends from Bravo Company

John Ogle and Nelson Lalli goofing around like close friends do.

Variety is the spice of life

Preparing for the assignment

When I am asked to cover an event I try to think of it like telling a story.  So there are 7 things I try to always have in my coverage.  What I discovered just this week that my friend Mark Sandlin, Director of Photography for Southern Living, uses this same list.  Actually this is the list all photojournalists have drilled into them.

Mark Sandlin, Director of Photography at Southern Living.

1. Opener: Sets the scene for the story
2. Decisive moment: The one moment that can by itself tell the story
3. Details: Besides being like visual candy to the story, help often with transitions--especially in multimedia packages
4. Sequences: give a little variety to a situation
5. High overall shot: Gives a good perspective to how the elements all fit together
6. Closer: Besides the classic shot of the cowboy riding off into the sunset there are other visual ways to help bring the story to a close
7. Portraits: These photos are great for introducing the characters of the story

This is coverage of an annual meeting where the investors are brought in and the company gives them an overview of what they have done and where they are going.

One thing I am working really hard to do is make each photo have impact to draw the viewer in.  I use light, angles, composition and most important expressions of people to engage the viewer.  I wanted my photos to help this company communicate they are vibrant and viable in today's market.

This photo is to show how the attendees could interact with the leadership team. I wanted to show them engaging in conversation, so I shot a few to finally capture not just a good expression, but use the environment to draw you in.  If you notice even the lady in the mural seems to be paying attention to the conversation in the foreground.

Details for me are a way to just have fun. I am looking for unique angles, color and light to help create impact and entertain the audience. 

A high angle is usually successful today because it is unique to our everyday lives.  Seldom are we tall enough to see this angle, so it looks different than you just walking around.  Even the lady in this mural is looking from above to see what is below.

The man to the far right is the CEO and while he will be on stage later in more formal roles, I like to show him more relaxed and approachable.  I am using the lines from the window to help draw you into the picture.  I want you to see the conversation first in the foreground and then you should drift to the background.  This just keeps you engaged.

While you can see everyone on the panel and I always shoot the obvious, it isn't as compelling to me as some other angles below here.  But I always need to be sure everyone on the panel is well seen in one photo in case they need this.

As a panelist responds to the question you will find often that the rest of the panel may or may not be engaged. 

In this photo the CEO is the focus point and while the other panelist are not looking directly at him you can see from their expressions and slight turning of their heads to catch what he is saying as showing they are engaged.

PowerPoint presentations can be really difficult to capture the slide and the speaker in one photo. Thank goodness they had a spotlight on the speaker and had it balanced. The reason it was balanced it was being webcast live.  If you organize an event like this--always have a spot light on the speaker to make them not disappear into the dark.

While this isn't a really close-up portrait, I think in this situation it is a nice portrait of him working.

As I mentioned before they were putting this live on the web and I have a photo that can help say that for them.

Another high overall shot to help tell another part of the story.

The decisive moment photo should be the one that used alone and not part of the package could tell the story.  Which of the ones above did you see that would work for you?

Did you notice the sequence of the panel?  Now the hard part is often a closer.  Sometimes you don't have an ending.  This is because you want to communicate there was so much to see you want to leave the audience visually craving for more rather than wrapping it up to say well that is everything.

I suggest sitting down before you arrive to shoot a story and think through all that you have been told about the assignment and make a list.  Write down on a notepad that you will carry with you the outline of the 7 shots.  Under each one list a couple of options for each one.

As you shoot your story, check off the photos that you get.  Use your notepad to get names of people for the captions.

Once you have everything checked off on your list don't stop shooting.  I continue to shoot more photos, but now I may be looking more and taking fewer shots.  I am cherry picking the moments that I think will be better moments than I already have.

I want to thank my friend Mark Sandlin for reminding me of what I do at every assignment so that I could share this with you.

By the way Mark said he wished he had said one more thing to those attending the class.  He wanted to say "if you haven't made any mistakes, you are trying hard enough."