Sunday, January 21, 2007

Thoughts on Photography

Well, as I said, this blog is more than just for displaying my photos. I am interested in getting better. I want to learn new things or just figure out how to use what I do know.

So here is what I know, which I shall loosely call "tips"

Take lots of pictures. Especially if you are using a digital camera. You have nothing to lose, and by taking more photos you increase your chances of a good one. I took 52 today and only think 7 are worth posting. And really, I don't even think all 7 of those are worth while.

Experiment with lighting. Different times of day is obvious. Clouds can add interesting shadows, full overcast disperses the light, lighting everything equally, which minimizes shadows and can get light into some areas that otherwise might be hard to photograph. Also, winter time in the northern hemisphere means the sun is far to the south which could add some interesting lighting/shadows that cant be gotten in the summer.

If you can change your shutter speed, play with it and see what happens. The longer the shutter time the more saturated the picture will be. It makes color richer and deeper and can make things that are moving blurry (which might be a good thing, say if you are shooting a waterfall) My camera can take up to 64 second exposures but honestly I haven't found a decent use for such a long exposure yet.

Don't be afraid to edit. Most photos are edited. Most meaning darn near all. Many times all that is needed to turn a mediocre picture into a great photo is to crop out distracting elements. You end up with a smaller but more focused picture. Also, your photo doesn't have to be crystal clear. Some of the artsiest pics are those that are blurred a bit, or are "softer." With a traditional camera, a physical filter had to be added to the lens before the picture was taken. With digital camera you add the filter after you take the photo. This allows for you to find the right look or mood for your subject.

"Frame" your subject. Sometimes you can have things in the foreground that give perspective to your subject. It can also give perspective.

DON'T USE DIGITAL ZOOM. Ever Ever Ever. Optical zoom is what brings you "physically" closer to the subject. It is what you want to use. If after taking the pic you still want to get "closer" to your subject you can edit the picture on the computer and zoom in using software. The various computer programs will do a far better job of digitally zooming in than your camera can.

Okay, that was it. That is about all that I know. I would make a post of what I don't know or understand, but it would be incredibly long.