lloyd&pamela
09-08-2009, 01:58 PM
Ted asked if I would get together with DaleJ and do an informal photography seminar at OKC. I would be happy to do that or help anyone who as questions. Looking at the agenda for OKC it looks full. So I wrote the following this morning that might be a good substitute.
Photography is a simple process of vision and technique that is often obscured behind the tools. There are just a few simple differences between a great image and a snap shot. These differences are easy to learn and apply. Today's technology allows even the simplest of cameras to make great photographs.
Most travel photography is made up of snap shots and there is nothing wrong with snap shots if your desire is to document your trip. Documentation does not have to pursue an artistic result. But if your desire is to make a fine art photograph then pointing and shooting a subject is the wrong approach.
Great photographs end with the subject. This is counter intuitive. When making a photograph look first for the light. Stand where ever you are and just look around. Somewhere in your field of vision the light will be different. It will glow, vibrate, or come to life. This is the first step, find the light. If the light does not exist then the photograph will lack interest, before it is even taken.
Second, look for color or tone. Within the light, that attracted your attention, is there vibrant color or a variety of tones. Without color or tone the photograph will be dull. Color will capture the eye. What makes Ansel Adam's photographs so compelling is the variety of tones that are included in each image. He wanted each to have some area of pure black and some area of pure white. This range of tones gave each photograph an immeasurable depth. So after finding interesting light look for color or tone.
Third, find an interesting subject. Unlike the snap shot that starts with the subject. Here we end with the subject. Because without interesting light and color the subject will lack excitement. Again if documenting the subject is the only concern then it creates it own interest for the photographer.
So to start look for:
1. the light
2. the color or tone
3. the subject.
These three simple steps make up the vision and will insure an interesting photograph, but now you want to make the image, this requires technique.
Technique is composed of several ingredients:
1. Making the image sharp
2. Compelling composition
3. Focusing the viewers attention
4. In the field creative techniques
Sharpness
You must keep the camera from moving. A tripod is the best solution, but is impractical at times. Therefore you have to handhold the camera in a way the eliminates at much camera shake as possible. A faster shutter speed will help some but will still not overcome camera shake. First widen your stance, second pull your elbows into your body, third support the camera will both hands (you can use a target shooters pose if you have a longer lens), fourth pull the camera into your face, and lastly breath in, breath out, pause, and fire. These simple steps become second nature and will greatly enhance the sharpness of your images.
Composition
There are many so called rules of composition, most of which are broken in extraordinary photographs. Let us focus on the basics. There are three planes in every photograph: foreground, mid range, background. All three must be present and of interest. When you look at the classic landscape photographs of Adams, Porter, Munch, Sexton, Shaw, etc. you will see all three planes. The most important is the foreground element that draws the viewer into the photograph. The closer the foreground element is to the camera more critical other techniques become. To keep it simple, when finally composing your scene frame so all three planes exist. The other aspect of composition that is helpful is to avoid certain amateur mistakes. Set the center of interest off center, buy placing it in one of the corners, a third of way into the photo. Avoid placing the horizon line in the middle of the photograph, by increasing the foreground or background, which ever is more interesting. Do not try to capture everything if people are in the photograph; move in closer and fill the frame with the people. If you want to shoot the entire mountain scene do that without the people so they are not so small that you cannot recognize them.
Focusing the Viewers Attention
This is about the subject of depth of field and is best taught hands on. The important thing to remember is that unlike our eyes which have the ability to focus from inches to infinity, a lens is limited in its range of focus. A simple trick is to focus the camera one third of the way into a scenic or on the eyes of a person if they are in the photograph. A lens will normally be in focus one third in front and two thirds in back of the focus point. This is a gross simplification but is a good estimate. The bottom line is you want your center of interest to be in focus. People pictures tend to keep a very narrow area of focus so that the person is highlighted and everything else is out of focus. This technique is easier to show then tell, but requires a longer lens (telephoto best 135mm or greater) and a small f-stop (1.4-2.8 best). If this does not mean anything to you just focus on their persons eye.
Field Creative Techniques
One of the most important techniques for landscape photography is to keep the sun behind you. That way the subject is well lit. Shooting into the sun creates flares in the lens (looks like orbs on the photographs) and places the scene is shadow. Except for rare creative images these rarely work. One important tool is a circular polarizing filter (buy the best you can afford because you are interrupting the light entering the lens). A polarizing filter works only when the sun is 45-90 degrees off center from the subject, but at those times it will reduce or eliminate glare and enhance the colors of trees, rocks, and sky.
Technique is not about having the best equipment. A camera is a box that separates a lens from some light receiving sensor or film. The quality of the photograph is directly correlated to the quality of the lens. If you are going to spend money buy a great lens first. Most Single Lens Reflex (SLR) cameras are sold as kits (body and lens). Buy the best lens you can afford and then buy the body only. Even the inexpensive consumers cameras today have sensors that will take great photographs if used with a great lens.
This is a simplified course in photography and if you really want to improve your photography take a workshop. Outdoor Photographer magazine list numerous workshops. Santa Fe School of Photography has offer outstanding field courses for may years.
Once you learn how to make a great photo in your digital camera, you can then take a course in
Adobe Lightroom and learn how to make it even better in the digital darkroom. I hope you have found this of value.
Look for the light, then the color, and finally the scene.
Photography is a simple process of vision and technique that is often obscured behind the tools. There are just a few simple differences between a great image and a snap shot. These differences are easy to learn and apply. Today's technology allows even the simplest of cameras to make great photographs.
Most travel photography is made up of snap shots and there is nothing wrong with snap shots if your desire is to document your trip. Documentation does not have to pursue an artistic result. But if your desire is to make a fine art photograph then pointing and shooting a subject is the wrong approach.
Great photographs end with the subject. This is counter intuitive. When making a photograph look first for the light. Stand where ever you are and just look around. Somewhere in your field of vision the light will be different. It will glow, vibrate, or come to life. This is the first step, find the light. If the light does not exist then the photograph will lack interest, before it is even taken.
Second, look for color or tone. Within the light, that attracted your attention, is there vibrant color or a variety of tones. Without color or tone the photograph will be dull. Color will capture the eye. What makes Ansel Adam's photographs so compelling is the variety of tones that are included in each image. He wanted each to have some area of pure black and some area of pure white. This range of tones gave each photograph an immeasurable depth. So after finding interesting light look for color or tone.
Third, find an interesting subject. Unlike the snap shot that starts with the subject. Here we end with the subject. Because without interesting light and color the subject will lack excitement. Again if documenting the subject is the only concern then it creates it own interest for the photographer.
So to start look for:
1. the light
2. the color or tone
3. the subject.
These three simple steps make up the vision and will insure an interesting photograph, but now you want to make the image, this requires technique.
Technique is composed of several ingredients:
1. Making the image sharp
2. Compelling composition
3. Focusing the viewers attention
4. In the field creative techniques
Sharpness
You must keep the camera from moving. A tripod is the best solution, but is impractical at times. Therefore you have to handhold the camera in a way the eliminates at much camera shake as possible. A faster shutter speed will help some but will still not overcome camera shake. First widen your stance, second pull your elbows into your body, third support the camera will both hands (you can use a target shooters pose if you have a longer lens), fourth pull the camera into your face, and lastly breath in, breath out, pause, and fire. These simple steps become second nature and will greatly enhance the sharpness of your images.
Composition
There are many so called rules of composition, most of which are broken in extraordinary photographs. Let us focus on the basics. There are three planes in every photograph: foreground, mid range, background. All three must be present and of interest. When you look at the classic landscape photographs of Adams, Porter, Munch, Sexton, Shaw, etc. you will see all three planes. The most important is the foreground element that draws the viewer into the photograph. The closer the foreground element is to the camera more critical other techniques become. To keep it simple, when finally composing your scene frame so all three planes exist. The other aspect of composition that is helpful is to avoid certain amateur mistakes. Set the center of interest off center, buy placing it in one of the corners, a third of way into the photo. Avoid placing the horizon line in the middle of the photograph, by increasing the foreground or background, which ever is more interesting. Do not try to capture everything if people are in the photograph; move in closer and fill the frame with the people. If you want to shoot the entire mountain scene do that without the people so they are not so small that you cannot recognize them.
Focusing the Viewers Attention
This is about the subject of depth of field and is best taught hands on. The important thing to remember is that unlike our eyes which have the ability to focus from inches to infinity, a lens is limited in its range of focus. A simple trick is to focus the camera one third of the way into a scenic or on the eyes of a person if they are in the photograph. A lens will normally be in focus one third in front and two thirds in back of the focus point. This is a gross simplification but is a good estimate. The bottom line is you want your center of interest to be in focus. People pictures tend to keep a very narrow area of focus so that the person is highlighted and everything else is out of focus. This technique is easier to show then tell, but requires a longer lens (telephoto best 135mm or greater) and a small f-stop (1.4-2.8 best). If this does not mean anything to you just focus on their persons eye.
Field Creative Techniques
One of the most important techniques for landscape photography is to keep the sun behind you. That way the subject is well lit. Shooting into the sun creates flares in the lens (looks like orbs on the photographs) and places the scene is shadow. Except for rare creative images these rarely work. One important tool is a circular polarizing filter (buy the best you can afford because you are interrupting the light entering the lens). A polarizing filter works only when the sun is 45-90 degrees off center from the subject, but at those times it will reduce or eliminate glare and enhance the colors of trees, rocks, and sky.
Technique is not about having the best equipment. A camera is a box that separates a lens from some light receiving sensor or film. The quality of the photograph is directly correlated to the quality of the lens. If you are going to spend money buy a great lens first. Most Single Lens Reflex (SLR) cameras are sold as kits (body and lens). Buy the best lens you can afford and then buy the body only. Even the inexpensive consumers cameras today have sensors that will take great photographs if used with a great lens.
This is a simplified course in photography and if you really want to improve your photography take a workshop. Outdoor Photographer magazine list numerous workshops. Santa Fe School of Photography has offer outstanding field courses for may years.
Once you learn how to make a great photo in your digital camera, you can then take a course in
Adobe Lightroom and learn how to make it even better in the digital darkroom. I hope you have found this of value.
Look for the light, then the color, and finally the scene.