Practical Photo Tips
From Olden Timey Wiki
|
|
|
|
|
A growing collection of photography notes and suggestions. Your feedback is very welcome. |
||
Keep your camera with you!
If you spend your day driving, keep your camera ready to go on the seat next to you.
In urban or otherwise sketchy situations, carry your camera in a paper and/or plastic shopping bag.
Never leave your camera in your car, but if you must, disguise it on the floor with trash.
Travel Light
Camera size is also a factor limiting your photography.
Equipment that you can easily carry and travel with beats the expensive SLR sitting on your shelf.
Shoot Low, Shoot High, just don't shoot from eye level
Most adults view the world from a height of roughly 4-6 feet, so it makes sense that choosing a different viewpoint is going to increase the value of your work.
You're also decreasing the chance that your presence might disturb the subject matter.
The (Evil) Flash
The flash is a misunderstood tool. Unless you really know what you are doing pleasee do not use the flash!
If you are unlucky enough to be forced to use a flash, try using your slow-speed flash for more interesting exposures.
Low light
Keeping the camera stable is essential in both macro and low-light situations.
You can usually improvise a camera stabilization solution with just your body and your surroundings.
Turn off your flash and find a stable surface to brace the camera. This could be a ceiling support, the floor, the stage monitor in front of you.
Hold your camera firmly to the surface, meter and shoot.
Metering
Yes, you still need to understand metering, even with a digital camera.
The basics of metering are relatively simple; the camera tries to turn everything grey.
Middle Grey
"The scenes and objects in the world around us contain an infinite range of colours and tonal values brightnesses). In order to make it easier to interpret and visualise this vast range of brightnesses, Ansel Adams proposed that the infinite continuous tone range from pure black to pure white should be divided into 11 discrete steps, each step to be twice as bright as the previous step (moving from black towards white). Hence, each step is 'one stop' different from it's immediate neighbour.
He also proposed that the middle step in this 11 step sequence should be the same brightness value as the Kodak 18% grey card (this is now universally known as 'middle grey')." Zone 2 Tone: Definition of Zone Scales
(Meter from grey card, or alternatives..)
Spot Metering
(What it is, why spot metering, situations to use spot metering.)
The rules fall apart
Certain lighting conditions demand that these rules be adjusted due to weaknesses in metering algorithms.
Metering on sunny day
(Surfaces to meter from)
Metering on a snowy day
(1-2 full stops up, reflection, logic behind)
Events
First of all, turn your flash off and keep it off. This approach serves to accomplish several goals. You're not making your subjects uncomfortable, and most importantly, the photos you produce will hopefullly be more successful.
You're also keeping a low profile, which can save you a lot of potential trouble such as being forced to delete your photos, being thrown out or otherwise abused.
In these settings you will nearly always want to take advantage of ambient light. Look for a solid location to rest your camera. Take the time while you're waiting to find an up-close spot, setup your camera, meter the surroundings, etc.
Macro
Macro photography demands quality light. Adjust your camera to perform in a low-light environment. Be careful not to shade your subject. Move yourself in close and stablize your camera.
Links
