Group Photos

If you have had difficulty in getting your voice heard amongst family, friends or workmates, photographing them in a group is one way of being able to acquire that certain voice of authority you have been lacking. Because that is what it really needs when shooting groups as opposed to singular people shots. Like the wedding photographer, someone has to be in control at all times.
Another thing, have some predetermined idea of how you will go about the task and where it will all happen and stick to your plan.

Let me tell you about my first group assignment.

It was at the birthday party of an eighty year old lady, who had her children, grand children and great grand children all attending and I new at some time or other I was going to have to do a very large group photo. So I let the MC know of my intentions, but to allow me time to just go about taking some posed and some candid photos of individuals, whilst I looked for the ideal setting for the group photo. I found an area that had a reasonable background with no visible distractions and taking into consideration, that due to all those people, I was going to need a high vantage point to get everyone in shot and luckily, there was a park bench that I could use to stand on. As I brought a few different lenses with me, I selected my old non-digital 17-35mm wide angle. Wide open it gave me a maximum digital equivalent of about 52mm. I assumed this would be acceptable for the size of the group and from where I would be standing. Of course I will have my flash attachment fitted too. I noticed also, as my planned time for the shoot would be about 3 pm, the sun would be behind the group and off to the left, so I wouldn't have a problem with back lighting and my flash unit would balance the scene anyway.
Once I had all the main coordinates fathomed out I then conferred with the party MC that I would be ready for the group shot in about ten minutes and would she let everyone know. This gave me a bit more leeway and by going around the family taking single subject photos and small group shots, I was getting more and more relaxed with them and no doubt them with me.
When the time finally came around for the big one, I thought, ‘Well, this is it - do or die.’
I walked over to the MC and asked her, would she now let everyone know that I was ready for the big family shot. When they were all brought to attention and informed what was happening, I then took control and asked them all if they would follow me to a the spot I had chosen.
It’s strange, but I didn’t have to do much sorting. I just asked them all to form into a tight group and stand with whoever you want to stand with. Of course Great Grandma took pride of place up front and they all soon settled into their positions behind her - all smiling with great anticipation.
I let them all know that I intended to take several shots and would they please not disperse until I gave the OK.
Well, it all just seemed to go like clockwork. Everyone had a great time and couldn’t say enough about the resulting photos. But I am sure the whole secret to it being such a success, was the planning, knowing full well that even the best of plans can go awry, but fortunately, for me, on that day anyway, they never did.
There will be many situations in life where you will find the need to take control and if you have full confidence in yourself and in what you are doing, half the battle is won. Makes no is no difference if you are driving a car, flying an aeroplane or simply operating a camera.

When one is never enough

They say a picture speaks a thousand words, but I also think, that a good subject is worth a thousand pictures. And if you have a subject worth shooting, it’s definitely worth giving it all you’ve got at the time or, if not, come back tomorrow or another day, when the light or time is better and plan to take as many shots of it as you can.
For the novice, when a subject first catches the eye, you think to yourself, ’Wow, gotta get a shot of that.’ You will invariably take one shot from the same angle you first saw it at and then move on. Even the most experienced of photographers never think for one minute that they are clever enough to only need one shot!
If you are shooting a bird or an animal, you will want to get in as close as you possibly can and one shot maybe all you can manage, before they take flight. Of course, one shot may be all you need for a record of the event, but if there is a chance of a second shot, you may decide to wait for a moment when the subject is in a better light or perhaps a different viewpoint might eliminate background distractions or if there is a chance you can move another couple of steps closer.
Always try to think outside the square and really put your camera to the test. Give it all you have got and use wisely whatever light you have at your disposal. It is no use after the event, when you get your shots up on the PC, thinking you wish you had done this or that, because you may never get the chance again to return to that same scene.
An excellent way to practice this is to go out into your garden with your camera. Shoot the first bright, colourful object that catches your eye. Let’s assume this is a flower.
Photograph this flower from your normal height and from wherever you are standing at the time, then take a couple of steps closer and whilst focusing on your target, move from side to side or crouch down on one knee, till you get your background and viewpoint right. Also check the background for any bright spots or distractions. Use your zoom. Try holding the camera vertically as well as horizontally. When you feel you have it right, get another shot in. Then go through the entire process again for a possible third shot.
When out in the wilds you are confronted by a bird or animal, you never really know what they consider is a safe and comfortable distance from you, so you must try to be very quiet, but get in your first shot as quickly as possible from where you are standing and treat this simply as a record shot.
Then, remembering the steps of the above exercise and how important it is that you get in as close as possible, if there is a chance of a second shot, go through all of those things again in your mind and try to get in as many shots as you can until you are completely satisfied that what you have will be sure to offer at least some good results.

Still Life

In most cases Still Life photography is not too far removed from food photography and like food photography, it is best done indoors under natural light, either from a window or open doorway. And unlike food, your subject is not likely to go all stale and withered looking on you.
But like food, it gives as good opportunity to learn more about subject lighting and composition.
Equipment
You need a camera with a lens that will allow you to get in close to your subject, depending of course on how small your subject is.
Here you are using slower shutter speeds, which means longer exposures and a tripod is a must. Also a remote or cable shutter release would be an asset, but not absolutely essential. You can use the on-camera timer facility to restrict camera movement
There are many different coloured backgrounds you could use, but you need to be careful here as the wrong background will no doubt be in detriment to your subject, so I would advise you to start with a piece of black velvet and get enough to stand your subject on and to use as a backdrop. Black velvet is best to start with as it does not reflect light. And the last thing you want is reflections in your Still Life. It will also help to give your subjects that 3D appearance.
So, we are using natural, but not direct, sunlight from a window or open doorway. You will probably want to fashion yourself a white card or reflector of some sort to bounce light back into the shaded side of your subject, otherwise the camera could expose the shots with dark featureless shadows. This may even be a feature you can use, but at least be aware of it. Avoid using on-camera flash if you can, it is far better to use natural light as it gives better controllability. If you have an external, swivel type, flash unit, you could probably try bouncing the light from that off a whitish wall or ceiling.
Composition
This is where your artistic side comes to the fore and you are really only limited by your own imagination. Try one item only at first till you get your camera and the light and the distance right. Then you can start to add other items and mix and match and create a story with your subjects.
You might like to add some things that belonged to a deceased member of the family or a family pet that had to be laid to rest.
Think about the colour, shapes, form and surface textures of the items you are photographing. If they include glass items, another reason not to use on-camera flash, due to the reflections. The possibilities here are almost endless and as I said, you are only governed by the limits of your own imagination.
View point
It is up to you how you approach your subject, but to start with I would suggest a position just above the height of your items and at an angle of say, 90 degrees to the angle of the ambient light and position your light reflector on the shaded side of the object/s or in the manner in which it will provide you with the best secondary light.
Treat this merely as a suggestion, but once you have gained your confidence, then you can begin to get adventurous and try various angles and viewpoints and different lighting angles and strengths.
At times you will find Still Life photography very frustrating, when things won’t go right, but it can also be very stimulating so don’t give up on it too easily.

See also "Food Photography"

Photographing Lightning Strikes

Good old Mother Nature certainly gives us a diverse range of subjects to photograph and none could be more fascinating or unpredictable than that of lightning storms, but when shooting lightning strikes, you should no doubt be aware of the risks and possible dangers involved.
That being considered, it is an advantage if you can be under a shelter of some sort, especially at night in case of a sudden downpour or even being struck yourself. Although your vantage point should allow you to have a good wide view in the direction of the sky you will be photographing.
Your equipment should include a good sturdy tripod, remote or cable shutter release, and your camera should have the ability to be manually operated on shutter priority or the “B“ (Bulb) setting, as you will be working on times of up to thirty seconds and more. It’s no use attempting to press the shutter button after the lightning has struck as it all happens so quickly, your chances of catching it will be next to none.
You could say that photographing lightning strikes was not un-akin to fireworks photography, only I’d say that fireworks are probably more predictable. And like fireworks, by keeping the shutter open for long periods you can catch several strikes on the one frame.
So, let’s assume there is a storm approaching and it is black dark or at least in the twilight hours. Your camera, which is pointed skyward, is set on shutter priority at +30 seconds and you have allowed for a little bit of terra firma at the bottom of the frame and your lens should be at its widest setting.
It will give added impact to your photos if you can include something of a landmark, a tree or anything else of interest. This will also add drama and a sense of scale to your images.
As the lightning starts, open the shutter. If there is nothing else in the first 30 seconds, open it again and repeat this procedure until you get a couple of good strikes. Keeping a vigil of course on what’s happening with the storm, both with its direction and intensity.
No lightning strike is ever the same and you may get several strikes within a second or two and you may only get the odd one every now and again, but you need to be patient and try different techniques and you sometimes have be content with what you get on the night. But if you are in the storm season, then there is always the possibility of another chance tomorrow night.

Architectural Photography

Architectural photography doesn’t just mean the photography of new, modern skyscrapers. It is represented by all man-made structures including, buildings, bridges, lighthouses, dams, etc., etc. So it offers a fairly broad range of subjects to tempt and challenge our abilities. And due to the subject diversity, there will be many different ways in which we will need to approach each subject.
Because of this, just about all of your photo equipment could be put to the test - not to mention our ability and expertise. And whatever you have in mind that you would like to photograph will be determined by what equipment you have at your disposal.
All that taken into consideration, let’s look at how we might approach certain subjects.

We’ll start with modern skyscrapersIt is worth knowing here, that dependent on the type of lens you are using, how wide it is, and how close you are to your subject, will determine how much distortion you will have of the subject in your photos.
It is sometimes best if you can use a long lens, or at least a zoom lens - including one that came as a package deal with your camera, if it allows a range from say, 25 - 200mm. By standing well back from your subject and closing the lens down, you will find there is less distortion than if you were closer. Although, at closer range you can pick out certain parts of the building that might provide some good abstract shots, such as in the frame work or the reflections in windows from other buildings. And for reasons of your own, you may want to purposely distort their shapes anyway. You are limited only by your own imagination to look at each structure on its merits.

Old buildings and ruins
Old buildings don’t seem to provide that modern architectural abstractness that new buildings provide, but they do convey a lot of natural, old worldly char and character. Such as those in old townships that include churches, government buildings, etc. And the standard approach to photographing these sorts of buildings is generally the norm. They usually come with nice gardens and sometimes other buildings, annexes, etc., that are associated with them. Use the wider end of your lens with these subjects and when photographed in the right context, they can create their own little stories and conjure up memories and emotions of nostalgia in the eyes of the viewer. You may even find a very old building dwarfed by a neighbouring giant skyscraper. These too can evoke emotion in the viewer.

Best lighting conditions?
Lighting is a very important consideration with big city architectural photography. Ideally, good, clear, sharp light is preferred for any situation, but the air here can be hazy from vehicle emissions, etc. And dark shadows cast from buildings nearby creating exposure problems. Unfortunately, we cannot turn the buildings into the light, nor do we have the ability to change the weather on the day. Although, for certain scenes, it is always nice to have a bit of interesting cloud to take advantage of. But of course, a perfectly lit building would be one that is lit front on and slightly to the side to create sharpness, but also the extending shadows can bring on that well sought after 3D look.
As we cannot lighten an entire building, it is not advised to shoot a building that is in deep shadow with the sun ahead of you, otherwise this will result in an underexposure, which is only useful of course if you wish to make a silhouette of your subject.

Polarising Filters

Circular Polariser

I am fully aware that I already have a chapter especially devoted to filters, but I have singled out the polarising filter because apart from the UV it’s probably the most widely used filter on the market to date.

There are two types of polariser, the circular and the non-circular. The circular polariser is best for auto-focus type DSLR cameras, but here I will simply refer to it as, “the Polariser”.

The polariser itself is made up of two pieces of glass within a holder that is fitted either by screwing directly onto the filter thread at the end of your lens or slotted onto a filter holder which is also fitted to the lens.

With the polariser fitted, the rear circular glass piece remains stationary, while the front piece is turned to polarise the light that enters the lens and therefore creates the desired effect.

I am not going to go into all the technical side of how the polariser does its job, but it is very interesting and is worth checking it out. Just type the words, “circular polariser” into your browser and see what options you have for reference when you bring it up.

However, there is one technical aspect that I feel you should be aware of, and that is: for optimum best, it must be used at roughly an angle of 90 degrees to that of the sun.

It is not recommended to photograph rainbows with a polariser fitted as it will eliminate some of the reflected colour and possibly lessen the impact of the image.

Its uses:

It is probably best known for its ability to really intensify and enhance saturated colours and make blue skies even bluer; but a point worth noting is, the higher you are above sea level, the darker the sky becomes.

It will cut through haze and is ideal for eliminating reflections on glass, water and most other surfaces that reflect light and therefore ideal for when you are shooting a subject and there are reflected light distractions in the background.

It is worth remembering too, that because it will lessen the amount of light permitted to enter your lens by up to about two stops, there are times when this could be an asset. Especially when a lower light source is required.

For filters in general? Click "HERE"

The Eyes Have It!

I have always found it a bit disconcerting when looking at portrait photos where the subject or subjects are looking out of shot rather than at the camera. This phenomenon is due to the fact that we, as humans, and being part of the inquisitive animal world, like to have eye to eye contact when we look at other beings.
It’s probably something you never really gave much thought to, but in photography, it is very important to consider where your subject/s are looking when you compose your shots.
In photographic composition, we can utilize guiding lines, such as pathways, winding roads, fences, tree lines, etc., to draw the viewer’s eye from one point to another. These guiding lines are obvious to us because they are there as part of the make-up of our images.
However, the invisible line between our subject’s eye and what he/she/it is looking at, is not obvious to us because we cannot see it - but it is there nevertheless. It connects with us and it is a very important link as to the viewer impact of our images. It can change the focal point (main point of interest) as well as the mood and/or emotion of the image.
To give some examples of this:
A little girl is posing in the garden whilst holding ‘and looking at’ some flowers. Because she is looking at them, the interest is taken away from her and the flowers become the focal point. There is an invisible line drawn between her eyes and the flowers. This draws attention away from her.
If the child was looking directly at the camera, the focal point would be placed squarely on her and the flowers would then become a secondary point of interest.
A different scenario is when she is neither looking at the flowers or the camera, but is gazing at some other object out of view, this can become an annoyance, because the viewer also wants to see what it is that has grabbed her attention. It would be different if she was just sitting there, gazing into space, because you know that she is not looking at anything in particular.
A similar case to this is at a wedding and you are taking photos of the bridal party whilst they are being photographed by the official photographer. But I suppose in this case you know where they are looking, but it can still be quite bothersome.
Now, when you are taking portrait photos of family or friends, you are going to have to make the decision as to how you will portray them. If they are side-on or profile shots, with the subject looking out of frame, at least place them in the frame so that they have plenty of space to look into. In other words, if your subject/s is looking to their right, place them 1/3 in from the right of frame, so that they have about 2/3 of frame to look into. Still having both eyes in view with the focus being on the eye nearest the camera.