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New Heights
Perspective changes everything. Whether you're climbing up a boulder or crouching in the dirt, it's important to consider angles that aren't just at eye level. While some photographers are naturally tall, others might need some help in the height department. Look around for a structure to climb on, or if you're feeling ambitious, take a stepladder with you. And don't be afraid to get a little dirt on your knees. Sometimes, the most interesting images are found when you get closer to the ground.
Halo Effect
Backlighting can often be problematic for photographers, but in some cases, it can make for a beautiful image. When the light hits your subject just right, it can create a halo that seems to add dimension and make your subject glow. The halo effect can be achieved with artificial light by placing the light source behind your subject, but you'll also find it in nature, particularly when the sun is low in the sky.
Geometry 101
At a basic level, photography is about the arrangement of shapes within a frame. A photographer who keeps an eye out for geometric shapes can create interesting images by learning to think more abstractly. Look for silhouettes and shadows that create a graphic composition — whether you find the outline of tall plants against a sunlit canyon wall or the shadows cast by the spines of a cactus. Remember to pay attention to the edges of the frame and reduce distractions before you release the shutter.
In The Raw
Adobe's latest Camera RAW tools (version 5 and higher) include a graduated filter, which is useful for lightening or darkening — and for adding color, as with traditional grad filters. But, instead of carrying a load of various colored filters, the digital version can be changed at will, simply by clicking and dragging.
Sharp Shooting
There's an easy trick when it comes to the sharpening of digital photographs. It's called "unsharp mask," and it's explained by knowing that the average human eye can see the effects — but not the cause — of artifacts smaller than 1/200 of an inch. So, when adjusting the "sharpening" feature in whatever software you're using, set the "radius" to your file's resolution, divided by 200. Round down to the nearest tenth for the best results.
In The Raw
With live-view mode, you can press the zoom button on your camera to check your focus with more accuracy prior to pulling the proverbial trigger. The live-view function is particularly helpful when it comes to verifying sharp focus for macro and odd-angled shots, especially when it's difficult to see the viewfinder.
Be Steady
Image stabilization, or vibration reduction (IS or VR), helps reduce camera shake while holding the camera or working from a shaky platform. This technology is built into camera bodies or lenses — depending on the manufacturer — and allows users the ability to shoot three to four stops slower. Since IS or VR only help arrest camera movement, they're great when shooting static subjects, but they won't help freeze fast-moving subjects.
Trigger Point
With live-view mode, you can press the zoom button on your camera to check your focus with more accuracy prior to pulling the proverbial trigger. The live-view function is particularly helpful when it comes to verifying sharp focus for macro and odd-angled shots, especially when it's difficult to see the viewfinder.
Focal Point
The viewfinder diopter is a built-in pair of eyeglasses for your camera. With the diopter set to your vision specifications, you can tell when the subject of your photograph is in focus. If the built-in diopter can't be adjusted to your eyes, you can purchase a viewfinder diopter for around $10.
Pull A Fast One
Using a fast shutter speed helps to freeze movement in an image. Think of capturing the frantic energy of a hummingbird's flutter. What's more, a faster shutter speed is more forgiving of typical human wobbles and vibration. Use this general rule: shutter speed = 1/x seconds, where x is the focal length of your lens. Multiply by your camera's crop factor. This photograph was made with a 500 mm lens at 1/2000 second.
Going the Distance
To capture the greatest depth of field, focus one-third of the way into your image — the hyperfocal distance. When the lens is focused at that distance, the depth of field extends from half the hyperfocal distance to infinity. To be more precise, use a depth of field calculator or a smart phone app such as DOFMaster:
www.dofmaster.com.
Green Means Go
A little-known but invaluable focusing trick is the "green dot." The green dot appears in the viewfinder whenever an object is in focus. It works in the manual-focus mode in all cameras, and in the autofocus mode in many of today's DSLRs. If you don't trust your eyes, you can usually count on the green dot.
Animal Instincts
If you think you'd like to photograph wildlife, start with a few trips to your local zoo. Keep your photography gear simple: one camera body, a long telephoto lens (300 mm or longer) and a tripod or monopod. Work on your timing and learn to be patient. In the wild kingdom, you'll soon find that everything happens on the animals' schedules, not yours.
A Closer Look
If you're considering close-up photography, there are at least three different approaches. To test the water and not break the bank, try buying an inexpensive set of close-up filters, which are threaded onto the front of an existing lens to decrease the minimum focusing distance. It's a good option, but your photos won't be as tack-sharp as with the other two. The second option includes expensive extension tubes, which can be placed between your existing lens and the camera body. Tubes give sharper results than close-up filters. The best option, however, is a macro lens. They come in a variety of focal lengths — from 60 mm to 200 mm — and are designed to be extremely sharp at the closest focusing distances.
The Right Light
If you'd like to try "painting with light," here are a couple of things to keep in mind: First, start with a small, manageable subject. Second, be aware that different light sources produce different colors of light (color temperature). A flashlight that uses a traditional tungsten bulb will bathe your subject in warm yellow-gold light. A newer LED flashlight produces a much cooler blue light, giving your artwork a completely different feel.
Maintaining Your Balance
Because of the highly reflective nature of snow, shooting winter scenes can present a number of challenges. The most common are exposure and white balance. If you're out in the field and see that your winter whites are looking more like dingy grays, try using the exposure compensation button (+/-) on your camera and set it to overexpose by at least one f-stop (+1). You might need to fine-tune this, so check your histogram. Snow reflects everything around it, including the blue sky. The best way to correct color is to shoot in RAW, but if you're locked into JPEG capture, try setting your white balance to "open shade" or "cloudy." Either of these will help get the blue out.
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PortfolioSee a sampling of photographs from the portfolio featured in this month's issue of Arizona Highways... [more]
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