The Rules Of Photography: Knowing When To Break Them

by Andrew Goodall

Creative photography is a mix of many ingredients; art and
technology, skill and patience, cold mechanical knowhow and
individual flair.



For a beginner learning the basics, it would be nice if there was a
simple set of rules to follow to make the whole thing easier.
Surely someone could just tell you what aperture to use in a given
situation, or how to structure a composition to get the best
results every time?

Photography is a lot like learning to drive. With a car, you need
to know the road rules, and you need to know the basic skills of
steering, accelerating and braking. These can be learned easily
with a bit of practice. But even when you have mastered the
essentials, you still need to get to know your car, because each
car is a little different. Then you need experience with night
driving, wet-weather driving, off-road driving...

What you must understand is that following the rules will only take
you so far. In photography, you will find that rules help you in
the beginning, and some rules will stay with you throughout your
career. The trick is to understand when the rules don't apply, or
when you should choose to ignore them. This is the type of
knowledge that can't easily be taught. It comes with experience,
and is what gives you individuality as a photographer.

Below are just a few of the rules that, for an experienced
photographer, are just made to be broken.



Photography Rule #1.

Outdoor Photos Should Be Taken In The Early
Morning Or Late Afternoon.

This is one of the first principles of
landscape photography, and can be applied to almost any outdoor
photography. The softness and warm colour of the sunlight at these
times adds beauty and character to almost any scene. It also
creates much lower contrast, allowing you to avoid harsh shadows
and over-exposure of the highlights in your photos.

When can you break this rule? I can think of two situations
immediately.

Black and white photography is defined by contrast rather than by
subtle colour, so you often want stronger shadows to create the
best image. For this reason, black and white photos are often best
taken closer to the middle of the day when the light is stronger.

Rainforest photography is also best in the middle of the day, but
this time you don't want bright sunlight; you want cloudy weather
to create an nice even light throughout the forest. Otherwise the
patches of light coming through the canopy will create 'hot spots'
all over your image.



Photography Rule #2.

The Rule Of Thirds.

The rule of thirds is an
excellent guide for a beginner learning about composition. In
simple terms, it divides your photo into three parts, vertically
and horizontally. The dividing lines are the best places to
position long objects in a photo (like trees and horizon lines).
The points where the lines intersect are the most effective places
to position smaller objects for most impact.

Photos that are taken according to the Rule Of Thirds appear
balanced. They satisfy our natural sense of visual order and simply
look 'right.' Unfortunately, the world is not so easily organised
as the rule, so it is impossible in nature to take every photo this
way. Moreover, sometimes you may decide to ignore the rule, giving
more impact to the photo by shaking up the normal balance of the
composition.

When can you break this rule? Here is one obvious example, but I am
sure you can think of many more.

Sunset photos feature colourful skies, and silhouettes in the
foreground. If you have a truly spectacular sky, it doesn't make
sense to fill a third of the picture with empty blackness. You may
choose to tilt the camera up to make a feature of the sky, and
reduce the area filled by the foreground.



Photography Rule #3.

Your Lightmeter Is Always Right.

Most of the time you can
trust your lightmeter. If it indicates your photo is well exposed,
it probably will be...but not always.

When can you break this rule? When there is a big difference in the
level of light between the subject and the surroundings.

You may be photographing a person, an animal, a flower etc. in full
sunlight, but the background is shady. This is a very effective way
of making your subject stand out from the surroundings. In this
situation, the different levels of light are bound to trick the
lightmeter. In fact, if you take your photo on auto, your subject
will most likely be overexposed. The best approach is to switch
your camera to manual, and adjust your aperture or shutter speed
until the photo is underexposed by one or two stops. This will
darken your background and bring the subject into perfect exposure.



Can you see a pattern developing here? Rules are there for a
reason, and your skills will improve in leaps and bounds if you
learn them and practice them. But having done that, you are ready
to take the next step. Start experimenting outside the rules and
see where it takes you. Knowing and following the rules will make
you a good photographer. Choosing how and when to break them will
make you even better.

Click here to visit Digital Photography School.


ABOUT THE AUTHOR

If you found these tips helpful, Andrew Goodall has released two
top-selling ebooks that have already helped thousands of new
photographers learn the art and skills of nature photography. See
Andrew's images and ebooks at http://www.naturesimage.com.au
While you are there, enjoy even more great photography tips by
subscribing to our online newsletter...it's free! 

Choosing The Right Lens

By Mark Eden

There is a dizzying array of choices when it comes to choosing lenses for SLR cameras. From wide angle to telephoto, zoom to prime lenses, fish eye, fast lenses, wide aperture lenses, the choice seems to be impossible. It's not really. What it comes down to is asking yourself a simple question: What do I want to shoot?

Different Lenses for Different Subjects

If you are just beginning in photography, chances are you are still
experimenting and finding out what you like to shoot. You might
shoot a few family portraits one day and landscapes from your
holidays the next. On the other hand, you may have decided right
from the start that you love taking photos of wild animals and this
is all you want to do. Either way, the lenses required to get the
best out of these subjects differ greatly.

To fit an expansive landscape image into your viewfinder, you would need a wide angle
lens. However, trying to take a portrait with the same lens would
result in a tiny little person and not much else in the frame
unless you are right in that person's face and smelling their
breath.

While trying to take a picture of a wild bear from 100 or
more meters away is just impossible (and you really don't want to
get any closer to a wild bear). In a perfect world you would have 3
different lenses for each of these subjects. But in a perfect world
you'd also be a millionaire and be able to afford them all. So the
thing to do is to decide what type of photography interests you and
choose your lenses accordingly.



Length: Zoom versus Prime

There are benefits to using both zoom lenses and prime (fixed or
non zoom) lenses. On one hand, zoom lenses are versatile, and
reduce the need for a whole bag full of lenses that you need to
change and change again while you are out shooting. On the other
hand, a good quality prime lens can be gold.

Prime lenses, if they are well built, generally produce a crisper, better quality image.
This is because they have fewer pieces of glass and moveable parts.
Therefore the light coming in doesn't need to pass through as many
objects and so is less diffused. The other great advantage of prime
lenses is that because of this, they tend to be "faster" than zoom
lenses. Practically, this means that you can use slower shutter
speeds as the lens needs less light to create a correct exposure.
This is especially useful if you want to take portraits with
available light.

Aperture

Another important factor to consider when choosing your lens is its
maximum aperture. This is indicated in the description by an f
symbol. E.g. f/2.8. The lower this number, the wider your aperture
choices. For example, if you want to take a portrait with only your
subject's facial features in focus, you would use a wide aperture.
If you want to take a sweeping landscape where everything needs to
be in focus you would use a narrow (high number) aperture.
Selecting a lens with a wider aperture gives you more options when
out shooting.

It is well known that lenses can cost as much, or more, than
cameras themselves. It is also worth noting that with lenses you
get what you pay for. While no piece of equipment can singularly
make the difference between a good photo and a bad one, a well
built lens using quality glass, can lead to sharper pictures.

Therefore it is worth considering the lenses you buy carefully and
investing in the best quality you can afford. Knowing what sort of
photography you want to pursue can make this process a whole lot
less daunting and more cost effective.




ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Mark Eden is a freelance travel photographer and writer, and the
founder and director of Expanse Photography, a photographic
services company offering fine art, limited edition prints as well
as stock and assignment photography and publishing services. Mark
can be contacted through the Expanse Photography website
http://www.expansephotography.com


Sony Magnetic Products - Sony Sal-70200G 70-200Mm F/2.8 G-Series Telephoto Zoom Lens - F/2.8

How to Take Good Shots of Landscapes

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Many of the best photographs taken by professionals are of landscapes and scenic expanses of rolling plains or magnificent mountains. However, a major problem of many landscape captures is they usually don’t look as captivating as the real scenes do. The quality of landscape photos distinguish between a professional, seasoned photographer and an amateur. There is a concern regarding the vastness of scene—the detail that should be captured. Details are significant because they tell whether you’re photo is a nice capture or not.

Making good photographs is as not as easy as it seems but these ideas should be able to help you.

What equipment to bring

Quality lenses – Digital SLR cameras are often used for landscape photography, and these cameras use a set of different lenses unlike compact cameras. It’s wise to invest in premium lenses, which do not cause aberration. For landscapes, you should be opting for wide angle lenses.

Tripod – Nice tripods remain still even against strong winds and should have adjustable legs. A tripod is indispensable equipment for a fine shot of a scenery.

Filters – You can use these to come up with photographs with high image quality with vivid colors and well balanced brightness. While these aspects can be enhanced with software like Photoshop, filters ensure that images are of superior quality from the start.

Shutter release cable – This is not the most essential thing you might add in your backpack but comes handy when you’re too worried about the camera shake you’d make with every nudge of the shutter button. The simpler alternative is to use the self-timer option although this is not too reliable with moving subjects.

Durable camera bag – You most probably should buy a quality bag for your photography equipment. Landscape photography could mean you would be carrying loads of gadgets and gears. Backpack style carrying bag would suit you best for long hikes while you find a good spot.

Landscape Photography Tips

1. Watch the sky – It’s a significant element in your landscape pictures. You can have a photo that is dominated by the sky or the foreground depending on which of the two has a more arresting appearance. You may want to catch a picturesque weather drama or interesting cloud formations in the sky on a still that becomes a sky-dominated photograph. You may enhance the sky-foreground color balance by using polarizing filters.

2. Angle of the sun in the sky – The most captivating photographs of landscapes are done early in the morning or late in the afternoon when the low sun rays create a dramatic effect on the landscape and highlight features and terrain.

3. Exploit the weather – One of the most amazing landscape photography techniques in making breathtaking landscape pictures is to consider the weather, which can change the mood of a scene. You may be given to taking pictures on sunny days but watch out for gloomy days with ominous cloud patterns for they can create a picturesque spectacular effect on a landscape. Sometimes, storms, billowing clouds, dark skies, fog, and gusts can create awe-inspiring photographs.

4. Where is your horizon – When taking photos of landscapes, you inevitably would have to figure out where to position your horizon. As implied earlier, horizons in pictures can be at the bottom or top third of the photo—depending on whichever draws more attention, the sky or the foreground. But this rule of thirds can sometimes be broken. Ideally, horizons should be seen on a horizontal stretch across the photograph.

5. Work with lines – Lines can help add details, perspective, and a sense of depth in your photos. Lines needn’t be real lines but hedges, row of trees, or any linear element.

There are a lot more tips out there and you’ll discover them as you get to add more techniques to what you already have. In fact, you’ll make your own unique approaches as you become a seasoned image capturing artist.

…enjoy,

by Roy Barker

www.profitable-photography.com

Tips On Photography Backgrounds And Props

Pictures eternalize those very memorable moments shared with your loved ones. Taking pictures is not just all about clicking that button and smiling at the camera. There are many things to consider in order to get the perfect shot.

Backgrounds and props as well as the people’s attitudes and expressions should be appropriate for the picture. As the photographer, it is up to you to arrange these things so that you can capture the best possible portrait. It will be up to you how the outcome will be so you have to be extra careful in thinking about and applying these factors.

What’s that behind you?

The backgrounds that you will use should not take the attention away from the person or people you are shooting. It should be something that will create an aura or mood without changing the atmosphere of your portraits.

Before the onset of digital photography, muslin was the most common backdrop material. This is especially true for school pictures such as yearbooks. Muslin limits creativity though. The dull colors and design attract the eyes of viewers into the subject but it does not give you much of a choice. And, the problem with muslin is, if the subject is wearing the same color as the backdrop! That would spell disaster.

Here are some tips you have to consider:

• The background color should be not too bright. It would be really disastrous to have neon colors and complicated designs that make you dizzy like an optical illusion!

• Know what objects in the background should be or not be included. An antique, intricate statue studded with gems will take the attention away from subjects and ruin that once in a lifetime family reunion.

• Choose the right background for the occasion. It would be very inappropriate to have beach background if you are having a birthday party, right? Of course, use your better judgment. Wedding photos can have backgrounds embracing romantic places and sunset settings. It is up to you and your subjects.

As technology advanced, the world of photography has been greatly improved as well. The possibilities of digital photography are boundless when it comes to backgrounds. You can shoot your subjects in a plain white background then add the setting afterwards. With a great variety of backgrounds to choose from, you can take them around the world or better still, rent them.

Accents and Props – Added Touches

The use of props has started since the early days of photography. You might see flowers and fruits as props in old photos. Then it evolved into something that depicts a certain place or event. Pastoral photography has been a trend in the early times and the use of shepherds clothing and crooks and even live sheep had been utilized to make the scenery look real.

For today’s photography, there are some points that I would like to suggest to you when using props.

1. Appropriate props should be used for the right atmosphere. Be selective and think about it.

2. The colors should not be contrasting with the background although there are some situations that might use a splash of color. Enough to accent the portrait without attracting too much attention away from the subject.

3. Seasonal props will greatly add to the atmosphere of the holiday such as Santa hats and Easter eggs.

4. Use age appropriate props. Do not use cartoon characters since these become outdated through time.

Props used in family portraits are part of the background such as a fence or gazebo. When you admire a good shot, you do not only see the smiles but the added touches as well.

So, I hope these tips are of assistance to you when capturing those moments that are special and memorable.

By Roy Barker

Don't Be Afraid to Stage Your Wedding Photographs!‏

How often do you look at wedding

photographs and wonder how the

photographer did it? We're not talking

about just the pictures of the bride and

groom but also the photos of all the

decorative elements and items you see at

every wedding. How did the photographer

manage to get all those beautiful elements

together to look as if that place setting or

centerpiece or the wedding cake was staged

just for them?

That right there is your answer - they

probably staged those photos before

they took them! Some photographers

who handle weddings are very hesitant

to actually stage the things they're

shooting, not wanting to interfere with

how things are decorated or arranged

or feeling as if everything should be

candid and spontaneous.

Yes, it is recommended that you get

photographs of the reception hall, the

tables, the decorations, and everything

else as they are laid out, but this doesn't

mean that you should never stage a shot

as well.

Very often you can get some amazing

photographs if you just move some small

items around so that details really shine

through. For instance you can take one of

the wedding favors and move it close to a

place setting and pull some flowers in closer

as well. A champagne glass can be set on

its side for a playful touch.

You can even usually move larger items

closer together to get some good photos.

Check with the decorator and ask for some

help to move candle stands and balloons

close to the table where the cake is located

or to move around the centerpieces on a

buffet table.

Staging also happens with photos where

people are involved; we often call this

posing. But certainly you can use people

to help stage photos of inanimate things

and details of the wedding as well - have

a flower girl stand near the cake or have

the young ring bearer stand near the dessert

table and catch their expression. A caterer

or server can also stand in the photos,

perhaps holding out a plate of food or a

glass of champagne.

You won't lose the spontaneity of a wedding

by adding your own personal touches this

away. The bride will no doubt appreciate

the extra work and effort you put into photos

like this and will enjoy reviewing these photos

for years to come.

By Nick Smith

Creative inspiration for your photos

I hate it when I just can't think of anything creative to use on a
web site or a photo presentation of some kind - any kind!
These days, that tends to happen all too often.

Thank goodness for me there are other photographers who have
inspiration coming out of their ears.

Here's a little gem that I thought was unique. You have to slide
your mouse across it to see the affects.

The point being that these types of photographic affects can be
done with many different settings, lakes, beaches, trees, rain etc.

You get the picture! (sorry, unintentional pun).

Have a look at it here and let you're mind go wild with your own

personal fantasy applications. You know what I mean...

Time Lapse Photo

If you like the way that works or you've thought of something better

and you don't like code, html and techy stuff (like me) you can always

get help at 'rent a coder' where they will bid on any project you put up for
tender. It would probably only cost a few bucks to get a template
code that you could use over and over again. Too good to pass up if
you can use it. Here's the link if you want to take action and
create stuff like this yourself.

Rent-a-coder

...enjoy yourself,

Krister

Cengage Course Tech. Book: Adobe Photoshop and the Art of Photography: A Comprehensive Introduction by Steven Weinrebe





Cengage Course Tech. Book: The Digital Photographer's Software Guide by John Lewell

Three Secrets To Mastering Perfect Exposure

Memorize this short “mantra” in order to master photography – ISO, shutter speed, aperture. If you repeat this to yourself a few times you will be able to easily remember the three things that will always save, or ruin, an exposure. They don’t have to come specifically in that order, but nevertheless, these three things are what will determine your exposure.

Why are they so important?

When we talk about a photograph we usually speak of it in terms of subject matter, lighting, balance, etc. In reality, the three things that make that picture possible or effective were the ISO, shutter speed, and aperture. If you can master these three activities then you will be able to always create the kind of results you want, regardless of conditions.

Remarkably, even the most modern of digital cameras cannot always guarantee success. That includes top of the range digital cameras. If the camera allows the photographer to shoot entirely in manual mode, however, almost any sort of lighting conditions or photographic requirements can be tackled. Even better, if the camera has “semi-automatic” features such as aperture or shutter priority settings the photographer’s life just got even easier.

Don’t know about these settings?

Well, there are all kinds of descriptions, metaphors, and illustrations as to how these three factors interact to make a final image, but these tend to make very little sense unless you really understand the fundamentals of the three settings. It begins with ISO, which is the sensitivity of the camera’s sensor to the light entering through the lens. The ISO can be automatically adjusted to ever increasing levels of sensitivity, but this comes at a cost, and that is digital “noise” or graininess in the photograph. Instead of making the sensor do the work, the photographer should consider letting more light into the camera.

This can be done via the aperture of the lens or the speed of the shutter. Both choices also come with some valuable and steady compromise, and it is up to the photographer to select the right setting for their photographic intention. When they decide to allow more light in through the lens, by opening or closing the aperture they will instantly change the depth of field. This will make the background and foreground sharper or blurrier. When the photographer sets the aperture at a very low number, such as 2.8, they are actually flooding the camera with light. This shortens the depth of field and makes everything but the subject extremely blurry. Obviously a smaller or higher aperture setting will do the opposite, and this is usually what a landscape or cityscape photographer chooses.

If they decide to control light through shutter speed they will have to understand that slower shutters allow a lot more light into the camera, but this runs the risk of adding blur to the image too. Shutter speed also has a lot to do with controlling motion. When something is moving fast, you will be able to capture that motion as sharp and “frozen in mid air” or, alternatively, you may simply choose a “streaky blur” look to add more artistic value to your image.

A common problem photographers have is shooting fast motion in low light. There really is no “magic” answer to this. You need as much light as possible. Since there are only really three ways to enhance the lighting in your images, you really only have three options available to you; a slower shutter, a wide aperture or a higher ISO. Each have their advantages and disadvantages and it is up to you what you are prepared to gain and prepared to lose. You may want a frozen in mid air look of a fast motion subject and are prepared to have a little more noise in your image. Or you may choose a slightly blurrier look but a lot less noise.

If the photographer knows that they must have a specific aperture or shutter speed for the image, and the camera has priority modes, they can simply set the element that they want, and the camera will tackle the rest. The trick is learning exactly what is required!

If you like this article, please feel free to leave a comment below and bookmark it if you can spare a minute.

This article provided by Amy Renfrey (visit her website)