Improve Your Photography - Part 12, Creative Techniques

Once we know the technicals of photography, we can now venture out with creativity and
capture scenes. However, there are still a few techniques that can be used to increase the
quality of your images. What is important is that when you see a scene, and you want to
photograph it, you must have the ability to know what technique works for that scene.
Basically it is applying the correct technique to the correct scene to get the best result.

Flash
Probably the most misunderstood of features on a camera, the flash is there to light up a
scene when the camera deems a situation too dark for it to take a decent picture.

There are a few types of flash: Normal, Fill in Flash, Red eye reduction and Rear curtain sync
flash.

Normal flash
This is the everyday flash that occurs when you pop you flash up. It is designed to illuminate
the entire scene that it sees. This means that anything that is in front of the scene will be over
exposed, as it will receive too much light. This is often the case with portraits of people as
they are too close to the camera and in front of everything else. The way to prevent this is to
have the flash dialled down a bit so that the flash is only powerful for short range. This will
give a better overall effect. It also helps the recycling time of the flash, as it does not use as
much power as normal flash- so it allows you take images faster and it saves your batteries.

Red eye reduction
The closer the flash is to the lens of the camera, the more chance of Red eye being prevalent.
Red eye is caused by the reflection of the flash into the lens.
How to reduce red eye:

• Have a hot shoe flash and bounce flash off ceiling or hold flash away from the camera
and direct it onto subject. Of course this is not always possible.
• Red eye reduction mode on camera. Camera pre fires flash so that subject’s pupils
dilate and then the camera takes an image with flash.
• Subject looks into bright light before taking picture- effect is same as red eye
reduction.
• Post processing- this is done on the computer.

Fill Flash
Fill flash is a small amount of flash that the camera emits to help the image. It is one of the
most useful ways to improve your daytime images. It is best used in shadows, under trees and
in harsh day lighting. What is important is to realise that fill flash is there to fill in shadows
only. This means that it is a subtle effect and if a viewer cant see that flash was used, then the
effect is successful. I am a firm believer in Fill flash. It turns horrid daytime photos into
acceptable images that you can use for family albums. Must also remember that many
weddings are taken in full daylight, so this is where fill flash saves the day for those
photographers. Probably its most creative benefit is that of when used when shooting against
the sun. The fill flash fills in the detail of what would normally be a silhouette. This gives an
image a lot more substance and evens out the contrast in an image.
Rear curtain sync
This is the most creative flash effect and it produces ethereal and mystical effects. What
happens is the shutter opens for the exposure and the Flash only fires at the end of the
exposure. If used with a slow shutter speed, can create beautiful effects and blur is created by
the slow SS, but the flash freezes the subject when it fires.
Best results are had when used with a support- being a tripod, beanbag or by resting against a
pole or wall.


Filters
Filters are pieces of glass that fit onto the front of a lens, either by screwing on or via a drop
in system. There are many types of filters and they provide many types of effects, many of
them not natural in look. I will concentrate on two types of filters that re very useful and help
in producing better and more balanced images.

Polarising filter

This is a circular filter that screws onto your lens. The front section of the polariser turns,
increasing and decreasing in strength of polarisation as it turns. It gives the best results are
when used at 90 Deg to the sun. The polarizer is best used in mid day light conditions, forests
and over water.

What it does:
Daylight: Adds contrast and saturates colours
Forests: It reduces the leaf shine (glare) on wet leaves- makes for a much better
resultant image
Water: Reduces glare over water- excellent for “seeing” into the water.
The graduated Neutral density filter

Used mainly traditionally for landscapes, but it use is not confined to scenery. I find this one
of my best travel lenses. The filter is one half clear glass and the other half a dull grey colour.
What it does is balance the exposure of the sky with that of the land. This balances the
exposure so that the entire scene is made equal and you dint get an image of a dark
foreground and a bright sky.
Panning
This technique is used for capturing various forms of motion. It means that you follow your
subject, as it is moving. It is important to try and keep your movement as smooth as possible
with the moving subject. There are various ways types of effect that you can get from
panning, depending o your shutter speed.
Most common:
Pan with subject to get your subject sharp and background a nice blur. This type of shot is
good to start around 1/250 sec.
It is sometimes nice to make your subject a blur. This equates into a very abstract effect and
uses a much lower shutter speed. Anything from 1/10 sec will give you a blur of movement.
It must be remembered that this is a difficult technique and the success rate can be quite low.
Luckily you have a digital camera and you can practice and adjust our settings to get the
desired result.



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Improve Your Photography - Part 11, Patterns and Creativity

Creativity is considered as being divergent thought to create a solution. Thus it means
‘breaking ‘ the rules, but still being aware of those rules, especially when it comes to
photography.
The word pattern is a very diverse one. In photographic terms, it could be described as
something worthy of repetition, an artistic or creative design or a composite of traits.
It is clear that these two combine together in the creative realm of photography. The outdoors
are full natural patterns that we just need to open our eyes to and photograph. This is where
your knowledge of the camera comes in. if you can see a pattern, you can make it more
evident through the camera and the control you have over the camera, especially aperture.

How aperture affects the way you see patterns

Aperture determines your DOF.
By selecting your DOF, you can create even more impact in an image. It can add great DOP
throughout an image and show a pattern in its entirety, or it can select one part of a pattern
and leave the others a soft out of focus blur. These selections may seem simple, but they are
extremely effective in creating a stronger impact in your image.
Using aperture you can also select certain subjects and isolate them from a scene. This is
probably the most powerful manner that a selective aperture can influence an image and is
extremely effective in isolating subjects from the image or the background.

Creativity with Shutter speed

Shutter speed determines if you freeze or blur your photograph. This obviously lends itself to
more creative applications. A fast shutter speed freezes motion and is thus good for action
A slow shutter speed causes blur: so when used on a tripod, it can be used for some really
creative effects.

Shutter speed selection

Still Portrait - 1/60 sec
moving portrait - 1/125 sec

Action
Walk- jog- 1/250 - 1/500 sec
Sport and fast action - 1/750 - 1/1250
extreme action- birds in flight, snowboarding etc 1/1250 - 1/2000

Blur - (Tripod required)
Slight water blur - 1/30 sec
complete blur - 2 sec and more

Night Photography

This is a great way of experimenting with your photography, as the results are fascinating. A
tripod is essential here as well as a cable release, but a self-timer on the camera will also
suffice. Night colours are very warm and saturated, making for strong images, especially if
there are moving lights in the picture.
A few tips:
• Shutter speed can be from a few seconds- through to a few hours
• If you are taking a photograph of a city scene- results are much better after recent
rain, as the streets will reflect the lights nicely in the image.
• Use a low iso (200). You want the best image quality and your camera is on a tripod.
• In the evening and especially so in winter, there is a ‘blue hour’ about an hour after
sunset. This is when the sky is still slightly blue, but not yet completely dark. It is the
best time to take night images, as it adds ambiance to the image.
• Dusk and dawn, are excellent times to do night photography. This is because the light
colours are extremely beautiful and subtle. Our eyes don’t actually realise these
colours and cameras render them a beautiful colour.
• When shooting stars: for a circular trail of stars, aim your camera to the south
(southern cross) and the whole sky will whirl across your frame.

For more information on Photography courses and how to improve your photography see here.

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Improve Your Photography - Part 10, Aperture and Shutter Speed

For any control over the camera, one has to know how aperture and shutter speed combine to
create an exposure.
An aperture is defined as: The device that controls the amount of light entering a camera.
It controls the amount of light entering the camera through a circular diaphragm designed
blade.
The aperture opens in a circular manner. The wider the aperture, the more light it allows
through. And vice versa for when it is closed down.

Shutter speed: A shutter blade that allows light to enter the camera for a determined time.

Exposure:
Exposure is the resultant image that a camera produces once the shutter release is pressed. It
is the resultant image that comes from a combination of the shutter speed of the shutter and
how much light the aperture let through the diaphragm.
Aperture and shutter speed are the two controls a camera uses to make an exposure on the
film when you "take a picture". Shutter speed is the speed with which the camera's shutter opens when the picture is taken. It is the "click" you here when you push the button.

You probably have seen a dark picture or light pictures; these are illustrations of incorrect
exposures. With Compact cameras, these properties are most of the time beyond your control,
as the camera is working in “auto” mode. The more control you have over an image, the less
incorrect exposures you will have. We are lucky that cameras produce good results 95% of
the time- allowing us to enjoy our photography without worrying too much.
However, creative control comes with you controlling the camera, so your camera will have
to move off the “auto mode” and start working in Aperture” and “Shutter” Priority modes on
your camera.
These modes give you control over what aperture to use and how you can control the
resultant image, allowing extensive creative control.

Added to this equation is Depth of Field (DOP).

Aperture also controls Depth of field. The smaller the hole in the diaphragm; the greater the
DOP. The larger the hole in the Diaphragm; the narrower the DOP. We will cover this later,
for now lets look at shutter speed.

Things to consider when choosing a shutter speed:
There are some basic rules that we need to know:

• Most individuals cannot hold a camera steady (without blur in the photo) for anything
slower than 1/60 of a second.
• Subjects need to be extremely still/steady in order to not show motion/blur in the
image less than 1/60 sec
• Fast moving subjects tend to need shutter speeds of 1/250 of a second or faster into
order to freeze motion or prevent blur.
• The faster the subject, the faster the shutter speed needed
• Low levels of light limit one to a slow shutter speed
• High levels of light may limit one to fast shutter speed
• Thus for low light- one needs support to get a steady shot (or flash)
• For High light levels, can hand hold and good for action shots
ISO
Iso is the digital cameras sensitivity to light. As with film, and asa, iso is determined by an
increase in numbers. As each number doubles, so does the sensitivity of the sensor.
Ie: iso goes up as 100, 200, 400, 800, 1600 etc
With each increase, the sensitivity of the sensor increases.
If all other factors were to remain constant and iso had to increase, then the shutter speed
would have to also increase. For each increase in iso, the shutter speed would halve. This is
due to the sensor being twice as sensitive to light (it needs half the amount of light to make an
image) and thus the shutter speed halves.
One problem with iso is that as it increases, so does images quality decrease. Thus it is almost
not worth taking photographs at iso’s above 800, unless you are going for a specific effect.

Conclusion
Shutter speed, aperture and iso go hand in hand in determining how your creativity. You need
to know how they affect one another and how you can use them to your advantage.

For more information on Photography courses and how to improve your photography see here.

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Improve Your Photography - Part 9, People

2. People

People are probably the most photographed subjects around. Photos are always taken at
gatherings of friends and families. Thus it makes sense that you need to photograph it
properly.

A few ‘ rules’ when taking portraits of people:
1. Fill the frame
2. Make sure your subject’s eyes are open. A tip is to take two photos, the second
right after the first, so that you capture the open eyes, or else a more relaxed
expression.
3. Turn the shoulder towards the camera. Have you ever thought why models
always have their shoulders towards the camera? It’s because it creates a leading
line and opens up the image, instantly bringing in depth into the image. Ok you
don’t have to pout…
4. Raise the chin. This is not a given, but it also a trick from the modelling industry. A
raised, lifted, or chin pushed slightly forward make the person look a bit more alert and it makes them open their eyes more. It is important to not overdo this
technique, as a high raised chin does not look nice at all.
5. Choose your background. Portraits are the one time when you can choose your
setting, so make sure you have the best spot available. A dark background with even
colours is always a nice start. Look out for bright spots in the background that may
be a distraction in the picture.
6. Make your subject laugh or smile. Any relaxed person is going to be easier to
photograph. A few test shots with the camera will also help them relax whilst you
talk to them, show them a picture on the LCD and get ready for a better shot. One of
the most famous portraits of all time, of Sir Winston Churchill, was taken in a light
moment. The photographer, Karsh, stopped Mr Curchill and asked for a photograph,
Winston reluctantly obliged. Karsh set up the shot and then grabbed the cigar out of
Winston’s hand. As he did so, he took an image. As soon as Winston realised that it
was a joke, he broke out into a broad smile, and Karsh grabbed the next shot. Only
two images taken and both were to become legendary.
7. Get to the level of the subject. If you take a picture of a child from adult level, you
will get a picture of a child from adult level, and not a very flattering one. Get down
to the level of the subject and take the photo at their eye level. This increases the
intimacy of the image

Portraits in the environment

This is where you can use a wide angled lens to photograph people. Use the mantra, ‘get
close, go wide’. Meaning get close to your subject and use a wide angled lens. This technique
shows the environment where the along with the person. It can often show a picture of a
person in their work environment. Another benefit is that you can combine this technique
with other composition techniques to increase the overall impact of the image

Candid Photography
Similar to environmental photography, candid images are those that capture scenes or
happenings when people are unaware.
It is the type of people photography that focuses on spontaneity to make the image rather
than a proper set up of camera equipment. This is the typical “fly on the wall” type of
photography and is extremely enjoyable when nice images are captured. Children are easy
candids, as they often play in the own little worlds. They are good to practice on.
Its important to note that in many countries today it is illegal to photograph people who you
don’t know in public places. This law is in effect in many first world countries and relatively
strictly enforced.

Action and sport
Sport and action are always the most difficult photos to get. Use the sport mode in your
camera to make sure you get the fastest shutter speed. Also use the burst mode to get as
many frames per second to capture the action. A good technique to learn is to pan with your
subject, as it is moving. If the subject is running from left to right, then keep a steady pan in
the same direction. Even if someone is on a trampoline, pan up and down to catch freeze the
motion of the person jumping. When there is action, always remember to keep your eye on
the viewfinder so as to be ready for the shot you want.

For more information on Photography courses and how to improve your photography see here.

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Improve Your Photography - Part 8, Colours, Shapes and Patterns

Introduction

With the knowledge gained from recognising the different types of light and the basics of
composition, the next level is to start applying these skills in the great outdoors. We are
blessed with a climate that begs to be photographed and I always believe it a sin not to take
advantage of the great weather that we have. This section is dedicated to showing you how to
take better images of everyday scenes. Pictures that we like to take while on holiday, portraits
of your children, and other examples are covered to help you enjoy your photography more.

The section is broken up into three headings:

1. Colour, shapes and patterns
2. People, portraits, candids and action
3. Travel, holiday and landscapes

1. Colour, shapes and patterns

Our eyes see a multitude of colours and shapes every day. The secret is to be able to
recognize the ones that compliment each other and then frame them in an image. Below are a
few types of ways to create balance in an image. The more you recognize such shapes
patterns and colours, the more your mind will be stimulated; It’s an ongoing learning process.
To be able to train your eye is an essential part of improving your eye for colour, shape and
patterns.

Balance by colour- Eyes are attracted to colour. A small area of bright colour can balance a
much larger area of duller colour. Typically, your three primary colours of red, green and
blue compliment each other and one another.

Balance by value – the contrast between light and dark often makes for a nice balance

Balance by shape – complicated shapes are much more interesting to the eye and it lingers
on it compared to simple shapes.

Balance by texture – a variegated dark and light pattern is much more interesting than a
smooth pattern

Balance by position – a large item closer to the center of an image can be balanced by a
smaller item closer to the edge. In western art a heavier subject is placed on the left and
balanced by a smaller item on the right due to the fact that we read from left to right.

Balance by eye direction – heavier elements can direct your eye towards a smaller item

Patterns

Patterns occur naturally, we just need to look to find them. Again it is a matter of training
your eye. Flowers on a bush can make for very simple patters in a natural setting, whilst
people can be placed behind one another to make a pattern for an image.

Patterns are typically seen as:
• Repeat of the same form or shape. Triangles and circles are often repeated in nature
• The repetition of lines
• Repetition of a structure
• People behind one another
• Stacks of objects piled up together
• A row of buildings
• A stand of trees

Patterns can also be isolated and reflected as an abstract. Most abstracts are derived from
close ups of repetitive forms.
For more information on Photography courses and how to improve your photography see here.

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Improve Your Photography - Part 7, Composition

Composition basics

Now that you know how light works, now you can apply basic compositional techniques to
work with light. We are adding more elements to photography to give it more structure and
also give it more impact. It is important to note that you can add certain compositional basics
to together in an image to give it more impact.

Rule of thirds

Used by Artists for hundreds of years, the ‘Rule of Thirds’ rule are imaginary lines drawn
dividing the image into thirds both horizontally and vertically. You place important elements
of your composition where these lines intersect. As well as using the intersections you can
arrange areas into bands occupying a third, or place things along the imaginary lines. Good
places to put points of interest are; third of the way up, third of the way in from the left etc.
You will note that if you divide an image into three, the ratio will be 0.33 this is one of the
Fibonacci numbers as well as the fact that the second third, 0.66 is also very close to the
golden number. So the rule of third is also linked to the divine numbers.
Using the Rule of Thirds helps produce nicely balanced, easy on the eye pictures. Also, as you have
to position things relative to the edges of the frame it helps get rid of ' tiny subject surrounded by
vast empty space' syndrome.
One last thing about the Rule of Thirds- Once you have got the hang of the Rule of Thirds you
will very quickly want to break it! This is fine. These 'rules' are best used as guidelines and if you
can create a better image by bending or ignoring rules then shoot away.

Drop the “Cross hairs” Syndrome

Many new photographers use what I call the “Cross hairs” syndrome when photographing.
They think they are looking at their subject through the sight of a rifle and try their best to bisect
the subject right through the middle of the frame! This is one sure way to ruin an image. Place your
subject to the left, right, top or bottom, to get a better feel to your composition. (Portraits may be an
exception and are discussed further along)

Leading lines

An image can be a nice looking picture, but without using an object in the foreground to give
depth, it will remain just that; a nice image. Great images tell stories and a leading line is a way to
tell a story with a photo. Diagonal lines leading towards your subject (especially if it is small) are
an excellent way to draw a viewer into the image. (The rule of thirds comes into effect here as
well!)

Even horizons

The heading says it all. A good image has even horizons. Skew horizons can make what may have
been a great image look decidedly ordinary.

Subject placement (Subject looking out of frame etc)

If taking portraits or head and shoulder photos of animals, it is a good idea to frame the
subject to the one side of the frame with them looking out of the image into the empty space.
Another example is for a driving motorcar. Place the car in the frame so that the car is driving into
open space. This gives the image balance.

Balancing foreground and background

As with leading lines, foreground interest is very important to balance out an image. By
placing a subject in the foreground of a landscape image, you help draw the viewer into the image
and give it depth.

Landscape and portrait mode

Photographers often forget that you can turn the camera sideways and photograph in another
format. The horizontal format is called landscape and the vertical format is called Portrait mode. As
the names indicate, Portrait mode is best used for portraits. I find this mode great to emphasize
scale and leading lines into pictures.

Changing angle

By changing your angle at which you look at a subject, you can create a completely different
point of view. This is a powerful way of altering your composition and can affect the image
greatly. By simply walking closer, kneeling down or moving side wards you can alter the
background, the angle and shape you view your subject. I use this compositional tool greatly when
approaching a new subject.

Frame filling/Impact

You have heard it before and you will hear it again- Fill the frame. This gives the image
impact and keeps the viewers attention. Other compositional basics also pertain to this section, i.e.
leading lines and foreground interest. A picture may have a small subject, but by using foreground
interest, you are using the whole frame and thereby filling it. For action, sport and portraits, a
subject that fills the frame makes a very high impact image.

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Improve Your Photography - Part 6, Composition

Definition- The combining of distinct part or elements to form a whole; the manner
in which such parts are combined or related.

Composition is a very individual choice and has been the subject of debate for many
hundreds of years. When photography was first as in its infancy, it looked to the history of
the arts for inspiration in composition. There they found the rules that had been used for
many years before photography. Using these classic rules, photography developed its own
style and technique, but the basis rules of composition remain and are still widely used today

With regards composition, one of the great street photographers, Henri Cartier-Bresson,
wrote in his book:

“A photographer can bring coincidence of line simply by moving his head a fraction of a
millimeter. He can modify perspectives by a slight bending of the knees. By placing the
camera closer to or farther from the subject, he draws a detail…
and you’ll observe that, if the shutter was released at the decisive moment you have
instinctively fixed a geometric pattern without which the photograph would have been both
formless and lifeless.”
Henri Cartier-Bresson, 1908-2004. The Decisive Moment- 1952

The Fibonacci sequence and the Golden numbers
Leonardo of Pisa (Fibonacci) is considered the “greatest European mathematician of the
middle ages. He was responsible for many mathematical contributions. However, his greatest
contribution came from working out a puzzle about rabbits.
It was:
How Many Pairs of Rabbits Are Created by One Pair in One Year
A certain man had one pair of rabbits together in a certain enclosed place, and one wishes to know
how many are created from the pair in one year when it is the nature of them in a single month to
bear another pair, and in the second month those born to bear also.

He then went on to solve and explained the solution:

Because the above written pair in the first month bore, you will double it; there will be two pairs in one month.
One of these, namely the first, bears in the second month, and thus there are in the second month 3 pairs;
of these in one month two are pregnant and in the third month 2 pairs of rabbits are born, and thus there
are 5 pairs in the month; ...there will be 144 pairs in this [the tenth] month; to these are added again the 89 pairs
that are born in the eleventh month; there will be 233 pairs in this month. To these are still added the 144 pairs
that are born in the last month; there will be 377 pairs, and this many pairs are produced from the abovewritten
pair in the mentioned place at the end of the one year. You can indeed see in the margin how we operated, namely
that we added the first number to the second, namely the 1 to the 2, and the second to the third, and the third to the
fourth and the fourth to the fifth, and thus one after another until we added the tenth to the eleventh, namely
the 144 to the 233, and we had the above written sum of rabbits, namely 377, and thus you can in order find it
for an unending number of months.

From this we get the number sequence of:

0, 1, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 13, 21, 34, 55, 89, 144, 233, 377, 610, 987…

Basics of Fibonacci sequence: Add the last two numbers to get the next.

The Golden Number
There is a ratio in nature that repeats itself. This number is referred to as the golden number,
golden mean or divine number.
It is a number runs to infinity and is called PHI- 1.618…
The inverse number is phi - 0.618…
At least since the Renaissance, many artists and architects have proportioned their works to
approximate the golden ratio; especially in the form of the golden rectangle, in which the ratio
of the longer side to the shorter is the golden ratio, believing this proportion to be aesthetically
pleasing. Mathematicians have studied the golden ratio because of its unique and interesting
properties.

The golden number repeats itself in nature over and over again. IN the curl of a sheep’s horns, the
human body, flowers, petals, trees, almost all nature has the proportions of the golden mean in their
make up.
The relationship between the golden number and the Fibonacci sequence is that if you divide the
each number by its neighbour, you get to the result of PHI, or the golden number:
Fibonacci sequence: …13, 21, 34, 55, 89, 144, 233, 377…
144 / 89 = 1.6179775…
89 / 144 = 0.6180556…
So it is seen that the Fibonacci sequence has a strong link to the golden mean. Along with the
golden number, we also see the Fibonacci numbers repeated in nature very often. These are not an
absolute, but the numbers are often repeated on flower petals, antlers on deer, leaves from a whorl
etc
Our eyes, from the day we are born, see the Fibonacci sequence and the golden mean in every day
subjects. These compositions are ingrained in our minds and we thus accept them as pleasing to the
eye. They form natural compositions and are our ingrained reference when we look at a picture,
look at art or take a picture.
"There is a close association in mathematics between beauty and truth"

For more information on Photography courses and how to improve your photography see here.

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Improve Your Photography - Part 5, Light

Introduction
We live in a diverse and continually changing environment. By using photography, we are able to capture these changing moments in time and record them as images. However, it is the manner in which we capture the images that determines the reaction to the final image.
We can define photography as “painting with light”. I prefer a different expression, “capturing
light”. Photography is a mixture of science and art. We use our minds to frame a picture, and that is the art part of photography; capturing the image on film/digital sensor, is the science part. By being able to see light, we are able to concentrate on composition, and once we master
composition, we head into more creative realms. It is these principles that I want to teach in these notes: To view and capture a scene; with emphasis on light, angles and composition.

Original definition: The method of recording the image of an object through the action of light,
on light sensitive material

The actual phonetics are derived from Greek words:
photos = Light
grahphein = to draw

This term was first used in the 1830’s when the first photographs were produced. Today, due to the different types photography that has evolved, the definition has evolved into many different forms.

Light in photography- colour and quality of light

On earth there is one major source of light, the Sun. As the sun rises each day, it moves from being on the horizon, to right above us and then down onto the horizon again. This rising and setting affects the quality and colour of the light that reaches us. At dawn and dusk the oblique angle of light produces very warm colours of red and gold. This is due to the blue and green colours of sunlight being filtered out by the band of atmospheric dust that lies just above the Earths surface. (You could say that pollution has helped create warmer colours for photographers in the cities) Red and yellow rays are thus predominant during early mornings and late afternoons.
During midday hours, the sun shines directly down onto the Earths surface. There is little
atmospheric dust to filter out the suns rays and hence the colour of the light is more normal. Of
course, there are exceptions to the rule. Overcast days produce good, soft light in the middle of the day allowing for good photography throughout the day!

Of more importance though, is that it will show you how everyday subjects can change in their
appearance due to one factor- Light.

Due to the Earths movement around the sun, we experience seasons. During summer months, the sun rises and sets at a very perpendicular angle. This causes the light to be of good quality, but becomes very strong and harsh early on in the day. During the winter months, the sun rises at a more oblique angle to the earth and shines light at a low angle for longer periods. The quality of the light lasts longer in winter as it does in summer. The quality and colour of light are the foremost indicators of how you are going to go about your photography. They set the stage for you, your camera and the images that you create. Of high importance, is that by looking at Light, It will show you how everyday subjects can change in their appearance due to that one factor.

Types of light- Front lighting, Side lighting, Back-lighting

The angle at which light strikes a subject can have a dramatic effect on what we see. Front lighting is described when you see a subject with the light shining from the front. (You are
between the sun and the subject) Front lighting shows very little shadow and thus very little
depth; images are very representative and two-dimensional. This is the way we were all
taught to take a picture. “Look into the sun when you are having your picture taken” was the
cry I always used to hear from my mom!

Side lighting is when the sun is shining at right angles to the subject. It shows great detail and
texture in the subject as well as bringing out a third dimension in the image.

Back lighting is when the light is shining from behind the subject. (The subject is between you and the sun) Almost always a silhouette, backlighting is very effective for subjects with a
recognisable shape. Subjects with fur or hair often have a ring or halo of light around them,
creating stunning effects. This is probably the most difficult of the three lighting techniques
to master, but can be the most rewarding!

Mood and atmosphere

Other climatic factors can contribute to create mood and atmosphere. Cloudy, overcast skies
can create a feeling of doom. Likewise, dust in golden light can create a very peaceful and
ethereal scene. These elements can be very powerful in adding emotion, mood and
atmosphere into an image.

Diffused light

Cloudy skies are often a blessing in disguise for capturing images. You can photograph
during the midday hours, shadows are reduced and colour saturation is very nice. Clouds act
as a big filter and diffuse light so that it falls very evenly. This type of light is very good for
taking portrait shots of all sorts of creatures.
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Improve Your Photography - Part 4, Intro

Pixels and how they see light

Definition- Pixel- A contraction of the term picture element, a pixel in a camera is a light
sensitive electrical unit that captures light as it falls on it. A pixel can only capture one colour of
light; hence, digital cameras have pixels that capture red, green and blue, surrounding each other.
This allows an image to be captured correctly. A pixel on a computer screen is not light
sensitive- it is a square of light that shines a single colour as part of a whole image. A megapixel
is Equal to one million Pixels

Image size- The image size that cameras advertise often run into the millions. I.e. A 6 million
megapixel camera. This is a huge number and is determined by a simple multiplication of sides
of the sensor.

By multiplying the two sides of the sensor, we get to the figure of 6, 049 080 pixels- or 6,05
million megaPixels.

Digital zoom vs. Optical zoom

Digital cameras often advertise a zoom on a camera as being 15, or even 20 times in length.
It is even advertised on digital video cameras as going up to over 100x zoom! This is very much a
marketing ploy on the optical Zoom.

Optical zoom is just what it says it is: the camera uses the optics of the zoom on the camera to
zoom into the image and compose the image. The sensor reads the light as it falls through the lens
and uses the lenses magnification powers’ to create its image. This means it is relying on the clarity
and quality of the lens to make its image.

Digital zoom uses the power of the sensor to create its image. Once the power of the lens has been
used up, i.e. it’s at full magnification; the camera then zooms in on the sensor to make the image
larger in the frame.
Much like cropping into an image on a computer screen, the camera is cropping into the sensor and
magnifying what is in the middle. This then produces your zoom effect. As you might have
noticed, there is one inherent flaw with this method- there is a proportionally greater loss in image
quality the more you use the digital zoom. This produces images that may not match other prints
where the digital zoom was not used.

Settings on a camera

• Auto mode is good for taking images in every day snappy mode.
• P mode is better as it gives you more control. You choose when the flash goes up, thus
allowing you more creative control
• A, S, M Modes are used for more control by the user. If you are comfortable using these
modes, then by all means use them.
• Exposure compensation (+/- button) is an easy way of altering your exposure.
o If an image looks too dark on the LCD, then dial in some add (+) exposure
o If an image is too light, then dial in some (-) into your exposure
• Focus mode. Make sure you know how to focus on a subject and then hold the focus while
you re-compose your image
• Burst mode- know where your burst mode is for action and sports
• Vari modes- these are in camera settings with the running man, mountain, flower etc. They
are an excellent way of allowing the camera to make the decisions for you regarding your
choice of photography.

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Improve Your Photography - Part 3, Intro

Limitations of digital cameras

The limitations of a digital are the same as those of any camera. Of the electromagnetic spectrum, we as humans can only see a tiny portion. This is called the visible light spectrum. See below.

There is light on either side of the light spectrum; our eyes just cannot see it.
The difference in light intensity between dark black to brilliant white is 14 times intensity. Each of these intensities is called ‘stops’. Our eyes can easily absorb the difference of light between each of these 14 stops. Thus, on a sunny day, our eyes can see detail of a sunlit park as well as in the shadow under the tree.

A camera on the other hand, has serious limitations with regards to what it can record at any given time. See below.

A camera can at any one time only record:

Black and white film - 9 stops
Colour print film - 7 stops
Slide film - 5 stops
Digital - 5 stops

This shows obvious restrictions to cameras. High contrast scenes cannot be recorded properly and the camera will either give very white, blown out areas, or dark black areas in high contrast scenes. Sometimes this can be used to the advantage of the user and can help with their creative ability.

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Improve Your Photography - Part 2, Intro

Introduction to Digital cameras
A short history on digital cameras

In the 1980’s, with video cameras becoming more and more popular with consumers around
the world, there were thoughts of attempting the same thing with still cameras. Only a few companies actively pursued these notions. Two of them were notably, Sony and Kodak.

Kodak had begun research into digital cameras from as early as 1975, when they produced the first digital camera in a laboratory. This camera, designed by Steve Sasson, was about the size of a large microwave.

Kodak dedicated their research towards still cameras and, coupled with a Nikon F3 camera, they produced the first digital camera with a 1.3 megapixel (mp) sensor. Once the world heard of this, there was a large scramble amongst companies to get their R+D divisions into looking into digital imaging. The race had begun, and it was an unusual camera maker that made the first commercial digital camera. The Apple computer company, in 1994, produced the first consumer digital camera. It looked somewhat like a pair of binoculars and took tiny images for computer screen use only. But it was the start and Kodak and Sony soon followed suit with their own cameras in the same year. After a few years of bad design and computing logistical nightmares, all major camera companies were actively involved in the digital imaging research.

I believe that Nikon made the first major breakthrough in pro digital imaging. In 1999, just in
time for the 2000 Olympics in Sydney, Nikon released the D1 camera. It was a Professionally built camera, with a 2.1mp sensor and a buffer that allowed it to take 4 frames a second for about 18 frames. A major advancement in showing the world that digital was ready for the fast moving sports and journalism world. The response was immediate: At the Olympics the following year, almost 80% of the cameras used by the Sports photographers, were Nikon D1’s. After this point, companies and public realised that digital cameras were here to stay and were a part of our lives.

In the film world, a specific camera was generally replaced every 7 years or so. In the digital arena, some camera makers were turning over new models of the same camera every 14 months! More recently, camera companies are touting ‘Intelligent pixels’. This is very true that all pixels are not the same and if a pixel in one camera can capture a ray of light better than another pixel, in another camera, you are going to get a better image. Hence, more marketing has now gone into this part of the market- where companies are selling image quality rather than quantity. It reflects the true nature of the market though, as people want good images, and not large files of bad quality.

The advantages of digital over film

There are many immediate advantages that digital has over film.
They are:
o A LCD screen to instantly review your images. For novices, this is great to check up
on composition, whilst for the enthusiast and professional, it is an excellent tool to
review exposure on.
o EXIF data on image. All the camera settings at the time of shooting the image are
automatically tagged onto your image. This allows you to see what date, time and
exposures you shot your image at.
o Print only the prints you want. This is a cost saving exercise par non.
o Shoot as many images that you like with the option to delete bad images. Another
cost saver and also an opportunity for people to experiment more with photography.
o Edit your own pictures. This feature has turned many casual photographers into
Photoshop experts! Users, can with very simple software, edit, manipulate, add
borders, text and make cards for all manners of use.
o Memory cards have more capacity for images than film. Now cameras can hold
hundreds of images on one memory card, making travelling a lot easier.
o Memory cards can be reformatted to allow continual use.
o Different file formats can be selected for various uses. An image format in camera can be used for e-mail quality images and another for print quality images.
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Improve Your Photography - Part 1, Intro

An introduction to course and digital cameras

Introduction

Photography, like most arts, is a combination of science and art. A painter needs to know his tools
and his paints very well before he can start working masterpieces. This often takes years off
technical training and skill. Photography was the same until a few years ago. Film based cameras
made the learning process a slow, tedious and expensive one. If a student was serious about
photography, then each exposure had to be recorded as photographs were taken and then linked to
the actual photo when the printing had taken place. Now we have the joy if instant feedback via
LCD on the back of the camera. This has made the learning process exponentially faster, and even
more so with training. Feedback can be delivered in a matter of seconds and this really accelerates
the learning curve. However, the fundamentals of photography still remain and the basics of shutter
speed, aperture and exposure remain the foundations of photography.
What this course delves into is the fact that cameras now do almost all of the science for us. With
this confidence in the bag, we can thus concentrate on actually improving technique and images
through your creativity.

Philosophy of course

Teach clients to see the Art of photography through their own creativity.
Improve the results of their images through practical application of the lessons taught

Science vs Art

As mentioned, every photograph is a combination of science and art.
Science is the actual combination of shutter speed and aperture to create an exposure that is
pleasing to the eye. It is the basis of every image taken with every camera. If the exposure is
incorrect, then an image won’t work and be discarded. Many people concentrate on producing
technically precise images. Hours can be spent on producing an image that has the correct depth of
field with the corresponding correct shutter speed to ensure that an image is exposed perfectly. An
image like this can often be exceptionally boring. And luckily for us, we have the advantage of
technology on our side. As a professional photographer, I use the cameras meter readings for my
photographs about 85% of the time. I believe that for about 90% of all images, a camera will
produce the correct exposure.

This makes the photographers life a lot easier and now there can be more concentration on actually
taking a picture that looks good. A camera that takes well-exposed images is the biggest boon to a
photographer as they can concentrate on making a good image with their own creativity.

Art- The ability to create balance in a photograph. Balance is created via a combination of
light, composition, feel and colour combinations. Other factors like iso and depth of field are
technical methods that help creativity.

What is creativity?

Creativity- The art or power to invent. The ability to create knowledge/ingenuity.
In photography, and through creative use, images can:

• Tell a story
• Create atmosphere, mood and feel
• Compliment colours and create balance
• Lead a viewer into an image
• Create anticipation
• Give intrigue

For more information on Photography courses and how to improve your photography see here.

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