Monday, February 20, 2012

Darkroom Secrets: Proper Photography Techniques For Amateurs

By Samuel Hudson


Of all the art forms in the world, photography can be quite opposing and requires a lot of training in combination with a natural talent. This does not mean that you must be born a photographer, but you must be willing to learn a few new trade secrets and remember to stick to a formula that works for you.

Be careful when shooting with the ISO feature set at a high setting. It will allow you to capture photos in low light settings but it opens the door to noisy pictures that may look grainy. Ideally you should keep the ISO set low or increase it very slightly to capture the low light photos.

Use special care when you are taking pictures in nature. Take a moment to appreciate the scene, as well as, to make sure that you are leaving no traces. When you find a pristine spot from which to take beautiful pictures, try to keep it that way for the next photographer to discover.

To get the most out of a shot, snap a picture and move closure to the object while continually snapping shots until the frame is filled with the object. The viewer will see the details of the shot clearer, and sometimes the details make the shot more interesting to the viewer.

You need to be aware of how sharpness works and where it appears in the image. Generally speaking, you will see the most sharpness in the middle of the lens and the image. It then begins to distort as it approaches the outside edges of the frame of your camera.

To shoot vintage-style photos, smear a dab of petroleum jelly on the outer edges of your camera lens (or use a lens filter, if you are worried about greasing up your actual lens). This technique blurs the edges of your shots, providing a fun, distorted look that mimics old-school photography.

A good photography tip is to not get too carried away with having the best and newest equipment. Technology's always going to be improving and unless you're a millionaire, it's just not realistic to worry about getting the best camera. Try to make good use of what you have.

It's time for your tripod. Take it out of the closet and find the cable release. Still have those neutral density filters? Get them too. You're going for a night shoot at the school fair. You have arrived. See the pretty colored lighting at the booths and rides? You will photograph the Ferris wheel, exposing not for the overall scene but for the lights. Place the camera on the tripod and attach the cable release. Set the ISO low, at 100 or if possible, lower. Use a shutter speed of maybe fifteen seconds. Set the aperture at f/16 or smaller if your camera can do it this will make pinpoint lights look like stars. Take some test exposures and make adjustments, and use your neutral density filters if necessary. You have a finished product! Thanks to the tripod, everything is sharp except for the ghostly images of fair goers moving about, and the turning Ferris wheel appears as a circular streak of gorgeous colors. The lights at the booths shine like stars.

Now that you have been enlightened by these simple photographic tips, grab your camera and get out there. That "magic moment" is just a click away, and the world won't stop spinning. So let your imagination run free, then capture the results for posterity. Only you can tell the photographic story that unfolds from your own unique point of view.




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