PHOTOGRAPHIC PACKED FULL OF IDEAS AND FREE TIPS
FANATIC MAGAZINE VOLUME 6 - APR 2011
Black & White Special
PLUS
Improve your basics with the oldest form of photography!
COMPOSITION
HIGHS AND LOWS Shooting for extremes
ARE YOU RICH? Exploring your tonal range
Easy ways to drastically improve your shots
READER REVIEWS We offer advice and tips to help get the best shots.
PHOTOGRAPHIC FANATIC ISSUE 6 - April 2011
Editor Steve Rutherford
[email protected] Art Director Stacey Dobis
[email protected] Photographic Fanatic is a special interest photography online magazine published and distributed monthly by Rutherford International Pty. Ltd PO Box 567 Buddina Beach, QLD, 4879 AUSTRALIA Phone within Australia
This issue we put together a stack of articles and how to’s on the ins and outs of black and white photography, techniques and lighting for high and low key images. Black and White is, not only one of the most revered types of photography, because of it’s direct and yet soothing appeal, but one of the most important to learn from. Try thinking of seeing only in black and white, remove the colour from your vision (I know thats not easy...) and try to look at what the world has to offer...without colour. Then....watch your photography skills and composition grow overnight! Read on and we’ll explain! Enjoy this issue, we’ve also got a great bunch of features on tonal range, and that big one, composition! We’d love your thought on this issue, and what you got out of it!
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‘Til next issue
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All the best,
Studio Phone: +617 5493 3353 Studio Email:
Steve Rutherford EDITOR
[email protected] Web: www.steverutherford.com.au All rights reserved. Images are not to be reproduced without written permission from the individual photographers.
Steve Rutherford is a multi award winning photographer, accredited by the AIPP (Australian Institute of Professional Photography), and the PPA (Professional Photographers of America). Steve is also an Associate of the NZIPP (New Zealand Institute of Professional Photography), having travelled throughout the world, photographing scenes and settings for travel and commercial advertising assignments, for more than a decade. In 2010, he was awarded Runner up, Overseas Photographer of the Year at the New Zealand
Every effort is undertaken to ensure that information is correct and Rutherford International takes no responsibility for errors or misguided representation. Cover image : Sydney Opera House, Australia by Steve Rutherford
Iris Awards. He specializes in commercial advertising images for the travel , tourism and commercial advertising sector. Steve travels extensively to train photographers via his seminars and workshops, and operates two commercial studios in Australia, in Cairns and the Sunshine Coast. This magazine is published as a FREE tool for readers to enjoy and engage with photography and strive for better images. Please visit - www.steverutherford.com.au to view Steve’s portfolio.
PHOTOGRAPHIC FANATIC MAGAZINE ISSUE 6 - APRIL 2011
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HIGHS AND LOWS A DETAILED LOOK AT HIGH KEY AND LOW KEY WORK, AS WELL AS THE PROBLEMS INHERENT WITH EACH END OF THE SPECTRUM
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LATEST GADGETS SUBMIT YOUR SHOTS AND WE’LL HELP YOU IMPROVE THEM
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BLACK AND WHITE FEATURE THE OLDEST FORM OF PHOTOGRAPHY STILL REIGNS AS A QUALITY TOOL FOR GETTING BETTER IMAGES...WHY?
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GETTING RICH A TONAL RANGE RICH IN CONTENT WILL PROPEL YOUR IMAGES TO ANOTHER LEVEL
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A STUDY IN COMPOSITION WHAT ELEMENTS ARE IMPORTANT IN COMPOSITION? WE’LL EXPLAIN WHAT YOU SHOULD BE AWARE OF
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READER CRITIQUES SUBMIT YOUR SHOTS AND WE’LL HELP YOU IMPROVE THEM
HIGH
AND
GOING BY STEVE RUTHERFORD
LOW
Tutorial H
“ igh Key” and “Low Key” are terms any photographer should be familiar with, regardless of experience, as both these terms will assist with your understanding of how to apply appropriate contrast to relevant images. Both these fundamentals use contrast in very different ways. High key, refers to highlights being used as the mainstay of the exposure, whilst low key, uses intense shadow to demonstrate the image using shape. There’s not a great deal of trickery involved in capturing a high or low key image, what’s more important is gaining an understanding of how to use it to the advantage of the image you are trying to portray. Generally high key images will be happy, evoking joyous smiles form the viewer, whilst low key images do exactly the opposite, create drama, tension and even a slight sense of evil in the atmosphere when applied correctly. Shooting in such a way is great for upskilling yourself in the basics of exposure, and how to react to it. Take the two images to the right (Fig 1 and Fig 2). Fig 1 of the young man is considered a high key image, demonstrating strong highlights and a lack of contrast. Tones tend to be subdued and almost flat when first viewing, but in reality demonstrate many levels of the tonal range, albeit mostly bright. Try capturing an image of a friend or family member, backlit by the sun, whilst using fill flash to fill in their face, and overexpose the capture slightly. Measure the various aspects of the scene, to ensure you have as little a difference between tones as possible, maybe only two stops difference. Shoot overexposed to a point where detail is only just held in the highlights. If lit evenly, most of the other tones should rise in brightness along with the highlights. Such a low level of contrast from two stops, should present a brightly exposed image, with many tones. It may take some practice, but once you catch the idea its relatively simple. Whether in studio or on location the softer you can treat the light, the less shadow the image will have, lending itself closer toward a high key image. “Softboxes” (a soft sheet of white fabric constructed into a funnel shaped box) used in studio, or sometimes on location, will spread the light from your flash or in studio strobe across a larger area, therefore wrapping the light around the various elements of your image. Much in the same way clouds act as a super large softbox in the sky, filtering direct sunlight, but allowing a soft glow to fall across the land, low contrast can be achieved. This is called indirect lighting. Care not to overexpose to the point where you lose critical edges, hair on a model especially, or other detail where needed. The exact opposite is a low key image. Harsh shadows, deep dark tones, lots of black. This for me is where the fun is at. Low key work allows you to experiment with shape in its minimalist form, leaving an almost abstract viewing of a FIGURE 1. LEFT - THIS IMAGE OF AIDEN WAS DELIBERATELY UNDEREXPOSED TO MINIMISE THE BACKGROUND AS A DISTRACTION. ADDING TO THIS EDGEY CONTRAST I ASKED AIDEN TO STAND IN LIGHTING PROVIDED BY A SINGLE STREET LAMP. F3.5 @ 1/60 SEC ISO 2000, NIL FLASH INSET - THE ORIGINAL COLOUR VERSION OF THE SAME IMAGE
FIGURE 2. ABOVE - HIGH KEY IMAGES LIKE THE PORTRAIT ABOVE ARE LOW IN CONTRAST, AND OFTEN HAVE A BRIGHT, VERY SOFT APPEAL ABOUT THEM.
real thing, or subject. One of the greatest images I ever saw was of a roaring silverback gorilla, captured under low key conditions, in which all that was visible were the incredible teeth and outline of the beasts shoulders and back. This was a great demonstration of how shape alone can immediately identify a subject, under near “no light” conditions. One thing inherently different with low key images is the intense contrast involved. All the gear used in a high key shoot (softboxes etc), can be used, but in a much more controlled way. We add a webbing type attachment to the front of the softbox, called a “grid”. This grid has holes of a particular size cut through it, to “straighten or direct” the light in a particular way so as to only expose where the light falls. This type of lighting known as direct lighting, will show harsh shadows and a deep tonal range of many stops difference in the final image. In conjunction with that, we would not light anything other than the exact element we want to expose. This may be just the belly of a pregnant lady or a newborn held in the hands of a loving father, that appear to emerge from the darkness. Controlling your shadow work is critical in low key shots, but just as critical is where your highlight, as this will form the very basis for what you are capturing. Don’t be afraid of a bad capture, just practice. You may be surprised with the results!
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Cool Tools
Great New Gadgets By STACEY DOBIS This month we have some more new gadgets for you to have a look at. Every day it seems that something new comes out. This time we have something for all of you DSLR Photographers that also use iPad and iPad 2. MIC Gadget have recently came up with a CF card reader that slips right into the slate dock connector port, which allows for a quick transfer of HD video and high-res images. The CF card reader is also USB compatible. There are a couple drawbacks to this reader as it can take up to a month to get one and you will need to make sure that the iPad supports your camera’s video format as it doesn’t playback video from a Canon EOS 5D Mark II. Are you a new photographer looking for a DSLR that is easy to use? Well Canon’s T-3 Rebel may be the camera for you. Canon’s EOS 1100D is 12.2 megapixels and designed with the new DSLR Photographer in mind. According to a review at PhotographyBlog, it doesn’t trade ease of use for image quality. This Canon will even deliver high quality photographs in low light, however, there are a couple minor drawbacks to it including a bit of noise at the highest ISO setting, its grips are a little slippery and the LCD screen is a bit small.
FIGURE 1. ABOVE - MIC GADGET, CF CARD READER COMPATIBLE WITH iPAD and iPAD2. http://store.micgadget.com/ card-readers/280-ipad-2-cf-card-camera-connection-kit.html
Here is another great new tool! Tired of changing memory cards all the time? Lexar has come up with the Professional 133x SDXC card with 128GB of storage space. This card was designed for sustained, rapid-fire picture taking and full-motion HD video. It provides a high level of capacity, high-speed performance, and a minimum guaranteed speed of 133x(20MB/s). We’d like to hear from you. Have you discovered a new product that you are crazy about. If so, please send us an e-mail about it to
[email protected] FIGURE 2 ABOVE- CANON T-3 REBEL, A NEW USER FRIENDLY DSLR. http://www.usa.canon.com/cusa/about_canon? pageKeyCode=pressreldetail&docId=0901e0248028433f
This app is perfect for anyone that would like to showcase their portfolio on an iPad. This app allows you to personlise it with your logo, watermarks photos with your name on them, and much more! Check it out: http://www.xtrafolio.com/
FIGURE 3 ABOVE- LEXAR PROFESSIONAL 128GB MEMORY CARD. OFFERS MASSIVE STORAGE SPACE FOR PHOTOS AND VIDEOS. http://www.lexar.com/products/lexar-professional-133x-sdxc-card
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By STEVE RUTHERFORD
Special Feature
Seeing in
BLACK ‘n’
WHITE By Steve Rutherford
FIGURE 1. ABOVE - THE SHELL STRUCTURE OF THE SYDNEY OPERA HOUSE CAPTURED TO MIMIC MOONLIGHT - F13 @ 1/500 SEC, ISO 500.
Perhaps
you’ve seen the images of Australian photographers such as Max Dupain, Robert Billington, or the iconic American, Ansel Adams. These gents, along with a plethora of others, such as one of the world’s most famous ladies, Annie Leibovitz, are considered masters of black and white imagery. From street scenes and American landscapes, to high end fashion, these photographers all have one thing in common, a very honed eye. It takes time to build this eye, but once you understand the principles behind it’s application in camera, you will soon see how iconic images are made. I have been training my own eye for many years to improve the fundamentals of my own photography, using a technique which removes colour. I have spent many sessions at one location looking at one scene, for an exorbitantly long time, to “see” the scene for what it was. Landscape photography is often best for this “seeing technique”, as you are forced to look again every time the light changes. In the early days of trying this technique, I was overrun constantly with impatience, but stuck at it. It paid off, and is still paying off. How many photographers do you know, spot a scene or subject worthy of a shot, bring the camera straight up to their face and snap the shutter? Just about everyone I know. As a photographer, it is our job to get better, not just take photographs at a continued skill, without improvement.
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Those who cease learning, risk missing real photography, in my opinion. Unfortunately, there are many who consider themselves good enough already, and are imparting less than adequate skills upon the masses in the pursuit of an earned dollar. Seeing in black and white actually calls for less work than first thought, just a lot of persistence. Taking just a small amount of time, where permissible by your subject, will amaze you, with what you end up seeing. Identifying simplicity in shapes is what I look for first. FIGURE 2. BELOW. AN ABSTRACT IMAGE OF A COMMERCIAL BUILDING IN SYDNEY’S INNER CITY. F10 @ 1/40TH SEC, ISO 1000.
FIGURES 3 AND 4. RIGHT COLOURED IMAGES CAPTURED ON AN OVERCAST DAY, CAN AT FIRST APPEAR FLAT AND LIFELESS. CHANGING YOUR CAMERA’S SETTINGS TO VERY HIGH CONTRAST ON A MONOCHROME PROFILE WILL DO WONDERS FOR WHAT YOU ACHIEVE. NOTE HOW MUCH MORE DEFINED THE SMALL ABRIDGED ISLAND AND THE “S” CURVE TOWARDS IT, HAVE BECOME. THIS TYPE OF SHOOTING TRAINS YOUR EYE TO DEFINE YOUR SUBJECT.
Sometimes squinting, helps this, to merge some of the detail, in order to emphasize the bulk shapes within the scene. But sometimes, those shapes are obvious (Fig 1). Next I “imagine” the subject in black and white, which after a while gets easier and quicker to do, with practice. I often find brightly coloured subjects can be “missed” because colour itself can be a distracting element. I am always assessing whether a shot would be better as a monochrome or in colour. With most DLSRs, this can be adjusted right in the camera. Most menu’s allow you to delve deep and change your setting to monochrome. Advanced systems allow you to them adjust the contrast as well. On a recent trip to Sydney to capture images for a clients book project, I visited one of Sydney most iconic and photographed beaches, Balmoral (Fig’s 3 and 4). It rained the entire day I spent there, and presented a low hanging sky full of bland cloud. Every time I go to balmoral, I find something new and appealing. On this occasion, with such horrid weather, I decided to snap away and see what eventuated. Nothing exciting did. Until I changed settings to monochromatic, and pushed the contrast up to +3. The first difference I spotted was the instant edge darkening of the scene, almost like a subtle faux vignette. The second was a definite emphasis of certain shapes, such as the “s” track between the shoreline and the sand. The inner edge of the bottom of the “s” shows a definite edge darkening, helping to define the shape even further. I also noticed a definite change in the dark reflections of the island on the shoreline. highlight improved and overall, I ended up almost forgetting the scene in real life was in colour. The same appeal was found in the boats on the wharf (Fig 5 - overleaf). the blue of the sky, tended to blend with the aqua blue of the waters around the wharf, and I found it was not identifying the subject I wanted to convey, which were the small fishing boats themselves. A good photograph, conveys its message, with ease. If we
Special Feature
have to look for a message in a shot, we can be mis-lead, confused and wind up looking away. The sole aim of a photographer is to have the viewer fixated on their message. Anything less, and they still have work to do. I teach this very technique in my advanced training sessions, and it’s always surprising, just how easy it can be learnt, once demonstrated. One of the appeals of this technique is the dramatic improvement in composition. With the elimination of colour, this becomes so much easier. If you think about it, it makes perfect sense, the more distractions you have, the more you may miss the moment. The main thing is, you have to practice, like everything. Take the time, next time your’e out shooting to change your settings and start shooting colour subjects in monochrome, review the images, and be surprised at just what you can see.
FIGURE 5. OVERLEAF - FISHING BOATS ON THE WHARF AT GREYMOUTH, IN NEW ZEALAND. F16 @ 1/125TH SEC, DEMONSTRATING THAT MONOCHROME CAN MAKE A BIG DIFFERENCE TO YOUR SUBJECT BEING EASILY IDENTIFIED.
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Photographic Fanatic
Sat and Sun 18/19 June, 2011
getRICHTONAL with Photographs are captured with consideration or intention. This desire to secure a moment, can evoke an experience, a revelation, a curiosity, or a discovery. Photographs are not just taken, but rather made, through a process referred to as visualization, the construction of a visual interpretation, through mental process. Sounds deep doesn’t it?. But it’s not deep at all. Interpreting reality, and translating it into a visual message, is the intent of every photographer. It’s how each of us refines the result, that will determine the message conveyed. However, it is not just the formal considerations of the subject, thing or scene, being captured, but the tones used to further emphasize or de-emphasize the image as a whole or certain elements of it. The most famous set of tones every measured are from the mind of Ansel Adams. Adams was a prolific landscape enthusiast, known the world over for his “system” of exposure using available tones to convey the mood, feeling and in some cases intensity of nature. This system, known as the Zone System, is vital to the photographer who wants to gain skill in identifying tonal value. So what is tonal value, anyway, and why does Adam’s Zone System mean so
By Steve Rutherford
RANGE much? Well tonal value relates to the amount of tones between pure black and pure white (regardless of whether colour or monochromatic).This is known as the tonal range. This range can be narrow or wide, ie, many tones or only a make up of only a few tones. the more tones, the richer an image is considered to be. Lighting and reflection can influence this range dramatically.
A surface made of highly reflective light, such as water, steel, or glass, coupled with a dark subject, can limit the amount of tones that can be captured by the cameras film or sensor. Polarizing filters for one, not only increase colour saturation, but minimise reflective light and therefore reduce the risk of a limited tonal range. The same goes for diffusers, which lessen the amount of contrast in a scene, by spreading the light across and around many surfaces. This in turn reduces the tonal range as well. Let me explain a bit further. Consider an image, with pure black in its shadows, and pure white in its highlights. The remainder of the image is made up of
FIGURE 1. BELOW - HALEAKALA, HAWAII - F22 1/125 SEC, ISO 1600. SHOWING A RICH TONAL RANGE THROUGH SHADOWS AND HIGHLIGHTS
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Tutorial various different tones or shades of light, not colour, this is a not a colour thing, hence why I try to promote visualizing in black and white. These shades of light, expand through the image and appear very gradual, or easily blended if you will. This image would be considered tonal rich, having a large tonal range. On the other hand consider another image, such as a low key image, which would be regarded as having a limited tonal range, due to its very high contrast. High key images have a lot more tonal range, due to their low contrast, but are still limited, because they do not usually represent all the tones available in the darker end of the range. Look at Fig 1, on the opposite page. This was not an easy image to capture. High in top of Haleakala Crater on the top of Hawaii, at dawn, as the sun rose behind the steam of the venting volcano crater, the light was constantly changing, but the tones could be seen easily. I measured each of the mountains leading off in the distance though my 5D’s light meter and recognized there was a 6 stop difference. Many would send this to a HDR technique and drive shadows into a muddy mess and highlights into the same oblivion. However I saw that there was a reason to maintain both shadowed blacks in the foreground and bright highlights in the distance, as this used the graduated tones to lead me into the distance. Firstly obvious is that the majority of the scene is in shadow, with only the top third holding any type of highlight. I measured my readings in camera, taking note (mentally) of each stop. The scene called for a under-exposed setting by -1 stop from the middle reading of the shadowed areas only (notice I have not under-exposed using the highlight in the equation). To expose at the exact middle of all readings would have added light, and again, muddied the shadowed content,
Photographic Fanatic
and washed out any perceived dramatic effect. Keeping a dramatic effect alive and pushing to capture as many tones as possible in your shots, will make for a more pleasing image, regardless of what it is. To master images that contain all ten of Adams zones is a tall feat, but none the less doable, if you take the time to measure accurately. Once captured, you can also spend some time in Photoshop and digitally measure each and every pixel (if you really want to) for tonality. Grab the “eye dropper”tool and click anywhere on the image and drag it around, The ring that appears is predominantly used to choose colours, but simply moving it around your image will give you a good first glance at how gradual your tones are. The more you see towards both ends of the scale, highlights at 255 and shadows at 0, the more tonal range you have. It may take a little getting used to being so accurate, but once you do, you’ll see a lot more than you think. FIGURE 2. BELOW LEFT - ANSEL ADAMS ZONE SYSTEM GUIDE FIGURE 3. BELOW RIGHT - TONAL POSITIONING IN PHOTOSHOP USING THE EYEDROPPER TOOL AND 255 RGB SCALE TO DEMONSTRATE WHICH TONES LIE WHERE, IN AN IMAGE.
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Learning to see things ...like your
FIGURE 1. ABOVE - IMAGE AWARDED BY THE NZIPP (NEW ZEALAND) AND THE AIPP (AUSTRALIA) FIGURE 2 BELOW TOP - ORIGINAL IMAGE WITH DISTRACTING ELEMENTS FIGURE 3 BELOW BOTTOM - THE COMPOSITIONALLY ADJUSTED IMAGE SHOWING LESS BACKGROUND DISTRACTIONS
Composition is considered to be one of the most basic fundamentals of photography, yet so many images fail to apply it’s rules. Many even fail to push the boundaries and break it’s rules. Composition is, by definition “the organization or grouping of different parts of a work of art so as to achieve a unified whole”. I like to think of it, photographically speaking, as an “organised or orderly balance of elements within an image”. When learning to hone our skills in composing our subjects, we can be distracted by many things, number one is colour. Number two is complexity, by including too many things in the image. Simplicity is the key to your image striking in the heart or mind of the viewer. Once we refine our willingness to “keep it simple”, then we need to further refine our work through the use of separation, leading lines, central focus, connection, scale, shape and texture. All these techniques have their own use of course. Consider the image in Fig 1 above, it contains leading lines which draw you into the centre of the image (leading lines), which merge at the small hut in the centre of frame (central focus), to the small figure standing within which gives a sense of size (scale). These elements help to contain the viewers eye on the subject. It helps them get there as well, and keeps them from straying outside the frame. Humans tend to view lighter things before darker things, hence why anything with a dark edge, helps to
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CAMERA DOES By Steve Rutherford
Monochrome compositions
keep central focus on the image itself. Many high end artworks are framed with dark matting to contain the eye on the artwork, not the framing. The most common rule applied is the rule of thirds (see the illustration below), but just placing an element in one of the four intersecting points doesn’t justify a top shot. There still needs to be a balance, a connection between the elements in your image. Elements that work together, make for a full message, where as many elements jumbled into what appears to be a good image, but make no connection with each other, will fail every time. Mental preparation Mental construction of an image prior to capture allows for the technical to be considered with precision. With practice, as you visualize an image, so you will begin to play out what may be required to capture such an image. hence half your work is done, when you get started, because you have prepared. I have often prepared for my shoots by seeking what type of lighting is available, and asking what the final result is to be used for. A commercial client, wanted a fashion cover shot indoors, under natural lighting from a window or other, for promotional backlit productions, such as poster boards etc (advertising that will show up any tiny fault, as the viewer can view the final artwork from close up) will seek extremely high quality detail and quite naturally seek minimise noise or film grain. I now know
to push my ISO to a certain level, and keep a tripod handy just in case. Just asking such questions, gives me an advantage straight away, as my technical constraints are immediately assisted. I can now afford more concentration on composition and posing style. I feel free to concentrate on the composition, because I have minimised one of my distractions, technical calculations. The other thing mental preparation allows for is choice of composition. There is nothing wrong with planning a particular shot and then setting it up on location or in studio. Also, choosing the elements which make up an image in your mind, can allow you to make a choice about what to leave out, keep in, which again frees up your time from scouting through a setting for things that “could” make a good image.
FIGURE 4. ABOVE THE RULE OF THIRDS DIAGRAM SHOWING LAYOUT
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Separation
Leading line takes us through the image, through our rule of thirds points, and re-connects us back to a third point.
Format choice As most cameras are built with a horizontal viewing mode as default, many great images, could be greater, by simply changing formats, to a vertical position. Panoramic, 6x4.5, and 35mm formats all have their own way of communicating. Each has their own “preferred” method to compose a setting as well. I often use a Linhof 617 Panoramic Camera, when shooting large travel images. With its wide angle across a horizontal plane, it can be easy to forget that it makes for a fantastic narrow vertical as well, when the setting calls for it. Remembering that becomes easier, when we apply all our black and white rules, such as visualization, and the mental imagination of the scene without colour. The absence of colour, allows us to concentrate on only the the tones of an image, and makes for seeing a great composition easier. The format chosen may instantly appear as not ideal when we view in black and white, whereas a coloured image, can stimulate our senses with vividness. Edges and containing the frame Keeping the elements away from the edges of your image, are crucial to locking your viewers interest on your image, and not allowing their attention to wander outside and begin looking at the surroundings of where your image is displayed, or where you are showing them the shot. Often a vignette, pronounced : vin - yet, (an ancient form of edge darkening), can assist with
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this, but is not yet achievable in camera. So what does that mean? It means we have to do it ourselves, that is, be mindful, conscious, of what we are including in our image, and if these elements are leading our eye “off the page”. Simplicity, separation and annoyances Simplicity directs immediate focus toward your subject, and in turn your message. Keeping your image simple, is not as easy as it sounds, it doesn’t just mean only have one element in your image, but rather keeps your message simple and direct. By visually separating the elements in your image, as well, you avoid blending of the message building components into a confusing mess. Without this simple technique, your message may be missed completely. Finally by removing annoyances such as background highlights and reflections you avoid the attention being pushed away from your subject (See Fig 2 and 3 on Page 14). Don’t shoot it and then photoshop it, move, bend, crouch, lean, search for the right angle that removes or at least minimizes these elements for you. Don’t be lazy. Remember your camera is a tool for your craft, use it’s features and visual prowess as an opportunity to see the world for what it shows you, not just what you want to see. If you do, I can guarantee your images will always fail in some regard. FIGURE 5. TOP AND MIDDLE. AWARD WINNING IMAGE DEMONSTRATING HOW TO VISUALIZE AND ARRANGE THE VARIOUS COMPONENTS WITH AN IMAGE TO ACHIEVE, LEADING LINES, SEPARATION AND EDGE CONTAINMENT.
READER SHOTS
Critiques
Narayan sent us this shot taken on New Years morning this year. this is a very clever image that just needs a simple crop to eliminate the branch on the left, and some of the “dead” space on the right. Sometimes, although we think we are leaving out bad elements, we are often still too far away. An old saying in photography is, “if you are not sure, get closer!” This is relevant in this shot. Narayan’s Nikon D5000 VR lens kit has done a great job of selective focus, using the small branch as a palm for the rising sun to rest in. The fast shutter speed of 1/1600th sec has also maintained great sharpness. Well done Narayan.
Narayan Maharjan
Nepal
Nishant Reddy
India
Nishant set us a few images for critique. I chose this as it would help the most. Captured on an old Olympus OM-10 shooting 400 ISO film, Nishant has simply tried to include too many things. I have indicated my preferred crop of this image which still tells us about the river and the stunning sunset, but keep small black rocks in the bottom left out of the picture. This also balances the image with the silhouetted boats diagonally opposed with the setting sun. The figure on the distance hill and the lone tree, are great, as they provide a sense of scale, but what kills this shot is the massive flare spot. Remember shooting direct into the sun, will always flare across your lens (the faint spots under the sun). A lens hood always helps to minimize these annoyances, but not when the sun it direct in your shot. It helps to move around and avoid the flare sitting on your subject. Thanks Nishant, concentrate on composition, hope this helps.
WE”VE HAD SOME GREAT ENTRIES SO FAR, KEEP SENDING US YOUR PICS FOR REVIEW AND CRITIQUE
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READER SHOTS
Critiques
Tyson Konecny Canada Tyson sent us a number of images of these boats on Shuswap Lake in British Columbia. This image, captured on Rebel XSI and 10-22mm lens, is a good example of being conscious of the edges of the frame, but lacks a story. In the background there are two buildings/ chalets/houses. If possible I would have liked to see the boat a little further back in the shot and the wharf used to connect the boat to the buildings. This will help us with questions such as “Who’s boat?, Why is it there?, Are they visiting someone?” Swapping to a horizontal format and moving slightly right, would have ruined the “directly in front “ view of the boat and ruined the balanced shape, but being able to back away slightly, to bring the house on the right and more of the wharf into view, as well as crouching to hide the building on the left, would greatly improve the image. Remember the story within an image, even it’s just a happy snap or travel shot, and it will become so much more appealing, when the subject tells a story by connecting with it’s environment. Hope that helps Tyson.
WE”VE HAD SOME GREAT ENTRIES SO FAR, KEEP SENDING US YOUR PICS FOR REVIEW AND CRITIQUE
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[email protected] NEXT ISSUE 7 - May 2011 Are you Commercially viable?
GOT A ? SUGGESTION s! ea id ur Email us yo e stacey@stev u rutherford.com.a
Wedding Bliss, catching the best bits Wildlife shooting, without Bear Grylls! Layering in Photoshop the smart way! 19
