The post dPS Weekly Photography Challenge : Steam appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Sime.
Welcome back to another weekly challenge! We’re back into another week of lockdown here in Melbourne and it’s really not fun! We hope you are all doing OK out there.
We have a potentially more technical and challenging challenge for some, photographing steam can be tricky! You need to work on getting the steam (or smoke) and the light source (the sun, a flash, a torch, anything really) in the right place to highlight the steam for your camera.
Make a new photo for this challenge and share it in the comments below the post, or in our Facebook Group. Make sure if you share it on your social media, Facebook, Instagram or Twitter, that you tag us so we can see and use the hashtag #dPSWeeklyChallenge #dPSSteam
It can be a tough subject, here’s a great how-to for you! “How to Light and Photograph Smoke and Steam in a Home Studio Setting”
“Have you ever tried to photograph smoke or steam? Perhaps you’re doing a portrait of a smoker or a steaming cup of coffee. Odds are that sooner or later you may face this challenge. Fortunately, the lighting technique is not as elusive as the subject”
Photo by Jon Tyson on Unsplash
You don’t want to sit around here all day waiting for me to finish rambling on, it’s time to get out there and make your photograph!
As ever, some help with sharing your photo in the comments below (don’t click on this photo to upload your photo, scroll down to the Disqus section, log in, THEN click on the little camera icon in the comments)
Simply upload your shot into the comments field (look for the little camera icon in the Disqus comments section) and they’ll get embedded for us all to see. Or, if you’d prefer, upload them to your favorite photo-sharing site and leave the link to them.
The post dPS Weekly Photography Challenge : Steam appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Sime.
The post 10 Tips for Beautiful Smartphone Landscape Photography appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Rick Ohnsman.
You’ve likely heard this before: The best camera is the one you have with you. Trite, but absolutely true. The high-end DSLR or mirrorless camera you might own is totally worthless if it’s sitting in your car, your hotel room, or your home when a great photo opportunity presents itself.
On the other hand, we almost always have a smartphone on hand, and their photo capabilities continue to improve by leaps and bounds. So if you want to capture stunning landscapes, why not learn to take better photos with the camera you always have with you? Why not learn to do smartphone landscape photography?
My current Android smartphone (an LG V30 H931) may not have the best camera, but it’s often the best camera I have with me, and that’s what counts. All the photos in this article are smartphone images, often made on my V30.
More than a few times, I’ve chatted with talented photographers who scoff at the idea of serious photography with a smartphone. Knowing I shoot both phone and dedicated camera images, they sometimes admire an image I’ve made, but then ask, “Did you take that with your real camera?”
My “real camera?” Why do some think a smartphone camera isn’t real, or that a person that shoots with one isn’t a real photographer?
I would argue that if you make a nice image, it doesn’t matter what you use to make it. Has anyone ever looked at a da Vinci painting and asked whether he painted it with a real brush?
This truly is “drive-by shooting,” as I snapped it out the car window while racing down the road. My DSLR was still stashed in my backpack.
The fact is that most modern smartphone cameras have far better specs than DSLRs from a decade ago. Sure, certain factors favor DSLRs, such as the greater control, the ability to use interchangeable lenses, and the larger sensor size. But the idea that you can’t make great images with a smartphone camera? Hogwash, I say!
So let’s give you 10 tips on how you can get better images when doing smartphone landscape photography.
I’ve photographed this windmill before, so upon witnessing the sunset while driving home, I raced for the spot with the only camera I had with me: my smartphone.
1. Make photographs, don’t take snapshots
To be a better photographer, you must move beyond the idea that you “take” a photo. Ansel Adams said it succinctly:
“You don’t take a photograph, you make it.”
What’s the difference? The idea is that you think about what you’re trying to communicate with your photo, then do everything you can to include that, and only that, in your shot. Another way to put it: Snapshots are taken by people who just point and click. Photographs are made by artists who give thought to the image they are creating.
Ultimately, it doesn’t matter what instrument you use, smartphone or high-end digital camera. What counts is the thought you put into your work. You generally won’t need to make a landscape photograph in a hurry, so slow down and think about what you’re doing.
If you only take one tip from this article, make sure it’s this one. Your smartphone landscape photography will be far ahead of the rest of the happy snappers who just point and shoot.
I’d driven past this location many times and had already visualized the image in my head. So one day, I just had to stop, pull out my smartphone, and record the photo.
2. Compose, then expose
Getting down in the wheat field with the stalks just inches from the smartphone lens gave an immersive feel to this image. Smartphone optics are good for this kind of thing!
Composition is king in photography, no matter your camera.
So study compositional techniques such as the rule of thirds. Use the thirds grid on your smartphone to assist you. Do “border patrol” of your shot, looking for distracting elements around the edges of the frame.
Consider whether you should use portrait (vertical) or landscape (horizontal) mode for the shot. Just because you typically hold your phone vertically doesn’t mean you should always take photos that way. In fact, most landscape images benefit from a landscape mode composition. (Guess that’s why they call it that, huh?)
Composition is still king in smartphone landscape photography. Note how the horizon is on the top third line and the barn sits at the power-point intersection of the right third line: the rule of thirds at work.
Of course, sometimes portrait mode is better suited for a shot. Thanks to their small sensors and wide lenses, smartphones feature excellent depth of field, which can make for beautiful near/far images (with everything sharp from foreground to horizon).
To emphasize the height of the cliffs and the stretch of the coastline, I decided that portrait mode was the proper orientation for this shot.
Note that creating such an expansive depth of field would require an ultra-narrow aperture – or even a focus stack – on a DSLR. But on a smartphone camera, it requires nothing extra.
With a 1.78mm lens, even an f-stop of f/1.9 gives a huge depth of field, spanning from inches away from the lens to infinity.
3. Seek the light
Since we have our smartphones with us most of the time, we can make photos whenever we like. But images in midday sun usually won’t look great no matter what camera you use. Nice light is always going to make for a better photo.
So if you can do your smartphone landscape photography in the early morning or late evening – the “magic hours” – you’ll almost always end up with more dramatic images.
This location at a local park is nothing special during the day. With a night sunset, however, it makes for great silhouettes. Seek the light!
Modern smartphone cameras have also become much better at low-light shooting, so don’t overlook the possibility of night photos.
4. Take control of your settings
Beginning photographers, even with higher-end cameras, often stick to the simplicity of automatic modes and let the camera determine the focus, aperture, shutter speed, ISO, and white balance.
Yet while early smartphone cameras offered no option for manual control, many modern smartphone cameras now offer full manual control over settings. You can also find apps that expand your camera control, such as A Better Camera for Android-based phones or Camera+ 2 for iPhones.
By taking control of your camera settings, you can create better landscape photos – so make sure to explore these options, even if you currently feel more comfortable with your smartphone’s Auto mode.
5. Use all available lenses
My smartphone has two cameras, one with a wider angle of view than the other. Some newer smartphones now have four cameras on the back, a response to the lack of interchangeable lenses.
It used to be that a distinct advantage of standard cameras over smartphone cameras was lens interchangeability. A smartphone had one lens with a fixed focal length, no optical zoom, and a set aperture.
But look at the back of a modern smartphone, and you’ll see multiple cameras. An iPhone 12 Pro Max features three cameras, while a Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra sports four. There’s also the selfie-cam on the front, but that’s not one you’re likely to use for landscape photography.
Go wide and go vertical, a great way to emphasize these towering redwoods.
If you have additional lenses, take advantage of them! On the other hand, don’t use digital zoom. Sure, it might seem easy to “zoom” into a composition with a simple touch of the screen, but you’re actually just cropping the image and losing resolution in the process.
I’d also discourage clip-on lenses for smartphones. These are always fiddly to work with and almost never produce quality images. Save your money. If you need a more versatile lens than your smartphone but still want something pocketable, check out some of the great point-and-shoot cameras that have superzooms and good specs.
6. Three legs are better than none
As a mostly landscape photographer, I shoot from a tripod about 85% of the time. However, I often see other landscape photographers happily working away with no tripod in sight.
Yes, lens and IBIS (in-body image stabilization) has brought us a long way, and if the light permits, a fast shutter speed might negate the advantage of a tripod. Still, I firmly believe that using a tripod will improve your landscape photography.
You need three legs to make this shot. A four-second exposure requires the steadiness of a tripod and manual control of your smartphone camera.
But being a tripod-evangelist isn’t an easy assignment. People don’t want to be bothered. Now try convincing smartphone photographers they should use a tripod!
Yet I’ve got to say it: A tripod does have a place in smartphone landscape photography. When the light is low and your shutter speed gets longer, being able to keep the camera still is the difference between a fuzzy shot and a tack-sharp shot. Add the ability to take really long exposures (yes, many smartphone cameras can now do this), and a tripod can sometimes make a lot of sense.
There is one good thing, however: you don’t need a big tripod for your tiny cellphone. Pocketable tripods can do the trick; couple one with a Bluetooth remote trigger, and you can do multi-second exposures with your smartphone. Joby, the company that invented the GorillaPod, is a good place to look.
By the way, if you’re going to be using your standard tripod with your smartphone, a smartphone adapter is a good addition to your bag.
7. You’re not done until you’ve edited
Some photographers believe you should get your image right in-camera so you don’t have to edit. They don’t like to edit their images, ever.
I disagree.
Whether taken with a regular camera or a smartphone, almost any shot can be made better with some editing. You will often want to crop, adjust exposure, and perhaps go even further. Fortunately, there are excellent editing apps for smartphones, and they’re often free.
My absolute favorite is Snapseed. It’s available for both Android and iPhone and is completely free. It’s very easy to learn, has a nice array of tools, and it is rare that any smartphone image I consider a keeper does not get the Snapseed treatment.
There are many other great smartphone editing apps, though. Adobe Lightroom has a mobile version that is very good. Some may argue that the whole idea of smartphone photography is “quick and easy photography” and therefore balk at editing. I get it, but I still think that almost any image can be improved with some fine-tuning.
You’re not done until you edit! The top shot is straight out of the smartphone camera. The bottom version is edited with Snapseed. You can almost always improve a photo with a little editing.
8. Got a backup? Make one!
With standard cameras, we typically have image files stored on a card in the camera. Remove that card, copy the files to the computer, and make a backup – that’s the standard workflow.
Shooting with a smartphone, however, the images are stored in internal memory and sometimes on a micro SD card in the phone. You can connect your phone to your computer or plug in the micro SD card, but who does that? Most people just let the images stay on their phone. Which is fine, until your phone crashes, the storage is corrupted, or you break or lose your phone.
Now, what if your images were backed up to the cloud – as soon as you shot them? Not only would you have a backup, you’d have the images in a place where they could be easily shared to social media, emailed, whatever you prefer. There are many apps that will do this, but as an Android user, I look no further than Google Photos. iPhone users can also use Google Photos, but might instead opt for iCloud.
I don’t like carrying my regular camera on a dirt bike ride, but my smartphone camera? Yup, it’s the one that’s always with me. As long as I’m in range of a cell tower, my photos are immediately backed up as soon as I shoot them.
Whatever option you choose, the idea is to have an app that immediately and automatically syncs your smartphone images to the cloud for safe backup.
9. Use GPS data to track your photo locations
Almost all smartphones will embed the GPS coordinates of a photo in the EXIF data. Bring up a photo, and in many apps, you will be able to see exactly when and where that photo was made. Some apps will also present pins on a map showing where a collection of photos was shot. If you decide you want to go back to that spot, it’s easy to find it again.
They call this beautiful spot on the Oregon coast “Secret Beach,” but even though it’s not signed, enough people have posted GPS-tagged images of it online that it’s not much of a secret anymore.
There is a downside to photos being tagged with GPS data. If you post a GPS-tagged image on social media, viewers can determine exactly where the photo was taken. This has caused an ethical dilemma for landscape photographers. Places that used to be known only to a few are now known widely. Photographers seeing a great photo online often think, “I want to go to that spot, too!” The problem is that beautiful places are being overrun, trampled down, littered, and even vandalized by unscrupulous people. Some places are now closed off because they were “loved to death” by the crowds who discovered them online.
So as an ethical landscape photographer, you may wish to consider stripping off the GPS data from your images before posting. It may not be necessary for the most well-known spots, as people already know where those are. But if you find a really great waterfall way up a mountain trail, consider keeping it a secret. Not only will you have an exclusive shot, but you’ll prevent hordes of people from descending upon it.
Take a look at a GPS-tagged photo with Google Maps or Lightroom, and you can see right where the photo was taken. The Portland Head lighthouse isn’t much of a secret, but think twice before posting GPS-tagged photos.
10. Previsualize with your smartphone camera
When out on a landscape photo outing, I almost always have my smartphone in my pocket and my main camera and equipment in a backpack. Often, I will use the smartphone as a tool to previsualize and help compose a shot. I’ll make some photos, consider my vantage point, and then determine if I even want to set up my tripod and bring out my other gear. This has several advantages.
These bristlecone pines in the White Mountains of California are the oldest living things on earth (over 5,000 years old!). I wasn’t going to forget my DSLR when I went to shoot them, but I first did these previsualization shots with my smartphone.
If the shot doesn’t have merit, I will move on, not even going to the trouble of bringing out my DSLR. On the other hand, if it is a good shot, I will have captured GPS data, plus I’ll have a smartphone image that will be uploaded to the cloud.
And here’s the kicker: Occasionally, my smartphone shot will be better than what I later shoot with my DSLR. There have been times when, with changing light, the first capture is best. Sometimes the smartphone camera will process the image as a JPEG and achieve better results than I get when editing the RAW file from my main camera. There have also been times when I didn’t bother to shoot a DSLR photo – the smartphone shot was all I took – and was later happy I did because it turned out great.
We left the cameras in the car and hiked down to the shore of Mono Lake to check out the tufa formations. Good thing I had my smartphone camera, as this rain squall passed over the island in the distance. By the time I got back with my DSLR, the shot was gone.
Here’s a shot using the sweep panorama feature within my smartphone that automatically stitches the images together.
Want a really big pano with your smartphone? Shoot a series of vertical shots (maybe 20 or so) and let a smartphone app like Bimostitch assemble them. The finished image of this 180-degree panorama is 6227×2753 pixels.
11. Try shooting in RAW
The article title promised 10 tips, but I’m going to throw in this 11th item, just for free! Really, it’s not so much a tip as something for you to explore.
Many newer smartphone cameras can now shoot in RAW format. My current LG V30 does this, and I have successfully brought its DNGs into Lightroom for editing.
That said, I often find that the additional work this requires (plus the huge file sizes and the drawback of not having an easily uploadable JPEG) makes RAW smartphone shooting too much of a hassle. AIso, I’m usually hard-pressed to edit a RAW file into a better image than a JPEG.
Many smartphones excel at macro shots. I could have shot this in a RAW format, but I doubt I could’ve processed it any better than this JPEG. If the smartphone can do a better job, why go to the extra work of shooting RAW? (Note: I did edit the JPEG with Snapseed.)
If your smartphone can shoot in RAW, give it a test and see what you think. I typically advocate shooting in RAW, but if the end result isn’t any better, why do it?
Smartphone landscape photography tips: conclusion
I’d never tell you to sell your dedicated camera and shoot only with a smartphone. As a dedicated photography tool, your DSLR or mirrorless camera should generally be capable of making superior images, especially if you’ll be printing large. But smartphone cameras get better with every generation, and it’s become impossible to dismiss them as not “real cameras.” As has been the case since the early days of film, it is the photographer, not the camera, that makes a great photograph.
Of course, practice makes perfect. If using the camera you have with you causes you to take more photos and get the shot you otherwise would have missed, then by all means, start doing more smartphone landscape photography!
Smartphone landscape photography FAQs
Is my smartphone camera adequate for doing quality landscape photography?
Most likely. Some believe a smartphone is not a “real camera,” but modern smartphone cameras are now more sophisticated than the DSLRs of just a few years ago. Unless your intent is to make large prints, your smartphone images will be more than adequate for most purposes.
What is the most important thing to remember in smartphone landscape photography?
The answer is the same for any kind of photography, regardless of what kind of camera you use: composition is king. Take the time to frame up your image using the standard rules of good composition, and your shots will automatically be better than those of the “happy snappers” who just point and shoot.
What should I do to take my smartphone landscape photography up a notch?
Learn to use the manual controls of your smartphone camera. These may be built in, or you may need an app, but just as serious photographers using standard cameras learn to work in manual modes, you should learn to do the same with your smartphone camera.
What else can I do to make better smartphone landscape photos?
Edit your images. Many smartphone photographers think they’re done when they click the shutter, but almost any photograph can be improved with some editing. For smartphone photography, Snapseed is a great place to start.
The post 10 Tips for Beautiful Smartphone Landscape Photography appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Rick Ohnsman.
The post 12 Creative Photography Project Ideas to Get You Motivated appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Simon Bond.
Looking for some fun, creative photography project ideas to get you inspired and excited about taking photos?
It’s always good to be involved in a photography project, and in this article, I’m going to share 12 of my favorite project ideas, including 52-week projects, 365-day projects, and more.
So if you’re ready to find the right project for your needs, then let’s get started!
Learning a new technique, such as the zoom burst, makes for a great creative photography project.
Before you start your creative photography project
As with anything in life, once you have a project idea, it’s important to think it over and make a clear plan of action. This is a big step toward being successful. So if you have a project in mind, before you actually start snapping photos, consider the following points:
Give yourself time. Keep in mind the amount of free time you have. Is it realistic for you to complete the project? There are some projects that take a real time commitment; make sure you have a good plan in place if this is the type of project you decide to tackle. And ask yourself: Are there any important events over the next few weeks, months, or year, such as a wedding or a house move, that might make it difficult to finish?
Plan out all the details. If your project is long term, perhaps lasting a whole year, then make a plan for how you’ll achieve it. A 365 project is especially demanding, as you need to take a photograph every day. If you can, plan out every day of the project – and make your plan prior to getting started.
Allow for the unexpected. There will be times when you get sick, come home late, or your drive or motivation isn’t quite there. The plan you make for your project should include some easy days. Think of it as cooking ahead and having some frozen food in the fridge ready to reheat. In photography, there are always a number of photos that are very easy to take but still look striking. Keep some easier photos held back for times that you need a break.
12 creative photography projects to energize your work
As a year is 12 months long, I’ve included 12 project ideas (though some of them will take all year, whereas others might only take a weekend). Pick your favorite, or – if you’re ambitious! – choose more than one!
1. The 52-week project
This is a year-long project where you take one photograph per week. Tackling such a lengthy project is demanding, but if you can plan out some (or all) of your shots before the project starts, you’ll be a lot more successful.
Note that you can always customize the project to keep things more interesting and/or cohesive:
You can have a monthly theme. This might be a month of portraits, a month of landscapes, a month of spring, and so on.
You can have a weekly theme. The first week can be shadows, followed by camera rotation, with digital blending after that, etc.
If you want to do regular photography but you’re not quite ready for a daily project, the 52-week project is a great one to pick.
This photo used a technique called digital blending. Doing a 52-week project where you learn one technique a week can do wonders for your skills as a photographer.
2. The 365-day project
This is an intimidating project to take on, which is why many people go for the 52-week version listed above. However, like a relationship that requires a major time commitment, the reward for this project is often worth it.
Now, the original 365 project required daily self-portraits, which made it even tougher to complete. But a lot of people simply look to take one good photograph per day, be it a landscape, portrait, or macro shot. If you’re not sure how to get started, here are a few ideas:
The self-portrait 365 project. Take a selfie every day for a year.
What’s on your plate? Photograph your meal every day.
Life at sea. Show the different aspects of sea life. This is a diverse project that can include seascapes, macro photos, fishermen, and underwater photography (if you have the gear).
You eat every day. Why not turn your food into a 365-day project?
3. Follow one consistent theme
Want to really focus your mind (and hone a specific set of photography skills)? Choose a theme, and only take photos aligned with that theme.
This creative photography project can easily work as a 365-day or 52-week project. Here are just a few ideas to get you started:
Concentrate on a single technique. Take photos with a crystal ball, using an infrared camera, etc.
Have a topic for inspiration. Look at everyday objects and occurrences, then pick a topic that interests you. You might photograph only Chinese food, for example. Or you could do a clothes-related project – you could photograph only denim, or if you’re in Korea, you could photograph hanbok.
Photograph at the same time every day. Pick a time of the day and photograph only at this time. For instance, you might shoot every day at 6 PM, which will offer plenty of interesting light (plus, it will change throughout the year).
Photographing with a theme, such as a country’s traditional clothes, can be a great project. In this photo, all the women are wearing Korean hanbok.
4. Limit yourself to 24 photos
Photographers who photograph film know all about restraint – they will attest to the importance of really considering every photograph. So why not put yourself in their shoes and limit yourself to a certain number of shots per outing, day, or week?
The specific limit is a personal choice, but make sure the number isn’t too large (you want the project to involve some actual work, after all!). Personally, I like the idea of 24 shots – this hearkens back to the days of film – though you can also do 36, 20, or even 10.
To really emulate the feeling of shooting film, try only capturing 24 photographs for one week (no deleting)! With this project, every time you hit the shutter, you need to know you’re photographing from the best possible angle and with the best composition. Learning to successfully shoot with restraint will improve your work in leaps and bounds.
5. Use the title of a song or album
Delving into other mediums can be a great way to come up with a cool creative photography project. A lot of people take a photo, then make a title to go with it – but a better approach for creativity is to know the title of your photograph before you hit the shutter button.
In other words: You determine your photography concept in advance based on your shot title. Then you problem-solve to get the result you need.
You can get your titles anywhere, but I recommend looking to your favorite music album or song. Here are a few additional ideas:
The project could use an artist’s album titles
You could choose song titles, then turn them into photo titles
You can use the lyrics in a song to inspire photos
“The Passenger” is a famous song by Iggy Pop. Song titles can be great inspiration for photographs!
6. Use only one (prime) lens
Most photographers own quite a few lenses, not to mention zooms with huge focal length ranges. And while this isn’t necessarily a bad thing, you may find yourself becoming lazy over time – using your zoom lenses, staying in the exact same place, not making a significant effort to really work a scene.
That’s where this photography project idea comes in handy. Simply shoot with a single lens for a day, a week, or a month, and you’ll quickly appreciate the value of careful composition, zooming with your feet, and more.
A really good lens to get started with is the nifty 50 (i.e., a 50mm f/1.8 or f/1.4). The fixed focal length will force you to consider composition more carefully, and you’ll get a perspective similar to the human eye.
Of course, you have plenty of options, and any lens you could choose will have its merits. If you want to get really creative, try using a fisheye, tilt-shift, or macro lens.
You get to choose one lens. Which will it be?
7. Only use a smartphone
Who says your creative photography project should be high-tech? There’s a lot to be said for stripping your photography gear down to the basics, and your smartphone is perfect for this.
There are plenty of camera apps that can give your smartphone DSLR-like functionality (and you can buy clip-on lenses if you’re looking for added flexibility).
That said, the purest smartphone project will only use your phone’s basic camera app. So don’t be afraid to pack away your fancy cameras and use your smartphone’s native camera app for a week. Focus on what you can do with composition, light, and a perfectly timed moment of capture.
The best camera is the one you have with you, especially when the sky does this! An iPhone 4 was used to take this photo.
8. Find a story
No matter where you live, you can find a story to tell, though it will likely differ depending on whether you’re in a city, the country, a hot climate, or a cold one. Is your local area famous for any type of food? Are there any famous landmarks such as castles or temples nearby? How about an annual festival?
Once you’ve settled on your story, approach it in the way you’d photograph on assignment for a magazine. Try to tell the entire story. Use a variety of techniques and shoot a variety of subjects.
At the end of the project, you should spend some time picking a final set of photos – not necessarily the best individual shots, but the images that best tell a story. If you get a good result, you might even consider pitching it to a magazine!
It’s good to practice photographing for a magazine. That way, when National Geographic comes knocking, you’ll be ready!
9. Learn a totally new technique
Once you know how to use your camera, it’s easy to get complacent – to shoot with the exact same techniques, the same settings, the same rhythm. So why not try focusing your project on a new technique?
Learning a new technique can be both exciting and intimidating. It may also require a significant time commitment. There are not many creative photography projects more energizing than learning something brand new, though. Here are some fun techniques to consider:
Digital blending. This technique will improve both your landscape photography and your Photoshop skills. There are aspects of blending that are tough to master, but it will absolutely be worth it.
Crystal balls. Using a glass ball as a type of external lens is a lot of fun, and it’s a great way to create some unusual photos.
Light painting. This is a hot topic in photography. Will you learn to take zoom bursts? How about making light orbs? Will you use a Pixelstick?
Drone photography. This is another photographic genre that’s becoming increasingly popular. Invest in a drone, shoot with it regularly, and you’ll be on the cutting edge of photography.
Hyperlapse. Take a series of photos and turn them into a video. Some of the most creative photography projects out there use this technique!
Off-camera flash. Many photographers struggle to master flash; take the time to learn it, and you’ll go a long way.
Learning to use off-camera flash will give your creativity a huge boost.
10. Have a potluck photography party
Everyone’s been to a potluck party – they’re the ones where everyone brings along their own food. And the collaborative nature of potluck parties makes them perfect for getting together with other photographers as part of a creative photography project.
How do you organize a potluck photography party? Each person should bring along the following:
A camera body and one camera lens
One prop or piece of camera equipment
While everyone will use their own camera to take photos, the idea is that the prop or piece of equipment can be shared – so you might end up with one tripod, or one umbrella, for the entire group. And at every event, the available equipment will be different, offering different image opportunities.
You can come up with a theme for the potluck that everyone must follow, or you can have a theme for your own shots. This one’s a very open-ended project idea, so have fun with it!
Photography collaborations are a great way to improve your photos. They give you a chance to bounce ideas off others, which is always helpful.
11. Follow an A-Z photography list
This type of project can be extremely fun. All you do is photograph the alphabet!
You might start by writing out a list of topics you want to photograph (one for each letter). Or you can take a more spontaneous approach and photograph each letter as you encounter it.
This is a fun game that can be used for group photowalks, or you can play it on your own – when traveling, or simply when out with your camera.
“K” is for “Kuala Lumpur.” Are you a frequent traveler? Consider making your project about photographing places with an A-Z list!
12. A day in the life
A day in the life is a good, short project to work on – because it only lasts one day! Simply find someone whose life you want to photograph and ask them if you can tag along for a day.
Of course, you don’t have to stop there. You can always do a series covering different people. And the project doesn’t have to be about people; life is everywhere, so you could follow your pet or even photograph a natural area.
That said, the best projects do tend to be about people and their lives (a day in the life that looks at different people’s professions is a great choice).
Following a person for a day and photographing their life can be a rewarding experience.
This woman was a chambermaid by day and an Apsara dancer by night.
Get started with your creative photography project!
Well, there you have it:
12 photography project ideas to get you motivated! Hopefully, you found at least one or two of these ideas compelling – so pick your favorite, make a plan, and then dive in!
Now over to you:
Have you tried a photography project before? Do you have any favorite projects you’d like to share? Also, which project from this list do you plan to do? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
The post 12 Creative Photography Project Ideas to Get You Motivated appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Simon Bond.
The post dPS Weekly Photography Challenge Mirrors appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Sime.
We asked for your suggestions for our weekly photo challenge over on Twitter, and Todd replied with ‘Mirrors‘ which is always a fun challenge! Most people have access to one (My 11yo needs to use one more before going to school haha) and the creativity factor is high on this one – be in the frame, don’t be, it’s your choice!
‘Morning’
#dPSMirrors is the theme, make sure you use the hashtag if you’re posting on social media, and pop across and thank Todd for the theme this week (Feel free to suggest a theme in your comment!)
‘Moving Pictures’
Angling the mirror to show a different scene within a scene as above, how did I do it? Guesses welcome! Was it one frame or two?
‘Worlds beyond your phone’
Obviously I didn’t venture out of my bathroom for my series of images, and that’s fine – you can do the same! I had an idea for another photo, but I got ‘that look’ when I asked my wife if I could take her full length mirror to the park… bah! Anyway!
As ever, some help with sharing your photo in the comments below (don’t click on this photo to upload your photo, scroll down to the Disqus section, log in, THEN click on the little camera icon in the comments)
Simply upload your shot into the comments field (look for the little camera icon in the Disqus comments section) and they’ll get embedded for us all to see. Or, if you’d prefer, upload them to your favorite photo-sharing site and leave the link to them.
The post dPS Weekly Photography Challenge Mirrors appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Sime.
The post 12 Tips to Capture Stunning Vegetable Photography appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Ana Mireles.
Are you interested in vegetable photography? Then you’ve come to the right place.
In this article, you’ll find plenty of tips and tricks for photographing vegetables; if you’re a food photography beginner, you’ll learn how to get started, and if you’re already a food photography enthusiast, you’ll discover easy ways to improve your results.
Now, I’m not a botanist or a chef, so I apologize in advance if my example photos contain food that’s not technically a vegetable. And in photography, the categories are more flexible. (If you think of the most famous vegetable photographs, you’ll probably think of Edward Weston’s Pepper series, and peppers are technically a fruit!)
In any case, feel free to use these techniques with raw produce in general: fruits, vegetables, legumes, mushrooms, etc.
Now that we got that out of the way, let’s get started.
1. Handpick your produce
Canon 70D | 55mm | f/4.5 | 1/250s | ISO 100
If you were taking a professional portrait, you would cast your model, right? Well, the same should be true for vegetable photography – before getting out your camera, you need to carefully pick your “hero” subject.
If you’re photographing for commercial purposes, you might want to look for the shiniest, roundest, most perfect vegetable you can find.
However, if you’re doing a personal project or a still life, you can take some liberties. You don’t need to use the best looking product; instead, aim to find produce that looks interesting. Find a vegetable that complements the props you’re using or that features a noticeable texture, etc.
No matter what individual item you end up using, the point is that you take the time to choose. You should find a market or a store that allows you to pick the produce yourself (don’t order online!). And try to get to the store early in the day so you can have first pick of the produce. Also, avoid peak hours so that you can take your time.
Consider talking to the seller. Explain what you usually look for in products. Once you make friends, they can be of great help and may even give you some insider tips on how to treat the produce.
2. Pay careful attention to composition
Canon 70D | 38mm | f/8 | 1/100s | ISO 100
The composition is the way you organize the items inside the frame. And the right composition will help the viewer navigate your picture.
There are many guidelines that can help improve vegetable photography compositions, but the most basic tip is to use the rule of thirds, which suggests that you position key elements a third of the way into the frame. And because most cameras and smartphones have a handy rule of thirds grid overlay, it’s an easy way to get started.
There are many other compositional guidelines you can follow, ranging from simple leading lines to more complex triangles and the rule of odds, so make sure you familiarize yourself with these composition tips.
3. Choose the right shutter speed, aperture, and ISO
Canon 70D | 55mm | f/8 | 1/100s | ISO 200
Your camera settings will determine both the exposure and the final look of your photos. So while getting a correct exposure is important, you also need to consider the impact that each setting will have on your shot.
Specifically, you’ll want to think about your three primary settings: shutter speed, aperture, and ISO.
A fast shutter speed is key when you have a moving element. In the case of vegetable photography, this could be a splash of water or even a hand that’s chopping the produce. Shutter speed is also helpful if you’re shooting handheld; the faster your shutter speed, the more likely you are to eliminate camera shake.
The aperture helps determine the depth of field. Smaller apertures give a deeper depth of field, while larger apertures will give you a nice background blur. Keep in mind that the focal length and the distance between the camera and the subject influence depth of field, as well.
Finally, there’s the ISO. This setting is often overlooked by beginner photographers, but a small ISO value will ensure a smooth image while a high ISO will introduce noise.
4. Change the angle of view
Canon 70D | 42mm | f/4 | 1/100s | ISO 100
The position of the camera in relation to the subject is very important – it affects the composition, the depth of field, and it helps define what you are communicating with your picture.
There are three common angles used in food photography: down from above, table level, and a 45-degree angle that mimics the way you see food when you’re sitting down to eat. So use these as your starting points (though bear in mind that they are just guidelines, so feel free to move around until you find the perfect viewpoint.)
I advise you to get your main shot the way you initially envisioned it. Then experiment with other angles. You might happen upon a great perspective that you hadn’t considered!
5. Use color to make your photos stand out
Canon 70D | 55mm | f/5.6 | 1/80s | ISO 100
Color can be a great way to improve your vegetable photography. The great thing about natural subjects such as vegetables is that they already have colors that work wonderfully together, so use these to your advantage. Find orange carrots with their green leaves or a colorful variety of chili peppers, then arrange them in striking compositions.
That said, you don’t necessarily need to use contrasting colors that make the subject pop – you can also go monochrome to create a mood or to help the viewer focus on shape and texture.
And you can always use the color wheel to discover new color palettes and color palette inspiration. Adobe has a wonderful tool called Adobe Color, and it’s available even if you don’t have a membership. It can even show you color trends and color palettes based on concepts and ideas.
6. Experiment with close-ups
Canon 70D | 55mm | f/8 | 1/50s | ISO 800
One of the things I enjoy most while shooting vegetables is getting up close and capturing wonderful textures and patterns.
If you’re shooting for commercial purposes, close-ups may be less feasible, but they’re great for personal projects. You don’t need lots of specialized gear, either; a macro lens is a big help, but you can also work with a telephoto or wide-angle lens and focus as close as possible.
Then, you can create your final result with some cropping in post-production. Keep in mind that you will be losing pixels with this process, so use the highest resolution camera that you have available.
7. Use light modifiers (and a tripod)
Canon 70D | 45mm | f/8 | 1/100s | ISO 800
You can do great vegetable photography with natural light and a handheld camera. However, adding some accessories to your setup can help you achieve better results.
Light modifiers make a big difference whether you use artificial light or natural light. Use diffusers or lightboxes to soften the light and avoid hard shadows. And reflectors can bounce back the light to fill in the shadows, while flags can help you block and direct the light. All of these can be purchased for cheap, or you can DIY them.
A tripod is important when there isn’t lots of light for handholding. Plus, it can help with your compositions and special techniques like focus stacking.
8. Think about lighting direction and contrast
Canon 70D | 55mm | f/8 | 1/3s | ISO 100
Careful use of lighting will shape your photos the way you want them. In vegetable photography, you’ll often work with natural light, though you can also use artificial light to achieve a specific mood (or when you don’t have enough natural light available).
Either way, there are two main aspects of light you need to consider: its direction and its contrast. In other words, where is the light coming from and how harsh does the light appear?
If you want dark, defined shadows, you need hard light. If you prefer even lighting with diffused shadows, you need soft light.
As far as the lighting direction, backlighting offers many creative choices. Sidelighting helps to highlight texture and add depth. Frontal lights flatten the elements, which is great for flat-lay shots.
Feel free to experiment with different setups. And make sure you study the work of other photographers to determine what you like and how it’s done.
9. Use a complementary (or non-distracting) backdrop
Canon 70D | 55mm | f/2.8 | 1/6s | ISO 100
As with any type of photography, the background is just as important as the subject. You should choose a background that complements the subject – or, at the very least, doesn’t distract from it.
You can’t go wrong with neutral, solid backgrounds. However, they can be a bit limiting for your creative vision. Wood backdrops are a nice match for vegetable photography, especially if you’re going for a rustic, just-harvested look. You can also use marbled tabletops or tiles if you want to create a kitchen feel.
The background will help you create the mood. Unfortunately, not everybody has the budget and the space to have a lot of backdrops at home, but you can always use printed sheets or digital backgrounds displayed on your TV or your computer.
10. Style before you shoot
Canon 70D | 28mm | f/8 | 1/80s | ISO 100
Styling is a big part of food photography, including vegetable photography. Even if you decide to isolate a single vegetable, that’s a styling choice, as is the decision to position it whole, chopped, peeled, etc.
If your vegetables aren’t isolated and you decide to introduce props, these will also require careful consideration. Do you want to present the food in a wicker basket or on a designer plate? Do you want to add cutlery? Do you plan to introduce a human element?
Different stylistic elements will help you to create your chosen ambiance and convey a specific message with your photos.
11. Enhance your vegetable photography with editing
If you want to really take your vegetable images to the next level, I highly recommend you do some editing.
Start by fine-tuning the composition using the Crop tool. Most programs like Photoshop or Lightroom even include some composition overlays to guide you while cropping.
You can adjust the white balance and exposure, if necessary, though I recommend you do the best you can while shooting in-camera to avoid having to fix problems in post-production.
(That said, try to shoot in RAW to maximize the amount of information you have to work with when processing.)
When editing vegetable photography, I recommend keeping it on the realistic side. Of course, you can add your own aesthetic style – by giving the file a vintage look or using warm tones to simulate the golden hour – but make sure you don’t overdo it.
One more tip: If any of your vegetables have a dent or a damaged spot that’s distracting, feel free to fix it with the Clone Stamp or Healing tools.
12. Have fun with levitation (and other special effects)
Canon 70D | 38mm | f/6.3 | 1/80s | ISO 100
If you want to spice things up in your vegetable photography, try adding some special effects.
There are different choices that you can make – for example, you can do splash photography or chiaroscuro photography – but today I’d like to talk about levitation photography.
This is really trendy right now and it looks very impressive, but it all comes down to a simple composite. I’ll give you the basic steps, and you can then make your shot as elaborate as you want.
The levitation shot
You’ll need props to hold up the vegetables and arrange them in a pleasing composition. There’s no hard rule about this as you’re going to remove the items in Photoshop later; you can use toothpicks (like I used in the example image above), or you can use threads if you want to hang the food from outside the frame.
If you’re just starting out with levitation photography, try to use a very soft light. That way, you won’t have to deal with toothpick shadows (shadows are usually the hardest part of any composite). A dark background can provide a little extra help.
Once you have all the elements where you want them, position your camera and set the exposure. Make sure you adjust your settings manually as they need to be the same in all the pictures you use for the composite.
Once you capture the first photo, take away the subject and snap a picture of the empty background (remember, the settings and focus should stay the same!). For a simple shot like the one above, you’ll only need two images, but you can always take a picture of each element to achieve a more professional result.
Editing your photo
Start by opening both images as layers in Photoshop. Make sure the image with the subject is on top. Then add a Layer Mask and grab the Brush tool. Using black, paint over the toothpicks or threads that you used to hold up the vegetables.
The mask will hide the props and reveal the empty background from the other layer, creating the levitation effect. If part of the produce is covered by a holding prop, use the Clone Stamp tool or the Healing Brush to subtly remove it.
Vegetable photography tips: final words
Well, there you have it:
12 tips to take your vegetable photos to the next level.
All that’s left to do now is practice – and have fun!
Now over to you:
Which of these tips do you plan to implement in your own vegetable photography?Do you have any vegetable photo tips? Share your thoughts (and photos!) in the comments below!
Vegetable photography FAQs
How do you make vegetables look fresh?
Photograph them while they’re still fresh! Keep them away from heat while you prepare the scene and maybe spritz some water on them before the shot.
Can you photograph fruit in the same way as vegetables?
Yes. The same tips and techniques apply for fresh fruits, herbs, tubers, mushrooms, vegetables, and other types of raw produce.
Is vegetable photography only about fresh produce?
The most common use of the term vegetable photography refers to raw produce – once it’s cooked, it’s normally classified as “food photography.” However, you might run into a client or a photographer who also includes cooked vegetables in the “vegetable photography” category.
Is vegetable photography a kind of still life photography?
Yes, normally vegetable photography refers to a still life composition using raw produce. Although you can also do lifestyle photography shoots with vegetables.
Can you use cooked ingredients for vegetable photography?
You can use a cooked dish as part of the composition. However, vegetable photography normally has raw produce as the main subject.
The post 12 Tips to Capture Stunning Vegetable Photography appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Ana Mireles.
The post Square Photography: 6 Reasons the Square Format Is Amazing appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Andrew S. Gibson.
What’s so great about the square format in photography? And how can shooting square compositions help your photos?
In this article, I’m going to share 6 important reasons to use the square format. And by the time you’re done, you’ll fully appreciate the value of square photography!
Let’s get started.
Square versus rectangular photography
Every photo aspect ratio – square, 3:2, 4:3, 16:9, and more – features a slightly different view of the world.
And these different views lend themselves to different types of compositions.
Therefore, composition in the square (1:1) format is a different process than composition within a standard 3:2 or 4:3 rectangular frame.
Is the square format always better than a wider format? Absolutely not. There are times when you’ll want to shoot with a 3:2 format, for instance, or a 16:9 format (especially when you’re dealing with wider or longer scenes).
But the square format is very well-liked by photographers, and I highly recommend you keep it at the back of your mind when out shooting.
Let’s take a look at why the square format is so great, starting with:
1. Square compositions feature balance and flow
A square is a perfectly balanced shape. Each side is equal in length. Therefore, neither the vertical nor the horizontal direction is emphasized.
Why does this matter? Well, in a rectangular frame, the viewer’s eye is encouraged to move from side to side (in the landscape format) or up and down (in the portrait format).
But in a square frame, with every side equal in length, the viewer’s eye is encouraged to move, not from side to side or up and down, but in a circle. This creates visual flow, always a good thing in photography.
Of course, there are many factors that influence the way the eye moves around a photo, including the use of line, texture, color, selective focus, and negative space. But the shape of the frame is a major factor.
In the landscape below, composed with the 3:2 aspect ratio of my 35mm camera, the eye is encouraged to move from side to side, thanks to the shape of the frame (as well as the horizontal lines):
But in this square format photo, the eye is encouraged to move around the frame in a circle:
Useful, right? It’s especially important when you’re dealing with near-far compositions (as in the shot above) and you want to push the viewer from foreground to background and then to the foreground again.
2. The square format gives the perfect amount of negative space
Negative space is the term used to describe any empty space around a subject. For instance, if you photograph a barn surrounded by a snowy field, the field will often constitute negative space.
Now, it’s common knowledge that you can improve your compositions by getting close to your subject – that is, by eliminating negative space. But when used carefully, negative space can create a wonderful sense of atmosphere. And it can also help emphasize the shape of the subject (i.e., the positive space).
Unfortunately, negative space can be somewhat finicky. Including lots of space in a rectangular frame may not turn out so great, as you’ll end up with too much space and not enough focus on your subject. But negative space often works very well in the square format, as I demonstrate below.
Here is a photo of a lizard in the 3:2 aspect ratio:
And here is the same photo cropped to a square:
Which do you prefer? The square format offers a more balanced composition – featuring lots of negative space, yes, but also a powerful splash of positive space.
3. A square will force you to simplify your compositions
The square format lends itself to a simple approach. It pushes you to pare down your compositions and make every element count.
Why? Because there is less room in a square frame than in a rectangular one. So before you include another element in the frame, you’re forced to ask yourself: What is really necessary? And what can I do without?
Generally speaking, creating a simple composition is hard – but after a bit of time working with the square format, you’ll find it becoming easier and easier.
Remember: for your photos to have impact, you should eliminate as many distractions as possible. The focus should be on your subject. Other unnecessary elements within the frame will simply pull the viewer’s eye away from the subject and reduce the strength of the image.
This photo is about as simple as you can get:
And the square format forced me to keep the strong, simple, in-your-face composition.
4. The square format works great with shapes
Take a look at the images below. How many shapes can you see?
There are dozens – circles, squares, diamonds, rectangles, and more.
Now, shapes tend to look great in photographic compositions. They help stabilize and balance the frame, plus they can create powerful, eye-catching scenes.
And the square format really lends itself to shape-based compositions.
Why? I’m not completely sure, but I think it’s because the square is such a powerful shape that it emphasizes other shapes within it. This is linked to the ideas of balance and simplicity, as discussed above – simplifying the composition emphasizes shapes, which in turn makes shape-based compositions more powerful.
Whatever the reason, just know that geometry looks great in square photos. So if your plan is to shoot (or crop) square, the more shapes, the better!
5. You can create beautiful square centered compositions
Photographers tend to avoid positioning the main subject in the center of the frame. And in most cases, this is a good idea. As the rule of thirds points out, off-center compositions are the way to go.
But did you know that centered compositions actually work well with the square format?
It’s true! With square photography, you can often place the subject in the center of the frame for an effective composition. You can ignore the rule of thirds. And you can get some very unique photos.
Centered compositions work especially well when the image is simple. The fewer distractions present in the frame, the more effective a central composition becomes. If the subject has a strong shape, the balanced empty space around it emphasizes that shape. And the square format provides the perfect frame:
6. The square format works beautifully with black and white
Take away color and what do you get? An image that relies on tonal contrast for impact and that emphasizes visual elements such as lines, textures, and shapes.
In other words:
A composition that looks amazing in a square format.
Honestly, the square format and black and white seem made for each other, which perhaps explains the square format’s popularity with fine art photographers.
So the next time you’re shooting in a square format, consider switching to your camera’s monochrome mode. You’re bound to capture some stunning photos! Alternatively, you can shoot in color and convert to black and white in post-processing (it can be helpful to switch back and forth between color and black and white to see what works best for your shot).
Square photography: final words
Now you know all about the power of the square format – and why you should definitely try using the 1:1 aspect ratio in your photography.
It doesn’t matter whether you shoot with the intention of cropping to a square, or you go back over your old images with the aim of making some square compositions; the important thing is that you have fun with the process, and that you appreciate the usefulness of square photography!
Now over to you:
What do you think about the square aspect ratio? Do you use it frequently? When does it look best? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
The post Square Photography: 6 Reasons the Square Format Is Amazing appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Andrew S. Gibson.
The post 6 Tips to Improve Your Black and White Landscape Photography appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Andrew S. Gibson.
Are you looking to take your black and white landscape photography to the next level?
You’ve come to the right place.
In this article, we share six easy-to-follow tips that’ll improve your black and white landscapes; we also share plenty of examples, so you can understand exactly what goes into a good black and white photo.
Specifically, you’ll discover:
The best camera settings for black and white photography
How to enhance your b&w landscapes with filters
What to look for in a landscape scene
Much, much more!
So if you’re ready to capture black and white shots like the pros…
…then let’s get started!
1. Learn what scenes work well in black and white
When shooting in color, you can rely on the strength of hues to create drama and interest. Often, the key to good color landscape photography is to find a dramatic scene and photograph it in the most beautiful light possible. That’s why so many color landscape photos are taken during the golden hour or just after sunset.
Black and white landscape photography is very, very different. Without color, you have to work to create strong compositions. You can’t rely on color contrast and golden light; instead, you need to learn to look for the building blocks of photographic composition, such as leading lines, shapes, patterns, tonal contrast, and texture. In other words, you must learn to see in black and white.
For example, this photo works well in black and white because of the contrast between the twin waterfalls and the dark rocks:
Educate yourself about black and white landscape photography by looking at the work of masters, like Ansel Adams and Edward Weston, who worked predominantly in black and white. Also, look at what modern-day photographers are doing on Instagram and 500px. Some names to search for include Cole Thompson, Rob Dweck, Arnaud Bertrande, Thibault Roland, Joel Tjintjelaar, and Nathan Wirth.
When you look at their work, ask yourself: What makes their black and white landscape photos so dramatic and powerful? What light are they shooting in? What photographic techniques are they using? How do they approach composition? The answers will teach you a lot about black and white photography and will help you understand which elements and scenes lend themselves to black and white and which are best avoided.
2. Look for tonal contrast and texture
I touched on this in the previous tip, but I want to emphasize it here because it’s so important.
Tonal contrast is the term used to describe variations in brightness between different parts of the image. Take the photo below as an example; the jetties are dark and the sky is much lighter. That is tonal contrast. And it looks amazing in black and white.
The alternative – low tonal contrast – tends to look very mushy and flat. Tones don’t separate out, key elements fade into one another, and the composition loses impact. Remember: You can’t rely on changes in color to differentiate key elements, so it becomes all about the tones.
Texture (and contrast between textures) is super helpful, as well. If you think about the elements that appear in landscape photos – cliffs, rocks, grass, trees, mountains, oceans, along with human-made objects like piers, jetties, and old barns – you’ll notice that they all have distinct textures. Some feature rough, heavy textures, while others are intensely smooth.
In the photo below, the arch, the cliffs in the distance, and the rocks in the foreground are all heavily textured. The sea and the sky are much smoother. There is a strong contrast between the roughness of the rocks and the smoothness of the sea and the sky.
And thanks to that textural contrast, the photo is much more impactful!
3. Shoot in black and white mode
Did you know that your digital camera can teach you to see in black and white?
All you have to do is set it to its black and white (monochrome) mode. Your camera’s rear LCD will show you a black and white Live View feed – and if your camera includes an electronic viewfinder, it’ll turn black and white, too (you can literally look at the world in black and white – how cool is that?).
As you can imagine, constantly looking at the world through a black and white LCD or viewfinder helps you see how black and white scenes are rendered. This, in turn, makes it easier to see how a photo will turn out in black and white. And it’s also just far easier to compose black and white shots in black and white because you can see how tonal contrast, texture, lines, shapes, patterns, and light will affect the landscape.
One note, though: Don’t forget to set your camera to shoot in RAW. RAW files contain all the information captured by your camera’s sensor, including color – so if you decide you don’t like an image in black and white, you can always convert it to color and process it that way instead.
4. Learn to use neutral density filters
Neutral density filters are the secret weapon of the black and white landscape photographer. Grab one (or more) of these accessories, and you’ll be able to capture jaw-dropping images beyond your wildest dreams.
(Am I exaggerating? Honestly, I don’t think so. Neutral density filters are a huge deal.)
But what makes ND filters so special?
ND filters are basically dark pieces of glass that go in front of your lens and prevent too much light from hitting your camera sensor. In other words, ND filters block out the light.
Now, as a landscape photographer without an ND filter, you’ll often be using a shutter speed between 1/2s and 1/125s, assuming you’re shooting with a relatively narrow aperture of f/13 or so (which is generally a good idea).
But what if you want to increase your shutter speed for creative effect? By lengthening your shutter speed, you can blur water, stretch clouds, and create all sorts of other cool effects that look amazing (especially in black and white).
Unfortunately, in most situations, dropping the shutter speed beyond 1/2s or so just can’t be done. The light is too strong; if you try it, you’ll end up with an overexposed image.
Unless you have an item that can block out the light – such as a neutral density filter! The ND filter keeps your camera from overexposing the scene even when you’re dealing with lots of light. That way, you can get the stretchy clouds and blurry water that you’re after.
For an example, check out the photos below. The first was taken at dusk with a shutter speed of 1/5s; slow enough to introduce some blur into the water, but not slow enough to really flatten out the water while making the clouds turn into interesting streaks:
Then I added a neutral density filter and made the next photo using a shutter speed of 180 seconds. The water is completely blurred, and the clouds have moved across the sky for a streaking effect:
Bottom line:
Neutral density filters give you control over your shutter speed, which you can then use to enhance your black and white landscapes.
5. Don’t just take photos like everyone else
Black and white landscape photographer Cole Thompson has an interesting idea. He practices what he calls “photographic abstinence,” where he doesn’t look at the work of other photographers. The theory is that it enables him to see the landscape through his own eyes without being influenced by other people’s photos.
I’ve never taken this idea to its extreme; I believe it’s important to research an area before you go to find its most photogenic parts. But the problem is that the most powerful images you see during your research tend to stick in your mind. The natural tendency is to want to create similar images – which then end up looking like everybody else’s.
Resist this urge. Instead, take some black and white images that are truly you.
Let me give you an example. A few years ago, I visited the Playa de las Catedrales (Cathedral Beach) in northern Spain. Search for it on Google or 500px, and most photos will look something like this, showing the cathedral-like arches for which the beach is named:
Anybody who visits the beach will naturally want to take photos of those arches. They’re the reason the spot is famous, after all. But this can be a hindrance when it causes you to miss other possibilities.
So after getting my rock arch photos (such as the shot displayed above), I really started looking. I saw some rocks in the sea that made an interesting minimalistic composition. I made the following photo:
It doesn’t feature the arches the beach is famous for. But it’s more personal to me and was more satisfying to make.
6. Travel when you can
All the photos that I have shown you so far were taken while traveling – and unless you are lucky enough to live in a breathtaking area, it’s likely that, like me, you need to travel to find inspiring landscapes to photograph.
Even if you do live somewhere with spectacular landscapes, you will need to travel to expand your experiences and add depth to your portfolio. All my favorite landscape photos were taken while traveling, and the two activities really do go together very well – travel is more interesting and exciting when there’s a purpose behind it, and landscape photography can give you that purpose.
Without travel, I would never have experienced and photographed places like this (taken in Bolivia):
At the same time, I recognize that traveling is costly and time-consuming. So even if you can’t travel, try to cultivate a traveling mindset – where you see the world around you with fresh, new eyes. Tackle more familiar scenes with this newfound excitement (and you’ll be amazed by what you start to see!).
Black and white landscape photography: final words
Hopefully, this article has given you plenty of helpful tips and tricks for black and white landscape photography.
So get outside. Give black and white shooting a try! It’s a new way of seeing the world – and one that can be a lot of fun.
Now over to you:
Do you have any tips for black and white landscape photography? Share them in the comments below!
The post 6 Tips to Improve Your Black and White Landscape Photography appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Andrew S. Gibson.
The post The dPS Weekly Photography Challenge – The Street appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Sime.
This is a pretty broad theme, I’m sure you’ll agree! “The Street” or #dPSTheStreet has but one goal and that is to get you, at some stage in this next week to take your camera with you when you leave the house and head down the street. Find a scene and make it interesting. This photo is of my friend Elly who owns a coffee shop around the corner from my house, we’re all back in lockdown here in Melbourne, but a cafe can operate and so I head around to support them and grab my morning coffee. Today I took my camera with me (A Sony a7RMk3 and a 35mm lens) with the goal of making a frame for this challenge. I was going to go with the front window cakes (We have to order through the door and stay outside) display, but when I brought the camera up to my eye and half-pressed my shutter to focus, the camera had other ideas! My focus point was set to single and was slightly off the middle and just caught Elly in the frame and the photo was made. I like the image, despite it being a little less sharp than I’d have liked, because of the various elements in the frame, kinda takes me on a bit of a journey.
Anyways! Find a street scene and make it interesting! Looking forward to seeing what this week’s images have in store.
Find your photograph and share it with us in the comments under this post, or share it to social media and tag us!
“Stillman Street”
Carry your camera everywhere and make some photographs!
As ever, some help with sharing your photo in the comments below (don’t click on this photo to upload your photo, scroll down to the Disqus section, log in, THEN click on the little camera icon in the comments)
Simply upload your shot into the comments field (look for the little camera icon in the Disqus comments section) and they’ll get embedded for us all to see. Or, if you’d prefer, upload them to your favorite photo-sharing site and leave the link to them.
The post The dPS Weekly Photography Challenge – The Street appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Sime.
The post Positive Space in Photography: A Guide appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Megan Kennedy.
As a photographer, you may have heard of negative space, which refers to the more subtle areas surrounding the main subject in a photograph. However, positive space, the populated or focal point of an image, is a term that tends to fly under the radar.
In this article, we’ll take a look at positive space in composition and how you can use it to improve your photos.
What is positive space in photography?
Positive space refers to the subject matter or areas of peak interest in a photograph. It’s the key component of almost every great photo.
That said, like all compositional elements in photography, positive space is influenced by other aspects of a photo. Perhaps one of the most significant of these aspects is negative space – positive space is often sculpted by negative space and vice versa. You see, when photographing a clear subject, there is usually “occupied” or positive subject matter contrasted with negative elements that are not key focal points. Therefore, when discussing positive space, it’s hard not to mention the role of negative space, too.
Canon 5D Mark IV | Canon EF 24-105mm f/4L IS USM | f/5.6 | 1/200s | ISO 100
While positive space may constitute the main show, negative space serves as the stage. And although the word negative seems to imply a lack of content, the term doesn’t just refer to areas completely devoid of subject matter. In fact, negative space only has to be visually quieter, less populated, more subtle, or restful compared to the main subject.
A brief history of positive space
Positive space – and the interaction of positive and negative space – has been used in art throughout history. Painters, sculptors, architects, potters; all have balanced positive and negative dynamics to allow for tactical areas of visual rest, rhythm, focus, activity, atmosphere, etc.
For example, negative space in traditional Japanese art styles is often embraced to accentuate or balance the weight of the expressive and spontaneous brushstrokes that constitute positive subject matter.
Another example is Edgar Degas’s careful use of negative space in his scenes depicting ballet dancers. The negative space imbues the photos with a greater sense of movement, context, and contrast, creating interesting juxtapositions and framing detail.
With the invention of photography, the artistic possibilities of positive and negative space expanded to the photographic image. From Anna Atkins, Henri Cartier-Bresson, Dorothea Lange, and Robert Frank to Diane Arbus, Hiroshi Sugimoto, Steve McCurry, and Didier Massard, photographers have used negative space to support key (positive) focal points.
Why is positive space important?
Positive space matters because it can steer the narrative of an image or draw a viewer’s eye. Without positive space, negative space often looks directionless. In turn, a photograph lacking negative space may seem crowded or overwhelming.
Positive space creates momentum, narrative, and visual climax. Negative space can provide context, emphasis, isolation, and breathing room, funneling the viewer’s eye toward positive space and allowing the focal point to flourish.
In this image, a plant tendril makes up the central, positive component in the image, framed by the negative space of the unfocused background. Canon 5D Mark IV | Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 II with extension tubes | f/2.8 | 1/250s | ISO 100
Working with positive space: the basics
There are many ways to approach photographing positive space. Here’s what I recommend to get started:
First, identify the positive areas of the scene – the elements of the composition that immediately stand out.
Next, evaluate the negative space (you can use the viewfinder or your LCD for this). What does the negative space do? Does it uphold the positive space? Does it add context? Depth? Atmosphere? Narrative? Beauty?
Finally, consider the technical aspects of your photo, and how they might affect positive and negative space. For example, adjusting the aperture will create a shallow or deep depth of field, where a shallower depth of field will often create more negative space.
These basic considerations will help you improve your use of positive space.
Canon 5D Mark IV | Canon EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS II USM | f/11 | 1/250s | ISO 200
Advanced tips and techniques for working with positive space
If you want to take your compositions to the next level, here are a few tips and tricks to help capitalize on positive space:
Tip 1: Apply compositional techniques
Positive space is a fundamental part of photographic composition, but it doesn’t exist in isolation. It can work alongside other compositional techniques, such as leading lines, depth of field, framing, symmetry, and perspective, to create beautiful photos.
So the next time you’re out with your camera, think about positive space. And also think about how you can use positive space in conjunction with composition principles to get the most impactful results.
Canon 5D Mark II | Canon EF 24-105mm f/4L IS USM | f/10 | 1/200s | ISO 100
Tip 2: Be mindful of both negative and positive space
The key to striking a successful positive/negative balance (or intentional imbalance) often lies in awareness. When composing a photograph, make sure you carefully check the negative space that surrounds a positive space, and ask yourself whether it works as it is – or whether it needs to be modified.
(A quick visual scan through the viewfinder or on the digital screen is a small action that can save time and many wasted shots!)
Canon 5D Mark IV | Canon EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS II USM | f/5.6 | 1/1600s | ISO 500
Furthermore, when framing a subject, running through a quick checklist can be helpful. Ask yourself: What is the negative space contributing? What is the positive space contributing? Does the positive space benefit from the negative regions that surround it?
Briefly pausing to consider the positive/negative dynamics in a photograph can increase the chances of capturing a successful image.
Tip 3: Use your camera settings
Positive space can hinge on negative space that occurs naturally (i.e., the sky, shadows, etc.), or on negative space that is deliberately created through camera settings.
For example, in a busy urban environment, a slow shutter speed can blur the flow of traffic to create negative space (and this will, in turn, emphasize static subjects like buildings and sculptures that constitute positive areas of interest).
ICM (intentional camera movement) can sometimes create blurry and abstract negative areas that highlight positive focal points. Selective focus can emphasize or deemphasize visually positive areas, and by adjusting the aperture settings, you can blur the background and/or foreground surrounding a positive subject. Zooming in or out in-camera or cropping with post-production can also manipulate the dynamics of positive and negative space.
In other words:
If you want more negative space, you can create it yourself! Just tweak your camera settings to achieve the effect you’re after.
Canon 5D Mark IV | Canon EF 24-105mm f/4L IS USM | f/4 | 1/25s | ISO 200
Tip 4: Know your narrative
Like all compositional tools, positive space can evoke emotions and tell stories. By determining your narrative in advance, you can use positive and negative space to create an impactful, coherent image.
For example, a smaller positive subject set within a large amount of negative space can evoke a sense of scale, isolation, simplicity, grandiosity, and distance. Negative space in the form of a bold, dark vignette can frame a positive subject for added impact. An image with predominantly positive space can generate immediacy and energy. Evenly distributed positive and negative space can lend to the impression of harmony and balance.
(The list goes on!)
Tip 5: Experiment!
Any positive (and negative) space bends to an endless amount of compositional variables. Experimenting with creative techniques, subjects, and conditions broadens the creative potential of any positive subject.
And although the term “negative” suggests “nothingness,” negative space, as we have seen, is just as versatile and important as its positive counterpart.
So while experimenting with positive space through the mindful manipulation of negative space can be a balancing act, gaining a good grasp on both forms of space will result in the best photos overall.
Canon 5D Mark IV | Canon EF 24-105mm f/4L IS USM | f/22 | 1/4s | ISO 100
A guide to positive space: conclusion
Positive space is a critical part of photographic composition. While the discussion of negative space is more common, positive space is the driving force behind countless photographic images.
Consciously working with positive space encourages a greater connection with the subject matter, and it’ll also help you create better compositions.
Now over to you:
Do you have any favorite ways to work with positive space? How do you balance positive and negative space? Share your thoughts (and images!) in the comments below!
The post Positive Space in Photography: A Guide appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Megan Kennedy.
The post Reverse Lens Macro Photography: A Beginner’s Guide appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Andrew S. Gibson.
If you want to capture beautiful close-up images but don’t want to spend hundreds (or thousands) on a macro lens, then you’ve come to the right place.
Because in this article, I’m going to explain everything you need to know about reverse lens macro photography. It’s a simple technique that lets you turn a standard lens into a macro lens so you can capture photos like this:
In fact, if you already own a 50mm prime lens or a standard kit lens (in the 18-55mm focal length range), then the reverse lens macro technique is the least expensive way to capture magnified images.
So let’s dive right in, starting with the absolute basics:
What is reverse lens macro photography?
Reverse lens macro photography is a method of capturing highly magnified images using an interchangeable lens camera, a lens, and a cheap adapter. You turn your lens around so the rear element points outward, then use an adapter to attach the reversed lens to your camera body (or to another lens).
In other words: You take your lens. You flip it around. And you’ll be able to shoot at macro magnifications.
If you’ve never seen the reverse lens macro technique, it may seem a bit strange – after all, why does reversing a standard lens let you shoot at high magnifications?
But it really does work, and the diagram below shows why. In normal use, a 50mm lens focuses light from far away to create a much smaller image, one that fits onto film or a digital sensor (which is often around 35mm wide). Reverse the lens and the opposite occurs: the 50mm lens magnifies what it sees, giving near life-size reproduction:
How to do reverse lens photography
There are two ways you can use the reverse lens macro technique:
1. Single lens reverse macro
This method involves reverse-mounting one lens to the front of your camera. First, purchase a reversing ring (also known as a reverse ring) like this one:
You can buy these adapters for cheap on Amazon. One side screws onto the end of your lens like a filter, while the other attaches to your lens mount. Here’s a reversing ring in action:
Note that the reverse macro technique works best if you use a lens with a manual aperture ring. That way, you can stop down to increase the zone of sharpness (which is very helpful because depth of field decreases as you get closer to your subject).
Unfortunately, if your reversed lens doesn’t have a manual aperture ring, you won’t be able to make any f-stop adjustments and you’ll be forced to work at your lens’s maximum aperture. But while this can be inconvenient, don’t let it stop you – you can use a reversed lens at its widest aperture to take some beautiful photos. You just have to get creative!
2. Twin lens reverse macro
This reverse lens macro technique is less popular but will get the job done. Instead of reverse-mounting one lens to your camera, you mount one lens normally, then reverse mount a second lens on the front of the first, like this:
I’ve attached a reversed 50mm lens to my 85mm prime lens. In this setup, the 85mm lens is called the primary lens and the reversed lens is called the secondary lens.
The actual mechanics are nearly identical to the single lens technique discussed above; simply purchase a coupler ring (shown below). Then use it to mount the second lens to the first.
Now, when using the twin lens reverse macro technique, the reversed lens acts like a powerful close-up filter, except that it’s much stronger than any filter I’ve encountered. In fact, the twin lens technique offers two major benefits over the single lens technique:
It offers insanely close magnifications. Depending on the focal lengths you use, you can achieve up to 3x life-size reproduction. (That’s three times as close as most professional macro lenses!)
It increases your depth of field flexibility. You can leave the reversed lens open at its widest aperture, while stopping down the primary lens to increase depth of field (even if you don’t have a manual aperture ring).
Note that you can do this technique with essentially any lenses, though the longer the focal length, the more magnification you’ll achieve. What’s most important is that the filter thread sizes on the two lenses match – that way, you can buy a coupler ring that will easily join them together.
(If your lenses have different filter threads, you do have the option of purchasing a step-up ring in addition to your coupler ring, but this can be inconvenient.)
Caring for the reversed lens
The reverse macro technique does leave the rear element of your reversed lens open to the elements, regardless of which method you use. So you should always work carefully to avoid scratching the exposed element.
If you have an extension tube, you can attach it to the back (now front) of the reversed lens, as I did in the photo above. This helps protect the rear element and also acts as a lens hood.
Also, because of the risks to the lens, I’d recommend using relatively cheap glass, like a 50mm f/1.8.
Image sharpness
The reversed lens technique gets you so close to your subject that it’s virtually impossible to handhold the camera. For the sharpest results, use a tripod to keep the camera steady and use a cable release to fire the shutter.
I find it best to use a reverse lens macro setup indoors, especially for delicate subjects like flowers. If you try it outside, the slightest breeze can move the flower and spoil the photo.
Of course, you can always embrace a blurry result and create some interesting abstract shots – but if your goal is to create magnified-yet-sharp photos, you’ll need to follow this advice closely.
If possible, stop down your primary lens to at least f/4. That way, you’ll get increased depth of field, and if you’re using the twin lens technique, it’ll help you avoid the softening that may happen when the first lens is at its widest aperture setting.
How to light reverse lens photography
As long as you don’t mind using a tripod and long shutter speeds to obtain the required exposure, natural light will work just fine.
However, flash is also an option. And you don’t need a specialized macro flash – I use a Canon Speedlite with a small softbox (though you’ll probably want to make sure you’re using an off-camera flash to avoid shadows cast by the lens).
A flash and a softbox were all I needed to take the photo featured above. Here’s a diagram of the setup:
In general, I’d recommend you start with natural light, unless you’re relatively familiar with artificial lighting. That way, you can experiment with different lighting qualities and directions and you don’t have to worry about complex lighting techniques.
What lens should you use for reverse macro shooting?
I’ve used a 50mm prime lens for the photos featured throughout this article. And a nifty fifty is a great way to get started with reverse lens macro photography.
But don’t forget that you can try this out with just about any lens (though I do recommend using a cheaper option, just in case your lens gets damaged). Kit lenses like the Canon EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS II (pictured above) work great.
Reverse lens macro photography: conclusion
Now that you’ve finished this article, you should be able to confidently create a macro photography setup (without spending lots of money on a dedicated macro lens).
Reverse lens macro photography is a lot of fun, so order your reverse ring and get shooting!
Now over to you:
Do you prefer the single lens reverse macro technique or the twin lens reverse macro technique? Do you have any tips for improved macro photography? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
The post Reverse Lens Macro Photography: A Beginner’s Guide appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Andrew S. Gibson.
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