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5 Quick Tips to Help You Make a Fashion Photography Shoot Like a Pro

15 Nov

It might be the fabulous pages of magazines or it might just be that urge to create something chic. Either way, we are now living in this digital era where fashionable shoots are just around the corner. Hashtag #OOTD (outfit of the day). But that’s where the similarity ends. Planning and executing a fashion photography shoot takes more than that.

Fashion shoot photography

I hate to break it to you, but placing all your good looking friends in front of your camera, and purchasing the latest mirrorless technology probably won’t make you the next Guy Bourdin. From my personal story as a fashion photographer for over five years now, your biggest learning experience comes from learning through your own team, fellow creatives, photographers, stylists, models, and make-up artists. So, here are some tips I’ve learned through my years of trials and tribulations on how to produce a fashion shoot like a pro.

1. Inspirations 101

“Nothing of me is original. I am the combined effort of everyone I’ve ever known.” or so the saying goes. Nowadays, let’s challenge the concept of people stating there’s no such thing as originality anymore. Is that true? But truthfully, the best ideas may not be the first ones.

Find Inspiration fashion shoot

Creativity is a limitless concept. You can always start developing your ideas by sourcing inspirations from practically anywhere. When you start noticing the littlest things in your life, it will do wonders as your source of inspiration. This is fundamental because it is the ground work before every shoot. To develop a concept that is strong and authentically yours is the key to the next step of creating the perfect frame in a fashion photo shoot.

Find Inspiration fashion shoot 2

2. Team Work is Everything

Create your perfect squad. When you meet someone you are comfortable working with, continue to develop a great relationship with them. Because at the end of the day, the perfect frame is not just in the hands of the photographer. Everyone needs to be equally involved and the greater the chemistry ultimately leads to the perfect picture.

Make sure you succeed in getting everyone on the team on the same page, from the vision for the shoot to work ethics. A solid team of creatives that gel well together is really ideal because in the end, it’s all about teamwork.

Team Work fashion shoot 02

Team Work fashion shooot

3. The Look

A fashion shoot is never complete without the right model. You need to find a model who has the right look for the concept. Whether it’s height, hair color, skin tone, eye shape, etc. Bonus points if you get to know the model first beforehand. Good chemistry between the photographer and model is also very important to create a comfortable shooting environment.

When you are shooting, there’s only the photographer, the model, and a camera. Putting on a music that’s enjoyable to everyone can also help the model get into character.

result-fashion-shoot

4. Scouting Locations

Outdoors or indoors, it’s crucial to prepare everything beforehand. You don’t want to be stressed out on the big day right? When it comes to studios, the physical environment has to be a positive working environment. Think about how much space you need, equipment, facilities, etc. An outdoor fashion shoot are tad trickier. Always double check if you need to have permission beforehand if it is a private area, and always, always check the weather! The sun can be your best friend or your enemy in this case.

Location Scout fashion shoot

Locations Locations fashion photography

5. Hair, Makeup and Wardrobe

This is where the good team work really shows. I personally think it is important to get everyone on the same page for the vision and mood of the shoot. Also, don’t be afraid to voice your opinion if something can be altered. Such as the hair is too big, the model needs more mascara, the button’s falling off, etc. Don’t be afraid to speak up, it’s team work after all.

Make Up fashion photos

Hair Make Up fashion shoot

Lastly, never forget to have fun! It’s always a blessing to be able to work passionately. Enjoy your ride along the way, stay curious, and bring positive vibes. Good luck.

Please share your fashion photography tips and photos in the comments below.

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The post 5 Quick Tips to Help You Make a Fashion Photography Shoot Like a Pro by Sally Ann and Emily May appeared first on Digital Photography School.

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Top 6 Considerations to Help You Decide on Color or Black and White for Your Image

07 Nov

As soon as humans discovered that it was possible to capture black and white tones in a photographic image, a practical means of color photography was sought by those who dreamed of harnessing the full spectrum of visible light. Some of the very first photographic color experiments began in the mid-19th century with scientists trying to discover a material that could capture the color properties of the light that fell upon it.

In 1886, physicist and inventor Gabriel Lippmann created what was to be the first color photograph without the aid of any pigments or dyes. By 1906, Lippmann exhibited his process along with color images of a parrot, a bowl of oranges, a group of flags, and a stained glass window. His discovery earned him the Nobel Prize in Physics.

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But Lippmann was onto something else in his experiments. Selecting subjects for his photographs that are not only inherently colorful but are also strongly associated with color within the human brain. Perhaps without realizing it, Lippmann was one of the first photographers to draw a line between color and black and white photography. Deliberately selecting subject matter that was exemplified by radiant colors to reproduce in a color medium.

Nowadays, digital photography grants photographers with both the blessing and the burden of being able to choose between color or black and white in post-production. It can often be a painstaking process deciding between the two. Although making a deliberate decision between a color or a black and white image is a skill that requires practice and trial-and-error, ultimately the choice is down to you, the individual.

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However, there are a few points to consider if you find yourself stuck between the two. Here are the top six tips for deciding whether to go with color or black and white.

#1 Color Relationships

The first thing to consider when choosing between color or black and white is in fact, color itself! Ask yourself; what is it that draws you to the image? If you find that the relationship between distinct hues in your image are important, color is your best bet. Color doesn’t always translate to a black and white image successfully. An image with contrasting hues such as red and green often appears similar in tone in a black and white conversion, making for a less striking or muddy image.

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#2 Mood

Just as artists have used color in paintings to denote mood for centuries, the colors in a photograph can also create the emotional atmosphere of an image. Color is a powerful messenger. It can impact a viewer’s emotions, draw associations between ideas, and guide the eye around an image.

While black and white images generally evoke a sense of sensuality or seriousness due to its association with documentary photography, color can emphasize a feeling of joy or sadness depending on the color scheme. Just as we associate warm colors like red and orange with comfort and warmth, so do we relate to the colors in a photograph, giving the viewer clues about the image and creating a more immersive experience.

The tone or color balance of a photograph can point to a time of day or season which conveys a particular emotion or experience within the image. Black and white photographs appear to be more timeless than color images because they are free from color schemes associated with particular types of film, processes, or trends in digital processing. Black and white photojournalism is often hard to date with a cursory glance, so the subject matter remains relevant to the present day.

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See how the color version has a completely different mood?

#3 Attention

We see it all around us in marketing, architecture, and print. Color is used to grab a viewer’s eye and draw them in. But it is a fine balance and can often become complicated or convoluted if too much is happening with the picture. Look for a dominant color or color combination in your work. The most visual impact is often created by either isolating a particular color or having two colors from

The most visual impact is often created by either isolating a particular color or having two colors from well-separated areas of the color spectrum included in the one image. Colors such as red and green, or orange and purple (complementary colors) play off each other when they reach the human eye and create a sense of movement and action.

If your image has these combinations it might be better to stay with color and spend time emphasizing the colorful components of the image rather than converting it to black and white. A lack of color accentuates the light and shadows rather than eye-catching color combinations. Emphasis on particular colors can also be useful in forming a cohesive body of work, using color to contrast different imagery in a series, or uniting each piece with harmonious trends in color schemes.

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#4 Viewing time

Many photographers prefer black and white images for their tendency to distance the subject matter from reality. In documentary photography, the reverse is also true as humans see the world in color, and a rendition of the world in monochrome gives us pause to investigate. In both cases, removing color from a picture helps the viewer to focus on what is happening in an image. Due to the lack of cues that we naturally look for in color imagery, the viewer tends to look at a photograph more closely to ‘read’ what is happening in the image. A slower viewing time means that there is more time for the image to communicate with the viewer, impart emotion to a greater extent and perhaps stay with the viewer even after they have stopped looking at the work physically.

Due to the lack of cues that we naturally look for in color imagery, the viewer tends to look at a photograph more closely to read what is happening in the image. A slower viewing means that there is more time for the image to communicate with the viewer, impart emotion to a greater extent, and perhaps stay with the viewer even after they have stopped looking at the work physically.

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#5 Content

To put it simply, black and white images create an emphasis on light, form, or texture. If the content of the photograph is more important than the color of the subject, or you feel that the color in a photo serves only as a distraction from the message you want the image to convey – then black and white is probably a good choice.

The focus shifts from colors to tones in black and white. So subjects like smoke, shadows, subtle changes in light and dust become more obvious in a black and white image. Because of our associations with these subjects and their otherworldly appearance, a sense of drama can become more apparent in a black and white image than that of a color image.

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#6 Simplicity

Often a color photograph looks too busy or convoluted if it has too many colors going on at once. Sometimes converting the image to black and white is a way of separating those tones out into an image that is easier on the eye. Images with a wide range of tonal values tend to work well for black and white imagery. As well, most black and white images work best when there is a definite range from the blackest black through to the whitest white, with varying gray tones in between.

A few words of advice…

Beware the quick fix! Inexperienced photographers can sometimes fall into the trap of converting a sub-par image to black and white in order to quote, “save it”. Photographs that are out of focus, blurry, or poorly exposed may or may not be saved with a black and white conversion. But they do look suspiciously obvious when they are presented within a series of images that is mainly in color.

The problem with relying on black and white as a crutch is that you aren’t investigating what you did wrong in the first place. While a black and white conversion may or may not save a photograph, relying on converting images will not help you develop your own technical practice.

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Digital photography is amazing, in that we have the option of shooting in color and switching to black and white in post-production. With film, this was at least a pain in the neck and at most, impossible. If you are unsure about an image, play around with it in Photoshop! Tools in Photoshop like the premade settings for black and white conversion are designed to give you a good set of variations to experiment with. If an image looks busy and over saturated, but you don’t want a full black and white conversion, try desaturating the image with the Vibrance adjustment layer or the Curves tool which are located in the Adjustment Layers panel.

Conclusion

Experimenting with color and black and white is fun, but no matter what option you do go with, be certain that you know why you chose that particular color scheme and make sure it adds to the sum of the image rather than detracting from it!

The post Top 6 Considerations to Help You Decide on Color or Black and White for Your Image by Megan Kennedy appeared first on Digital Photography School.

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Some Tips to Help You Figure Which Camera is Best for You

07 Nov

As far as absolute requirements go, there aren’t many which are needed in order to make a photograph. There is, however, one certain necessity that cannot be dispensed with if you set yourself onto the maddening path of a photographer. You need a camera. Now, it doesn’t really matter which camera you have. A camera is after all just a box with an opening that allows light to pass onto some kind of receptor.

This simplistic technology is the facilitator of every photograph that has ever been made. A camera is indeed just a tool. That being said, there are virtually limitless cameras to choose from in this world. If there’s one question I receive more than any other it is this . . .

Which camera should I buy?

Cameras sony canon which camera is best for you

On its own that is an unanswerable question. You see, as it relates to cameras and photography, the camera you use is utterly dependent on you. This is not a guide for how to choose the right camera from a technical standpoint, nor is it a commentary on what gear is better than any other. This is an article to help you to understand yourself and to that end, the type of camera that will allow you to fulfill whatever needs you have right now, and maybe even beyond.

which camera is best for you - destination journey

There are so many cameras to choose from (remember we’ve said this) that it can quite literally become overwhelming to make a choice. There are point and shoot cameras, cropped sensor digital SLRs, mirrorless cameras, full-frame mirrorless, and so on.

Of those cameras, there are also countless models and variations which muddy the waters even more. Each one essentially performs the same function, which is to make a photograph. Still, each type of camera offers many variables that work for a wide variety of different situations and for different people. But you have to decide which camera fits YOU best.

The biggest hurdle to conquer when choosing a camera is to understand exactly what you want and need. That is not always as easy as it sounds. However, here are some tips to assist in making your decision.

Where do you shoot?

The location where you will be doing most of your shooting takes up a big chunk of the pie when it comes to deciding on a camera.

which camera is best for you - Sony a7r camera

Will you be outdoors most of the time or will you be inside in more of a studio-type setting? Do you need weather sealing? How about wireless flash capability? Having an idea of the environment in which you will most often find yourself will help you to better understand the features you may or may not need in a camera.

What will you shoot?

The “what” you will be shooting goes hand-in-hand with the “where.” While it’s not possible to completely predict every subject you will ever photograph it’s still very possible to know what kind of photography you enjoy.

which camera is best for you - Canon 7d camera

If you understand what you like to shoot, then you can move forward in a more educated and deliberate fashion when deciding what camera to buy. If you love street photography then a smaller, more compact system, may be better to carry around for hours on end. Need a lot of resolution for landscapes? Ask yourself what you will use the camera for the most and the choice will become much clearer.

Where are you now in your photographic journey?

It’s a good idea to be constantly self-aware of where you stand in your journey as a photographer. The benefits of constant self-evaluation helps you to grow your skills and refine your craft. It also allows you to know when and if you have surpassed the capabilities of your equipment and need to upgrade. When it comes to finding a camera that fits your current position within the photography world, you must look at the realities of your situation and proceed accordingly.

which camera is best for you

Are you just starting out and need a learning tool? Are you a hobbyist who only shoots occasionally, or have you pushed yourself everyday and now feel like you need a more advanced camera body to facilitate your growing ability? Take stock of yourself and be honest (even brutally) so that you can find the best camera to fit your needs.

Where do you want to take your photography?

Perhaps even more important than learning where you stand in terms of your photography is knowing where you want to take your work. It goes without saying but I’ll say it anyway, that your camera is the link between you and whatever vision you want to express with your images.

which camera is best for you Canon 7d camera

This expression can be personal, commercial, or something in between. Realizing where you want to go and setting goals is paramount in your development as a photographer. Naturally, your choice of camera should reflect this.

I remember when I was starting out on my own journey making photos. I realized that this was something I wanted to pursue seriously. So I invested in a camera that not only fit my needs at the time, but would also grow with me as I moved towards making photography a career. I still have that camera (Canon 7D Mk1) and it still sees a fair amount of use today. It was quite an investment for a lowly college student at the time but it has paid for itself time and time again, not just from a monetary standpoint.

Conclusion

which camera is best for you - Journey photography

The internet is chock full of more reviews and tech write-ups than I can count. So I hope you didn’t come here looking for advice on the latest and greatest advancements in the camera industry. Instead, hopefully you got something much more meaningful from this article; the understanding of how important it is to truly know yourself and what you intend to do with your photography.

Are you a beginner? Are you a hobbyist set on taking your passion to the next level? Or are you still trying to decide if that shiny new dSLR is worth the money just to take pictures of your pet?

Whatever your current situation may be, before you buy a camera be sure you know why, how, and to what end you intend to use it. Take it from me, you can save yourself a lot of regret by simply understanding your own intentions on the front end before making the jump.

The post Some Tips to Help You Figure Which Camera is Best for You by Adam Welch appeared first on Digital Photography School.

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5 Tips for Portraits of Musicians That Will Help You Hit All the Right Notes

25 Oct

I’d like to share a few tips for portraits of musicians that will help you avoid the awkward photos that make any musician cringe.

portraits of musicians

Sometimes we are lucky enough as photographers to be asked to photograph someone with one of their most prized possessions: their musical instrument. Most people that want to be photographed with their instrument really and truly love it, and it’s a part of who they are. As a musician myself, I love photographs with gorgeous instruments in them, and I am especially bothered by photos that don’t capture those instruments naturally. Sometimes I’ll come across a photo that makes me cry out, “Why?? Nobody would EVER hold their instrument like that!!” You can still be creative with your photos without making them awkward.

portraits of musicians

1. Trust the musician

If you aren’t familiar with the instrument you’re photographing, it is especially important to trust the musician. This isn’t the time to try every posing trick that you can come up with, ending up with flutes on top of the head, or cellos held under the chin.

Ask your subject how they hold their instrument naturally. You can ask how they hold their instrument while playing, or when they’re relaxing between songs. If it’s a big instrument, like a piano, ask them how they would stand next to it before they perform, or how they sit by it when they’re thinking about what to practice. Ask them to demonstrate how they carry their instrument from one place to another. These might seem like silly questions, but you can really get a sense of what positions and holds are natural, then you can build from there.

portraits of musicians

As an example, a violinist may tell you that she holds her violin under her right arm when resting. You could take that position, ask her to sit on a chair in a formal pose holding the violin under her arm and get a beautiful portrait of a girl and her violin. The key is to remember that they are much more expert at how to naturally pose with their instrument than you likely are. However, if you do happen to know their instrument well, feel free to use your knowledge to get beautiful natural poses.

2. Do your homework

portraits of musicians

Before a session with a musician, you could watch some videos on YouTube to see how people interact specifically with the instrument you’ll be photographing. Find a professional musician who plays the same instrument. Look at their website to see what kind of photos they have with their instruments. You may have a client who is very shy and need more guidance posing, so it’s helpful to have a few ideas ahead of time. Be prepared for challenges that an instrument might bring, such as unwanted reflections in brass, immobility of harps or pianos, sensitivity to temperature or weather, and have a plan.

3. Ask the musician to play for you

portraits of musicians

If you can get your subject to give you a little performance during the photo session, you will get some great action shots. It usually helps loosen them up a little bit too, and brings out some natural smiles. Remind them that it doesn’t matter if they make mistakes because your camera doesn’t catch any audio. It will only capture the perfect moments of their playing. Also, remind them that you aren’t there to judge their skill, you just want to capture the relationship they have with their instrument. Move around as they play, and catch the beautiful moment from every angle you can, close, and far.

4. Get close-ups of the action

portraits of musicians

Hands are the main part of playing most instruments. Get in close on the hands as they play. These shots often end up being some of my very favorites. Try focusing on the hands as you shoot down the neck of a guitar, the fingers on a flute, or hands that are frozen in mid-air during a drum solo. Getting in close on these details can create beautiful action photos that really tell the story. If their hands are moving too quickly for you to focus, ask them to freeze for a moment in that position while you get the shot.

5. Make the instrument the star

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Take a few photos of the instrument by itself, too. Musicians love their instruments, and they will love photos that show their beauty. Make sure to ask permission to touch their instrument, and to set it down, move it, or anything you might want to do for the shot that could potentially harm it in any way. You can even ask the owner to do all of the touching and moving, and you can move yourself around to get the photo that you want.

Tell the musician what you have in mind, and they will most likely be on board, and be happy to help you get some amazing instrument photos. Instruments can be extremely expensive, and even more importantly, can have sentimental value that can never be compensated. Keep this in mind throughout the session, whether your subject is in the photo with the instrument, or not. Never ask them to do something that could harm or damage the instrument.

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Conclusion

Every time I’ve been asked to create photos for album covers for musicians, head shots for websites, art to print and frame, or just to capture someone’s favorite hobby, my goal is to create a photo that they will love. One that will stay true to what they would naturally do with their instruments.

I hope these tips can help you create beautifully genuine musician portraits too. I would love to see your musician portraits in the comments!

The post 5 Tips for Portraits of Musicians That Will Help You Hit All the Right Notes by Melinda Smith appeared first on Digital Photography School.

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4 Tips to Help People Photographers Shoot Interior Spaces

18 Oct

As a people photographer, I am not a specialist in photographing still forms like architectural structures and interior spaces. However, because I photograph weddings, I often take photos of interiors and locations as part of the wedding photos I give my clients. This is essentially how I learned to develop an eye for detail, form and structure as part and parcel of my work.

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Let me share with you a few tips I have learned that will hopefully get you started in photographing interior spaces and architecture if you are a people photographer.

#1 Use natural light

One of the advantages of still photography is simply that – nothing moves. You can leverage this by playing with your settings, especially the shutter speed. With the camera rested on a tripod or a table, you can play around with very slow shutter speeds to maximize capturing ambient light even in very dark corners, limited light, or night interior photography. If there are lamps and lights that make up the overall ambiance of the room, include them and take advantage of slow shutter speeds and long exposures. You can also keep your ISO low this way and have the bonus of clean noiseless images.

It is important to remember that for interiors, you should aim for balanced lighting. Meaning there are no overly dark shadows or overly bright highlights. You want to see the detail in dark areas but not blow out the light areas altogether. Because we are talking about natural light, think about which times of the day which best feature the interior space. Early morning and late afternoon light are the softest. Overcast days produce soft light. Bright super sunny days produce harsher light especially midday and therefore you may want to take into consideration shadows produced in the interior from harsh outside light. In contrast to photographing people, I would normally use these shadows as an artistic element of the photo. Interior spaces however are different and this may not always be appropriate.

Early morning and late afternoon light are the softest. Overcast days produce soft light. Bright super sunny days produce harsher light, especially midday. Therefore you may want to take into consideration any shadows produced in the interior from harsh outside light. In contrast to photographing people, I would normally use these shadows as an artistic element of the photo. Interior spaces, however, are different and this may not always be appropriate.

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#2 Don’t forget your 50mm lens

Not only is the 50mm lens the closest lens that resembles the human eye (when using a full frame camera), it is also the perfect lens to separate some areas and details of the space without going in too close. In a way, it is an excellent “portrait” lens for spaces, whereas my 85mm is my choice of portrait lens for people.

When using wider lenses, I find I have to correct quite a lot of distortion on the edges of the frame. With the 50mm this is hardly an issue. The results are pleasing to the eye and it evokes a very natural look, making you feel like you are within the actual space yourself.

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#3 Get the white balance right

This is tricky and the nemesis of many photographers. Most non-photographers are oblivious to white balance. This is especially obvious in weddings where the bride’s dress looks blue and people’s faces register as magenta, yet hardly anyone notices.

When I sold my house a few years back, the real estate agents who boasted of great property photography sent a photographer to my house to take some professional pictures. She arrived with a camera on the tripod and a flash head pointed slightly upwards. The lens used was very wide – I guessed around 10mm or 14mm. It took many days before the photos were up online, when finally I saw them, they were all very blue. My home felt so cold and not homely. One of the reasons for that was the incorrect white balance.

Personally, I prefer a warm feel to all my photos so I tend to edit towards that side. But do be careful that the whites still look white and not yellow or cream. Remember that what often draws people to an image is a feeling or emotion. Your image becomes all the more powerful if it reminds the viewer of a sentiment, experience, or something that resonates with them. White balance is key in helping achieve this kind of engagement with your viewer.

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#4 Remember to go close, not just wide

Nowadays, when you browse through interior design catalogues or blogs, you will come across many interior details, arrangements and vignettes that do not show the entire space. Everyone is doing it from high street department stores to high end interior designers. There must be a good reason for it. In order to reinforce engagement and a connection to your audience, details are essential.

Imagine walking into a space, or that you are viewing a house for the first time. Before you walk though the door, you survey the outside look of the property and its surroundings. You do the same as you walk in, surveying the overall scene before your eyes. But when you are inside you get closer and see the details.

You may want to touch and feel the walls, flip some switches on if they work, or sit on the sofa with fluffy scatter cushions. You want to get close, touch and feel things. It is not only a visual connection then, it becomes physical. This is the sense you want to achieve with your images when the viewer is not physically in the space. That is why close up shots and details are important.

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Conclusion

With photography, aim to connect with your viewers not only by using visual senses but also with the power of emotion. If you can add a virtual physical touch to this engagement, all the better. When viewers look at your images and say, “I feel like I was actually there.” take that as one of the highest compliments.

I hope you enjoyed this little beginner’s journey into interior photography. Of course there are many more tips like straightening horizons and shooting through doors. If you have any other awesome tips, do share them here in the comments below.

The post 4 Tips to Help People Photographers Shoot Interior Spaces by Lily Sawyer appeared first on Digital Photography School.

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How Birds Can Help You Learn About Your Photography Journey

05 Oct

When you feel like you don’t know what to do, what’s the next step? Frustrating, isn’t it? I think wisdom is found anywhere, from renaissance statues to butterflies, and even birds. Speaking of which, here’s a weird photography insight that I got by observing them.

Photography Journey

Why birds are amazing

Birds are really awesome. Well, I guess they are, depending on what aspect you are looking at. I mean, we all know they can litter a lot, right? But one thing that has always amazed me is how birds can reach their destination halfway around the world, without ever having been there nor knowing how to get there. Take the Arctic Tern, for example, it’s a bird that goes from Greenland all the way to Antarctica. They make the trip without ever knowing where it is.

Life will find a way?

There’s this scene in Jurassic Park where raptors that were not supposed to reproduce ended up making babies on their own. That’s when Jeff Goldblum said, “Life will find a way”. That is weird but it is true. Birds fly miles upon miles, butterflies too and even turtles. They all reach their destinations without knowing how to get there.

Now, call me crazy but I think that the same hand that made them also made me and you. And if these animals have an internal GPS, I am sure I have one too and so do you. A GPS that allows us to reach our destination as a photographer, wherever that may be. I don’t think any of us have any problem with that GPS concept. But between where we are and where we want to be is a big, scary gap, it’s called process. And if there’s something I’ve learned from nature, it is to embrace it.

Photography Journey

Embrace the process

Try to think like the birds think (don’t worry it’s not that hard with your brain not being larger than theirs). They probably feel a strong urge to go in a certain direction, and I am pretty sure that’s it. They can’t possibly know 100% how to get to their destination for sure because they’ve never been there. All they did was start, and also began embracing the process of life.

Normally when someone talks about the process of photography, they usually refer to stuff like exposure and the making of photographs. But what I would like to talk about here is more about the overall process of photography. I think it is all about accepting where you are and knowing paths will open up along the way. It is up to us to be open to it, and to be brave enough to take step after step, just like millions of birds, butterflies, and turtles.

Photography Journey

Just start even if you don’t know the end yet

But unlike birds, sometimes our destination is not as we expected when we started, that’s where we need to be open. I remember a while back, when I was thinking of what to do with my life, I had no idea what to do next. I accepted that and felt that I would end up figuring it out somehow. I started with the lowest hanging fruit: Video Games. At first, I wanted to go into Video Games, then I realized what I really liked were the graphics. I did not want to spend all that time learning about art, so I entered Graphic Design. From there I got a camera on an impulse and started photography.

When I started with photography, I had no idea what I would do, nor did I have an idea of what I needed to do. All I knew was I needed to start, even if I knew not what I was doing. I had all of the intent of being a wedding shooter but now I am more a street photographer more than anything! You see, I think photography in an overall sense works that way. Decide to be a photographer, start right now, then be open to other paths that are in front of you. Providence will take care of you. Embrace the process.

Getting past road blocks

Of course, at every turn there are frustrations. No one said this stuff would be easy! But the thing is, you can recognize that you are in the middle of a process so that you can learn to embrace it.

Learning your exposure is frustrating you? Embrace the process.
Keep missing shots? Embrace the process.
Still not where you want to be? Embrace the process.
Have no clients knocking at your door? Embrace the process.

Embracing the process is simply accepting the fact that you are where you are supposed to be right now. Once it is time for you to move on, you will. But you will never be able to move any step further if you do not accept the process. Say no clients are knocking at your door, you haven’t gone trough the process of marketing your work yet. It’s pretty simple really, your situation will probably never outgrow your own skills.

Photography Journey

Conclusion

I don’t know where you are, reading this. But I’m pretty sure you know what you want out of photography. Will you trust your inner GPS and take the first step? God only knows what’s in store for you.

All I know for sure is that you can always figure things out along the way. Embrace the Process. Be yourself, stay focused and keep on shooting. Please share your experiences in the comments below as well.

The post How Birds Can Help You Learn About Your Photography Journey by Olivier Duong appeared first on Digital Photography School.

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Add Motion to Your Fall Photography to Help it Stand Out

30 Sep

This tutorial brought to you by The New York Institute of Photography. NYIP is the largest and longest running online photography school in the world. Offering ten online photography classes to choose from, the school makes learning photography fun and accessible to aspiring artists on a global scale. Whether you are interested in a new career or are in pursuit of a hobby, NYIP students get the personal attention they need to achieve their goals. They have access to professional photographers as their teachers and mentors to guide them through the course and help them improve.

NYIP is a paid partner of dPS.

Motion fall photography01

If you are gearing up to capture foliage photos this fall, you may want to brainstorm some ways to adjust your typical compositional style in an effort to produce more unique shots within such a commonly photographed category. How to add some motion to your fall photography will help it stand out.

Add motion to fall photography

One interesting way to update a lackluster landscape is to display some motion in your image. People are more likely to be drawn to your pictures if you can effectively incite some feeling that may be attached to the subject you are shooting. Considering the topic of the changing seasons, including some motion is a fun way to invoke that feelings associate with a shift from summer to fall.

Motion fall photography02

Bulb

Many photographers, new and experienced alike, overlook the BULB mode feature on their cameras. Some aren’t entirely sure what it does and therefore tend to skip past it altogether while adjusting their shutter speeds. This year, take a closer look at this functionality and explore its potential for adding some spark to your seasonal shots.

When working in BULB mode, you will be able to use shutter speeds that are several minutes long. For example, by keeping the shutter open for a mere few seconds, you will have just the right amount of time to move your camera during the actual exposure, allowing you to create a dreamy effect many others are only able to achieve on a computer with the help of post-production tools.

Motion fall photography03

In practice, let’s say you are trying to capture a shot of two different sunflowers growing several feet away from each other in a field. Rather than stepping back to include both flowers in a static, motionless frame, this is a great opportunity to slow your shutter speed and get creative with some movement. To capture a fluid, wistful effect while including both plants in the shot, simply focus on one flower first, start your exposure, and then quickly move the camera to the second flower while the shutter is still open.

Motion fall photography04

Capture falling leaves

Falling leaves are another perfect subject to explore when experimenting with slower shutter speeds. This autumn, try heading to a local park or hiking trail on a windy day to try out these new techniques. Find a tree with some pretty foliage that you’d like to use as your subject. Set up your gear and wait for the right moment to capture the natural motion of the outdoors.

As a gust of wind blows a handful of leaves from the nearby tree, get creative with the ways in which you can capture that windy motion. One method could be to try zooming in and out mid-exposure. Another could be to get into manual focus mode. Start capturing your shot in focus, then abruptly twist out of focus at the end of the exposure. You could even physically start moving your camera while the shutter is still open.

Motion fall photography05

Fall décor

If you’re interested in capturing some similarly unique shots of Halloween decorations, you can employ the same aforementioned techniques in an effort to add a dragging, spooky motion effect to candles or outdoor lights. Again, with open shutter exposure of a few seconds, you can create a look much more compelling than an otherwise stationary image of a home’s exterior décor. When experimenting with creative compositions such as these, you can toss the typical rulebook aside and just focus on trying to produce something innovative and exciting.

Motion fall photography06

Moving water

If you’re traveling to a hiking trail in search of captivating foliage shots, make sure to keep your eye out for any opportunity to capture images of water as well. At a speed like 1/30th of a second, you can transform an ordinary waterfall shot into a compelling silky cascade with a flourishing fall backdrop. If you can’t locate a waterfall and are instead working with a more slower-moving subject like a stream or brook, you might want to try a speed a bit slower, such as 1/15th or 1/4th. In general, we recommend you try fluctuating between speeds of around ¼ and 1/60 until you find one that you’re comfortable with. Make sure to experiment with the exposure time to find your favorite water effects.

Motion fall photography07

Getting Started

Before you head out to try these new techniques this year, here’s a checklist of some last minute tips you might want to keep in mind.

Keep the camera steady

When you’re working with such slow exposure times, your shot is prone to be affected by even the slightest jostle of your camera. You might want to consider packing a tripod. If you don’t own one (or lugging one along isn’t practical for your excursion) try to find something outdoors like a boulder as a means for stabilizing your camera before you get started. If you can’t locate a helpful natural prop, you could also try using the 2-second timer and propping the camera up on your gear bag.

Waterfalls

When shooting waterfalls, if you want to capture a more even exposure without the often inevitable inclusion of heavy, distracting shadows, try to head out very early in the morning. If this doesn’t work with your schedule, a cloudy day is your next best option for avoiding this.

Raise the ISO

If you’re trying to photograph fall décor indoors but the exposure is repeatedly too dark, try cranking your ISO (and using a simple noise reduction software).

Blur the background

If you’re trying to focus on a foreground subject but struggling to effectively blur the background, try using the widest possible aperture, and the longest focal length of your lens. Slowly move your subject further and further away from the background as you capture your shot.

Motion fall photography08

By effectively employing these tips and displaying the motion of your subjects, you’ll be able to capture the essence of autumn in a uniquely captivating way.

This tutorial has been brought to you by The New York Institute of Photography. NYIP is the largest and longest running online photography school in the world. Offering ten online photography classes to choose from, the school makes learning photography fun and accessible to aspiring artists on a global scale. Whether you are interested in a new career or are in pursuit of a hobby, NYIP students get the personal attention they need to achieve their goals. They have access to professional photographers as their teachers and mentors to guide them through the course and help them improve.

NYIP is a paid partner of dPS.

Jacob Boller is the School Director at The New York Institute of Photography and has been in his role for the past decade. Jacob first fell in love with photography taking wildlife photos with his Grandfather and still uses that same Olympus 35mm from time to time. Jacob is honored to be the Director at NYIP, the largest and longest running online photography school in the world, and is proud that via the NYIP Online Learning Center, course updates are made as fast as the camera technology develops.

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How Playing With Manual Mode Can Help You Learn Exposure Faster

21 Sep

I have a disclaimer before I even begin this article. I shoot much more often in Shutter or Aperture Priority than I do in Manual mode. I save Manual mode specifically for studio shooting, for some tripod work where I have a lot of time to get the settings perfect, or for situations where the lighting is very consistent.

Subways in Motion, New York

Learn Manual Mode to better understand exposure

However, I think it is immensely important for you to try to periodically shoot in Manual early on, especially if you’re just learning. Take a look at your camera. How many buttons does it have on it? New cameras these days can have 20 or more buttons on them all doing different things, but in reality, there are only three settings that make the photograph: the ISO, the Shutter speed, and the Aperture.

Central Park, New York

Before you even go out, turn your camera to Manual mode and figure out the fastest and most comfortable way to change each of these settings. You’re going to do a lot of that in Manual.

Understanding shutter speed

The next step is to understand a couple of important points. The shutter speed always needs to be at least one over your focal length to offset handheld camera shake. So if you are at 50mm (on a full-frame camera), then your shutter speed needs to be 1/50th of a second. To freeze the motion of moving subjects such as people, I like a shutter speed of around 1/250th or 1/320th of a second, but you can get away with a little slower than that. You will need a faster shutter speed to freeze faster moving subjects like cars, etc.

Understanding aperture

For your aperture, the lower the number (such as f/2.8), the less depth of field and more bokeh there will be. This is counterintuitively called a large aperture because the size of the aperture hole in the lens is actually larger. This will also let in a lot of light due to the size of the hole. A small aperture (such as f/11 or f/16) will create a much larger depth of field, but the tradeoff is that it will let in less light.

Waiting in Grand Central Terminal, New York

Understanding ISO

The ISO is the sensitivity of your camera’s sensor to light. The higher the number, the more noise that an image will have, but the more sensitive to light it will be. Newer cameras can make beautiful photos up to ISO 3200 or even 6400, but older or entry level cameras can have a lower limit of around ISO 1600 (test your camera to find your comfort zone with its upper ISO limits).

If you want a lot of bokeh in your image, and you set your lens to f/2.8, that means the camera will be letting in so much light that you will usually want a low ISO. However, if you are shooting street photography, fast moving subjects, you want a shutter speed of 1/250th or faster, and/or a smaller aperture such as f/11 – unless you are in bright sunlight, you will often have to raise your ISO to be able to let in enough light to use those settings. In general, if it’s darker out, then your ISO will often have to go up unless you are on a tripod.

Now play with them

Those are the main considerations that you need to learn; now just walk out the door and mess around with your settings. Screwing around with the settings in Manual is the fastest way to start to learn them well. Start off with your aperture. How much depth of field do you want in the image? Once you pick that, then take a guess at the shutter speed and ISO and see how it looks. View the back of the screen, look at the histogram, and zoom in on the details.

If an image is too dark, then slow the shutter speed, raise the ISO, or use a larger aperture. If the main subject is too blurry, then speed up the shutter speed.

Couple in Sheep Meadow, New York

Try different lighting scenarios

Explore different lighting situations. Paying attention to lighting is the first thing that you should do before you take a photograph. How strong is the light? Where is the sun or artificial light in relation to what you are shooting? The strength of the light will be the number one factor in helping you figure out your settings. From there, you can figure out the depth of field that you want and if you need to freeze the motion of your subjects or not.

Get comfortable walking from one lighting situation to another. If you walk from the sun into the shade, what will you need to change to expose the scene correctly? Pay attention to scenes with both bright highlights and darker shadows. With these scenes you need to figure out which is most important to expose correctly. If the shady area is more important, then let in more light. If the highlights are the most important, then darken the scene so they are correctly exposed and the shadows are closer to black. If you are in sunlight, learn how your settings will change if you are shooting into the sun versus shooting away from it.

Smokestack and Graffiti, New York

Go out in the morning, in the middle of a sunny day, at dusk, or in light rain. Learn how your settings change in each of these lighting situations.

Most digital cameras will show you the light meter reading for what they believe will correctly expose your image. For instance, if you choose the three settings, the light meter might show you that it thinks you are underexposed by one stop (look in your viewfinder for a + 0 – scale, press the shutter button part-way down to activate it). Keep an eye on this because it can help you, but also try to not pay too much attention to it. The point of Manual shooting is to learn the numbers yourself without relying on the camera. You can rely more on the camera later.

Conclusion and practice

The only way to learn these things is to experiment and do them. Shooting in Manual at first will make you screw up much more than in Shutter or Aperture Priority, but a handful of dedicated days of doing this will have you understanding the settings in a much more intuitive way. Then if you decide to shoot in Shutter or Aperture Priority, you will have a strong understanding of how to use those modes to the best of their ability.

SoHo at Night

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10 Tips to Help You Create Unique Storytelling People Photos

16 Sep

storytelling with photos lead For most of us, the joy of photography goes beyond taking a great image, to being able to share our pictures and experiences with our friends and family. To do storytelling with images.

How many times have you been traveling and come across someone interesting that you wanted to share with your family? Did asking for permission hold you back? Did you get a photo or series of photos that really tell the story? Were your photographs different and did each add a new perspective?

The following tips will walk you through a real-life example of how I shot a glassblower in his shop and created a series of unique photos to tell his story.

#1 – Get clear on your goals for the shoot

Something attracted you to this person or situation. What peaked your interest? Do you like the subject’s purple hair? Do you love photographing people having fun? Do you want to try to capture the beautiful light on someone’s face? Or perhaps you love dance and would like to capture a dancer in a beautiful portrait?

Here are my thoughts on the glassblower. What I wanted to photograph, what I wanted to do and why I wanted to do it.

Why I wanted to photograph the glassblower:

I have been a Canon user for a long time and Sony lent me one of their new cameras and two lenses (50mm and a 90mm) for a trial run. I had already spent some time playing with the camera by photographing squirrels and I was ready to try something with a little bit more potential.

storytelling with photographs

While on vacation in a small beach town, I noticed a small shop run by a local glass blower. He made beautiful glass as well as offered lessons to tourists. I liked the idea of photographing the glass blower for several reasons:

He makes beautiful art.
The workshop is interesting with a lot of picture possibilities.
I could shoot available light in his workshop.
He was there all day doing interesting things which means I had a lot of time to shoot.
He seemed very proud of his work.
He seemed to have an extroverted personality and a sense of showmanship.

What I wanted to do:

I wanted to be able to photograph him as he worked and interacted with others.

My most important goal was to have the opportunity to shoot something pretty simple as I learned to drive this new camera. I liked this situation because I could shoot available light and there was enough action and movement that I could test out the different autofocus settings as well as the creative features of the camera.

I also wanted to be able to shoot, leave to download my images, and come back to the same situation later to tweak my approach. I had found my subject, I just needed to get permission.

storytelling with photos

#2 – Be honest about what you want and don’t be afraid, just ask!

A lot of photographers are shy about asking friends, relatives, and strangers if they can take their photo. Asking is easy if you are honest, sincere, and you know why you want to photograph the person.

The truth is, some people hate to have their photo taken and so be prepared for a no. If someone shies away from the idea, perhaps they require more convincing. Some people actually enjoy being persuaded, so push gently after the first no. There could be a yes hiding behind a little bit of shyness.

And, if you get a no, remember that it’s never personal. Some people are just going to say no. Sometimes the person being asked has no idea why anyone would want to photograph them. They are afraid you are going to make them look dumb and they can’t imagine why anyone would want to take their photograph. That is why step #1 is important.

storytellings with photographs

Before you ask permission, get clear on what you want so you can explain it and overcome any objections. Yes, it’s partly sales, but if you are sincere and enthused and truly want to photograph them, most of the time they will feel flattered and say yes.

How I approached the glassblower

When I approached John to ask him if I could photograph him, I had my camera over my shoulder. I told him his work was beautiful and I’d love to take some photographs. He beamed. He loved the attention.

Note: I didn’t run into the shop taking pictures without permission. I intentionally had my camera, though, so he knew from the start that I was interested in taking photographs. Having your camera on your shoulder, hanging loosely is non-threatening. If he had an aversion to having his picture taken, he would have felt much more relaxed than if I had put a camera in his face. This isn’t paparazzi. It’s about connecting with someone you want to spend some time with.

I told him the truth. That I was in town visiting and I wanted to learn how to use this new camera. I smiled and told him I had already photographed every squirrel in town and was ready to shoot some people. He laughed.

telling stories with photographs

Being able to put people at ease is a great step toward getting a yes. I find it easier to connect with people as a student than a professional. When I approach people as a professional they put up more of a front. When I’m just trying to learn my camera, the pressure is off the subject to do or be anything.

If you are looking for great vacation photos and stories to share with your friends and family, say so. Imagine if a traveler approached you, said you looked amazing and would love to show people back home what people here looked like? You’d be flattered! Of course!

I also explained that I was testing the camera and I might shoot for awhile, go look at pictures, then come back again to shoot some more. Would that be okay? He got excited over the attention and immediately started to share photos another photographer had taken. He loved the idea of being photographed and I had a subject.

#3 – Be considerate

You are shooting in someone else’s home, yard, or business, so be courteous. If a customer comes in, the customer comes first. Always take the back seat. It’s a privilege when someone allows you to take their photo. Remember that and you will always be welcome.

telling stories with photos

#4 – Tell your subject to pretend you aren’t even there

First of all, you will get better pictures and expressions if your subject keeps busy doing what they love. You can watch how they do it and begin to anticipate their next move. Secondly, especially if you are working in a place of business, you don’t want to distract them from their livelihood. If you do, they will grow impatient and suggest the session is over.

I often get close to shoot and then back away for awhile. It relaxes the subject and keeps them off guard. It truly allows them to forget about me and get into their zone.

how to tell stories with photographs

#5 – Really work the situation

Create a variety of shots, with the goal that each shot adds a different element or idea to the story. Walk around, shoot high and low, and use a variety of lenses. Work on cleaning up the background and capturing great expressions. Look for opportunities and unique ways of showing it. Experiment. Have fun. Get creative.

telling stories with photographs

#6 – Shoot portraits

Look for different expressions, light, and angles. Shoot tight and shoot loose. Include the environment in some shots. Work on taking candids as well as photos with the subject looking at the camera. I loved the light on John’s face when he was looking at the fire and how it reflected in his glasses.

telling stories with photographs

Remember, variety is the key. Notice how many different expressions John has in the different photos in this article. Each expression helps to add an element to the story.

telling stories with photographs

#7 – Shoot action shots

Tell the story of what the person does. Try shooting the same activity in different ways.

#8 – Shoot close-ups and details

#9 – Shoot hands

telling stories with photographs

#10 – Photograph relationships

Try to capture the relationship your subject has with other people. In these photos, a tourist stopped by to blow his own piece of glass.

You now have the tools to approach strangers to ask them if you can spend time with them taking pictures. These rules apply to every situation, whether it’s a musician in the street, your child’s ballet class, or a homeless person. Remember to know your intention and be honest with the subject. Sincerity has opened many, many doors for me.

Once you are inside the door, really work your subject to tell the story. Try different angles and remember to shoot close as well as far away. Shoot portraits, close-up shots, focus on recording what the subject is doing, as well as their relationships.

What story would you love to shoot? Do you know a musician in your neighborhood or a craftsperson? Share your thoughts below, go out and shoot and then share your images in the comments below.

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Tips and Tricks to Help You Take Better Youth Sports Photos

07 Aug

A favorite photography subject of any parent is their child’s sporting activities. But, sports photography can be challenging for the beginning photographer. It requires a robust understanding of camera settings and how they relate to one another. It can also be hugely rewarding to capture exhilarating moments that will be cherished for years to come.

Here are a few tips and Tricks I’ve learned for getting awesome sports photos.

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1 – Know the Sport

Every sport has the picture perfect moment. You know the one – the horse with its leg tucked just so, or the peak of the handstand. The moments captured on trading cards, or those that appear on the front covers of sporting magazines are good examples.

Chances are that because you’ve sat on the same bleachers week after week, that you know your child’s sport inside-out. A good sports photographer can anticipate the play, and is ready to capture the shot. For sports that are routine based – gymnastics, figure skating, equestrian, and the like – be sure to watch the practice so you’ll know when and where the picture perfect moments will occur, and where you need to position yourself to capture them.

Capturing the passion of the athlete. The flare from the flash in the background was a happy accident. Exposure info: 85mm, f/6.3, 1/160th, ISO 500.

2 – Be Courteous

Before the game, have a chat with your child’s coach and make sure it’s okay for you to photograph the game – some sporting organizations have special rules for photographers which you’ll need to be aware of beforehand. During the game, be courteous to the other parents who are watching their own children. Please don’t be “that guy”, taking up half the bleachers with mountains of gear, or the one standing at the front, blocking the view of others.

3 – Choose your Lens

Generally speaking, longer lenses are better for sports photography, as the action is occurring some distance from you (and it’s uncool for a parent photographer to be on the field during play). A lens around 200mm is a good place to start. If you’ve just won the lotto, I’m well informed that professional 400mm and 600mm lenses are awesome (they can also be rented if you really want to try them out, and don’t have a winning lotto ticket in your back pocket).

Exposure info on above images: 200mm lens, ISO 200, f/5.6, 1/320th of a second.

4 – Get the Camera off Auto

Yes, I know your camera has a sports/action mode. It might even have a cute little picture of someone running. But shooting sports in manual mode (or at least shutter priority) is a perfect way for you to learn how the exposure triangle works. It will also be a lesson in compromise because I can pretty much guarantee that unless you’re shooting in bright sunlight, something will have to give. Do you accept high ISO noise but stop the action, or do you accept some motion blur for less noise?

Shooting the pause moments. Note the ridiculously high ISO needed for this dimly lit indoor venue. Exposure info: 105mm, f/4, 1/160th, ISO 10,000.

Shutter Speed – Sports shooting is one occasion where the age old adage of “minimum shutter speed = 1/focal length” doesn’t work. In reality, you’ll need to go much faster if you want blur-free images. To stop action at walking speed, try at least 1/250th of a second. For running, you’ll need 1/500th or faster. If these shutter speeds aren’t possible (most likely due to low light), try to anticipate and shoot the posed moments – those times when the athlete pauses for a microsecond (image above). It might be landing a trick, a look before throwing the ball, the moment before throwing a punch.

Exposure info on above images: 200mm lens, ISO 200, f/5.6, 1/320th of a second.

Aperture – Shoot with the largest aperture your lens allows. Professional lenses will generally open up to f/2.8. This will have two benefits – you’ll minimize depth of field (throwing the background out of focus and drawing more attention to your subject), plus you’ll be letting more light in (thus allowing a faster shutter speed).

Exposure info on above images: 200mm lens, ISO 200, f/5.6, 1/320th of a second.

ISO – You’ll often have to shoot at a high ISO to get enough light, especially if you’re shooting indoors. Trial and error will tell you how high your camera can go while still achieving an acceptable image. If you end up having to shoot at ISO 6400 and end up with a noisy image, just turn it black and white and tell people (in your best British accent), “It’s art, dah’ling!”

Focus mode – Check that your focusing mode is set to Continuous or Servo mode. This will ensure that the camera is constantly recalculating focus as you track a moving subject in your viewfinder. Every camera will handle this slightly differently, so it’s worth thumbing through your camera manual to understand how your particular model works.

5 – Get Down Low

Many beginner photographers make the mistake of shooting from a standing position. For youth sports, this means that they are generally shooting down on the athlete – not a very flattering angle. Instead, try kneeling on the ground for a better perspective.

These two images, taken from different camera angles, show how shooting from a lower angle can make all the difference.

These two images, taken from different camera angles, really show how shooting from a lower angle can make all the difference. Notice you can see more of her face in the image on the right, taken from a lower camera position.

Exposure info on above images: 200mm lens, ISO 200, f/5.6, 1/320th of a second.

6 – Practice

As with all genres of photography, practice makes perfect. Try different angles or shooting from different positions around the field to see what works best. I guarantee you’ll see improvement as you keep shooting.

7 – Beware the Light Cycle

If your sport is being played in a large indoor venue (or outdoors at night), more than likely it will be lit by cyclic lights (mercury vapor, sodium vapor, fluorescent, etc). These cheap and efficient lights are a sports photographer’s worst nightmare. Unlike natural sources, these lights emit certain frequencies, and completely miss others, resulting in a unique color temperature that is difficult, if not impossible, to properly white balance in camera.

In addition – and completely undetectable to the naked eye – these lights have distinctive cyclic patterns, varying in both light intensity, and color temperature, multiple times per second. Shooting under them can be very much a hit-and-miss affair. Sometimes you’ll catch the light in a blue phase of the cycle; a millisecond later you’ll get magenta. You might get slightly darker, or brighter. Sometimes neighboring lights will be on different cycles, so part of your photograph will be dark and part will be light, each with a different color temperature. (Don’t believe me? Try this test: under a fluorescent light, set your camera to manual with a fast shutter speed like 1/250th, take a series of identical images in rapid succession, then compare the frames. The faster the shutter speed you pick, the more the effect will be visible.)

This image was shot under sodium vapor lights and shows the intense yellow frequencies emitted by this type of light, even with the camera color balanced for the white uniforms. Exposure info: 150mm, f/3.2, 1/320, ISO 5000.

Commercial architecture photographers combat this problem by lowering the shutter speed to allow more than one full cycle of light to be read by the sensor. However as we’ve already discussed, slow speed doesn’t usually work for action sports photography. Worse, many sports in these type of venues (equestrian, figure skating, gymnastics) don’t allow flash for player safety reasons, so you’re stuck using available light.

There is nothing you can really do about cyclic lights, other than to simply take more photos, and pray that you hit the cycle right. For odd colors, you could play with the individual channels in Photoshop, or convert the entire thing to black and white (this will be the only time you’ll ever hear me say “fix it in post-production”). Regardless, it is something that you should be aware of so you don’t make yourself crazy trying to figure out why you got the results you did.

8 – Have Fun

Exposure info on above images: 200mm lens, ISO 200, f/5.6, 1/320th of a second.

Youth sports are all about participating and having fun. Photographing them is no different. If your cherub is playing in the sand or picking her nose instead of chasing the ball, capture it! These are the memories you’ll treasure one day (or so they tell me). And remember that it’s okay to put the camera down sometimes and just enjoy the game too.

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