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10 Things You Can Photograph in Your Home

31 Mar

The post 10 Things You Can Photograph in Your Home appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Matt Murray.

10 Things You Can Photograph in Your Home Featured image

There’s nothing I love more than grabbing a camera and setting off on the weekend to find a new place to photograph. But what happens if you’re confined to the house for an extended period and can’t get out? Fear not, there are still hundreds of things you can photograph in your home.

I have listed ten ideas for things to photograph below. I spent no more than 15 minutes photographing each item or idea. In some cases, it was closer to five minutes. For most images, I used either my Fujifilm XF 35mm f1.4 R lens or my Fujifilm XF 60mm f2.4 R Macro lens.

1. Family

The good news is that if you live with family or friends, you will always have subjects for your photography. The only trick is being a bit selective. Don’t take photos of them all the time and wear out your welcome!

For the image below, I sat my son on the trampoline with the afternoon sun lighting up the netting behind him. I took a series of shots with him looking into the camera. However, this one I like the best, with him looking away. I must admit, I did have to bribe him to pose for me, but it was worth a bowl of ice cream.

Boy on a trampoline — When did you last take photos of your family at home?

2. Pets

Another ready-made subject for you at home is your family pet. There can be both pros and cons for photographing animals. An advantage is that they can’t complain about being photographed like family or friends. A disadvantage is that they don’t want to sit still very often!

I tend to take images of our dalmatian Marshall when he’s doing something funny, yet rarely do I take a portrait. I love this photo of him; I took it as he was having a rest on the sofa.

Thing you can photograph in your home — There’s nowhere to hide from the camera, pooch!

3. Jewelry

If you have a macro lens, or a lens capable of getting close to small objects, why not photograph your jewelry? This could include items given to you by your loved ones or family heirlooms passed down from your relatives.

I chose to photograph my Nixon Star Wars watch. There are lots of cool details on the watch that I forgot about, including the second hand is a light saber!

If you have a lot more patience than me, you could take a series of images and focus stack them in an image editing program to create an image sharp across the frame.

10 Things You Can Photograph in Your Home — My Star Wars watch

4. Figurines

When my Grandma visited London in 1983, she brought me back lots of little gifts, including these three metal soldiers. They’ve sat on my bookshelf next to my travel guide books for years. When I was looking for things you can photograph in your home, they commanded my attention immediately.

I photographed the metal soldiers in my front doorway on a table, with a booklet about London in the background. You can make out the double-decker bus in the background, which gives the image an added British feel.

Try experimenting with any small figures you have at home: lego people, dolls, small toys. Imagine what it’s like to be that tiny.

5. Vintage cameras

Many photographers have vintage cameras in their house, either because they still shoot film with them or because they make fantastic decorations. When it comes to things you can photograph in your home, vintage cameras are my favorite!

I have so many cameras dotted around my home office it was difficult to choose just one to photograph. However, in the end, I went with my classic 1960s Japanese half-frame film camera, the Olympus Pen FT.

The Pen FT is a beautifully designed camera, even down to the lens cap, which I lay on the table next to the camera.

If you don’t have any vintage cameras in your home, you could always photograph your favorite lens or another vintage item in your house.

Olympus Pen FT half frame camera — Precision Japanese engineering – the Olympus Pen FT.

6. Flowers

I wandered outside to my much-neglected garden and found some flowers we hadn’t managed to kill off yet. Gardening is not my superpower, that’s for sure!

I shot this image handheld, with the stamen in focus, and most of the background is a wonderful blur. As with the jewelry shots, you could set up a tripod and take a series of images to focus stack.

If you don’t have a garden, any kind of plant or flower – real or artificial – will do. If you have some cacti or succulents, you could even combine this idea with the figurines idea. Try posing some lego figures in your cactus garden!

7. Coffee

One advantage of being cooped up in the house is that I can make a coffee anytime I like. However, this can be a danger – I need to keep track of how many I’m having!

I took a series of images of coffee and milk frothing. This one of espresso coming out of my home coffee machine into a metal jug is my favorite.

Espresso pouring into a metal jug — Coffee pouring into a metal jug

8. Food

Hopefully during your stay at home, you have access to some nice food, or maybe you are still able to order some amazing takeaway from nearby restaurants.

Set up an area where you can shoot a flat lay of your meal. Try to make it as colorful and cool-looking as possible, with lots of different colors and props.

9. Sweet treats

Unless you’ve gone full minimalist, you’ll probably find things in your house and wonder where they came from. I have no idea why we had these brightly-colored candy canes in a vase in our kitchen, but I decided to photograph them nonetheless.

I put a white sheet over the table and photographed them with natural light streaming in the front doorway. Look for any brightly-colored candy or sweets in your house. I also took some shots of colorful easter eggs in a basket.

10. Home photoshoot

Another idea for something you can photograph in your home is a styled photoshoot. Christmas in July, teddy bears’ picnic, fashion shoots: the only limit is your imagination.

Pick a theme and run with it. Turn a corner of your house into your studio and go wild!

Conclusion

Being confined to the house can be challenging for many people. Rest assured, though, there are literally hundreds of things you can photograph in your home.

The first port of call for many will be family and pets, but there are also lots of other opportunities. You can also photograph personal items with sentimental value, such as jewelry, to vintage items that usually sit on the shelf, like toy soldiers, or vintage cameras. Bright colored items such as pencils and sweets make good subjects, as do flowers and plants.

Getting more creative with photographic opportunities at home is one way to fill time, work on your photography, and discover a new perspective. Are you up for the challenge?

What items do you like to photograph in your home? Tell us in the comments below.

The post 10 Things You Can Photograph in Your Home appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Matt Murray.

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How to Photograph Beautiful Winter Snowdrops (or Other Flowers)

18 Feb

The post How to Photograph Beautiful Winter Snowdrops (or Other Flowers) appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Charlie Moss.

Every year the forests and parks gain a touch of magic as the winter snowdrops emerge. For just a fleeting few weeks, their delicate flowers form beautiful white carpets that seem to flow in the weak winter sun. But sometimes, when we go out to photograph them, the results can be a little lackluster.

It seems like it shouldn’t be hard to take a great snowdrop photo, and yet many photographers really struggle to capture their beauty. Here are some of my top tips when it comes to the art of photographing these tiny flowers. Don’t forget your macro lens or close-up filters to get the best shots.

Get down low

When the flower you’re photographing doesn’t stand taller than the top of your boots, you’re going to have to get yourself and your camera down close to the floor for a worm’s eye view. For this reason, I always keep a couple of carrier bags in my camera gear. The alternative is wet knees and elbows, so I recommend you do the same!

ISO100, 35mm (50mm equiv.), f2.8, 1/550th sec

You can either rest the camera on the floor or use a very small tripod. Alternatively, some full-size tripods can invert, allowing you to get the camera down close to the ground.

Once you’ve got your camera down low, you can either use the screen to compose or the camera’s phone app (if it has one). I’d also suggest using manual focus for these kinds of shots; otherwise, you might find that your camera’s auto-focus locks on to errant blades of grass rather than the winter snowdrops themselves.

Choose interesting light

It’s hard to guarantee interesting light if you’re going out on location, but there are a few things that you can do to help swing the odds in your favor.

Heading out to your preferred winter snowdrops patch either first thing in the morning or during sunset can give you a better chance of having more interesting light. In the morning, you will also get the beautiful dew that makes specular highlights in the out of focus areas, adding extra magic to your photos (but you could also add “dew” with a spray bottle – I won’t tell anyone).

Left: ISO100, 35mm (50mm equiv.), f2.8, 1/320th sec. Right: ISO200, 35mm (50mm equiv.), f2.8, 1/4000th sec

Look for an opportunity to backlight the flowers with the sun. The light coming from behind can really highlight the thin white petals. You might want to add a small reflector or a pop of fill-flash to the front of the flower if you try this approach.

Of course, if you plan ahead, you could also grow winter snowdrops in a pot at home. That way, you can take them indoors when they start to bloom and spend as long as you like experimenting with different kinds of lighting!

Think about the depth of field

Your aperture choice can really make or break your snowdrop photo. Because it sets how much of your image is in focus, it’s the camera setting that requires the most thought for flower photos.

Deciding if you want a wide depth of field, or to focus on just one small part of the scene, is the choice that is going to make the biggest visual statement. It’s also one that you can’t reverse after the shot.

Both approaches have merit, and if you’re in any doubt, try shooting at a variety of aperture settings and choosing later.

My favorite way to shoot small flowers is with a shallow depth of field. This helps the viewer focus on just the subject without the background becoming distracting.

The image on the left was shot at f2, while the image on the right was shot at f8. Both were shot at ISO200, on a 35mm (50mm equiv.), lens.

A shallow depth of field also allows a single snowdrop to stand in isolation in your photograph, showing off its beauty. This approach can be especially good if the snowdrop is an unusual variety – some types of snowdrops can cost a huge amount per plant!

But if you’re trying to capture the vastness of a white carpet of snowdrops, then a larger depth of field can be more effective. That way, you can show the beauty of the mass of flowers without them all blending into one.

Post-process creatively

Many photographers shoot winter snowdrops every year, and a lot of images make it online. It’s easy to get lost amongst the crowd when it comes to photographs of snowdrops. Post-processing your images creatively can be both a good way to learn more about your software, as well as a chance to produce something truly unique.

ISO100, 35mm (50mm equiv.), f1.4, 1/1250th sec

You could go for post-processing that is as simple as a basic color grading. Emulating one of the different kinds of old film stocks might be a good place to start. Don’t forget to consider photographing with a black and white conversion in mind too – the white flowers really pop off a green grass background when you go black and white!

If you’re feeling adventurous, you could try adding textures to the image, or even following my method for layering multiple photographs in Adobe Photoshop.

There are no rules in flower photography, so let your imagination run wild when it comes to creative post-processing.

Try something abstract

These perfect clumps of little white flowers give you a great opportunity to try out something a little more experimental and off-beat. If you’ve not tried shooting abstract images before, just remember to approach the process with an open mind and try not to get hung up on what other people might think.

You could start off by trying an unconventional angle or using a tine depth of field to focus on just one part of the flower. Use the colors of the petals and the lines of the stems to create strong compositions where the subject itself is of secondary importance.

Both: ISO100, 35mm (50mm equiv.), f16, 1/4th sec

Alternatively, how about trying out some ICM – intentional camera movement?

Set a long shutter speed (I usually start around 1/4 sec) and give the camera a wiggle while the shutter is open. You may find that you need to use a very small aperture or add a neutral density filter to your lens to allow for the long shutter speed without overexposing the image.

The technique is gaining popularity amongst many abstract photographers, and everyone has their preferred wiggle method!

When it comes to this kind of image-making, the key is to approach it with no expectations and not to be disappointed if you don’t get amazing results the first time.

As always, practice does make perfect, and it takes more than one attempt to create a masterpiece!

Take your camera for a walk and shoot

As always, the most important thing is to get shooting and start somewhere. You’ve only got a limited window of opportunity to photograph the snowdrops, so make the most of it while they’re in full bloom.

ISO100, 35mm (50mm equiv.), f2.5, 1/480th sec

The easiest way to find displays of snowdrops will be to follow the social media pages of country houses or landscaped gardens near you. They often use their social media pages to notify subscribers of whatever seasonal flowers are at their best.

You could also ask on local photography groups if anyone has an idea for other hotspots to find snowdrops – they often crop up in woodlands and parks that have been around a long time.

Don’t forget that these ideas can apply to plenty of other kinds of flowers too. But you might find that none are quite such showstoppers as the delicate little winter snowdrops.

So, go out and shoot some winter snowdrops and share them with us in the comments below!

The post How to Photograph Beautiful Winter Snowdrops (or Other Flowers) appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Charlie Moss.

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Photograph Your Commute, See the World Differently

13 Feb

The post Photograph Your Commute, See the World Differently appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Charlie Moss.

It doesn’t take long for our commute to become familiar and mundane. We make our way through the world on autopilot, not seeing the details that surround us. By taking the time to photograph your commute, you both improve your photography and start an exciting personal project.

As photographers, we should be learning to see the details around us even when we’ve seen them a thousand times before. Our eye needs continuous training to keep it in good shape, just like an athlete needs to train at their sport regularly. And a commute to work on foot or by public transport is an ideal time to flex your visual muscles.

Here are some reasons why leaving ten minutes early for your commute in the morning with your camera can help you train your eye and eventually become a better photographer.

Plan out your project

All of the images in this article came from a single challenge – to photograph my walk to work and to try and spot small details and moments I might ordinarily miss. Each day I was walking from King’s Cross to Camden in London, a journey of no more than a mile. It took me primarily through industrial areas, and I wanted to try and capture something interesting.

All the images in this article were part of a project to photograph my London commute. These images: ISO100, 100mm, f2.8, 1/250th sec

You don’t have to plan your project in-depth, but it does help to have a general idea of where you want to go with it. In my case, I knew that I wanted to produce a series of black and white images that focussed on the architecture of the area.

It doesn’t have to be architecture photography. You might choose to shoot people going about their day. Or perhaps the urban wildlife that you see in the mornings if you get up extra early. Maybe you walk through a park with particularly lovely trees and landscapes.

The sky is your limit, but jot down a few ideas of how to photograph your commute to help you get started.

Choose the right kit

You don’t want to be lugging a huge camera bag to work every day on top of everything else you take, so figure out where you can slim things down when you photograph your commute.

ISO100, 100mm, f2.8, 1/250th sec

Most of the time, I chuck my camera and a single lens straight into my handbag protected by a simple wrap. It’s easy and does the job of keeping the camera scratch-free. It also doesn’t take up too much space.

If you want a bit more protection, you could look at once of the camera bag inserts that are purpose-made to fit inside any handbag or rucksack. They’ll allow you to organize your camera gear a bit more, and it’ll offer more peace of mind if you get jostled on your commute, or you drop your bag accidentally.

Don’t forget to consider your accessories too – an everyday carry kit in a small container might be just the thing to put together.

Practice makes perfect

Logic dictates that if you practice a skill regularly, you will improve over time. So practicing photography each day, even for a little bit, is a way to improve your photographic eye by leaps and bounds in a short space of time.

Left image: ISO100, 100mm, f2.8, 1/400th sec Right image: ISO200, 100mm, f2.8, 1/200th sec

You don’t have to have your camera out and round your neck the whole time either. Just thinking ahead to a place where you can stop on your route and get your camera out for ten minutes would work.

If each day you pick a different place to stop and shoot, you’ll soon find yourself improving.

The key when you stop is to try and pick out a new detail to shoot. You could even try to shoot ten photos without moving your feet in a different location each day.

Pick a technique to improve

Without focus, you might find it harder to make significant improvements in your photography. So when you’re planning to photograph your commute, perhaps pick a technique to improve as well as a subject. Or maybe you could choose a technique to focus on per week or even per day.

Every commute will lend itself to a different set of techniques that you can practice to improve. But you might like to focus on some of the following areas:

Focussing accurately
Composition
Introducing motion blur
Capturing light and shadow
Experimenting with depth of field

Present your work

At the end of your project, or when you feel like you’ve exhausted everything your commute has to offer photographically, be sure to do something with the photos. Many of us are guilty of letting images languish on our hard drives without ever seeing the light of day.

At the very least, you could think about putting your pictures on social media.

Perhaps talk in the captions about the sights and sounds that were around you when you captured the image, or how you were feeling that day. You might be surprised to find that the kinds of photos you shoot relate to your emotional wellbeing and the way the environment makes you feel.

ISO100, 100mm, f4, 1/1250th sec

You could also put together a book. It isn’t expensive any more to get a single book made of your photos, and there are lots of companies that offer this service. Consider if you want to include short pieces of writing alongside your photographs, just like you might on social media.

Lastly, you might want to consider an exhibition full of beautiful prints.

If you’ve never had a show before, this might feel both terrifying and unachievable. Every significant achievement starts with a small step.

Start by exploring local gallery spaces and seeing how you get your work in them. Some have open shows that you can submit work for consideration.

Others will want to show a whole series from a single artist and will tell you how they want to see your work. There are also some gallery spaces that you can hire for a week or two to show your work.

The choice is yours!

What about a 365 project?

It might be tempting to turn a daily practice into a 365 project. But I would like you to think hard before you commit to doing that. It sounds easy at first – just a single photo a day! And if you’re committing to taking your camera to work each day, then that might look easy.

ISO100, 100mm, f4, 1/800th sec

But 365 projects can suck the fun out of photography if you’re not the kind of person who is really, really into them. If you want to do this kind of project, then perhaps consider a ’52’ version – just one image per week. That allows you to have bad days, and sick days, and days where you don’t want to look at your photos in the evening!

But whatever you do, and wherever you take this project, make sure it’s fun. It should be an enjoyable highlight in your day, not a daily slog. Spending a little bit of time every day with your camera should be something that brings you joy.

Have you ever taken the time to photograph your commute? Please show us the images in the comments!

The post Photograph Your Commute, See the World Differently appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Charlie Moss.

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9 Great Tips to Photograph Waterfalls (video)

08 Feb

The post 9 Great Tips to Photograph Waterfalls (video) appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Caz Nowaczyk.

In this new video from Mads Peter Iversen, he gives you 9 great tips to photograph waterfalls. With some great tips and beautiful scenery, this video will have you taking better photos of waterfall landscapes in no time.

You’ll learn about camera settings, shutter speeds, composition (including moving around to get the most from your image), and other practical tips such as filters and tripods.

Shot in the beautiful Lofoten in Norway, which is not known for its waterfalls, Iversen has to work a little harder to capture these images.

Do you have any other tips for photographing waterfalls that you would like to share with us? Are there things you agree or disagree with in this video? Please share your thoughts with us in the comments below.

If you want to improve your landscape photography, try our Landscape & Nature Photography Course.

Research

To photograph travel icons well, start by doing a bit of research to identify some of the world’s famous sights.

Some of the most popular places include the Taj Mahal, the Eiffel Tower, Machu Picchu, Angkor Wat, the Houses of Parliament and the Grand Canyon.

During your research, think about when and where you want to go and the best times of day to visit. Some of the top travel sights in the world are only open during certain hours, so do your research and time your visit accordingly.

Explore on foot

One way to get around on your travels is to explore on foot. What are the benefits of doing so?

A benefit of walking around is that it is more enjoyable than being confined to a vehicle. You may also come across things to photograph that you wouldn’t see from a car.

Exploring on foot is a great way to photograph travel icons as you have the ability to move around freely and can change your perspective with ease. By exploring on foot, you can find other interesting points of view to shoot. For example, you can shoot at ground level or find a higher elevation to shoot from.

Blue Mosque, Turkey

Use a tripod

If there are too many people at your chosen sight, there are other ways to photograph travel icons, such as using a tripod and doing long exposures to blur people out of the shots entirely. You may need to use a neutral density (ND) filter to slow your exposure down in bright conditions.

Other benefits of using a tripod besides blurring people out are that it will help to minimize the risk of movement in your shots and allow extra light to enter the frame making your pictures brighter than if you were taking pictures by hand. It also helps to take the weight off your shoulders if you carry a heavy camera bag and allows you to return to a place and replicate shots at different times of the day.

If you do use a tripod to photograph travel icons, be aware that certain travel locations, such as the Taj Mahal, won’t allow you to bring in a tripod, so consider this when planning your trip.

Capture the moment

Iguazu Falls, South America

Capturing the moment is about choosing when to shoot and anticipating the right moment to press the shutter button to get a great image.

The best time to capture the moment and make an image stand out is at a decisive moment. This could either be the instant something interesting happens or a sequence of events that occur quickly – that disappears in the blink of an eye.

A fleeting occasion could be some dramatic light hitting the side of a well-known building, a rainbow suddenly appearing and adding drama to the background of a travel icon or when the northern lights (Aurora Borealis) appear and dance in the night sky before the moment fades.

Whatever moment you want to capture, think about how you could present your travel icon at the decisive moment.

Look for new angles

Research the travel icon on social media and see how most photos represent it. Then look for new angles to photograph travel icons successfully and capture the sight uniquely. Consider what makes the icon so special and change your composition to capture the most exciting parts.

Taj Mahal, India

Storytelling

To photograph travel icons well, try telling the story of the icon through wide shots, details shots, and both interior and exterior images. This can add interest to your pictures and show a famous landmark in a new light.

Conclusion

In summary, to photograph travel icons well, do your research and plan ahead. Think about where and when you want to go. Bringing a tripod can be useful for shooting longer exposures and to create more blur in your shots. Try capturing a new angle and shoot a variety of pictures to tell a story of a familiar landmark including a wide-angle and close-up shots.

With these tips, get out and capture a travel icon near you or during your next holiday. Share your pictures with us below and any tips you have for photographing travel icons well?

The post How to Photograph Travel Icons With Success appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Jeremy Flint.

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How to Photograph Fantastic Portraits with One Flash

20 Dec

The post How to Photograph Fantastic Portraits with One Flash appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Jackie Lamas.

Using a flash for portraits can be a great way to enter the world of studio lighting without having to spend too much on an expensive lighting kit. While there are affordable systems, using a flash is both easy to set up and use when you know how to do it right. After some practice, you’ll achieve looks that have that studio quality and creative lighting all-in-one.

Image: Use one flash for portraits and bounce light off the ceiling for an even light on your client...

Use one flash for portraits and bounce light off the ceiling for an even light on your client’s face.

Why use flash for portraits?

Flash can give you the portability that you’re looking for in a lighting system without having to carry extra gear just to use it. You can use a flash on or off-camera. It offers versatility in use so that you can achieve the look you want in your portraits.

Use one flash on-camera to light your clients against a sunset sky.

Also, when you need to fill in light, say during sunset or compete with afternoon lighting, using a flash can help you get better exposure from frame-to-frame during your sessions. This gives both you and your clients more final images to choose from that are correctly exposed. You’ll also spend less time working on the images in an editing program.

What kind of flash is best to use for portraits?

While most flash systems are pretty good in their own right, you’ll want to invest a bit in a flash that is able to be used in both manual and TTL modes. Having a flash that has the ability to use both modes will give you more range during your portrait sessions.

Image: Difference between flash and no flash. Notice the background in both pictures. This was using...

Difference between flash and no flash. Notice the background in both pictures. This was using one flash on-camera.

Choose a flash system that is compatible with your camera. It doesn’t have to be of the same brand family. However, choose one that is made to work with your camera brand. It will give you better results and have fewer faults when the time comes to set it up and use it. You will spend less time learning how to use it on your camera and more time experimenting with it instead!

Modes on flash

There are two main modes on a flash and both have their purpose when it comes to portraits: TTL and manual.

How to Photograph Fantastic Portraits with One Flash

One mode is TTL, which means “through the lens.” It’s when the flash meters the light and then chooses how much light it will fire when you take the photo. This result can sometimes be inconsistent lighting frame-to-frame, but it’s helpful when you need to work quickly without having much time to change the settings.

TTL does come with flash compensation, however, so you can choose it to output more light or less light depending on what you want to achieve for your portraits. This will still allow the flash to meter and adjust accordingly on its own – thinking for you.

Image: Use TTL when you need to fire the flash quickly without wasting time with the settings. Use f...

Use TTL when you need to fire the flash quickly without wasting time with the settings. Use for moments that seem like they’ll pass quickly like fireworks. The flash meters the light and sets what it thinks is the correct power output.

The other main mode is Manual.

Manual allows you to set the power output from full (1/1), down to 1/128, on some flashes. This gives you control over how much light you want the flash to fire onto your subject and you can adjust as you go along. Manual gives you more consistent output and light since you only need to set it once. You can then leave it until your lighting situation changes or until you want to try something different.

Taken with one flash on-camera at half-power to compensate for the fading light.

Both modes are great to explore when using flash on or off-camera to achieve your desired look in the portraits you take.

What happens when you use flash during sessions?

When you use flash during portrait sessions, you’re essentially taking a photo of the ambient light and the flash in one photo together.

Flash happens quickly. This is why many cameras often won’t allow you to use a shutter speed faster than 1/200th of a second so that your camera has time to capture the light in a scene. Some flashes come with an “h” button for high-speed sync, where it gives you the option to use a high shutter speed with the flash.

Image: Hitt the “H” button to be able to use the high-speed sync mode and photograph por...

Hitt the “H” button to be able to use the high-speed sync mode and photograph portraits with a shutter speed faster than 1/200th of a second.

Changing your shutter speed only changes the amount of ambient light. Whereas, when you change or adjust the ISO and aperture, both change the flash and ambient exposure. Changing the flash power only changes the flash exposure.

All are important to take into consideration when you use flash, whether on-camera or off so that you can correctly expose.

Image: In the photo on the left, I used one flash off-camera to camera right near the couple. On the...

In the photo on the left, I used one flash off-camera to camera right near the couple. On the right, no flash, same location and time.

For example, you can leave the flash power at a consistent output and change the ISO and aperture to achieve the desired look you want.

Image: Single flash tilted about 60 degrees toward the top with the bounce card up to bounce light b...

Single flash tilted about 60 degrees toward the top with the bounce card up to bounce light back onto the girl’s face.

When you’re getting started in using flash for portraits, keep in mind that you’re taking two photos in one exposure. A photo of what the flash lights and what it doesn’t. It takes some practice to achieve good results, so don’t worry if you don’t get it right the first time.

On-camera vs. off-camera

On-camera

Flash, on-camera, works really well during portraits when you need to add a pop of light, or to bounce light to fill in shadows. It’s also great when you can angle it in a creative way to add some interesting light to your portraits.

Most often, you can use the flash on the camera and get the right look for your portraits. Especially if they are families, weddings, and other similar types of portraits.

One flash on-camera pointed toward the client at night.

The great thing about external flashes is that they come with the ability to angle at different degrees. They also give you the option to rotate the head and get the flash to fire in the direction and angle that best fits your situation. For example, a bride getting ready in a room with low light is the perfect time to use the flash, either bouncing from the ceiling or wall perpendicular to the bride.

Image: The photo on the left is with the flash angled to the side. For the photo on the right, I poi...

The photo on the left is with the flash angled to the side. For the photo on the right, I pointed the single flash toward the ceiling to bounce light back into the bride’s face.

Using the flash on-camera, angled at the ceiling will give you nice even lighting, especially if the ceiling is white. Additionally, if you use the flash pointed sideways, it will bounce light at an angle that will give your bride some shadows and thus more drama and depth.

At a beach, for example, place the flash on the camera and angle it toward your clients. Here, you can make sure your clients are lit while the sun rises or sets. Depending on where you’re located, you can light them evenly while getting the colors in the sky exposed correctly as well.

Both portraits are lit with a single flash on-camera.

If you’re competing with midday sunlight, with the flash on your camera, you can fill in shadows as you photograph your client. This is a good alternative to using a reflector or having an extra pair of hands to help reflect light.

Another great advantage of having your flash on-camera is that it moves with you. You take your light where you need it. For example, if you’re following a child running along the seashore, your on-camera flash goes with you and fires each time you hit the shutter fully. That way, you don’t have to worry about moving the flash while trying to capture this fleeting moment for your clients.

Image: Single flash on-camera pointed directly at the clients to be able to expose for both the back...

Single flash on-camera pointed directly at the clients to be able to expose for both the background and clients.

Another pro is that when the flash is on your camera, it’s faster to set or change your settings for the particular situation you’re photographing. Let’s say you need to work quickly while photographing the portraits for a bride and groom right after the ceremony.

Having your camera on your flash will make it easier to adjust the settings and power output for smaller or larger groups as they can change from frame-to-frame. Or when you’re photographing in sunlight that keeps hiding and coming out from behind moving clouds. You can adjust your settings at each change of sunlight so that you can expose your clients perfectly.

Image: Both photos use a single flash on-camera to light the client. Flash can be used indoors and o...

Both photos use a single flash on-camera to light the client. Flash can be used indoors and outdoors.

Off-camera

You’re more likely to achieve more studio-like lighting to your portraits using off-camera flash. It’s also an excellent choice when you’re photographing individuals, couples, or in a closed space. The ability to trigger your flash while not attached to your camera can offer lots of different creative lighting angles too. It can give you results that more closely resemble what you had visualized.

Image: Only one flash was used to camera left pointed at clients directly while I stood about 45 deg...

Only one flash was used to camera left pointed at clients directly while I stood about 45 degrees from the flash.

For example, in the photo above, the couple was walking along the shore. The cloudy sky didn’t offer us much light before setting behind the horizon. Having the flash off-camera angled at them, but also angled so that it lit the sand below, helped create more drama.

Image: The photo on the left has no flash. However, the portrait on the right is using the flash off...

The photo on the left has no flash. However, the portrait on the right is using the flash off-camera left. Notice the difference in the ambient light temperature (the lamp post lights are warmer in the photo with flash).

With the flash off-camera and on a light stand, you have the ability to photograph portraits with a longer focal length without having to worry about changing settings.

Let’s say you want to light a portrait with the light at 45-degrees of your client, and pointed down so it adds a little bit of drama to the scene.

Set the flash and adjust the settings on a stand. Now you use a longer lens like an 85mm, 100mm, or the 70-200mm lens at about 10-feet of distance. You get the same results with other focal lengths because you don’t have to move your flash around.

Image: A single flash was positioned closer to the client in front of me while I stepped about 10-fe...

A single flash was positioned closer to the client in front of me while I stepped about 10-feet back to use my 50mm lens and get some interesting light on the portraits.

The advantage of off-camera flash is that you get consistent lighting without having to worry about moving it around the scene even when you use a different lens and are farther from your subject.

In addition, while the flash is on a stand, you’re able to use attachments like an umbrella or softbox with your flash and not have to worry about it falling over or moving it at all.

Single flash used off-camera on a stand. I placed it high to mimic the sun in a small bedroom.

With off-camera flash, you’ll need to use a radio transmitter/trigger of some sort. That way, your flash, and camera can communicate wirelessly and achieve different lighting techniques.

Some transmitters come with receivers, and you’ll need to physically touch the flash to change the settings. Other transmitters come with a built-in LCD screen where you can change the settings of the flash from your camera. This is a huge advantage if you are at a distance from the flash.

Single flash used off-camera on a light stand. I made the photos warmer in post-production.

In conclusion

How to Photograph Fantastic Portraits with One Flash

Taking portraits with one flash can be a much easier setup and offer many different lighting opportunities for your portraits. Whether you use the flash on or off-camera, you will be able to create and manipulate the light in your portrait both inside and out on location.

Have you used flash during portraits before? Share with us your setup and experiences.

The post How to Photograph Fantastic Portraits with One Flash appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Jackie Lamas.

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How to Light and Photograph Smoke and Steam in a Home Studio Setting

03 Dec

The post How to Light and Photograph Smoke and Steam in a Home Studio Setting appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Ana Mireles.

Every subject has different properties according to shape, color, and material that determine the way you light it. With smoke, you want to keep a dark background and a grazing light. Here are a few things to consider when you light and photograph smoke in a home studio setting.

How to Photograph Smoke in a 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.

Safety first

Before you start to photograph smoke, keep safety in mind – even if it is just smoke. If using a cigarette, always place the cigarette on an ashtray, or place incense on a burner, etc. Remember, you are working with ignited materials – you can never be too careful to avoid burning yourself or starting a fire. Also, it’s always good to have a fire extinguisher handy.

Backdrop

To photograph smoke, you first need to set up a lightbox. If you don’t have one, make the set by putting a piece of cloth as a backdrop. Black or any dark color will create more contrast.

How to Photograph Smoke in a Studio Setting

Subject

To create the smoke, you can use an incense stick. It’s the best way to create continuous smoke for a long period of time.

home studio set up

Place the incense far enough from the background so that it’s well separated and the light won’t spill into it.

Light

Set up your flash to the side of the subject. Never place it directly in front of the smoke or it will illuminate the background. Then put a piece of cardboard to direct the light towards the subject. For more tips on this, you can check How to Control Your Background Tones by Manipulating Light Fall-Off.

It also works best if it’s a hard light.

You can always use a continuous light source too, but be sure to narrow the light fall-off by using a modifier or barn doors.

If you place the light in front you won’t get the dark backdrop you need.

Camera

Place your camera in front of the subject, the distance will depend on the focal length of the lens you’re working with. I recommend a telephoto lens because you will get better background compression. To help you decide which one is good for you, see this article.

With a telephoto lens, you can work with a smaller background. The left image was made with a 35mm lens, and the one on the right with a 75mm.

Also, if you work with a telephoto, the background can be smaller. And not less important, you can position your camera further away, which will protect your lens from any damage by the smoke.

Settings

Again, this will depend on the focal length, the distance between camera and subject, and the intensity of your flash. However, I can give you some pointers to take into consideration.

Shutter speed

When setting your shutter speed, try to keep your settings fast so that the lines of the smoke are well-defined, instead of a blurry cloud. This is particularly important if you’re working with a wide source, as with this pot of boiling water. If you’re using something smaller, like a stick of incense, the effect is less drastic. Still, don’t underestimate it.

How to Photograph Smoke in a Studio Setting

A longer shutter speed creates a stronger motion blur. This image was made with a 1/30 of a sec.

Aperture

Keep in mind that the smoke is not a flat, static surface. You want your aperture to be wide enough to keep it all in focus. But you don’t want it to be too much that it will capture the texture of the background. Don’t forget to consider other elements of the composition if you have them.

A small aperture creates a deeper depth of field. This image was taken with an f/11.

Focus

Using manual focus, set it before you turn off the lights. Focus the source of steam or smoke you’re using. For example, the tip of the incense stick if you’re going to do some abstract smoke shots. For this to work, you need to use a tripod so you don’t change your distance.

How to Photograph Smoke in a Studio Setting

Extra tip: to create more smoke, capture the image just after you put out the flame. If you placed it inside a container, keep it covered to concentrate the smoke, then uncover it to let it all out at once.

ISO

Keep your ISO as low as your lighting and other settings allow you to go. This is because you want to avoid noise as much as possible, and dark colors make it more evident.

Higher ISO settings create more digital noise. This image was taken with a 12800 ISO. Notice all the color speckles? That’s the noise.

Conclusion

This is a very basic studio set-up to photograph smoke that can be done at home with minimum equipment. As you can see, it can still be very effective to photograph smoke. While this can be very easy, capturing the perfect smoke shot may not be, so keep shooting until you’re happy with it.

smoke, abstract, low key photography

If you have any other tips to photograph smoke, or would like to share your smoke photos with us, please do so in the comments!

The post How to Light and Photograph Smoke and Steam in a Home Studio Setting appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Ana Mireles.

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Why You Should Photograph Like a Movie Director When You Travel

02 Dec

The post Why You Should Photograph Like a Movie Director When You Travel appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Kevin Landwer-Johan.

Part of the movie director’s job is to visualize the screenplay. They must imagine how the story will be told visually. The fulfillment of this task depends entirely on the director’s creative expression.

Travel photographers often seek to tell a story with their pictures. Doing this can enhance the documentation of their journeys. This can be helped by using some techniques movie directors use to achieve their goals. One of the most effective methods of clear visual storytelling is to incorporate three different types of photograph:

wide,
medium,
and close-up.

Why You Should Photograph Like a Movie Director When You Travel

Consider yourself a location scout

I often encourage photographers who take part in our photography workshops to imagine they are a location scout for a movie. Alternatively, think like a reportage photographer working for a magazine editor.

Task yourself with capturing a range of images. Aim to portray each different travel location you visit clearly. One of the best ways to do this is including wide, medium, and close-up photos. You want people who have never been where you are to form a clear picture of the location. What it looked like and what the atmosphere there felt like.

Including only wide-angle photos gives an overall impression, but misses the details. Close-ups could be taken anywhere and will lack a sense of location. Medium photos can show some action and some amount of detail. Often they will not provide a broader awareness of the place.

Photograph-Like-a-Movie-Director-when-you-travel

Wide photos

Seek to include as much relevant detail about the location as you can. In movies, this is known as an establishing view.

Pick places to stand where you can see a lot of what interests you about the place. Think about what is unique or iconic in this area. Include these elements in your pictures.

In the photo above, I wanted to include some of the hand carts the porters at Muang Mai Markets in Chiang Mai use. They are very recognizable as part of daily life there. By incorporating a few of them in this wide photo, I have helped emphasize the location. People who’ve visited this market will more easily recognize it.

People who haven’t been there will get a clear impression these wire baskets on wheels are very much part of the place.

Capturing an effective wide photo when there’s limited space to work in can be challenging. Sometimes you’ll need to put on your widest lens and back yourself into a corner.

You don’t always need to capture the entire scene. When you can, try and include a feature in your photo. In the picture above, I composed it focusing on the vendor in red and included the street in front of her stall.

Looking for an overhead vantage point you can stand on is often helpful, if you can find one. Getting up above the location provides an interesting alternative perspective.

Medium photos

Medium photos will show more general action, but not necessarily give an idea of the broader location. Typically, these compositions will feature one main element and some surroundings.

This could be the entrance of a building and some of the frontage, but not the whole structure. It might be a car parked in the street, filling most of the frame and giving little clue as to where it is. It may be a vendor selling something at a market, but it could be a market anywhere.

This type of photo helps build a narrative. To make photos with the most meaning, concentrate on what appeals to you. Think about why, and capture that aspect as best you can in your photos.

Depending on the location you are covering in your travel story, you may want to include more medium photos than wide or close-ups. Medium compositions include enough detail and one central focus. They are a balance between wide photos with lots of general information and close-ups which include plenty of detail.

Close-up photos

People often omit or take too few close-up photos when they travel. Close-up compositions can provide so much information that can be glossed over in wide and medium photos.

Again, look for what you find most attractive and photograph those things. This way, your pictures will contain more meaning and feeling.

During the workshop sessions we have at the local markets in Chiang Mai, many people love to get close-ups of chilis. I think it might have something to do with them being such a major ingredient in Thai cuisine as well as their lovely shape and color.

Getting in tight to your subject, you can often find wonderful patterns. You can also isolate color and make your entire composition a single hue.

How much does focal length matter?

Does focal length matter when you photograph like a movie director when traveling? Not so much. I often use my beloved 35mm f/1.4 lens for wide, medium and close-up photos. I don’t often carry a lens longer than my 105mm. It’s all a matter of where you stand and how close you get.

Both of the close-up photos above I took with my 35mm lens, as were a number of others I’ve used to illustrate this article. Don’t be constrained by the norms. You can use a long lens to capture a wide scene. Sometimes this works particularly well because a longer lens compresses perspective more. This can create a sense of place in a different way than a wide-angle lens will.

If you’re in a tight spot where’s there’s not much space to back up, you will often need a wide lens. You can also use a wide lens for medium photos. Just get in closer. This will produce more intimate photos than you’ll capture using a longer lens. It also adds character to your image selection.

Conclusion

Next time you’re taking a journey, or even photographing your kid’s birthday party or soccer game, photograph like a movie director by thinking about these three types of photos. Cover the event or location as best you can by incorporating a good mix of them into your final selection. Doing this, you’ll be narrating your visual story in a clear and interesting manner.

Do you photograph like a movie director when you travel or do any type of photography? Do you have any tips or stories you’d like to share? Please do so in the comments.

The post Why You Should Photograph Like a Movie Director When You Travel appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Kevin Landwer-Johan.

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How to Photograph a Local Project When Traveling is Not an Option

29 Oct

The post How to Photograph a Local Project When Traveling is Not an Option appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Jeremy Flint.

If traveling is not an option, a great way to enjoy your photography is to go out and shoot a project in your local environment. Your local patch provides a wonderful opportunity for photography and is a location often overlooked and taken for granted. To photograph a local project is a hugely satisfying undertaking, especially because you don’t have to go far to achieve it.

Staying near to home also provides ample time to visit a particular place, and means you can reach a location with ease. As travel is minimal, you will incur lower transport costs and you can go back to a particular location as often as you like. Shooting locally is also a great way to practice and improve your photography whilst getting you out with your camera. Have you ever thought about what local projects to photograph and how to go about it? Well, here are some of the best ways to achieve this goal.

Choose a subject that interests you

Blenheim Palace, Oxford

This may seem obvious, but the first thing I recommend doing is to consider and choose a subject that interests you for the project. This way, you will be more motivated to go out and shoot it.

Focus on one aspect such as a local landscape, a river, a local park, a zoo, a piece of coastline, a particular time of day, birds and wildlife in a wetland area, a particular season or even a famous building or local landmark.

Whilst finding and shooting a project close to where you live, photo opportunities can present themselves when least expected.

With a bit of luck, your timing can be greatly rewarding.

For instance, I recently shot some images of a local landmark ‘Blenheim Palace’ in Oxfordshire. It is a gorgeous historic building surrounded by wonderful parkland, manicured landscapes, and woodlands.

I planned to photograph the autumn colors during my visit and was fortunate to encounter a unique and unexpected exhibition of artworks by Maurizio Cattelan. The exhibition included these carpets of union jacks (pictured) which provided a unique point of interest in the images.

Once at your local destination consider the following:

Select a lens

Starling murmurations, England

The fun starts once you have found a subject for your local project and you are at your location.

Think about what it is you are photographing, and the best way to capture it. This will give you insight into the type of lens you should use. If, for example, you live in a city and have decided to do cityscapes at blue hour, you may opt for a wide-angle lens. That way, you can fit more of the city into one scene. It would also allow you to fit in large architectural buildings, or capture bustling street scenes.

Another scenario may be that you want to capture local markets where you live. In this scenario, you may opt for a wide-angle lens to capture the overall nature of the market, and a portrait lens, such as a 50mm or 85mm, to get some more intimate people shots or detail shots of things sold at the market.

You may also decide to challenge yourself by using just one fixed prime lens, such as a 50mm. You could capture a range of subjects that give insight into the area where you live.

Alternatively, you may choose a telephoto lens to zoom in closer to subjects such as distant wildlife or birds. A telephoto lens is a great way to compress perspective, bringing foreground subjects closer to the background like these starlings.

Experiment photographing your subject

Starling murmurations, England

One thing I recommend doing when you photograph a local project is to just experiment photographing your subject.

Try using different camera settings and techniques and see what works and what doesn’t. For example, if you want to achieve a faster shutter speed as I did to capture these birds in flight, you could raise the ISO.

You may also want to experiment with your aperture. Shooting in Aperture Mode (Aperture Priority) is a great way to do this (if you are not yet on Manual Mode) as the ISO and shutter speed automatically adapt when you change the aperture setting. I achieved a wider, more detailed field of view by reducing the aperture and increasing the f-number to around f/8.

You may prefer to make certain parts of your image sharp (rather than the whole scene) and throw the rest out of focus. You can achieve this by opting for a larger aperture (smaller f-number) such as f/4. This can give you some nice bokeh backgrounds too, especially if moving to an even smaller f-number like f/2.

Change your angle

Starling murmurations, England

Once you have taken some shots, try changing your perspective to get a different angle on your subject. You may find a different vantage point results in a better composition and image. Another way to change your angle besides repositioning yourself is to move your lens in closer and change your framing.

If you are working with a tripod, vary the height of its legs to give a fresh angle.

Reshoot

The great thing when you photograph a local project is that you can go back and re-shoot anytime. This would be much more expensive and time-consuming if you had to travel to capture your pictures.

Sometimes you won’t get the photo you desire the first time around, so a good option is to return and re-shoot. Unforeseen circumstances and factors out of your control that may warrant a reshoot include adverse changes in weather, building works in operation, too many people and wildlife that may not be present.

Blenheim Palace, Oxford

Going back to reshoot is a good exercise and a great chance to practice your skills too. It can help you improve your photography by learning from your mistakes and offers an opportunity to capture your project in various lighting conditions. Why not time your reshoot with a different time of day to capture some different images for your project. Alternatively, capture the same images just under different lighting conditions.

Each return visit can provide something new to photograph too. That’s because you are likely to see something different on your return in terms of your subject or pattern of light.

You may also decide to change lenses for the reshoot, or decide to focus on close up details on one visit and wide shots on another.

Summary

So go grab your gear and get out there to photograph a local project. It is a great way to capture a subject of interest that is on your doorstep and is a brilliant way to hone your skills.

Be sure to experiment with aperture, shutter speed and ISO, vary your angle of view and reshoot to improve your pictures.

What local project are you thinking of photographing? Share your thoughts and images with us below.

The post How to Photograph a Local Project When Traveling is Not an Option appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Jeremy Flint.

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How to Find and Photograph Wild Landscapes for Epic Images

20 Oct

The post How to Find and Photograph Wild Landscapes for Epic Images appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Jeremy Flint.

Wild Landscapes can be described as “unspoiled areas of land including hills, mountains, and rivers where wild animals, trees, and plants live or grow in natural surroundings and are not looked after by people.”

Venturing into the wild with your camera can be a great adventure that provides a unique opportunity and rewarding exploration to photograph untouched and pristine landscapes. Embarking on such a trip requires careful planning before you go.

How-to-Find-and-Photograph-Wild-Landscapes-and-Create-Epic-Images-01

Sinai Mountains, Egypt

The first thing you will need to do is choose a wild landscape location to visit. How to go about finding these places is simply a matter of looking for potential destinations. Certain areas around the world are famous for their wild landscapes and rugged beauty including the majestic mountains of Scotland, the highlands of Iceland, the Grand Canyon in the USA, the Canadian Rockies, the deserts of Namibia, Patagonia in South America and many more.

Closer to home, you can find wild landscapes within national parks, areas of outstanding natural beauty and amongst local nature.

Two UK-based photographers worth following who like to photograph wild landscapes include, Thomas Heaton and Alex Nail. Both produce great visuals of wild landscapes, outdoor photography and nature, and are very inspiring.

Once you have found a suitable location, there are several things to consider before going out to photograph wild landscapes.

Go prepared

How-to-Find-and-Photograph-Wild-Landscapes-and-Create-Epic-Images-02

Brecon Beacons, England

When going on a shoot, make a packing list and be prepared from wearing the right gear to having plenty of food and drink supplies to keep your energy levels up.

Take the right clothing

The clothing you take will determine how comfortable you will be. For example, appropriate rain gear is essential if this is the forecast. In sunny weather, you may be uncomfortable in too much clothing, and in colder weather, you will be chilly if you don’t wear enough layers. So you will need to wear appropriate clothing.

Footwear

Choose the appropriate footwear for the terrain you will be walking on. A sturdy pair of waterproof walking boots with good grips on the souls are essential for long walks over rough grounds with rain forecast.

Supplies

Supplies of food and water are important to keep you fuelled and hydrated. Take more than you estimate for your journey in case of any difficulties, such as burning more calories than expected on a long hike to your destination.

Consider wild camping

How-to-Find-and-Photograph-Wild-Landscapes-and-Create-Epic-Images-03

Torres del Paine, Chile

Consider taking a lightweight tent and camping out overnight somewhere to photograph an epic scene of the wilderness. There are advantages to wild camping beside a great view. They include being able to capture the sunset and sunrise, and not having to walk to the destination twice.

The right camera gear

Travel light, especially if you are going to stay out overnight somewhere. Cut back on the camera equipment you take as much as you can. Make room to carry other essentials such as food and drink supplies. Only take the lenses you think you will need, such as a wide-angle lens.

Other equipment

Be sure to take a map with you as a precaution. Also, take a fully-charged phone with a GPS app or an ordinance survey map for directions.

Let people know where you are going

It may seem obvious, but it is essential to tell people where you are heading, and for how long, as a safety precaution. This helps in the unlikely event that you experience any unforeseen circumstances. This could include bad weather (for example, thick fog on a mountain top) or sustaining an injury where you are unable to return at the anticipated time.

You will feel more comfortable in the knowledge that someone knows where you are if you require assistance.

Time your visit

The Rockies, Canada

When shooting a wild landscape, it is important to consider the weather conditions.

Time your visit to go and shoot when the weather is good or dramatic. It depends on the kind of image you want to achieve.

There is no such thing as ‘bad weather’ for photography, as in different conditions, you’ll gain different results. For example, a wild stormy sky is great for a powerful and energetic image. Calm and still conditions can give you a minimalist outcome. Each has its own appeal.

You can even shoot landscape images in the midday sun if you prefer to visit during the day.

Choose a viewpoint and composition

When it comes to photographing an epic wild landscape, you will want to choose a viewpoint and composition that captures the location well. Seek out strong compositions that show the majesty of the place, such as a striking mountain range or some intriguing details.

Tripod

It is worth setting your camera on a tripod, especially to help shoot in low light or blustery weather where the conditions can adversely affect the outcome of your images. This will assist in providing more stability and essentially sharper pictures.

Light

Sossusvlei, Namibia

When photographing wild landscapes, consider the light to create great images. You can photograph spectacular scenes by using light creatively. Capture sidelight (when the sun lights the landscape from the side, often creating interesting shadows and textures), backlight (shooting in the direction of the sun where your subject can be silhouetted or have bright edges) or front light (where the sun is coming from behind you and straight onto your subject). You can also include the sun in your shot to make images with different tones and brightness.

Conclusion

Photographing wild landscapes can be a great adventure and an opportunity to explore pristine and untouched landscapes. You can find wild landscapes within national parks, areas of outstanding natural beauty and amongst local nature. Remember to consider clothing, footwear, food and water, camera equipment and a map and be sure to let people know where you are going. Choose an interesting viewpoint, use a tripod and be creative with light. Share your pictures of Wild Landscapes with us below.

The post How to Find and Photograph Wild Landscapes for Epic Images appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Jeremy Flint.

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Posts Tagged ‘Photograph’

1. Family

2. Pets

3. Jewelry

4. Figurines

5. Vintage cameras

6. Flowers

7. Coffee

8. Food

9. Sweet treats

10. Home photoshoot

Conclusion

Get down low

Choose interesting light

Think about the depth of field

Post-process creatively

Try something abstract

Take your camera for a walk and shoot

Plan out your project

Choose the right kit

Practice makes perfect

Pick a technique to improve

Present your work

What about a 365 project?

You may also like:

Research

Explore on foot

Use a tripod

Capture the moment

Look for new angles

Storytelling

Conclusion

Why use flash for portraits?

What kind of flash is best to use for portraits?

Modes on flash

What happens when you use flash during sessions?

On-camera vs. off-camera

On-camera

Off-camera

In conclusion

Safety first

Backdrop

Subject

Light

Camera

Settings

Shutter speed

Aperture

Focus

ISO

Conclusion

Consider yourself a location scout

Wide photos

Medium photos

Close-up photos

How much does focal length matter?

Conclusion

Choose a subject that interests you

Once at your local destination consider the following:

Select a lens

Experiment photographing your subject

Change your angle

Reshoot

Summary

Go prepared

Take the right clothing

Footwear

Supplies

Consider wild camping

The right camera gear

Other equipment

Let people know where you are going

Time your visit

Choose a viewpoint and composition

Tripod

Light

Conclusion