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An Introduction to Animal Portraiture
Photo by Benjamin Earwicker
When photographers think of animal portraiture they tend to imagine one of two possible groups of animals – the formal domestic pets or the wild animals. For this discussion we will take a quick look at each style and consider how to get the best effects.
Before attempting to photograph animals of any kind (wild or domestic) it is important to a bit of study or research. For example, if you plan to find the nesting area of some Great Horned Owls and wait for them to emerge at dusk, you might also need to know their general habits, whether or not they are hostile, and how they might react to your presence. Additionally, your research might make it much easier to locate the birds in the first place and to stake out a better spot to photograph them.
The research for the domestic portrait is more observational and simply requires the photographer to visit the animal, or animals, home and allow them to get used to their equipment and their person. This is an ideal way to also learn a bit about an animal’s personality which can then be captured in the photographs taken.
For example, if a few house cats are very comedic and seem to enjoy making their human housemates laugh, you will be able to observe this and figure out a few ways to get their humour on film. If, however, an animal is more serious and dignified you will quickly discover this as well, and your time spent in observation can allow you to mentally prepare your camera for the best shots.
Photo by Joe Leahy
Where wildlife is concerned, however, the observation process may not be so easy and can even necessitate the use of blinds or hiding places. When you do locate the position you will use for your photographic sessions, you will want to remember to put your camera into silent mode and disable the flash unit.
What if you need the flash? You may want to reconsider this because there are few animals whose eyes do not reflect the light back at the sensor, and this can often ruin the quality of the image. Additionally, you may permanently “spook” an animal from the area by blasting them with a flash unexpectedly. If you absolutely must have additional light, you will want to try to use ambient lighting and camera settings whenever possible.
Naturally, this may be very difficult in cases such as nocturnal animals.
Consider that you will probably use a slower telephoto lens that with the
camera mounted on a tripod to prevent shake, and without the flash the
shutter speed may be too slow. If you absolutely must add a flash to your
gear you may want to add a flash extender which projects the light in a bit
of a diffused and less startling manner.
Article by...
Amy Renfrey
Digital Photographer, Digital Photography Teacher & Author
www.SuccessfulDigitalPhotography.com
Ways to Shoot Art Photography
Photo by Florin Florea
If you are an experienced or novice photographer it is an inevitability that
you will eventually decide to do some “art” photography. Just like painting
can be representative of a subject (meaning photographic in its execution)
or it can be abstract, so too can photography. The more abstract work tends
to be viewed as art photography, and it can use many of the same techniques
as more traditional work, but it also has to be done with a few special
considerations too.
What sort of special considerations are required? The first thing to note is
the format that you intend to record the images. If you are going to be
“tinkering” with your photographs in an editing program you may want to
consider shooting your art photos in the RAW format. While a JPG file tends
to be the universal choice for many modern photographers, it is only the RAW
files that can allow you the ultimate in control and quality.
For example, if you shoot an image in JPG and with your camera set on the
black and white option, the sensor will not send messages to the memory
about the actual colour values it is “seeing”. Instead, the data will head
into the memory in a much more flat pattern with only the varying shades of
grey, white and black memorized. Should you shoot the same image in full
colour and in RAW, your photo editing program will allow you to enjoy a much
stronger range of options where conversion is concerned. This can lead to a
black and white image with striking depth and an impressive amount of high
and low lighting.
Once you decide the format of the files, you will then need to understand
your actual goals. When people discuss art photography they may be speaking
in a “coded” language and referring to nude photography, abstract imagery,
or even “fine” art photography instead. Only the photographer can understand
what they want to see in the final prints and this determines how the
photographs are taken.
For example, let’s say that you are hoping to work strictly in the abstract
sense. You would need to know how to set your camera to record images with
the basic looks you want, and you would also need to understand how to use
your photo editing software to obtain the final results to their fullest
degree. You may need to understand the various effects of filters and
special lenses too, and these tend to be tools employed regularly by all
photographers, but especially by those creating more alternative imagery.
Article by...
Amy Renfrey
Digital Photographer, Digital Photography Teacher & Author
www.SuccessfulDigitalPhotography.com
Becoming a Wedding Photographer
Photo by Jason Nelson
Although photography can be a very relaxing and peaceful hobby for many
people, it can be a high stress job for others. While there are
photojournalists who head into dangerous situations, or busy portrait
photographers who work with the world’s top models or celebrities, there are
also wedding photographers too.
Wedding photography is a high stress work environment? Whether you believe
it or not it is often extraordinarily stressful to meet the photographic
needs of a couple during their wedding day. Let’s first understand what it
takes to become a professional wedding photographer, however, and then we
can understand where pressure may appear in the work.
First, anyone who wants to focus strictly on weddings or similar events is
going to have to develop their own personal style and a few signature images
that appear in any set of wedding photos that they take. Additionally, it is
going to be impossible to jump into a career without having a portfolio of
existing images and work.
How does this happen? Most wedding photographers will provide free services
to friends or acquaintances on the road to their full-time career. They will
often take select images from this work to use as an example for potential
customers in the future. It is during this period in time that many
photographers begin to develop their own wedding photography style. Some
people will decide to work only in black and white, others may use special
filters or lighting techniques, and some may prefer to have just as many
candid shots as formally posed ones. The point is to find your strengths and
preferred approach and really dive into it.
Once you have developed your style, perfected your workflow (the way you
process or edit all pictures as they shift from your camera’s memory to your
computer), and begun to establish an online “presence” (which often includes
a blog or website, an account at a professional photo sharing site, and
pages at social networking sites) you can begin to market yourself as a
wedding photographer.
Remember, however, that all of the stylistic techniques in the world will
not satisfy a couple if the important shots are missed or not up to their
desired levels. This is where some of the strain can enter a professional
wedding photographer’s world. To eliminate this, it may be a good idea to
make a list of the mandatory shots, review the couple’s personal preferences
in regards to candid photos and those taken in hours leading up to the
ceremony, and also heading to the venue ahead of time to master the lighting
needs for the service and reception.
With a bit of patience, effort and work you can soon develop a great career
as a professional wedding photographer of distinction.
Article by...
Amy Renfrey
Digital Photographer, Digital Photography Teacher & Author
www.SuccessfulDigitalPhotography.com
Last Week's New Articles...
The Art of Christmas Tree Photography
Photo by Gavin Mills
Each year people look forward to the billions of twinkling lights that fill stores, streets, porches and homes. Most people who enjoy looking at all of these displays have usually tried to record them with a camera too, but their end results are far from breathtaking. What do they do wrong? Usually it all boils down to just a few simple issues that can “make or break” Christmas tree photographs. Generally it has to do with camera settings, ambient light, and perspective.
Let’s tackle the easiest issue first – the camera’s settings. When you are trying to record the glories of an outdoor or indoor Christmas tree what are you photographing? Light! However, light can cause a camera’s meter to adjust settings to a level that is totally opposite to the desire results. For example, look at a Christmas tree all done up in tinsel and gorgeous white lights. A camera meter is going to view this light as very intense highlights and crank things down accordingly. What you might get is a remarkably dim image because the automatic settings have shortened the exposure time dramatically and set the aperture to a higher (narrower) number.
The first step would be to learn how to either meter off a darker area of the scene, or to simply input the settings you think would work best. Either way it is going to mean that a tripod will be necessary to reduce the chances for camera shake blurring your image, and it is also going to mean understanding how the different settings will impact your image.
Let’s first look at the aperture (or f/stop) which can be described thus: the higher the number, the smaller the opening inside of the lens. This means that less light strikes the camera’s sensor, which in turn requires a longer exposure or slower shutter speed. A small aperture also means that the focal length of the image is long, and this means that you can photograph “deeper” into the scene while retaining a clear focus on foreground, mid-ground, and background.
The next consideration is the light in the scene. Christmas trees both indoors and outdoors shed a lot of light and create a warm glow. This can be photographed if the photographer is willing to spend a few minutes assessing the camera’s needs. Let’s say the tree is indoors in a living room area that contains reflective surfaces such as light colours and mirrors. The photographer in this instance will be able to position the camera in the way they desire and use a mid-level aperture and a somewhat slow shutter speed without needing any sort of additional light (like a flash unit) to capture the elements of the setting.
The last thing to consider with Christmas trees is the actual perspective used for the image. Some photographers stand at a distance and take the entire tree, while others go into a macro setting and get the details of a single ornament and the needles of the branch. Whatever the perspective, it is the existing light and the camera settings that will make the shot.
Article by...
Amy Renfrey
Digital Photographer, Digital Photography Teacher & Author
www.SuccessfulDigitalPhotography.com
Ways to Perfect Portrait Photography
Photo By Gabriella Fabbri
If you are interested in becoming a professional portrait photographer (even if it would mean starting as a part-time career) you should immediately understand that this is not something that requires a huge amount of studio space or initial investment. This is because portrait photography does not have to be formal or official and the photographer can simply carry the majority of their studio with them from job to job.
The very first thing to do is to consider what your particular specialty will be. “I want to take portraits” might be an initial reaction, but you must consider the huge range of portrait styles that appear. Will you be someone who prefers to make close-up portraits? Are you hoping to specialize in group or corporate portraiture? Will you be more of the classic fine art portrait photographer, or maybe you want to focus on pets? You see, all of these choices mean different equipment and professional needs.
So, the first step to becoming a successful portrait photographer is to define your style and market your work based on that style. For example, let’s say that you like to do only black and white photography and that you really have a knack for casual family and personal portraits. This would mean that you may want to develop a website or blog showing such work, and also use a good example of your style in any print ads as well.
When you start to consider what sort of equipment to use, it pays to recognize that purchasing the best camera body and lenses may not be in your budget right away. Most modern portrait photographers tend to lean on their 70-200mm telephoto lenses for most of their work. Yes, this might seem like an odd choice, but it keeps the camera at a comfortable distance from the subject while allowing as much zoom as required. It also eliminates the distortion that can often occur when a camera is too close to the subject or when a wide angle is used on a portrait as well.
In addition to the right lens, a portrait photographer will have to develop a knack for creating the right lighting for their imagery as well. If a studio setting is available, this will mean the ultimate in control over the sort of lighting available. If, however, a photographer tends to work “in the field” they will need to create an array of tools for managing light. Many photographers will use techniques over tools when their budget is limited, which means it is important to study flash fill, reflection, and diffusion techniques in your portrait work too.
Article by...
Amy Renfrey
Digital Photographer, Digital Photography Teacher & Author
www.SuccessfulDigitalPhotography.com
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