Framing Photos

When it comes to framing your photos, there is one thing you must learn...

Composition!

Composition is the KEY to not only great looking shots, but also great paintings, video shots, drawings, etc. If you can master the art of composition, you can easily transfer it to many different mediums. It's like learning the notes in music. It is transferable to any other instrument.

There are many compositional techniques. The first thing to remember is that not all techniques work for certain situations. In some situations one technique will work great. In others it may not.

Rule of Thirds

Most people take shots dead center. It's a habit we have. Look around your area. Everything you look at is centered by your eyes. Either that or you move your head to center it. It's the way we operate. Taking pictures that way isn't the same.

If you took all your shots dead center you'd have a lot of boring shots.

To add spice, try moving your subject of interest off center. Move it to the left, right, top or bottom.

Leading Lines

Lines are everywhere. Knowing how to use them properly can make for much better shots. One such way is to have them lead to your subject of interest.

The photo above uses the leading lines to lead to the eggs in the front. The lines are made from the rows of eggs. Not all lines will be obvious lines. Sometimes you may need to be more creative.

Balance

Creating a balanced shot can be great for photography. There are two types of balance you can make:

Symmetrical and Asymmetrical.

Symmetrical balance is like this, when you cut the shot down the middle it looks identical on both sides. This doesn't have to be exactly identical. Interesting pictures that use this are shots with two people doing the exact stance. They have different features and faces but they are symmetrical.

Asymmetrical balance is more complex. It's a balance of the photo overall. For example, look at the shot below. The Eiffel Tower is balanced with the orange colored sky on its left.

Balance in Photography

Visual Balance - Means Taking Another Look

What is balance? Does it mean all things have to be equal? Well, yes and no. There are basically two types of balance. Formal balance is the balancing on opposite sides of a given point, either by one or more elements that are identical or very similar. Think of a nice formal portrait of someone staring straight ahead. If you were to fold this picture in half, it would look the same on both sides. Both sides would have one eye. Both sides would have one ear. Both sides would show half a nose, and both sides would show half a mouth. This is Formal balance; and it is most often recognized by subjects that are uniform in shape, thus creating a rather harmonious effect.

Informal Balance is the balancing on opposite sides of a given point, by one or more elements that are dissimilar or contrasting elements. Say we had a picture of a baby playing with some blocks. If you folded that image in half; on one side you would focus on just the baby, but on the other side you would focus on just the blocks. Here you have two entirely different things that do not even remotely look the same, but that's OK. Informal balance is less obvious, because its subjects are often not uniform, in fact they vary greatly. There is nothing wrong with this, because it gives the viewer more to appreciate.

Is one type of balance better than another? That depends on what you're shooting. Buildings, monuments and cars are often taken as a formal balance shots, after all . . . that's how they were built. On the other hand; mountains, plants and people often come in different sizes, shapes, and colors. Obviously, since I also used people in the first example, you can always choose to shoot any given subject in a variety of ways. This is where both personal style and taste come into play.

At one time or another, I’m sure all of us have seen or taken a shot of a mountain reflected off a perfectly still pond or lake. If you get in close enough (leaving out the things on the edge of the lake) the shot almost becomes an abstract work of art. Very interesting, very intriguing, very much a formal balance shot. But what happens if in the lower left hand corner we add a man in a fishing boat trying to net the big bass that’s on the end of his fishing pole? Is it any less of an interesting shot now? No. In fact, many would argue that it is now much more interesting. This is Informal balance at its best.

Both shots have emotional appeal, but one makes you feel peace and one makes you feel active. This is one of those areas that people who only take snap shots, just don't get. If every thing you shoot is always dead center and always the same on both sides (formal balance) your work can get boring really quick. Don't take that wrong, you can take really great formal balance shots, but you have to plan it that way. When you decide which balance looks best for any given situation; you are the master creator . . . you are in control.

Have you ever noticed two people arguing and suddenly a third person shows up and magically makes them feel like friends again? That third person has an eye for balance. He or she can see both points of view and has the gift to make others see a different point of view as well. That's what learning balance is all about. As a great photographer; you should work at seeing things in more than one way. More importantly, you should be able to help others see things differently than they have before too.

One of my all time favorite photo lessons was to shoot a mailbox. The rules were simple. It had to be the same mailbox and each shot had to be uniquely different. Oh, and by the way, you had 36 shots. Think that sounds easy? Well let's see . . . Up, down, left, right, close-up, far away, that's great now all you need are 30 more shots. The point of that lesson was to force you to look at things differently. Most people liked their last three or four shots the best. Why? Those shots forced them to look at things differently. If you always shoot formal or informal, take a step back and look again. I promise it will bring more balance to your work and your life.
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Balance (a simpler version of the above article)

In photography there is usually a balance between items in the photo. There are two basic types of balance that are seen in pictures:

Symmetrical

Asymmetrical

Having overall balance in a photo can make it very interesting. Usually most photos have balance in one way or another, whether intentional or not.

Symmetrical Balance

Symmetrical balance is the type of balance where one side is very similar or exactly the same as the other. Taking a picture of a person standing in the middle would be symmetrical because if the person were cut in half both sides would be the same. This is also true of taking pictures of many other things that aren't exactly equal.



Asymmetrical Balance

Asymmetrical balance is the type of balance where the picture, although not symmetrical, is balanced. This can be achieved through balancing of objects in the foreground, middle ground, and background. For example, if there is a man standing taking a picture in the foreground on the left then in the background on the right is the subject he is shooting.



This type of balance is also seen in nature photos as there is the extending wilderness to one side and at the foreground could be a rabbit or some other object looking out at it.

Waterfall Digital Photography

One of the most common questions that I hear is ‘how do I photograph waterfalls?’

Waterfalls do present themselves as a wonderful and challenging subject matter to photographers. Firstly they’re beautiful places, secondly they are often in tricky lighting situation and thirdly they’re a dynamic subject as they’re moving (and of course movement means a challenge but also a real opportunity for a more dynamic shot).

A lot has been written about the finer points of photographing waterfalls but the basics are fairly simple.

Working with Movement

Anytime you’re presented with a moving subject a photographer really has two options. Firstly they can freeze the motion by using a fast shutter speed and secondly they can capture and enhance the motion by using a longer shutter speed that blurs the moving element in the shot (in this case - water).

Most photographers take the second option and allow the water to blur. Here’s how to do it. You’ll need your digital camera and a tripod. It will also be helpful to have a polarizing filter if you have one.

How to Photograph Waterfalls

Photo by hkvam

Take a Control Shot - Before you start experimenting - switch your camera to auto mode, make sure your flash is turned off and take a shot of the waterfall. As you do - take notice of the exposure that the camera sets. Your camera will almost certainly choose an exposure that freezes the water somewhat. This photo will be a bit of a reference point to compare your shots to later and to use as a basis for your exposures.

Shutter Priority Mode - Switch to shutter priority mode on your camera (we’ve talked about shutter and aperture priority modes previously). Generally you’ll want to try to get a shutter speed of 1 to 2 seconds to get a nicely blurred water.

Tripod - Of course to take a shot at a shutter speed of this length you’ll definitely need a tripod or some other way to ensure that your camera is completely still for the full time that the shutter is open.

Sounds easy doesn’t it - attach your camera to a tripod, switch to shutter priority mode, set your shutter speed to 1-2 seconds and take the shot. Unfortunately in most cases it’s not that simple.

The problem with increasing the shutter speed is that it increases the amount of light that gets into your camera and unless it’s quite a dark and gloomy day you’ll find your image is going to be over exposed (even though in shutter priority mode the camera will choose a very small aperture to try to compensate for it).


Photo by champy1013

Other Tips to Try to Get Exposure Right

There are a couple of things that you can do to decrease the amount of light coming into your camera and get your exposure levels better:

Timing - pick the right time of the day to do your waterfall photography and you can definitely give yourself more options to use longer shutter speeds. Around sunrise and sunset are obvious times as light is less bright. Also overcast days are better than bright ones.

Filters - using a filter that cuts down the amount of light entering your camera can help also. There are a variety of filters available that do this but I generally use a polarizing filter as it not only cuts down the light getting in but also can help you improve your shots (they cut down on reflections in shots - and waterfalls can have quite a few of these). Another type of filter you might like to use is a neutral density filter which is a filter that cuts down the light entering your camera - almost like putting sunglasses on.

Aperture Priority Mode - if you are still having trouble with exposure even at darker times of the day and with the use of a polarizing filter another approach that you can take is switch into Aperture Priority Mode and choose the smallest aperture possible. On most cameras this will be f/22 or f/36. The result of choosing this is that your camera will automatically choose the longest shutter speed available for that aperture. It may not be 2 seconds - but it will almost always be longer than the shutter speed in that first control shot that you took and as a result the water will blur more than in the first shot. The other impact of having a smaller aperture is that you’ll have a larger depth of field and more of the waterfall will be in focus.

Low ISO - Choosing a lower ISO will mean that your camera’s sensor is less sensitive to light and will need the shutter to be open longer. It will also mean less ‘noisy’ or grainy shots which will give your shots lots of nice detail.



Photo by Ed Karjala

More Waterfall Photography Tips

Of course getting the exposure right is just part of the equation when it comes to photographing waterfalls with you digital camera. here are a few extra tips.

Bracket your Shots
The first time I ever did some waterfall photography was over a decade ago when I was using a film SLR. I spent a week away by myself purely for photography in an area where there are many waterfalls.

What I learned in that week was the importance of bracketing my shots - taking a series of shots at different shutter speeds and apertures. I found that in doing this that I could capture a variety of very different images of exactly the same scene with changes in the extent that the water blurred, changes in the depth of field and changes in the way the camera captured color.

Also use your cameras built in exposure bracketing (check your manual) and bracket your shots in this way also.

Composition
Also on my week of photographing waterfalls I learned that a waterfall could be photographed from many angles and in many different ways ranging from the wide angle shot that puts the waterfall into it’s wider context right down to tightly cropped shots that focus upon just one small part of the waterfall. Also look for the different ways the water flows. In some places it’ll be multiple streams, in others it will gush explosively everywhere and in others it will flow gently in a single stream. Try a variety of positions on the waterfall (you’ll find that it’ll flow at different speeds in different sections also) and experiment with how the different parts look at slow shutter speeds.



Photo by mr punto




Tidy Up
While I’m a big believer in being an environmentally friendly photographer (and always leaving a location the way you found it) a little tidying up of your scene can have a big impact upon a waterfall scene). Before taking shots scan your eye over your frame and look to see if there are any distracting elements that might be able to be moved. Particularly look for litter but also consider leaves on rocks etc. Simply tidying up the image in a way that doesn’t do any physical damage to the location can take your images to the next level.

Don’t Become Obsessed with Blurred Water
The effect of silky smooth moving water in your shots is difficult to resist but don’t let it become the only type of waterfall image that you capture. Try taking some shots with ultra fast shutter speeds also. This can especially be a powerful technique on raging waterfalls where there is lots of spray and explosive splashes. The other impact of faster shutter speeds is that you’ll need to use larger apertures which means narrow depth of field which will bring a whole new impact to your shots.

Get out and Experiment
That’s enough theory - now it’s time to get out and do it because the more you do the better you’ll get. Have fun!

Taking Manual Control Over Your Digital Camera

I was typing away the other day, putting the finishing touches on a short article, and not being the most careful typist, I accidentally wrote “dital” instead of “digital.” Of course, I was immediately notified of my mistake via a little red underline. A simple right-click of my error provided me with a number of spelling alternatives: detail, dial, tidal, vital, and so forth.

Essentially, my computer software was using the information available to it to make an educated guess as to what the right word should be. In some odd way, I was a bit disappointed that even with all the state-of-the-art technology and software innovations available, computers can still do little more than make an educated guess when performing tasks that have a variety of possible outcomes.

So I got thinking, how do these same limitations affect photography. Now that photography has become completely digital, every camera is installed with a small computer and processor. The computer is in charge of a number of key operations, but for today, we’ll just talk about one; how it controls your camera when in automatic mode.

When a camera is fully automated the computer is asked to control a number of extremely important tasks. It uses a combination of pre-installed data and real-time tests to generate an educated guess as how your photograph ought to be shot. For people who don’t care about learning how to use their camera, they accept these educated guesses as the best the camera can do, and if they want a better quality picture, they have to buy a better quality camera. This belief is, for the most part, untrue.

While I do believe that a higher quality camera can produce higher quality results, I believe that any camera is capable of shooting a good picture as long as you can take control over how the photo is taken.

So, I’m going to make a statement that sounds simple, but really is something you need to believe if you want to improve your photographic skills:

You are smarter than your camera!

That’s it. That’s all you need to believe. Unfortunately, you’re going to need to prove it.

So what decisions should you make that your camera’s computer never should? The answer is actually quite simple. You need to control the most fundamental features that are the same now as they were fifty years ago: ISO, white balance (WB), aperture (Av), shutter speed (Tv), and focus. So I’m going to talk a bit about my thought process when setting these features manually. I don’t intend to teach you how to make the adjustments or what they are as there exists countless guides that do that already.

ISO & White Balance

These features derive from the properties of film emulsion. Every roll available has both a inherent white balance and ISO. Just be aware of how lucky you are that you can change these settings on the fly with a digital camera, and not have to buy a variety of film to accommodate every shooting scenario that may arise.

ISO : I love pure, bold color so I always aim for the lowest ISO possible. ISO is the first thing I set when entering into a shoot. I base my ISO on the shadows and dark areas of the scene, rather then the the ones that are heavily lit. All ISOs can expose well-lit subjects, but only high ISOs can expose dark areas. The second thing I look at is the speed of my lens. If I have a fast lens (i.e. f2.8) then I know I can push my ISO down a touch. I will also consider my subject. If my subject is static and I can shoot long exposures without risking motion blur then I’ll push my ISO lower, whereas fast-moving subjects require fast shutter speeds and often high ISOs.

WB : I ask myself: how many types of light are present? Which color of light is best to balance to? For instance, if I’m shooting outside then I’ll set my white balance to daylight (6000 degrees kelvin). If I’m shooting a home interior lit with daylight through open windows, and tungsten light from the interior fixtures, then I opt daylight and often use my flash to counteract the tungsten light. Sometimes I try to adjust all lighting so it’s the same color by using gels, swapping bulbs, etc. Other times it works nicely just to let all the different colors of light bee seen - like at crazy rock shows.


Aperture and Shutter Speed

Like a fine balance, each must compliment the other. You cannot change one without affecting the other. These are the yin and the yang of photography. The symbols Av and Tv are often used which stand for Aperture Value and Time Value.

Av : I start by looking at my available light and get an idea of what aperture range I’m looking at. Lots of light means a broader range of choice. Second, I’ll think about the shot itself and what depth of field I want. If I want lots of detail at all depths, then I’ll drop it down as low as f22. If I want a soft background, with a refined range of focus, then I’ll open it up to f2.8 or larger. Sometimes you don’t have a lot of choice, so the wider (lower number) the better. That’s why lenses with apertures like a fixed f2.8 are so expensive - because they’ll benefit you in low light. It’s also important to consider your subject - fast moving subjects will require lower apertures, so you can achieve faster shutter speeds.

Tv : The length of the exposure has huge bearing on the outcome of a shot. I start by looking at my subject and whether or not I want them sharp or blurred. Some subjects like city traffic benefit from long exposures, while others suffer. I try to stay at 1/60 of a second or faster when I’m shooting handheld, and use a tripod for slower exposures. Stillness varies from person to person, and image stabilizers will help. Fast subjects require fast shutter speeds.


Manual Focus

Auto focus is very fast and often quite reliable. That being said, sometimes you just have to take matters into your own hands. Be prepared to make adjustments at a moment notice.

MF : If my lens is struggling to find contrast in a shot, or focuses on the wrong thing, then it goes straight to manual. Most digital SLRs will even give you a audible or visual cue when you’re manually focused correctly. I try to avoid focusing on my subject center frame, and often try to manually keep my focus while reframing in accordance with the rule of thirds. Trusting my auto focus has ruined more shots than I can count. If you eyesight is a tad out, then make sure to set your diopter accordingly. Learn to trust your eyes.

Photography is a subjective medium. Your personal tastes should influence your shots, and there’s no better way to achieve this than by taking control of your camera. Learn how to use your camera quickly and effectively, but also learn how to study the world around you using a photographer’s eye. Soon, you’ll be able to walk into a room and say “if I were shooting in here, I’d be shooting at 400 ISO, tungsten white balance, f4, at 1/60 of a second.” When that day comes, you might also notice that people start finding you strange. Don’t worry, there will always be another photography-loving soul nearby who will understand.

The 3 C's of Photo Sharing

Here are a few tips for creative photo sharing!


Every photo tells a story. Chances are you share a few photos to get that story out. But, do you follow any rules when you share your photos? Creative photo sharing requires that you take a few simple tips to heart. These three C's help your photos stand out. Try them the next time you start a photo sharing project.

1. Captions

Consider this -- you receive an email from a friend and it contains nearly one hundred unnamed pictures. Many of them feature the same individuals and you're not quite sure, but it looks like the backdrop is a park. How interested are you?

Photo sharing has a purpose. If you didn't want the recipients to have details about the photos, why bother sending them in the first place? Take the time to go through each picture. Put some names in, add some details of the event, or add a fun fact or observation that you like about the photo.


2. Capacity

Let's look at another scenario. The family trip ends and you send all four hundred photos in a photo sharing email to every friend in the address book. Grandma opens her email and finds the same shot nearly five times. Instead of getting through the repeats, she stops looking.

Trust us. No one wants to see all four hundred of your photos. We know that they're just adorable; however, you appreciate them more than anyone else will. Pick out the best shots (the ones that tell the story) and share those. Your recipients will smile when they know they can see the great shots without clicking through half of the slideshow.


3. Creativity

And finally, picture this. An email invites you to view photos from a friend and the link takes to you a photo community that holds hundreds of photos. The page is white, the photos blend in and frankly, you're bored.

Most photo sharing sites let you add borders and captions to the photos. Sometimes you can add background colors and effects to the collection's web page as well. Your photos will have more visual appeal when you share them. The beach vacation photos actually look like a family vacation and every viewer loves the creativity.

Photo sharing is simple. But it should require that you have some patience and get through that pile of snapshots. The result: interesting, captivating photos that chronicle every detail of your special occasions. So don't forget the 3 C's for captions, capacity and creativity, and your photo sharing experience will be an exciting and interactive occasion for you and your friends!

Stop wishing for that Amazing Camera and Appreciate The One You’ve Got!

This photo was taken with a 2 megapixel Canon Powershot A60 at Cannon Beach, Oregon. I don't care what most people think of this photo. I like it. The photographer waited, concentrated and opened the shutter at just the right moment for this.

I know a lot of you are dreaming of and saving for that "perfect digital camera" - today I have a post for you with a good reminder.

All cameras have are essentially the same thing, a shutter that exposes light on a light-sensitive surface. Sure, there are differences in engineering tolerances and technical ranges and the latest technology. But Ansel Adams didn’t have today’s latest gadget. He had know-how, and practice.

The real difference between an average photo and an amazing photo, is the photographer, not the camera.

Here’s how you can make your camera amazing. It just takes a little bit of work.

1 Read your camera manual. If you don’t have it anymore, you can probably find it online. Learn every feature and aspect of the camera you have. It will take amazing pictures if you know how to use it properly.

2 Take your camera with you everywhere you go, and take lots of photos. Take photos of everything. Find something uninteresting and find a way to make it interesting. That is the essence of art.

3 Practice in manual mode. Most cameras have a manual mode take a photo and change a single setting. Then change that one setting and take another photo. In my opinion this is the best way to understand the manipulation of light.

4 Make each photo count. One of the biggest downfalls of digital photography is the ability to take so many photos so easily for so little monetary investment. So we buy a cheap camera and snap away, hardly taking a thought to what is in the view finder. STOP! Think about your next photo, then take the time to make it amazing. You’ll start thinking like a photographer and your photos will improve ten fold.

5 Keep your best photos in a special place, discard the rest. Professional photographers take thousands of and show only their best to the client. Take photos for you, you are your own client. One day you’ll look back and be amazed at your work.

Now get to work!

How to Photograph a Sunrise or Sunset

The alarm clock buzzes. You crack an eye open and see the light blinking at you. 4:45am. After a few moments, your groggy mind remembers why you set your alarm in the first place. You groan, and after another minute, roll out of bed.

You take a quick peek out the window. Still dark out. But it won’t be for long. You quickly dress in multiple layers, pulling out a pair of fingerless gloves and beanie cap. You pack a breakfast bar and thermos full of coffee. Then you double-check your equipment list:

Camera [no brainer]. Check. 24-70 lens [favorite for this activity]. Check. Tripod and quick release [a necessity]. Check. Shutter release [makes for clear pictures]. Check. Cleared cards [to take as many as you can]. Check.


By 5:00am, you are on your way out the door and headed out your driveway.



You know exactly where you are headed; peak about 20 minutes from your home. After unpacking your equipment, you face the Eastern horizon. Already the golden glow of the sun is beginning to appear. The fog is swirling around the base of the rolling green hills. You smile. It’s going to be a beautiful sunrise.



You place your camera on the tripod. Pause to confirm your settings:




Shutter Speed (TV) = 20 seconds

The early morning light is soft and diffused, so you need a longer shutter speed to let in more light, otherwise your picture will be underexposed.



ISO = 100

With a long shutter speed, you don’t need your sensor to be more sensitive to the light. And with a low ISO, you have a higher dynamic range for stronger intensity of color.




White balance = Shade

Morning light is cooler in color tones. You know that you can correct this with your white balance, so you shoot on shade so the sunrise feels golden and warm.




File type = RAW

You want to go home and post-process your image to produce something really sweet. Shooting in RAW extends your editing capabilities. And since your file size is larger, you now have the ability to order a 20×24 print for your grandparents’ 50th anniversary present.




You start shooting into the sunrise, pressing the shutter every 30 seconds or so after evaluating your image. The colors begin to intensify. You like what you are getting, but soon, the sun has crested the hill on the horizon, and you stop. There\ has got to be something cooler to shoot.



You turn and look to the left, your breath catching in your throat. The sun is lighting the surrounding hills perfectly, and the fog is illuminated by the intense highlights. Quickly, you adjust your shutter speed and fire off a few shots. In just a few moments, you stare at your LCD screen. A smile spreads across your face. Got it.



Satisfied with the results of your sunrise shoot, you head back home. After a mid morning nap, you take the time to upload your pictures. Just as you hoped, that last shot fulfills all your expectations.



One week later, a package arrives at your door. Carefully, you open the wrapping. In your hands, you hold the product of your previous early morning adventure.



Loss of sleep. An early morning in the cold. A 40-minute drive.




Worth it?




Totally. Your grandparents are gonna love it!!
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‘No good travel photo album is complete without the token sunrise or sunset picture!’

Many travelers seem to live by this mantra - however most sunset and sunrise photographs that I see are quite disappointing.

They need not be - sunsets and sunrises are not that difficult to photograph!

Tips for Photographing Stunning Sunrises and Sunsets

Think Ahead - While sometimes wonderful sunrise and sunset shots can be taken spontaneously without any forethought it’s often the case that the best ones come out of planning. Scope out places that might be good for sunsets in the day or two before your shoot. Look for interesting places where you might not only be able to see the sun track all the way down but where there will be opportunities for shots that include foreground elements and silhouettes. Sunsets only take half an hour or so so you want to think about these elements before they start or you might miss the shots you’re after.


Find out when the sun will set or rise and get there at least half an hour before hand as it’s often in the lead up to and the time after the sun appears or disappears that the real magic happens.

Keep an eye on the weather also. There are a variety of different types of sunsets that produce a range of different types of lights and patterns in the sky. Don’t just go for clear days for these shots - while they can produce some wonderful colors it’s usually the times where there is cloud around that the real action happens! Also be aware of days when there is dust or smoke in the air as they can produce amazing results also.

Consider ahead of time what equipment you might need.
Include a tripod, lenses that will give you a range of focal lengths, extra batteries etc.

Composition Techniques

Shoot at a variety of focal lengths - wide angle can create sweeping landscape shots but if you want the sun itself to be a feature of the shot you’ll want to be able to zoom right in.


Keep in mind that the sun is just half a degree across so when you shoot with a wide lens it will only be taking up a reasonably small part of the photo. If you want it to be a feature of your shot you’ll need to zoom in on it using anything from a 200mm lens upwards. This will increase your need for a tripod!

Also be aware that when you look at the sun at the best of times it can be dangerous but when you look through a magnifying lens it can be quite dangerous is the sun is still too high in the sky.


Silhouettes as focal points - As with all photos, sunsets need a point of interest and one of the best ways to add one to a picture is to try to incorporate some sort of Silhouette into the shot. This could be something large like a mountain range, something that is part of the environment like a palm tree or a pier or could even be a person.




The great things about Silhouettes is that they add mood and context to a sunset or sunrise shot. I’ll write more on silhouettes in a future article.

Rule of thirds - Remember the rule of thirds in your photographing of sunrises and sunsets. While you can always break the rule it’s often a good idea to place elements like the horizon, sun, silhouettes etc off centre.

Exposure Techniques

Shoot at a variety of exposures - if you let your camera decide what shutter length to shoot at you’re likely to get a shot that doesn’t really capture the beauty of the light. Quite often the shot will be under exposed because the sky is still reasonably light.

Instead of relying upon the camera’s auto mode a sunset is an ideal time to switch your camera into aperture or shutter priority mode and to take a variety of shots at different exposures.

The great thing about sunsets and sunrises is that there is no one ‘right’ exposure and that you can get stunning results using a variety of them. Also keep in mind that different exposures (aperture and shutter speeds) will produce a variety of different results so it’s worth taking more than just a few shots - the key is to experiment.

I tend to switch into shutter priority mode and start with a relatively quick shutter speed and then slowly work down to slower ones.



Bracketing - Another technique to try to get the right exposure is ‘bracketing’ where you look at what the camera suggests you take the picture at and then take a few shots at both under and over that mark. ie if your camera says to shoot at 1/60th of a second at f/8 you would shoot off a shot at 1/60 at f/5.6 and then at f/11. In doing so you end up with a series of shots at different exposures which will all give you slightly different results and colors. Most DSLR’s and some point and shoot digital cameras have a built in bracketing feature so you don’t need to do this manually - learn how to use it!

Auto Exposure Lock - Another exposure trick, if you don’t have a bracketing mode or don’t feel confident in using it is if your camera has ‘auto exposure lock’ which allows you to point your camera at a darker place and lock in exposure for that spot (ie you could point it at the ground in front of you and lock in that exposure) and then reframe the picture looking at the sunset. This will mean you get a more over exposed shot.

Take camera out of Auto White balance mode - when you set your camera to ‘Auto’ in it’s white balance mode you run the risk of losing some of the warm golden tones of a sunrise or sunset. Instead try shooting in ‘cloudy’ or ’shade’ which are usually used in cooler lights and tell your camera to warm things up a little. Alternatively - if you’re shooting a sunrise and DO want a cooler moody shot you can experiment with other white balance settings.

Other Sunset and Sunrise Tips

Tripod - If you’re shooting at longer shutters speeds and with longer focal lengths then a tripod or some other way of ensuring your camera is completely still is essential.

Manual Focus - sometimes when shooting in extreme lighting conditions some cameras can have trouble focussing. If this is the case for your camera consider switching to manual focus to ensure you get nice crisp shots.

Look around you - The wonderful thing about sunsets is that they not only create wonderful colors in the sky in front of you but they also can cast a beautiful golden light that is wonderful for other types of photography. As the sunset progresses keep an eye on other opportunities for shots around you (not just in front of you). You might find a great opportunity for a portrait, landscape shot, macro shot etc behind you in the colden light.

Keep Shooting - A sunset or sunrise constantly changes over time and can produce great colors well after the sun goes down or appears so keep shooting at different exposures and focal lengths as I’ve mentioned above until you’re sure it’s all over.

Memorable Dog Photos -- To Your Specs, Not Your Pup's

With these tips from expert photographer Jenni Bidner, taking dog photos is a snap -- even if your dog's normally a bundle of energy



We all love our furry best friends -- but given canine nature, it can be hard to take good dog photos. Recently, we sat down for an interview with noted photographer Jenni Bidner, who makes her living photographing dogs. Here are a few of the tips she shared for keeping them still.

Nose to the lens

One of the most difficult things to deal with when trying to capture canine portraits is doggie curiosity. The first thing the average dog does when you whip out your camera is come up and stick her nose in the lens. This is especially true when your own dog is the subject; she loves you, so it's natural for her to come to see you.

Even those who take dog photos for a living have to deal with this. "I have plenty of nose prints on my filters to prove that I have that problem too," Jenni laughs. "I even have little teeth-marks from a very curious wolf puppy on my lens hood.

"The first answer is long-term, and that's to put some obedience in your dog... but even a highly trained search dog can still be a little devil that way. The problem is, any time you pull out your camera or get down low, you're just shining the spotlight on your dog. He thinks it's an invitation to come over for some love, come over for play."

Your options

Fortunately, some dogs have a distance threshold. "If I get a certain distance away from my German Shorthaired Pointer," Jenni says, "he decides he's no longer in my realm of responsibility and ignores me. That helps." You can also remain standing when taking dog photos, rather than getting down low as you normally would.

"Or," she notes, "you can have an assistant who's of out of camera but right next to the dog, controlling them verbally or with a loose leash. Exercise your dog, too. You hear that all the time in dog training. If you just try and bring your dog out, throw them on the X and try and take a portrait, you're probably not going to have success.

"You'll probably have more success after you go out and play some ball and have some fun, and the dog is content with play. He's got enough of it. Then you're going to have a better chance of getting a good shot without the nose print." In other words, if you want to take decent dog photos, you'll need to get a good workout first!

Make 'em comfortable

There are ways to get good canine portraits without wearing your dogs out, or tricking them into staying in one spot. "I like to shoot somewhere they're comfortable, like peeking out of a car window," Jenni says. "Putting them on a rock or a picnic table, something that they're less likely to jump off, is another good method."

This kind of thinking lets you get creative with your dog photos. For example: "One of my students had six or eight dogs she wanted a group shot of, so she threw them in the back of the pick-up truck," Jenni recalls. "They all had their heads over the edge looking at her, but they didn't jump out.

"Here she had them contained, she gets a beautiful portrait that's very fun and entertaining, and they can't run to her!"

Jenni Bidner is one of America's top canine photographers. To learn more about how she handles this challenging field, and to review her tips for taking better dog photos, take a look at this in-depth interview.

more here

Using Focal Points in Photography

Next time you take your camera out and line it up for a shot pause before you press the shutter button and ask yourself:

“What is the Focal Point in this Picture?”



Some other ways to ask the same question might include - What is the central point of interest? What will draw the eye of the viewers of this picture? What in this image will make it stand out from others? What is my subject?

The reason a focal point is important is that when you look at an image your eye will generally need a ‘resting place’ or something of interest to really hold it. Without it you’ll find people will simply glance at your shots and then move on to the next one.

Once you’ve identified a point of interest or focal point you then should ask yourself how you can enhance it.

6 Techniques to Enhance the Focal Point in an Image

A focal point can be virtually anything ranging from a person, to a building, to a mountain, to a flower etc. Obviously the more interesting the focal point the better - but there are other things you can do to enhance it’s power including:

Position - Place it in a prominent position - you might want to start with the rule of thirds for some ideas.

Focus - Learn to use Depth of Field to blur out other aspects in front or behind your focal point.

Blur - If you really want to get tricky you might want to play with slower shutter speeds if your main subject is still and things around it are moving.

Size - making your focal point large is not the only way to make it prominent - but it definitely can help.

Color - using contrasting colors can also be a way of setting your point of interest apart from it’s surroundings.

Shape - similarly contrasting shapes and textures can make a subject stand out - especially patterns that are repeated around a subject.

Keep in mind that a combination of above elements can work well together.

Lastly - don’t confuse the viewer with too many competing focal points which might overwhelm the main focal point. Secondary points of interest can be helpful to lead the eye but too many strong ones will just clutter and confuse.