Photography Tips and Tricks

It is the time of year when ghosts and goblins run amok and there is no better time to capture one of Halloween’s best photo opportunities- the jack-o-lantern. Jack-o-lanterns are a great subject for beginning photographers because they provide a stationary subject that just pleads to be photographed in the dark.

Jack-O-Lantern Setup

First, get your pumpkin situated in an uncluttered environment so that it can be the main focus of the photo. In the example photographs, the jack-o-lantern is set on a chair that is covered with a dark colored blanket. Since this jack is a little lopsided, under the blanket is a pillow so that the pumpkin will have something to settle into and hold it upright.

You will need to decide on the lighting that will go inside. One candle is typical lighting, but a large candle may be too bright, which will wash out the colors in the photos. Two small tea candles add just enough light to illuminate the jack-o-lantern and have the added bonus of giving the photo extra light points, which makes the image more interesting.

Camera Setup

Next, set up your camera for the shots. You will need to set your camera on a tripod to avoid camera shake that is caused when you take photos in low light and longer exposure times.

Set your camera to high ISO or auto mode and turn off the flash. Set the timer and zoom in on the pumpkin. Halfway depress the shutter to focus your camera, then press the shutter button all the way down. Step back and let the camera take the picture.

Tips

Now that you know the basics, these tips will get you on your way to taking fantastic photos that will make your friends say “wow” instead of “boo.”

• Try to find unusual angles
• Shoot from above
• Shoot from below
• Get close up and photograph the candles burning
• Crop the photo tightly
• Take a picture of just the mouth or eyes
• Take off the lid and photograph from the inside out
• Take a photo of someone lighting the candles inside the jack-o-lantern

As soon as you start using your digital camera in ISO mode or with low exposure times you may notice something different. For some reason, your pictures come out looking grainy or have little dots of color. You’ve never had this happen with an SLR. What’s up with that?

What your are experiencing is what is known as noise.

What Causes Noise?

Digital photography noise is caused by the same type of electrical noise that creates crackling on your radio or static on your television. It is created by currents or voltages in an electrical device that is interfering with the process of the device.

In your camera there is an image sensor that is made up of many little light sensors. Light sensors are what takes the light and converts it into electrical charge. When a picture is being made, light hits the sensor, an analog signal is produced, which is converted to a digital image. If, during this time, something messes up the particles creating the analog signal, then noise is produced.

Noise is also indirectly created by weak light. The particles creating the analog signal is weaker when there is less light, so the camera is set for a longer exposure time to collect the weak particles to create a better picture. This creates more time for electrical noise to gather, as well.

How to Avoid and Fix Noise

In general, there is no way to prevent noise 100 percent of the time. There are some ways to lessen noise in the final image, though.

Many cameras now have built-in noise reduction systems. These systems sometimes need to be turned on to work, so check your manual for instructions.

If you already have an image that has noise, you can buy photo manipulation software that is specifically designed to reduce the noise in digital images. Photoshop has come out with one called Imagenomic that repairs an 8 megapixel photo in under 4 seconds.

Knowing that high ISO and long exposure times can cause noise is your best way to combat against it in your photos. Simply try to light your subjects as best you can to avoid these two settings.