Photography Tips and Tricks

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Archive for the 'How to Take Extraordinary Photos' Category

25.11.2008

If you are pretty good at taking low light photographs then you can learn how to do some really cool motion blur effects with your digital camera.

Background Blur

By Luca BiagiottiYou’ve probably seen photos of race cars where the background is blurred and the car is in focus. This is done with a photography technique called panning.

To achieve this look, set your shutter speed to 1/30. You may need to test this speed and adjust to a slower speed as needed. Stand by the path were your subject will be passing by. As the subject comes near, focus on it and press the shutter button. If you have shutter delay, make sure to press the shutter button before you want the picture to be taken.

Follow the object with your camera. This can be done easily by bracing your camera with your hands and swiveling your waist instead of turning the camera. Mounting your camera on a monopod is another good option for easy, shake-free swiveling.

Action Blur

Another technique you can do in low light is to show motion in only a very select area of the photo. This can be a bit tricky, but the results are fantastic if you get it right.

Set your digital camera to high ISO and turn off the flash. Have your subject be still except for an arm or a leg. Halfway depress the shutter button to focus on your subject, then fully depress the shutter button. Hold your camera totally still while the picture is taken or mount it to a tripod. Any camera shake can ruin your results.

As you can see from the example photo, the subject is in focus except for the hand and balloon, which was moving when the picture was taken. This many take some practice to master since most human subjects rarely sit still. The best subjects to practice on are people that are sitting.

By Alina Bradford

These two techniques will add some motion and variety to your photos. So, next time you shoot some photos, remember, blur can be a good thing!



Jack-O-Lantern by Alina BradfordIt 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

Inside the Jack by Alina BradfordNow 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

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