Posted February 15th, 2009
by SFXsource
by SFXsource
Wildlife photography is a very exciting branch of photography, but it requires patience and dedication. It is very easy to become frustrated, but your efforts will be rewarded. Photographers may spend an entire day trying to get one particular shot! These tips are intended to either get you started photographing wildlife, or to inspire you to stick with it. There is a certain awe and beauty about capturing the natural world, particularly animals.
1. Be patient- this tip cannot be stressed enough. It is easy to get frustrated, but if you are willing to wait, you will be pleasantly surprised.
2. Keep your distance. A lot of times if you get too close, animals will not stick around. Whether you are in national parks, the wilderness, jungles, etc., it is crucial that you give animals space, and allow them to get close to you if they so choose (animals are highly curious).
3. Photograph wildlife in their natural habitat. Photographing exotic animals at the zoo is fun, but your photos will turn out better if you are able to capture wildlife where they actually live.
4. Try shooting wildlife with different shutter speeds. For example, if you photograph a zebra running with a fast shutter speed, you will get a clear image of the zebra in the act of running. Alternatively, a slow shutter speed creates a blurred effect.
5. If you are patient (this is where tip #1 comes into play), the wildlife may even compose a brilliant photo. Many times animals will create unique photo opportunities if you just observe them through the lens.
6. It will be in your best interest to purchase a zoom lens. Many times it will be hard to get close to wildlife, and a zoom lens gets you closer without putting you in danger and without disturbing the animal.
Remember to stay inspired by viewing the work of other wildlife photographers. You can search for wildlife photographers online or in photography magazines.
Tags: camera, digital camera, good photograph, graphics, light, media, multi-media, nature photography, photo, photograph, Photography, picture, pictures, shadows Posted in Photography
Posted January 17th, 2009
by SFXsource
by SFXsource
Photo composition is important because it not only makes your art interesting, but it also keeps the viewer engaged. These tips are meant to help you improve your composition. If you are a beginning photographer, it will take a little bit of time to get an ?eye? for composition, but you will continue to get better.
1. Make sure that you always keep composition in mind. Try not to rely on cropping your photos later. While you can crop your photos later, you will waste a lot of time cropping all of them in order to get an interesting image.
2. You will want to first consider the placement of your subject. You generally want to avoid putting your subject in the middle. Place your subject in a “sweet spot.”
In order to visualize these sweet spots, imagine a blank, rectangular photo. Imagine 2 vertical lines breaking the frame into 3 equal parts. Next, 2 horizontal lines will break the frame into 3 equal parts. These lines will intersect in 4 spots, and these are the sweet spots. These sweet spots are the places to put your subject for a great photo.
3. If you use lines and texture creatively, your viewer will be drawn in. They will also be guided around the photos with these lines.
For example, if your subject is a spiral staircase, the lines will draw the viewer around the entire photo. A cycle can be made if you have grass that draws the viewer from the bottom of the photo to the top, and rays of sun that draw the viewer from the top of the photo to the bottom.
Horizon lines can be placed either above or below the center. Lines from subjects such as trees, ladders, buildings, or railroad tracks can also be used to create strong composition.
Tags: art, arts and entertainment, camera, graphics, hobbies, media, multi-media, photo, photo critique, photograph, Photography, pictures, Portraits, visual arts Posted in Photography
Posted January 10th, 2009
by SFXsource
by SFXsource
You don’t have to be a professional to start making short films and videos. No matter what kind of camera you have, these tips will help you create professional looking videos. A lot of what you do to make a fantastic video is in post-production, however, you will absolutely need some well-shot footage. First, figure out what you want to document. Find an interesting person to make a short film about. Leave the tripod behind, use a steady hand, and go off on an adventure.
1. Don’t move the camera. You don’t need to move the camera to capture movement. Hold the camera still and don’t feel like you need to follow the movement. Later on you may want to pan the camera, if you have a steady hand.
2. Get in close. Getting in close will get the viewer engaged, and it will also draw attention to the action. Don’t be shy, go ahead and stick the camera close to the person’s face, they probably won’t mind.
3. Film over the person’s shoulder. With this shot, you can make the viewer feel like they are right there in the action. If the person moves in and out of the frame, that’s okay.
4. An overview shot will tie in the previous shots- take a step back and get all the action in one frame. Walk around (not while you are recording) and get shots from all around.
5. Once you have the previous shots, you can begin to experiment filming from other angles. You can shoot from above, or get on the ground. Try not to “zoom in.” If you feel like you need to get closer, just move yourself in closer.
Generally, you want to hold each shot for 10 seconds. Don’t be afraid to follow your instincts, and capture what catches your eye. When you are done, you will have a dynamic film with different shots.
Tags: camera, Cameras, film, make a video, making a film, making films, media, shooting film, shooting video Posted in Cameras
Posted November 15th, 2008
by SFXsource
by SFXsource
Close-up photography is also known as macro photography. If your subject is small, you are able to photograph the small details by getting closer. Macro lenses are 1:1 (“life size”). This means that the image of your subject is the same size in real life. Listed below are macro photography tips to help you get started.
1. The first thing you will want to do is research the type of equipment you want. Experiment using the following: a macro filter, close-up lens, a telephoto extender, or a bellows attachment. For those of you just beginning, you may just want to invest in a macro filter.
2. In macro photography, it is important to know that the depth of field is different. Choose a high f-stop number such as an F16 or F22 (small aperture). Most of what is in the background will not be in focus.
3. Be careful when focusing your subject, because if you are not, the part you want to be in focus will end up blurry. Except under bright lighting conditions, you will probably use a slow shutter speed.
4. Lighting is another important aspect. Because you will be very close to your subject, there must be sufficient light between your lens and your subject. Ring flashes can be used to avoid this problem.
5. High film speeds will allow you to increase your shutter speed, since you will be using a slow shutter speed. It is recommended to stay at ISO200 or lower.
6. Have fun photographing a number of different subjects. Be aware of the shape and texture. Keep in mind composition as well as colors in the background.
You can experiment with light balance, use a diffuser, or use a tripod. Take your time with macro photography, and always have fun. Flowers and bugs are great subjects.
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Tags: art, Cameras, graphic arts, graphics, hobbies, macro, media, multimedia, nature, photographers, Photography, photos Posted in Photography
Posted November 10th, 2008
by SFXsource
by SFXsource
Though color photography is quite common, black and white photography is often a great choice for exploring your creativity. This article lists quick tips for black and white photography.
1. You can choose from different formats (different film sizes): 35mm (1″ x 1″), medium format- 120 (2″ x 2 “), and large format (4″ x 5″). Usually, beginning photographers will start off on a 35mm SLR (single-len reflex) camera. This camera allows the photographer to view and focus on the subject directly though the lens.
2. There are different film speeds for different situations; film speeds are rated by an ASA (American Standards Association) number. For brightly lit subjects, a slow film such as 32 ASA is used; slow film produces fine grain negatives. Outdoor photographers will typically use a medium film speed such as 125 ASA, and that produces medium grain negatives. A fast film speed, such as 400 ASA is best for indoor use, and produces coarse grain negatives.
3. The aperture is adjusted to control the amount of light entering the lens. F-stop is a measurement of the size of the lens opening. A smaller F-stop number is a bigger opening and allows more light to reach the film. A larger F-stop number decreases the amount of light that reaches the film. The following is a typical F-stop range: 1.4, 2, 2.8, 4, 5.6, 8, 11, 16, 22.
4. Focal length is a measure of the lens size, measured in mm. For a lens with a longer focal length, the angle of view is narrower. A short focal length has a wider angle of view. The following are lens types and their focal lengths: normal (50mm), wide angle (21-35mm), and telephoto (105-300mm).
5. Shutter speed refers to the length of time the film is exposed to light. A fast shutter speed means the length of exposure time is short. A slow shutter speed means the length of exposure time is long. Shutter speeds: B, T, 2, 4, 8, 15, 30, 60, 125, 250, 500, 1000. Shutter speed time can be better understood if you place a 1 over the number to turn it into a fraction. When you place a 1 over the 2, that means the shutter speed is a second.
6. The B stands for bulb, and the T stands for time. Bulb means that the shutter will stay open for the amount of time you are pressing the button down. Time will keep the shutter open until you press the button again.
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Tags: art, Black and White Photography, Cameras, graphic arts, graphics, hobbies, media, multimedia, photographers, Photography, photos Posted in Black and White Photography
