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lauantai 31. joulukuuta 2016
PictureCorrect.com: Interesting Photo of the Day: Friendly Penguin Chats with Antarctic Tourists
“In Antarctica, it pays to get directions from the locals…” reads the caption posted with this fun photo. And it really does look like the fluffy young penguin is having a nice chat with two tourists.
Penguin and tourists in Antarctica (via imgur; click for larger image)
Strangely enough, the penguins don’t seem to be afraid of humans at all, which offered a prime opportunity for some unique wildlife photography.
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PictureCorrect.com: New Year’s Resolutions for New Photographers
Many of us have received or bought ourselves new digital cameras for Christmas, and with this comes the zeal to create great images. Sadly, the chances of this happening are small, as most of us know that a camera doesn’t take great images, the photographer does. So what resolutions can you make that will start your photography journey in the new year on the right footing?
photo by Ricardo Liberato
1. Read your camera manual
Please don’t stop reading this article because I said this. Go back to the box and get the manual out. In order to become a good photographer you need to do just that. Unless you know the basic functions—and specifically, the creative modes—you’re going to struggle to get the good images you see in books and magazines. This is important if you want to proceed to the next resolution. So, at least learn the basic functions if you aren’t up to reading the whole manual.
2. Find a basic photography course
This can be a book, an online course, or a local photography course. Whatever it is, resolve to find something that is going to lay a foundation and teach you the basics. You need to get your foundations right from the get go. If you are a self-starter then find books, magazines, and Internet-based material that you can self-study. Find something that works for you.
photo by Loughborough University Library
3. Plan photography time
Photography is not something you just decide to do when you feel like picking up your camera and taking some shots. You need to plan uninterrupted photography time into your schedule. Not reading or learning time, but finger on the shutter button time. Time dedicated to taking photographs on a daily or weekly basis is so important if you want to go anywhere in your photography journey.
4. Discover your photographic passion
What do you like doing in your life? What are your hobbies or interests? If you are a stamp collector or an extreme sports person, the chances are that you will want to take photos of your passion. This is not always the case but it will help you discover your passion. So sit down, if you don’t already know, and write down what you love doing. Then ask yourself if any of these interests are what you like to shooting. There will be equipment limitations based on your camera and lenses, so work within these restrictions.
photo by Brook
5. Think before you shoot
Put in your mind right at the outset of your photography journey that you are going to think before you shoot. The disease of digital is indiscriminate shooting without a plan, purpose, or thought. It’s like spraying a target with machine gun fire and hoping to hit the bull’s eye. Pretend you are shooting film and only have 36 exposures in your camera. If you can think before shooting rather than hoping that out of a hundred photos a few may be good, you are on your way to becoming a great photographer.
photo by Nick Page
Remember that just because you own a camera it doesn’t mean you are a photographer in the same way owning a box of paints doesn’t make you an artist. Resolve to do these things as you enter a new year with a new camera, and start your new photography journey as you learn. Happy shooting!
About the Author:
Wayne Turner has been teaching photography for 25 years and has written three books on photography. He has produced 21 Steps to Perfect Photos; a program of learner-based training using outcomes based education.
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PictureCorrect.com: Discussion: What is Your New Year’s Resolution for Photography?
The beginning of a new year is truly a good time to set some goals for what you want to accomplish. Start off 2017 right! What is your New Year’s Resolution for Photography? We started this discussion on Facebook last night and in previous years, it’s always great to make friends who are working towards the same goals.
Share & compare yours here: New Year’s Photography Discussion
What is Your New Year’s Resolution for Photography? (Click to Join the Discussion)
Find the discussion here: What is Your New Year’s Resolution for Photography?
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PictureCorrect.com: Men at Work: The Making of an Iconic Image
If you’re at all familiar with American history, it’s likely that you’ve heard of the Rockefeller family as well as their endeavors throughout the 20th century building some of the most iconic structures New York City has to offer. Perhaps even more well known than the Rockefeller’s themselves may be an iconic image taken at one of their many construction sites:
A black and white photograph dating back to 1932, the composition features eleven blue collar workers seated side by side along a steel beam secured hundreds of feet above the ground. Since it first appeared in the New York Herald Tribune, it has become one of the most recognized pictures in all of photographic history.
“Their attitude…their casualness, the indifference to the risk that they’re taking is what separates the photograph. You see the picture once, you never forget it.” — Christine Roussel, archivist at the Rockefeller Center
What many people don’t realize is that the photograph is not the product of pure happenstance. Rather, several photographers were sent up to the city’s new skyscrapers to capture workers as part of a publicity piece. In the Tribune’s outtakes from that faithful day, negatives feature Rockefeller employees posing and even joking around for their guests—a brief glimmer of the humanity of the men that made New York.
In the midst of the Great Depression, Americans sought hope for a better tomorrow. The ambitious and economically significant projects funded by the Rockefeller family provided 250,000 jobs for people seeking a fresh start. For those on the outside, the pride of the workers dedicating their energy to building toward the sky served as a symbol of optimism and positivity for a population struggling to get back on its feet. Very quickly, Lunch Atop a Skyscraper spread across the nation and excited men, women, and children for the changes destined to come.
Perhaps what made the image so powerful was its success in showing off New York City, and by extension, the United States as a whole. The impressive infrastructures of the bustling metropolis are clearly visible in the image’s background. However, the US itself is represented in the men featured within the frame as well. From all different races and religions, these workers came together, risked their lives, and poured all of their energy into creating the city we know and love.
In an age where digital cameras and instant uploads to the internet are the norm, it’s hard to imagine how difficult it must have been these sort of actions at such great heights. Strapped across the backs of each photographer on sight was a leather satchel containing glass plates. This is because the men would actually have to switch between delicate glass negatives during their death defying shoots. While it’s known that Charles Ebbets, Thomas Kelley, and William Leftwich were in attendance at the Rockefeller construction sight on the date Lunch Atop a Skyscraper was produced, the artist behind the actual iconic photograph has been lost in time.
Unfortunately, the photographer isn’t the only individual whose name has been lost. With no identification attached to the original images, the names of the workers pictured have been forgotten (though many people to this day claim to know the true identity of the men in question). Nevertheless, these brave and diligent men have attained immortality by securing a spot in American photographic history.
“I think that what’s important about the picture is that it places them in history as being important in the development of New York City and Rockefeller Center and gives a great deal of credit to a group that basically goes uncredited.”
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perjantai 30. joulukuuta 2016
PictureCorrect.com: 365 Day Photography Project Ideas
We all want to improve our photography and create those great images seen the travel and natural history books and magazines. Yet, one of the things we lack in getting there is discipline. No hobby or career is ever achieved through laziness. Practice makes perfect. If you aren’t shooting enough images, the chances of great images diminish. Here’s how you can become more disciplined.
Photo captured by PictureSocial member Robert Davis
Discipline is a state of mind-based in habits. We are all 100 percent disciplined all of the time. The question is, what are we disciplined in? The answer is good and bad habits. This applies to photography, as well. What you need to start doing is disciplining your self to shoot regular images. It is the only way to truly learn photography. So what steps can you take? Shoot one image a day every day for 365 days. And the time and place to start is now. How do you do it?
1. Shoot a random image
You can get up in the morning, pick up your camera, and just shoot anything without any planning, reason, or creative idea. This will just discipline you to do it. It is often good for just getting you into the habit. The quality of the images won’t necessarily be great, but you will have one image per day and get into the routine of photography.
2. Select a theme
This makes the task more interesting, and you can actually start enjoying the moment. Choose something that is interesting to start off with, such as a color or a letter from the alphabet. Something that is easy and you don’t have to think too much about. Keep to this theme for a week or a month. Maybe you can select 52 themes or twelve themes. If you really want to stretch your creativity to the limits, stick with a theme for the whole year. It is up to you to decide. Whatever gets you shooting is working for you.
3. Shoot a concept
Again, how you do it is up to you. You can select an idea like love and shoot it for a week, which is similar to using a theme. Every day find something that looks like, symbolizes, or reminds you of the word love. It could be something in a heart shape or perhaps the color red. Whatever it is, it must do something for you and keep you taking photos. You will be amazed at what you can actually come up with.
“365 Project Day 28” captured by PictureSocial member Michael Biggs
4. Choose a fixed location
Why not find an interesting location—whether at home or nearby—and only shoot from there. Choose somewhere at home or very near to home, because if the task is too difficult you’ll give up easily. Maybe shoot from a specific balcony or a window. But remember, there must be variety otherwise the task can become onerous.
5. 365 shot challenge
I left this one until last because it becomes really difficult. Find a subject or an object that is fairly complex. Complex because you are going shoot it 365 times over the course of a year. If it sounds difficult, that’s because it is difficult. It will push you to the limits of your creativity and is definitely not for the faint of heart. As long as every photo is different you’ve achieved your goal. What this will do is extract every last drop of your creative juice. It’s no use choosing an apple or a kitchen fork because there are limits to how many angles you can shoot. Try it out, and if it doesn’t work then stop and continue with another theme or concept.
“Diet Coke Break 276/365” captured by PictureSocial member Vicky E
What this whole exercise does over the space of a year is to get you shooting a series of tasks in a disciplined way, thereby helping you learn digital photography. If you are able to keep this up for 30 days then your brain is starting to create habit pathways that after a few months will be as entrenched in your life as a bad habit. You’ll find yourself looking forward to your daily photo and probably doing more than you have to. If it gets to this point then you can probably shoot a number of images and choose the best one to go into your daily album.
About the Author:
Wayne Turner has been teaching photography for 25 years and has written three books on photography. He has produced 21 Steps to Perfect Photos; a program of learner-based training using outcomes based education.
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PictureCorrect.com: How to Draw With Light as a Light Painting Photographer
Paradoxically, photographer Brian Hart claims that the images he produces aren’t really photographs. Instead, he thinks of his light source as a pen, while his camera serves as a piece of paper.
In truth, Hart paints with the light in a way that differs from other professionals in his field. By utilizing a technique that employs a dark setting and slow shutter speed illuminated by small, handheld lights, he successfully combines illustration and photography in a unique, immersive experience:
A lifelong artist, he began drawing at a young age and has been practicing ever since. All of Hart’s compositions are created through standard photographic processes rather than through manipulation in a program like Photoshop. Just as Hart’s technique is out of the ordinary, so too are the materials he uses. He often captures models and the environment using objects such as LED night fishing bobbers.
Although his movements in front of the camera may look fluid and improvisational, Hart actually spends a great deal of time carefully planning the actions and layout of each image. The only things recorded on the sensor are intentions; his images lack happy accidents or unaccounted for elements.
Some pieces are whimsical and minimalistic—other shots require plenty of foresight and division into small, manageable pieces. Using multiple frames to create an expansive image filled with detail, Hart memorizes small components and recreates pencil or marker strokes with the flick of a wrist or an outstretched arm.
Since his first experiments fresh out of college, Hart’s been anxious to continue exploring the capabilities of the medium. A firm believer of endless possibilities, he says the aim of his body of work is to challenge others to push the boundaries of what their cameras—and minds—can do.
“Light is a really unique thing to work with. It’s this non physical thing. You can’t see where you’ve drawn. It’s not tangible. You just project it out there, and hopefully you end up with something good.”
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PictureCorrect.com: How to Photograph Fireworks Infographic
Fireworks are a rare subject that amateur photographers have a hard time lucking their way through. No amount of Instagram filtering and photoshopping will make a bad picture look good.
So if you want to stand apart from the pack, you’ve got to know what you’re doing. Here is a new infographic to guide you in the right direction:
Fireworks Photography Infographic (Click image to see full size.)
Via Epic Presence.
Taking stunning photos of fireworks isn’t really as difficult as it seems. You just need a few pieces of camera gear, a strong handle on the technique, and an eye for composition.
For further training: How to Photograph Fireworks In-depth Guide at 50% Off
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PictureCorrect.com: 5 Ways to Use a Plastic Bag in Your Photography
Finding items around you to use in your photography can be challenging and may not produce the result you were looking for. Still, there are always more ways to find items that will affect your shot to create a desired effect in your photography. Chung Dha demonstrates the different ways that he has used a plastic bag in his photography. It is a quick and cost effective method to influence the flash or protect your camera:
1. Flash Diffuser
Inflate the bag, tie a knot, and attach it to the flash on your camera.
2. Color Filter
Inflate the colored bag, tie a knot, and attach to an external flash.
3. Soft Edge Effect Filter
Wrap over the front of your lens and secure a rubber band around it to keep the bag in place.
4. Rain Cover
Wrap a bag around the entire camera and make sure that it covers the top of your lens to prevent any rain running down onto it.
5. Rain Bag
In a sudden downfall of rain, you can use a plastic bag as an extra safeguard against water damage. Put your camera in its bag and then wrap it in the plastic bag.
In this video, Chung used several cameras and lenses to display the effects that the plastic bag had upon them. They included the Sony a5100, a Sony a6300, a Sony 35mm f/1.8 lens and a Sony 16mm f/2.8 lens. If you didn’t before, now’s the time to pack one or two plastic bags with your equipment and try them out!
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torstai 29. joulukuuta 2016
PictureCorrect.com: How to Photograph Fireworks: Dancing Fire
I used to think that capturing fireworks on film was laden with technical wizardry and talent, but after giving it a whirl with no advice or instruction, I discovered it’s quite easy. Here’s how…
“HDR Fireworks” captured by Nathaniel (Click Image to See More From Nathaniel)
As you can imagine, a tripod is at the top of the list for equipment! A remote cable release is up there as well, but that’s about it. Assuming you have a digital or film SLR (single lens reflex) camera that you can set to bulb mode, you’re off to the races. ISO choice is arbitrary, but I highly recommend 50 or 100 ISO. That’s right – 50 or 100. But you may be thinking “…it’s dark out!”. True, but the light trails left behind on film or CCD from fireworks is quite bright, plus we’re not trying to expose for everything else surrounding the area. Print film will work as well, but the colors won’t be as vibrant as slide film. Digital sensors are somewhere in between.
So – your camera is on a tripod, it’s in bulb mode, and a remote cable release is attached. You need to compose the shot, so let a few fireworks go off to get an idea of their expanse in the sky. A zoom lens is great to have in this case, as you may not be able to locate yourself ideally. Also, I find tilting the camera into portrait mode works for most fireworks displays. The tighter you can compose, the more detail you’ll get in the final product.
Exposure length is up to you. After you see (and hear) a charge go off, depress the shutter via the remote, and let some drama happen. Perhaps 3 or 4 separate explosions have happened, and they’ve died off… close the shutter. I’ve done anything between a few seconds, and 30 seconds. It all depends on the fireworks themselves. Your f-stop setting can be anything between f-5.6 and 11, with focus at infinity. I usually stick around f-11 – that way good focus is guaranteed and you won’t over-expose if there’s a lot of white in the fireworks display.
A fun trick is to keep the shutter open in bulb mode – and use a piece of dark or flat-black cardboard as your shutter. There can’t be any extraneous light around the camera to cause light flares. Just use the cardboard to block light reaching the lens, removing it to expose the fireworks at your will. I’ve used my 18% grey card for this quite successfully.
“Balloons and Fireworks” captured by earle sullin (Click Image to See More From earle sullin)
Good luck, and let me know if this has been helpful!
Jim
About the Author:
James Hutchison is a graduate of the New York Institute of Photography, and a member of the National Association of Photoshop Professionals.
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