mini-lesson two: aperture

Have you ever noticed that the backgrounds of many portraits and close-up images are out of focus?  This effect is most easily achieved using manual settings of the aperture, but you can get similar results with a point-and-shoot camera without direct control of the aperture.

The aperture indicates the measurement of the lens opening such as f/4 and controls the creative effect of depth of field.  Depth of field refers to the amount of the image that is in focus - in the foreground, middle ground and/or background.

The portraits and close-up images I refer to above have a shallow depth of field which means only a small amount of the image is in focus and the rest of the image is out of focus.  There is a reason why photographers choose to do this, and that reason would be to intentionally blur any distractions and lead the viewer directly to the subject.

Depth of Field (Fig. 1) - Samsung SL605

In this example to the left (Fig. 1), it is difficult to determine which part of the image we should focus on.  What was the photographer seeing when s/he captured this image?  What did s/he want us to see?  The background here is quite busy with a variety of other plants and metal structures, so the eye jumps around the image with no direction.  This photo seems like a simple documentation of the scene that we see - evidence of sorts - as opposed to an image that offers the viewer something below the surface.

Depth of Field (Fig. 2) - Samsung SL605

On the contrary, the image in Fig. 2 places the viewer within the environment of the photograph and gives the viewer a focal point, the cabbage leaf.  The shallow depth of field seen here helps to minimize the distractions that we see in Fig. 1, and the soft focus of the background keeps our eyes focused on the subject.  Note also that the point of view is just slightly lower than that in Fig. 1 which offers the viewer a different perspective and helps create interest.





You can achieve the creative effect of shallow depth of field in a couple of ways.

If you are shooting with a basic point-and-shoot camera without manual controls...

1. Go into the scene modes and choose the close-up or portrait mode - this will cause your camera to use a wide-open aperture setting such as f/2.8 which will allow for a shallow depth of field 
2. Determine your subject and decrease the camera-to-subject distance by physically moving toward it - you must be very close to the subject, around 6-8 inches.
3. Center the subject within the camera frame then swivel to the left or right to compose the image in a balanced way - this is called pre-focus technique.
4. Snap the photo and review the image to check the depth of field - if the results are not apparent, try moving in closer to the subject for a more dramatic effect.

If you are shooting with a basic point-and-shoot camera with manual controls...

1. Set your camera to Aperture Priority indicated by "Tv" and set your aperture to the lowest aperture possible - f/2.8 to f/4
2. Determine your subject and decrease the camera-to-subject distance by physically moving toward it - the closer you are to the subject, the more exaggerated the effect.
3. Center the subject within the camera frame then swivel to the left or right to compose the image in a balanced way - this is called pre-focus technique.
4. Snap the photo and review the image to check the depth of field.

Practice using the creative effect of depth of field with inanimate subjects in the beginning and be sure to write down the steps that you take so that you can recreate successful images.  Lastly, remember to find me on Flickr - msabbydw - and join our photo group, church of photography, to share your images for praise and constructive feedback!

                                                                                                                                                                                                      

situational tip one: harsh lighting

Welcome back!  This week I want to focus on lighting.  Many of us think that a bright, sunny day is the ideal situation in which to photograph.  It might be great for the photographer (few of us feel motivated on a dreary day), but it can present a few challenges for the photograph itself.

When shooting in bright daylight conditions, we often encounter what is called uneven lighting - harsh, dark shadows and bright, washed-out highlights.  Our cameras see differently than we do.  Human sight consists of a range of 11 stops, whereas our cameras are limited to a range of 5 stops.  [Stops are the increments measured in the aperture setting of the lens - the pupil of the camera.]  Due to this limitation we see a loss of detail in those dark shadows and blown-out highlights.

Check out the examples below.  I was outdoors near a fountain on a bright day and wanted to snap a quick photo of my niece and nephew - who wouldn't, right? They're adorable!

Makayla and Logan - with auto settings, Nikon COOLPIX S3000

In the image above I simply photographed in the automatic setting using a Nikon point-and-shoot camera - COOLPIX S3000.  As you can see, the shadows falling on their faces are obstructing our view of the face as a whole.  This is an unfortunate distraction.  I always prefer to use the natural light available to produce a more natural and soft look to the image, but in this situation I will need to use the Fill Flash feature.

Makayla and Logan - with Fill-in Flash, Nikon COOLPIX S3000

Flash button

For this second shot I accessed the flash setting on the camera which is always represented as a button with a lightning bolt/arrow (see image to left).  Standard flash settings on a point-and-shoot camera might include: No Flash, Auto Flash, Flash and Fill-in Flash.  I chose Fill Flash which will only fire off a small burst of artificial light to fill-in those dark shadow areas with more light.  If for some reason your camera does not have the Fill Flash feature, you might also be able to control the strength of the Flash in an advanced setting found under Functions or Menu.  Always maintain a good proximity to your subject when using artificial light - close enough to allow the light to illuminate the subject but not too close to blow out the image with excess flash.  Using the Fill Flash in this image has now allowed me to clear those shadows by throwing in just enough artificial light to balance the natural bright highlights.

Makayla and Logan - final image, Nikon COOLPIX S3000

So now that I have control over the exposure, I want to make my creative choices and check that the composition is good.  I have my subjects placed slightly off-center to the left to allow the curve of the fountain's edge to lead your eyes to the focal point.  This composition follows the rule of thirds - a practice of most photographers which involves composing an image in thirds, horizontally and/or vertically.  Also, since I am photographing people, I want to be sure that I can see everyone's face and that the poses are flattering.  With a little direction - and probably a bribe or two - I quickly and briefly directed my niece and nephew to pose as seen above in the final shot.  

I hope that this step-by-step example will help inform your strategy next time you encounter an uneven lighting situation.  Aside from using artificial light (flash settings), you can also reposition your subjects if possible to face the light source and minimize the shadows altogether.  

Remember, flash settings are not only for indoor photographs!

mini-lesson one: seeing differently

Renowned photographer Diane Arbus once said, "I really believe there are things nobody would see if I didn't photograph them."

Anyone can take a picture, so this week and going forward I want you to focus on making an image that gives something back to the viewer.  Now, there is no formula for this, but I will give you some suggestions in this mini-lesson to put into practice.  In addition to following the basic rules of composition, you can turn a photograph into an image by showing the viewer a new way to look at something familiar.

Check out this example below of the Charlotte skyline.  I could have photographed the cityscape in a straightforward manner, but everyone does that.  To be honest, I wasn't even interested in photographing the skyline, but as I was exploring this strip of industrial buildings, I walked past this window and caught a glimpse of the scene in its reflection.  I decided to snap a few images and this is what I got.

Reflections are fun to play with in photography, so try it out for yourself this week.  Look for interesting relationships between what is beyond the window and what is being reflected in it.  And windows are not the only reflective surface that you can explore with - keep an eye out for small puddles, wet streets, ponds, lakes, etc. You can also photograph the reflection without framing the image with any indication of the source.  For example, in the image below, I could have cropped in on just the reflection of the skyline to create a more abstract effect.  Just give it a try - you never know!

Charlotte Skyline, Nikon D3000

new year, new projects

Grandfather Mt, Nikon D3000

As the month of January comes to a quick (and cold) close, I feel a sense of urgency to begin a few of my new year resolutions: creating new work, completing my book proposal, and writing this blog.

I am a graduate of Watkins College of Art, Design & Film in Nashville, TN, with a BFA in Photography.  I began teaching photography as an undergrad through community education programs at Watkins College and Vanderbilt University's Sarratt Art Studios.  I have led classes on alternative processes, Polaroid emulsion lifts/transfers, Holga plastic cameras, lighting, Photoshop, and digital photography - to name a modest few.

Currently, I live in Charlotte, NC.  I moved here for a job with Citizen Schools to work with middle-schoolers in creative hands-on learning projects in an after school environment.  I also teach an Intro to Digital Photography: Point-and-Shoot Camera class on Saturdays at The Light Factory in uptown's Spirit Square.

My first session of 2011 began yesterday, but there is still time to sign up for the March class which runs March 19, 26 and April 2.

During my time as a photography instructor, I have taken great pride in providing people with the knowledge and confidence to express themselves through photography without needing expensive equipment.  I have recently decided to try to expand my reach in photography education by writing a simple, convenient, fun-to-read photography guide for compact camera users in addition to maintaining this complementary blog.  I am very excited about this project, and I thank you for your support in following me here!

Welcome to my photography blog - please stay tuned for future posts including helpful tips, ideas for projects, interesting articles and more.