ISS International School November 2011
ICT News
What’s wrong with this picture? How to take better Photographs Targets....
• photographic techniques
Getting ready to take pictures
Here are some things you want to do Photography is the combination of art and before picking up the camera: science. It is dependent on technology in • Charge your batteries and clean the form of cameras, lenses, light and film, the camera lens. Make sure your but it also offers the creative potential to camera is ready to take pictures when create interesting, thought provoking and you are. informative images. • Set or check the camera’s date
• essential skills
The better photographs are taken by those who have mastered the technical aspects and have a good ‘eye’ for a good picture - i.e. they can visualise a good image. However, photography does not end with the taking of a picture; it now encompasses a wide range of digital processes that can enhance the finished image or make up for any inadequacies missing from the image.
Elements of Great Photographs
and time. Knowing when you took a photo can be really important. But it’s no help if the camera’s clock is wrong.
• Make sure the file format, resolution and white balance are set to your liking. If the camera has an auto-everything mode, make sure that it is selected. It’s easy to accidentally change the setting while the camera is in a bag, pocket or backpack. Some digital cameras also include an option for storing personal, custom profiles. If yours does, try to use it.
One of the great things about taking pictures is that if it looks cool, chances are it’s going to make a great photo. Remember to take more than one picture of the same subject by changing your angle of view. You could kneel • Make sure your flash is set for “red down on the ground and take a picture from eye.” This helps make sure that no a lower angel. Or you could stand on a chair one in the picture has red eyes in the printed picture. and shoot the picture from above. Think about how the picture looks through • Use “fill flash” if you’re taking the camera’s viewfinder or LCD screen. It’s pictures in the shade. Have you ever called “composition.” There is the “rule noticed that when you take pictures of thirds” that helps you figure out where in the shade that you can’t see people’s the focus of the photo should be. If you’re faces? If your camera has a “fill flash” taking a picture of a landscape, think about feature, turn it on. It lights people’s showing more sky than land. Or you can do faces enough so you can see them. the reverse. The best pictures of people are • Pr a c t i c e e v e r y t h i n g ! G e t taken close up, instead of far away. But be accustomed to your digital camera’s careful not to ruin a photo by having trees or features and practice everything telephone poles sticking out of people’s heads.
before you go on a trip or excursion. Spend a little time to read your digital camera’s manual and practice every feature you can think of. Most people use a very small subset of their digital camera’s capabilities. Your camera may have macro mode, letting you take beautiful pictures of flowers if you get your subject in the right focal range. It may have a landscape mode that brings clarity to a panorama of outdoor sights, but you have to know how to enable this feature. Perhaps your digital camera has a special portrait mode to enhance the subject and blur the background. If so take a few practice shots around your home or in your neighbourhood. Remember - you can always delete practice photos before you go out on a trip.
Taking Better Photos Even with modern, fuss free cameras, taking good photos is an art. If you know a good photographer, work with him/her to get photos which you can learn from. The creative possibilities are unlimited, but the basics such as composition, exposure, light and using your flash, for instance - remain much the same, whether you are capturing images using film or digital media.
Composition
Just as a composer has to arrange a piece of music deciding what instruments will work together, and which sounds flow and which clash - so a photographer has to construct powerful images from the visual overload • Regularly visit your digital camera manufacturer’s hitting them from all directions. To picture a scene website. through a photographer’s eyes is very different to seeing After you have set up and used your digital camera it for what it is. a few times, used a few of its basic features, take a few minutes and visit the manufacturer’s website. Some Lines and Shapes digital camera manufacturers may offer extended versions You need to train your eye to look for lines and shapes of the camera manuals that provide detailed information within a scene; they’re the building blocks of your about some camera features glossed over in the printed photograph, and can be used to add atmosphere to your version. Support sites may offer tips and tricks geared images. Horizontal lines are restful - think of someone towards your camera. And, there may be updates to the asleep or the distant horizon. camera’s firmware or the software packages that came with your camera.
Run a horizontal line directly through the centre of the frame, with an equal amount of sky and landscape on each side, and you’re on the way to a dull photograph! Think what is more impressive, and move the horizon up or down to emphasize it.
While there are times when you need to place your subject in the centre of the frame, you can create more interesting, balanced and powerful compositions by placing the subject off centre in your photograph; this immediately causes the viewer’s eye to move around the image.
No Firing Squads! Avoid these line ups. A group of three people would be better taken with one, or even two sitting down. Hands in pockets and eyes closed are also problems!
No Grip and Grabs Avoid ‘grip and grab’ shots if you can. It’s better to take the prize winner in a more natural situation than on the dais, gripping the hand and grabbing the award.
Red Eye Using a built in flash is only useful if you have no alternative. Red eye is where the blood vessels in the back of the eye reflect back in the flash. Try to work in daylight where you can, if not make sure the red eye reduction setting is on.
Lots of happy, smiling faces!
Recognizing a Good Photo The following shots are common in the education scene - students in front of a computer works well because; • it has students doing something (always have people in a picture) • they are close up Remove the Sunglasses! Not only spoilt by the sunglasses but also there is a smuge on the lens of the camera (top of the girl’s head on the left). Make sure you keep the camera lens clean and use the correct type of cleaning cloth.
• their shoulders are turned away from the lens - no ‘firing squad’ effect • the boys look relaxed and natural
Too much sun behind the subjects. Also sunglasses and cap make the put the whole face into shadow.
In the image below, it shows a photo of another fairly common education scene. It has: • students doing something that arouses interest • good imagery - the ballons and strings leading to the students • lots of smiles • an interesting camera angle
Finally...Action, Action, Action Lots of life and vitality! If they don’t want to be in the picture or want to smile, don’t take the picture with them in it. It will not be used!