EXPERIENCE > YOUTH ACTIVITIES > PHOTOGRAPHY AND VIDEOGRAPHY
Have you ever looked at some photos or videos of nature on Instagram or Twitter and just been amazed by their quality? A great photo isn't created by luck or the use of a post-production app. It starts with learning some basic skills about composition. This feature will help you understand how you can set up better shots when working outdoors.
Can You Find the Right Light?
Remember that photography depends on light — and where your composition is concerned, interesting light can mean an interesting photo or video. If you’re photographing outdoors, consider the time of day before starting. Light conditions can be more dramatic either early in the morning or late in the afternoon. Photographing during the middle of the day can cause your composition to be washed out unless you know how to change the settings on your camera to compensate for extremely bright conditions. (If you’re using a phone camera, be aware that they often don’t allow for this kind of adjustment.) If you have to photograph during mid-day, try to choose a day with some cloud cover to help diffuse the sunlight. Standing in a shaded place to photograph or shading your lens with your hand can also limited washing out of photos.
Counting On The Rain?
We would never suggest you take your photo equipment out into the rain or any inclement weather unless you have protective coverings for it. Plastic rain sleeves are available at most camera stores or a plastic bag can suffice if needed, but use caution as water will ruin your equipment. Still, there are some benefits to photographing during periods of rain, snow, fog or mist. These weather conditions will alter the natural light and can produce unusual, even mysterious effects. For example, photographing right after a rain means many surfaces will be wet and more reflective. Colors will appear more intense or the natural sunlight will be refracted by snow, ice or frost.
What’s Your Angle?
One of the biggest mistakes novice photographers make is taking all their shots from the same height and angle. That’s because we’re typically standing upright and holding the camera at shoulder-height when snapping away, but remember that your body acts as the camera platform and it can move in different directions and adjust its height as needed. Experimenting with different angles can be one of the best things about photography. Try moving your camera around so your audience can see your subject in different ways.
Have you ever looked at some photos or videos of nature on Instagram or Twitter and just been amazed by their quality? A great photo isn't created by luck or the use of a post-production app. It starts with learning some basic skills about composition. This feature will help you understand how you can set up better shots when working outdoors.
Can You Find the Right Light?
Remember that photography depends on light — and where your composition is concerned, interesting light can mean an interesting photo or video. If you’re photographing outdoors, consider the time of day before starting. Light conditions can be more dramatic either early in the morning or late in the afternoon. Photographing during the middle of the day can cause your composition to be washed out unless you know how to change the settings on your camera to compensate for extremely bright conditions. (If you’re using a phone camera, be aware that they often don’t allow for this kind of adjustment.) If you have to photograph during mid-day, try to choose a day with some cloud cover to help diffuse the sunlight. Standing in a shaded place to photograph or shading your lens with your hand can also limited washing out of photos.
Counting On The Rain?
We would never suggest you take your photo equipment out into the rain or any inclement weather unless you have protective coverings for it. Plastic rain sleeves are available at most camera stores or a plastic bag can suffice if needed, but use caution as water will ruin your equipment. Still, there are some benefits to photographing during periods of rain, snow, fog or mist. These weather conditions will alter the natural light and can produce unusual, even mysterious effects. For example, photographing right after a rain means many surfaces will be wet and more reflective. Colors will appear more intense or the natural sunlight will be refracted by snow, ice or frost.
What’s Your Angle?
One of the biggest mistakes novice photographers make is taking all their shots from the same height and angle. That’s because we’re typically standing upright and holding the camera at shoulder-height when snapping away, but remember that your body acts as the camera platform and it can move in different directions and adjust its height as needed. Experimenting with different angles can be one of the best things about photography. Try moving your camera around so your audience can see your subject in different ways.
Does That Photo Really Need a Filter?
Really? Instagram, Snapchat and all kinds of digital software have provided us with countless photo rendering tools, but they’re often overused by new photographers. Sometimes an excellent photo is just born that way and it doesn’t need any post-production to make it better. Before you use a filter or any other software, ask yourself if your shot really needs it. What’s your purpose for using the filter? What mood or message are you trying to invoke? When can you get more by adding less? If you do need some software to help create the look you want, see Great Photo Rendering Apps.
Are You Out of Your Depth?
Good photography always provides a sense of depth, basically creating the illusion of three-dimensional space through a two-dimensional format. You can increase the sense of depth by using a variety of tricks. For example, focus your camera on different objects in the foreground, middle ground or background, depending on where you want your emphasis. Or shoot through objects like leaves or blades of grass, or find naturally existing objects like driftwood or tree trunks which can be used to frame your shot.
What About Movement?
All of the tips above apply to both still photography and video, but if you’re creating a movie you need to be very conscious of movement. When filming outdoors, search the environment for objects in motion to help create a more interesting end product. This could include a closeup of flowers rustling in the breeze, or a time-lapse shot of clouds billowing up over the nearby mountains. If you’re taking video on the coast, the constant movement of the ocean is very compelling, but you can still improve your shots by considering light, angle and depth.
Shoot! Shoot! Shoot!
Finally, don’t be afraid to take lots of photos or footage of the same subject. One of the biggest benefits of digital photography is that you can immediately assess your results, take hundreds of images without incurring any costs and empty and reuse your media. Professional photographers may produce hundreds of images only to end up using the best two or three, so don’t be afraid to shoot, shoot, shoot!
Really? Instagram, Snapchat and all kinds of digital software have provided us with countless photo rendering tools, but they’re often overused by new photographers. Sometimes an excellent photo is just born that way and it doesn’t need any post-production to make it better. Before you use a filter or any other software, ask yourself if your shot really needs it. What’s your purpose for using the filter? What mood or message are you trying to invoke? When can you get more by adding less? If you do need some software to help create the look you want, see Great Photo Rendering Apps.
Are You Out of Your Depth?
Good photography always provides a sense of depth, basically creating the illusion of three-dimensional space through a two-dimensional format. You can increase the sense of depth by using a variety of tricks. For example, focus your camera on different objects in the foreground, middle ground or background, depending on where you want your emphasis. Or shoot through objects like leaves or blades of grass, or find naturally existing objects like driftwood or tree trunks which can be used to frame your shot.
What About Movement?
All of the tips above apply to both still photography and video, but if you’re creating a movie you need to be very conscious of movement. When filming outdoors, search the environment for objects in motion to help create a more interesting end product. This could include a closeup of flowers rustling in the breeze, or a time-lapse shot of clouds billowing up over the nearby mountains. If you’re taking video on the coast, the constant movement of the ocean is very compelling, but you can still improve your shots by considering light, angle and depth.
Shoot! Shoot! Shoot!
Finally, don’t be afraid to take lots of photos or footage of the same subject. One of the biggest benefits of digital photography is that you can immediately assess your results, take hundreds of images without incurring any costs and empty and reuse your media. Professional photographers may produce hundreds of images only to end up using the best two or three, so don’t be afraid to shoot, shoot, shoot!