Digital Photographer

Digital Photographer Литагент HarperCollins A unique and stylish gift in a smart, textured rubber binding, with an elasticised band. Aimed at the digital photographer on the move, it’s full of advice on getting the best shots when you’re out and about – whether on holiday, photographing fast-moving sports or capturing exotic landscapes.This attractive, pocket-sized photography book will give you all the practical and inspirational help you need when out and about taking photographs. Contents include:BASICS - Getting startedTHEMES - What to shoot outdoorsTIME & PLACE - When and where to shoot outdoorsTECHNIQUES - How to shoot outdoorsKIT - What you need to shoot outdoorsBACK-UP - Storing, editing and sending images outdoors DIGITAL PHOTOGRAPHER Steve Bavister CONTENTS Cover (#ub803f2be-ca9f-5923-afd9-7fc4b0c39ceb) Title Page (#u4e66c4fd-302b-50da-8f24-3613ef8c8df4) INTRODUCTION 1 BASICS 2 THEMES 3 TIME AND PLACE 4 TECHNIQUES 5 KIT 6 BACK-UP GLOSSARY USEFUL WEBSITES INDEX Copyright About the Publisher INTRODUCTION (#u812bad2c-e23b-5313-ad4f-c3d869d0f598) Photography means different things to different people. For some it is a way of capturing memories - of having a lasting reminder of special moments. For others it is a way of expressing themselves artistically. For a fortunate few, it is a rewarding way of earning a living. But for many it is simply one of the most fascinating hobbies there is to be enjoyed – a delicious blend of art and science that can be practised on its own or combined with other pastimes. Equipment Matters One of the secrets of success is choosing the right camera. Most of us now have one built into our mobile phone – and increasingly as digital resolution improves the quality of images produced is perfectly acceptable at relatively small degrees of enlargement. However, camera phones are extremely limited. While it is convenient to have them immediately to hand, so you can take pictures as and when the opportunity arises, they lack the versatility of dedicated cameras. For this reason, those who are serious about taking good pictures tend to spend as much as they can afford on equipment, rather than making do with what they have already. At the very least, you need a compact camera with a decent zoom lens, and ideally a Single Lens Reflex camera with a collection of interchangeable lenses and other accessories. While you can tackle most popular subjects successfully with a compact camera, the tool of choice for serious photographers is an SLR, onto which you can fit everything from wide-angle lenses to open up perspective, and get more into the frame, to telephoto lenses that enable you to pull in distant subjects and compress perspective. Start them young! Photography appeals to people of all ages, and because modern cameras are so easy to use, it is possible to get great results from the word go. Want to take pictures outdoors at night? No Problem. Most cameras these days feature settings that allow you to capture the scene, no matter what the prevailing conditions are like. Developing Your Technique Equipment, though, will only take you so far. Ultimately it is developing your technique that will determine how good your pictures are. And that comes to down to a number of key photographic skills: control over exposure; accurate focusing; effective composition; and powerful use of lighting. Once you have mastered the different exposure ‘modes’ you will be able to put the right amount of light on the sensor or film in your camera in the most creative way – varying the shutter speed and aperture according to what you are seeking to express. You will also learn to recognize the kinds of situations in which exposure meters are most likely to be misled and get things wrong – and then what you can do about it. Focusing, too, can sometimes be tricky. It is fair to say that modern, advanced focusing systems work well most of the time; however, if you are not careful, they will sometimes focus on the wrong part of the subject. Consequently, you need to know when to override automatic operation in your camera and take control yourself. Effective Composition Effective composition is at the heart of successful photography. Faced with a particular subject, there are dozens of different ways in which the elements could be arranged in the frame. Of course, much of this is down to personal taste and choice — after all, it’s your picture! However, if you follow a few simple rules – such as using frames, dynamic diagonals and lead-in lines – your picture-taking will improve immeasurably. Colour, too, is crucial, and the way you blend tones can make or break an image. Creative use of lenses and composition makes it possible to turn a mundane scene into a picture with lots of impact. Here, the railway tracks disappearing into the distance combined with the fluffy white clouds on a blue sky create a memorable image. As you become a more experienced photographer, you will also need to learn how to make the most of the many moods and nuances of daylight. Once you understand how light changes from dawn to dusk, from season to season, and according to the prevailing weather conditions, you will be able to match the right light to the right subject. Quality of light is more important than quantity of light in photography, and some of the best pictures are taken when ambient levels are low or at night. This requires excellent technique to avoid problems with camera-shake and exposure. Being able to review pictures immediately after they have been taken makes digital photography an extremely sociable activity. Single Lens Reflex (SLR) cameras are the first choice for professionals and enthusiasts because of the sheer versatility that they offer and the quality of results they deliver. They are now as good as the best film cameras. Biting sharpness and phenomenal precision are the characteristics of the high-resolution digital cameras now available. Here, every detail of the face of this street performer is clearly visible. Making Better Images Ultimately, becoming a good photographer is a matter of learning to make pictures rather than just take them. No matter what subject you like to shoot, you should always be looking for ways of improving what you find already there, not just accepting things as they are. Follow the advice given in Chapter Three: exploring original and eye-catching ways of capturing your subject will help your images stand out from the crowd. The most popular subjects for photography are people, landscapes, children, architecture and travel, and in this book we explore them fully, along with other subjects including sport and action, pets, close-ups, documentary and nude. As you learn specific techniques that are particularly effective in each area, so you will produce even better pictures. Collins Digital Photographer has been designed so that you can either read it from the front to the back or dip into each of the sections as you prefer – to find the information you need to become a better photographer. We have sought not only to give you clear, practical advice but also to include inspirational, powerful pictures as a spur to your creativity. Enjoy your photography! MANIPULATING IMAGES Capturing your subject is only the beginning. Once you have transferred the image to your computer a whole world of creativity opens up. You can improve colour, exposure and composition, or selectively lighten and darken specific areas. Unwanted elements can be completely removed. Images can be combined, filters added to creative effect, pictures transformed into black and white or toned. Some of these options are explored in Chapter Six to get your creative juices flowing. 1 BASICS (#u812bad2c-e23b-5313-ad4f-c3d869d0f598) Everybody takes pictures – and virtually everyone now shoots digitally. The medium offers many advantages, and it is easy to see why digital has replaced film. You can view your pictures immediately, and digital images are incredibly accessible when you transfer them from the camera. But let’s start with the basics: what do you need to begin taking great images? Digital compact cameras are small, portable and inexpensive. They are easy to use for beginners as well as being ideal ‘go anywhere’ cameras for more experienced photographers. Megapixel Ratings The ‘megapixel’ rating typically found on digital compacts is a rough guide to the picture quality you can expect, although this is not as important now as it was when digital imaging technology was first emerging. This is because these days digital photography has advanced so much that just about any camera will take a reasonable image, regardless of the number of megapixels that it advertises. Five megapixels will give you excellent 6” x 4” prints and good enlargements up to 7” x 5” or even 10” x 8”. If you regularly want to print at larger sizes, go for a higher-resolution camera with 7—10 megapixels. Zoom Ranges How long a zoom range do you want? Basic digital cameras usually have a ‘3x’ zoom range. In other words, this means that at the maximum telephoto setting you get a 3x magnification compared to the wide-angle setting. If you want to shoot subjects which are further away, you need a longer zoom range. Some compact cameras have zoom ranges up to 6x, but if you want more (10x or 12x), you should look for a ‘superzoom’ camera, though these are generally bulkier. SMALL, HANDY DIGITAL COMPACT CAMERAS ARE IDEAL FOR CAPTURING IMPROMPTU MOMENTS AND EVERYDAY EVENTS. LCDs The LCDs (liquid crystal displays) on all digital cameras - from mobile phones to high quality SLRs - offer the advantage of instant display of your image, the moment it has been taken. Tips for Basic Usage Most compact digital cameras are designed for simple snapshot operation, and control the shutter speed and aperture automatically. If you want to control these manually, you will need to look for cameras with ‘PASM’ (Program AE, Aperture-priority, Shutter-priority and Manual) modes. Check the battery life of your compact. Some cameras may take as few as 100–150 shots on a single charge, which is not always enough for a full day’s shooting. Aim for a battery life of 200 shots or more. Here are a couple of tips you can use in order to take better shots. Firstly, use the LCD to compose shots when you can, rather than the camera’s optical viewfinder. Optical viewfinders are good in bright light, when the LCD can become hard to see, but they do not give an accurate indication of the precise area that the camera will photograph. You will also notice that compact digital cameras suffer from ‘shutter lag’, in which case you press the shutter release, but the shutter does not fire straight away. This can make it difficult to time your shots accurately. To get around the problem, line up your shot first and then half-press the shutter button. The camera will focus and the focus will remain ‘locked’ while the button remains half-pressed. Now wait for exactly the right moment to take the shot, then press the button the rest of the way until it is fully depressed. The shot will be taken instantly, without any shutter lag. HANDY CAMS Digital compact cameras come in a variety of shapes and sizes. Choose one that will fit in a pocket or handbag and you will have it readily to hand whenever you want to take a picture. Digital compact cameras are great for taking fun snaps with friends and showing them off to anyone who is interested. If the image does not come out well, simply delete it and take it again. If you are happy with the results in the LCD, you have your image. HANDLING AN SLR Digital SLRs are much bigger and heavier than digital compact cameras, which means you cannot just slip one into a pocket or a handbag – you need to make a conscious, deliberate decision to carry one around with you, especially if you want to have the option of using more than one lens, or fitting an external flashgun. In that case, you will need to pack everything into a bag. Unless you have extremely small hands you will find that SLRs – despite their size and weight – handle extremely well, with their chunky handgrips. While digital compacts are fine for snapshots, a digital SLR is required if you want to create more advanced images such as this stunning still-life study. What is an ‘SLR’? The acronym SLR stands for ‘Single Lens Reflex’. When you use an SLR, the picture is composed and taken through the camera’s single lens. ‘Reflex’ refers to the mirror which is used to reflect the image up into the viewfinder until the moment the shutter is released. The mirror flips up and the image then passes to the sensor at the back of the camera. Low-cost digital SLRs have 6—10 megapixel sensors which can yield very good results, but it is worth paying a little extra for a camera with more pixels. The difference in fine detail is visible. Lenses, Kits and Accessories You can use different lenses on a digital SLR and manufacturers sell them in ‘body-only’ form, in which case you have to buy a lens separately, or as a camera ‘kit’, when a generalpurpose zoom lens is included. If you already own compatible lenses, it might make sense to buy the body on its own. However, if this is your first digital SLR, you should get a kit with a lens included. This will be much cheaper than buying the body and the lens separately. Single-Lens Reflex (SLR) cameras are technologically advanced pieces of equipment capable, with the right lens or accessory, of taking virtually any picture you could imagine. The Benefits of SLRs Digital SLRs are as easy to use as compact digital cameras. All have ‘point-and-shoot’ fully automatic modes, so beginners can explore the more advanced options at their own pace. Having said that, it may be necessary to modify your shooting technique a little if you are used to a compact digital camera. This is because digital SLRs have much less depth-of-field (near-to-far sharpness) than compacts, so when you graduate to an SLR you will need to get to grips with lens apertures and how these affect depth-of-field. SLRs also have faster focusing systems than compacts, so there is less risk of shutter lag. Finally, because the pictures are sharper than those from compacts (and digital SLR users will be expecting more from their photos anyway), it is a good idea to invest in a tripod to help avoid camera-shake in low light and to aid careful composition whenever time and space permit. YOU CAN TAKE GREAT IMAGES ON AN AFFORDABLE DIGITAL SLR WHICH CAN BE BLOWN UP TO A3 AND BEYOND. Many photographers want a wider zooming range or more photographic control than an ordinary compact digital camera can provide, yet they do not want the size and weight of a digital SLR. Alternative Cameras A ‘bridge’ camera may be the answer. These offer many of the advanced controls of digital SLRs but in a smaller and less expensive body with a fixed lens. This lens may offer a very wide zoom range, perfect for photographers who want a single, ‘all-in-one’ camera. Camera phones are becoming more popular, but the picture quality is still not of the standard you would expect from even a basic digital camera. Another alternative is to use a camcorder – most will take stills as well as video footage —but again, image quality can be an issue. OTHER MEDIA Most images from a camcorder are only 1–2Mb or so in size, which means that the quality is a long way short of what you get from a digital camera. Images taken with a mobile phone look fine when reproduced reasonably small, but as soon as you enlarge them they appear ‘soft’ and lacking in sharpness. Single lens reflex cameras enable you to change lenses to achieve a variety of effects. The camera’s standard lens will give an angle of view roughly similar to that we perceive with the naked eye, a wide-angle lens enables you to get more into the frame, while a telephoto magnifies distant objects. Lens Properties There are other lens properties to take into account, apart from their focal length, including the maximum aperture. The larger the maximum aperture, the more light the lens can gather. This is useful in poor light or whenever you want shallow depth-of-field in your photographs. Zoom Lenses In modern cameras, zoom lenses have largely taken over from lenses with fixed focal lengths (’prime’ lenses). The versatility of zooms means that you do not have to carry around a number of different prime lenses, or keep changing lenses for different subjects. However, zoom lenses do have a couple of intrinsic disadvantages. One is that their maximum apertures are lower than those of prime lenses. Whereas a 50mm prime lens might have a maximum aperture of f/1.8, a typical ‘standard zoom’ might have a maximum aperture of f/4 at this focal length. If you want to make much impact on subjects such as birds and motorsport, you will need a super-telephoto lens like this Sigma 800mm f/5.6. Lens Mounts Each digital SLR brand uses a different lens mount. A Nikon lens, for example, will not fit a Canon camera. However, you do not have to buy lenses made by your camera’s maker. Independent companies such as Sigma, for example, make lenses which can be supplied in different mounts according to the brand of camera you are using. These lenses are just as serviceable as those supplied by leading camera firms. Independent Lenses Versus Marque Lenses Lenses made by independent companies are generally much cheaper than those offered by the camera maker. The optical performance is often very good and it may be difficult to see the difference in image quality between photographs taken using a good-quality independent lens and those taken on a more expensive ‘marque’ lens. Having said that, when you buy a lens you are not just paying for image quality. Marque lenses may be better made than those from independent companies and are consequently more likely to withstand years of hard use. Their design and finish will be consistent with other lenses in the same range, and with the camera bodies which they are designed to accompany, and the lens range may include more sophisticated and specialized lenses that you cannot get elsewhere. Of course these lenses can be used indoors as well - whenever you need an adaptable focal length. EQUIVALENT FOCAL LENGTH Photographers using 35mm cameras are used to judging the angle of view of a lens by its focal length. However, with a couple of exceptions, digital SLRs have physically smaller sensors, so that the angle of view of the lens is reduced and it appears to have a longer focal length. You need to multiply the actual focal length by a factor of 1.5 or 1.6 to get its ‘effective’ focal length. For example, on a digital SLR a 50mm lens effectively becomes an 80mm lens. As the focal length of a lens increases, so its angle-of-view narrows. Wide-angle lenses take in lots of the scene because they have a large angle-of-view. With super-telephoto lenses the angle is reduced to just a few degrees, and little of the scene is included. 2 THEMES (#u812bad2c-e23b-5313-ad4f-c3d869d0f598) One of the most wonderful things about photography is that you never run out of subject matter. There are so many different themes to explore. Many people start with landscapes, portraiture, travel, wildlife, children and architecture – and there is enough there to keep you going for a good many years —but the world is your oyster and you can try anything that appeals. If you want some great landscape shots, a willingness to spend time exploring the countryside on foot is vital. The best views are rarely found at the roadside, so be prepared to get away from the car or coach. Only by going off the beaten track with a map in your hand will you discover things that many photographers miss. Ideal Conditions Successful landscape pictures can be taken at any time of the day, but certain conditions stack the odds of success in your favour. If you rise at dawn you are almost certain to capture some stunning images as the earth awakens after a night under the stars. From high ground you will often see veils of mist hanging in valleys, or floating gracefully over rivers, lakes and woodlands. The first rays of sunlight bathing a hillside also look stunning, and the low angle of the light reveals texture and creates a sense of depth. USE A TRIPOD One of the keys to producing great scenic pictures is to use a tripod. It will ensure you get sharp pictures and will also slow down your picture taking – resulting in more considered compositions. Placing one of these dramatic looking trees so that it looms large in the foreground gives the picture a powerful sense of depth. However, although bright sunshine and blue skies promise great conditions for shooting landscapes, nothing beats a bit of stormy weather if you want really dramatic images. The most spectacular images are produced when rays of sunlight break through a dark, brooding sky and illuminate the foreground or distant features. The mist of early morning rolling over the hills, the sprawling long shadows of the trees, the compressed perspective created by using a telephoto lens… landscape images do not get any better than this. The most important thing with landscape photography is not to include too much. Faced with a great expanse of gorgeous countryside, you may be tempted to just start snapping away. However, when there is too much in the frame you can lose impact. Start, then, by deciding what it is about the scene that attracts you. Maybe the light on the hills catches your eye or the pattern created by a dry stone wall? Once you have established what the main point of interest is, you can set about emphasizing it. As a rule of thumb, keep your compositions simple. A single feature, such as a cottage at the foot of a mountain, can make an attractive shot in its own right. A large proportion of the earth’s surface is covered with water, so it is not unreasonable to think of it as a subject in its own right, as we do landscape. After all, what a range of options it offers us: waterfalls, rivers, lakes, reservoirs, pools – plus, of course, the sea. Photographing Water The appearance of water is determined largely by the quality of the light and the colour of the sky. Shoot at different times of day and in a variety of different weather conditions and you get a wide range of results. In bright, sunny conditions, rivers and lakes tend to look blue, whereas early or late in the day they take on an attractive warm coloration. The position of the sun also plays a role. When it is overhead, around noon, a highly reflective finish is produced, with lots of highlights dancing on the surface. But during the morning or afternoon, when the sun is at a lower angle, light rakes across the surface, revealing the texture of the water. Best of all, though, is a sunset over water – which is closely matched by the delightful colours you get an hour or so after the sun has gone to sleep. ON REFLECTION One of the first things that comes to mind when you think of water is reflection (see right). From perfect mirror images in a tranquil lake to shimmering abstracts in a bustling harbour, reflections make great subjects. Use a wide-angle lens if you want to include both the reflection and what is being reflected, or a telephoto zoom to crop in on just a small area. Moving water has immense power and the most effective way of capturing it is by setting a long shutter speed. The result is an atmospheric, creamy froth that flows effortlessly around rocks or plummets earthward from a waterfall (see above). The longer the exposure, the greater the degree of blur. Start by mounting your camera on a tripod, then experiment with a range of shutter speeds, to see what works best – this will often be in the range of ? second to 4 seconds, which will require a slow ISO setting. Action is one of the most challenging subjects to photograph. As well as having to worry about all the normal things - such as exposure, lighting and composition - you also need to focus accurately on something that is moving, possibly so fast that you can hardly see what’s going on. Shoot Everyday Action While it is natural to equate action with sport, in fact it is only the tip of the iceberg. A better approach is to think of action as capturing movement, and no matter where you live you will find opportunities to take great action pictures. So do not ignore the more common subjects that are around you every day – such as your kids jumping off a trampoline in your garden or skateboarders honing their skills on the street. By far the trickiest part of focusing is keeping a moving subject in sharp focus. Happily, most autofocus cameras will handle this chore for you – and many have a ‘predictive’ capability that anticipates where the subject will actually be when the shutter fires. ACTION Action is all around us - and can be just as captivating as sport. The slight movement in the jumping boy’s legs makes this shot work effectively. One of the best ways of representing action is by setting a long shutter speed and blurring the subject. These dodgem cars were photographed at ?sec, with the camera panned to render the dodgem recognizable. You need quick reactions, a reasonably long lens, and a shutter speed of at least 1/500sec to capture racehorses galloping towards you. Get it right, though, and the results can be spectacular. Photographing Winter Sports Special considerations when shooting winter sports include the need to check the exposure carefully. Snow is white. To a human, such a statement is obvious; however, to a camera, it is not. When it is pointed at snow, the camera simply ‘sees’ a great deal of light and reduces the exposure to compensate. The result is dingy, dirty snow and figures which come out far too dark. One solution is to leave the camera set to automatic exposure, but apply an EV compensation value of + 1EV to + 1.7EV, depending on the camera and the prevailing conditions. Alternatively, set the camera to manual mode, take a meter reading from a subject in the same lighting and use this exposure for your photographs. You need a long telephoto lens, a shutter speed of 1/1000 sec, and perfect timing to capture images like this… PANNING Panning is a very successful technique for conveying a sense of movement. 1) Choose your viewpoint Firstly, prepare carefully for the shot. Plan where you are going to stand to get the best view of your subject. Think about the background as well, and try to pick one without too much detail. 2) Set a slow shutter speed You may need to experiment with shutter speeds to find the one which offers the best compromise between background blur and still keeping the subject acceptably sharp. Start with a shutter speed of 1/30sec and work up or down as necessary. 3) Match the camera movement to the subject The next part is the most difficult. You need to follow the subject with the camera as it passes, releasing the shutter as you do so. You will need to practise to discover the right timing for the shutter release. On your first attempts you may find that you are releasing it too soon or too late. Look for ways of improving images in the computer. This bobsleigh shot lacked impact, but a little motion blur, and tipping the subject to more of an angle, increases the interest. Tricky subjects like this, in which there is movement towards the camera, require fast, accurate autofocusing systems that can predict where elements of the picture will be at the point at which the shutter actually fires. Without these, parts of the image would almost certainly come out blurred, which would destroy what is otherwise an arresting photograph. Many cameras are bought in order to photograph holidays, trips overseas and days out. All photographers, experienced or otherwise, will want to record these events. Be Selective While it is tempting to photograph anything and everything that catches your eye in an indiscriminate fashion, a little planning and attention to detail will produce a much more satisfying visual record. The obvious candidates for photography are local views and landmarks. The postcards in the tourist shops can give you some great ideas for locations and viewpoints. However, look for a new angle on the scene and include yourself or other members of the party in the photography to give it a more personal appeal in the future. Additionally, be careful that you do not simply photograph ‘things’. Holidays and outings are not just about the places you visit – they are also about the things you do while you are there. Consequently, make sure that you record your activities as well as local sites of interest. USING LIGHT One of the great things about being on holiday is that you have the freedom to take pictures when the light is at its most perfect, because you can be out with your camera at any time of day. This dramatic photograph was taken just as the sun was about to disappear over the horizon. Think Before You Shoot Travel ‘light’, and this does not stop at limiting the weight of the equipment you take with you. You should also travel light’ in a mental sense, sticking to a simple camera that you can operate without concentrating (you will have other things on your mind), when the time comes to take your picture. Local people can make great subjects for your photographs, and we have all seen many appealing and fascinating examples in magazines and photography books. However, it is important always to approach people with caution and, above all, respect. Take care when photographing the locals. The best approach is to ask permission loudly and clearly, or at least make it clear that you would like to take a picture. Always bear your subject’s feelings closely in mind. Unusual or exotic locations often make for compelling images. However, if you can work in an extra element to your photograph – such as the boy running with a football in the foreground of this picture - you can make an already eye-catching scene even more interesting. Sometimes it is worth waiting around a while in order to capture the best possible shot. Protect Your Equipment You should also consider the security of your photographic equipment when you are taking photographs while abroad. While branded camera bags are a neat lifestyle accessory, they can also serve as a blatant advertisement for thieves in many places. Plain, unbranded camera bags are generally a safer bet. Try to avoid waving your camera around in too obvious a fashion or leaving it in plain view on a strap around your neck, for example. Straps offer a level of security against pickpockets, but expensive and highly visible camera gear may also tempt muggers, which can result in much more serious problems. Cameras may need protection from the elements as well, especially on trips to the beach. Keep your camera in a bag and place it carefully on a beach towel or a chair whenever it is not actually in use. Sand quickly gets into knobs, dials and seams in camera bodies and can be next to impossible to get out again. Of course you want to be able to take photographs in such situations, but care and thought is required. The same applies to any other equipment you take with you. Lenses, lighting aids, tripods and other supports are all expensive items of kit which should last you years if they are looked after properly. However, one overly casual visit to the beach on a windy day could change all that and could prove an expensive mistake in the long run. Always be on the lookout for subjects that give a flavour of the place you are visiting. For example, Las Vegas makes people immediately think of wedding chapels, so why not take a picture of one of these, or the inevitable garish sign advertising its services? KIDDY PIX Taking pictures of children playing on the beach or in a pool is an essential part of summer holidays for many people. However, make sure that you protect your camera from sand and water, so that these images remain evocative for the right reasons! Photographing wild animals is by its very nature more of a challenge than taking pictures of your pets at home – but it can be extremely rewarding. The key to good shots of wildlife is patience, combined with luck and practice. Wildlife Venturing into the countryside to photograph animals in the wild for the first time can be an exciting experience, but also a disappointing one. Most species quite sensibly stay well away from people, so you need an extremely powerful lens to stand any chance of filling the frame. At the right time of day you may have success with rabbits and deer, but animals such as foxes and badgers may prove elusive unless you have specialist knowledge of their habits and habitats. To stand any chance at all you will need to wear drab clothes, avoid aftershave or perfume, and move slowly and carefully. Using a telephoto zoom it is possible to get decent shots of small, distant creatures. Try to capture them doing something interesting. CLOSE-UPS Powerful closeups can be created using an ordinary telephoto zoom – as in this dramatic photograph of a horse’s eye. ON SAFARI If you are fortunate enough to be able to go on a wildlife safari, the scope for amazing photographs of animals in the wild is unlimited. Take a good telephoto lens and a tripod with you. Birds Wherever you live, there is a pretty good chance you will be able to take pictures of birds – possibly without even having to leave your house. Though you may not find exotic species like golden eagles in your garden, you will probably have sparrows, thrushes and robins around you in abundance. With a reasonably powered telezoom that goes up to 300mm, you will be able to get a decent-sized image – which subsequently may need cropping and enlarging in the computer to fill the frame. However, birds have far greater appeal when they are on the wing. But capturing them in flight can be far from easy, especially in the case of small species that travel at great speed, such as swallows and swifts. To get good pictures of birds like these, you need fast reactions. Your best bet, therefore, is to get out and about and find some larger birds, such as geese, ducks or gulls, which are slower and more graceful in flight. Small birds can be tricky to photograph well, but larger species, such as ducks, can be photographed readily where there is plenty of water. If you go to a park, the birds will be used to humans coming and going, and are consequently less likely to be scared away. This is a good way to begin taking pictures of birds and to accumulate valuable experience without complications. Toss the park birds some bread or seeds and you will be able to photograph them as they come in to land or take off. GETTING UP CLOSE Move slowly and steadily and you should be able to get reasonably close to deer in parks and gardens. Very often they are quite used to people and will not scare too easily. Always make sure you choose a vantage point in relation to the background and direction of light which shows the subjects at their best. All birds move relatively quickly, so you need to be prepared. Exotic creatures such as this brightly coloured iguana lizard can make good subjects. Go to your local zoo or safari park and experiment. If your subject is relatively slow moving, like this languid swan, it is possible to set up a shot in a more leisurely fashion, in order to make the most of the prevailing light and colours. The contrast here between the white bird and the black water is striking. Pets are one subject where fancy techniques are not required; just fill the frame with your subject and fire away. Remember, though, that animals are not always the easiest subjects to work with. Photographing Your Pets Many people regard their pets as part of the family – and photograph them along with the rest. Getting good shots of Felix or Rover is relatively easy – because they are always around. The secret lies in having your camera loaded with film or with its battery charged and ready for use at a moment’s notice. That way you can react as soon as you see the potential for a good photograph. As far as possible, you should avoid the use of flash, as this can bounce back from your pet’s eyes, producing the canine or feline equivalent of human red eye. Instead, go for an ISO400 setting and try to take your pictures when there is a reasonable level of light. Spontaneous, natural, pictures are often the best, but there is nothing to stop you setting up a more posed shot – the way you would shoot a portrait of a person. Once again, you need to work in good light, so that flash is not required, but you should also seek out a plain backdrop, such as a wall, to help concentrate attention on the subject. LIGHTING TIPS Animals generally do not like bright lights and will often react badly to flash guns. The key is to ensure that the room is well lit and your pet is comfortable. Perfect Timing One of the best times to photograph animals like cats and dogs is when they have just eaten – they are less likely to be energetic and more likely to stay in one place. That said, you might prefer to take some action shots – of a dog jumping in the air to catch a stick, or maybe a cat chasing a toy mouse. Some pets – such as these rabbits – scare easily and can be difficult to capture well. Give such subjects food to put them at ease. The secret to photographing cats lies in holding their attention. Here the photographer got everything ready and then made a squeaking sound. Dogs can be great subjects for pet photography because they like showing off and will often play to the camera. Give them props, and they will have even more fun! What technique do you use if you have a different kind of pet? It depends on a number of factors, including how big it is, how active it is and how tall it is. With smaller animals, such as hamsters, gerbils or tarantula spiders, you may need to get in closer to be able to fill the frame. In the case of creatures such as rabbits or ducks, you can stand further away and use a telephoto lens. If you are the proud owner of something more exotic – a snake or a gecko, for example – you will need to adapt your photography according to its habits. Take a broad range of images at first, including some of the pet with its owner. Detail is important in good animal portraits. Every whisker, hair and pore can be clearly made out in this carefully composed image of a distinctly dubious-looking family hound. EXPRESSION The faces of animals can feature expressions, just as well as those of human beings. This dog seems to have a superior, haughty manner that is emphasized by the strong eye contact it is making with the camera lens. These days pets come in all shapes and sizes – but do not feel you have to include all of them in the picture. Cropping in tight often produces a great deal more impact. If you are taking close-up portraits of your pets – whatever kind of animal they may be – you want to capture their personality and individual character traits as far as possible, just as you would in a portrait of a person. Try a sequence of shots taken as close together as possible and then select the best ones. Successful portrait photography is straightforward – providing you follow a few simple rules. With a little effort and thought it is possible to produce portraits that really stand out from the crowd, portraits in which the person actually seems to come alive in front of you. The Best Approach For a start, decide what kind of approach you are going to take. Do you want a posed picture, in which the person is looking at the camera, or a candid, where they are unaware that you are taking the shot? Posed pictures offer the advantage that you have more control, but the disadvantage that people often freeze, making it difficult to capture them in a natural way. One of the most important skills is ‘connecting’ with your sitter, so that they trust you and will open up for you. Lighting Portrait Photography Конец ознакомительного фрагмента. Текст предоставлен ООО «ЛитРес». Прочитайте эту книгу целиком, купив полную легальную версию (https://www.litres.ru/litagent-harpercollins/digital-photographer/?lfrom=688855901) на ЛитРес. Безопасно оплатить книгу можно банковской картой Visa, MasterCard, Maestro, со счета мобильного телефона, с платежного терминала, в салоне МТС или Связной, через PayPal, WebMoney, Яндекс.Деньги, QIWI Кошелек, бонусными картами или другим удобным Вам способом.