It’s a very simple technique and something that virtually every digital camera (and most film cameras) have the ability to do. Here’s what you do:
- Pose your subject.
- When framing your subject put the central point of your frame on the point that you want to focus upon (the face of a person is generally the best point).
- With the subject’s face in the center of your image half press down on the shutter button (not fully). This will tell the camera to focus on that point.
- Without letting go of the shutter (it should still be half depressed) move your camera to frame your shot as you want it (ie the person’s face doesn’t need to be centered now).
- Once you’ve got the framing right press the shutter the rest of the way and the shot will be taken with the right focusing even though the center of your image might not be the person’s face.
This technique is not just useful for taking photos of people when they’re not central in your shots but can also be used in many other types of photography. For example in Macro shots when you want to place the insect or flower that you’re photographing off center (using the rule of thirds) you might want to use focal lock. Similarly if you were taking a landscape shot but wanted to focus upon a house in the foreground that was off center rather than the horizon you’d use this technique.
This technique is one that most people know but it’s something that beginners should master in the early days of their photography as it’s something you’ll use constantly. It might take a little practice but after a while it will become second nature to you.
Friday, July 24, 2009
Speed Photography - How to Photograph Exploding Fruit and Balloons Popping
What you need:
1. External Flash
2. Flash Trigger
Shutter Speed Myth
Most people believe that speed photography is done through very fast shutter speeds, like 1/1000 or faster. However, this is not true. Flash duration is the primary component for this. The duration of flash units range from 1/1000 of a second to almost 1/30,000 of a second. So as long as your subject is very dark, the only light your camera sensor will see is the light coming from the flash for that very short duration.
Flash Triggering
So now that you know that flash duration is more important than shutter speed, you need to have a way to fire the flash when the action happens. This is done by using a flash trigger. There are three main types: sound, light, and mechanical. Sound triggers will fire the flash when a loud sound is heard, and mechanical triggers fire when something comes in contract with the trigger. Light triggers create a beam of invisible light between two points, and fire the flash when the beam is broken (commonly used for water drop photos).
The sound trigger which was used in the example image was a home-built job with parts from Hiviz. Their kits are cheap ($7), but require a little electrical expertise. If you have an electronics background, they are super-easy to build. If you would like a fancy pre-built model, you can get one for about $170 here.
The Photo Shoot
1. Turn off or dim the lights
2. Open the shutter
3. Perform Action (I like shooting pellets at stuff)
1. External Flash
2. Flash Trigger
Shutter Speed Myth
Most people believe that speed photography is done through very fast shutter speeds, like 1/1000 or faster. However, this is not true. Flash duration is the primary component for this. The duration of flash units range from 1/1000 of a second to almost 1/30,000 of a second. So as long as your subject is very dark, the only light your camera sensor will see is the light coming from the flash for that very short duration.
Flash Triggering
So now that you know that flash duration is more important than shutter speed, you need to have a way to fire the flash when the action happens. This is done by using a flash trigger. There are three main types: sound, light, and mechanical. Sound triggers will fire the flash when a loud sound is heard, and mechanical triggers fire when something comes in contract with the trigger. Light triggers create a beam of invisible light between two points, and fire the flash when the beam is broken (commonly used for water drop photos).
The sound trigger which was used in the example image was a home-built job with parts from Hiviz. Their kits are cheap ($7), but require a little electrical expertise. If you have an electronics background, they are super-easy to build. If you would like a fancy pre-built model, you can get one for about $170 here.
The Photo Shoot
1. Turn off or dim the lights
2. Open the shutter
3. Perform Action (I like shooting pellets at stuff)
Using Fill Flash
The Problem
The problem with the shots was that there was so much light coming in the windows that the super little camera which was used in Auto mode thought that the scene had enough light. As a result the window and what you can see through it is reasonably well exposed - but the main subject matter of the picture (the happy couple) are well under exposed. Some of the other shots taken this day were much worse and had the bride and groom as silhouettes.
Obviously the issue with this shot is that there is just not enough light from the front of the subjects to light up the subject with the shutter speed being used.
The Solution
There are a number of possible solutions to this problem but one of the easiest is to override the camera and force it to shoot with a flash - a technique often called ‘fill flash’. Fill Flash is used to supplement existing light in a scene - it’s generally not the primary light source (as a flash often is at night) but fills in light where natural light doesn’t go.
In addition to helping with backlit subjects fill flash helps in more subtle ways also by helping to eliminate shadows cast by facial features (under eyes, noses, chins) or under hats - especially when light is shining down from above. It also might just add a special little sparkle to the eye of the person you’re photographing.
In the same way it is also very useful in other styles of photography including in nature and macro photography for lighting up subjects in much the same way as when you’re photographing people.
Most cameras have a way of doing this that doesn’t mean that you have to go into a full manual mode - in fact my point and shoot digital camera allows me to force the flash to fire IN automatic mode. Check out your digital camera’s owners manual to work out how to do this on your digital camera but in most point and shoot cameras the main button to look for will be the one with the lightning bolt (flash) on or near it. Press this multiple times and it will cycle you through the different options for flash (on, off, automatic, red eye reduction are the main four). Some point and shoot cameras even have a ‘fill flash’ option that ramps back the strength of the flash a little which is ideal.
Some more advanced digital cameras will allow you to experiment with the strength of the flash you use. This will enable you to tailor your flash to the situation you’re in. Most DSLRs will let you pull back your flash output in 1/2 or even 1/3 stops. I find that at the start of a photographic shoot if I shoot off a few shots at different exposure levels and check them on my LCD that I quickly find out what’s working and can stick to that level in the shots that follow.
Keep in mind that Fill Flash can be overdone. If you beef up the flash too much your shots can look artificial and overexposed. Aim for subtlety when using a flash and you’ll really lift your shots.
The problem with the shots was that there was so much light coming in the windows that the super little camera which was used in Auto mode thought that the scene had enough light. As a result the window and what you can see through it is reasonably well exposed - but the main subject matter of the picture (the happy couple) are well under exposed. Some of the other shots taken this day were much worse and had the bride and groom as silhouettes.
Obviously the issue with this shot is that there is just not enough light from the front of the subjects to light up the subject with the shutter speed being used.
The Solution
There are a number of possible solutions to this problem but one of the easiest is to override the camera and force it to shoot with a flash - a technique often called ‘fill flash’. Fill Flash is used to supplement existing light in a scene - it’s generally not the primary light source (as a flash often is at night) but fills in light where natural light doesn’t go.
In addition to helping with backlit subjects fill flash helps in more subtle ways also by helping to eliminate shadows cast by facial features (under eyes, noses, chins) or under hats - especially when light is shining down from above. It also might just add a special little sparkle to the eye of the person you’re photographing.
In the same way it is also very useful in other styles of photography including in nature and macro photography for lighting up subjects in much the same way as when you’re photographing people.
Most cameras have a way of doing this that doesn’t mean that you have to go into a full manual mode - in fact my point and shoot digital camera allows me to force the flash to fire IN automatic mode. Check out your digital camera’s owners manual to work out how to do this on your digital camera but in most point and shoot cameras the main button to look for will be the one with the lightning bolt (flash) on or near it. Press this multiple times and it will cycle you through the different options for flash (on, off, automatic, red eye reduction are the main four). Some point and shoot cameras even have a ‘fill flash’ option that ramps back the strength of the flash a little which is ideal.
Some more advanced digital cameras will allow you to experiment with the strength of the flash you use. This will enable you to tailor your flash to the situation you’re in. Most DSLRs will let you pull back your flash output in 1/2 or even 1/3 stops. I find that at the start of a photographic shoot if I shoot off a few shots at different exposure levels and check them on my LCD that I quickly find out what’s working and can stick to that level in the shots that follow.
Keep in mind that Fill Flash can be overdone. If you beef up the flash too much your shots can look artificial and overexposed. Aim for subtlety when using a flash and you’ll really lift your shots.
How to Get That Zoom Effect
1. Frame your shot how you want it to appear
2. Set exposure to something greater than 0.5s
3. Mash shutter button
4. Twist the zoom ring to zoom in or out slightly
5. Observe
6. Repeat if unhappy
2. Set exposure to something greater than 0.5s
3. Mash shutter button
4. Twist the zoom ring to zoom in or out slightly
5. Observe
6. Repeat if unhappy
How To Photograph Lightning
Being one of the most unpredictable forces of nature, lightning storms present a unique challenge for most photographers. We’ve all seen powerful photos of lightning in action and you may be wondering how you can capture the majesty of a storm the next time you’re fortunate (or unfortunate) enough to witness one. While a lot matters on what Mother Nature decides to do with all that electricity, the tips below should help in capturing a great shot of lightning.
1. Use a steady surface
While a tripod typically works best, in reality any steady surface will work.
2. Long Shutter Times
While lightning is unpredictable, it’s extremely hard to make a decent capture by tripping the shutter when you see a flash. There are some fancy remote controls that have the ability to trip when the flash is sensed, but I’m guessing you don’t want to invest in these types of gadgets. Depending on your cameras ability to manage noise on slow shutter speeds, using a timing of 30 seconds can work well. The bulb setting can also be handy if you have a way to keep the shutter open.
3. Horizon Up
It’s safe to say most of the lightning action you will see will be in the sky. I know it’s obvious, but it needs to be stated that your field of view will be skewed toward the sky then. Depending on how close the lightning is, you’ll be including more blank looking sky than normal. But fear not; that sky becomes far more exciting when the lightning starts.
4. But Include Something Interesting
While the action will be in the sky, don’t forget to keep something in the frame to give relevance and perspective to the shot. Buildings are a favorite, but really, anything that can give an idea of the size of the storm works well.
5. Manual Focus
It’s best to use manual focus when shooting in lightning situations. Mainly because the view will probably be at night (but not always) with a fair amount of darkness. Rather than allow your camera to hunt around for something to focus on with each new shot, get a good manual focus on the sky and leave it there.
6. Manual Shutter/Aperture Too
As mentioned in #2, if your camera has the ability to set the shutter speed, pick a long shutter time and a fairly wide aperture. The action will be far from you so a wide aperture and shallow depth of field won’t be a problem (unless you have some very near objects you’d like to include).
7. Stack ‘em
If you can keep your camera in a steady spot, shot after shot, you can use stacking software to combine multiple strikes into one image. You’ll often have many unexciting shots with maybe just a single strike or faint action between clouds. These can all be combined to make a spectacular image.
8. Be Patient
This is a big one and a key to success. Get familiar with your gear and settings so when there is a lightning storm you can set up the camera and then let it do its thing while you enjoy the show. You’re going to have a number of times when you miss “the shot” for one reason or another. Don’t sweat it.
Shooting lightning storms can be a very enjoyable experience but it takes a little practice to get it just right. Follow the steps above and you’ll be well on your way to creating electrifying photos.
1. Use a steady surface
While a tripod typically works best, in reality any steady surface will work.
2. Long Shutter Times
While lightning is unpredictable, it’s extremely hard to make a decent capture by tripping the shutter when you see a flash. There are some fancy remote controls that have the ability to trip when the flash is sensed, but I’m guessing you don’t want to invest in these types of gadgets. Depending on your cameras ability to manage noise on slow shutter speeds, using a timing of 30 seconds can work well. The bulb setting can also be handy if you have a way to keep the shutter open.
3. Horizon Up
It’s safe to say most of the lightning action you will see will be in the sky. I know it’s obvious, but it needs to be stated that your field of view will be skewed toward the sky then. Depending on how close the lightning is, you’ll be including more blank looking sky than normal. But fear not; that sky becomes far more exciting when the lightning starts.
4. But Include Something Interesting
While the action will be in the sky, don’t forget to keep something in the frame to give relevance and perspective to the shot. Buildings are a favorite, but really, anything that can give an idea of the size of the storm works well.
5. Manual Focus
It’s best to use manual focus when shooting in lightning situations. Mainly because the view will probably be at night (but not always) with a fair amount of darkness. Rather than allow your camera to hunt around for something to focus on with each new shot, get a good manual focus on the sky and leave it there.
6. Manual Shutter/Aperture Too
As mentioned in #2, if your camera has the ability to set the shutter speed, pick a long shutter time and a fairly wide aperture. The action will be far from you so a wide aperture and shallow depth of field won’t be a problem (unless you have some very near objects you’d like to include).
7. Stack ‘em
If you can keep your camera in a steady spot, shot after shot, you can use stacking software to combine multiple strikes into one image. You’ll often have many unexciting shots with maybe just a single strike or faint action between clouds. These can all be combined to make a spectacular image.
8. Be Patient
This is a big one and a key to success. Get familiar with your gear and settings so when there is a lightning storm you can set up the camera and then let it do its thing while you enjoy the show. You’re going to have a number of times when you miss “the shot” for one reason or another. Don’t sweat it.
Shooting lightning storms can be a very enjoyable experience but it takes a little practice to get it just right. Follow the steps above and you’ll be well on your way to creating electrifying photos.
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