Try a Tripod

I know this tip won't be for everyone, but everyone can at least consider it. Tripods are great tools. Ever notice that socket with threads in it on the bottom of your camera? That is where the tripod attaches. I suggest using a small and portable tabletop tripod. You can obtain one of these for under twenty bucks. A tripod will keep the camera absolutely still when you are shooting in low light, such as street scenes at night. Photographers have traditionally used cable releases when shooting from a tripod. A cable release is a cable that is screwed into the camera's shutter release and allows the photographer to trip the shutter without shaking the camera. Your point and shoot camera probably doesn't have a place for a shutter release. That is not a problem, because what you do is use the self-timer to trip the camera. The delay of the self timer will allow the camera to stop resonating from any vibrations started when you press the shutter. However, if you need the shot at the exact moment, such as when that butterfly finally lands on that flower, you won't want to use the self timer. In these situations, you must be very delicate when pressing the shutter button. You can do it; it just takes practice. For either method a tripod will steady your camera and enable you to get a sharp photograph.

Current Events

Last Saturday I photographed an event for RSVP Magazine. I enjoy RSVP photo shoots. The hardest part for me is having to dress in more formal attire than I usually wear. A RSVP type of shoot is one in which I use a flash mounted to (well actually on a device that locates it above) the camera. I approach people, introduce myself, and ask if they will pose for a photograph. Almost everyone is quite willing. I sometimes wonder about the tiny percentage that refuse. Why do they?

You can read RSVP magazine online.

I photographed the Orpheum Gala last November.

Shutter Speed: What is it?

Shutter speed refers to the length of time a camera shutter remains open. The shutter is located in front of a digital camera's sensor and prevents light from reaching that sensor until the shutter release button (or self timer) opens it. The amount of time the shutter remains open is variable and expressed in fractions of a second known as shutter speed. A typical average shutter speed is 1/125 of a second. We usually refer to slow shutter speeds as those that are 1/30 of a second and slower. It used to be an adage that one could not hold a camera steady enough to get a sharp photograph when using a shutter speed slower than 1/60 second. However, technology such as image stabilization make today's cameras capable of obtaining sharp photographs with slower shutter speeds, that is—up to a point. Most all point and shoot caneras will allow the shutter to remain open longer than anyone can hand hold a camera and obtain a perfectly sharp shot. It is with these slow speeds that I urged you to experiment with last post.

By the way, why does the shutter stay open longer in lower light? The reason is that the amount of time the shutter remains open is one way the camera controls the amount of light reaching the sensor. Bright light makes a proper exposure quickly. Dim light makes a proper exposure slowly.

What is the another way a camera controls the exposure? The size of the opening in the lens is called the aperture. The camera aperture works just like the pupil in you eye. I'll talk more about aperture in a later post.

One last thought. The other variable in exposure control is ISO, formerly and sometimes still referred to as film speed. More on that later.

Break Some Rules 01

Perhaps you have heard of certain rules in photography, such as "never place the subject in the center of the frame," or "always shoot with the sun at your back." There are others and we will play with some of them in later posts. These adages of course are not rules, but merely guidelines that will aid in getting good photographs a high percentage of the time. Don't be trapped by them. Step out of the box. Most of us have learned that we want sharp, in-focus pictures. Certainly this is true if you want to photograph you kid's birthday, or relatives and pets—that sort of photo. Experiment with some UNSHARP photos. Shoot in lowlight and try to keep the camera still but let the subject move. Shoot in lowlight and move the camera toward your subject as smoothly as possible.

Another technique, one that is quite likely to yield a good photograph, is to follow your subject as it moves left to right, or right to left across the frame. Above is a photograph I took during one of the free concerts at the shell in Overton Park here in Memphis. Again, a low light situation is going to yield the most noticeable results because the camera must select a slow shutter speed. I'll expound on what I just said in the next post.

Back Up Your Image Files

One of the most important things you SHOULD do is to routinely save your photographs to at least two DVDs or CDs. The BEST thing to do is to have archival quality prints made of your photographs. I suggest you do both for your favorite and most important images. The rationale behind creating prints is derived from the fact that technology is constantly changing, and the media we use to store our files may not be compatible with future technologies. It is also important to consider the fact that recordable CDs and DVDs may not be as stable and long-lasting as you assume. These discs ARE light sensitive. Store them in a dark, temperature-controlled environment, and keep them out of excessive humidity. Keep multiple copies, but in different geographic locations (a relative's house or safety deposit box).

Today is a Good Day to Take Some Pictures

Every day is, actually. Get out or stay in and take some photographs of things that seem mundane and ordinary to you. The reason things do seen that way is because we are familiar with them. One day you may move and wish you could remember how this or that looked. That's when those mundane-at-the-time photographs become precious.

Introduction and Today's Tip

I'll share tips for getting better pictures somewhat randomly, or answer specific questions posed here. I will also occasionally tell everyone how to make the world a better place. My rants will be non-offensive, well hopefully. At least I will refrain from using any language that you wouldn't want a child or your Grandmother to read.

TIP FOR TODAY — FOCUS
This tip applies to point and shoot type cameras. Some of the simpler and less expensive cameras use the center of the viewfinder to tell the camera where to focus. If you photograph a pair of people with this type of camera, it will often focus behind your subjects. The fix is to focus on one of the faces by aiming the camera so that a face is centered in the viewfinder, press the shutter button halfway down, hold it there, then frame the shot, and press the shutter button the rest of the way down to take the photograph.