FOCUS ON SELECTIVE FOCUS

Photocrafty 10 FUN COOL THINGS YOU CAN DO RIGHT NOW - WITH YOUR DSLR! FOCUS ON SELECTIVE FOCUS The number one frustration from people regarding their DSLR s is that they can t get their images in focus. So lets get this sorted... Getting out of focus shots, can make people want to admit defeat and never pick up their DSLR again. You know the scenario: you re behind the lens and think you have taken an amazing shot but when you finally get round to reviewing it on the LCD screen, you re confronted by a blurry fuzz. Your heart sinks as you realise the moment you wanted to capture forever has long since past. There are two buttons which can normally be found on the side of your lens they are called MF for Manual Focus and AF for auto focus. Quite a lot of focus issues have arisen from the photographer thinking they are in auto but actually they were in Manual Focus. So, check it! When you are in manual focus, you have to manually adjust the lens so that the image is in focus. You do this by looking through the viewfinder and rotating the end of the lens until your subject is in focus. And of course when you are in auto the camera automatically finds focus. But the trouble with auto focus is that the camera focuses on what it thinks you want to focus on. It normally goes for the brightest object or the thing in the centre of the viewfinder. Cameras haven t yet developed a mind reading button, so you and your camera might not agree! To override auto focus you need to get to grips with selective focus - this is only available if you move out of the safety of the green auto mode - try P (Program Mode) or AV (Aperture Variant - more about this one in the next project). This allows you to select the area of the image that you think is the most important thing - which is pretty cool. To do this on a Canon you need to hold down the button which has a square containing a dotted cross, (image below left) then use the wheel to select the area that you want in focus. Use this setting and your photos will go from zero to hero! Auto Focus Point Selection button Use the dial to select the AF point The foreground object is in focus whilst the one behind isn t Photocrafty [1] Copyright Sue Venables 2013

FAST GLASS If taking perfect portraits is your thing, it might be worth investing in a lens that has a very low f-stop. This allows you to get a beautifully shallow depth of field. The cheapest option is a 50mm prime lens f1.8 - it retails for less than 100. Perfect Portraits TAKE CREATIVE CONTROL WITH YOUR APERTURE MODE Are your portraits a bit disappointing? Do your photos make your mates look more like mingers than models? Well use this technique to turn your portraits from dreary to dreamy! Get shots where their eyes are in sharp focus and the background is beautifully soft. To do this, you need to get familiar with the Aperture Mode. You ll find this on the mode dial - which is that disk which is sitting on top of your camera. On a Canon it s AV (Aperture Variant) and on a Nikon it s a A (yes, you guessed it - for Aperture!). This semi automatic setting allows you to control the aperture, whilst the camera figures out the shutter speed, resulting in a correct exposure. This setting is cool because it allows you to choose how much of the image is in focus. So when you are in this mode and you use the wheel, it scrolls through different aperture settings, which are visible as numbers through the viewfinder or on the LCD screen. Always make sure the eyes are in sharp focus Without infusing your brain with too much camera geekery aperture is measured in f-stops and controls the amount of light coming into the camera. A low f-stop number e.g. f4.5 allows a lot of light into the camera and gives a shallow depth of field, which is the holy grail for portraits. Now if you dial in a large f- stop e.g. f22 you will get a large depth of field which is idea for landscape photography. When you look at a portrait that has a shallow depth of field, the viewers eye is naturally drawn to the area of the photograph which is in focus for example the persons eyes. This creates a sense of intimacy between the viewer and the portrait. Make sure that you are getting the right part of the image in focus by using selective focus see previous page. Now you have the settings right for perfect portraits, read the next project for getting your composition spot on. Photocrafty [2] Copyright Sue Venables 2013

The tree is on the right vertical third. The horizon is on the lower third. Apply it! The rule of thirds can be applied the horizon line in a landscape (left) or to a portrait (below). Using the rule of thirds can transform your shots in an instant. Compose yourself -Rule of Thirds One of the simplest things you can do to improve your When you apply this to portraiture you should always aim to put photography is to improve your framing. Often the difference the eyes (the most important part of a persons face) on the between a good photograph and a disappointing one is the upper third. Also try and avoid the bullseye look where you angle of the shot and how the elements are arranged in the place the face in the centre of the image - it can look too frame. obvious. Instead place the person on the left or right vertical. Being able to compose shots well is of course a matter of personal taste. However if you apply the rule of thirds, you will When you apply the rule of thirds to landscape photography, be applying some collective wisdom on what makes good experiment placing your horizon line on either the upper or composition. lower third. This results in a bold shot with your images having To apply the rule of thirds you need to visualise the screen either lots of foreground or lots of sky. Visually this is a lot more being divided vertically and horizontally in three (or use the interesting than the horizon line smack bang in the middle of grid setting on your camera). Now, the theory goes that you the frame. should place your main point of interest where the lines cross. Dull! Smack bang in the middle of frame! Photocrafty [3] Copyright Sue Venables 2013 Dynamic use of the rule of thirds!

Take it Further It s not just traffic that produces light trails, you could apply this technique to shooting at fairgrounds or fire work displays. Don t play with traffic! Stay safe. Chillax and take it slow by using the shutter priority setting... This nifty setting allows you to take some incredible long exposure shots, where the light is given time to infuse onto the censor. This setting is particularly useful for night time shooting. Using shutter priority allows you to choose the shutter speed and the camera cleverly works out the aperture. One of the most rewarding type of shots is taking photographs of light trails. Nothing says speed like a moving object whizzing through the frame and nothing says cool photo better than light trails! These pro looking shots are actually very easy to achieve. Follow these steps to find out how. Firstly you need to find a location which allows you to focus on some moving traffic. Secondly Put your camera in Shutter Priority Mode using the mode dial ( TV for Time Variant on a Canon or S for Shutter on a Nikon). Then use the dial to set an exposure of 5 seconds. Keep your ISO low try not to go beyond ISO 400. Now you need to find a rock solid surface to rest your camera on like a brick wall or use a tripod. Test your settings by reviewing the image on your LCD screen. If your image looks too dark (underexposed) you have two options: Increase your exposure time or Increase the ISO If your image is looks too bright (over exposed) then you have also have two options: decrease your exposure time or lower your ISO. Keep experimenting until you get the perfect shot! Photocrafty [4] Copyright Sue Venables 2013

COMPLIMENTARY The yellow and orange tones of the sunflowers are contrasted against the dark blue sky. These colours are opposite each other on the colour wheel (left). This creates an image where the colours leap out at you and deliver a sucker punch right between the eyes! COLOUR BRIGHT Kiss goodbye to dull and boring photos and turn your camera into a colour seeking missile. Each color is said to have a complementary color - that s it s opposite on the colour wheel. To really make your colours pop, look for photographic opportunities where complimentary colours are placed next to each other. Try and capture these color combo s: Red and Green. Blue and Orange. Yellow and Purple. Green is strongly associated with freshness, think about logos for supermarkets and healthy eating. It s also thought to have a calming effect on the viewer, think about landscapes and mother nature. But it does have the odd negative association like being a bit green and the stuff that comes out of your nose! Colour is a great way of getting your photos to stand out and grab peoples attention. It s also thought to have an an emotional and physical effect on the viewer. Advertisers use the sunny colour yellow a lot because it is said to be the most visible colour on the color spectrum. Use yellow in your photos to grab peoples attention. Red is all about extremes of emotion, on the one hand it s about passion and love and on the other its about war and danger. Use this colour a lot to get the viewers pulses racing. Use complimentary colours to make your photos pop! Blue is often associated with masculinity and it also the colour of military and police uniforms. This popular colour is also thought to have a calming affect upon the viewer. So infuse your photos with this colour and get the viewer to relax. Orange, is a warm attention seeking colour and is often associated with religion and also with creativity. It s also thought to increase our appetite. Experiment with only firing the shutter when you see something that has some eye catching colour - your photos will be all the better for it. Photocrafty [5] Copyright Sue Venables 2013

FRAMING I m not talking about the guilt frame around the edge of your picture but rather a frame within your picture itself: confused? Read on... Mastering your framing adds punch to any picture. Look for opportunities to use architectural or environmental surrounds to frame your subject. This might be a foreground object or something in the background. A classic example would be to use an archway to frame the person beyond it, or to use a window to frame the landscape beyond. Don t forget to tell your camera exactly what part of the photograph should be in focus by using the selective focus technique (see page 1). This is a useful technique for any photographer because it makes the viewers look to a specific part of the photograph. For the viewer it gives depth to the image, the frame adds a strong visual layer for the viewer to look through, this makes the viewing experience more pleasurable. WINDOW TO YOUR WORLD The leaves of the trees frame the spire beyond You ve been framed! Looking through the arch (top image) to the distant ruin, adds a great visual layer. The arch tells the viewers about the materials and texture of the ruin beyond. Our eyes are drawn to the area of image which is most in focus, (middle image) this is the sleeping commuter. The view beyond the commuter gives us an idea of the location and a sense of the trains speed. Turbo change your photos (bottom) with a frame within a frame. Photocrafty [6] Copyright Sue Venables 2013

LEADING LINES Lines area a strong compositional element to any photograph as they lead our eyes on a journey. They are also a useful way of linking objects in a photograph... Horizontal lines These are thought to covey stability and harmony as they tend to pull our eyes from side to side. This is probably similar to the journey your eyes took last time you admired a great view. When the camera has a strong horizontal line it s often best to photograph it using the camera in landscape position. Vertical Lines These lines convey a sense of power and can make us stand to attention -think trees, tower blocks, railings etc. These lines make our eyes look to the top and bottom of the image. When we take a picture of an image that has a strong vertical line we tend to use the camera vertically as well. Receding Lines Receding lines can add depth to a photograph by pulling the viewers eyes through a photograph to the focal point in the distance. This is typically used in landscape photography, where converging lines meet. RADIAL AND DIAGONAL LINES These lines give our eyes a visual workout pulling our eyes all over the image Check out the these images and take your eyes for a wonder. Think about how you read an image and where your eyes go? Now try and replicate similar eyeball experiences in your own photographs! Photocrafty [7] Copyright Sue Venables 2013

REPETITION, REPETITION, REPETITION There s something really satisfying in seeing the same thing repeated in a photo. We delight in the familiarity the reoccurring form, Visually disruption. whether it s tiles on a roof, pebbles on a beach or Sometimes too much of the same thing gets a little bit too bikes in a row. and break the pattern (below left). This can be a great Creating patterns in photographs gives an image a visual rhythm, which echoes what came before. It also creates a sense of abundance and our eyes can play a visual game of spot the difference between each repeated form. It s not just form that makes interesting photographs seeing repetition of color is also pretty cool too. (below middle) uniformed so it s good to inject a little bit of visual disruption Look for the same thing again and again! way of attracting attention to the thing that breaks the rule. There are different types of repetition, it can be uniformed like the tiles on a roof (above top). or more chaotic, like leaves on the ground (above bottom). Grab your camera and start snapping shots that contain repetitive patterns. Photocrafty [8] Copyright Sue Venables 2013

DANGER AVOID THIS LOOK! Try using a wide aperture and even a higher ISO to banish the washed out flash look. The shot below captured without a flash has a natural and more flattering feel. This will make your friends look fugly! THIS TECHNIQUE ROCKS Next time you rock out at your favorite gig, use this technique to take some atmospheric shots. KILL YOUR FLASH 99% percent of the time that nasty little critter pops up - push it down! When the flash is used at parties it makes you mates look bad, they look like they re from the film Cocoon, with white faces and black circles for eyes! If you weren t using it for night time portraits but instead wanted an interior shots it won t do much better: only illuminating the first five feet whilst the rest of the room is in total darkness - aagh get rid! So if you are at a party and you want to take pictures of your mates try this instead: Put your camera in Aperture Priority mode (see page 2) and dial in the largest aperture (smallest f-stop number) that your lens can produce now take a shot. If you friends are still under exposed (looking too dark) then increase the ISO in the camera. ISO increases the cameras sensitivity to light. Now the downside of too much ISO is that it can give your images a bit of colour fuzz which can compromises the look and feel of your photos. But on the up side it can give your shots a more natural feel and look. Now, if you want to take a shot of something stationary at night time you are best to put your camera in Shutter Priority (see page 1), grab yourself a tripod or a steady surface and dial in a long exposure, making sure you have a low ISO. This will produce gorgeous long exposure shots where the natural light will have time to infuse the censor. So what about the 1% of time that you should use your flash? Well I think the flash can be a great tool on a sunny day. Yes that s right when the sun is really bright and high in the sky! No, I haven t gone totally mad! Often if you are taking portraits outside the overhead sun can create unattractive panda like shadows on your subject. So fill in the shadows with a bit of light from your flash. This way you get a very well illuminated portrait with a nice even light. Photocrafty [9] Copyright Sue Venables 2013

Landscape photography The master of this art form Ansel Adams said, Landscape photography is the supreme test of the photographer and often the supreme disappointment. I think big frustration of landscape photography is that the breath taking magnitude of the scene is in front of us rarely transcends the small photograph that we see afterwards. To help give your landscape shots a sense scale within the image itself, it s a good idea to include some foreground interest, like leaves of a tree, grasses, rocks etc. The sense of scale is created by the juxtaposition of detail in the foreground with the big blocky shapes of the background. The foreground interest can also act like an access point for the viewer in the image as it helps frame the shot as the viewer looks beyond to the horizon. It s also a good idea to give your landscapes a focal point for the viewers eyes to rest upon. In a landscape this might be where the slope of two mountains cross, or a building or an interesting cloud formation. A typical landscape shot will have a really large depth of field where essentially the foreground and background are in focus. To achieve this type of shot your could always use the mountain setting (the one that looks a tiny bit like a mountain) on your mode dial. Another way of achieving a large depth of field is to use aperture priority on the mode dial and dial in a high f-stop number e.g f-22. Now when you use a high f-stop, the size of the aperture is very small which means there isn t that much light coming into the camera. So to compensate for small amount of light coming into the camera you need to increase the exposure time if there isn t an abundance of bright light. This will mean that you will need to use a tripod or have your camera fixed on a solid surface. LANDSCAPES JUMP TO IT! Don t sit at home waiting for a beautiful bright day before you take your shots. Dark skies can add drama to a shot. So grab your camera and get snapping! Photocrafty [10] Copyright Sue Venables 2013