September 30, 2009
Digital Photo Newsletter 2nd Edition
Tip for early morning photography.
One of the reasons I go out so early in the morning to take pictures is because there is usually no one on the roads. And where I would normally be driving at 50-60 km per hour I can slow down to 35-40km per hour.This makes a big difference in what subjects you may see. It also gives your brain more time to digest what it sees consequently you are more likely to "stop, and back up to look at a subject in more detail."
Whereas driving at higher speeds, subjects are moving past you too quickly for them to register mentally and if your brain finally does kick in, you may also defeat yourself because you will find some excuse not to bother stopping to go back for that 2nd look.
The other problem of driving at higher speeds is your mind cannot process all the subjects quickly enough that it is seeing. It is too busy processing the next scene and then next scene because they are moving past you so rapidly. Combine that with the fact that your brain is also asking you "ok what's coming next, and next and next", you are never really digesting what you see.
I know one young lady who has solved this problem by riding her scooter. What a brilliant idea.
Update to my main gallery of images at www.natural-light-images.com
In the past week, I have added some 78 new images to this website. A process that was long overdue. You will find these images all in one gallery named “Additional – New Images”.I put all these new images in this one gallery to make it easier for you to find them, rather than to have to search thru all galleries. In about a month’s time I will move each of those images into their appropriate gallery.
I will also be adding a few more Black and White images and some Painted images. As this process requires more work in Photoshop to convert from the regular color image, it will be another couple of weeks before this task is completed.
I look forward to any feedback you may have to offer regarding these new images, such as:
- What images do you like.
- What images don’t you like.
- What types of images would you like to see.
- Other suggestions.
The Leaves Are Turning.
During the next 3 to 4 weeks, the leaves in our area are changing colors. So if you are thinking of going out there to capture Nature at its best. Here are some helpful tips.- Rather than being limited to my recommended early mornings and late afternoons. This is a good time of year because generally you can shoot most of the day because the daytime sky is a deep blue. This is the only time of the year when you get this color of sky, so take advantage of it.
- Rainy days are also good days to shoot the fall foliage because the rain makes the leaves shine as opposed to being dull and flat.
- This is also a great time to experiment with your camera to practice taking close ups of individual leaf’s to bring out the detail in the leaf and the brilliance of the color.
Settings for Point and Shoot Cameras
- White Balance setting, take it off Auto and set it to landscape or sunny day. Actually try different settings to see which one produces the best image and brilliant colors.
- If it is a windy day, try to use a faster shutter speed so that you “stop” the movement of the branches and leaves.
Subjects to watch for:
- Leaves caught in the low brush.
- Leaves in a small pond or puddle of water beside the road.
- Leaves on the ground under a big maple or oak tree.
- Dewdrops or early morning frost on the leaves.
- Ever tried to capture a leaf in mid air as it floats towards the ground?
- If you have an open bird feeder, put out a bunch of peanuts in the shell and watch the blue jays take a peanut and then attempt to hide it under a leaf. Capture that moment.
- Fallen leaves along the sides of a small stream.
A Fall Shooting Challenge For You
This is the time of year when the outdoor markets have bushels and barrels of fruits and vegetables on display, many of them really colorful and some unusual looking shapes and sizes, such as the different types of squash. Go to these local markets and let’s see how creative you can be. I am sure you will find some interesting, colorful and “up close” shots you can take.How Much Time Does It Take?
In one of last year’s photography classes we talked about how much time do you need to take good photos. I said, “No, you do not need a lot of time. In fact you can often get it done in 20-30 minutes, 45-60 minutes. But you do not need 2-3 hours.Here is a great example….one fall Thursday morning at 7:00am, I decided to go take some pictures, even though I had a morning appointment at 8:30am to meet with someone regarding their website. When I set out from the house I really had no idea where I was going, but I knew I had 45 minutes to get it done. I turned onto Sugar Hill and then left onto Byer’s.
Just as I turned the corner, I spotted some leaves caught in the wire fence along this field. This looked like a good spot to stop, so I did. Got out my equipment, looked at my choices of leaves and started shooting. The images were not that great, so I started looking around. On the ground were lots of leaves covered in early morning dew drops. Now this looked more promising. As I started to focus my macro lens, it was then I saw that many of the leaves were interconnected by spider webs and there were dew drops sitting on the strands of the web. Now this I knew would be a great opportunity to practice those close ups.
I remained in that one location for almost a full hour. It was well worth it. Some people who have seen those shots called them “web of the worlds”.
Happy shooting.
Suggestions
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Cheers