Photo Tips Portfolio - Kristjan Butler, BA

Black and White Photography - 7 Tips

2006-08-13T18:45:00.000-07:00

Add a touch of the exotic and unexpected to your photo collection by shooting the occasional photo or series of photos in black and white. Black and white exotic, you say? Yes, and an artistically rewarding medium that is now more accessible.

Black and White Photography Tip Contents

History of Black and White Photography
Character Study
High Contrast Lighting
Low Color Scenes
Architecture and Sculpture
Barren Landscapes
Parting Thoughts

1. History of Black and White Photography: For 30 years or more, black and white photography became less and less common. Along with its decline in popular use, it also became more expensive with specialized film and development processes not widely available – standard black and white film can't be processed in regular color processors.

Although new types of chromogenic black and white film that can be developed in color processors are now on the market, there are still many photography enthusiasts who grew up in the last 30 plus years who have never experimented with black and white and still others who may not have tried it for a long time.

But black and white photography continues to offer a host of artistic benefits and many digital cameras now include the option to shoot in black and white.

The decline of black and white use means black and white photos can actually have added artistic impact beyond their intrinsic benefits exactly because they are rare. As digital photographers, we can now reap the rewards of black and white without paying more for film and development or having to set up our own at-home darkroom.

Again, unlike with film, there is no need to take a specific number of black and white shots to finish a roll: you simply switch into and out of black and white mode to suit each individual photo. So, when is a good time to shoot in black and white?

2. Character Study: A good way to capture the essence or character of a subject is to photograph them doing something naturally when they are not paying direct attention to the camera. What you are really doing with this technique is removing distracting elements from the frame of reference.

The subject is not concerned with smiling or posing correctly and those looking at the photo later are not checking the smile or pose, but getting a rare and intimate view of the person that might equate uncomfortably to staring in real life.

How does black and white enhance this? By removing colors, those viewing the photo are drawn deeper into it to examine the nuances of features and expression that reveal as much about the character of a person as a photograph can.

3. High Contrast Lighting: One of the great strengths of black and white is its ability to enhance differences in contrast and bring shapes and lines into stark repose. Any high contrast lighting scenario can therefore make a potentially great black and white photo.

4. Low Color Scenes: There are many potential situations in which the level of color in the scene may be low: overcast days, for example, or foggy days, or stormy mountainscapes. In these cases, the color may not actually add to the artistic impact and in fact taking it out can remove a distracting element.

5. Architecture and Sculpture: As with the other scenarios above, the direct, uncomplicated quality of black and white and its ability to increase the impact of lines and shapes by enhancing contrast all play well into the hand of architectural and sculptural photos.

6. Barren Landscapes: Whether a bare winter scene, a rocky, wind-blasted canyon, or a featureless beach, this type of setting can really be brought to life and made stunning with black and white photography.

7. Parting Thoughts: With the strengths of black and white in mind, a view to these classic scenarios, a dash of imagination, and quick switch into black and white mode you are sure to get plenty of "ooohs" and "aaahs" next time you showcase your collection.

NOTE: If your camera does not have a black and white mode, you can still add black and white to your collection by using your photo editing software. For best results, convert your photos to either "256 Grays" or "16-Bit Gray". Avoid converting to "Black and White", which will reduce your photo to a 2-bit graphic that looks like snow on a TV screen.

From the proprietor of Sparklift Internet Marketing.

Portrait Photography - 3 Tips

2006-08-13T18:02:00.000-07:00

Portrait photography is about portraying people in the best light; capturing their essence and impact on the world.

Portrait Photography Tip Contents

1. Portrait Photography Primer: For centuries and more, this has been the most important discipline for painters. So, too, for portrait photographers in last century. Renoir was a master for the ages with a brush and pallette. Karsh, a timeless modern master of silver halide film.

But what did they master? Certainly an ability to render fine details accurately and attractively. Undoubtedly an acute eye for setting, custume and pose. But most importantly, an ability to use and manipulate light to trap the essence of their subjects so we witness it as if bursting from its cage.

These masteries of portrait photography apply equally well to the age of digital as to the past. Here are some things to consider for your portrait photos.

2. Backdrops: We've all been to have a professional portrait taken, whether for graduation or family posterity. Remember how the backdrops were usually mellow tones in a marbled pattern?

A little more imagination is often called for, but the key here is that the background should be unremarkable or complimentary. That is, if it draws the viewers attention at all, it should be to encourage a specific mood or enhance the colors of the whole composition, not distract.

For example, in a portrait study focussing exclusively on the person depicted you might use: pure shadow; a sheet of material with solid colors that aren't too bright; a mixture of mellow colors in an unremarkable pattern; or, sometimes pure white, though this can be difficult to use effectively.

3. Settings: In a portrait that will include the background setting rather than a simple backdrop, clear away all items that do not contribute to the feeling or mood you want to convey.

Also, consider blurring your background somewhat to de-emphasize it. If you are unable to control the background, for example if you are outside in a public area, consider blurring the background significantly. Using a telephoto lens for your portrait will help with this.

Also, just as with backdrops that should be neutral colors, the setting outside the picture should be managed and dressed in neutral colors so as not to add twinges of color to your subject.

For example, a portrait taken in a kitchen using an backdrop as outlined above, but where the walls are bright yellow and sunlight is streaming in the window is unlikely to work out how you want as everything will exhibit a hint of yellow.

4. Lighting: The most essential element to portraits is lighting. For those familiar graduation and family portraits, the emphasis is usually on simplicity through ambient light that does not leave unattractive shadows.

Highlight lamps may be used. The key here is no distracting shadows. To achieve this, arrange lights with neutral colored shades around your subject and use a flash diffuser.

Portraits intended to register on the scale of mastery will typically use three or more directionalized lamps (back, side and front) arranged to provide specific, attractive, and meaningful highlights.

For example, in a sultry portrait of a model with flowing hair, the backlamp might be used for a dazzling halo effect.

From the proprietor of Sparklift Internet Marketing.

Frameline Magnetism in Photography

2006-08-09T15:11:00.000-07:00

What's in the picture isn't the whole picture. In photography, as in all art, including prose and poetry, what is on the surface, or "in the picture," is only part of a works' artistic appeal.

Everything included inside the frame of a photograph has an effect on the audience. What are the associations and connotations of what's included? What personal or universal experiences will be triggered by the contents? But just as important is what is left out.

Popular and powerful art often says the most while including the fewest solid or complete points of reference. But how is this done and why does it work?

In photography, one method within easy reach of everyone is frameline magnetism—partially including elements around the edge of your composition or excluding portions of subjects and objects that are part of your central theme. Bridging the gap between what is included and what is left out. Consider this…

Natural Eye Movement -- Just as we look straight ahead by default and consciously or subconsciously move our eyes around to follow or look at things, eye movement studies have shown that people are intrinsically drawn to the center of a photo. Or, to its most powerful element, if that element overrides the strength of the centering impulse, like a magnetic north.

A good photograph will also include natural lines or planes that draw the eye through it after they have centered on it. While great photos will often draw your eyes into and through them as above, and then around them as the eyes are drawn to prominent elements at the frameline that aren't quite all there.

By deliberately including or excluding elements partially, you come much closer to forcing your audience to consider consciously what is and is not included. You not only draw your eyes into, through and around your photo, but beyond it.

Fireworks Photography - 5 Tips

2006-08-09T14:55:00.000-07:00

Nervous energy and anticipation. You’re on your way to the fireworks show. As you mingle in the swelling crowd, everyone feels like a kid again, only now you also understand the full meaning of this magnificent display.

Here are a few quick tips on fireworks photography to help you capture the celebration...

Fireworks Photography Tip Contents

Night Photography Ready?
What’s Your Windage?
Where’s Your Tripod?
What’s in the Background?
Where’s Your Focus?

1. Night Photography Ready? Remove your UV or polarizing filter or any other artistic filters for daytime shooting when heading out to catch fireworks.

2. What’s Your Windage? It's best to set up at right angles to the wind when photographing fireworks. This way, as the bursts trail off they will stream nicely across your frame making them more noticeable in your photos than if they are coming towards you or going away. Also, from this position the smoke will be blown out of your frame quicker, giving you cleaner, crisper shots.

3. Where’s Your Tripod? It will give you the ability to experiment with longer exposures. This way, you can catch multiple bursts of fireworks on the same frame that actually didn’t happen at the same time.

To avoid camera shake, use your 2 second delay timer or a shutter release cable for your long exposures.

4. What’s in the Background? Set up your fireworks photographs so you avoid city lights in the background. A pure black background will lend itself to a pure enjoyment of the spectacle.

5. Where’s Your Focus? Go a step better and use your infinity focus setting and take the time to focus right in on the first few bursts. The show will be long enough for you to miss a few at the beginning and this way you’ll get your shots as clear as possible.

Waterfall Photography

2006-08-09T14:47:00.000-07:00

Waterfalls and white water cascades are among the most inspiring spectacles in nature, which makes them an ever popular subject of photography. There is something about the motion and sound of the water, the mist and the wet sheen on the rocks that's soothing and hypnotic.

There are many artistic angles you can take to capture the spirit of a waterfalls and cascades in your photographs. One of the most fun is to take prolonged exposures to enhance the appearance of white water.

By using bulb mode or time settings in your waterfall photographs, you can increase the veil-like white highlights. This lets you achieve a result that is not only more realistic, but also more fantastical.

Consider for a moment that the human brain cannot really perceive how the ever-changing scene looks at the particular split second level of a regular shutter speed.

Rather, we perceive how it appears and changes over the course of whole seconds. Therefore, by taking a longer exposure and increasing the appearance of white water you make a more realistic picture.

On the other hand, bulb exposures of any moving subject, and perhaps especially waterfalls and cascades, have an inherently unreal element to them precisely because we could never really perceive these subjects the same way on our own.

Waterfalls are a particularly interesting case, however, because when nothing else is moving in the field of view during your exposure, it takes a moment for your audience to notice something is different.

The emphasized white water highlights they see serve to bring out the soothing, hypnotic and positive feelings associated with waterfalls. This is achieved in a way that your audience may eventually understand is not real, but that they will nevertheless appreciate.

So, when you make your waterfall photograph like a fantasy, you are actually making the positive reality associated with the waterfall more immediate for your audience.

Better Zoom Photography - 4 Tips

2006-08-08T19:03:00.000-07:00

Do you use your zoom regularly? These pointers will help you get the most from your camera's zoom and increase the number of great photos in your collection.

Better Zoom Photography Tip Contents

Depth of Field
Natural Close-Ups
Zoom for Action
Digital Zoom

1. Depth of Field: The greater your focal length (zoom), the shallower your depth of field. This can be used to your advantage to make portraits more flattering, isolate your subject within the field of view, and eliminate distracting elements.

Portraits -- For casual or more formal portraits, either switch into portrait mode or manually zoom out to your maximum focal length and then back up and frame your photo.

Doing so will flatten the appearance of facial features and under-exaggerate the nose giving a more attractive result. Compare these example portraits with and without zoom.

Subject Isolation -- If your camera comes with enough zoom capability or you can attach a telephoto lens, you can use your zoom to completely isolate your subject from the foreground and background.

This can lend a warm, dreamlike feeling to your portraits and wildlife photos while simultaneously focusing the viewers attention as in the example below.

2. Natural Close-Ups: The best natural close-ups of children, pets and wildlife are often taken using maximum zoom settings or interchangeable zoom lenses. This is because children and pets, as with most everyone, often respond automatically to your close proximity by changing their expression and focusing their attention on you.

Likewise, wildlife will usually run or fly away if you get too close. Using your maximum zoom is also the best way to get candid shots of adults and older children. In all these cases, the trick is to know the approximate range of your particular zoom lens.

3. Zoom for Action: If you want to catch the action of sports or even just people in motion or working, zooming can enable you to do so without getting in the way. The greater the zoom and the faster the motion, the more likely you are to experience camera shake and/or motion blurring.

So, remember to adjust your shutter speed accordingly. Likewise, you may want to set up a tripod and use your panning handle. This will give you a solid base and the ability to follow the action while reducing the risk of blur.

4. Digital Zoom: Digital zoom gives a false impression of the actual size of the image and how large it can be printed. It also limits your options to crop and resize later. However, it is great in some cases.

Telling the difference between when you're using digital vs. optical zoom is different for various camera makes and models, but common aspects include that the camera's actual zoom lens stops moving out and there is a noticeable pause in zooming followed by an abrupt jump forward in the zoomed view.

Since your camera is cropping pixel information away, use your highest non-interpolated quality setting so there is as much pixel information in your photo as possible.

Use your digital zoom when you cannot get closer to your subject with ease.

Ice and Snow Photography - 9 Tips

2006-08-08T16:09:00.000-07:00

Surprise and delight your friends and family by adding eye-catching ice photos to your personal collection. Ice and snow capture the imagination.

At once pretty, fun, dangerous and symbolic of life's essence in waiting, ice offers many unique avenues for photographic expression. Whether you concentrate on characteristics of light, associations with seasonal fun and festivals, or simply the mood of a scene, your efforts will be rewarded.

Ice and Snow Photography Tip Contents

Light Effects
Festivals
Places to Look
Using Flash
Time of Day
Exposure Compensation
White Balance
Exposure Length
Polarizing Filter

1. Light Effects: Perhaps the greatest intrinsic appeal of ice for photographers is its various and splendid effects on light. When clear, light can pass through it and leave a distorted and colorful view of the world on the other side, enhanced by a liquidy sheen.

When opaque, it can shine and sparkle or even give off a glow. These effects of light, and more, make it an ideal subject for still-life photos and a great background to any portrait.

2. Festivals: Whether you seek opportunities to capture seasonal decorations in portraits and still-lifes, or the frenetic buzz of community festivals, incorporating ice (and snow) into your pictures will lend them greater appeal.

How? Aside from the appealing effects of light, when you include ice you add a layer of artistic depth that provides context and meaning to your audience. This makes it easier for them to catch the mood by feeling and remembering their own similar experiences.

3. Places to Look: While snow can offer some of the light effects and seasonal feeling of ice, ice holds more appeal, perhaps because it is rarer. Places to look include frosting in windows, icicles handing off trees and shrubs, the banks of streams and lakes, and public art such as statues and monuments.

Early winter and the weeks before spring often offer the most chances at great ice photos, since the warmer temperatures will lead to freezing and thawing, providing a greater abundance of clear ice.

4. Using Flash: During the day, avoid using a flash and work with available light. At night, use the softer fill flash and experiment with camera settings to reduce overexposure.

5. Time of Day: Early morning, evening and night will offer the best chances to capture the effects of light playing off ice, as ambient light will be less likely to drown out the scene.

6. Exposure Compensation: To avoid a dull, grayish or washed-out look, use EV compensation to keep your camera from assessing that there is too much light and overcompensating by underexposing the scene.

7. White Balance: Likewise, if you are shooting in sunny conditions, try using your sunny white balance setting.

8. Exposure Length: To enhance the glitter of icy settings, experiment with long exposures.

9. Polarizing Filter: Another way to reduce the glare that is often a constant companion in icy conditions is to use a polarizing filter.

Simple Backgrounds, Elegant Photography - 3 Tips

2006-08-08T14:03:00.000-07:00

Want to instantly up the artistic quotient of any photo you take? You can by keeping your backgrounds simple.

In photography, "busy" backgrounds distract your audience or even backgrounds with only a single out-of-place item. In effect, when people look at your otherwise well-composed photos they may think, "hmmm…pretty good," instead of, "wow, that's great."

How can you ensure simple backgrounds? Here are three effective ways to approach it.

Simple Backgrounds, Elegant Photography Tip Contents

Shadows and Artificial Backdrops
Depth of Field
Subtractive Model

1. Shadows and Artificial Backdrops: One method for simplifying backgrounds is to find an angle or setting that let’s you put the background in dark shadow. This often works best with close-ups, where controlling the use of shadow becomes easier.

Similarly, artificial backdrops are a good method for simplifying your background. For portrait work, this may be a large sheet of neutral colored material, while for close-ups of flowers and other macro work, it may be a piece of construction paper.

2. Depth of Field: Another way to keep your background simple is to use your depth of field to put it out of focus. In many cases, this will simply render the background neutral and non-distracting. In others, like in the colorful example above, the blurred-out colors behind the parrots actually add to the appeal of the photo.

3. Subtractive Model: For non-people photos, set about composing your shot and ask yourself, "Is everything in this photo, including in the background, making it better?" If the answer is "no," you can reframe the photo after repositioning yourself to remove unwanted items.

Or, if they can be moved, simply pick them up and move them out of the shot. This is a "subtractive" model because you're eliminating things as you compose the photo.

For people photos, unless you're taking a candid shot, there should always be time to consider and even "stage" the background before getting everyone in front of the camera.

For example, if you want a nice photo of everyone on the lawn, get them assembled only after clearing away the lawn mower, the kids toys and the sprinkler. Try to challenge your normal frame of reference when setting up for people shots and be open to things like re-arranging furniture and removing standard elements of a room from a shot.

Ask yourself questions like, "Do I really need the coffee table in this family portrait?" Or, "Will those pictures on the wall add anything to this picture?" If you do this, you'll be much more likely to have your audience asking themselves, "hmmm…what is it about this photo that makes it so impressive?"

Clear Focus for Difficult Photos - 4 Tips

2006-08-08T13:19:00.000-07:00

Want to get clear, focused photos more often? Knowing the toughest focusing scenarios and being ready to adjusting your technique is the first step.

Clear Focus for Difficult Photos Contents

Low Contrast
Overlapping Objects
Bright Lights, Backgrounds and Glare
Low Light

1. Low Contrast: A lack of contrast can confuse your camera because depth is more difficult to determine in low contrast settings.

In the example below, the sky is low contrast and the plane is not only similar in color, but also occupies only a small part of the focal area. For such situations, you may want to change to spot or center-weighted focus, rather than evaluative, which uses multiple zones.

The trick here is to zoom in as much as possible or move closer to your subject and fill the focal area when shooting with a low contrast background. For other low contrast scenes you may have to switch to manual focus to get things just right.

2. Overlapping Objects: Objects that are overlapping in the focal area can also lead to focusing problems because your camera may end up focusing on the wrong thing.

In this case, remember to pre-focus carefully by pressing the shutter-release button down halfway and checking that the correct things are in focus. If they aren't, you will need to change your perspective on the subject to get a clear view or switch to manual focus mode.

3. Bright Lights, Backgrounds and Glare: The example below shows how bright lights can interfere with proper focusing. The same is true for overall bright backgrounds or any setting with strong glare.

For a case like this, you could zoom in to remove the bright light. As with overlapping objects, another solution here is to focus on the subject from another point without the bright background and then return to your chosen spot while keeping the same distance. Again, another solution may be to switch to manual focus mode for precise control.

4. Low Light: Settings with low ambient light are also important to watch for when focusing. This is especially the case if you are going to be using longer shutter settings in which blur from movement can be a problem.

Below, there is a combination of difficult focusing situations. First, it is a low light setting, and second there is a bright spot from the fire. In this situation, be prepared to accept a soft focus, which may add to the overall feeling and appeal as in this example.

5. Summary: The first step to getting your pictures in focus when faced with difficult scenarios is always to realize you're in one and then adjust. Keeping these tips in mind will be a great start. Good luck!

Wildlife Photography - 15 Tips

2006-08-08T12:39:00.000-07:00

The call of a loon in the lonely morning mist. The swish of a kingfisher taking a fish. Or, the whisper-soft crunch of leaves as fox paws fall in the underbrush. Images and opportunities that quicken the pulse of every photographer and weave daydreams of wildlife photography success.

Make you next wildlife photography trip into a personal adventure almost assured of great photos with these 15 wildlife photography tips suitable for anyone, at any skill level.

1. For your best chance at fantastic wildlife photos, make your excursion all about wildlife photography, rather than about hiking with your camera along, for example.

2. Make a short list of likely locations in your area, then visit each one on separate occasions, letting its atmosphere and opportunities guide your eye and compositions.

3. At each location, pick a likely spot, set up, keep quiet and stay put to see what shows up. Often, if you sit quietly for a time, the wildlife will come out of the woodwork, either not realizing you are there or accepting your temporary presence. Likewise, if you move quietly and approach your spot with care, you may not have to wait for a great photo opportunity.

In addition, many animals are territorial, so if you encounter some exciting subjects, remember your spot and go back to try to repeat or improve on your success. Think about taking something like a large camouflaged poncho to hang up and hide the majority of your movements so as not to startle the wildlife.

4. Bring food, water, coffee, etc … including a lightweight and comfortable travel stool or chair. Patience is key to wildlife photography. You must be able to sit and wait for just the right moment to photograph your subject or even for your subject to appear. If you are comfortable and have refreshments, this will be much easier.

5. When setting up in your spot, try to be on the same level as your subjects are likely to be. Wildlife photos, just like posed people photos, always look much better when you are eye to eye with your subject.

6. Rivers, lakes and oceanfronts are natural gathering places for wildlife and always a good starting point. Think like a stalking animal and look for signs that wildlife visit or might visit a place regularly.

Maybe it's a clear eddy in the river's current that's loaded with minnows and has bird droppings on the adjacent rocks. Or, maybe it's a smelly, well-worn outcropping of rocks that indicates a seal haul-out.

7. Always take a good tripod. For many photos, you will want to use a very small aperture to achieve great depth of field. Even when there is lots of light, your shutter speed may not be fast enough at small apertures to be able to hand hold your camera.

8. If possible and when appropriate for your particular spot, face north for photos taken around mid-day, face west in the morning and east in the afternoon (the opposite in the southern hemisphere). This will help keep sunlight from coming directly into your lens and washing out your results.

9. Avoid excessive glare by not shooting at mid-day on bright sunny days. Take a break at mid-day to stretch and walk around looking for other good spots while the light conditions are so difficult.

10. A powerful zoom lens or better a telephoto lens is a necessity in wildlife photography. Be aware, however, that long zooms and telephoto lenses are more vulnerable to camera shake.

If you are photographing an animal that has similar colors to its surroundings, use full zoom or a long lens to separate your subject from the background. To increase this effect, choose a small aperture.

11. Remember the three elements of a good landscape—foreground, midground, and background—and, if possible, use them in your wildlife photos by having something in these positions.

For a soft, out of focus background, you need at least a couple of meters behind the subject. So, when you are setting up, check your background and make sure there are no distracting branches, etc.

12. Take your polarizing filter as it will help remove the glare off water and other reflective surfaces like leaves.

13. Be prepared for bad weather as it doesn't necessarily mean your opportunities are over for the day.

14. Don't forget that if you are pressed for time or can't get out of the city for a day trip, civic parks can also present many opportunities.

Here, the wildlife is used to having people around, so you may not have to be so patient or quiet, though the variety of wildlife available may be narrower. In parks, you may also be able to get away without that big telephoto lens, because the wildlife will likely let you get closer.

15. There will be some good wildlife photo opportunities each day and even if you don't go home with the National Geographic cover shot, you've honed your skills and broadened your experience. Tread softly and carry a big lens!