Action Photography is, in my opinion, the hardest type of photography to get the hang of. Do you know how hard it is to catch a clear image of a sprinter or a football player? Not that I’ve ever tried to take a picture of a running football player (most of the guys on the football team would think I was a psycho stalker if I did that) but, I have tried to take pictures of things moving at a fast pace in general. It’s not easy at all. One of the tricks I use to take an Action shot is to use the Action setting on the camera, and click the button as the object starts moving, because the shutter releases a little after you actually press the button. That way you can get a decent shot. You can also use a flash setting at night so the shot won’t blur, but I would avoid that, in fact just avoid night action in general unless you’re awesome (you’ll know if you are). Good Luck.
General Photography
General photography can be one of the most nondescript forms of photography. It is where every type of photo that doesn’t have a specific category goes. It is one of the most prolific categories, as it includes everything that doesn’t have a category. It houses photos that don’t fit into Landscape photography, Macro photography or Action photography. It can be home to photos that are not Kid/Pet photography, and those that aren’t Bokeh or any other type. It may share some of the characteristics of these categories, but it doesn’t necessarily fit in with these specific categories. It can be anything that isn’t defined.
Landscape Photography
Landscape may be one of the easiest forms of photography. It can also be one of the hardest, depending on expertise, equipment and location. I’m not an expert on landscape photography, so I’m not the best source of information about all the best equipment. The only camera I use is a Nikon Coolpix L120, so I don’t know about most of these special DS and L’s and R’s and all that fancy junk, but I can offer you some tips on shooting and positioning. It is imperative to have a good, firm hold on the camera so there is no blurring and the shot is sharp. On some of the bigger cameras, in fact with every camera except the little ones, I would recommend a tripod. The big ones are good for the DSLR cameras and such, but I use a gorilla tripod (one with bendy legs that can wrap around objects) for convenient on-the-go coverage. Search around for the opportune moment, and once you position your camera comfortably (or uncomfortably, if you choose), focus in on it. You may have to rotate and tilt the camera to find the right light source and angle, then snap.
Kids/Pet Photography
Taking photos of kids and pets can be really rewarding, even though getting them to stay still long enough for the camera to focus and take the actual picture is a daunting task. I would know, I have 3 cats and 2 dogs at home who never stop moving. I found that it is easier to take their picture if you don’t expect them to stay still. It is far better to catch them doing day to day activities anyway, so the pictures don’t look forced. I would advise one to just have a camera trained on them for a long time, and even if it is boring and your cat looks at you like you’re nuts, you should get at least one good shot. It helps if you give your pet a treat (plus animals eating almost always makes for adorableness). However, treats don’t work for children. I haven’t really experimented with kid photography (how creepy is that unless you’re getting paid?), so I don’t really have any tips except to try and capture the childlike and young essence that so many artists try to duplicate. Children have a certain air of nonchalant genuine fun that shows up really well in photos, so the only advice I have is to try to capture it in your photo.
Portrait Photography
Portrait photography can be a tricky process. You have to figure out how the lighting works and how to make the most of it, and which poses are most flattering to the subject. I always likes casual portraits: I like to capture moments and people like they really are, and hello, no one smiles all the time. Pictures like these are the most genuine and easy to take. That’s why it is always best to have a camera on your person at all times.You don’t have to worry if these pictures are a little blurry, because sometimes that’s what makes them so sentimental. But if you are taking a wedding portrait, or any portrait that is posed, you may want to have the best quality you can get. If it is particularly sunny outside, then you want to have your subject facing away from the sun, perhaps under a tree, but definitely not facing against the sun. If you take it indoors, then you should angle them away from any windows. If the lighting is bad, then use a fill-in flash, but only if necessary. Flash is a last resort option.You should angle the subject away from any low ceilings, and snap away.
Bokeh
Bokeh in photography is the blur in the out of focus background of or the intentional blur of an image. Lights are the most common subject of bokeh, but blurred background of an image is classified as bokeh as well. Photographers often use a shallow focus technique to create an attactive out of focus region. You can also achieve a nice bokeh image by holding your finger up to a lens on Macro setting, focusing on your finger, then removing your finger before you click the release button. Once you click the release button, you should have a picture with soft blurs and pretty spots.
Macro
There are many types of photography, and there are many methods of using those types of photography. One of my personal favorite types of photography is macro. Macro is an extreme close-up photo of something, usually a very small object, but not necessarily. A good macro photograph is a hard one to take. It should be really detailed, almost razor sharp and clear, and it should be larger than life. The best macro photos are taken with cameras specifically designed for that purpose. The best cameras and lenses for the job are Nikon ED 70-180mm f/4.5-5.6 D AF Micro, the Canon EF 100mm f/2.8 L IS USM Macro Lens, the Canon EF 100mm f/2.8 USM Macro Lens, the Canon EF 180mm f/3.5 L USM Macro Lens, the Sigma 150mm f/2.8 EX DG HSM Macro Lens, and the AF-S DX Micro-NIKKOR 40mm f/2.8G, even though I only use my Nikon Coolpix L1200.
Not the best photographer…
I know that I am not, nor will I ever be, the best photographer. I do not approve of enhancing a photo beyond recognition, and a photo should never be so photoshopped that it doesn’t even look real. If a photo has so many effects in it that it has about 30 different layers, then its not really a photo, and you didn’t take a prize-winning photo. You took your decent photo, and you made it something it was not. Unless it is a priceless memory you are trying to restore, then you shouldn’t do anything to it to enhance it besides sharpening. If you are indeed a real photographer then you do not need 50 different filters to make a work of art. You need only a camera and Picasa by Google, along with Adobe Photoshop. I believe in natural photography: preserving things the way that they really look, not the way I want them to.
Lighting techniques
There are many lighting techniques in photography. Perhaps the best among these is natural lighting. You should always try to make the most of natural lighting whether you are indoors or outdoors. The worst type of light is direct sunlight, as it can cause unflattering shadows, lines, and squinting on the subject. If you simply have to take your photo under these circumstances, then you should always have the subject’s back to the sun, yet have their face still exposed. It will help if you add some flash to the scene, but do not do this unless absolutely necessary. If you are indoors with a low and bright ceiling, then you should bounce the flash off a reflector. If you need to use direct flash, then move your subject to a pretty good distance away from any walls or other obstacles. You can also change the levels of exposure.
Why I’m on WordPress.
Hello, I am going to be using this WordPress to promote the different types of photography and the methods it takes to use them, also to share my personal opinions about photography. I will use videos and blog posts to demonstrate the different uses of cameras and photos. There are many categories of photography that you can explore. There are also many tricks of the trade that can be learned from this site in just a few minutes. So please, read up.
photophans 