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2K views362 pages

Digital Photography Through The Year - Tom Ang (DK Publishing 2012 9780756698348 Eng) PDF

Uploaded by

Linh Linh

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TOMANG

DIGITAL PHOTOGRAPHY
THROUGH YEAR
THE

HOW TO CAPTURE THE MOMENTS AND MOODS OF EVERY SEASON

DIGITAL PHOTOGRAPHY
THROUGH YEAR
THE
DIGITAL PHOTOGRAPHY
THROUGH YEAR
THE
TOMANG
LONDON, NEW YORK,
MUNICH, MELBOURNE, DELHI

Senior Editor Nicky Munro

Designer Joanne Clark
Editor David Summers
Jacket Designer Silke Spingies
Production Editor Ben Marcus
Production Controller Mandy Inness
Managing Editor Stephanie Farrow
Managing Art Editor Lee Griffiths
US Senior Editor Rebecca Warren

First American Edition, 2012

Published in the United States by
DK Publishing
375 Hudson Street
New York, New York 10014
12 13 14 15 16 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
001—184196—Sept/2012

Copyright © 2012 Dorling Kindersley Limited

All rights reserved.
Without limiting the rights under copyright
reservedabove, no part of this publication may be
reproduced, stored in or introduced into a retrieval
system, or transmitted, in any form, or by any means
(electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording,
or otherwise), without the prior written permission
of both the copyright owner and the above
publisher of this book.

A catalog record for this book is available

from the Library of Congress
ISBN 978-0-7566-9834-8

DK books are available at special discounts when

purchased in bulk for sales promotions, premiums,
fund-raising, or educational use. For details contact:
DK Publishing Special Markets, 375 Hudson Street,
New York, 10014 or [email protected].
Printed and bound in China by
South China Printing Co Ltd

Discover more at
www.dk.com
Contents
Introduction 8

Midwinter 10 Late Winter 38 Early Spring 66

Ice formations 14 Purple twilight 42 Down on the farm 70
Outdoor portraits 16 Snowstorms 44 Modes of transportation 72
Frosty mornings 18 Outdoor still life 46 Modern architecture 74
Party people 20 Winter wildlife 48 Railway stations 76
A walk in the park 22 Wintry cityscapes 50 Architectural details 78
Indoor abstracts 24 Street shadows 52 At the animal park 80
Cozy interiors 26 Snow-laden trees 54 Character portraits 82
Pets in snow 28 Urban decay 56 Industrial landscapes 84
In the winter garden 30 City bridges 58 On the move 86
Indoor child portraits 32 Snowy sunsets 60 Light trails 88
Woodland shadows 34 City lights 62 New growth 90
Exploring technique: Exploring technique: Exploring technique:
Balancing color 36 Camera modes 64 Close-up and macro 92

Midsummer 178 Late Summer 206 Early Fall 234

Watersports 182 Fishing harbors 210 Spirit of place 238
Reflected city 184 Vacation portraits 212 Shafts of light 240
People at work 186 On the beach 214 City rivers 242
On two wheels 188 Garden parties 216 Lost and abandoned 244
Flowers in close-up 190 Vacation postcards 218 Marathon runners 246
Crop fields 192 Modern interiors 220 Harvest time 248
Pets in action 194 Dazzling sunlight 222 Glorious sunsets 250
Camping vacations 196 Music festivals 224 Farmers market 252
Pictures from a plane 198 On the tourist trail 226 Shades of gray 254
At the poolside 200 Barren landscapes 228 Café life 256
Silhouettes 202 Street signs 230 Heritage architecture 258
Exploring technique: Exploring technique: Exploring technique:
Backlighting and silhouettes 204 Using color 232 Picture composition 260
Mid-Spring 94 Late Spring 122 Early Summer 150
Rainy days 98 Children outdoors 126 Eating al fresco 154
Along the riverbank 100 Spring dew 128 Formal gardens 156
Splash! 102 Working the land 130 At the carnival 158
Equine portraits 104 Pond life 132 Street photography 160
Changing skies 106 Waterfalls 134 Mountain scenery 162
Birthday parties 108 Cats and dogs 136 Bird life 164
Flower fields 110 Lush greenery 138 Public sculpture 166
Family days out 112 Baby portraits 140 Travel portraits 168
Exploring textures 114 In the night garden 142 Street performers 170
Seascapes 116 Romantic ruins 144 Garden safari 172
Spring blossom 118 Wedding day 146 People under water 174
Exploring technique: Exploring technique: Exploring technique:
Depth of field 120 Basic image adjustments 148 Underwater photography 176

Mid-Fall 262 Late Fall 290 Early Winter 318

Colors of fall 266 Festival of light 294 Golden sunrise 322
Fall pets 268 Around the house 296 Shops and shoppers 324
In the forest 270 Outdoor sports 298 Mist and fog 326
Playing in leaves 272 Window-lit portraits 300 Abstract lights 328
Indoor still life 274 At the aquarium 302 Winter sports 330
Forlorn garden 276 Streetlights 304 Winter markets 332
Striking contrasts 278 Fallen leaves 306 White on white 334
Fall wildlife 280 Wild outdoors 308 Fun in the snow 336
In the kitchen 282 Romantic portraits 310 Dimly lit interiors 338
Out of season 284 Skeleton trees 312 Fireworks 340
Bonfires 286 Silvery moon 314 Posed portraits 342
Exploring technique: Exploring technique: Exploring technique:
Working in low light 288 Exposure 316 Using flash 344

Glossary 346
Index 350
Acknowledgments 360
Introduction
Now that digital cameras are so capable and So what do you do with all this amazing
powerful yet affordable to a mass market, the technology? There are innumerable books
question is no longer “how to shoot?” but “what that tell you how to use your cameras, but
to shoot?”. Camera models regarded these days few that help with what to do once your
as “amateur” or “enthusiast” can resolve more initial enthusiasm and obvious subjects are
detail, capture richer colors, shoot faster, and exhausted. This book gives you hundreds of
reach further than early models of professional- ideas of what to aim your camera at.
grade digital cameras. Your modern digital Here we share ideas and inspiration with
camera can take you to realms of photography you. One of the most important lessons in
that were beyond the dreams of the founding photography is that all light is good light
fathers: you can expose in near-total darkness, and all conditions are good conditions for
you can shoot with machine-gun rapidity, photography. You simply have to figure out how
and you can capture thousands of images to work with each situation, instead of fighting
without interruption. with it, sighing for sunny days with pretty clouds.
What’s more, you don’t even need to have It’s a key purpose of this book to show you how
the slightest idea how the camera works to conditions—such as a snowstorm or a gray and
obtain satisfying and even thrilling results. All rainy day in the city—that don’t at first appear
this for a modest entry fee that is but a small promising are, in fact, treasure-troves of
fraction of the cost of early digital cameras. opportunity for invention and creativity.
Arranged by season, the book shows you that visualize the picture you want instead of
every season packs a basket of goodies ready thinking that you need such-and-such a
for the photographer. You only have to lens or camera, your photography will
unwrap each opportunity, with an investment improve, instantly.
of perhaps only a few minutes making the This book is designed to help you put pre-
difference between an indifferent snap and an pictures in your mind: that’s what inspiration
outstanding image. is about. Looking for images is like looking for
What matters most of all is to approach each a lost object: if you don’t know what you’re
and any day with the knowledge that a fine looking for, how do you know when you’ve
image is possible: that’s why we filled this found it? We hope you this book fills your
book to the brim with outstanding images mind with images you want to look for.
that show how lovely creations may be
obtained from just about any situation under
the sun, cloud, or moon. Success doesn’t
depend on using the latest 36-megapixel
camera or a model sprouting a super-zoom
reaching 600mm. Success is measured entirely
by using what you have on what you see to
produce the best you can. If you can pre-
Midwinter
all that glitters

Come, ye cold winds,

at January’s call,
On whistling wings, and
with white ﬂakes bestrew
The earth
John Ruskin
icy stillness in the air

sparkling cold and bright

ﬂickering candlelight

misty mornings and ﬁligree frost

14 MIDWINTER

Ice formations
Ice can have a wonderful, transforming effect on the CAMERA MODE LENS SETTING
environment—even the most everyday objects, such Select Landscape
mode or Aperture Zoom to moderate
as leaves or pebbles, are defamiliarized and changed Priority and an telephoto
aperture of f/11
into magical frozen artifacts. Rough textures become
smooth, while soft objects become brittle and hard, SENSOR/FILM SPEED FLASH
creating striking, almost abstract contrasts. Far from
Use a low ISO
Shoot without flash
being flat, featureless, and lacking in color, ice can offer setting (e.g. ISO 100)

a wealth of patterns and subtle tones.

FOR THIS SHOT

This study of a leaf trapped in
ice was made on an overcast
day. Flat lighting avoids
glare, reduces shadows, and
helps to retain colors.

Close up
1 By zooming in from
approximately an arm’s length
you can capture the leaf’s
structure and markings,
and the fine, filigree patterns
in the ice. It’s best to avoid
using Macro mode as the
camera may be too close
and cause shade.

Exposure
2 If your subject is mostly
composed of lighter tones,
use a modest amount of
exposure correction to keep
the image bright. Here, 1/3
to 2/3 stop has been used
to prevent the ice from
appearing dull.

ISO setting
3 A low ISO setting
ensures the best image
quality and pick up the
subtle textures in the leaf,
pebbles, and ice.
ICE FORMATIONS 15

TRY THIS
As water freezes, melts, and
refreezes, icicles form, creating
sparkling, almost sculptural forms.
The details of the grooves and ridges
(right) are enhanced by shooting
against the sun and including
reflections of darker elements in
the landscape. A dramatic effect can
be achieved by using short shutter
times to capture droplets falling
from icicles as they melt (far right).

ALTERNATIVE APPROACHES
Shooting ice from up close will remove everyday context,
resulting in images with a more abstract, graphic feel.
Some are not even immediately identifiable as ice.

Air bubbles trapped in ice

form unusual, ethereal
shapes. Shoot from different
angles and notice how the
changes of light refraction
and reflection affect each
shot. Underexpose the
image a little in order to
darken the background.

When water droplets

freeze slowly they can
form shardlike crystals
that grow from, and cling
to, plants and pebbles. Use
a tripod and medium depth
of field to achieve the sharp
focus that’s needed to fully
capture the delicate beauty
of the structure.

frame your shot, yet keep obvious the wintery season.

FOR THIS SHOT

The rear-view mirror of a
motorcycle makes a fitting
frame for an informal, fun
portrait of a biking couple
in the snow.

Positioning
1 Take your time setting
up the shot. Here, the couple
has been positioned so that
they are perfectly framed,
but you can’t see the
photographer in the mirror.

2 Exposure
It can be tricky to
get the exposure right in
scenes with a lot of snow.
Use your camera’s auto
setting first, then try
overexposing by 1/2 stop.

Focusing
3 When you’re shooting
reflections, make sure that
the people themselves—
rather than the mirror—are
sharp. Keeping other details,
such as the speedometer, in
focus helps to add interest.
OUTDOOR POR TRAITS 17

TAKE IT FURTHER ALTERNATIVE APPROACHES

IN THE STYLE OF MAGRITTE Think of ways in which you can use props to give your
For a witty approach, set up pictures a seasonal feel. Warm clothes, woolly hats, sleds,
a portrait that verges on the and frosty windows, for example, all indicate the time of
surreal. This businessman year without any reference to snowy landscapes.
with his umbrella looks
totally out of place, in a A close-up of a small detail,
subtle reference to the such as these cold-looking,
paintings of Surrealist artist characterful hands clasped
René Magritte. The dark around a hot drink, can
figure of the man forms a make a revealing portrait.
striking contrast with the Ask your subject to adjust
snowy scene behind him. the position of his hands,
and keep shooting. Posed
hands rarely look natural

Make the most of a burst

of winter sunshine to create
a flattering, backlit portrait.
Shooting toward the sun
creates a little lens flare that
makes a halo around your
subject. Try altering the
camera angle until you
get the desired effect.

Windows provide an
instant frame with which
to compose a shot. These
two children have been
posed behind different
window panes to create a
humorous double portrait.
Shoot square-on to keep
the verticals straight.

morning before the frost is melted by the sun.

FOR THIS SHOT

Frost creeping across a
window pane creates an
interesting foreground
against an almost abstract
view of the house opposite.

Exposure
1 Expose the photograph
on the mid-tones of the
image, to emphasize the
highlights in the frost.

Using light
2 When shooting frost
through a window, make
sure all the light in the scene
comes from outside. Any
light in the room you’re
shooting from may reflect
in the window and spoil
the image.

Depth of field
3 The striking detail in
the frost is clearly the main
focus of this image. Using a
medium-sized aperture and
shooting from fairly close up
has blurred the house in the
background but ensured that
it’s still recognizable.
FROST Y MORNINGS 19

TAKE IT FURTHER ALTERNATIVE APPROACHES

ULTRA CLOSEUP A veneer of frost, combined with the soft light of a winter
To capture ultra close-up morning, can transform even the most ordinary subjects.
pictures of ice crystals you’ll If you get up early you’ll capture the purple hue infused
need to use a camera and a into the ice by the morning twilight.
macro lens, with a tripod
to minimize movement. Frozen moisture can create
Backlighting will show up the elongated and spiky ice
finest details and refraction crystals. When the crystals
of the light may produce an form geometric patterns
attractive bluish tinge. (on fencing, for example),
and are shot against a dark
background, their effect is
made even more striking.
For best results, keep the
composition square-on.

As frost builds up on
surfaces it softens outlines
and gives them a slightly
furry texture, perfect for
enhancing side lighting. You
can also capture interesting
color contrasts between the
cold, blue shadows and the
warmer, more amber-
colored sunlight.

When frost is accompanied

by mist, the landscape is
drained of color and
textures are softened,
creating a hazy, dreamlike
quality. Try overexposing
by 1 stop to keep the
scene bright.

When frost forms it can

define details on objects
that might otherwise go
unnoticed. Look out for
interesting leaf shapes that
are normally camouflaged
by their color. To avoid
distortion when shooting
objects on the ground, hold
the camera straight and
immediately overhead.

FOR THIS SHOT CAMERA MODE

As a party reaches its climax, revelers Select Portrait
cheer and raise their arms, making mode or Aperture
this the perfect time to capture the Priority and an
aperture of f/8
essence of the occasion.
SENSOR/FILM SPEED
Lighting
1 At parties, the light varies from
moment to moment. Exploit the color Use a low ISO
casts in the ambient lighting, and setting (e.g. ISO 100)
experiment with fill-in flash.
LENS SETTING
Focusing
2 Autofocus can struggle with
moving objects like this falling glitter, Zoom to moderate
telephoto
so focus manually on the near- to mid-
range before shooting.
FLASH
Composition
3 Close framing directs our Try shots with
attention to the subjects’ gestures, and without
but the gaze of the woman on the left fill-in flash

suggests a bigger picture we can’t see.

ON YOUR PHONE
ATMOSPHERIC SHOT
Many camera phones struggle
to deliver high-quality shots in
difficult lighting conditions.
Make a virtue of your phone’s
limitations—prop it on a table
(to limit shake) and shoot
some atmospheric views.
Motion blur will only add
to the impact.
PART Y PEOPLE 21

ALTERNATIVE APPROACHES
Look around a party and you’ll find a lot to photograph away from the dance
floor: friends exchanging stories, people enjoying the party food, outfits, and
decorations, all are worthy subjects. Also, think about the mood you’re trying to
capture. Is it a collective celebration, or something more intimate and personal?

Intersperse your pictures of

people with some close-up shots
of details that tell the story of the
evening. Focusing on these
cocktails gives us an idea of the
type of event these friends are
attending. Ask people to pose for
you and show them the pictures
as you take them.

The unpredictable lighting in

nightclubs means the use of flash
is unavoidable when shooting
portraits. However, try to soften
the light by using a diffuser or
by bouncing the flash off a wall.
Here, flash has illuminated the
main subject, while a long
exposure allows ambient light
to brighten her companions and
the background.

For a shot with a head-spinning perspective, hold your camera low down in
the middle of a group of dancers, point up and shoot. Try photographing with
and without fill-in flash.

A walk in the park

Snowy city parks are excellent places to look for scenic CAMERA MODE LENS SETTING
inspiration. From the serene beauty of frost-coated Select Landscape
mode or Aperture Zoom to moderate
trees and ice-glazed lakes to the cold, imposing Priority and an wide angle
aperture of f/8
facades of office buildings and frozen monuments,
the juxtaposition of the natural and the man-made SENSOR/FILM SPEED FLASH
can create striking images. Try heading out at different Try shots with
Use a low ISO
and without
times of day and during different weather conditions setting (e.g. ISO 100)
fill-in flash
to capture the effects of varying light.

FOR THIS SHOT

City buildings, softened
by snow, provide an eerie,
incongruous backdrop to
this nature scene.

Exposure
1 Light tones dominate
this scene, enhancing the
cold, wintry atmosphere.
Increasing exposure by
around 2/3 stop will preserve
the brightness of the frost
and snow.

Contrasts
2 The delicate frosted
trees in the middle distance
contrast with the flat
foreground dotted with
waterfowl and the bold
geometry of the buildings
in the background.

Foreground interest
3 The icy pond and the
waterfowl provide dynamic
foreground interest. They
add depth and detail to
the landscape.
A WALK IN THE PARK 23

TAKE IT FURTHER
MORNING MISTS
The morning mist that forms over
lakes in parks is the perfect subject for
a meditative, atmospheric image. Set
up your equipment as early as possible,
so you’re ready to start work as soon
as it gets light. Shooting through the
mist directly into the sun works to
create strong contrasts between
background and foreground (right)
and can render subjects in dramatic
partial silhouette (far right).

ALTERNATIVE APPROACHES
Wintry parks offer more than just scenic landscapes. Explore
your surroundings and pay close attention to the details—
they can present you with unusual and intriguing subjects.

Sunlight can transform

even the most ordinary
subject, like this shallow
puddle on an icy path, into
a beautiful composition.
Long shadows soften the
image and break up
expanses of light tones,
while the reflections add
depth and interest.

Sometimes, a covering of ice can embellish a sculpture or statue

in a beautiful, unexpected way. Here, the image has been framed
with a plain background so that the icicles can be seen clearly.

photographs all the more powerful.

FOR THIS SHOT

Molded or cut glass produces
captivating patterns as light
shines through it. The result
produced by the dispersed
and refocused light is often
more eye-catching than the
object itself.

Focus
1 For shots like this, it
doesn’t really matter how
much of the image is in
focus, so feel free to
experiment with depth
of field.

2 Light source
Varying the position
and direction of the light
source creates a wide range
of different effects.

Exposure
3 When working with
light patterns, try to err on
the side of underexposure.
This will help to eliminate
burned-out areas and
produce stronger colors.
INDOOR ABSTRAC TS 25

TRY THIS ALTERNATIVE APPROACHES

Think of your dining You don’t need to go far to find inspiration, which makes
table as a mini studio. abstract photography particularly useful for days when
Compact cameras can outdoor photo opportunities may be limited. Simply by
focus closely so zoom looking—in a different way—around your home you
in on cutlery and table
should be able to find plenty of potential subjects.
decorations, and explore
them from unusual
angles. Steady your Closets and shelves aren’t
camera on the table and usually considered subjects
experiment with candles for creative photography,
and other light sources but with their repeating
to vary the effects. patterns and contrasting
colors they lend themselves
to abstract treatment. For
best effect shoot face-on
and crop in tightly.

When viewed from an

unusual angle, ordinary
household objects can take
on abstract forms. Try
shooting a small area taken
out of context from a high
vantage point and look for
strong geometric shapes
and striking compositions.

Try arranging everyday

objects—here piles of
paper napkins—to
produce interesting
patterns. Get in close to
emphasize the pattern so
that the objects themselves
become secondary to the
composition. Use a small
aperture setting to make
sure the whole image
appears sharp.

the cold tones or darkness glimpsed through a window.

FOR THIS SHOT

The glow from this fire
reflected in the children’s
faces creates a heartwarming
scene. It might be a clichéd
interpretation, but that’s part
of its charm.

Composition
1 The subjects are
positioned obliquely, so
they’re seen from the side,
rather than the back,
with the reflected light
illuminating their profiles.

White balance
2 For a warm color
cast, set your camera’s
white balance to Sunlight
or Cloudy.

Exposure
3 Your camera’s
autoexposure system
will overexpose dimly lit
scenes like this, so
underexpose by 1 to 1 1/3
stops, or set your exposure
to a bright part of the scene.
COZY INTERIOR 27

TRY THIS ALTERNATIVE APPROACHES

The soft light from Not everyone’s idea of coziness is the same, so look out for
candles can create a the idiosyncratic ways in which people—and pets—relax at
warm, intimate feeling, home. When composing images, try to include symbolic
especially if it’s blurred. elements that evoke winter days spent snuggled up indoors.
Shoot a cluster of
candles using the
A sleeping dog epitomizes
maximum aperture,
the feeling of comfort
but focus on just one or
and contentment. The
two. This will produce a
sidelighting bathes his face
dreamlike haze of light.
in a golden glow while the
rest of the room remains in
shadow, contrasting with
the cool light outdoors.
Use of a large aperture (for
example f/2.8) has thrown
the background into blur.

Even though we only get

a glimpse of the person in
this shot, the combination
of the woolly socks, the
hot drink, and the fire
immediately conveys the
theme. Blurring the fire
helps to keep it in the
background, while natural
light picks out the
foreground details well.

Using lamp lighting and even underexposing by up to 2/3 stop,

can help to convey a mellow and relaxed atmosphere. Here the
contrast between the warm tones inside and the cold blue
outside enhances the effect.

See also: Indoor child portraits pp.32–33, Working in low light pp.288–89
Around the house pp.296–97, Window-lit portraits pp.300–01
28 MIDWINTER

Pets in snow
Snow can provoke interesting behavior in pets. CAMERA MODE LENS SETTING
Whether they’re rolling around in it, chasing Select Landscape
mode or Aperture Zoom to moderate
snowflakes, or picking their way gingerly through Priority and an telephoto
aperture of f/11
it, this dramatic change to their environment
exaggerates their personalities. Have fun with SENSOR/FILM SPEED FLASH
your shots, be playful and experimental with your
Use a low ISO
Shoot without flash
approach, and work with light and shadow to setting (e.g. ISO 100)

create expressive and characterful portraits.

FOR THIS SHOT

Placing the dog in the
foreground, and framing him
with the tunnel created by
the trees bordering the path,
makes this more than just a
snow scene. The landscape is
seen through the dog’s eyes.

Pose
1 The dog’s pose is crucial
to the strength of this image.
The angle of his head—
turned to the side, as he
takes in his surroundings—
implies curiosity, and allows
us to glimpse his features.

Contrast
2 To keep the contrast,
tweak the white balance or
shoot in black and white.
This emphasizes the coal-
black of the dog’s coat, and
the dark tangle of branches.

Flat lighting
3 A shot like this benefits
from flat, overcast lighting
that eliminates shadows
and produces an almost
monochrome image.
PE TS IN SNO W 29

ON YOUR PHONE TRY THIS

ADD A VIGNETTE Overexposed portraits create
Try using an app that a professional studio-shot feel.
adds a vignette, to help Overexposing by 1 stop
focus attention onto the renders the background snow
main subject of your as featureless, so the dog is the
picture. This can be a sole focus of the image. This
useful way to improve a touching pose, with the dog
quick snapshot in which gazing up into the lens, is
the setting is distracting, achieved with a high camera
unphotogenic, or both. angle, while a moderate wide-
angle lens setting gives him a
plaintive, wide-eyed look.

ALTERNATIVE APPROACHES
The effect of snow on pets is unpredictable but, whether
they love it or hate it, their reactions can form the basis of
some unusual portraits.

A dusting of snow
automatically gives
portraits a seasonal
character. Here, a shallow
depth of field focused on
the cat’s beautiful green
eyes makes the image
more striking.

Include the wider scenery

to create an unusual setting
for a pet portrait. Here the
dog appears thoughtful,
perhaps confused by the
changes to his environment.
The strength of this image
is its composition: the dog’s
gaze guides the eye across
the landscape.

Capture your pet’s playful

behavior in snow by
setting your camera to
shutter priority and
selecting a short exposure
time, or use Action Scene
mode with follow focus.
Use modest (1/2 to 1 stop)
overexposure to retain the
brightness of the snow.

In the winter garden

What the winter garden lacks in brilliant blooms it CAMERA MODE LENS SETTING
makes up for in striking shapes and textures. From Select Macro mode
or Aperture Priority Zoom to moderate
bulbous berries and spiky evergreens to frost-tipped and an aperture telephoto
of f/5.6
shrubs and skeletal plants, look out for the eye-catching
outlines that make gardens so visually stimulating SENSOR/FILM SPEED FLASH
during the winter months. But be careful not to Try shots with
Use a low ISO
and without
breathe on the camera or lens when it’s cold setting (e.g. ISO 100)
fill-in flash
otherwise condensation will blur the image.

FOR THIS SHOT

Not all plants lose their
leaves in the winter. Look
out for those that come
into their full glory when
the cold begins to bite.

Lighting
1 Light shining from the
side can accentuate the form
and colors of winter foliage.
Here, the twinkling frost
gives the edges of the
leaves sharp definition.

Depth of field
2 Use a wide aperture
setting to create a shallow
depth of field that blurs the
background, creating a sense
of depth and making the
main subject appear sharper.

Picture quality
3 By using the lowest
possible ISO setting you can
ensure optimum image
quality. Unless you have very
bright conditions you may
need to use a tripod, as
lower ISO settings demand
longer shutter times.
IN THE WINTER GARDEN 31

TRY THIS ALTERNATIVE APPROACHES

Animal tracks in the Although the winter months are associated with darkness
snow make simple, and gloom, the morning sunlight at this time of year can
rather touching images. add sparkle, while overcast conditions are perfect for
Keep the snow looking capturing soft, faded colors.
bright and white by
increasing exposure by
As well as highlighting detail,
1 or 2 stops. A similar
shooting toward the sun
effect can be achieved
creates a soft, halo-like glow
using your camera’s
around the subject. A lens
snow scene mode.
hood will prevent sunlight
entering the lens directly,
minimizing flare. If you don’t
have a lens hood, use your
hand to create shade.

The delicate pastel colors of

a faded winter garden are
further subdued when they
are lightly covered with frost.
Use this to your advantage to
create an image in which bold
plant forms stand out against
the muted palette.

TAKE IT FURTHER
OUTSIDE FROM INDOORS
If you’re lucky enough to have wildlife visiting your garden,
you can set up indoors and photograph it through a (clean)
window. You’ll need an SLR with a moderate-to-long telephoto
lens to capture close-up images from a distance.
• Use a high ISO setting (around ISO 800) for short exposures,
in order to capture fast-moving subjects clearly and sharply.
• Use a wide aperture to isolate the subject from
its background.

Indoor child portraits

The key to shooting candid child portraits is getting CAMERA MODE LENS SETTING
your subject to forget you’re there. In fact, children Select Portrait
mode or Aperture Zoom to moderate
quickly become absorbed in what they are doing and Priority and an telephoto
aperture of f/4
it’s at these times that you’ll be presented with the best
opportunities for natural portraits. Winter days, when SENSOR/FILM SPEED FLASH
children tend to spend more time indoors engaged in
Use a medium ISO Shoot with and
quiet pursuits—painting, reading, and playing games— setting (e.g. ISO 400) without fill-in flash

are perfect for practicing your candid portraiture.

INDOOR CHILD POR TRAITS 33

TRY THIS ALTERNATIVE APPROACHES

You don’t have to restrict Candid photographs of children engrossed in their favorite
portraits to faces. Other activity can really draw out their characters. For engaging
features can produce fun shots, always get down on their level because an elevated
portraits. When a child is viewpoint can make the viewer feel detached.
relaxed with an adult, or
even asleep, you might
The concentration on the
shoot their hands or feet.
face of this child painting
Use a wide aperture, such as
has been captured by
f/4, to restrict the focus, but
zooming right in to exclude
frame the shot so that the
any distractions. A large
child is recognizable.
aperture setting has
created a narrow depth
of field throwing all but
the child’s face and her
artwork out of focus.
FOR THIS SHOT
This tender portrait of a
father and his daughter Shared participation in an
sharing a quiet moment activity, such as playing a
makes good use of available video game, presents an
light and cleverly exploits opportunity for a candid
an unusual framing device portrait of siblings together.
to draw the viewer into Taken from a position to
the side of the television
their world.
and zoomed in to capture
their expressions, the only
Shooting angle
1 Taking the photograph
light in the image comes
from the screen.
from a position level with
the subjects’ faces lends
further intimacy to the feel
of the image.

Framing
2 The arms of the
subjects holding the book
have created an effective
framing device. The shallow
depth of field also helps to
make their faces the focal
point of the image.

Natural lighting
3 Daylight diffused
through a translucent blind
provides very soft and warm
lighting, but if shadows are
too deep, consider using This young pianist’s hands are the focus of his concentration
fill-in flash. and the main focal point of the picture. The framing draws your
eye along the piano keys to the child’s fingers.

FOR THIS SHOT CAMERA MODE

This shot explores the contrast between Select Landscape
vertical tree trunks and the diagonal lines mode or Aperture
of their shadows. Take care where you Priority and an
aperture of f/16
step—trampled snow will spoil the look
of your image. SENSOR/FILM SPEED

Side lighting
1 Bright sunlight shining from one Use a low ISO
setting (e.g. ISO 100)
side casts shadows of varying widths—
many from trees that are out of shot.
LENS SETTING
Exposure
2 The dazzling snow may cause Zoom to moderate
automatic exposure systems to telephoto
underexpose. Increase exposure by
2/3 to 1 stop to preserve brightness.
FLASH
Aperture
3 Use a small aperture setting Shoot without flash
to retain texture throughout
your image.

TRY THIS
Shadows on snow may look
many different colors, as the
Impressionist painters
demonstrated. Sometimes
they take on the intense
blue of the sky. Set your
color balance to Daylight
mode, to create an image
that’s true to color.
WOODLAND SHADO W S 35

ALTERNATIVE APPROACHES
Snow is the perfect, unblemished canvas for shadows—as are smooth paths and
walkways. When the sun is very low at the end of a winter’s day, you’ll be able to
achieve some really sharp contrasts between light and shade. Try taking both
wide landscape shots and cropping in closely to isolate unusual details.

To capture long shadows that

stretch from the foreground away
into the background, it’s best to
shoot directly into the sunlight,
rather than across it. The trees
will stand out in silhouette. Here,
a small aperture has been used
to generate a sunburst effect.

Frame close-up details carefully to

create an interesting composition.
The diagonal sweep of these twigs
from the top of the picture gives
the image a sense of movement
and there is a dramatic contrast
between the inky twigs, the
feathery edging of snow, and
the soft, gray shadows beyond.

Woodland shadows can be just

as striking without snow. Here,
the image is given structure and
interest by shooting along a raised
wooden walkway that leads your
eye into the distance. The sepia/
brown tone of the image ensures
that there are no distractions of
color, instead directing the viewer
to the contrast between the tone
and form of the walkway and the
shadows cast by bare trees.

WHITE BALANCE TYPES MANUAL WHITE BALANCE

Most digital cameras let you adjust the white balance Many digital cameras allow you to set the white
setting so that colors are properly recorded under balance manually for precise results when you’re
different types of lighting. It does this by removing, working under difficult or extreme lighting conditions.
by varying degrees, any dominant color in the To do this you’ll need a sheet of white cardstock,
illuminating light until it approximates standard if the light is poor, or gray cardstock, in bright
daylight. Typical settings include Daylight, Shade, conditions. Position the cardstock so that it’s lit by the
Tungsten (traditional light bulbs), and Flash. Some same light source as your scene, and make sure that
cameras have more white balance settings than it completely fills the camera’s field of view. You can
others and some even include an Underwater now set the white balance by either pressing the
setting. The images below show the same scene white balance button on your camera or selecting the
shot using four different white balance settings. manual white balance option from the system menu.

DID YOU KNOW?

ADDING WARMTH USING WHITE BALANCE
If you want to warm up
your photos, set the color
balance to cloudy, even
DAYLIGHT FLASH if there’s not a cloud in
the sky. The camera will
shift the picture’s color
balance to make it redder,
which has the effect
of strengthening the
pinks and yellows. ORIGINAL CLOUDY
SHADE TUNGSTEN
BALANCING COLOR 37

AUTO WHITE BALANCE

All digital cameras have an auto white balance setting,
which is useful when you don’t have time to properly
assess color balance. However, this setting has its
limitations and certain subjects and lighting conditions
can cause problems. This is particularly the case in
scenes with an excess of either warm or cold tones.
The auto white balance assumes that lighting
conditions are standard and that the subject has
a broad range of colors. If one color dominates,
it assumes that this is a color cast and incorrectly
compensates. In these shots of a sunset, the original
scene has strong, warm tones, whereas the image
shot using auto white balance is much less punchy.
ORIGINAL AUTO WHITE BALANCE

CORRECTING COLOR CASTS

If you or your camera have used the wrong white
balance setting, your photos may have taken on a
color cast, which could be warm or cool, or tinted.
That cast could be so minor as to be unnoticeable,
but often it’s very dramatic.
It’s easy to correct color casts in post-processing
using image manipulation software. The Auto Color
command, featured in most packages, can sometimes
be effective, but can also be fooled by a predominant
color in a shot. You may find it more effective to use the
Color Balance control to reduce the intensity of the
color producing the cast.
NO CAST

WARM CAST COOL CAST

Late Winter
ghostly trees and quiet calm

roads shining like rivers

a world transformed
bewitching twilight

Why, what’s the matter,

That you have such a February face,
So full of frost, of storm
and cloudiness?
William Shakespeare

the landscape soft and silver-gray

42 LATE WINTER

Purple twilight
At twilight, the darkening blue of a clear sky can CAMERA MODE LENS SETTING
combine with the residual tones of sunset to bathe Select Landscape
mode or Aperture Zoom to moderate
the landscape in a soft purple light. This color— Priority and an wide angle
aperture of f/11
ranging from rose pink to indigo—will blend with
any artificial lighting to produce compelling scenes SENSOR/FILM SPEED FLASH
that are all the more beautiful for their transience.
Use a medium ISO
Shoot without flash
Find a vantage point that allows you to capture setting (e.g. ISO 400)

the full impact of this effect.

FOR THIS SHOT

Reflecting the light from
a twilight sky, even a gray
cityscape has a magical
quality it would lack in
the daylight.

Perfect timing
1 Pick the time of your
shot carefully to achieve
a good balance between
natural and artificial light.

Color balance
2 Artificial lighting
provides a counterpoint to
the purple tone in the image.
Street lighting appears
warmer (more red) than
normal if the color balance
is set at Auto.

Enhanced color
3 Underexposing by
1 stop or more produces
more intense color and
preserves the twilight
brightness levels.
PURPLE T WILIGHT 43

TRY THIS ALTERNATIVE APPROACHES

A twilight sky filled with To achieve the best results from your twilight images, get
birds flocking together to to your location in good time and plan your shot carefully.
return to their roost is a Try to anticipate how the light will change and work out
spectacular sight. With a the best angle from which to capture the scene.
high ISO sensitivity of
around 1600 you’ll
Although transmission
achieve short exposure
towers aren’t always popular
times and sharp images
with photographers, they
of the birds in flight.
can be exploited to make
an unusual landscape
picture. Here, shot at wide-
angle and with a large
depth of field, their linked
silhouettes guide the eye
toward the horizon.

The mist in the background

of this scene creates a
texture reminiscent of
brushstrokes. Combined
with the sharply silhouetted
rushes, the image takes on
the quality of a Romantic
landscape painting.

The framing of scenes

like this benefit hugely
from time spent studying
the way in which the
light plays on the water.
With this vertical framing,
the dark rocks in the
foreground provide a
strong counterpoint to
the soft, velvety texture
of the sand and the
glasslike smoothness
of the sea beyond.

FOR THIS SHOT

To capture the full drama
of a blizzard, focus on the
background of the scene
beyond the snowflakes. This
creates a slightly abstract
image—the snow remains
the star of the show. If
possible, use manual focus,
as the autofocus might
be confused.

Color and contrast

1 Photos of snowstorms
don’t have to be colorless.
Look for bold background
colors to provide a strong
contrast with the snowflakes.

Exposure
2 For a touch of
grittiness and texture, use
a moderate-to-high ISO to
allow for short exposures.
This retains the circular shape
of each snowflake, rather than
rendering them as streaks.

Human interest
3 Here, the inclusion of
the cars and the pedestrian
hurrying through the snow
stops the image from being
completely abstract.
SNOWSTORMS 45

TRY THIS ALTERNATIVE APPROACHES

For a striking, colorful Falling snow lends a romantic, painterly quality to the most
image, try capturing the ordinary scenes, acting like a diffusing filter that softens
ambient glow given off busy compositions. Night scenes take on an otherworldly
by the snow-covered dimension, with car headlights and street lamps
ground under street
illuminating the landscape with an eerie glow.
lighting. By using flash,
the snow that’s falling
in the foreground has Offset the muted tones
been rendered as white, of a snow scene by
bringing depth and accentuating the more
contrast to the picture. vibrant colors in the image.
Partial blurring—which
can be created by simply
rubbing a streak of snow
on the lens—can be used
to reinforce, or even
exaggerate, the severity
of the weather.

When driving into falling

snow, car headlights create
a surreal tunnel effect. By
setting a relatively long
exposure time (around
1/30 sec), you can create
the illusion that the
snowflakes are streaming
past you, enhancing the
impression of speed.

To capture the sheer

velocity of snowfall during
a blizzard, it is best to set it
against a dark background.
Here, the diagonal snow
streaks contrast nicely with
the horizontal and vertical
lines of the windows. An
exposure time of around
1/4 sec has accentuated the
movement of the snow.

Outdoor still life

Photography and still life are the perfect match. As your CAMERA MODE LENS SETTING
subject matter is static you can take your time, make Select Auto mode
or Aperture Priority Zoom to moderate
as many adjustments as you need, and fine-tune the and an aperture telephoto
of f/16
lighting until you’re happy with the composition. What’s
more, you can create a still-life arrangement using SENSOR/FILM SPEED FLASH
absolutely anything that you have on hand. To create
Use a low ISO
Shoot without flash
a seasonal image, look for objects that are associated setting (e.g. ISO 100)

with winter—the best ones are probably outdoors.

OUTDOOR STILL LIFE 47

TRY THIS ALTERNATIVE APPROACHES

To evoke the feel of a Still lifes are usually thought of as indoor arrangements,
winter’s day, try using but there’s no reason why they shouldn’t be set up
filters that accentuate outdoors. Things you come across outside are often more
the contrast in a scene redolent of winter and can make very striking compositions.
and give it soft, muted
colors. Setting up in
A still life doesn’t have to
front of a window
be complicated. Simple
enables you to
things can just as effective
contrast still-life
and produce strong images.
elements indoors
Look for objects that work
with the wintry
well together because they
scene outside.
are similar in color or
texture, such as these fir
cones in a wooden bowl.

FOR THIS SHOT

Sleds are, of course,
associated with winter. In Choose things associated
this shot, the seasonal look with winter, such as these
ice skates, and try to
is emphasized by the long
arrange them in a way
shadows cast from a winter
that looks natural. Try out
sun that’s low in the sky. various arrangements until
you find one that looks
Color pleasing, yet uncontrived.
1 Blue is the dominant
color, creating a cool feel.
The warm colors on the left
contrast with the dominant
blue, making both colors
more lively.

Oblique lighting
2 Here, the shadows
cast by the oblique lighting
give the sleds definition. Winter still lifes don’t need
The sharp contrast between to depict objects only
areas of light and shade associated with winter, but
add depth to the otherwise it’s nice if they suggest the
season in some way. Here,
two-dimensional view.
the coating of frost on the
shears and the flower
Texture
3 Unusual textures add
immediately tell you what
time of year it is.
to the appeal of this still life.
The rough wood grain of the
sleds is juxtaposed with the
curious herringbone pattern
on the wall.

will be rewarded with a striking, uncluttered image.

WINTER WILDLIFE 49

TRY THIS ALTERNATIVE APPROACHES

Small creatures that Few animals can successfully conceal themselves in the
don’t hibernate or snow-covered landscape. In addition to making them
migrate for winter can easier to locate, their markings, patterns, and colors add
be tempted into your a richness and vibrancy to a snowy scene, bringing a
yard with a regular
different dimension to your images.
supply of food and
water. Set up a table
Spend some time watching
visible from a window
the activity of birds in
and have your camera
your yard and you’ll notice
ready to capture
that many tend to have
them in close-up
favorite perches that they
when they visit.
return to again and again.
Set your camera up in
advance, compose your
shot, and wait.
FOR THIS SHOT
The strength of this
composition is its
minimalism—the solitary A reduced food supply
deer stands out from its in the winter makes the
white background, without behavior of larger predators
dominating the image. such as foxes bolder.
Focused on hunting, they
become slightly easier to
Composition
1 Make use of any
photograph. To get close
shots like this, keep your
compositional aids you come distance, remain still, and
across by chance. Here, the zoom in.
tire tracks provide texture
and a suggestion of
movement in a still scene.

Exposure TAKE IT FURTHER

2 In full sun, you’ll need GETTING CLOSER
to overexpose to retain the For wild animals, you’ll need the reach of the longest telephoto
bright white tones of snow. lenses—but even if you can’t fill the frame, you can still obtain
Here, there is some shade, satisfying images by including their environment.
so a compensation of only
around 1 stop is needed.

Framing
3 Overcoming the urge
to place the deer at the
center of the frame has
resulted in a far more
interesting image.

an abundance of picture-making opportunites.

WINTRY CIT YSCAPES 51

ON YOUR PHONE ALTERNATIVE APPROACHES

FROM A MOVING VEHICLE Blizzards howling through streets might be an obvious
We spend many hours shorthand for representing a city in winter, but they’re not
traveling in cars, but few your only option. The city provides endless opportunities
people think to use that time to create distinctive images, from the scenic to the abstract,
to make pictures. Use your that capture the atmosphere of an urban winter.
phone to capture the city
from an unusual perspective. A steamed-up or frosty
The view from the passenger window can be used as a
seat offers many picture- frame through which to
making possibilities that are shoot the scene beyond.
not available to pedestrians. (You can breathe on the
window to create a similar
effect.) Focus on the
distance to ensure the
fogging in the foreground
FOR THIS SHOT is softly blurred.
The main figure in this
composition—the man in A high vantage point helps
the hat, shoulders hunched, to create order in scenes
walking away from the that could be chaotic if shot
camera—dominates this from street level. Once
image, creating depth and you’ve found your spot,
watch and wait until the
filling the height of the frame.
activity below resolves into
a pleasing composition.
ISO setting
1 The force of a
Increase exposure by 1 stop
in order to keep the shot
blizzard can appear slightly bright and to prevent the
diminished on camera. snow from looking gray.
A high ISO setting results in
more image noise, bringing
graininess to the scene.

Low angle
2 Shooting from waist
height and keeping the
camera level makes the
subjects of your picture— TRY THIS
people or buildings— A snow-covered road
more imposing. becomes a canvas for the
tire treads of vehicles.
Lens setting A light dusting of snow
3 A moderate telephoto produces strongly
contrasting black-and-white
setting allows exact framing
patterns, which can make
of the principal subjects. pleasing graphic images.
It also gives a slightly Look out for eye-catching
compressed perspective. arrangements of footprints
on pathways too.

FOR THIS SHOT CAMERA MODE

This image of a figure walking along a Select Landscape
sunlit sidewalk is given a cinematic feel mode or Aperture
by the presence of the exaggerated Priority and an
aperture of f/8
shadow stretching out behind him.
SENSOR/FILM SPEED
Timing
1 The pedestrian has been captured
Use a low ISO
walking into a patch of light, resulting setting (e.g. ISO 100)
in a well-defined silhouette and the
longest possible shadow.
LENS SETTING
Composition
2 Including the row of posts in the Zoom to moderate
left of the scene and balancing them wide angle
with the wall on the right neatly frames
the subject.
FLASH

Depth of field
3 Using a large depth of field Shoot without flash
retains detail in the most distant
objects as well as the foreground.

TRY THIS
Getting good pictures of
shadows isn’t just about
luck—you can make your
own forms and shapes. This
image has been inverted—
so the shadow appears to
be upright—and it’s been
cropped so the people
making the shadow are
not visible.
STREE T SHADO W S 53

ALTERNATIVE APPROACHES
In photography, shadows can be used as props or as the main subject
of the image. Whichever approach you choose you’ll create images that
are unusual and intriguing—even the most prosaic subject can take on a
mysterious feel when captured as a shadow.

Don’t just look for shadows on the

ground. Other objects—such as a
window blind or umbrella—can
act as a screen for a shadow.
As long as they’re sufficiently
translucent, they can be used
to make candid shots of
oblivious passers-by.

Shadows with fuzzy edges can be

used to create a mellow, nostalgic
image, especially when offset by
gentle winter sunlight. Here, the
sun’s low angle distorts the
bicycle’s shadow, resulting in an
image that combines the everyday
with the abstract.

From a high vantage point, and

shooting into the light, people
and their shadows blend together.
Emphasize these strange conjoined
forms by making pictures in black
and white. In this image, a large
window frame casts a shadowy grid
on the ground, and the subjects
move in and out of the dark and
light areas. For scenes with
expansive shadowy areas,
underexpose slightly to make
the silhouetted figures darker.

FOR THIS SHOT CAMERA MODE

Despite the semiabstract nature of this Select Portrait
shot, it has been carefully composed to mode or Aperture
capture a pleasing balance between Priority and an
aperture of f/16
the heavy branches, the more dainty
twigs, and the background. SENSOR/FILM SPEED
Framing
1 The inclusion of part of the trunk Use a low ISO
setting (e.g. ISO 100)
on the right side of the image anchors
the composition and provides a point
of reference for scale and orientation. LENS SETTING

Exposure
2 When shooting a combination of Zoom to moderate
telephoto
very dark tones and very light tones in
a scene, experiment with exposure
compensation to find the best effect. FLASH

Depth of field
3 Selecting a small aperture, but Shoot without flash
focusing on the middle distance, keeps
sharpness throughout the image.

TRY THIS
You may not immediately
think about shooting snow-
laden trees at night, but the
effect can be striking. Lit from
behind by a street lamp, the
snow on the branches reflects
and diffuses the light to
produce a soft and eerie glow.
Position yourself so that
the light source is obscured
by the trees.
SNOWLADEN TREES 55

ALTERNATIVE APPROACHES
The monochromatic nature of shots of snowy trees means they follow
similar rules to black-and-white photographs. Pattern and form, rather than
color, dominate. Study the shapes and planting patterns of the trees, and
the way the light interacts with the snow, to find the best approach.

Looking directly up when in a

wood or forest provides an entirely
different, almost kaleidoscopic
effect. The tree trunks (vertical
and parallel when shot square-on)
will converge to a point, and
sunlight will add a soft halo to
the snow-covered branches.

Trees and shrubs that are

commercially grown are often
planted in regimented, high-
density rows. Snow makes the
planting pattern of these trees
emerge more clearly—move
around to find the view that best
captures the regularity of the
planting and ensure that you
keep the horizon straight.

Shooting down a straight tree-

lined avenue results in a
symmetrical composition. This
can be given a more interesting
graphic feel by looking for
additional lines of symmetry.
Here, for example, the color
and shape of the road converging
in the distance is echoed by the
tree trunks that line it. Shooting
in Landscape mode deepens
the colors.

that find beauty in the decay.

FOR THIS SHOT

The bright colors of
this graffiti transform
a rundown arcade into
a piece of urban art.

Patterns
1 Shooting the line of
pillars at an angle produces a
repeating pattern of identical
shapes, distinguished by the
different graffiti.

Background
2 Shots like this work
best without background
distractions to upset the
rhythm of the composition,
so walk around your subject
to find the best angle to
shoot from.

Depth of field
3 To keep everything
in focus, from the nearest
pillar to the furthest, select
Landscape mode or Aperture
Priority and the smallest
possible aperture.
URBAN DECAY 57

TAKE IT FURTHER ALTERNATIVE APPROACHES

EMPHASIZE DECAY In most run-down neighborhoods, you’ll be able to
Accentuate urban decay photograph different stages of deterioration as the lack of
using image manipulation care and attention takes its toll on buildings. Be very careful
software. Reduce color when shooting inside abandoned or neglected buildings—
saturation by 10–15 they may not be completely safe.
percent; apply a grain filter
for a gritty texture. For This carefully composed
deeper shadows, increase image of a partially
the contrast and reduce demolished building is
the brightness. Flashes a fascinating patchwork
of color can be boosted for of geometric shapes. The
an eye-catching effect. inclusion of a small area
of blue sky provides
context and a sense
of scale.

We rarely appreciate
the size of work spaces
when they’re filled with
machinery or office
equipment but, stripped
bare, the scale becomes
obvious. Enhance the
cavernous feeling by
zooming out to capture
long vistas.

Black and white is

favored by reportage
and documentary
photographers and can be
used to create powerful
images of dilapidated
buildings. Without the
distraction of color, the
viewer pays more attention
to light and shadow, and
the distressed fabric of the
building. Using a high ISO
setting has added noise to
this image, which works
well with the subject.

how it impacts on its surroundings.

FOR THIS SHOT

The combination of flood-
lighting and the residual
colors of a twilight sky add
interest and enhance the
sense of perspective to this
modern steel structure.

Composition
1 Choose your viewpoint
to emphasize the most
notable aspect of the bridge
and decide whether to
include the wider scenery.
This view along the walkway
emphasizes the graphic
repetition of the girders.

Time of day
2 Shoot at different times
of day for images with very
different qualities. Here, the
floodlighting adds subtle
shades of silver that would
be absent in the day.

Exposure
3 When working in half-
light, increase the exposure
slightly to retain detail in
the darker areas. Here, the
exposure has been increased
by 2/3 stop so you can see
right to the end of the bridge.
CIT Y BRIDGES 59

TAKE IT FURTHER ALTERNATIVE APPROACHES

SELECTIVE FOCUS Whether they’re quaint and picturesque, brutally utilitarian,
Use selective focus to draw or elegant feats of engineering, most bridges have something
attention to a detail of a in common—bold geometric shapes and revealing details.
scene without losing the When planning your shot, look at the bridge’s idiosyncracies,
context. Here, using a long the features that make it unique, as well as wider views.
telephoto lens to reduce the
depth of field has isolated To fully exploit the
the ornate ironwork of a dynamic, sweeping shapes
bench, but the shot is of intertwining road bridges
composed to lead the at major intersections,
eye down the pier. position yourself safely
between the roads and
then zoom out as wide
as possible.

When assessing the

photographic possibilities
of a bridge, pay attention
to the surroundings as well
as the bridge itself. Here,
the arch of this bridge has
been used as a frame for
the scene beyond.

Close examination of a
bridge reveals the methods
of construction. Make
use of strong side-lighting
to turn details, such as the
elongated shadows cast
by these rivets, into an eye-
catching feature. Shooting
from a low angle draws
attention to the scale of
this monumental structure.

going, and when you expect to return.

FOR THIS SHOT

Here, the colors of a
glorious winter sunset are
reflected by a snow-covered
field. A modest amount of
underexposure helps to
intensify the colors.

Composition
1 A barbed wire fence
becomes a thing of beauty
when softened by snow and
bathed in glowing light. Use
man-made features in the
landscape to give structure
and rhythm to compositions.

Lighting
2 With the sun just out of
frame, subtle variations in
color are preserved.

3 Camera angle
A low camera angle
makes the beautifully lit
frosted twigs and undulating
foreground snow the main
focus of this image.
SNOWY SUNSE TS 61

TAKE IT FURTHER
COLOR TINTING
Images of sunsets don’t have to
be all about color—converting
a picture into black and white
draws attention to the interaction
of light and shadow. You can
desaturate the color (right) or
give it a gentle color tint (far right)
using image manipulation software.

ALTERNATIVE APPROACHES
Rather than pointing your camera directly at a sunset,
try experimenting with the varied effects produced by
diffused and reflected sunlight.

Shooting a sunset through

a semitranslucent fabric
helps to diffuse the strong
light. Here photographing
through a linen window
blind has given the snowy
sunset outside a textured,
painterly feel.

In this striking image of

a partially frozen lake, the
golden reflections of
the setting sun contrast
beautifully with the purple
shadows of the ice floes.
Zooming in from a distance
has compressed the
perspective and given the
picture a more graphic feel.
Slight underexposure has
made the colors richer.

exposure settings and experimenting with focus.

FOR THIS SHOT

This image features an
overlapping composition that
exploits vertical structural
elements to bring order and
balance to an otherwise
chaotic street scene.

Keep it level
1 If you are going to use
strong vertical or horizontal
elements in your images,
make sure your camera is
level and that the elements
are correctly aligned.

Framing
2 Stand back and
zoom in to compress the
perspective and include
more detail. Placing bold
linear shapes at the edge
of the image will help to
frame the scene.

Exposure
3 Select the Night Scene
exposure mode. If you’re
using Aperture Priority,
underexpose by 1 stop to
preserve the darker tones
and keep the colors rich.
CIT Y LIGHTS 63

TAKE IT FURTHER ALTERNATIVE APPROACHES

THE DYNAMIC CITY While shooting at night can put a fresh spin on images
A bird’s-eye view of of iconic landmarks, the transformative effect of street
the city at night offers lighting can completely change the aesthetic of more
a dynamic snapshot unassuming areas of the city, too. It will also force you
of the activity at street to be more experimental with your approach.
level and above. Using
a wide-angle lens Not all parts of the city are
exaggerates the way bright and bustling at
the vertical lines of the night—some have a sparse,
buildings converge at mysterious feel. To capture
street level. this mood try shooting
from street level with a
wide angle setting. Soft
lamp light and reflections
off wet ground become
even more evocative in
black and white.

By using unusual angles

and imaginative framing
you can add fresh interest
to even the most well-
known subject. Here,
shooting from below and
at a skewed angle has
placed the illuminated
subway sign center stage—
as if it’s pushing the iconic
clock tower out of the way.

A high vantage point

offers you the chance to
look down on adjacent
high-rise buildings and
the surrounding landscape.
Experiment with exposure
to capture light trails from
passing cars and vehicles
on nearby roads.

APERTURE PRIORITY SHUTTER PRIORITY

The Aperture Priority mode, sometimes denoted The Shutter Priority mode, denoted on some
by Av (for Aperture value) or simply A, lets you set cameras by Tv (for Time value) and on others simply
the size of the lens aperture, while the camera by S, allows the photographer to set the exposure
calculates and sets the corresponding shutter time time and lets the camera calculate and set an
for an accurate exposure. appropriate aperture size.
You would usually select this mode if you wanted This mode is popular with sports and wildlife
to control the depth of field: a small aperture photographers as it allows them to use short shutter
delivers an extensive depth of field, while a wide times to freeze fast-moving action. It’s also used
aperture produces a shallow depth of field. You might by landscape photographers who, by using a long
use a shallow depth of field, for example, to isolate a exposure time, can render moving water—in
portrait subject from its background (see pp.120–21). waterfalls, rivers, and the sea—as silky and smooth.

SHALLOW DEPTH OF FIELD SHORT SHUTTER TIME

C AMER A MODES 65

SCENE MODES
Scene modes are essentially short
cuts—camera modes that, when
selected, configure the camera to
optimize its functions to suit
particular scenes or subjects.
When you set a scene mode
the camera automatically sets
the size of the lens aperture, the
exposure time, and also, depending PORTRAIT LANDSCAPE
on the mode, white balance
settings and even the flash. For
example, selecting Portrait mode
sets a wide aperture for a shallow
depth of field and a lower color
saturation for attractive skin tones.
Conversely, Landscape mode sets
a narrow aperture for an extensive
depth of field and a high color
SPORTS/ACTION BACKLIGHT
saturation for strong colors.
Some cameras feature a larger
selection of scene modes than
others. Depending on your camera,
you can set the scene modes from
the exposure dial or control menus.

NIGHT SCENE CLOSEUP/MACRO

PROGRAM MODE MANUAL MODE

Most cameras have an Auto mode, where every Switch to Manual mode (M) and you have full control
setting is made automatically—you just press over your camera. You can now set the aperture and
the shutter button. Some also feature a Program shutter time at will, along with the ISO sensitivity,
mode (P) that offers you a little extra control. white balance, or flash mode. Manual mode is the
For example, you can activate the flash, alter the best choice when you need to configure your
white balance, or change the ISO sensitivity, and camera for shots that demand settings that the
the camera will compensate by automatically semiautomatic modes will not accommodate.
configuring the other settings. The downside to using the manual mode is that
You might choose the Program mode if you want you need to know what settings are required, and
to force the camera to use the flash, for example, but most photographers tend to stick with a priority
bear in mind that this will affect the other settings. mode, or one of the scene modes.
Early Spring
bathed in liquid gold

It was one of those March days

when the sun shines hot and
the wind blows cold: when it
is summer in the light and
winter in the shade
Charles Dickens

the world rushing by in a blur

highlights and shadows

silhouettes against the sky

a glorious moment of color and light

every seed awakened

70 EARLY SPRING

Down on the farm

Visiting a farm in spring can offer the chance to create CAMERA MODE LENS SETTING
heart-warming images that communicate the vitality Select Landscape
mode or Aperture Zoom to moderate
of the season—the landscape is coming back to life Priority and an telephoto
aperture of f/8
and the animals are freed from the confines of sheds
and barns. As always when photographing animals, SENSOR/FILM SPEED FLASH
sensitivity and respect are key. Never venture into fields Use a low to
medium ISO
Shoot without flash
or enclosures without first seeking the permission of setting (e.g. ISO
100 to 400)
the farmer or landowner.
DOWN ON THE FARM 71

TAKE IT FURTHER ALTERNATIVE APPROACHES

MONTAGING IMAGES Farms can present a curious mix of tranquility and activity.
Here a rusting vintage Shots of animals grazing in the fields have a mellow quality
tractor has been made that conforms to the traditional view of country life.
into the subject of a However, working farms are also businesses, and from
farm-themed montage. a photographer’s perspective, this side of agricultural life
A side view of the tractor is worth investigating too.
has been merged with
a solarized shot of an Many farmyard animals are
arable field. A texture indifferent to distractions.
filter brings both Take advantage of this to
layers together. get close-up shots of
livestock that are full of
character. Set your camera’s
lens to a wide angle and
get low down so that the
FOR THIS SHOT subject fills the frame.
From the intrigued sheep
in the foreground to the
characterful barn in the Use your imagination to
background, this shot has escape the clichéd image
a timeless feel. of spring lambs frolicking.
This picture, with beautiful
Depth of field golden light falling on to
1 This image could
the rear view of two lambs,
communicates their sense
have been all about the of wonder. The colors have
photogenic barn. However, been made stronger by
to keep the sheep as the slight underexposure.
main focus of the shot,
a large lens aperture
was used to throw the
background out of focus.

Composition
2 Here, part of the
appeal is the low camera
angle, which puts you at eye
level with the sheep. Attract
the animals’ attention with
a gentle noise.

Lighting
3 On a bright day, it’s
worth waiting for clouds to
diffuse the light to avoid
contrasts of light and shade.
The attitude of a farmer toward his livestock—simultaneously
caring and businesslike—can be used as the subject of an
unusual character portrait. Here, tight cropping focuses on
their faces and invites a comparison between the two.

FOR THIS SHOT CAMERA MODE

Shooting the reflection of a motorcycle Select Landscape
framed in the chrome detail of a similar mode or Aperture
vintage model is a novel way of Priority and an
aperture of f/16
depicting a classic bike event.
SENSOR/FILM SPEED
Sharpness
1 Use a small aperture to ensure
Use a low ISO
both the close-up details and the setting (e.g. ISO 100)
reflected image appear sharp.

Lens setting LENS SETTING

2 Stand back and use a moderate
telephoto setting: the curvature of a Zoom to moderate
chromed tank acts like a wide-angle telephoto
lens and provides a wide view.
FLASH
Focus
3 Make your camera focus past
the reflective surface into the reflected Shoot without flash
scene. Point it to the scene outside the
reflection and hold the focus point.

ON YOUR PHONE
ALL ABOARD!
Camera phones are
useful because they are
discreet and, on public
transportation, ubiquitous.
Use one to shoot everyday
scenes from your daily
commute, but do so using
perspectives that emphasize
symmetry, shape, or
interesting colors.
MODES OF TRANSPOR TATION 73

ALTERNATIVE APPROACHES
Look at each form of transportation and ask yourself what are the most
significant attributes of the vehicle—is it a powerful machine, is it
ubiquitous in its environment, is it sleek and modern, or romantic and
historical? These factors could determine your approach.

Zoom in from a distance to

compress the planes of the scene
in front of you, making the view
appear more congested. The
slightly elevated position flattens
perspective so the boats look as if
they’re on top of each other on the
same plane. As a result, the image
is more textural and abstract.

Look for repeated patterns: trains

waiting at platforms, new cars in a
delivery pound, or buses lined up.
Shoot at an oblique angle to create
a dynamic perspective with the
repeating shapes receding into
the distance.

The size and power of this steam train is emphasized by the way its wheels dominate
the image and it towers over the figures in the background. The low oblique angle
further increases this effect and adds drama to the shot.

abstract images from contrasts of shapes and patterns.

FOR THIS SHOT

Reflected in the still water
of the lake, the titanium and
glass dome of the Beijing
Opera House looks as though
it’s been lifted straight from a
science-fiction film.

Lighting
1 Shooting at dusk
enables you to exploit
reflections of the rich colors
of the sky. Here, the golden
glow of sunset is nicely
balanced by the artificial
lights inside the building.

Composition
2 By zooming in on one
side of a symmetrical
structure you can sometimes
reveal more than you could
with a full portrait. In this
shot, the reflected light helps
describe the building’s
surface detail and curves.

Exposure
3 Using a small aperture
and low ISO produces a wide
depth of field and excellent
image quality, but requires
a long exposure and the
use of a tripod.
MODERN AR CHITEC TURE 75

ON YOUR PHONE ALTERNATIVE APPROACHES

A TUNNEL OF LIGHT The diversity of form in modern architecture can mean
High-rise buildings can that normal rules of composition are less easily applied.
look stunning when shot Although this may give you a freer hand, don’t lose sight
from unusual angles. of the importance of perspective, balance, and harmony.
Enhance the perspective
produced by converging Experiment with wide-angle
verticals by shooting views and shoot at skewed
toward the sun and using angles to emphasize the
an app with a vignette extreme perspective effects.
filter to produce a tunnel- Explore unusual alignments
of-light effect. that would be less successful
when photographing more
traditional buildings.

Modern buildings often

have an ambivalent
relationship with their
surroundings. They may
echo the forms of the
landscape and feature
harmonious colors, or
strike deliberate contrasts.
Shoot from a distance
that lets you capture the
building in its setting.

Stark and severe architecture

demands a similarly bold
photographic approach.
Zooming in to eliminate any
features that give a sense of
scale prompts the viewer to
speculate about the size,
function, and general
appearance of the building.
Emphasize bold forms and
colors with equally bold
underexposure, or set the
camera to give images with
higher-than-normal contrast.

structures—are often highly photogenic.

FOR THIS SHOT

This deserted station
platform, illuminated by
stark overhead lighting, has
an almost ghostly feel.

Converging lines
1 A train standing at
a platform is a useful
opportunity to experiment
with bold compositions
that use converging lines
to great effect.

Muted color
2 This particular shot
makes a virtue of the lack
of color in the scene. The
subdued gray palette says
something about the
character of an empty
subway station at night.

Lighting
3 Here, the strong, cool
artificial lighting adds to the
bleakness of the scene. You
could adjust the white
balance on your camera to
compensate for this effect.
R AILWAY STATIONS 77

TAKE IT FURTHER ALTERNATIVE APPROACHES

RUSHING TRAVELERS Studying the ways in which people move around railway
To capture the frenzy of a stations and react to their environment can yield diverse
major station during rush and interesting results. Experiment with the effects of both
hour, find a raised vantage artificial and natural lighting.
point, use a low ISO setting
(100) and small aperture (f/22) Find a vantage point from
for exposures of around which to juxtapose the
1 sec. This will blur people as grandiose and confident
they rush past. Anybody architecture of a major
standing still will be in focus. station with the often
frantic, transient activity
of the travelers dwarfed
by its cavernous spaces.
Experiment with motion
blur to increase the sense
of activity.

For a poetic depiction

of train travel, look for
intriguing shadows of
passengers. Images like
these have a cinematic
quality that evokes the
golden age of railway travel.
Underexpose slightly to
boost the colors and darken
the shadows.

Sunlight flooding into the

railway station can be used
to dramatic effect. Shoot
into the light to render the
passengers and railway
workers as silhouettes. Set
your exposure to the
brightest part of the shot,
then recompose your image.

FOR THIS SHOT CAMERA MODE

This image effectively contrasts Select Landscape
the elegant and the industrial. The mode or Aperture
inclusion of a reflection lends it Priority and an
aperture of f/5.6
an abstract quality.
SENSOR/FILM SPEED
Background
1 A neutral background—here, an
overcast sky—focuses attention on the Use a low ISO
relationship between the spiral fire setting (e.g. ISO 100)

escape and the linear window frames.

LENS SETTING
Reflection
2 Careful positioning allows both
the staircase and its reflection to appear Zoom to moderate
telephoto
in the shot, creating symmetry and a
visual puzzle.
FLASH
Keep it straight
3 By shooting from a distance and
zooming in you can ensure that you’re Shoot without flash
square-on to the subject, which keeps
vertical lines upright and parallel.

ON YOUR PHONE
BOOSTING MOOD
This statue looks
menacingly over the city
below. Its sinister effect has
been enhanced by the use
of an app that converted it
to monochrome and
boosted the contrast.
ARCHITEC TUR AL DE TAILS 79

ALTERNATIVE APPROACHES
Architects are often obsessed with detail, so, in theory, you should be able
to find photogenic elements in most buildings. Whether you’re in familiar
surroundings or exploring a new location, look at buildings with a degree of
detachment to find interesting combinations of color, shape, and shadow.

Look out for the way light can

reveal—or enhance—the slightest
architectural detail, and zoom in.
Here, the sunlight is just grazing
the wall, causing projecting
fixtures and fittings to cast
disproportionately long, angled
shadows. Together with the bold
color scheme they produce an
arresting, if transient, pattern.

It’s the contrast in shapes that

makes this picture work, with a
cool white balance producing
a limited color palette. In
the background is a rustic
weatherboard house, complete
with faded shutters. The colors are
soft and the lines rectilinear. In the
foreground is the contrasting
natural sweep of a palm frond.

Always keep an eye open for the

intriguing and the odd. Here, a
small bronze Chinese dragon is set
into a gateway. Photographed in
isolation, it would be no more than
a straightforward study of an
architectural curiosity, but the bold
composition lifts the image above
the ordinary. Try underexposing
slightly to make colors richer.

At the animal park

A day out at a zoo or animal park presents an excellent CAMERA MODE LENS SETTING
opportunity for you to practice your wildlife photography. Select Portrait
mode or Aperture Zoom to moderate
However, fences or glass enclosures may obscure your Priority and an telephoto
aperture of f/5.6
view or spoil your photographs. With some deft camera
work you can create the illusion that you’re face to face SENSOR/FILM SPEED FLASH
with exotic animals. Alternatively, you may want to
Use a low ISO
Shoot without flash
include the signs of captivity, to give a more realistic setting (e.g. ISO 100)

depiction of the animals’ environment.

AT THE ANIMAL PARK 81

TRY THIS ALTERNATIVE APPROACHES

People don’t visit wildlife Try experimenting with different styles of shot to reflect the
parks just to look at the characters of the different animal species, from long-range
animals; sometimes they pictures of groups interacting to intimate, close-up
can interact with them in portraits of individuals.
the most subtle and
touching ways. Look for
Zoos have a serious—if
opportunities to capture
sometimes controversial—
candid shots like this one
role in animal welfare and
of child and a gorilla—a
conservation, but can
moment of tenderness, even
also provide plenty of
though it is taking place
entertaining moments.
through a sheet of glass.
The best action shots are
the result of careful
preparation. Observe
the animals’ behavior
FOR THIS SHOT and plan your composition
This image uses an adult in advance.
giraffe’s markings as a
background to communicate If there’s a drawback to
a sense of scale—you can tell wildlife parks, it’s that the
surroundings are unlikely
how small the baby is and
to resemble the animal’s
how huge the adult must be.
natural habitat. You can
add a touch of realism by
Timing
1 In a front-on image,
including some blurred
foliage in the foreground of
the head of the baby giraffe your image. If the animal is
would be lost against the in a caged enclosure, using
bold patterning of the adult. a large aperture will help
blur out the bars.
Patiently waiting for a profile
has improved the clarity of
the subject. Wildlife parks give us
opportunities to make
pictures that would be
Focus
2 In any portrait, the eyes
difficult—if not
impossible—anywhere
always draw attention. Here, else, such as this dramatic
the eye of the young giraffe shot of a polar bear
is in sharp focus—without swimming directly toward
this, the image would almost the camera. Remember,
be abstract. never use a flash when
photographing an animal
through glass—your
Depth of field
3 To ensure that a
picture will be overwhelmed
by flare and you may
detailed background—such distress the animal.
as the markings on the adult
giraffe’s coat—is slightly
blurred but still clear, use
a medium aperture.

appeal beyond the subject’s friends and family.

FOR THIS SHOT

The strength of this portrait
comes from the interaction
between the subject and his
surroundings—he almost
seems to blend in with them.

Composition
1 Position your subject
in a way that reveals his or
her mood. Here, the old
man’s glance toward the
unseen window suggests a
contemplative frame of mind.

Exposure
2 The limited natural
lighting in this image picks
out and isolates the man’s
features. To create this effect,
expose the image for the
brightest part of the subject’s
face or reduce the overall
exposure by 1 to 2 stops.

Aperture
3 To keep the subject
sharp and avoid losing too
much background definition,
select a small aperture (such
as f/16) rather than the wider
aperture normally used for
portrait shots.
CHAR AC TER POR TRAITS 83

TAKE IT FURTHER ALTERNATIVE APPROACHES

STRONG SIDELIGHTING A character portrait may be formally staged but engaging
With a little effort you can composition can sometimes occur spontaneously.
create a dramatic, studio-style Regardless, the strength of your shot will often depend
portrait. A single source of on the rapport and communication between you and your
light directed at the side of the subject. Try to engage them in conversation and make
face helps to create an image them feel that they are part of a collaboration by asking for
full of contrast. For the best their input and showing them pictures as you take them.
effect position your subject by
a window and use natural Some people—especially
light. Expose for the bright side groups—can discover an
of your subject’s face to throw extrovert side when faced
the other side into shadow. with a camera, and require
very little encouragement
to pose. Here, the girls’
quirky clothing is all-
important, so take key
details into account when
framing your image.

Attire and setting are good

ways of communicating
your subject’s occupation
or interests. The fisherman
is very much the focus of
this image, but the wide
angle has captured his
environment. A medium
aperture has been used
to blur the boat in the
background while keeping
it recognizable.

Using props is a direct and

effective way of conveying
the character of your
subject and giving your
image a certain stylistic
twist. Here, the guitar and
sunglasses—coupled with
the tight crop, oblique
stance, joyless expression,
and low shooting
position—give this
image an edgy feel.

create strikingly graphic pictures.

FOR THIS SHOT

The blanket of steam
constantly billowing around
this processing plant gives
the image visual interest it
might otherwise have lacked.

Contrasts
1 Make the most of
unusual contrasts within a
landscape. Here, the shot has
been framed to include a
church spire—a touching
relic of a preindustrial world.

Composition
2 Balancing different
areas of your image creates a
dynamic composition. Here,
the processing plant is set
against the landscape
beyond and its outlines are
softened by clouds of steam.

Timing
3 When photographing
scenes that are constantly
changing, you need to time
your shot well. Too much
steam in this picture, for
example, could easily have
obscured some of the details
of this intricate building.
INDUSTRIAL LANDSCAPES 85

TAKE IT FURTHER ALTERNATIVE APPROACHES

DISTRESSED SCENES Obviously, all industrial sites have been created for function
Industrial landscapes are rather than beauty. To create a strong image, look for what
often described as grimy is striking in the scene before you—the graphic outlines of
or gritty. You can enhance the structures perhaps, or the texture of a detail.
this effect by using a
phone app to give your Apply the principles of
pictures a distressed, conventional landscape
worn appearance—most photography to industrial
evident here in the patchy, scenes. Cranes can take on
grainy look of the sky. the appearance of delicate
fretwork when captured in
silhouette against the glow
of a setting sun.

Look for ways in which

elements in industrial
environments can help you
compose your shots. Try
using objects, structures,
and machinery as a frame,
or to lead the eye into the
scene. For a shot like this,
expose for the brightest area
to avoid overexposure.

Exploring contrasts can result in interesting shots. Here, the

structure of the factory in the background contrasts with the
simple girders in the foreground. A moderate wide-angle lens
setting helps capture a wide scene from close quarters.

familiar everyday scenes.

FOR THIS SHOT

The blurring in this image
graphically captures the
frantic energy of rush hour.
Getting the right volume of
people is essential in a shot
like this—too many might
clutter the shot, too few
would be ineffective.

Shutter time
1 Experiment with
shutter times and try to
decide just how much blur
produces the effect you’re
looking for. A good starting
point is 1/4 sec.

Depth of field
2 To capture the whole
scene in focus, use a small
aperture. With the exception
of the motion blurring effect,
the people will still be
rendered sharply.

Composition
3 Seek out a vantage
point that enables you to
use strong compositional
elements like the black-
and-white road markings
in this image.
ON THE MO VE 87

TRY THIS ALTERNATIVE APPROACHES

Panning the camera— Experimenting with motion blur is fun. The relative motion of
moving it smoothly to your subject and its surroundings, camera movement, and
follow a subject—works exposure times all produce varying amounts of blur. Don’t
well with shots like this, overlook the angle and composition of your shots though.
where you want the subject
to be in focus while the
People moving against
background is blurred. It’s
a background that’s also
a very effective way of
on the move creates an
representing speed and
interesting effect. This image
movement while still
of pedestrians walking past
keeping the subject of
a slow-moving bus would
the shot recognizable.
be quite different if the
bus was stationary.

When taking photos

through the window of
a moving vehicle, the
amount of blur will vary
according to the proximity
of the objects outside. With
a similar exposure time,
nearby traffic will appear
more blurred than traffic
that’s further away.

For an unusual perspective, try placing your camera on a

polished floor to capture the sense of the footfall that moves
through a public space. From this low position the foreground
picks up the reflections of the lights and passersby.

FOR THIS SHOT CAMERA MODE

Although light trails can be used to make Select Manual
beautiful abstract images, this picture, mode or Shutter
Priority and an
with a welder sending up sparks at its exposure time
center has a gritty, documentary feel. of 1/30 sec

SENSOR/FILM SPEED
Focus point
1 This is ostensibly a portrait shot,
so, as the eyes are obscured, the visor is Zoom to moderate
the point of focus. A small aperture telephoto

ensures much of the scene is in focus.

LENS SETTING
Exposure
2 In situations like this, it’s hard
to predict the exposure setting you’ll Use a low ISO
setting (e.g. ISO 100)
require. Start with 1/30 sec at f/11,
but be prepared to experiment.
FLASH
Low angle
3 To record a more spectacular
cascade of sparks in the foreground, Shoot without flash
this image was shot from a position
just below the subject.

TRY THIS
A moving camera will produce
light trails from fixed sources
of light. This fun but quite
unpredictable technique
involves overexposing by 1 sec
or more, pressing the shutter
button, then (with the strap
firmly around your wrist)
throwing the camera into the
air with a rotating action.
LIGHT TRAILS 89

ALTERNATIVE APPROACHES
Selecting longer exposure times—of several seconds or more—allows you to
create dramatic images using light sources from vehicles and flashlights. Try this
at night, or late twilight if you want to include a little color in the sky, to achieve
the maximum effect from the trails.

You can use a flashlight to paint

in light across a scene. Set your
camera on a tripod and walk
around with the flashlight, drawing
shapes in the landscape. Here, the
person holding the light is barely
visible as they are in darkness and
constantly moving. The tree and
some areas of the ground have
been flashed separately.

To create really bright and

dynamic light trails set up your
camera and tripod on a bridge and
direct your camera at the traffic
below (avoiding bright street
lights). Shoot at f/8 for around 30
seconds with a low ISO sensitivity.
Vary the exposure duration to alter
the length of the trails.

TAKE IT FURTHER
STAR TRAILS
As the Earth rotates, stars describe arcs
in the sky as they appear to move around
the celestial poles. Star trails are not hard
to record if you follow a few basic tips:
• Choose a very dark location with little
light pollution. For the same reason,
avoid shooting star trails for a few days
either side of a full moon.
• Use a tripod or other support to allow
for very long exposures.
• Use an exposure of 20 minutes or
longer with a wide aperture.
• For the most dramatic trails, point your
camera toward the celestial polar region.
• Keep an eye on your camera’s battery
consumption: long exposures can drain
batteries very quickly.

FOR THIS SHOT CAMERA MODE

This photograph of the fractal spiral Select Macro mode
of a uncurling frond reveals the minute or Aperture Priority
detailing that is only visible for a brief and an aperture
of f/8
time in the plant’s life.
SENSOR/FILM SPEED
Focusing
1 Close-ups usually have a very
Use a low ISO
limited depth of field, so make sure you setting (e.g. ISO 100)
focus on the most important feature.

Framing LENS SETTING

2 A close framing concentrates
attention on the frond tip, and cropping Zoom to moderate
at the edges creates a sense of the telephoto
coiled frond bursting out of the frame.
FLASH
Use a tripod
3 Movement is the bane of macro
photography. Use a tripod to prevent Shoot without flash
camera movement and shoot when
there is a minimum of breeze.

TRY THIS
If you have access to a light
box, arrange translucent
seedlings across it to create
ethereal backlit images. You
can make your own table-
top light box by placing a
piece of frosted glass over
a fluorescent bulb using a
simple wooden frame.
NE W GR O W TH 91

ALTERNATIVE APPROACHES
New growth in plants appears in different ways, and each presents a
different photo opportunity. Capture the moment that new buds of trees
and shrubs burst from the otherwise bare branches, and look for emerging
seedlings as they erupt miraculously from the soil.

The grid-like pattern of seedlings

in a tray provides an interesting
contrast with the irregular shapes of
the plants themselves. Select the
orientation and a point of view that
you think works best, then choose
an area of the image to keep sharp.

Look out for the subtle pastel

colors of early blossoms as fruit
trees come to life. In this image the
buds contrast nicely with the dark
branches, and the narrow depth
of field has emphasized the flecks
of bright color. Photographing
them under flat lighting and with
a neutral gray background has
given them maximum impact.

TAKE IT FURTHER
BACKLIGHTING
Using natural backlighting
to illuminate new plant
growth can create a nice
effect, but controlling
exposure and working
with lens flare takes some
practice. To ensure that
you expose your subject
correctly, and pick up the
rim lighting, you may
need to increase exposure
by at least 1 stop. Use a
lens hood to limit flare and
frame your subject so that
any flare falls in a way that
enhances the image.

FOCAL LENGTH AND WORKING DISTANCE

The lenses of many compact cameras have short focal require you to be quite close to your subject. These
lengths, which means that the camera needs to be are best used to photograph subjects that won’t
positioned very close to the subject when shooting be disturbed. Lenses with a focal length range of
close-ups. For some subjects this can be problematic. 150–200mm are bulky and can be costly but
Small animals may be scared off as you approach allow you to put greater distance between you and
them, and there is the added risk that you or the the subject. Depth of field is also proportionately
camera will shade the subject and prevent a good shallower with longer lenses, making it easier to isolate
exposure. For these reasons many photographers your subject from its surroundings. In practice, most
who become interested in macro work invest in SLRs. photographers will go for a macro lens of around
Lenses with a focal length of 50–60mm are often 100mm, which offers a good compromise in terms
compact and light, and offer good value, but still of working distance and depth of field.

LONG FOCAL LENGTH SHORT FOCAL LENGTH

CLOSEUP AND MACR O 93

REDUCED DEPTH OF FIELD

Even the most basic compact digital cameras often
have a Macro mode that will allow you to fill the
frame with objects as small as 1⁄2in (15mm) across
from just a few inches in front of the lens. Although
this is useful, in most cases the depth of field is
disappointingly limited when using macro settings.
To overcome this you can try setting the smallest
practicable aperture on your camera—f/16 or even
f/22. This will demand a longer exposure time so it’s
essential that the camera is firmly mounted on a
tripod or other support. It also means that you can
only shoot subjects that won’t move noticeably EXTENSIVE DEPTH OF FIELD

during the exposure. To reduce the exposure time,

you can increase the camera’s ISO sensitivity.
Another option, which isn’t suitable for every
subject, is to light it with flash.
Alternatively, you can use the limited depth of field
to help isolate the subject—or part of the subject—
from the rest of the scene. For example, you can focus
on a small insect on a leaf and render the plant and
the background blurred. Or you can try to line up your
subject to use what depth of field is available. For
example, show the length of an insect instead of
approaching it head-on. SHALLOW DEPTH OF FIELD

MACRO LENSES
A dedicated macro lens that’s designed to reproduce quality lenses available. They allow close focusing
subjects at up to full size is the best possible option for without the distortion that other lenses would produce,
close-up photography. Most are “prime” lenses, with a but they can also focus to infinity, which means they
fixed focal length, and these are some of the best are an excellent option for general photography.

WATER DROPLETS DECORATIVE DETAIL HUMAN EYE

Mid-Spring
high days and holidays

spring blossom as delicate as snowﬂakes

watching the sun go down

colors bleeding in the rain

A lovely spring night

suddenly vanished while
we viewed cherry blossoms
Matsu Basho

scudding clouds and stormy skies

98 MIDSPRING

Rainy day
It may be tempting to stow away your camera when
the skies threaten stormy weather, but rain actually
presents a photographic opportunity. The light during
a rain shower has a special quality to it—soft and
diffused—while the rain itself can lend a gloss to
sidewalks and roads, turning them into reflective
surfaces that you can use to create depth and interest.

FOR THIS SHOT CAMERA MODE

The romantic feel of this wet, late- Select Landscape
afternoon scene is a result of the mode or Aperture
magical effect created by the play of Priority and an
aperture of f/8
light on the rain-soaked sidewalk.
SENSOR/FILM SPEED
Straighten up
1 Care should be taken with vertical
alignment so as not to distract from the Zoom to moderate
telephoto
long reflections in the foreground.

Exposure
2 This scene has been purposely
LENS SETTING
underexposed for the highlighted
areas to ensure accurate color rendition Use a medium ISO
setting (e.g. ISO 400)
and to create the silhouettes.

Image stabilization
3 A long exposure will produce
FLASH

movement blur in the people, adding

to the Impressionistic effect. Use a Shoot without flash
tripod or rest your camera on a table
to keep it steady.

TRY THIS
Shooting through a rain-
lashed windshield blurs the
scene through the glass,
creating a watercolor-style
abstract. You’ll have to be
quick to beat the wipers,
but don’t forget about
composition and framing.
Here, the road markings and
headlights add depth and
perspective to the image.
R AINY DAY 99

ALTERNATIVE APPROACHES
Like snow and ice, rain can completely transform the environment—the
landscape changes and so does the behavior of the people who inhabit it.
Umbrellas appear with the first drops of rain, and their distinctive shape and
often bright colors make them useful visual props.

It’s actually quite difficult

to capture falling rain in a
photograph. One way to represent
the effect of a downpour is to
shoot through rain-spattered glass.
Although the scene beyond the
window is important, focus on the
droplets and use a shallow depth of
field to make them stand out.

At any event affected by the

weather, the atmosphere can
quickly change, so turn your focus
on the crowds sheltering from the
downpour. Zooming in from a
distance will flatten perspective
and emphasize the density of
the crowd.

Rainy days tend to be characterized by muted tones. As a result, vibrant colors

stand out more than usual. Make a feature of this to create a quirky shot in
which splashes of color provide the prominent focal point. An elevated
viewpoint will help you to identify and frame likely subjects.

Along the riverbank

Riverbanks are the perfect location for making tranquil CAMERA MODE LENS SETTING
nature pictures. They are fascinating ecosystems, Select Portrait
mode or Aperture Zoom to moderate
populated by an incredible variety of wildlife and flora. Priority and an telephoto
aperture of f/8
The atmosphere of your pictures will change according
to the time of day, the weather, and the season, but it’s SENSOR/FILM SPEED FLASH
in the springtime when a riverbank truly comes to life,
Use a low ISO
Shoot without flash
so take advantage of warmer temperatures and sunlight setting (e.g. ISO 100)

and spend a day exploring this rewarding environment.

FOR THIS SHOT

A striking riverbank scene
such as this waterfowl with
its young, is surprisingly
easy to achieve.

Positioning
1 Find a clear,
uninterrupted view of the
river with a pleasing
background and be prepared
to wait for wildlife to pass by.

Be sensitive
2 Even animals that
are used to human activity
are protective of their young,
so try not to draw attention
to yourself.

Reflections
3 If you’re including
a reflection, make sure you
get it all in shot, otherwise
your image will look
unbalanced. You can always
crop it out later if you decide
to change the composition.
ALONG THE RIVERBANK 101

TAKE IT FURTHER ALTERNATIVE APPROACHES

TIMID WILDLIFE Riverbanks are varied landscapes providing opportunities
If you want to capture to experiment with different photographic styles. So
shots of the more elusive whether your interest lies in landscape, natural history,
inhabitants of the still life, or more graphic images, you’ll find plenty to
riverbank, you’ll need keep you busy.
to understand their
behavior. You may need Sunsets can be enlivened
to visit the same stretch by including characteristic
again and again before elements of the river and its
you finally get the shot bank. Here the grasses and
you’re looking for. reeds are thrown into
silhouette by the setting
sun and its reflection. A
large aperture has allowed
a narrow depth of field for
effective blurring.

Look at the way the

riverbank and its reflection
work together. Simple,
regular plant growth can
produce bold patterning
with almost perfect
symmetry. There’s no
obvious subject here—the
power of the image is its
strong graphic style.

Early morning is a great time to explore the riverbank. If

conditions are right, mists forming over the river will give
the scene an ethereal feel. Shooting into the sun can render
foreground subjects in dramatic silhouette.

illusion that they’re hanging in mid-air.

FOR THIS SHOT

An unlucky passerby, already
trying to shelter himself from
the rain, is drenched by spray
from a passing car. This shot
is the result of perfect
timing—and a little luck.

Timing
1 Shots like this require
anticipation, quick reactions,
or both. Preset your camera
to Auto (or Shutter Priority)
so you can respond to any
unforeseen opportunities.

Depth of field
2 Select a medium
aperture to give sufficient
depth of field in order to
retain focus on the main
elements of the scene.

3 Exposure
To freeze the moment
and keep the water spray
sharp, you need a short
exposure time of around
1/250 sec.
SPLASH! 103

TRY THIS ALTERNATIVE APPROACHES

It’s easy to create a shot When making pictures of water splashes experiment with
like this using a large distance and angle—getting in close or low will give your
baking sheet (or other photograph a different feel. After a downpour you’ll find a
metal sheet) and a hose variety of photo opportunities, from wildlife shots to
or a cup of water. To aid
informal portraits of children.
the composition, mount
your camera on a tripod
Birds don’t just drink from
and run a gentle stream
puddles—they enjoy
of water onto the tray.
splashing around in them,
Use short exposure times
too. To avoid disturbing
and experiment with
them stand at a distance
fill-in flash.
and zoom in if you require
a close-up.

The splash from a modest

puddle can look dramatic
if you’re near enough to it.
This picture has been shot
close-in, with the camera
held right down at ground
level. If you are intending
to get this close to the
water, ensure your camera
is protected.

You can’t keep small

children out of puddles.
They seem to love
stamping around in them.
For an unusual perspective,
include the child’s
reflection in the image.
Here, you can see the
concentration on the boy’s
face as he watches the
water break under his feet
then leap up toward him.

behavior, the easier you’ll find it to photograph them.

EQUINE POR TRAIT 105

TRY THIS ALTERNATIVE APPROACHES

For a humorous caricature, An enclosure provides an opportunity for formal portraits,
get in close with the lens but for more spontaneous or action-filled pictures, get
at its widest setting to outdoors and capture horses against a variety of backdrops
exaggerate the size of the and in different lighting conditions.
horse’s muzzle. Use a wide
aperture to create a shallow
The silhouettes of
depth of field to emphasize
horses are beautiful and
the length of its face, too.
unmistakable. Position
A compact or a camera
yourself at a distance, so
phone is less likely to
you don’t disturb them, and
alarm a skittish horse
underexpose strongly—by
than a larger camera.
2 stops or more—to
produce a well defined
silhouette against an
intense sky.
FOR THIS SHOT
For an intimate portrait like Take advantage of the low
this, take your time and gain sun to make a back-lit
the animal’s confidence. portrait of your subject. If
You’ll get a better shot if it’s possible, use golden rim
relaxed in your presence. lighting to define its profile.
When shooting toward the
sun, shade your camera
Lighting
1 The use of strong
lens to prevent flare.

natural side lighting from an

open barn door has produced
beautiful detailing in the
Tight framing has created
horse’s face. Setting it against
an unconventional picture
a dark interior has focused all of a pair of horses out on
attention on the horse. a gallop. Although this
picture shows little of either
Focusing horse, the movement of the
2 For formal horse image—produced by the
portraits, always focus on the flowing manes of both
creatures—suggests speed
eyes—or eye, in this case. Set
and power.
your camera to a medium
aperture to ensure that all of
the horse’s head is sharp, but
its body is slightly blurred. TAKE IT FURTHER
TELLING DETAIL
Exposure
3 Photographing a
Stand well back and use a
camera with a long telephoto
white horse against a dark lens to isolate a horse’s eye.
background requires careful Viewed close-up it’s not
immediately obvious that this
exposure control. This image
is the eye of a horse, but it is
has been exposed on the
remarkably expressive and
mid-shadows to retain some suggests a sensitive animal.
detail in the shaded areas.

camera are properly prepared for stormy weather.

FOR THIS SHOT

This remote cottage, bathed
in eerie light, is captured
moments before it’s
swallowed up by the storm
that’s gathering overhead.

1 Composition
By filling the top
two-thirds of the frame with
sky, the menacing clouds
have become the dominant
feature of this scene. Placing
the cottage to one side
reveals the emptiness of the
surrounding area and adds
to its sense of vulnerability.

Exposure
2 Exposing for the bright
foreground has made the
stormy sky appear even
darker and more threatening.

Wide angle
3 Getting fairly close
to the subject and then
zooming to wide angle
captures a wide sky with
a dramatic perspective
as the storm clouds surge
over the landscape.
CHANGING SKIES 107

TAKE IT FURTHER ALTERNATIVE APPROACHES

LIGHTNING Weather changes all the time—sometimes dramatically,
With forward planning, to sometimes more subtly. Keep your photographer’s eye
determine when and where open not only for the vagaries in the weather itself but also
to get the best results in for the way those changes affect the environment. Look
safety, it’s possible to take out too for more transient weather phenomena that can
impressive pictures of create strong, atmospheric images.
lightning storms. Set your
camera for a long exposure, With the sun behind you
up to 30 seconds, at an and rain in front, there’s a
aperture of f/8. Including good chance of a rainbow
landscape can add to the appearing against the
drama of the composition. backdrop of a dark sky.
Try underexposing
slightly to boost the
colors in the rainbow.

During very changeable

weather, storms will
alternate with brighter
periods. Torrential
downpours can be
rendered in ominous
silhouette shot against
the brighter sky beyond.
Underexpose by 2/3 stop
to darken the falling rain
and boost the color.

When you have contrasting

patterns in different
sections of the sky, look for
interesting ways to bring
them together in a single
shot. This could be done
using reflections in a
window, lake, or puddle, for
example. Large reflective
surfaces, like those on
glazed buildings, can be
particularly effective.

FOR THIS SHOT

When the children sit down
to eat, a semblance of order
is introduced. This presents a
good chance for you to take
some group photos, and also
pictures of the colorful food.

Focal point
1 Shoot along the length
of the table to include the
maximum number of guests
in the frame and direct the
gaze toward the birthday girl
at the head of the table.

2 Lighting
If possible, use the
ambient room lighting for
the best results. Increase
ISO sensitivity for a suitably
brief exposure time of around
1/125 sec. If you need to use
flash, diffuse it to soften the
effect by placing some white
tissue paper over it.

Capture details
3 Try to get a good
variety of pictures, including
those that focus solely on the
food and decorations. It might
be easier to shoot these
before the guests arrive.
BIRTHDAY PAR TIES 109

TRY THIS ALTERNATIVE APPROACHES

Games are a staple All children’s parties have some activities that simply
of children’s parties. demand to be photographed—blowing out the candles
Use your camera’s on a cake, for example. However, memorable images can
flash to freeze the also be created from quieter moments.
action, and try to
capture the children
Parties aren’t all about fun
against a plain,
and games. The time will
uncluttered
come when a few of the
background. Take
guests tire and seek refuge
lots of pictures so
in a quiet room. Exploit
you can choose
these tranquil moments for
the best later.
more posed portraits, or
shoot candidly to capture
their changing mood.

For a dramatic image, light

the shot using only the glow
from the candles. Zoom
in close and set your
exposure to the child’s face,
increasing the ISO sensitivity
if necessary.

In addition to portraiture,
children’s parties provide
plenty of opportunities for
shots in which color and
pattern dominate. Birthday
presents wrapped in glossy
paper bring bold shapes
and vibrant colors to the
proceedings. Here, a narrow
depth of field has been
used to ensure that the
child’s face remains the
main focus of the shot.

freshness and vibrancy of these scenes.

FOR THIS SHOT

The success of this wide-
angle image lies in its unusual
perspective. The back-lit
flowers are perfectly set off
by the stunning backdrop
of the clear blue sky.

Lighting
1 If your camera has a
flip-out screen it will be fairly
easy to position the sun
behind a flower head.
Stopping the sun affecting
the exposure prevents the
flowers from being rendered
as silhouettes. Try using fill-in
flash if getting the correct
exposure proves difficult.

Focusing
2 Before placing your
camera on the ground, set
the focus to manual and
focus on an object at a
distance similar to the
height of the flowers.

Depth of field
3 Choose a cloudless
day so that small wildflowers
can be seen clearly against a
plain background.
FLOWER FIELDS 111

TRY THIS ALTERNATIVE APPROACHES

To create an Impressionistic Try a variety of approaches to capture the beauty of spring
effect, which emphasizes flowers. Get in close to make them the sole focus of your
shape and color above detail, shot, include them as part of a wider landscape view, or use
try capturing some them to create a colorful textured background.
movement in your image.
On a day with a light breeze,
To capture a bank of
mount your camera on a
flowers from a bug’s-eye
tripod and set a shutter time
view, get down among the
of up to 1 sec. Depending on
blooms and shoot at their
the strength of the wind, you
level. Don’t worry about
will capture varying degrees
keeping every flower in
of lateral movement.
focus—unfocused flowers
will create depth in the
scene. To capture the
translucence of the petals,
shoot toward the sun.

The strength of this image

lies in its bold composition.
The frame is dominated by a
mass of bright flowers in the
foreground, which occupies
more than half the frame.
The color palette is very
pleasing too—yellow, green,
and blue work well together.

Look for contrasts in the flowering landscape. Here, the delicate

and transient spring flowers contrast well with a stark barbed wire
fence. Focusing on the fence emphasizes its form, while
effectively blurring the flowers.

Family days out

Whether it’s a boat trip, a picnic in the park, or a visit CAMERA MODE LENS SETTING
to a museum, pictures of a family outing are all about Select Portrait
mode or Aperture Zoom to moderate
capturing a sense of fun and adventure. Try to use a Priority and an wide angle
aperture of f/8
combination of different subjects and treatments to tell
the story of the day. Take a mixture of candid and posed SENSOR/FILM SPEED FLASH
portraits, and group pictures showing interaction
Use a low ISO
Shoot without flash
between family members. Family days out are usually setting (e.g. ISO 100)

relaxed and informal, so your photos should be too.

FAMILY DAYS OUT 113

TRY THIS ALTERNATIVE APPROACHES

Humorous group Family excursions are often crammed with new and
portraits of your friends different experiences. Capture this overload of the senses
and family really capture with a variety of shots, from candid pictures taken from a
the fun of a day out. distance to close-up images of evocative details.
Position them in front of
an appropriate backdrop
When documenting your
and encourage them to
day, include some pictures
get animated. Use your
that set the scene for the
camera’s burst mode,
sequence that follows. The
if it has one, and shoot
jaunty angle of these ice
lots of pictures in
cream cones makes for
quick succession.
a more dynamic shot than
would be the case if they
were aligned horizontally.

FOR THIS SHOT

Absorbed in a world of their
own, a father and son have As well as capturing the
been captured by zooming focus of your day out, also
in from a modest distance, so photograph the activities
as not to disturb the scene or that surround it, including
spoil the atmosphere. eating and traveling.
The tight framing of this
candid image has given
Framing
1 A framing device, such
it a nice balance and focus.

as the foliage in this picture,

fills the image to the edges
and draws the viewer into
the scene, increasing the
feeling of intimacy.

Highlights
2 The idyllic nature of
this scene is enhanced by
the golden highlights of
sun glinting on the surface
of the river. Overexpose
slightly to bring out these
bright tones.

Point of view
3 Taking the photograph
from an elevated position
aids the composition by
eliminating any background
distractions and limiting
the perspective. For interior shots, such as this museum display, set
your white balance to Tungsten to help tone down the
warm color cast.

capture, the more textured your picture will appear.

FOR THIS SHOT

Corrugated metal, ragged
paper, old stonework, and
flaking paint combine to
produce an image that
is highly textured.

Lighting
1 Lighting is crucial
to bringing out texture:
shadows are at their most
pronounced close to the
plane of the subject,
highlighting every
surface imperfection.

Zoom in
2 You’ll get the best
results by shooting a scene
like this from a modest
distance and zooming in.
Close-up, wide-angle views
may distort any vertical lines.

Framing
3 Frame your shot to
include contrasting textures
but be careful—too many
contrasts may dilute the
strength of the image.
EXPLORING TEX TURES 115

TAKE IT FURTHER
APPLYING TEXTURES
Apply a texture effect to another
image to give the appearance of it
being printed on fabric or textured
paper. These effects can be found
in image manipulation applications,
but it’s more fun to shoot your own
texture in close up, then position it
behind your primary photo. Ensure
any effects you apply add something
intriguing your image, rather than
distracting from it.

ALTERNATIVE APPROACHES
Look closely and you’ll find interesting patterns and
textures in both natural and man-made objects. Although
we tend to think of texture as something seen from up
close, tight framing can isolate textures from a wider scene.

This shot of an office

block is intriguingly
ambiguous, thanks to the
absence of any obvious
reference points, such as
other buildings or sky.

Though sharp, directional

lighting can enhance
textures, don’t ignore the
opportunities offered by
softer light. Here, it helps
contrast the lichen-spotted
tree bark—a popular
subject for texture
photos—and the more
pronounced stems of the
creeper clinging to it.

when they’ll be at their most photogenic.

FOR THIS SHOT

There are few more awesome
sights than a storm-driven
wave crashing over a
breakwater. Here, the waves
and lighthouse are lit by
a burst of sunlight that
accentuates the contrast
between the foaming water
and the dark sky.

Timing
1 Observation is key to
capturing dramatic waves.
Watch the the waves to
work out when they’ll be
at their most spectacular,
and depress the shutter
just before the peak of
the action.

Shutter time
2 To freeze the moment
select a moderately short
shutter time of around
1/125 to 1/250 sec.

Exposure
3 Automatic exposure
may result in whites being
overexposed. Underexpose
by 2/3 to 1 stop to preserve
the detail.
SEASC APES 117

TAKE IT FURTHER ALTERNATIVE APPROACHES

HEIGHTENING MOOD To get the most from a trip to the sea, fully explore your
Add to the drama of a location. Look for different angles and positions that give
stormy seascape by using interesting perspectives and make the best use of
software to boost the the weather conditions.
contrast. Use a contrast
control, also adjusting the Weather plays a large
brightness if necessary. part in determining the
You could also apply atmosphere of seascapes.
a monochrome tint Sunlight breaking through
(as here). dark clouds suggests a
feeling of calm before, or
after, the storm. Set your
camera’s white balance to
Daylight to ensure the
moody colors are retained.

Cliff-top shots give

a different perspective
on a seascape, looking
down on—rather than
across at—the breaking
waves. Include a little
foreground to enhance
the perspective.

From a low vantage point on a boat or ferry, even a modest

swell of the waves can look impressive—zooming in will
exaggerate this effect. Without the seagulls, this shot—with its
monochrome palette and fog—would feel even more abstract.

FOR THIS SHOT

This blossom has been
chosen for its well-grouped,
pleasing shape. Dead or
damaged flowers have
been carefully removed.

Exposure
1 When shooting pale
flowers against a light
background overexpose by
around 1 1/3 stop to keep
the shot bright and airy.

Lighting
2 The best time of day to
photograph blossom is in the
soft light of early morning.
Bright sunshine can lead to
blown-out highlights, so
choose a cloudy day.

Depth of field
3 A limited depth of
field has kept only the
closest flowers in sharp
focus while those behind
are progressively blurred.
SPRING BLOSSOM 119

TAKE IT FURTHER ALTERNATIVE APPROACHES

INDOOR STUDY Inevitably, your photos of blossom will be largely dictated
With a little effort and by the weather—a spell of wind or frost can cause flowers
experimentation you to fall, while a change in the light will alter the atmosphere
can create beautiful completely. Be ready to adapt your projects to the weather
blossom portraits at and plan alternative shots before you set out.
home. To make a dark
background, place a Here, fallen blossom shot
black piece of card at wide-angle and with large
stock behind, block out depth of field has created
all light from the room, a carpet of color. The low
and illuminate the angle, which crops off the
blossom with a lamp. top of the trees, ensures
that the blossom on the
ground is the focus of
the image. The dappled
shadows from the branches
above add texture.

A neutral background can

add a surprising amount of
interest to an image. Here,
a whitewashed, sunlit wall
behind a blossom-laden
tree creates interaction
between the blossoms
and their shadows.

For an unusual take

on the subject, look for
contrasts in color and
light. In this image the
soft-colored blossoms
are juxtaposed with gaudy
lights that spill out from
behind the branches and are
reflected in the wet walkway.
You can enhance colors by
underexposing the scene,
while experimenting with
white balance will produce
different effects.

PLANE OF FOCUS CONTROLLING DEPTH OF FIELD

The weight of an image can be said to be carried Varying the lens aperture is the principal method of
on the plane of sharpest focus. By controlling depth controlling depth of field. Generally, when the lens
of field and varying the plane of focus you can make aperture is reduced the depth of field becomes larger,
your pictures much more interesting and effective. and vice versa. For example, with a lens set at f/2.8
By using a depth of field that’s smaller than the only a very small section of an image will be sharp,
distance between key elements, you can keep one but when closed down to f/22 the depth of field will
element in focus, while the other is thrown strongly be very large with every part of the picture sharp.
into blur. It’s the contrast between the two that Depth of field also varies with lens focal length
enhances the power of the image. If an image is and focusing distance: when you shoot a subject at a
completely blurred it is hard to make it work, while telephoto setting, the depth of field is smaller than
pictures that are perfectly sharp all over are often dull. when you zoom out to wide-angle. For a given aperture
and focal length, the closer you get to your subject, the
smaller the depth of field will become. A very limited
depth of field is an issue for close-up photography.

DID YOU KNOW?

BLUR AND BOKEH
The aesthetic quality of blur in an image is called
“bokeh.” Bokeh is usually considered good when the
blur transitions smoothly between pin sharp and
completely indistinct. An abrupt or stepped transition
suggests detail and so is considered undesirable.
Good bokeh is created by lenses highly corrected for
SELECTIVE SHARPNESS aberrations and perfectly circular apertures.
DEPTH OF FIELD 121

USING APERTURE
The effect that varying the aperture size has on depth At the widest setting (f/4) only the blue boots appear
of field can be illustrated by comparing pictures shot at sharp; at the mid setting (f/11) there is extra definition
different f/number settings. In each of these photos the in the mid-ground and background; at the smallest
focus was locked on the blue boots in the foreground. aperture (f/22) every part of the scene is equally sharp.

f/4 f/11 f/22

USING DEPTH OF FIELD

Once you have learned how to
control depth of field, you can use
it to produce different effects in a
wide variety of situations.
An extensive depth of field is
commonly used in the following
types of subject:
• Landscapes, such as wide-angle, PORTRAITURE ARCHITECTURE
general views.
• Architecture, when you want to
show detail throughout a structure
in a single shot.
• Interiors, to include nearby
furniture or other objects and far
off windows and similar features.
A shallow depth of field is often
used for the following: ISOLATING A SUBJECT LANDSCAPES

• Portraiture, to help concentrate

the viewer’s attention.
• To isolate a subject from the
distracting visual clutter of its
surroundings, or to reduce the
distraction from elements that
can’t be removed.
• For artistic effect. ARTISTIC EFFECT INTERIORS
Late Spring
inky ripples and reﬂections

enchanted emerald forest

magical evening light

the romance of ruins

sparkling dewdrops

Sweet May hath come to love us,

Flowers, trees, their blossoms don;
And through the blue heavens above us
The very clouds move on
Heinrich Heine
126 LATE SPRING

Children outdoors
The best child portraits are informal and uncontrived, CAMERA MODE LENS SETTING
and there’s nowhere better to capture their sense of Select Portrait
mode or Aperture Zoom to moderate
fun, curiosity, and exuberance than the great outdoors. Priority and an telephoto
aperture of f/4
If you want to make some collaborative pictures it’s
best to do this at the start of the photo session, then SENSOR/FILM SPEED FLASH
just let them do their own thing. Once they’re happily
Use a low ISO
Shoot without flash
entertaining themselves, they’ll forget you’re there and setting (e.g. ISO 100)

give you a chance to make some lovely natural images.

FOR THIS SHOT

A lone child heads off to
explore a colorful garden.
Absorbed in his own world,
he seems oblivious to
the photographer.

Shooting angle
1 Although it’s unusual
in portraiture, in some
situations a back view can
work well. Stance, rather
than facial expression
conveys emotion. Here,
you can sense the child’s
hesitation as he sets off on
his little adventure.

Depth of field
2 Use a wide aperture
to create a shallow depth
of field. Here, the blurred
foreground and mid-ground
create a dreamy atmosphere.

Composition
3 Including the out-of-
focus foliage in the picture’s
foreground frames the child
and adds depth.
CHILDREN OUTDOORS 127

TRY THIS ALTERNATIVE APPROACHES

Next time you take Children will often be happy to perform for the camera,
your child to the and this can bring out their character. However, even if
playground, join in the your subjects won’t fully cooperate you can still capture
fun to create some engaging images.
active shots. To convey
the movement of a
Occasionally even the most
merry-go-round use a
accommodating children
slow shutter time of
become camera shy. Instead
around 1/8 sec to
of coaxing and cajoling, take
produce effective
some pictures anyway. Here,
motion blur.
the posture of the children,
who are clearly delighting in
teasing the photographer,
has produced a charming
double portrait.

For a dynamic group shot,

put yourself in the middle of
the action and shoot from a
low angle. Select a wide-
angle view and shoot in
burst mode if you have it
(or at least take several
consecutive shots) to
improve your chances.

When photographing children, it’s usually best to get down

to their eye level, or lower. This gives a child’s eye view of their
world. When shooting in bright sunlight, use a little fill-in flash
to avoid harsh shadows.

morning sunlight in your shots.

FOR THIS SHOT

As the sun rises it picks out
this spider’s web sagging
under the weight of the
morning dew.

Lighting
1 Arranging the shot
with an oblique angle
between the spider’s
web and the sun produces
bright highlights, making
the web sparkle.

Composition
2 Zoom out to include
the surrounding landscape,
but get close to the web to
make it really dominate the
frame. A small aperture
setting will keep most of
the scene sharp.

Watch out for wind

3 Even a hint of breeze
will ruin shots of delicate
dew formations on fragile
structures like webs and
grasses. Shoot when the air
is still or stand to one side
to create a barrier.
SPRING DE W 129

TAKE IT FURTHER
THE WORLD IN A DROPLET
Get in close enough and a single
drop of dew can act like a wide-angle
lens, reproducing the scene beyond
(albeit in inverted form). To capture
this you’ll need to be really close
and use a macro lens to focus on
an individual droplet. Adjust your
position to show an interesting scene
in the droplet and use a wide
aperture to blur the background.

ALTERNATIVE APPROACHES
In the most subtle of ways dew can transform every detail
in the landscape, giving you the opportunity to photograph
familiar scenes and objects in striking new ways.

On smooth surfaces dew

forms in distinctive patterns.
The low sunlight raking
across this car hood gives
the dew drops a very
graphic feel. In such harsh
light, experiment with
different exposures.

Explore different materials

and notice the way the
formation of the droplets
changes on different
textures. When using a
Macro setting, take care
to avoid casting a dark
shadow (from you or the
camera) on your subject.

Working the land

The scale of human impact on the environment is CAMERA MODE LENS SETTING
perhaps best illustrated by the extent that agriculture has Select Landscape
mode or Aperture Zoom to maximum
transformed the natural landscape—from patchwork Priority and an wide angle
aperture of f/16
fields to regimental rows of trees. However, capturing
human interest in your photographs will give them an SENSOR/FILM SPEED FLASH
extra dimension, whether you’re documenting people’s
Use a low ISO
Shoot without flash
working lives or trying to communicate the relationship setting (e.g. ISO 100)

between farmers and their land.

FOR THIS SHOT

This photo captures the
range and intensity of
Asian paddy field farming.
Including the workers
in the picture gives the
viewer a sense of the
scale of their task.

Wide angle
1 Zoom out as wide as
possible to include as much
foreground detail and distant
landscape as you can.

Depth of field
2 The way the channels
wrap around the contours
of the hillside has created
a striking rhythmic pattern.
A small aperture setting
has been used to ensure
that the full extent of the
terracing appears sharp.

Framing
3 The framing of this
shot nicely captures the
terraces’ dramatic lines as
they sweep across the scene.
It also gives us a detailed
glimpse of the crops in
the foreground.
WORKING THE LAND 131

TRY THIS ALTERNATIVE APPROACHES

Set your camera to As well as wider views that take in the impact of
portrait mode and agricultural activity on the landscape, try to capture
take photos of people the hard-working spirit of agricultural workers as
working from a they engage in their day-to-day tasks.
modest distance.
Using portrait mode
An unusual viewpoint
will render the
will give you a very
foreground blurred,
different perspective on
which both frames the
your subject. If possible, try
subject and picks her
photographing them from
out in sharp detail.
directly above to focus on
the individual and their
immediate environment,
rather than the wider
landscape around them.

Working the land is a

hands-on activity, and this
can be interpreted literally
with some close-up shots.
Here, the tight framing and
low angle of the picture
isolates the job in hand.

Pictures of people working the land need not always show them
toiling away. A moment’s respite is a good opportunity to shoot
a considered portrait. By placing this farmer off-center, the
viewer’s focus is split between him and his land.

shots of the natural world.

FOR THIS SHOT

This image of a koi carp
has the sparse yet highly
decorative appeal of a
Japanese silk painting.

Exposure
1 In this image there is
a strong contrast between
the inky water and brightly
colored fish. By using an
underexposure of 1 stop the
water remains dark but the
fish is correctly exposed.

Flash
2 Full flash has been
used to produce the very
bold highlights on the
ripples. Shooting at an
oblique angle limits direct
reflections and avoids glare.

Composition
3 By placing the fish
off-center and limiting its
size in the frame, more
emphasis is given to the
dazzling effect of the
water ripples.
POND LIFE 133

TRY THIS ALTERNATIVE APPROACHES

Although the build-up of A lot of activity takes place on, in, and around ponds, albeit
algae in a pond may be on a small scale. Some of this activity is obvious, while some
undesirable, if you study it needs to be discovered. A day spent by a pond is an exercise
closely it has all the tone in patient observation, but is well worth the time and effort.
and pattern of a miniature
landscape. Zoom right in
Use reflections from
to isolate a pleasing area
surrounding foliage and the
and shoot at an oblique
clear or cloudy sky to create
angle to limit the amount
bold shapes, patterns, and
of unwanted reflection.
colors that will add depth
and interest to your pictures.

When photographing
amphibians, try to place
them in the context of their
environment. Use a wide
depth of field to include as
much detail as possible. Try
an overhead view to make
the most of strong shapes,
such as lily pads.

Predators are frequently

drawn to garden ponds. In
a moment of calmness the
elegant outline of this egret
is captured against the dark
water. But be prepared to
set your camera to Shutter
Priority and select a brief
exposure time to freeze the
action when the bird strikes.

Use a waterproof camera

or housing to capture pond
life from beneath the water.
Zoom to wide-angle and
set the camera to Auto
white-balance. Taking care
not to disturb any sediment,
reach toward the bottom of
the pond and point the
camera toward the surface.

mapping features on some cameras are very effective.

FOR THIS SHOT

The tight framing of this
image focuses the eye on
the texture of the falling
water and vibrant color
of the moss-covered rocks.

Exposure time
1 Experiment with
exposure times to capture
the water in different ways.
Here, a long exposure has
blurred it—the faster the
flow the more milky it
appears. A short exposure
would have produced sharply
defined water droplets.

ISO setting
2 The long exposure
times necessary for water
blur will accommodate a
low ISO sensitivity, giving the
highest image quality.

Lighting
3 Be prepared to wait for
sunlight to break through
the trees to highlight some
areas of the waterfall, leaving
others in the shade.
WATERFALLS 135

TRY THIS
By zooming in and
concentrating on a small
section of a waterfall you
can create abstract images
that highlight texture,
pattern, and color. Use
reflections of the sky and
surrounding trees and
varying degrees of motion
blur to introduce extra color
and dynamism.

ALTERNATIVE APPROACHES
As well as mastering the varied effects you can achieve
with different exposure times, experiment with other
variables, such as lighting and focal length.

The force of a waterfall

breaking on rocks or
gathering in a pool can
produce a fine mist
above the water. If you’re
able to position yourself
between this mist and the
sun you may be rewarded
with a rainbow.

Flowing water can look

much the same from near
or far, so it can be difficult
to communicate the size of
a waterfall in a photograph.
Shooting from a distance
and including a person,
tree, or other familiar object
for reference provides
a sense of scale.

Cats and dogs

Capturing your beloved cat’s or dog’s character and
quirky behavior in photographs can be as entertaining
as it is challenging. As with small children, the key to
success is having your camera on hand so that you can
fire off a sequence of quick shots when something
catches your eye. In this way, you should be able to
make some spontaneous, natural-looking portraits.

FOR THIS SHOT CAMERA MODE

Hunters by nature, cats love to look out Select Portrait
at the world from a secret hiding place. mode or Aperture
Here, the curtains form a frame for the Priority and an
aperture of f/5.6
small furry face peeping through them.
SENSOR/FILM SPEED
Eye contact
1 Get your camera ready and
Use a high ISO
prefocus, then gently call your cat’s setting (e.g. ISO 1000)
name, to make her look straight at you.

Timing LENS SETTING

2 Pets don’t stay still for long, so
take your shots quickly. Hesitation can Zoom to moderate
mean the difference between a good telephoto
shot and a shot with no cat at all.
FLASH
Background
3 The plain, neutral curtains help
to focus attention on the cat’s face— Shoot without flash
especially her striking, green eyes and
her whiskers, picked out by the light.

TRY THIS
Cats and dogs love to bask
in a warm, sunny spot.
Rather than photographing
them in full sun—which
might make them squint—
try to catch them in dappled
shade, such as under a tree
or beneath a blind. Both will
cast an interesting pattern
of shadows on both your
pet and the background.
C ATS AND DOGS 137

ALTERNATIVE APPROACHES
You know your pet’s habits and how it reacts in different situations, so you may be
able to set up some characterful shots with the help of a friend or family member.
For more relaxed shots, it’s worth taking advantage of the fact that your pet
probably spends a great deal of time asleep, recovering from its busy day.

Traditional cat and dog portraits

often mimic conventional portrait
techniques and adopt the head-
and-shoulder format. Enlist
someone to talk to your pet and
engage his attention so that you
can take some more natural-
looking profile shots.

Pets are, of course, at their most

relaxed when fast asleep. Get
down low on the ground and
zoom in close to get an intimate
shot of your pet’s face that fills the
frame. Use Portrait mode to keep
the background soft and focus
attention entirely on the face.

A close-up can sometimes

produce a more expressive picture
than one that includes the whole
face. Rather than getting up too
close, zoom in from a moderate
distance. As long as the eye is in
focus, it doesn’t matter if other
elements are a little soft. Crop
the image further to finesse the
framing, if needed, and try
converting to black and white
for added impact.

and to capture all the subtle variations of color.

FOR THIS SHOT

This viewpoint—lying on the
ground gazing up through
the branches—evokes the
feeling of peace and
tranquility you can
experience on a sunny
spring day in the woods.

Wide view
1 For maximum impact,
zoom out as wide as
possible, emphasizing the
giddying convergence of
the tree trunks.

Exposure
2 When shooting a tree
canopy against a bright sky,
set your exposure to the
leaves. The sky will be
overexposed, but the bright
greens of the foliage will
be preserved.

Vary settings
3 Bracket exposure and
experiment with different
orientations, as small
alterations in aim can
make a significant difference
with wide-angle shots.
LUSH GREENERY 139

TRY THIS ALTERNATIVE APPROACHES

In addition to making Wander through a woodland in the spring and you’ll find
young green leaves gorgeous views at every turn. Whether you’re photographing
appear more vivid, you close-ups or exploring wider views, crop in tightly to exclude
can use backlighting the sky and focus all attention on the lush greenery.
to pick up detail, such
as the leaf’s skeletal
Zooming in from a distance
structure and any
has created a shallow depth
variations in color.
of field in this image of
Use a Macro setting
sunlight filtering through
and fill the frame.
trees. If your camera has a
Vivid Color mode, use it to
enhance color saturation.

Look for layers of new

growth against old to find
repeating patterns in
contrasting shades of
green. Use a Macro setting
to get in really close to the
smaller leaves and fronds
and shoot square-on.

A relatively thin cover of

deciduous foliage allows
light to spill onto the forest
floor, lighting up the
verdant mosses. Get in
close enough to examine
the texture and detail, but
try framing the shot to
show the way they blanket
the woodland floor.

FOR THIS SHOT CAMERA MODE

This tender portrait conveys the special Select Portrait
relationship between a mother and her mode or Aperture
newborn baby. Tight framing eliminates Priority and an
aperture of f/4
unwanted evidence of the hospital room.
SENSOR/FILM SPEED
Framing
1 Getting in close—either literally
or by using a zoom lens—increases the Use a low ISO
setting (e.g. ISO 100)
sense of intimacy and focuses attention
on the bond between the subjects.
LENS SETTING
Black and white
2 Making the image black and
white removes any color distractions Zoom to moderate
telephoto
and evens the newborn’s skin tones.

Lighting
3 Position your subjects carefully
FLASH
to take advantage of soft natural
lighting from a window. Use the fall Shoot without flash
of the light to draw attention to the
baby and highlight its features.

ON YOUR PHONE
SNAP AND SEND
Because it is always with you, a camera
phone is perfect for catching those
fleeting but memorable expressions.
You can then quickly share your images
with family and friends as email
attachments or multimedia messages.
You can even upload them directly to
your favorite social media site or post
them on an online album.
BABY POR TRAITS 141

ALTERNATIVE APPROACHES
Baby photographs are among our most cherished possessions. Keeping a
camera handy will not only help you to record key stages and events in your
baby’s life, but also those everyday moments that might easily be forgotten.
Take lots of photos, but try to be disciplined when it comes to editing them.

Tender moments, when a parent’s

smiles and kisses are reciprocated
by a baby, make wonderfully
expressive portraits. Use a plain
background or shallow depth of
field to isolate your subjects, then
zoom in as close as you can to
catch the expressions on both faces.

A play gym with colorful toys

is ideal for catching a baby’s
interest and can stimulate a wealth
of charming expressions. In this
picture, shooting through the gym
with a shallow depth of field has
created an appealing foreground
that frames the baby’s face well.

TRY THIS
For a different approach, experiment with images that focus on one part of the
baby, or are symbolic in some way. This shot emphasizes how tiny the baby’s feet
are, and the heart shape of the hands expresses the love felt by the parent.

In the night garden

By night, a garden can be gloomy and uninviting or, CAMERA MODE LENS SETTING
with the judicious placement of just a few lights, Select Landscape
mode or Aperture Zoom to moderate
something quite magical. Views that by day are Priority and an wide angle
aperture of f/11
dominated by color and flowing planting, at night
may be superseded by more dramatic and theatrical SENSOR/FILM SPEED FLASH
scenes. Night lighting can transform any garden, Use a medium to
high ISO setting Shoot without flash
drawing attention to photogenic areas and throwing (e.g. ISO 400 to 800)
distractions into shadow.

FOR THIS SHOT

Shot at dusk, ornamental
lighting has brought this
Japanese garden to life.
It has harmonized the
structural and living
elements and produced a
layering effect that gives
the image depth.

Natural light
1 Night shots often work
best when there’s still a little
light in the sky. This adds
some color and interest
to the background.

Reflections
2 When light is limited,
exploit the ability of water
to produce glowing
reflections that enliven
the scene.

Depth of field
3 Use a small aperture
setting to ensure that you
have the maximum depth of
field. Make the most of both
foreground elements and the
distant landscape to further
create a feeling of depth.
IN THE NIGHT GARDEN 143

TAKE IT FURTHER ALTERNATIVE APPROACHES

AN ENIGMATIC PORTRAIT Capturing the essence of a garden at night need not
Using portable lights and a involve just shooting wide, all-embracing views. Focusing
few props—which you may on details can result in unusual and evocative images.
already have—you can Use any garden lighting that’s available but also try
stage intriguing garden experimenting with flash and combining the two.
portraits. Carefully position
the lights to impart a Use flash in the garden at
surreal or romantic feel. night to render plants
Underexpose by around 2/3 brightly lit against a dark
stop to preserve the dark background. The flash will
tones and atmosphere. light the foreground but
not beyond. Underexpose
by 1 to 2 stops to retain
detail in the plant and to
prevent it from appearing
washed out.

Exploit low light levels

at night to take long
exposures of illuminated
water features, blurring
them to produce a silken
cascade. Using a tripod or
nearby stable surface, try
shots at 1/2 sec or 1 sec.

Make a feature of attractive

light sources, such as these
paper lanterns. Depending
on their output, and your
exposure time, they may
illuminate the garden
around them. Alternatively,
use a burst of fill-in flash to
gently light the scene.

to evoke the atmosphere of lost worlds.

FOR THIS SHOT

This photo exploits the
contrast between the solidity
of the columns in deep
shadow and the intricate
windows in the sunlight.

1 Exposure
When shooting a
scene that contains shadow
and bright light, ensure that
you balance the exposure to
prevent the shadows from
becoming too deep or the
highlights being burned out.

Composition
2 When composing your
shot, exploit the structure of
the ruin. Look for strong lines
and alignments that will help
to enhance the depth of
the scene.

Use a tripod
3 To obtain a wide depth
of field use a small aperture
setting. To achieve a sharp
image, especially at a low ISO
sensitivity, you may need
to use a tripod.
ROMANTIC RUINS 145

TRY THIS ALTERNATIVE APPROACHES

To draw attention to Whether it rises up dramatically from a barren landscape,
the dramatic lines and or is partially obscured by undergrowth, much of the
shadows of a ruined drama of a ruined building is created by its setting. Stand
building, try shooting back and observe how it interacts with its surroundings.
in black and white.
This will create a
The warm lighting of the
strong graphic image,
golden hour—the hour
with good contrast,
before sunset or after
that might not be
sunrise—casts a soft glow
as effective if shot
over landscapes and ruins.
in color.
For a strong composition
that conveys the isolation
of the location, position the
ruin off-center, leaving
room in the frame for an
expanse of wilderness.

Next time you take a walk

in the woods, keep your
eyes open for buildings
being overwhelmed by
the trees and shrubs. Here,
the white of the cottage
is being displaced by
the emerald green of the
undergrowth, which
unifies the picture.

A ruin needn’t dominate

a shot to be its main focal
point. Get down low to
create a composition in
which the distant ruin is
balanced by the foreground
landscape. For best results,
zoom out to a wide-angle
lens setting and use a very
small aperture to keep the
whole image sharp.

focus on the details of dresses, flowers, and decorations.

FOR THIS SHOT

This shot shows the brides
and grooms at a Chinese
collective wedding tossing
lucky silk ribbons around a
tree. The spontaneity and
happy atmosphere are
reflected in the informal
nature of the picture.

Get up close
1 Once the formalities
are over and the key players
have started to relax, zoom
out wide and move in close
to the action, but make sure
you don’t get in the way.

Exposure
2 Don’t be afraid to use
the autoexposure mode
when people are moving
around. It’s a good idea to
take as many pictures as
you can, and review them
during quiet moments so
that you don’t miss anything.

Sharpness
3 A wide-angle view
with a small aperture setting
keeps the whole scene sharp.
WEDDING DAY 147

ON YOUR PHONE ALTERNATIVE APPROACHES

SELECTIVE COLOR It’s best to leave formal group photos to the professionals
Black and white is a and focus instead on more personal pictures of the bride,
classic look for wedding groom, and guests. Keep an eye open for humorous
photos. Give a few moments too—there are always a few at a wedding.
images a twist by using
a selective color app. The pairing of hands is
This will transform an symbolic of the whole
image to black and wedding and makes a
white, then let you striking image. This colorful
add colors where shot is packed with intricate
you choose, to create detail and contrasting
eye-catching highlights. patterns. Using the portrait
mode has blurred the
background a little so the
hands stand out sharply.

The preparations and

the activities behind the
scenes at a wedding
present some of the best
photo opportunities. This
candid shot, which cleverly
incorporates a reflection of
the scene beyond, captures
a rare quiet moment in a
busy day, which would
otherwise have gone
unnoticed.

TAKE IT FURTHER
ULTRA WIDE ANGLE
You may need to use an ultra wide-angle lens to take in the
whole scene at key moments in the ceremony. Although there
may be some distortion, such images create a dramatic impact.

CROPPING CORRECTING LEVELS

Although it’s a very basic adjustment, cropping a The Adjust Levels control lets you adjust the tones in
photograph can have a dramatic effect on its impact. a photograph to ensure that it contains a full range,
You can crop to remove distractions from the edges from deep blacks to bright whites. Most programs use
of photographs, enlarge or reposition the main a graphical representation called a histogram.
subject, and change the overall image format to Adjust the levels by dragging the sliders under the
match that of a frame or print. histogram. As you move them, observe the effect this
With the cropping tool selected, you simply define has on the image. For best results, drag the sliders to
the top left hand corner of the desired crop and drag meet the start and end points of the histogram curve.
to the bottom right. You can then use the corner The Auto Levels command is a useful shortcut,
“handles” to fine-tune the final crop. automatically adjusting levels for the best distribution.

CROPPED IMAGE WITH ORIGINAL ORIGINAL LEVELS ADJUSTED

BASIC IMAGE ADJUSTMENTS 149

COLOR BALANCE AND SATURATION SHADOWS AND HIGHLIGHTS

Use the Color Balance or Hue controls to correct To brighten areas of
unwanted color casts (see pp.36–37). The Color shadow in your images
Balance control changes the primary and secondary and to stop bright
hues in an image (red/cyan, green/magenta, highlights becoming
blue/yellow), whereas the Hue control shifts the featureless, use the
entire range of colors by an equal amount. Shadow/Highlight tool.
To give colors an extra boost, or to reduce their Move the respective
impact, use the Saturation control. When increasing sliders until you are
saturation, be careful not to overdo it—an increase of happy with the results.
between 5 and 8 percent is usually sufficient. A light touch—with
adjustments kept under
10 percent—is best.
ORIGINAL BRIGHTENED

DID YOU KNOW?

IMAGE SIZE
When making any image adjustments it’s best to use
the original image as it was downloaded from your
camera. Many changes can be applied more subtly
on a larger image. If you later need a smaller image
file, say for web use, change the size using the Image
Size command. However, it’s a good idea to keep a
copy of the original too, just in case you need the
ORIGINAL INCREASED SATURATION best-quality image again.

REMOVING DISTRACTIONS
Whether it’s a speck of dust, a
conspicuous road sign, or even
a post appearing to grow out
of your subject’s head, some
distractions really need to be
removed. The Clone (or Rubber
Stamp) tool conceals any mark or
flaw by simply copying pixels from
another part of the image. It takes
a little practice—particularly in
choosing the best place from
which to copy—to get perfect
results, but the reward is usually
well worth the effort.
ORIGINAL DISTRACTION REMOVED
Early Summer
shimmering iridescence

Summer afternoon—summer
afternoon… the two most beautiful
words in the English language
Henry James

the drowsy hum of bees

turquoise pool of light

all the fun of the fair

mist-shrouded mountains
154 EARLY SUMMER

Eating al fresco
When the days are warm and the evenings are long, CAMERA MODE LENS SETTING
few people need much of an excuse to dine al fresco. Select Portrait
mode or Aperture Zoom to moderate
Whether it’s a barbecue or a simple picnic, outdoor Priority and an telephoto
aperture of f/4
dining tends to be a relaxed affair, making it an ideal
setting for fun-filled pictures of friends and family SENSOR/FILM SPEED FLASH
enjoying themselves. Al fresco meals also offer the
Use a low ISO
Shoot without flash
opportunity for some candid portraits as well as setting (e.g. ISO 100)

still-life photos of food.

FOR THIS SHOT

This lovely scene captures
everything that is good
about al fresco dining,
from the food in the
foreground to the expectant
faces of the children.

Composition
1 The close framing on
the barbecue food and the
children’s faces gives this
shot clear focus. The fork
entering from above is a
quirky compositional element
that directs the eye.

Depth of field
2 A wide aperture has
been used to create a narrow
depth of field, drawing our
attention to the food. The
children have been blurred
nicely but we can still
recognize their expressions.

Exposure
3 As the main subjects
have been shot against a
bright background, the
picture has been slightly
overexposed to retain detail
and avoid silhouetting.
EATING AL FRESCO 155

TRY THIS
For an image with an unusual
perspective and an interesting
framing device, photograph
people dining outdoors from
inside the house. Set your exposure
to the outdoor scene, which will
silhouette the interior, then
experiment with fill-in flash to pick
out some interior details without
distracting from the main subject.

ALTERNATIVE APPROACHES
Whether captured individually or together, both of
the focal points of al fresco dining—the food and the
company—have plenty of photographic potential.

An appetizing spread, laid

out for a picnic, is the
perfect subject for a still-life
photo. If it helps the
composition, reposition the
food, paying attention to
contrasting textures and
complementary colors.

Step back from a picnic

and take some candid
group shots. From a
moderate distance you’ll
need to zoom in to get a
tight composition that fills
the frame. The unusual
framing of this shot has
emphasized the relaxed
and casual atmosphere.

Shooting from directly

overhead puts a fresh,
graphic twist on picnic
photos. Stand on a chair
and zoom out to capture
the patterns created
by the food and people.
The shapes and colors of
this image are reminiscent
of a kaleidoscope.

of both sweeping vistas and intriguing details.

FOR THIS SHOT

This wide-angle view makes
a feature of one ornamental
element of the garden, while
also including the palace
beyond and the magnificent
natural setting.

Composition
1 The stone urn in the
foreground helps to structure
the image and lead your eye
down the steps to the palace.
The tall hedges on either
side create a strong sense
of perspective.

Depth of field
2 Use a small aperture
setting to maximize depth
of field in order to keep
everything from the urn to
the distant landscape as
sharp as possible.

Lighting
3 When the light is
coming from one side, it
creates strong shadows. This
side-lighting helps define
features such as the relief in
the stone urn, conferring a
rounded volume to it.
FORMAL GARDEN 157

TRY THIS
In some gardens it’s
the hard landscaping
more than the planting
that creates the most
striking point of interest.
Look for areas where
contrast of light and
shade emphasizes
patterns and textures
and zoom in close to
eliminate distractions.

ALTERNATIVE APPROACHES
Just because a garden is grand in scale, it doesn’t mean
your pictures must be too, so think about taking a more
intimate approach. Look at the garden in terms of form,
color, and texture—as if it were a work of art.

Clipped box hedges and

topiary are typical features
of many formal gardens.
Look for viewpoints that
make the most of the
modeling effect of light and
shadow to accentuate the
contrast between their
geometric shapes and the
more informal planting.

Here, the arches of a rose

tunnel draw your eye into
the distance, with splashes
of red providing a lively
counterpoint to the
dominant green of the
image. In high contrast
scenes, experiment with
position and exposure
times to find a pleasing
balance between areas
of light and shade.

ideal place to experiment with exposure times too.

FOR THIS SHOT

The sensation of speed and
excitement on this whirling
carousel are evocatively
conveyed by the rakish
angle of the shot and the
strong blurring.

Wide-angle setting
1 Include both the
carousel and riders by
shooting as wide as you
can from a low viewpoint.

Exposure
2 Overexposing by 2/3 to
1 stop has given this shot an
airy feel, retaining the blue of
the sky as well as the color
and detail in the shadowed
area of the carousel.

Shutter time
3 To capture motion blur
while keeping the subject
recognizable, experiment
with an exposure time from
1/30 sec to 1/4 sec.
AT THE CARNIVAL 159

TRY THIS ALTERNATIVE APPROACHES

By their very nature, For all the clamor and color, there’s something nostalgic
fairgrounds are rather unruly about the fairground atmosphere too. Try to capture the
and boisterous places. Take spirit of tradition as well as the dazzling frenzy of the fair.
advantage of the bubbly
mood to make some silly, A ride on the rollercoaster
fun pictures of friends and or ferris wheel will give you
family. The weird distortions an overview of the site. You
of a Hall of Mirrors is won’t be able to move
guaranteed to have around much to compose
everyone laughing—get as your shot, of course, but try
close as you can and keep to include as many people
shooting while the others as possible and use the
move around. colorful awnings to
introduce some structure
to the scene.

Carnivals come alive at

night. Set your camera on a
tripod and experiment with
long exposures to capture
the blur of the spinning
lights. Try using your flash
too, for images that
combine sharpness and blur.

Without the distraction

of color, all attention is
focused on the child’s
smiling face. This treatment
also lends the image a
charming, timeless quality.

The twisted poles and

painted horses of traditional
carousels are fascinating
examples of craftsmanship.
Choose a place where the
horses are well lit and zoom
in if necessary. If the
carousel is moving, use
a short exposure time to
freeze the movement or
longer ones for blur.

FOR THIS SHOT

This picture sums up the
opportunism required
for successful street
photography. The billboard
image lends a surreal cut-
and-paste quality to the
busy urban street scene.

Depth of field
1 A very small aperture
setting ensures that
everything in the scene—
from the close-up portrait
to the buildings in the
background—is in focus.

Contrasts
2 The difference in scale
between the woman in the
foreground and the people
behind is matched by the
contrast between her glamour
and the urban clamor.

Composition
3 While the billboard
provides a strong vertical
division, the inclusion of
the strip of street scene
on the left ensures that this
doesn’t become an image
of two disparate halves.
STREE T PHOTOGRAPHY 161

ON YOUR PHONE ALTERNATIVE APPROACHES

SEIZING THE MOMENT The key to effective street photography is spotting photo
A camera phone comes opportunities developing. Once you start looking, you’ll
in handy for capturing begin to recognize and anticipate many intriguing, amusing,
those unexpected and telling moments all around you.
moments. The curious
juxtaposition of the Street photography
women in head scarves doesn’t have to be candid:
with the mannequin eye contact can help to
legs presents a quirky provide a strong visual link
image, spotted and between the subject and
snapped in an instant. the viewer. But this picture
is also about the hands.
Repeated gestures add
rhythm and an element
of humor to an image.

Keeping an ever watchful

eye will lead you to more
opportunities. This dog,
spotted sitting in the
driver’s seat of his owner’s
van, has transformed an
everyday scene into
something amusing
and, at the same time,
rather touching.

Many street photographers prefer to use black and white,

believing that color is distracting. In this image, thoughtful
composition has given an otherwise unremarkable scene a
reportage feel that demands a closer look.

quickly, so check the forecast and be prepared.

FOR THIS SHOT

This image—a view of
a Himalayan mountain—
successfully contrasts the
dazzling and majestic snowy
peak in the distance with
the modest stupa and wind-
torn prayer flags close by.

Exposure
1 To retain brightness in
the snowcapped mountains
and clouds, overexpose
by 2/3 stop.

Composition
2 Include a point of
interest in your foreground—
here, the moss-covered rock
and stupa—to balance the
more distant elements and
provide context.

Depth of field
3 To ensure that the
entire scene appears sharp,
from the texture of the
foreground rocks to the
jagged peaks beyond, select
landscape mode or a small
aperture setting.
MOUNTAIN SCENERY 163

TAKE IT FURTHER ALTERNATIVE APPROACHES

TEMPERATURE INVERSION Almost by definition, mountain photography is large-scale.
A temperature-inversion However, there’s more to shooting mountain landscapes
layer—in which air becomes than towering peaks and sweeping vistas—where possible,
warmer, rather than colder, as try to incorporate a human element into your images, too.
you move upward—produces
low altitude clouds that often People live and work in
fill mountain valleys. You may even the most extreme
have to wait for the right and inhospitable mountain
conditions, but you’ll be ranges. Approached with
rewarded with an intriguing sensitivity, candid
image, with clouds helping to pictures—using the
define the distant ridges. mountain landscape as a
backdrop—can provide a
powerful portrait of these
people in their environment.

At sunrise, lakes are more

likely to be flat and calm,
providing mirrorlike
reflections of their
surroundings. Here, the
mountain itself isn’t in
shot, but its reflection
shows its peak bathed in
clear morning light. The
boat provides context in
an image that would
otherwise feel abstract.

TRY THIS
Vary your perspective when photographing expansive
landscapes. Here, the plants in the foreground, and the lush hills
at the sides of the scene, frame the frosted peaks in the middle
of the image.

TAKE IT FURTHER ALTERNATIVE APPROACHES

CAUGHT IN FLIGHT Tame birds may give you your best chance for making
Capturing sharp and successful portraits, but you’ll need a different approach for
well-exposed images of wild birds. Try creating artistic images of groups of perched
birds in flight is a real birds, or capture their movement in flight using motion blur.
challenge. For the best
results you’ll need to use As evening falls many bird
a camera with a focus species gather in flocks on
tracking function. Set wires, rooftops, or pylons,
the metering mode and this is a good time to
to Center weighted to capture them en masse, in
achieve a good exposure silhouette. Underexpose to
of your subject. darken the silhouettes and
boost the color of the
twilight sky.

FOR THIS SHOT

Peacocks are confident as
well as colorful, which means
it’s usually easy to get close- This unusual image of a
flock of birds in flight has
up images of their iridescent
taken on an almost abstract
colors as they show off their
quality. Capture motion
plumage. blur by setting an exposure
time of 1/30 to 1/15 sec,
Composition and pan with the birds to
1 Positioning the blur the background too.
peacock’s head and neck to
one side and filling the rest
of the frame with feathers
emphasizes the scale and
impact of its plumage. It’s possible to make
intriguing pictures of the
Framing most ordinary subjects
2 Don’t always try to
by using an unusual
viewpoint. It takes a
accommodate the whole moment or two to work
bird in your picture. Here, out that this image is a
a tight framing has been group of pigeons on a store
used to block out any awning, taken from below.
background distractions.

ISO setting
3 To make the most of
the dazzling colors and
elaborate eye patterns of a
peacock’s feathers, increase
the ISO sensitivity for brief
exposures, freezing any
movement to create a
pin-sharp image.

See also: A walk in the park pp.22–23, Along the riverbank pp.100–01,
Garden safari pp.172–73, Exposure pp.316–17
166 EARLY SUMMER

Public sculpture
All cities have some kind of public sculpture, ranging CAMERA MODE LENS SETTING
from the classical and ancient to the abstract and Select Landscape
mode or Aperture Zoom to moderate
modern. Look at the sculpture from all angles before Priority and an wide angle
aperture of f/8
you start taking photographs to make sure you get the
best view. Rather than just documenting it, try to find SENSOR/FILM SPEED FLASH
ways to express your own vision. Capture the whole
Use a medium ISO
Shoot without flash
sculpture and its surroundings as well as looking at setting (e.g. ISO 400)

details that give a feel of the style of the piece.

FOR THIS SHOT

This unorthodox view of a
well-known site successfully
establishes its monumental
scale by including the janitor
in the frame.

Composition
1 The columns in deep
shadow place the sculpture
within its context and frame
both the sculpture itself and
the tiny figure at its feet.

Timing
2 An early start is
essential if you want to
explore your subject in
depth and capture an
atmospheric shot without
hordes of tourists.

3 Exposure
In scenes with areas
of deep shadow, set your
exposure for the main subject
so that it’s not overexposed.
PUBLIC SCULPTURE 167

TRY THIS
Turn a public sculpture into
a personal project. Shoot it
from a range of viewpoints
and at different times of day.
Show how it relates to its
environment—whether it
complements or contrasts
with surrounding architecture.
Explore how forms and
textures appear different
depending on how close
or far away you are.

ALTERNATIVE APPROACHES
Public sculptures may be somber or frivolous and situated
in grand or commonplace settings. The tone of the piece,
and its location, can help determine your approach.

A tight crop can be more

effective than trying to
capture the entire
sculpture. Zoom in to fill
the frame with the subject.
For varying results, revisit
the scene through the
day to see how light and
shadows affect it.

Some sculptures become part of the urban environment, while

others seem to invite the viewer to interact. Here passers-by
accept this incongruous structure without reacting to it—both
they and the city itself seem to become part of the artwork.

know that you’d like to photograph them.

FOR THIS SHOT

If you’re lucky enough to find
subjects as willing as these
young monks, make the
most of it. This lively, fun-
filled portrait is a real team
effort and perfectly captures
the boys’ amusement at
being photographed.

Use of color
1 Red can be distracting
when used as a highlight in
a picture, but the strong red
that dominates this image
provides coherence, creating
a balanced yet dynamic shot.

2 Wide angle
A wide-angle lens
setting allows all the subjects
to appear in the shot without
crowding together. Use this
setting with care—if you get
too close, the faces at the
edge of the picture will
become distorted.

3 Fill-in flash
The use of fill-in flash
gives bright, even-toned
lighting. The flash needs to
be balanced so that it
appears natural and doesn’t
overpower the ambient light.
TR AVEL POR TRAIT 169

TRY THIS ALTERNATIVE APPROACHES

If the location is great All successful portraits reveal something of the character
but your subjects are of the subject. Most travel portraits will be informal and
awkward and self- usually include elements of the environment.
conscious, make the
situation work to your
Candid shots are generally
advantage. Here, a formal
more expressive than formal
approach contributes to
portraits, even when they
the impact of the image
are posed. Here the girl was
because it captures the
asked to move into the
pride the subjects feel for
doorway and glance away
their treasured collection,
from the camera. The result
and what it represents.
is a well-balanced, natural-
looking portrait.

A posed portrait doesn’t

always mean a formal
portrait. This shot is staged,
but the sitter is relaxed in
his own environment.
Shooting at wide angle
has opened up the interior
of the taxi and revealed
interesting details.

Gorgeous lighting gives

portraits an atmospheric,
painterly feel. Use oblique
lighting (from a window to
the side in this case), gauge
the exposure based on the
lightest side of the subject’s
face, and compensate for
skin color—reducing it for
darker tones. Focus on the
nearest eye, then everything
else can be unsharp.

always put some money in the collection bowl.

FOR THIS SHOT

Have your camera ready at
all times. This saxophonist
has just begun to play and
a crowd hasn’t yet gathered,
giving the impression of a
private performance.

Composition
1 If the performer is
casting an eye-catching
shadow, position yourself to
make the most of it, while
avoiding including your own
shadow in the picture.

Background
2 Even though the
performer is the main point
of interest he doesn’t have
to fill the frame. Here, the
backdrop has the symmetry
and elegance of a stage set.

Atmosphere
3 It is worth waiting
for an expressive pose or
gesture from your subject.
Here, the saxophonist’s
soulful stance, and the
solitude of his setting,
conveys the feeling of him
being lost in his music.
STREE T PERFORMERS 171

TRY THIS ALTERNATIVE APPROACHES

Try capturing the essence To convey the full feeling of a street performance, try to
of a performer by zooming include more than just the routine itself. Details of costume,
in on important details. setting, and the audience’s reaction to the show will all
The gnarled knuckles and serve to make your images more telling.
toughened skin on this
guitarist’s hand encourage
Shooting from a low angle
the viewer to use their
to focus on the billowing,
imagination to speculate
colorful dresses of these
about his general
flamboyant dancers
appearance, and the
conveys the upbeat mood
content of his act.
of their performance.
Freeze rapid movements
by using a short exposure
time of around 1/125 sec
or shorter.

Capture both the performer

and his environment by
getting in close and
shooting with your zoom
set to a wide view. Don’t
worry if your subject isn’t
a magnet for attention—
indifferent passersby are
just as much a part of his
experience as large,
enthusiastic crowds.

TAKE IT FURTHER
PLAYING WITH PERSPECTIVE
Shooting from low down with a wide-angle lens distorts
the perspective of this image. It exaggerates the height of
the stilt-walkers, making them look as tall as the buildings.

bright, diffused light.

GARDEN SAFARI 173

ON YOUR PHONE ALTERNATIVE APPROACHES

ABSTRACT WALLPAPER A garden filled with summer color and buzzing with life
To create a striking wallpaper may seem chaotic and overwhelming, but wait a while and
for your phone, try shooting you’ll identify patterns of insect behavior and the best
through a magnifying glass to places to set up your camera.
capture one of the patterns in
nature found all around us. This grasshopper clinging
Here, the arrangement of tiny to a stem of grass has been
platelets on the surface of a nicely isolated by using a
butterfly’s wing makes a large aperture to create
beautiful abstract image. a very narrow depth of
field. The way that the
grasshopper is partially
obscured gives an insect’s-
eye view effect.

FOR THIS SHOT

With their brilliant colors and
symmetical markings,
butterflies are rewarding The radiating petals on
subjects for close-up this flower draw the eye to
photography, especially when its center, where a bee is
foraging for nectar. In
set against a floral background
situations like this, bees are
of complementary colors. generally single-minded
and won’t be disturbed by
Exposure your camera, even if you
1 If you’re shooting get very close to them.
dominant dark tones, like
those on this butterfly’s
wings, meter from the
background to prevent
overexposure. Look closely for unusual
subjects like this.
Backlighting intensifies
Focal length
2 Use the longest focal
color, particularly against
dark backgrounds. The
length to allow adequate alien-like shadow of this
distance between you and damselfly resting on a leaf
your subject. Select Macro makes an unconventional,
mode at short focal lengths, eye-catching image.
but take care not to cast a
shadow on your subject.

Fill-in flash
3 Experiment by
shooting with and without
fill-in flash to find the best
way to capture iridescent
colors like these.

People under water

You don’t need sophisticated or expensive equipment CAMERA MODE LENS SETTING
to photograph people under water. Some compact Select Portrait
mode or Aperture Zoom to moderate
cameras are waterproof to a modest depth, while Priority and an wide angle
aperture of f/11
others can be fitted with an underwater housing
or protected with purpose-made waterproof bags. SENSOR/FILM SPEED FLASH
Experiment with subject and atmosphere—from
Use a medium ISO
Shoot without flash
groups of people to individuals and from the setting (e.g. ISO 400)

lively and energetic to the serene.

FOR THIS SHOT

This vibrant shot, with its
bubbles, bright colors, and
smiling subject, captures the
exhilaration of splashing
around in the water.

Wide angle
1 Shooting under water
reduces the field of view
by approximately a third.
Use a wide-angle lens setting
to counteract this effect.

Distortions
2 When shooting in the
shallows, the surface of the
water will reflect and distort
your subject, creating the
kind of fragmented pattern
seen here.

White balance
3 When shooting near
the surface, use Auto or
Daylight settings. However,
if you’re shooting deeper
underwater, you’ll need to
alter the white balance or use
your camera’s underwater
settings to prevent your
subjects from taking on the
blue-green hue of the water.
PEOPLE UNDER WATER 175

TRY THIS ALTERNATIVE APPROACHES

Get your friends to sit on Thanks to the proliferation of affordable equipment, it’s
the edge of the pool with never been easier to take lighthearted, entertaining
their feet in the water and pictures of people having fun under water. Embrace the
photograph them from liberating effect that the unfamiliar aquatic environment
below. This creates quirky
has on you and your subjects.
images with a skewed,
elongated perspective—
the reverse of the truncated Of course it’s hard for
effect that happens when subjects to pose under
a person is standing in water—keeping a group
water and you photograph together and within your
them from dry land. frame is especially difficult.
However, these problems
can result in shots that are
more spontaneous than
other portraits.

You can create a stunning

image with an ethereal feel
by working underwater
with a subject wearing a
translucent, floaty fabric
such as chiffon or silk. Ask
your subject to strike some
balletic poses, and frame
the shot so you include the
broken reflection of the
fabric on the surface of
the water.

TAKE IT FURTHER
THE AQUATIC SPIRIT
Split-field shots that show
the surface of the water as
well as the subject below it,
seem to straddle two
worlds. You’ll need an SLR
fitted with a wide-angle
lens and housed in a plastic
box with a dome. The dome
corrects the magnification
of underwater images.

EQUIPMENT TAKING BETTER PHOTOS

When it comes to taking a camera under water, you Whatever equipment set-up you opt for, the following
have the following general options, in order of tips will help you to face the challenges of underwater
increasing cost: a waterproof camera bag; a purpose- photography and ensure that you get the best results:
made waterproof compact; a dedicated underwater • Familiarize yourself with your equipment before
camera housing; and a specialized underwater you get into the water; make sure that you know how
camera. The best option depends on how serious you to change the settings easily.
want to become. For casual use, a simple waterproof • Before you get into the open water, practice taking
compact camera will give you pleasing results, but for photos in the safe environment of a swimming pool.
more intensive use, the dedicated solutions that • Get in close to your subject so that color, contrast,
incorporate high quality cameras and let you add and sharpness aren’t reduced by the water.
accessories like underwater flash units are best. • The quality of light—and therefore colors and
contrast—are better close to the surface.
• Use both hands to keep the camera steady.
• Use flash to improve exposure and color.
• Shoot horizontally or upward, rather than down on
the subject, for better compositions and lighting.
• Try to ensure that the eyes of your subject are sharp.
• Use the sun to backlight your subject—this is very
effective as the water creates striking rays of light.
• Set the white balance to the underwater setting
if your camera has one.
• You will usually need to boost the contrast and color
of your underwater photos in post-production on your
computer, so shoot in the RAW image format, if
UNDERWATER HOUSING
possible, to create large unprocessed images.
UNDERWATER PHOTOGRAPHY 177

SAFETY FIRST SPLIT SHOTS

It’s easy to get carried away by the lure of great For photos in which the
underwater photographs. But entering any body of top half of the frame is
water can present dangers for the photographer. above the water, shoot
Even if you plan to do nothing more than fire off a in calm, clear water using
few shots in a hotel swimming pool, you need to be a dome housing (see
confident in the water and mindful of any local safety p.175). Use a wide-angle
restrictions. In open water, whether you’re scuba setting, and a small
diving or snorkeling, you need to have good aperture to create a
knowledge of your location and the environment. wide depth of field. Take
It’s important that you’re constantly aware of what’s your exposure from the
happening around you, and that you never get so top half of the image
engrossed in taking photos that you overlook but focus on your
potential threats to your safety. underwater subject.
HALF AND HALF

FAMILY ACTION CLOSEUP DETAIL

SUNLIGHT AND FLASH FACE TO FACE

Midsummer
ﬂowers in full bloom

cutting through the ocean waves

sapphire skies and swimming pools

splashing about

Clouds come ﬂoating into my life,

no longer to carry rain or usher storm,
but to add color to my sunset sky
Rabindranath Tagore

exploring new horizons

182 MIDSUMMER

Watersports
In the summer months, watersports enthusiasts head
for the beach to pursue their passion. Whether or not
you’re taking part, the subject offers the opportunity
to capture some really high-energy, high-impact shots.
If you’re going out on the water it’s a good idea to use
a waterproof camera or casing. Take plenty of shots
before, during, and after the action.

FOR THIS SHOT CAMERA MODE

For images like this, you’ll need to get Select Landscape
onto the water yourself, either on a mode or Aperture
boat or an inflatable. Priority and an
aperture of f/11

Water droplets
1 Although splashes on
SENSOR/FILM SPEED

the lens are usually to be avoided, Use a low

here they convey a feeling of being ISO setting
right in the middle of the action. (e.g. ISO 100)

Lens flare LENS SETTING

2 Shooting into the sun has
resulted in a bright burst of lens Zoom to moderate
flare that reinforces the exuberant telephoto
energy of the shot.
FLASH
Framing
3 The framing imparts a sense
of speed and movement, with the Shoot without flash
windsurfer entering the shot from one
side and moving toward the center.

TRY THIS
Shooting watersports
photos from beneath the
waves creates a very
different perspective. You’ll
need a bright day, clear
water, and a camera that’s
waterproof to the required
depth. Plan carefully so that
you avoid coming into
contact with your subject.
WATERSPORTS 183

ALTERNATIVE APPROACHES
Your approach to shooting watersports will largely be determined
by how involved—and how wet—you’re willing to get. It’s possible
to shoot some events, sailing regattas for example, by zooming in
from a distance—even from the shore. For others, however, you’ll
want to be close to the action. Remember that variety is key to
creating interest, so try making more reflective images too.

Shooting from the point of view

of a crew member on a boat can
yield some spectacular pictures.
The drama will be enhanced
if—regardless of the pitch of the
boat—you keep the horizon level.
A wide-angle setting will help you
to capture all the action. In bright
conditions, fill-in flash may be
useful for reducing harsh shadows.

Watersports photography
needn’t be confined to moments
of activity. The preparations,
equipment, or reactions of
spectators are all interesting
alternative shots. This monochrome
image, with the sun low in the sky,
captures the quiet satisfaction
experienced at the end of a
successful day on the waves.

Position yourself on the back

of a towing boat for some action-
packed shots of waterskiers and
wake boarders. Zoom in and pan
the camera to follow your subject
and keep him or her in sharp focus.
Selecting a medium-to-high ISO
sensitivity such as
ISO 400 to 800, will also help
reduce blur, allowing for shorter
exposure times, which will retain
sharpness in the churning water.

abstract, but always intriguing.

FOR THIS SHOT

Rivers are at the heart of
many cities, offering the
opportunity to depict
buildings and landmarks
in different ways. Here, a
reflected view of a bridge
and skyscrapers has been
rotated, adding another
surprising twist to the view.

Depth of field
1 A small aperture
has been used to ensure
that everything—from
foreground ripples through
to the building reflections—
appears sharp.

Composition
2 When composing your
image, experiment with
different angles and vantage
points and look for strong
structural elements.

Distortion
3 Here, ripples become
more pronounced toward
the bridge, causing
exaggerated distortions.
Watch and wait for interesting
patterns to emerge.
REFLEC TED CIT Y 185

TAKE IT FURTHER
USING A LETTERBOX CROP
Images featuring multiple layers
of reflections can sometimes be
so complex that they’re almost
unintelligible. However, their abstract
qualities can make beautiful images,
and using a nonconventional format
can be very effective. Here, a
standard format photograph has
been given a letterbox crop to
concentrate attention on the
overlapping reflections.

ALTERNATIVE APPROACHES
Look beyond major bodies of water for reflective surfaces
that are common in cities. Glass, metal, and even puddles
all reflect their surroundings in interesting ways.

The paintwork and glass

of vehicles can produce
reflections with radical
distortions that follow the
lines of the bodywork. Shoot
from different angles to get
the best effect from these
distortions, but try to keep a
wide depth of field.

Puddles produce reflections

that are semitransparent, so
it’s often possible to glimpse
the texture of the ground
beneath. Use a puddle’s
broken edges as a quirky
compositional device.

For bold, graphic images

capture reflections in glass-
clad buildings. The flat
surface produces a faithful
reflection of the sky but
imprints its own texture and
form. The even proportion
of sky and building gives
this image balance.

TRY THIS ALTERNATIVE APPROACHES

In modern office A candid approach is perfect for capturing, reportage style,
environments there the way people work. If you know, or get to know, the
are opportunities to people you’re interested in photographing, you may have
capture workers in a chance to experiment with more posed portraits, too.
unexpected ways.
Here, glass obscures
Look for unusual ways to
the faces of the
photograph people at work,
subjects so their
even if they’re not directly
body language
visible. Tools of the trade,
becomes the focus
clothing, and the subject’s
of the picture.
pose all provide clues
about their work. With a
little encouragement, some
workers may be willing
to help you craft a more
FOR THIS SHOT intriguing image.
Artisan workshops that are
open to the public provide Don’t shy away from asking
a wonderful opportunity to people’s permission to
get close to craftspeople photograph them. For
engrossed in their labors. posed pictures with a
natural feel, engage your
subject in conversation,
Approach
1 Think carefully about
building a rapport before
you start.
how you wish to portray
your subject. Here, the
composition hints at the
nature of the work, but
the artisan’s expression
of intense concentration
takes precedence.

Available light
2 Lighting conditions
in the workplace are often
crucial to the atmosphere,
so try to resist using flash,
if possible. You may need to
underexpose in dark settings
and increase ISO sensitivity.

Be discreet
3 In this type of
environment people are
used to being photographed,
so take time to compose If you get up early you may capture spontaneous images of
your shot—but show respect workers going about their business while most people are still
and try not to get in the way. in bed. Make use of the morning light to imbue ordinary scenes
with atmosphere and give a sense of the early hour.

possessing an instantly recognizable silhouette.

FOR THIS SHOT

This image captures the
determination of the cyclist
and the speed at which he’s
traveling. Motion blur in the
background was created by
panning with the cyclist at
a relatively long exposure.

Exposure
1 Try shooting with
different exposure times
to achieve varying amounts
of blur. Set an exposure of
1/4 sec as a starting point.

Focusing
2 Autofocus will struggle
with a fast-moving subject,
so set your camera to manual
and prefocus on a point
along the track. Press the
shutter when the cyclist
reaches that point.

3 Composition
It’s difficult to compose
an image while panning, so
it may be best to crop the
image later. Here, the cyclist
is just entering the left third
of the frame, suggesting
that he’s about to speed
out of view.
ON T WO WHEELS 189

TAKE IT FURTHER
POINT OF VIEW
Strap your camera to your chest,
your helmet, or even the frame of
your bike for some impressive point-
of-view shots. Wherever you mount
the camera, wide-angle shots will
work best as they’ll feature more of
the bike and the landscape sweeping
past. For images like these, with both
hands in the shots, you’ll need to set
your camera to the self-timer mode
or use a remote control.

ALTERNATIVE APPROACHES
Bicycles make an interesting subject for more artistic images
too. Try shooting them against a dramatic backdrop to
create arresting images of their distinctive geometry.

Clear, sharp silhouettes

have been created by
setting the exposure for
the glorious sunset.
Shooting from a low angle
and zooming in close
produces a dynamic image
that fills the frame.

Shot from above, the long shadows of the bicycles and their riders
are the main subject of this picture. They form a graphic contrast
with the strong horizontals in the picture—the railings and their
shadow, the edge of the sidewalk, and the road markings.

so it doesn’t compete with your main subject.

FOR THIS SHOT

A close-up, partial shot of a
sunflower draws attention to
the variation in colors and
texture in the flower head.

Lighting
1 Position yourself so the
light is coming from behind
the flower, bringing out the
color in the translucent
petals and highlighting the
fine hairs on the flower’s
bract and leaves.

Depth of field
2 Macro settings provide
a very limited depth of field.
Shoot from the side to get
more of the characteristic
parts of the flower in focus.

Picture quality
3 Choose a flower with
no visible damage (unless
that’s the look you’re after).
Choose a low ISO setting and
medium aperture to get the
sharpest image and best
color reproduction.
FLOWERS IN CLOSEUP 191

ON YOUR PHONE ALTERNATIVE APPROACHES

APPLYING COLOR TINTS As with all portraits, it pays to think about how best to
Make your camera phone capture the essence of your subject. Flowers have a diverse
photographs of flowers in range of characteristics—from showy to simple, gaudy to
black and white, then explore delicate, sturdy to fragile—so consider different approaches
apps that apply a tint to your to suit the type of flower you’re photographing.
images. Use discretion though:
as with most special effects, Very strong elements
tinting is most effective when of symmetry and repeating
used sparingly. patterns have been
captured in this image,
which would not have
been apparent from
another angle.

Try shooting in black and

white in order to place
emphasis on the beautiful
shape of flower petals.
This works especially
well with soft light and
low contrast.

Instead of throwing a distracting natural background out of focus,

try shooting flowers against a white backdrop. Use a sheet of
white paper and experiment with angle to avoid shadows.

See also: In the winter garden pp.30–31, Close-up and macro pp.92–93,
Flower fields pp.110–11, Spring blossom pp.118–19
192 MIDSUMMER

Crop fields
An understanding of the way that lines lead the eye
through a scene is important for any photographer.
The summer landscape is full of lines formed by
crop fields reaching maturity. For farmers, planting in
orderly rows is a method of crop management. For
photographers, these characteristic landscapes offer
endless opportunities to experiment with composition.

FOR THIS SHOT CAMERA MODE

Lavender fields, with their rounded Select Landscape
contours and gorgeous colors, are mode or Aperture
perennially popular subjects, so it’s well Priority and an
aperture of f/16
worth spending some time searching
for a really stunning view. SENSOR/FILM SPEED
Framing
1 Here, the sweeping curves begin Use a low ISO
in the corner of the frame and lead the setting (e.g. ISO 100)

eye into the scene. The contrast between

the lavender and the baked earth LENS SETTING
enhances the sense of movement.

Horizon
2 Including even a tiny sliver of the
Zoom to moderate
telephoto

view beyond the field gives a sense of

scale and proportion. FLASH

Depth of field
3 Using a small aperture for an Shoot without flash
extensive depth of field ensures that
the whole scene appears sharp.

TRY THIS
In summer the low evening
sun lights the tips of crops,
leaving the rest in shadow.
This enhances contrast and
makes colors more vibrant.
Allow a little lens flare into
the scene to accentuate the
golden light bathing the
hills in the background.
CROP FIELDS 193

ALTERNATIVE APPROACHES
The regularity of crop lines always draws attention as they cross the rural
landscape and their geometric patterns and block colors can be used to create
unusual, almost abstract images. As well as images of converging lines
stretching to the horizon, look for other strong, graphic compositions.

Position yourself so the landscape

is being lit from the side. Strong
side-lighting increases the contrast
between the crop lines and the
separating furrows, producing a
bolder composition than would
be achieved with backlighting.

Horizontal line compositions can

have just as much impact as
diagonal or converging lines. Use
these lines to divide your photo
into distinct sections. This image of
managed sugar cane crops has the
appearance of being split into four
parts—the blue sky, new and old
leaf growth, and the striped stems.

Tight framing on field boundaries can turn an agricultural landscape into

something more abstract, making shape and color predominate. Zooming
in flattens space and gives the impression that all areas of the picture are
on the same (or a similar) plane.

FOR THIS SHOT CAMERA MODE

The classic shot of a dog shaking itself Select Portrait
dry is quite tricky to achieve. Take as mode or Shutter
Priority and an
many pictures as you can and if your exposure time
camera has multi-shot mode, use that. of 1/500 sec

SENSOR/FILM SPEED
Freeze the action
1 To capture a fleeting moment,
Use a medium ISO
use a short exposure time (1/500 sec setting (e.g. ISO 400)
or less) to freeze the droplets of water.

Zoom in LENS SETTING

2 For maximum impact, zoom in
to fill the frame with the dog and the Zoom to moderate
swirling water. telephoto

Lighting
3 To make the water droplets
FLASH

sparkle, shoot the subject in sunlight.

A dark background will make them Shoot without flash
stand out.

TRY THIS
A dog leaping high into
the air to catch a ball,
stick, or Frisbee, can
make a memorable
image. Shooting
upward, from a position
on the ground, makes
the leap look more
impressive. If possible,
prefocus manually.
PE TS IN AC TION 195

ALTERNATIVE APPROACHES
Some pets are happy to perform while you photograph them. Others
may be more lazy, and so you’ll need to encourage them into action with
a favorite treat or a toy. As with any portrait, think about framing and
background as well as the animal’s pose.

For pictures that communicate an

intimate sense of your pet’s world,
get down to their level and go
close up, keeping as wide an angle
as possible. For a shot like this, get
someone else to amuse them so
you can concentrate on framing.

Capture an image of your pet

running directly toward you by
prefocusing your camera and
setting a wide aperture to provide
a shallow depth of field. Increase
the chances of a perfectly focused
and framed shot by using your
camera’s burst (or multi-shot)
mode, if it has one.

Puppies and kittens—and other

pets too—enjoy fighting. Although
this fighting is usually playful, there
is a single-minded intensity to it
that makes it the perfect subject
for shots like this. The animals will
be so absorbed with their activity,
they’ll be completely oblivious to
you and your camera.

There is a humorous energy to the

spectacle of a rodent running in
its wheel. Photograph it at roughly
1/30 sec and you’ll get a sharp shot
of the rodent, but the wheel itself
will be just a blur.

variations in natural light you’ll experience.

FOR THIS SHOT

The unforced vibrancy of this
image seems to epitomize
the essence of a camping
trip. Shooting through the
tent directly into the sun
produces a glowing, highly
atmospheric image.

Wide angle
1 Zoom out to the widest
angle possible to include as
much of the immediate
surroundings—here the tent
and the friends looking
out—as you can.

Composition
2 Be creative with your
composition. Having two
subjects face away from
the camera helps with the
framing and draws the
viewer into the image.

Exposure
3 If you’re shooting into
bright light, overexposing
by 1 stop will retain the
detail in your subjects,
and prevent them from
appearing as silhouettes.
C AMPING VACATIONS 197

TRY THIS
Tell the story of your trip by
documenting all its events and
details, even those you might
not regard as particularly
photogenic. The fun of cooking
outdoors—whatever the
weather—is a key aspect of the
camping experience so take
the opportunity to create some
images that are evocative of
the everyday, but equally
significant moments.

ALTERNATIVE APPROACHES
Make the most of time spent outdoors to explore the
interaction between people and the natural world—the
time of day, the environment, and the weather.

Shooting at dusk allows

you to make the most of
the play between light and
dark. For best effects, set
your white balance for the
ambient light which is
bluish, making the artificial
light in the tent more red.

Shooting a hike from

ground level puts you and
your camera in the heart
of the adventure. It can also
make ascents appear more
dramatic. Use a small
aperture setting to obtain
a large depth of field.

Take a break from helping

to set up camp to take
photographs of the process.
Make the shot as wide as
you can to include as
much of the landscape
as possible. In this image,
shooting from a low angle
has captured the maximum
amount of sky and tent.

Pictures from a plane

The views from the window of a plane can be
breathtaking, so next time you book a flight try to get a
window seat and take advantage of the chance to make
some stunning and unusual pictures. To achieve the best
shots, make sure your window is clean and, if possible,
reserve a seat toward the nose of the plane in front of the
engine to avoid the jet stream.

FOR THIS SHOT CAMERA MODE

Including glimpses of the plane, such as Select Portrait
a wing or window, gives context to the mode or Aperture
shot and can be used to frame the Priority and an
aperture of f/16
expanse of sky.
SENSOR/FILM SPEED
Depth of field
1 Select a small aperture to ensure
that everything in the image, from the Use a medium ISO
window frame in the foreground to setting (e.g. ISO 400)
the distant clouds, appear sharp.
LENS SETTING
Focus
2 Shooting through multiple layers
of a window can cause problems for Zoom to moderate
wide angle
your autofocus system, so make sure
you focus on an area of high contrast.
FLASH
Exposure
3 To ensure that you retain detail
in the clouds and capture the rich Shoot without flash
color of the sky, you might need
to underexpose by up to 1 stop.

ON YOUR PHONE
LANDING LIGHTS
From the air at night,
airports—and the cities they
serve—look like carpets of
multicolored lights. As you
come in to land, use a long
exposure app to record the
landscape below as a chaotic
tangle of light trails.
PIC TURES FROM A PLANE 199

ALTERNATIVE APPROACHES
Watch the sky throughout your flight and you’ll see a variety of magical
cloudscapes. As the lighting conditions change, you’ll also be rewarded with a
view of gorgeous shifting colors. Clear skies provide an opportunity for bird’s-
eye view images of the landscape below.

A low sun, partially illuminating

the cloud layer in a darkening sky,
is an impressive sight. Ice crystals
forming on multilayer aircraft
windows can cause the light to
scatter, creating a radiant sunburst
effect like this.

You can make a portrait of the

plane you’re traveling in by
catching its shadow as it passes
over the landscape below. Keep
a look out for an area of ground
that will make an effective canvas
for the shadow of the plane—an
expanse of a single, relatively light
color is ideal.

Summer in the tropics is the perfect time of year for capturing dappled
clouds like these, and the well-defined shadows they cast on the
landscape. If you experience increased vibration as you come in to land,
stabilize your camera by resting your little fingers on the window.

TRY THIS ALTERNATIVE APPROACHES

In an empty, still pool the As well as a backdrop for portraits and action shots of
light and shadow from family and friends enjoying themselves, the swimming
underwater lighting can pool can be used as a location for more atmospheric or
be used to create striking artistic shots. Although pools are at their busiest during the
abstract images. Use a high
day, don’t neglect the evening—an illuminated pool is a
ISO setting for hand-held
shots that allow you to
good subject for more tranquil images.
move freely to experiment
with angles and framing. A portrait in which the
subject looks directly at
the camera can be given
a dynamic twist by
photographing the subject
as they burst through
the surface of the water.
Zoom in to fill the frame,
FOR THIS SHOT prefocusing if necessary.
This pool photo is partly
staged; the subjects are
prompted into action by the
photographer but the result An artificially lit pool
is spontaneous and fun. provides an opportunity
for unusual portraits, such
as this silhouette. Use a
Freezing the action
1 To freeze the action
medium ISO setting
(around 400) and set the
and ensure the whole image exposure for the bright
appears sharp, use a short water. Rest your camera
exposure time (1/500 sec). on a poolside table to
allow for the longer
exposure time required.
Fill-in flash
2 Set your camera’s flash
Poolside photos can
to fill-in mode. This will give
capture the vacation
sufficient flash to illuminate atmosphere, even if they
the subjects and stop them don’t feature people. A
appearing in shadow. simple still-life shot—such
as these flip-flops at the
Exposure edge of a pool—provides
3 When shooting
a relaxed contrast to other
more energetic shots.
into the sun, increase the
aperture by 1 stop to
prevent the foreground from
being underexposed.

while making sure that the subject is not directly lit.

SILHOUE T TES 203

TRY THIS ALTERNATIVE APPROACHES

Silhouettes can be used The most successful photographs of silhouettes tend either
to create very bold to feature simple shapes set against colorful or detailed
compositions. Here, the backgrounds, or more complex silhouettes placed against
woman is framed within plain backgrounds. Try experimenting with both.
the concentric partial
silhouettes of two giant
A bright scene, rather than
pipes. Your eye is drawn
a plain source of light, can
to her because she has
form the backdrop to a
been positioned at the
simple silhouette. For an
brightest point where
unusual scene like this,
the sun has just set.
use a small aperture, such
as f/16, to keep both the
silhouette and background
sharp. Use a wider aperture,
such as f/8, if you just want
FOR THIS SHOT the background sharp.
The contemplative mood
of this woman sipping coffee Sheer fabrics don’t create
in front of a frosted, backlit true silhouettes, as light
window is conveyed more diffracts around the fine
convincingly by a silhouette strands of the fabric and
than it would have been in a carries their color with it.
more conventional portrait. For a romantic, ethereal
image, drape sheer fabric
around a silhouetted figure
Subject
1 Choose a subject that
to soften the outline and
add a hint of color.
has a strong, recognizable
shape—one that doesn’t
depend on color or texture
to make it work.

Lighting
2 Turn off your camera’s
flash if it’s likely to trigger
automatically when
presented with a dark scene.
Expose the shot for the
bright background.

Composition
3 Look for framing
devices that add interest
and structure to the shot
without detracting from
the main subject.
This construction site has been turned into a silhouette by taking
exposure from the bright sky. The result is a highly graphic, two-
tone image in which dramatic geometric forms provide a
counterpoint to the rather vulnerable-looking human figures.

VISUAL IMPACT CORRECT EXPOSURE

Effective backlighting can result in shots that are full Shooting backlit subjects requires very precise
of drama, emotion, and impact. For example, whether metering to achieve the required exposure. If you use
you use natural or artificial light, it can give an attractive your camera’s default meter settings, there’s a good
rim lighting effect to hair and profiles, bringing a light, chance that your main subject will be underexposed.
delicate touch to portraits. Backlighting can also be To lighten your subject, and to bring out details and
used to boost the color of translucent objects, such as colors, you’ll need to increase the exposure by
leaves and petals, while effective use of lens flare can extending the exposure time or opening the lens
really transform your images. By taking it further and aperture. Set your camera to Backlighting, if available,
creating silhouettes, you can accentuate the shape or take the exposure from the shadow side of your
and outline of a subject and set it against a colorful subject. To avoid a washed-out background, try to
or moody background. compose the shot without lots of bright sky.

BACKLIGHTING ENHANCES MOOD CORRECTLY EXPOSED SUBJECTS

BACKLIGHTING AND SILHOUE T TES 205

SHOOTING SILHOUETTES WORKING WITH LENS FLARE

Silhouettes turn conventional photo composition on Lens flare is created by non-image-forming light
its head. The aim is to make the foreground subjects entering a lens and hitting the sensor. In photos it
as dark as possible while keeping the background appears as bright circular or polygonal spots, streaks of
nicely exposed. To do this you need to expose for light, or general haze. Conventionally, photographers
the bright background. If necessary, you can darken have gone to great lengths to avoid, or at least
silhouettes and enhance colors by reducing the minimize, lens flare. Using a lens hood or simply
exposure by 1 stop or more. shading the lens with your hand can prevent it, as can
Sunrise and sunset provide ideal conditions for careful positioning of your subject and your camera in
shooting silhouettes, but any setting with a bright relation to the light. But you can also use lens flare
background will work. For best results you need to creatively. Spread evenly across an image it gives a
ensure that the foreground subjects and background soft dreamy look, or used more directly it can give
work together and don’t compete for attention. a summery and sun-drenched feel.

SILHOUETTE AT SUNSET SUNDRENCHED FEEL

FILLIN FLASH
Ensuring that backlit subjects are
correctly exposed works up to
a point, but there are situations
when increasing the exposure
completely burns out the
background. The way around this
is to use your camera’s fill-in flash
mode. This emits a modest flash,
sufficient to light up shadowy
areas but not strong enough to
dominate. The exposure will be
set for the background, so both
the subject and background are
well exposed.
WITHOUT FILLIN FLASH WITH FILLIN FLASH
Late Summer
glinting and gleaming

Whilst August yet wears her golden crown,

Ripening ﬁelds lush-bright with promise;
Summer waxes long, then wanes, quietly passing
Her fading green glory on to riotous Autumn
Michelle L. Thieme

along the seashore

children at play

shimmering heat

lazy days outdoors

210 LATE SUMMER

Fishing harbor
From small fleets of crabbers to bustling ports full of CAMERA MODE LENS SETTING
trawlers, fishing harbors are wonderful places to explore Select Landscape
mode or Aperture Zoom to moderate
with your camera. As well as the colorful boats and crates Priority and an wide angle
aperture of f/11
of fish, there’s masses of fascinating paraphernalia to
photograph—winches, crab pots, coiled ropes, giant SENSOR/FILM SPEED FLASH
crates, tractors, and mounds of nets. Get to the harbor
Use a medium ISO
Shoot without flash
early in the morning to watch the boats head out to setting (e.g. ISO 400)

sea, or find out when the catch comes in.

FOR THIS SHOT

Although devoid of people,
this scene, shot from low on
the quayside, is bursting with
color and bristling with
intriguing detail.

Timing
1 Shot very early in the
morning, before the bustle
begins, the harbor is a
picture of tranquility as
the early morning haze
starts to lift and the sun
breaks through.

2 Framing
The image is divided
into three areas: the fishing
gear in the foreground and
the town in the background
frame the fishing boats lined
up in between.

Color contrasts
3 The composition
makes the most of the
contrast between the
vivid oranges and reds
of the fishing gear, the
corresponding but muted
tones of the buildings, and
the blue of the sea and sky.
FISHING HARBOR 211

TRY THIS
Go to the dockside
or the fish market to
see what the fishermen
have caught. Zoom in
closely to create images
with an abstract—
almost surrealist—
quality, or include the
fishermen as they sort
the gleaming fish in
their baskets.

ALTERNATIVE APPROACHES
Look for where the fishermen store their nets, pots, and
ropes, and experiment with some still life shots, or wait
at the quayside to photograph the boats as they return.

Once you have found some

interesting objects, study
their patterns and texture.
Try photographing them at
different scales, with and
without color contrasts.
Keep your camera parallel
to your subject so the
pattern in the image is flat.

Try out some action shots. Here, shooting into hazy sunshine as
a boat docks has desaturated the colors, making the fishermen,
ropes, and the boat itself stand out in silhouette.

FOR THIS SHOT CAMERA MODE

Celebrating a successful climb, this Select Portrait
charming portrait also manages to mode or Aperture
convey a strong sense of place. Priority and an
aperture of f/4

Composition
1 Even with informal portraits,
SENSOR/FILM SPEED
composition is still important.
Positioning the girls off-center and Use a low ISO
on a diagonal is more interesting setting (e.g. ISO 100)
than a straight on, side-by-side shot.
LENS SETTING
Focus
2 Experiment with depth of field
when shooting two people. Here, Zoom to maximum
telephoto
Portrait mode has been used to focus
on the girl in the foreground.
FLASH
Framing
3 Cropping in on your subjects
creates a more dynamic picture. You Shoot with
fill-in flash
only need to show enough background
to give a flavor of the landscape.

TAKE IT FURTHER
CHARACTER PORTRAIT
Shooting portraits in black
and white, without the
distraction of a colorful
background, can focus
attention on your subject’s
expression. If you want a
warmer image, you can
apply a tone using image
manipulation software.
VAC ATION POR TRAITS 213

ALTERNATIVE APPROACHES
Most vacations are fun and informal, and your portraits should reflect this. Take a
relaxed approach and let your subjects express themselves. Spontaneous shots
are often the best for capturing the vacation atmosphere—you just have to
watch and wait until the right moment presents itself.

When shooting into the sun,

use fill-in flash to balance the
backlighting in the scene and
to prevent unattractive shadows.
To achieve an evocative sunburst
effect, position yourself so that
your subject partly blocks the sun.

Try to evoke a sense of place

in your vacation portraits, as well
as your subject’s personality. This
shot catches the subject in pensive
mood as he watches the sun set.
Framing the shot so that he’s off
center shows more of the location,
and allows you to follow his gaze
to the sea.

A feeling of freedom is what

vacations are all about. Take every
opportunity to capture the laughter
and sheer joy of time spent away
from the constraints of work and
everyday responsibilities. For many
people, larking about in water is a
big part of the vacation experience.
For a shot like this, positioning
yourself to face the sun will make
the water droplets sparkle.

See also: Character portraits pp.82–83, Family days out pp.112–13, Travel portraits pp.168–69,
Camping vacations pp.196–97, At the poolside pp.200–01, On the beach pp.214–15
214 LATE SUMMER

On the beach
The beach—sun, sea, and golden sands—sums up many CAMERA MODE LENS SETTING
people’s idea of the perfect vacation destination. It also Select Action mode
or Shutter Priority Zoom to moderate
provides a stunning backdrop for photography, not only and an exposure wide angle
time of 1/125 sec
for quick vacation snaps, but also for more considered
compositions that make the most of the setting and SENSOR/FILM SPEED FLASH
gorgeous light. Experiment with different camera settings
Use a low ISO Shoot with
and the effects they create, but take great care not to setting (e.g. ISO 100) fill-in flash

get sand anywhere near your camera.

FOR THIS SHOT

In this wonderfully
atmospheric image of a busy
beach at the end of the day,
silhouettes stand out against
the soft haze of a low sun.

Composition
1 The scene is divided
into two horizontally. The
people walking onto the
beach and away from it
create a sense of movement.

Exposure
2 Dramatic silhouettes
have been created by
exposing for the bright sky.

Perspective
3 Long shadows lead
your eye from the soccer
players in the foreground to
the scene beyond. These
and the lines formed by the
beach and sea converge on
the hills in the background.
ON THE BEACH 215

ON YOUR PHONE ALTERNATIVE APPROACHES

USE VINTAGE EFFECTS Although family snaps are great, documentary-style shots
You may not want to take of scenes you observe on vacation can be just as evocative.
your camera to the beach, Images of things you saw every day, or just glimpsed by
but you’ll probably still chance, can bring the memories flooding back.
have your camera phone.
The beach is a good place Take a picture of the view
to try the Hipstamatic app. from your table while you’re
Here, it picks up the blue waiting for lunch. Including
and green tones of the all the key elements in a
sea and gives images a single shot will give you rich,
retro feel. multilayered images. To
achieve this effect, use a
wide-angle lens setting and
a small aperture to keep
everything sharp.

Keep your camera close to

you so you can take shots
the moment something
interesting catches your
eye. Compose your image
so that the frame is nicely
balanced, then try
bracketing your exposures
to see what works best.

Experiment with your camera controls to capture the

essenceof a scene. Try generous extra exposure—1 1/2
stops or more—to heighten the sense of brilliant light
and its reflections in the wet sand.

candidly from the viewpoint of a detached observer.

GARDEN PAR TIES 217

TRY THIS ALTERNATIVE APPROACHES

Pictures of children From children’s afternoon parties to more grown-up
at play sometimes fail evening events, outdoor gatherings present a diverse
to convey their energy. range of photo opportunities. Vary styles, from conventional
For a shot that group shots to more abstract and unusual compositions.
captures lively rhythm
and movement, find a
Combine warm artificial
raised vantage point,
lighting with the last
switch to Shutter
natural light of the day.
Priority, and use an
Keep your camera’s white
exposure time of 1/8
balance set to daylight and
to 1/4 sec. Keep the
position your subjects so
camera as steady
their faces are nicely lit.
as possible.

FOR THIS SHOT

The image takes advantage
of the layout of the garden— For a more abstract group
with its distinct sections— portrait, get down low and
and successfully exploits shoot the feet of people
changes in light conditions sitting around a table. The
between different areas. long shadows and warm
highlights convey the lazy
atmosphere of long
Exposure
1 All the action is at the
summer days stretching
into evening.
rear of this scene. When
you’re shooting into brighter
light from shade, set your
exposure to the background,
to prevent blown highlights.

Distance
2 To capture children
at their least self-conscious,
keep your distance and
zoom in.

Framing
3 Use the landscape of
the garden as a framework.
Here, the expanse of foliage
either side draws your eye
to the toddler standing in a
little oasis of light and color
and the activity beyond.

For a refreshingly unposed group portrait, wait for your subjects

to move together naturally. The moment when the food is
served is a good time to capture relaxed, informal pictures.

FOR THIS SHOT CAMERA MODE

This photograph captures all that’s Select Landscape
best about a beach first thing in the mode or Aperture
morning—from the absence of people Priority and an
aperture of f/16
to the pristine sand and beautiful light.
SENSOR/FILM SPEED
Composition
1 Symmetrical compositions almost
Use a low ISO
always produce strong images—here, setting (e.g. ISO 100)
the two boats mirror each other on
either side of the jetty.
LENS SETTING
Depth of field
2 Ensure the most extensive depth Zoom to moderate
of field by selecting a small aperture wide angle
(f/16 or f/22) and focusing on a point
in the middle distance.
FLASH
Color saturation
3 To make the most of the scene’s Shoot without flash
rich colors select a low ISO setting, for
example ISO 50 or ISO 100.

TRY THIS
In this point-of-view shot, the
beautiful light and gauzy
clouds reflected in the lake
perfectly capture the feel of
a languid day spent on the
water. Shooting into the sun
has thrown the occupant
of the other boat into
silhouette, making the
image less personal and
giving it a wider appeal.
VAC ATION POSTCARDS 219

ALTERNATIVE APPROACHES
Postcard pictures are simply about recording in the best way possible the
distinctive and representative aspects of your vacation destination. Look
beyond conventional landscape shots and seek out other idiosyncratic
images, from vernacular art to iconic modes of transport.

Dramatic landscapes usually

present so many photographic
opportunities that it becomes
difficult to decide what to zero
in on. Take a moment to look
carefully at the scene, assessing
alternative shooting positions and
using your camera’s zoom to find
the most striking framing.

Bright colors assume added

vibrancy under clear blue skies,
while juxtaposing primary colors
creates images with a strong,
graphic quality. Here, the identity
of the vibrant red objects—some
safety flags stacked on the
beach—isn’t immediately obvious,
encouraging the viewer to spend
time studying the image.

Make the most of the weather—

good or bad. Mist or rain can be
turned to your advantage to create
moody, evocative shots that show
a different side of your location.
These views can sometimes say
more about your destination than
those taken in brighter conditions.

and unusual materials in your photos.

FOR THIS SHOT

This contemporary interior
combines matte and polished
surfaces with a palette of
neutral and warm tones. The
soft light has been filtered
through translucent panels.

Composition
1 This composition
is about exploiting the
geometric shapes and
reflections created by the
space. Including the whole of
a reflection creates balance.

Lighting
2 Use the available
light wherever possible to
preserve the mood. Using
a flash gives a flat result
and may not light the
extremities of the space.

Depth of field
3 To make the most
of the repeating lines and
shapes in this image, the
whole scene needs to appear
sharp. Select a small aperture
(f/16) and focus on the
middle distance.
MODERN INTERIORS 221

TRY THIS ALTERNATIVE APPROACHES

An unusual perspective There are opportunities to photograph modern interiors all
can completely around, both in public buildings and private settings. Explore
reimagine elements the scale of modern interiors—from the intimate to the
of functional public grand, and look for the unusual textures of new materials,
buildings such as train
or for traditional materials used in novel ways.
stations or airport
terminals. Here, the
converging lines and Architects of modern
series of reflections in interiors are adept at using
the gap between two color in new and exciting
escalators are exploited ways. Colored surfaces or
to intriguing effect. lighting often define and
differentiate spaces. In
mixed lighting, set your
camera’s white balance to
Auto, and underexpose
strongly to intensify colors.

Modern construction
techniques and materials
give architects a free rein to
create interiors that would
have been impossible a few
decades ago. Spend time
investigating viewpoints
to find the best way to
communicate the dynamism
and energy of the space.

Even the most prosaic

of contemporary interiors,
such as this sports center,
can produce striking
photographs when shot
from an unusual angle.
Create abstract images
by concentrating on
color and line and zoom
in to crop out any
distracting elements.

FOR THIS SHOT CAMERA MODE

This image, shot in the blazing midday Select Landscape
sun, makes good use of the strong mode or Aperture
light, which saturates the colors and Priority and an
aperture of f/16
makes the shadows deeper.
SENSOR/FILM SPEED
Exposure
1 To avoid blown highlights and
Use a low ISO
washed out colors, expose for the mid- setting (e.g. ISO 100)
tones and recompose if necessary.

Shadows LENS SETTING

2 Move around to find the best
combination of light and shadow. Zoom to moderate
Here the gates’ shadows draw the eye telephoto
through the gate toward the sea.
FLASH
Shade your camera
3 Unless you want to include lens
flare in your image, shoot from the Shoot without flash
shade if you can, or use your hand
or a piece of paper to block the sun.

TRY THIS
Use Macro mode to get
some sun-filled close ups,
such as this image of
sparkling bubbles clinging
to a slice of lemon in a cold
drink. Get in really close so
for an almost abstract look.
To preserve the appearance
of brilliant sunlight,
overexpose by 1 stop.
DAZZLING SUNLIGHT 223

ALTERNATIVE APPROACHES
Although many people avoid taking photographs in the midday sun, there are
advantages to this approach if you’re prepared to experiment and are looking
for more unorthodox images. In hot climates atmospheric phenomena can also
add to the effects you’re able to achieve.

Rather than shading your camera

from the sun, try shooting toward
it and flood your image with
sunlight. Here, shooting into the
sun and through a window has
produced a bold and dazzling
portrait, full of refracted light
and lens flare.

The heat of the midday sun can

produce mirages, particularly over
areas of tarmac and concrete,
which heat up rapidly. They tend
to appear in the middle and far
distance, so zoom in. The watery
illusion captured in this picture
perfectly conveys the shimmering
heat of a summer’s day.

Bold, clearly defined shadows are

characteristic of shots taken in
bright sun. Explore ways of using
them creatively. They can be seen
like silhouettes, showing the shape
of an object but not the detail.

on memory cards and spare batteries before you leave.

FOR THIS SHOT

Tents are an integral part of
the summer music festival.
This image encapsulates the
lively color and carnival
atmosphere as fans wait
for the shows to start.

Wide angle
1 When shooting from
under a canopy, zoom to
wide angle to fill the frame
with both the scene beneath
it and the view beyond.

2 Exposure
In high-contrast scenes,
set your exposure to an area
of moderate brightness, or
take a reading from a shaded
area. Increase exposure by
1 stop and recompose.

Lighting
3 Shield your lens from
direct sunlight in order to
retain the bright colors of
the backlit hammocks
and banners.
MUSIC FESTIVALS 225

TRY THIS
The headline acts usually appear
on stage after dark. You won’t be
able to get good close-ups of
the bands unless you have a
press pass or a super-zoom lens.
Turn your camera’s flash off—it
won’t successfully light the
stage—and shoot using the
ambient lighting. Zoom in for
moderate close-ups or zoom out
to include silhouettes of revelers
dancing in the foreground.

ALTERNATIVE APPROACHES
The character of a festival is often best revealed away from
the main stages and headline acts. For more quirky images,
try turning your camera toward the festivalgoers.

Thousands of people
tramping across wet grass
transform the fields into
seas of mud. This provides
ample material for some
humorous shots of classic
festival attire—party and
summer clothes combined
with wellington boots.

Litter forms a significant

part of the festival
experience. This image
is carefully framed to set
the mounds of trash in the
foreground against the
carefree frolics of the
festivalgoers behind.

For a spectacular view,

get as close to the stage as
possible, then turn your
camera on the audience.
Here, the light picks out the
water bottles held up high.
At night, you’d be more
likely to see the winking
lights of people’s phones
and cameras.

On the tourist trail

If you find yourself swept along with a tide of tourists, CAMERA MODE LENS SETTING
it can be hard to take photographs of popular sites Select Landscape
mode or Aperture Zoom to extreme
without the crowds. Why not try adopting an approach Priority and an wide angle
aperture of f/8
that’s partly reportage, and explore the relationship
between the tourists and the location, so that tourism SENSOR/FILM SPEED FLASH
itself becomes the subject of your shots? It’s best to Use a medium to
high ISO setting Shoot without flash
work discreetly and, when possible, ask permission (e.g. ISO 400 to 800)
before including people as the main focus of your images.

FOR THIS SHOT

A grand spiral staircase
makes a striking image in its
own right, but it becomes
even more interesting if you
include tourists wending
their way down it.

Wide angle
1 Set your lens to its
widest setting to get the
perspective that best
enhances the spiral form.

Depth of field
2 To keep all the
elements in the image sharp,
choose a medium to high
ISO setting that allows you to
use a small aperture and
short shutter time.

Lighting
3 When taking pictures
like this inside a building,
check that the source of light
from above is strong enough.
Oblique lighting tends to
make the lower levels very
heavily shaded, so detail
will be lost.
ON THE TOURIST TRAIL 227

TRY THIS
Popular sites are invariably
awash with tourist souvenirs.
Photographs that juxtapose
these with the buildings or
objects that they commemorate
provide a witty comment on the
tourist trade. Focus on the
foreground and use a medium
aperture (say f/5.6 or f/8). This
blurs the landmarks in the
background, but keeps them
clearly recognizable.

ALTERNATIVE APPROACHES
Making your fellow travelers a key element of your pictures
provides an interesting perspective on your trip. Look for new
and intriguing ways to include both tourists and location.

A close-up of a visitor’s
sunglasses reflects the scene
that he’s looking at, creating
an impression of the tourist
experience. A wide-angle
lens setting has been used
close to the subject, with
the focus locked on the
reflected image.

If you’re on a group trek,

look for opportunities to
shoot your fellow trekkers
from unexpected angles.
You can use them to
emphasize a vertiginous
climb or how far there still
is to go. Use a wide-angle
lens setting with the largest
possible depth of field.

Groups of people sitting

down for a leisurely lunch
create an evocative scene.
If the dappled light cast
across this square makes it
difficult to get the correct
exposure, bracket your
exposures and check later.

FOR THIS SHOT CAMERA MODE

Landscapes like this have an expansive Select Landscape
quality. Using a wide-angle setting mode or Aperture
enhances the effect of the baked earth Priority and an
aperture of f/11
stretching far into the distance.
SENSOR/FILM SPEED
Composition
1 Minimal landscapes are all about
Use a low ISO
contrasts. Here the horizon divides the setting (e.g. ISO 100)
scene, emphasizing the differences
between elements of the composition.
LENS SETTING
Focusing
2 To keep the view sharp Zoom to maximum
throughout, select a small aperture wide angle
(such as f/11) and focus on a point
in the middle foreground.
FLASH
Texture
3 A low camera angle and shadows Shoot without flash
from a low sun accentuate the texture
of the dry lake bed.

TRY THIS
In barren landscapes,
contrasts—such as these
tiny flowers growing out
of the parched earth—are
exaggerated. The cracks in
the ground can be used as a
compositional aid, dividing the
image into sections. When the
light is too soft for a wider
view, pictures that focus on
detail are a useful alternative.
BARREN LANDSCAPES 229

ALTERNATIVE APPROACHES
Although it’s almost instinctive to do so, shooting landscapes by zooming out to
wide-angle isn’t always the best option. Sometimes it’s better to zoom in and
concentrate on one element of the scene. The inclusion of detail—an animal or
plants and trees—can add interest and provide a sense of scale.

Zoom in close on the details in an

otherwise featureless landscape,
while remembering to keep an eye
on the composition as a whole.
Here, keeping the animals in the
lower half of the frame helps to
emphasize the stark expanse
of the scene behind them.

Using the branches of a tree to

frame another similar tree creates
a slightly surreal feeling, in keeping
with the otherworldly landscape.
Pay careful attention to the
background. Here, the shot has
been composed in such a way that
the background is divided into
three distinct blocks of color.

It can be hard to determine scale in a desert landscape. Use easily identifiable objects,
such as the tree here, to give a sense of size. Exploit the harsh, directional lighting to
create dramatic shapes from shadows.

FOR THIS SHOT CAMERA MODE

A sign for a world-famous street is the Select Landscape
perfect scene-setter for a set of vacation mode or Aperture
photos. Thanks to the angle and framing Priority and an
aperture of f/16
this image also stands on its own merits.
SENSOR/FILM SPEED
Composition
1 Setting the building and the
Use a low ISO
signpost at a skewed angle imparts setting (eg. ISO 100)
a giddy dynamism that reflects the
vibrant character of a major city.
LENS SETTING
Framing
2 The building in the background Zoom to moderate
completely fills the frame. This wide angle
emphasizes the imposing urban
feel and the scale of the buildings.
FLASH

Positioning
3 For an image that shows height Shoot without flash
and grand scale, get in close, set your
lens wide, and shoot upward.

TRY THIS
The bold shapes,
clean lines, and highly
contrasting tones and
colors of street signage
make them a striking
subject for a set of themed
images. Underexpose
and boost saturation for
best effects.
STREE T SIGNS 231

ALTERNATIVE APPROACHES
Photographers tend to regard excessive signage as a curse, blocking or adversely
affecting views of historic or interesting buildings, and generally cluttering the
place up. However, looked at another way, they contribute to, and in some ways
define the character of a modern metropolis.

The strip of bold curbside

markings that divides this image
in two provides a strong repeating
pattern of rectangles that’s echoed
in the rectangular shapes of the
road, the bench, and, particularly,
the railings. An exposure taken
from the gray tones on the wall
ensures that the white areas are
not burned out.

Straight streets with regular

intersections are bristling with
signage. Here, the vertical shop
signs with the horizontal lights and
road signs suspended against the
neutral background of the sky
make a strong composition. A
small aperture has produced
a large depth of field, and the
lens was set to a moderate zoom.

You don’t necessarily have to

include street signs themselves
to make eye-catching images.
The shadows they produce are
unmistakable and can make an
interesting foil for less formal
street features, such as posters
or graffiti. Here a slight
underexposure has darkened the
shadow and deepened the colors.

THE COLOR WHEEL COLOR RELATIONSHIPS

A color wheel like this clearly shows the way different Images consisting of colors that are adjacent to
hues and saturations relate to each other. Colors each other on the color wheel often possess visual
toward the edge are more saturated—have the most coherence and harmony, particularly if they are similar
vibrant color—and those in the middle are less so. in brightness and saturation. Combining colors that
This arrangement of colors is useful because it are well separated on the color wheel can be
reveals that the relationship between colors impactful, but this is only effective with simple color
corresponds to their relative positions. For example, schemes and minimal subject elements.
colors opposite each other on the wheel, such as Colors that are directly opposite each other on the
blues and yellows are perceived as being opposites. color wheel, such as red and green and blue and
orange, are said to be complementary: when placed
next to each other they both appear more vibrant.

RED AND GREEN BLUE AND ORANGE

USING COLOR 233

MOOD AND EMOTION

Colors in a picture immediately
evoke mood and emotion. For
example, reds and oranges give a
feeling of energy and vitality,
while blues and purples are calm
and relaxing. Saturation and
brightness also play a role: strong,
bright colors have a “liveliness”
that pale, dim colors lack. It’s
interesting to imagine a scene or
subject in a different hue—it makes
you realize how much its colors
contribute to the mood.
ENERGETIC COLORS CALM COLORS

COMPOSING IMAGES
Try using color in the following
ways to enhance the composition
of your photographs:
• Create balance and harmony
by giving equal weighting to
complementary colors.
• Use a color accent—or splash
of color—in an otherwise BALANCED COLORS SPLASH OF COLOR
monochromatic picture.
• Use color to isolate elements; for
example, pick out a warm element
within an otherwise cool scene.
• Lead the eye by featuring the
same color on different elements
within an image.
• Enhance perspective by using
warm, impactful colors toward the ISOLATED ELEMENT LEADING THE EYE
front of the scene and cool,
recessive colors toward the back.
• Limit the range of colors by
shooting monochromatic images
that evoke mood and also
emphasize shape and form.

ENHANCED PERSPECTIVE LIMITED COLORS

Early Fall
nature’s bounty

exhilarating architecture

oﬀ the beaten track

long shadows in the city

September days are here,

With summer’s best of weather
And autumn’s best of cheer
Helen Hunt Jackson

shafts of sunlight pierce the gloom

238 EARLY FALL

Spirit of place
Capturing the spirit of place means conveying its very CAMERA MODE LENS SETTING
essence in a photograph. These compositions are Select Landscape
mode or Aperture Zoom to moderate
usually detached from your own experience of that Priority and an wide angle
aperture of f/11
place as they show the reality of it rather than your
own view. Try to be selective in your approach. Carefully SENSOR/FILM SPEED FLASH
seeking out one shot that captures the soul of a place is
Use a low ISO
Shoot without flash
more rewarding and has greater impact than making a setting (e.g. ISO 100)

lot of less meaningful images.

FOR THIS SHOT

This village street
photographed in the misty
early morning light has a
timeless feel—there’s a sense
that this scene has been
enacted for centuries.

Composition
1 Zoom in to produce
a tight composition.
Enclosing the space gives
a feeling of greater intimacy.

Perspective
2 The slightly raised
viewpoint gives the viewer
a feeling of observing the
scene without intruding.
The hazy morning light adds
a sense of depth and greater
perspective as objects in the
distance are less clear and
lower in contrast to those
in the foreground.

Low light
3 Experiment with the
preset values for lighting
conditions on your camera to
get the most accurate color
balance. Use a long exposure
and a higher ISO when you’re
working in low light.
SPIRIT OF PLACE 239

TAKE IT FURTHER ALTERNATIVE APPROACHES

A MUTED WORLD Seek out views that capture the distinctive characteristics
Taking a photo in black and of a place. Particular landscapes, colors, architecture, and
white is an excellent way of weather conditions all contribute to the pervading
conveying a haunting atmosphere of a location and can be used to make
atmosphere and works well compelling images. In other places the people and their
for night shots. Zooming in customs may be your inspiration.
with a telephoto lens using
a shallow depth of field Some locations are
(with an aperture of f/4 or dominated by the sky,
f/5.6) helps draw attention and there’s nothing wrong
to the subject without with allowing the sky to
compromising the mood. dominate your image.
Including just a narrow
strip of land exaggerates
the sense of open space.

Markets are a rich source

of imagery and are full of
activity and local color.
Capturing a bird’s-eye view
gives a different sense of
a market compared to
photos shot at the same
level as the goods.

The spirit of this harbor is

captured in the colors of
the faded paint on the
buildings that butt up to
the water’s edge and their
lively reflections in the
water. By cropping out the
sky above and focusing on
the colors, the image takes
on a painterly appearance.

FOR THIS SHOT

A combination of fine
fretwork on the window
and the dusty atmosphere in
this mausoleum chamber
represents the perfect
conditions for an intricate
weave of fine shafts of light.

1 Viewpoint
Using a wide-angle
lens setting and shooting
from a low angle will
enhance the shaft of light
and make individual beams
diverge more clearly.

Framing
2 Where possible frame
your shot so that other key
elements in the scene are
positioned in the path of the
light. Also try to include the
patterns that are projected
on the floor.

Exposure
3 When photographing
scenes with high contrast,
expose for the mid-tones so
that you retain detail in the
shadowy areas.
SHAFTS OF LIGHT 241

TRY THIS ALTERNATIVE APPROACHES

Direct the light from a desk Shafts of light may appear most dramatic in an area where
lamp onto an object and use there is no other light, but this may prove difficult for your
a water spray to enhance the camera’s metering system. Experiment by allowing some
shaft of light. For a stronger ambient light in, but resist flash, which will ruin the effect.
effect increase the amount of
mist, and for better contrast use
Light falling onto a
a dark background. You can
staircase produces a strong
create a pattern of light on the
interplay of light and dark
surface of the object by placing
as the striations fall on the
different shaped cut-outs in
treads and risers of the
front of the light source.
steps. Try shooting from
different angles: low angles
may produce disjointed
patterns, while higher
angles may produce
rhythmic patterns.

In subterranean worlds—
from subways to medieval
vaults and cellars—daylight
streaming through
skylights casts soft pools
of light on the floor below.
Use a wide-angle setting to
capture the contrast of light
and shadows in the scene.

Whether through design or good fortune, photographing

a subject or activity taking place at the base of a shaft of light
has the effect of a theatrical spotlight, drawing attention to the
subject. Use bracketing exposures to give you the most options.

against the urban backdrop.

FOR THIS SHOT

The incongruous sight of a
large cargo vessel set against
the backdrop of a residential
area or park perfectly captures
the essence of an urban river.

Zoom in
1 A wide-angle view of a
busy river scene can lead to
an image that feels frenetic
and unfocused. Zooming in
allows you to reveal shapes
and patterns that might
otherwise go unnoticed.

Depth
2 The principal subjects
of this image—the two boats
and the machinery floating
on the water—occupy
different planes. The smog
enhances this layered effect,
with each plane becoming
increasingly hazy.

Time of day
3 Shooting at different
times of day will have a huge
impact on the feel of your
image—here, the setting sun
infuses the waves with
golden highlights.
CIT Y RIVERS 243

TAKE IT FURTHER
PERFECT PANORAMAS
Create a panorama of a wide river
view by taking several shots from a
high vantage point, ensuring each
picture overlaps the previous one by
a third. Use a tripod to ensure each
shot is aligned exactly. Once you
have captured the view, blend the
sections into a panorama using
image manipulation software.

ALTERNATIVE APPROACHES
The character of a city river changes along its course and
according to the time of day. To create a rounded portrait,
explore different parts of the river and visit it at night too.

At night, reflections from

the buildings that line its
banks turn a city river into
canvas for an atmospheric
play of light and color. Use
a medium aperture—
around f/8—and keep your
camera firmly supported to
avoid blurring.

Crafts of all shapes and

sizes navigate city rivers.
Zoom in as much as
possible then crop in
further, if necessary,
to create a dramatic
composition that shows
the variety of river traffic.

Lost and abandoned

Discarded objects are usually regarded as worthless. CAMERA MODE LENS SETTING
Things that once belonged but are now abandoned, Select Portrait
mode or Aperture Zoom to moderate
however, can evoke feelings of melancholy and Priority and an telephoto
aperture of f/8
nostalgia. Try to forget their original function, instead
look at the broken shapes, faded colors, and fraying SENSOR/FILM SPEED FLASH
edges—and study how they fit into their new
Use a low ISO
Shoot without flash
environments. Exploring the contrast between object setting (e.g. ISO 100)

and setting can lead to some really poignant images.

LOST AND ABANDONED 245

TRY THIS
Make a series of images that
record how litter becomes part
of the landscape. Zoom in
close to reveal textures, and
treat the litter as you would a
still life. Compose your shots to
highlight the contrast between
man-made objects and the
natural world.

FOR THIS SHOT ALTERNATIVE APPROACHES

The bat-like form of this Look for ways to convey a sense of story in your images.
broken umbrella lying upside You can frame your shots to crop in tightly on the object, or
down in a puddle forms a include its setting to emphasize the sense of abandonment.
striking image of a once-
useful object reduced to A wet day gives abandoned
urban detritus. belongings a dejected look.
Shooting this old soccer ball
from a very low viewpoint
Lighting
1 The shape of the
has made it dominant in the
scene and given it a stronger
umbrella stands out against sense of identity. Cameras
the light reflected in the that have flip-out screens are
puddle. Where colors are useful for low shots like this.
muted, shooting in, or
converting to, black and
white can help enhance form.

Composition
2 Look for features in the
surroundings that will make
your composition stronger.
Here, the slope of the ground
and the shadow above the
umbrella help to anchor the
elements of the composition.

Camera angle
3 Tilting the camera can
produce a more dramatic
image. The umbrella and the
ground above it are both on
a diagonal here, linked by This shot has been tightly framed to show the contrast in
the handle of the umbrella. shapes, colors, and texture between a forgotten farm
cart and the exuberant young plants growing over it.

FOR THIS SHOT CAMERA MODE

A snapshot of a group of runners is like Select Landscape
a montage of miniature portraits, each mode or Aperture
one conveying a different emotion, from Priority and an
aperture of f/11
misery to elation.
SENSOR/FILM SPEED
Composition
1 Zooming in on a section of
the runners crowds the frame and Use a low ISO
compresses the perspective to setting (e.g. ISO 100)

emphasize the feeling of density.

LENS SETTING
Exposure time
2 Use a short exposure time to
ensure there is no motion blur, and a Zoom to moderate
wide angle
small aperture so that all participants
appear sharp.
FLASH
Position
3 Research the route and arrive
early to secure a good spot. Shooting Shoot without flash
from an elevated position accentuates
the space between individuals.

TRY THIS
Runners often describe the
latter stages of a marathon as
a blur. You can convey a sense
of this by creating a hazy,
blurred image in which the
runners are almost entirely
abstracted. Lock your camera’s
focus on a close object
(perhaps using Macro mode)
and then recompose on
the runners.
MAR ATHON RUNNERS 247

ALTERNATIVE APPROACHES
As well as taking general crowd shots or recording the progress of a group or
an individual, search out opportunities for more quirky views of the race. Try to
include features of the city that have no bearing on the marathon, and capture
the way in which they’re transformed by the presence of the event.

For a different perspective, find

a high vantage point such as a
building or bridge, and shoot from
directly overhead. Give your image
a humorous twist by capturing
your subjects running along road
markings intended for vehicles.
Here, the arrows seem to point
the way for the runners.

Create unconventional micro-

portraits of runners by getting low
down and taking close-up shots of
their feet as they pass. Here, the
inclusion of a shadow reveals a
little more information about the
subject. For an image that’s rich
in detail, zoom in to capture the
texture of the ground.

Mount your camera on a tripod to allow greater flexibility, then set an

exposure of 1/2 sec or longer to capture the runners as ghostly apparitions.
Only their feet—when in contact with the ground—will be captured
sharply. Decrease ISO sensitivity to around 50 and select a small aperture
for long exposure times.

put safety ahead of photography.

FOR THIS SHOT

From the farm machinery to
the muted color palette and
expansive setting, this scene
perfectly communicates the
feel of a working farm in
fall. You’ll need the farmer’s
permission for close-up,
documentary-style shots
like this.

Wide-angle view
1 Keep the view as
wide as possible to include
as much of the harvester in
your shot as you can.

Framing
2 Positioning the
action slightly off-center—
to the left of the shot—
shows the field extending
into the distance to the right,
creating a feeling of space.

Composition
3 The two red bars in the
foreground of the shot act
as a frame for the grain arm,
directing the gaze toward it.
HARVEST TIME 249

TRY THIS ALTERNATIVE APPROACHES

Unusual compositions Even large fields can be harvested in a few hours, meaning
and lighting can bring it’s possible to document the whole process from start
an aesthetic beauty to finish. A project like this can produce many different
to farm labor. The types of image—begin with shots of ripe crops, progress
intense color of the
through the harvesting, and finish with bare fields dotted
sky and the flare of
the sun behind the
with baled waste.
grain lend a drama
Images of harvesters in
and romance to this
a large field convey the
scene. Underexposing
enormity of their task.
by 1 stop has created
To give a sense of the
a bolder silhouette.
relentless toil involved,
shoot them heading
toward you, with their
tracks receding into
the distance.

Illustrate the progress of

the harvest with a before
and after shot, showing
the demarcation between
harvested and unharvested
crops. Select a wide
aperture—f/4, for
example—to enhance
the contrast, keeping the
unharvested crops in focus.

An arable landscape is transformed following the harvest. Be

on the lookout for new patterns appearing as the harvesters
leave behind razed fields. You can accentuate the patterning by
zooming in on the fields and eliminating the sky and foreground.

See also: Down on the farm pp.70–71, Working the land pp.130–31,
Crop fields pp.192–93, Colors of fall pp.266–67
250 EARLY FALL

Glorious sunsets
We all love a beautiful sunset, when the sky bursts into a CAMERA MODE LENS SETTING
magnificent, if brief, display of color. But photographing Select Sunset mode
or Aperture Priority Zoom to moderate
a sunset can be technically challenging. The wide range and an aperture telephoto
of f/8
of light levels can confuse metering systems, while the
color palette can have a similar effect on the white SENSOR/FILM SPEED FLASH
balance. The best sunset shots usually contain either
Use a low ISO Shoot without
foreground interest or a lovely landscape, so always setting (e.g. ISO 100) flash

keep a look out for suitable locations.

FOR THIS SHOT

The contrast between the
horizontal layers of cloud and
the vertical wind turbines
silhouetted against the
landscape gives this picture
added dynamism and drama.

White balance
1 When photographing
sunsets don’t use the Auto
white balance mode, as this
may reduce the warm tones
of the light. Instead, set the
white balance to Cloudy or
Shade.

Lighting
2 Wait for haze or high
cloud to diffuse the strength
of the sun. This will result in
a lower contrast, allowing
you to capture details in
the landscape.

Exposure
3 Experiment with
exposures until you are
happy with the result. You’ll
find that underexposing
produces stronger colors and
bolder silhouettes.
GLORIOUS SUNSE TS 251

TRY THIS ALTERNATIVE APPROACHES

For gorgeous backlit Though you’re photographing a sunset, the sun doesn’t
shots like this, carefully have to feature directly in your shot at all. Sunsets affect
position a translucent the whole sky, burnishing the landscape, and infusing
object in front of the reflective surfaces with a warm glow.
setting sun. Make
sure that you focus on Look around as the sunset
the object—rather develops to see its effect on
than the distant the surrounding landscape.
landscape—and Rippled water produces
underexpose slightly shimmering, abstract
(1/3 to 2/3 stop) to reflections. Here, the framing
enhance color. has produced a nice color
contrast between golden
tones and the last remnants
of blue in the sky.

Wait until the sun has

moved below the horizon,
and capture the way its
light continues to create
colorful displays in the sky.
The strong silhouette
of the rooftops has been
used to balance the picture
and provide context.

Don’t forget to turn away from the sunset to see the effect of the
dying light on the scene behind you. Cityscapes can be particularly
striking as the buildings take on an extraordinary range of colors.

avoid really strong contrasts of light and shade.

FOR THIS SHOT

This fruit stand is
exploding with color.
Shot early in the morning
before most customers
arrive, it’s piled high
and pretty as a picture.

Composition
1 Look at the produce
as if it were a still life, to
decide how to frame your
pictures. Here, shooting
square-on creates structure
and keeps everything sharp.

White balance
2 If the stand has an
awning that creates a color
cast, be prepared to adjust
your images on a computer
later. Alternatively, use the
white balance feature on
your camera.

Human interest
3 Including the farmer
or customers adds character
and local color to the shot.
It’s courteous to ask
permission before taking
any pictures of people.
FARMERS MARKE T 253

TRY THIS
Close-up overhead shots of
fruit and vegetables will give
you the chance to create a
collection of more abstract
images focusing on the
diverse shapes and colors of
the produce. Experiment
with different zoom settings
to find out what works best:
use wide for whole piles or
baskets of wares and long
for more abstract close-ups.

ALTERNATIVE APPROACHES
The character of a farmers market varies from one location
to another. Try to capture each market’s idiosyncrasies by
shooting as many quirky details as you can.

Close-up shots of
homemade labels are a
lovely way to convey the
rustic charm of a market.
They will also help to
remind you where that
particular market was.

You can make your pictures less abstact and more personal
by including customers in your shots. Impromptu shots of
children and their reactions can be very entertaining.

texture work together.

FOR THIS SHOT

From a distance a refined oil
storage tank hardly appears
photogenic. Up close it has
strong pictorial forms as
regular lines juxtapose with
curved surfaces.

Shadows
1 Because they can
overextend the range of
brightness, shadows can
cause colors to appear
washed out. Take advantage
of a lack of color to feature
shadows prominently.

Emphasize form
2 Without the distraction
of color, form becomes the
dominant feature. Here, the
elegant lines of the lamp,
staircase, and even the curve
of the shadow, are all given
room to breathe.

Color balance
3 When shooting a
neutral tone like gray,
experiment with different
color balance settings. Each
one will imbue the shadows
(and darker grays) with a
slightly different hue.
SHADES OF GRAY 255

ON YOUR PHONE ALTERNATIVE APPROACHES

GRAIN FILTER Foggy or hazy conditions are perfect for seeking out gray-
Applying a grain filter toned scenes with diminished contrast and desaturated
is a simple—and very color. Notice the way different shades of gray work together,
effective—way to add grit and look out for occasional splashes of color too.
and texture to an image.
This atmospheric black- With minimal color
and-white shot of a to catch the eye, strong
moonlit shore wouldn’t geometric shapes become
have anywhere near as the principal focus of this
much impact if it was composition. Prevent
silky smooth. convergence by holding
the camera level, keeping
vertical lines straight.

In any landscape view, a

haze of mist creates depth.
On extremely murky days this
effect is further exaggerated,
even over shorter distances.
Waiting for a flock of passing
birds to appear in the middle
distance of this scene has
enhanced the eerie,
otherworldly atmosphere.

Photographing a misty gray scene is a good way to draw

attention to the beauty found in fine details. Just a small
highlight—such as the rising sun glinting off these distant
buildings—can transform the atmosphere of a scene entirely.

FOR THIS SHOT CAMERA MODE

Reflections are a creative way of Select Landscape
increasing the potential of a scene. mode or Aperture
Here we can see the café itself, Priority and an
aperture of f/11
some customers outside, and its
surroundings—a quiet Spanish square. SENSOR/FILM SPEED
Depth of field
1 For reflected shots like this, Use a low ISO
an extensive depth of field ensures setting (e.g. ISO 100)
that the whole image appears sharp.
Composition LENS SETTING
2 The impression of an image
within an image is enhanced by the
Zoom to maximum
framing device of the frosted glass, wide angle
the wall on the right, and the top
of the window frame.
FLASH
Creating intrigue
3 The unusual arrangement of this
image encourages the viewer to look Shoot without flash
at it more closely—was the shot taken
from inside, or outside, the café?

ON YOUR PHONE
RETRO COLORS
Rest your camera phone
casually on a table and set it
to camera mode to capture
unselfconscious shots of
your companions. You can
add a retro twist with apps
that imitate film-processing
effects such as transparency
cross-processing.
C AFÉ LIFE 257

ALTERNATIVE APPROACHES
Some cafés are aesthetically interesting but photographing them is usually
about capturing their ambience and customers, rather than the buildings they’re
situated in. Every new customer presents a new photo opportunity—spend
some time sitting in the café, working out what makes it unique.

Cafés provide scope for a variety

of portraits. Group shots can be
lively and energetic but individual
portraits tend to have a more
introspective feel. Shoot candidly
to capture genuine expressions. To
avoid being intrusive, try shooting
blind: set up your camera, then
shoot without using the viewfinder
or LCD panel.

Focusing on the menu board in

this shot draws the viewer into the
scene. The blurring of the scene
beyond creates a sense of
the world hurrying by.

TAKE IT FURTHER
A DAY IN THE LIFE
Shooting at different times of the day at different times of the day. Create a
has a major impact on the feel of a scene. portrait of a day in the life of a café by
In the case of a café, as well as obvious shooting from morning through to night,
changes such as varying weather either from a single viewpoint or from
conditions and the aspect of the sun, different positions. Notice how the
there will also be a change to the lighting—natural or artificial—changes
clientele. Cafés appeal to different people the feel of the shot.

consider the unique appeal of the building.

FOR THIS SHOT

The low viewpoint and
slightly skewed angle of
this shot perfectly captures
the dizzying effect of this
cavernous, opulent interior.

Wide angle
1 To capture the full
glory of a sumptuously
decorated ceiling, zoom
out as far as you can to
emphasize its scale.

ISO setting
2 To capture as much
detail as possible, set a low
ISO sensitivity. For a shake-
free shot, you’ll need to use a
tripod or find a firm support
for your camera. If you don’t
have a tripod, try placing
your camera on the ground
and use the self timer.

Framing
3 Including the
converging verticals of the
soaring columns accentuates
the height of the building.
HERITAGE AR CHITEC TURE 259

TRY THIS ALTERNATIVE APPROACHES

It’s can be tricky to illustrate There’s more to heritage architecture than monumental
the scale of unusual scale. Most historic buildings have distinctive forms and
landmarks, such as this features and are packed with texture and detail. Look
Indian stepwell, especially beyond conventional wide-angle views for perspectives
when only part of the
that breathe new life into ancient structures.
structure is visible. Including
people in the scene instantly
Use contrasts in your
conveys size and scale.
images to highlight the
Against a monochrome
different characteristics of
backdrop, this woman’s
buildings and structures.
bright clothes stand out and
The juxtaposition of the
inject energy into the scene.
imposing and intricate
facade of this medieval
cathedral and the bold,
dynamic bridge emphasizes
the unique properties
of both.

It’s possible to convey the

character of a building
without shooting it in its
entirety. In fact, the power
of large structures is often
lost in a wide-angle view.
Seek out architectural
features and details that
are characteristic of the
period or style, and
frame tightly.

The profiles of some

buildings are so strong that
their silhouette or shadow
can describe, and even
identify, them. Use the
landscape or cityscape
upon which that shadow
falls as a canvas. In high
contrast conditions,
experiment with the
exposure settings to find
the right balance between
brightness and shadow.

FRAME CREATED BY A DOORWAY FOLIAGE USED AS A FRAME

PIC TURE COMPOSITION 261

SHAPES WITHIN IMAGES

Shapes and lines within images are effective
compositional tools. You can use them to direct the
gaze of the viewer, add drama, and create balance.
Diagonal lines lead the eye from one part of the
scene to another. They tend to impart more energy
than horizontals, and encourage the eye to explore
and linger on the image. In radial compositions the
key elements spread out from the middle of the
frame, giving a lively feeling even to static subjects.
Symmetrical compositions are particularly bold and
suggest solidity, strength, and even formality.
DIAGONAL

RADIAL SYMMETRICAL

PERSPECTIVE AND MOVEMENT

There are many ways to strengthen
the sense and dynamic energy of
receding space in your pictures.
Including parallel lines that
appear to converge at a distant
point is a useful way of adding
depth to a scene and leading the
eye to a subject at the point of
convergence.
Look out for lead-in lines that
can encourage the viewer’s eye to
make a journey around an image,
from the foreground, through the
scene, and on to the subject.
CONVERGING PARALLELS LEADIN LINE
Mid-Fall
pale and pearly sunlight

Season of and mellow fruitfulness,

Close bosom-friend of the maturing sun
John Keats

foggy woodland walks

copper, bronze, and ruby-red

melancholy moments

splashes of vibrant color

266 MIDFALL

Colors of fall
In temperate climates, nature has a final flourish of color
as summer draws to a close. Autumnal weather can be
changeable, bringing a variety of photographic results.
Overcast skies provide soft light, while bright sunlight
infuses leaves with a translucent, dappled glow. For the
most vibrant color, head out just before sunset or after
sunrise when the lighting is at its warmest.

FOR THIS SHOT CAMERA MODE

Rather than relying solely on the bright Select Landscape
foliage for impact, this image uses it as mode or Aperture
a component to enhance an already Priority and an
aperture of f/11
strong composition.
SENSOR/FILM SPEED
Contrasts
1 The bold framing places the
tree trunk in the foreground to Use a low ISO
setting (e.g. ISO 100)
emphasize the contrasts in form
and color in the scene.
LENS SETTING
Exposure time
2 An exposure time of 1/2 sec gives
the water a soft silky look, providing a Zoom to moderate
wide angle
foil for the sharp outlines of the leaves
and branches.
FLASH
Color saturation
3 Vary your exposure settings Try shots with
to alter the color saturation. If your and without
camera has Vivid or Sunset exposure fill-in flash

modes, experiment with those too.

TRY THIS
Use backlighting to enhance
the luminance of fall leaves.
For the most brilliant colors,
shoot toward the canopy
into a bright sky, or even
into the sun. The light will
cause your camera to
underexpose the shot, so
increase your exposure
by 1 stop.
COLORS OF FALL 267

ALTERNATIVE APPROACHES
From wide-angle landscape images to close-up shots of a leaf-covered forest
floor, fall tones can be photographed in many different ways. Broad views place
the colors in context and contrast them with the stark forms of the trees while
images of leaves reflected in water result in more abstract compositions.

The fall color palette consists

of an astonishing range of vibrant
hues. Look for the appearance of
colored bands as foliage from tall
shrubs and undergrowth turn their
own distinctive colors.

Reflected in ponds or lakes, and

shot through a fine rain or mist,
fall colors take on an abstract
look. Catch the moment when
a breeze shivers across the
water or create your own ripples
by skipping a pebble.

TAKE IT FURTHER
COLOR SATURATION
Give an otherworldly
brightness to fall scenes by
using image manipulation
software to boost the color
saturation. Experiment with
the effect this has on your
images but don’t increase
the saturation too much.
A 15 percent boost is usually
sufficient—any more, and the
colors may end up looking
lurid rather than intense.

FOR THIS SHOT

This photograph of a cat
turning in surprise perfectly
captures its inquisitive nature
and quick reactions.

Backlighting
1 Shoot toward the sun
to produce a bright halo
around part of your pet.
Here, fill-in flash has been
used to make sure that the
cat isn’t lost in shadow.

Eye contact
2 Portraits work best
if there’s eye contact. Call
to your pet a moment before
you press the shutter-release,
to encourage it to look at
the camera.

Depth of field
3 Use Portrait mode
to ensure that you have
a relatively narrow depth
of field. Here, the cat is in
sharp focus, while the leafy
background is softly blurred.
FALL PE TS 269

TRY THIS ALTERNATIVE APPROACHES

More docile pets will Try shots with a different emphasis—shooting from your
allow you to set up pet’s perspective, juxtaposing his colors with those of the
shots that would be landscape, or making a feature of the raking fall light.
almost impossible
to achieve if you Including people in your
were shooting animal photographs can
spontaneously. This reveal the nature of their
sleepy rabbit is well relationship with their
camouflaged among owners. Shoot from a low
the fallen leaves, so viewpoint to reduce the
you’d need to get proportion of the image
down to his level taken up by foreground
and frame tightly. that doesn’t contribute
to the pictorial value.

Use the fall colors to create

a vibrant background for
your portraits. Here, the
slightly blurred scarlet and
yellow leaves emphasize the
cat’s striking black and white
markings. Always expose for
your subject when using
bright backgrounds.

TAKE IT FURTHER
SELECTIVE FOCUSING
Use selective focusing to make your pet stand out from its
environment. Select a wide aperture and zoom in. As your subject
lies behind blurred elements, autofocus will be confused. Focus
manually or autofocus first on the subject without anything in
the way, then hold the focus and recompose the shot.

FOR THIS SHOT

This lush forest is an
intriguing ecosystem of
plants that thrive in damp
conditions. A fern has taken
root among moss-covered
fallen trees producing an
image that shows a broad
range of forest textures.

Composition
1 Use any diagonal lines
you can find, such as fallen
branches and patterns in
foliage, to lead the eye
to a focal point such as
the beautifully lit fern in
this picture.

Wide angle
2 To create a feeling of
being almost overwhelmed
by the density of the
undergrowth, zoom out
for a wide view, then get
in low and close.

Even lighting
3 Exploit the way in
which foliage can filter
daylight to produce soft,
even lighting. Experiment
with white balance settings
until you get vivid greens.
IN THE FOREST 271

ON YOUR PHONE ALTERNATIVE APPROACHES

FISHEYE VIEW Where the overhead cover is less dense, shafts of sunlight
Fit a fisheye lens adaptor can pick out individual plants and fungi. Get in close to
to your camera phone shoot some of the details of the forest landscape, and always
and place it on the look out for interesting shapes and textures.
ground to produce
a distorted view. Mushrooms and toadstools
Alternatively, a similar have a magical, fairytale
effect can be achieved quality when in their natural
with a fisheye app that environment. Get down to
will simulate the look their level, and move in
on standard images. close with your lens at a
wide-angle setting—but do
tread very carefully. Try to
find a subject that’s backlit,
as this will highlight the
delicate structure and colors.

Fallen trees can make

fascinating photographic
subjects, their massive
exposed and decaying roots
radiating outward, creating
a dramatic starburst effect.
Explore them in close-up,
or go for a wider view to
show them in the context
of the forest.

TRY THIS
Even some ostensibly natural forests need to be managed to
stop them becoming too dense. Look out for felled trees and
harvested timber, and use the patterns and textures created by
the sawn surfaces to make graphically interesting images.

TAKE IT FURTHER ALTERNATIVE APPROACHES

AUTUMNAL PORTRAIT Scenes of children playing in fallen leaves don’t have to be
A portrait like this requires full of frenetic movement and energy—the reds and golds
careful staging. The subject’s of autumn lend themselves to more reflective images, too.
hair has been teased and Experiment with angle and perspective—get in close to
drawn outward and her show the beauty of an individual leaf, for example.
clothing has been chosen
to complement the fall The light from a low
colors. Even the leaves in autumn sun adds warmth
her hair have been specially and enriches the color of
selected for their shape these leaves. Keeping the
and color. sun behind your subject
produces beautiful rim
lighting and makes the
leaves glow. A little
overexposure helps
FOR THIS SHOT to keep the tones airy.
Although carefully
composed, this shot feels
spontaneous and energetic Children can bring chaos to
thanks to the subject’s the most tranquil situation.
This shot exploits that
expressive face and the
dynamism to good effect.
movement of the leaves. The neatness of the piled
leaves contrasts with the
Composition
1 If possible, match the
energy of the boy hurling
himself toward them.
color of your subject’s Try experimenting with
clothes to the natural exposure times to capture
a slight motion blur.
colors of the image. A more
satisfying composition can
be achieved by tailoring their To capture a scene from
a child’s perspective, get
pose to echo other shapes
down low and shoot
in the picture.
upward. In this picture,
we appreciate the size of
Aperture
2 Use a medium aperture
the tree through the eyes
of the child. Shooting into
(f/8, for example) and the sky has resulted in
moderate telephoto setting some lens flare, which lends
to keep the subject sharp a dreamlike, nostalgic
while blurring the quality to the image.
background slightly.

Exposure
3 Use a medium ISO
sensitivity (ISO 400) to allow
for short exposures of around
1/250 sec to freeze motion
and keep your subject sharp.

Indoor still life

On chilly, damp days, when you don’t feel like venturing
out with your camera, experimenting with some still-life
photography is a very rewarding alternative. It doesn’t
need to be anything elaborate. Look for objects around
the home with varied shapes, textures, and colors, then
try out different arrangements and various sources of
lighting—a simple desk light can be very useful.

FOR THIS SHOT CAMERA MODE

Kitchen utensils—especially those Select Portrait
that are well-used and have acquired mode or Aperture
a patina—create an attractive Priority and an
aperture of f/8
combination of shapes and textures.
SENSOR/FILM SPEED
Composition
1 Set your camera on a tripod so
that you can leave it in position while Use a low ISO
setting (e.g. ISO 100)
you make adjustments. You have total
control over a still life, so take time to
get your composition right. LENS SETTING
Lighting
2 Set up by a window and use Zoom to moderate
telephoto
natural daylight as your main light
source. Leave the interior lights on to
add highlights to reflective surfaces. FLASH

Depth of field
3 Experiment with aperture settings
Try shots with
and without flash
and observe how varying the depth of
field changes the feel of the image.

TAKE IT FURTHER
RECREATING AN OLD MASTER
Study still-life paintings by
great artists and try to recreate
them, or give them a new
twist. Imitate the artist’s use
of color and light to give your
picture a seasonal feel. You
could even apply a software
filter to create the impression
of brushstrokes.
INDOOR STILL LIFE 275

ALTERNATIVE APPROACHES
Often interesting still-life compositions will present themselves to you—an
assortment of ornaments on a shelf or items placed casually on a dining table,
for example. Even objects that are not conventionally beautiful can be recruited
to make intriguing images. All you need to do is recognize the potential.

Grouping objects that have shape,

texture, or material in common,
such as these bottles, can form a
striking composition. Try out both
regular and random arrangements
to see which shapes look good
together. With transparent
objects it’s worth experimenting
with backlighting to delineate
the shapes.

Color can be used to give a still life

unity. Here, a coppery setting has
been used to complement the
autumnal tones of the pears.
Experiment with different materials
to diffuse the light from the
window to create a dappled light
and shade, similar to that produced
by leafy branches.

Even with inanimate objects, you can create an impression of movement. These ballet
shoes hanging from their ribbons suggest a line of dancers caught en pointe. Make
small adjustments to the position of the shoes to find which pattern is most rhythmic.

FOR THIS SHOT CAMERA MODE

Hydrangea heads cling to vestiges of Select Portrait
brilliant color as they fade to autumnal mode or Aperture
brown. Here, their fragile beauty is Priority and an
aperture of f/4
enhanced by a delicate edging of frost.
SENSOR/FILM SPEED
Lighting
1 Shoot the main subject under Use a low to
shade or shadow to reduce contrasts medium ISO
setting (e.g. ISO
of light and shade and bring out 100 to 400)
subtle colors.
LENS SETTING
Focus
2 Use Portrait mode (or Macro
mode for smaller subjects) to blur Zoom to moderate
telephoto
the background, so that the subject
stands out sharply.
FLASH
Enhanced color
3 If your camera has a Vivid
Color mode, try using it to enhance Shoot without flash
the colors—brighter colors will be
affected more than paler, neutral shades.

TRY THIS
Translucent subjects, such as
these honesty “coins” or skeleton
leaves, look gorgeous when
backlit. Use a macro setting and
shoot them in front of a window.
If necessary, soften the light by
placing thin paper or translucent
gauze over the glass.
FORLORN GARDENS 277

ALTERNATIVE APPROACHES
As fall draws on, structural elements, such as fences and sheds, become more
prominent. Use them as a backdrop for some seasonal still-life arrangements, and
look for neglected corners that might harbor interesting objects or textures. And,
of course, enjoy taking the last pictures of plants before they finally disappear.

The low angle has foreshortened

the bleached forms of these
garden tools propped against
wooden garden chairs, creating a
strong sense of perspective. The
dappled light filtering through the
almost bare trees adds interest and
texture to the autumnal scene.

The regular pattern created

by these stacked flowerpots is
emphasized by the bright green
moss and dark shadows inside
them. The cobwebs and the small
sedum growing on one pot evoke
the sense of time passing.

Seed heads left for the birds to feast on have a strongly architectural quality,
especially when shot in silhouette against the low sun of a fall afternoon and a
golden backdrop of feathery grasses. Note the filigree effect of the cobwebs.

FOR THIS SHOT CAMERA MODE

This image contrasts not just the little Select Landscape
girl with the graffiti artist, but also the mode or Aperture
colorful graffiti in the background with Priority and an
aperture of f/16
the gray city street in front.
SENSOR/FILM SPEED
Composition
1 A strong diagonal from a subject
Use a medium ISO
in the foreground to another in the setting (e.g. ISO 400)
background creates a bold composition
that leads your eye into the scene.
LENS SETTING
Depth of field
2 Where it’s important to keep two Zoom to moderate
focal points in equally sharp focus, use wide angle
as small an aperture as possible.
FLASH
Lighting
3 You can give contrasting subjects
equal prominence by making sure that Shoot without flash
the lighting picks out both of them
in the same way.

TAKE IT FURTHER
SIMPLE COMPOSITES
Use your image-editing
software to cut out an object,
then place the object on
different backgrounds to
create a composite. Here, the
background image has been
desaturated to emphasize the
vibrant color of the rose.
STRIKING CONTRASTS 279

ALTERNATIVE APPROACHES
Like a photojournalist, keep a constant look-out for thought-provoking
images. These might take the form of visual contrasts in whole landscapes,
or tiny details that could pass unnoticed. They might reflect shifts in nature,
changes in the environment or our culture, or simply the passing of time.

A graphic contrast of form, color,

and texture, this study of a delicate
petal balancing like a gondola
on the edge of a gnarled leaf is
a haunting image symbolic of
the beauty of youth versus age.
A narrow depth of field has been
used to bring the fine details into
sharp focus, accentuating the
contrasting textures.

Viewing a heavy industrial site

from a wheatfield highlights the
contrast between the two. This is
emphasized by the half-and-half
composition of the image and the
different color casts of each—the
blue of the belching chimneys and
the gold of the ripening wheat.

City centers are a rich source of interesting material. This shot of a city
square in China reveals multiple contrasts—in scale, texture, dimension,
color, and, most strikingly, in traditional and modern culture.

FOR THIS SHOT CAMERA MODE

Shooting into the sun highlights the Select Landscape
fine mist in this woodland scene, mode or Aperture
while the wild boar is neatly framed Priority and an
aperture of f/11
by the tall trees on either side.
SENSOR/FILM SPEED
Exposure
1 To preserve detail in the
background of your shot, expose Zoom to maximum
telephoto
for a dark area of the scene.

Composition
2 It’s tempting to place animals
LENS SETTING
at the center of any wildlife picture.
Here, however, a more interesting shot Use a low ISO
setting (e.g. ISO 100)
has been created by positioning the
boar in the bottom third of the frame.
FLASH
Timing
3 Waiting for the boar to move into
a patch of sun has been rewarded in a Shoot without flash
shot in which the animal’s profile is
picked out by gentle rays of light.

TRY THIS
After a warm summer, fall often
brings a profusion of insects. Here,
a ladybug is surrounded by water
droplets of a similar size and shape
to the insect itself. The speed of
movement of most insects makes
a tripod redundant, so shoot
handheld, setting your camera
to Macro mode with a high ISO
setting. Pick a still day, to avoid
wind disturbance.
FALL WILDLIFE 281

ALTERNATIVE APPROACHES
Of course wildlife doesn’t appear on demand or pose on cue. However, if you
spend a little time studying animals’ habits—favored habitats and feeding
times—you’ll increase your chances of success. You won’t always have to venture
far from home, either—gardens and parks are host to many types of wildlife.

Take advantage of animals

rummaging for scarce food
supplies to get in closer than you
otherwise might. For an eye-to-eye
shot like this you’ll need to get
down on the damp ground, so you
might want to take something with
you to lie on.

As many birds migrate for the

winter, lakes and rivers can
seem lifeless. Turn this into an
opportunity to create ethereal
images in the early morning,
such as this solitary bird set
against a pastel-tinted landscape.
Overexpose by around 2/3 stop to
preserve brightness.

TAKE IT FURTHER
GETTING CLOSER
Super-zoom cameras with long focal lengths will enable you to get close-up images
of animals while keeping your distance. Even if you can’t get a clear view, a glimpse
through foliage can make a very effective image—especially if you can see the eyes.

FOR THIS SHOT ALTERNATIVE APPROACHES

This charming shot depicts a Look in your cupboards for interesting objects or ingredients
mother and daughter having to photograph, or, for a more challenging project, try
a tasting session. The natural setting up a reportage-style shoot at a restaurant.
lighting, reinforced by a little
fill-in flash, creates an informal Ask if you can photograph
mood that suits the subject. the kitchen of a local
restaurant (promise not to
get in the way). The pace
Composition
1 Placing the mother and
and setting will be very
different from at home and
daughter in the corner of the it will give you the chance
image brings the otherwise to take some character
negative spaces of the shots of the staff as they
kitchen into the fore. go about their business.

Portrait mode
2 Use Portrait mode
because the limited depth
of field ensures that, in a
cluttered setting like this, the
subjects stand out sharply
while the background is
slightly blurred.

Balance the lighting

3 Use very small amounts
of fill-in flash (and set an
underexposure for the flash)
to overcome the high
contrast effects created by
sunlight and shadows.
Eye-catching arrangements of spices, vegetables, and fruits can
make vibrant still-life shots. Think about the role of color, shape,
and pattern, and explore different angles for different effects.

and its current neglected state.

FOR THIS SHOT

Devoid of people, this
children’s playground feels
bleak and abandoned. By
concentrating on just one
item of equipment, the sense
of loneliness is compounded.

Color
1 Choose an overcast
day for flat lighting that
suppresses bright colors.
Try experimenting with the
white balance or color
saturation settings on your
camera to produce even
more muted tones.

2 Conditions
Make the most of
less favorable weather
conditions to create
atmosphere in your pictures.
Here, the fog obscures any
distant signs of life, isolating
the play park and providing
a ghostly backdrop.

Composition
3 Positioning the slide
to one side—leaving a space
in the shot that would usually
be occupied by action—
enhances the feeling that
something is missing.
OUT OF SEASON 285

ON YOUR PHONE ALTERNATIVE APPROACHES

ISOLATING OBJECTS Without the distraction of the crowds, you’re free to focus on
A selective focus app form and color. Set against a desolate landscape the gaudy
can be used to create an colors and quirky shapes characteristic of recreational areas
exaggerated depth of really stand out, so make a feature of them in your shots.
field effect, thowing the
background out of focus. Use the playful, temporary
Here, it concentrates architecture of fairground
attention on the foreground stalls, beach huts, and
detail—a swing that has souvenir shops to create
clearly not been used for colorful compositions.
many weeks. Frame your shots to contrast
them against empty spaces
in the scene, such as the sky
or a deserted promenade.

In harsh weather, when

gray skies combine with
frost or snow to create a
monochrome landscape,
look out for any splashes
of color. They’ll stand out
and add an extra dimension
to your image.

At closing time, fairgrounds have a haunted atmosphere: the

scene is bereft of people, but the memory of activity remains.
In situations like this, exploit the eerie patterns formed by the
interplay of light and shadow.

See also: A walk in the park pp.22–23, Lost and abandoned pp.244–45,
Shades of gray pp.254–55, Mist and fog pp.326–27
286 MIDFALL

Bonfire
Once night falls, fall celebrations are often focused
around a bonfire—a wonderful opportunity for dramatic
shots exploring the contrast between the fire and the
inky darkness of the sky. Experiment with abstracts of
the flames and smoke, and take advantage of the fire’s
warm glow to create some striking shots of the
spectators enjoying the blaze.

FOR THIS SHOT CAMERA MODE

In this shot, the orange glow of the Select Auto mode
smoke and the building beyond create a or Aperture Priority
painterly effect, forming a vivid contrast and an aperture
of f/5.6
with the dark blues and black of the rest
of the scene. SENSOR/FILM SPEED
Focusing
1 Cameras struggle to focus in low Use a very high ISO
setting (e.g. ISO 800
light. Focus manually or point the to1200)
camera at the brightest part of the
scene and use that to lock focus. LENS SETTING
Exposure
2 It can be tricky to get the exposure Zoom to moderate
telephoto
right for dimly lit scenes. Start by
underexposing by 1 stop, then vary this
by 1/3 stop increments above and below. FLASH

Sensitivity
3 Set the ISO sensitivity high—any Shoot without flash
noise will add to the atmosphere and
you’ll be able to shoot without a tripod.

ON YOUR PHONE
BOLD SILHOUETTES
Camera phones may
have trouble producing
images that are true
to color in the high-
contrast lighting around
a bonfire, so try
shooting strong images
then converting them
to black and white. Any
overexposure will create
interesting silhouettes.
BONFIRE 287

ALTERNATIVE APPROACHES
Your approach to photographing bonfires may vary, depending on the size of
the fire and the crowd around it. Make use of the light from the fire to create
chiaroscuro images of the revelers, focus on the flickering flames, or experiment
with exposures to take intriguing shots of light trails in the sky.

Bonfires cast a theatrical orange

glow up onto the faces of people
sitting around them, rather like
footlights on a stage. Move up
close to your subjects and take the
time to find a strong composition.
Here, the two people at the sides
of the shot have been used to
frame the fire and other onlookers.

Zoom in for some close-ups of the

heart of the fire. Even though the
flames are bright, it’s worth
experimenting with flash. Light
from the flash will illuminate the
charred logs and wood that would
otherwise appear in silhouette,
creating a more textured image.

Try different exposures when

photographing the bonfire. Rather
like flowing water, flames appear
to merge into silken rivulets when
shot using exposure times of 1 or 2
sec. Leaping sparks become jagged
trails of light against the dark sky.

NIGHT VISION TAKING BETTER PHOTOS

In low light conditions, there is a great difference There are endless subjects for you to explore with low-
between what the human eye can see and what the light photography, but wherever you point your camera,
electronic eye of a camera’s sensor can detect. By the following tips will help you to get the best results:
using a long exposure or a high ISO sensitivity setting • Set a high ISO sensitivity to limit blurring from
in the dark, your camera is able to accumulate camera shake; any extra noise this produces can be
enough light to deliver colors and tonal richness that reduced later in post processing on your computer.
are impossible for our eyes to perceive. In fact, colors • Use wide apertures (such as f/2.8) and long exposures
remain just as bright and vivid in low light as they are to let in more light, but keep to exposure times of 1/60
in daylight—the colors themselves haven’t changed. sec or shorter if hand-holding the camera.
While high-sensitivity film suffered from obtrusive • Focus on a detailed or high-contrast area to help your
grain and poor color and contrast, modern sensors camera’s focusing system lock on.
produce excellent images even at very high ISO settings. • Shoot in RAW format for flexibility in post-processing.
• Try underexposing by 1 or 2 stops to preserve the
dark tone of your night photos.
• If possible, bracket your shots to ensure that you get
a satisfactory exposure (see pp.316–17).
• If using flash, invest in an off-camera unit that you
can direct at the subject at an angle, or bounce off a
surface, for better lighting effects (see pp.344–45).
• If your camera or lens has image stabilization, make
sure it’s switched on.
• Shoot cityscapes at twilight, for a mix of ambient and
artificial light, with the white balance set to Tungsten.
• If you have an SLR, buy the fastest lens (widest

RICH COLORS
maximum aperture) you can afford.
WORKING IN LO W LIGHT 289

MOONLIT LANDSCAPES
One of the possibilities created by the digital camera’s
mastery of darkness is photographing landscapes by
moonlight. Although the moon can appear very
bright, it provides a very small fraction of the light of the
sun. This means that to capture landscapes you’ll still
need to use long exposures and high ISO settings. Try
to shoot on clear nights around the full moon. Start by
taking shots at ISO 800 or 1000, with an aperture of f/4
and an exposure time of 4 sec, then experiment with
longer exposures and smaller apertures.
The results are well worth the effort. You’ll get
magical, eerie landscapes and luminscent skies
studded with bright stars.
LIGHT OF THE MOON

REFLECTIONS AMPLIFY THE EFFECT OF LIGHTS POOLS OF LIGHT CREATE DEPTH

BLACK AND WHITE EMPHASIZES CONTRAST FILLIN FLASH COMPLEMENTS AMBIENT LIGHT
Late Fall
bare branches reaching to the sky

Autumn’s… golden richness speaks

not of the innocence of spring, nor
the power of summer, but of the
mellowness and kindly wisdom
of approaching age
Lin Yutang

wild weather
dark and light, moody and bright

haunting landscapes

lavish illuminations
294 LATE FALL

Festival of light
Many different societies celebrate the approach of CAMERA MODE LENS SETTING
winter. Historically, some were an occasion to banish Select Landscape
mode or Aperture Zoom to moderate
the dark, albeit for a short time, while others had—and Priority and an telephoto
aperture of f/11
still have—religious meaning. Whatever their function,
festivals invariably involve light displays and colorful SENSOR/FILM SPEED FLASH
decorations, and these are a gift for photographers. Use a medium
to high ISO
Shoot without flash
To capture the true spirit of the festivities get as close setting (e.g. ISO
400 to 800)
as you can the action and shoot freely.

FOR THIS SHOT

This picture depicting
crowds of people celebrating
Diwali captures a tender
moment of interaction
amidst the throng.

Lighting
1 Using only ambient
candlelight gives a scene a
warm glow. Here, the swathe
of candles in the foreground
has captured the people
at the front in soft light,
but left those toward the
back in shadow.

Composition
2 The horizontal
arrangement of the candles
and rows of people across
the full width of the image
has produced a nicely
balanced composition.

ISO sensitivity
3 When shooting scenes
in low light, turn up your
camera’s ISO setting. This
enables you to use exposure
times short enough to
reduce motion blur.
FESTIVAL OF LIGHT 295

TAKE IT FURTHER ALTERNATIVE APPROACHES

ZOOM BLUR For a rounded portrait of an event, try to focus on intimate
This arresting shot of a moments as well as sweeping overviews. If a festival is
festive light display was unfamiliar to you, spend time exploring or do some research
captured by zooming to ensure that you successfully capture all the key elements.
out while the picture
was being exposed. To For many, festivals are
achieve this, you’ll need simply entertaining, but
an SLR with a zoom lens. some have a more solemn
Set the shutter time to purpose, and involve
1/2 sec and zoom out important symbolism.
steadily after pressing Zoom in to capture details
the shutter button. and use a large aperture to
produce a narrow depth of
field in order to emphasize
the point of focus.

Use lines of streamers and

decorations decking the
streets to create striking
compositions. These paper
flags, shot against the sober
backdrop of a church in
shadow, are nicely backlit
by the high sun, which is
positioned just out of shot.

Look for ways that you can capture childrens’ sense of wonder at
this type of event. Catch them lit by the festive lights or gazing in
awe at displays. Add drama by getting down low and shooting
upward, which will isolate the child against the lights.

Around the house

When searching for photogenic locations, it’s easy CAMERA MODE LENS SETTING
to overlook your own home. But if you spend some Select Landscape
mode or Aperture Zoom to moderate
time observing your everyday surroundings with a Priority and an wide angle
aperture of f/16
photographer’s eye, possibilities for images will soon
occur—from straightforward compositions that SENSOR/FILM SPEED FLASH
showcase your DIY or interior design skills to more Try shots with
Use a low ISO
and without
abstract shots focusing on details. Look for ways to setting (e.g. ISO 100)
fill-in flash
exploit both natural and artificial light sources.

FOR THIS SHOT

This striking composition,
divided into two halves with
light pouring in from the top
of stairs and the back door,
encourages you to explore.

Lighting
1 Faced with a
combination of daylight and
artificial lighting, set your
camera’s white balance to
auto or—if you want a
warmer appearance—
select the sunlight setting.

Straight lines
2 Use a tripod to ensure
your camera is level. Tilting
it even slightly will create
distortions—the proliferation
of straight lines in this image
would expose any flaws.

Using flash
3 A touch of fill-in flash—
but not full flash—will help
lift and lighten dense
shadows in interior shots.
Experiment both with
and without flash.
AROUND THE HOUSE 297

ON YOUR PHONE
PANORAMAS
For 360 degree panoramas
of your home interior, use
a camera phone and a
panorama app, which allows
you to take consecutive
shots and then stitches
them together for you. To
minimize distortion, ensure
that you keep your phone
level throughout.

ALTERNATIVE APPROACHES
Whatever the size or style of your home, on those dark fall
days when you just don’t feel like venturing out, it can offer
you plenty of scope for a photography project or two.

All manner of domestic

articles, from crockery and
cutlery to cushions and
fabrics, can be arranged
to create interesting images.
For maximum impact, stick
to a theme, such as shape
or color.

A simple minimal interior

can be used to create an
equally minimalist image.
Adjust the position of
furniture or accessories,
and make use of,
spotlighting for a
stronger composition.

Use an open window to

frame the view outside.
The offbeat angle used
here allows the viewer to
see both the interior and
exterior of the home and
captures the light falling
onto the table.

FOR THIS SHOT

This picture of an amateur
soccer game, captured
under the soft golden glow
of a pale sun, says more
about the atmosphere than
the action.

Composition
1 An unusual composition,
with the subjects grouped in
the upper third of the frame,
allows the low sun to be out
of shot and the players’ long
shadows to stretch toward
the foreground.

Exposure
2 Set your exposure
carefully to prevent the
subjects from being too dark
and shaded. Don’t worry if
the sky is a little overexposed;
it simply emphasizes the
glare of the low sun.

Depth of field
3 Using a small aperture
setting has created an
extensive depth of field.
Almost every part of this
image, from the grass in the
foreground to the trees in
the distance, is sharp.
OUTDOOR SPOR TS 299

TAKE IT FURTHER ALTERNATIVE APPROACHES

PURSUING PASSION When choosing your approach, think about the way you
For close-up sports shots can best communicate the essence and the atmosphere
you’ll need a super-zoom of the sport. As well as taking documentary-style pictures,
or an SLR camera and experiment with different angles and perspectives.
lenses that let you zoom
in tight on the action. Although wet conditions
Those lenses will also present a challenge for the
need to have wide players, they can result in
maximum apertures – evocative, characterful
essential for delivering images. The framing of this
action-freezing short picture concentrates our
exposure times. attention on the mud, and
tells us all we need to know
about the game.

Accentuate dreadful
weather conditions by
increasing the ISO
sensitivity—any image
noise will only add to the
atmosphere. Here,
backlighting also focuses
the attention on the rain.
Zoom in tight to give a
sense of what it’s like to be
in the middle of the action.

Adjust your approach to

reflect the nature of the
sport. Your viewpoint will
give distinctly different
results. For example,
zooming in on rowers
from the riverbank will
result in a shot that
communicates effort and
exertion. Shooting from
a raised vantage point
gives an impression of
order and effortlessness.

FOR THIS SHOT

Regardless of whether your
image is candid or posed,
take plenty of pictures. The
quality of the light may
change while you work,
giving each image a
different feel.

Candid or posed
1 Although candid
portraits have an authentic
feel, the subject’s ignorance
of the camera doesn’t have
to be genuine. Spend some
time working on a pose that
looks informal—your subject
may feel more relaxed if he
or she has something to hold.

Exposure
2 Overexpose your
image by 1 stop to burn
out the view through
the window and keep
your subject’s face well lit.

Rim lighting
3 The light from the
window rim lights elements
of the subject rather than
bathing him in light, giving
the picture a mellow feel.
WINDOWLIT POR TRAITS 301

TRY THIS ALTERNATIVE APPROACHES

For an unusual portrait, position your subject so that you When the sun is shining directly through a window, the
catch his or her reflection in the window. Try a letterbox crop resulting light—though softened by the glass—is harsher,
with the subject at the edges for even less orthodox results. brighter, and more focused than indirect light. Exploit the
varying levels and intensities of light to make portraits with
a markedly different aesthetic and mood.

You can turn your window

into a feature by having
your subject face the view
beyond. This results in an
unconventional portrait in
which body language plays
a key role. In this shot, by
exposing on the bright
outside, the boy is thrown
into silhouette.

Lens flare, caused by light

reflecting around and
within the camera lens, is
usually something to be
avoided. Used sparingly,
however, the lightening
and softening it produces
can be used to impart a
dreamlike or romantic feel.

The shadow from a

decorative window can be
used to add interest and
symmetry to your portrait.
Experiment with the
position of your subject to
obtain the lighting effect
you desire. To cast a strong
light directly onto your
subject’s face, position
her face-on to the window
and shoot from the side.

FOR THIS SHOT

Many of the fish and other
sea creatures in aquariums
will respond favorably to
the presence of people up
close, resulting in touching
moments like this one.

Focusing
1 Aquarium plexiglass
is very thick, which may
confuse some focusing
systems. Try prefocusing on
an object at an appropriate
distance outside the tank,
then recompose your image.

Keep it steady
2 It is unlikely that
you’ll be permitted to use
a tripod, so brace yourself
against a wall, or keep your
camera strap taut to steady
your camera.

Exposure
3 Aim for an exposure
time of at least 1/60 second.
Increasing the ISO sensitivity
and using a wide aperture
(f/4) will compensate for the
low light levels.
AT THE AQUARIUM 303

TAKE IT FURTHER
COLOR CORRECTION
The optical properties of water can
result in a green color cast that’s
exaggerated by the thick glass of
an aquarium (right). With an SLR or
enthusiast compact you can shoot
in RAW mode to produce an
unprocessed replica of the data from
your camera’s sensor. This gives you
more control when you come to
correct the image with manipulation
software (far right).

ALTERNATIVE APPROACHES
Aquariums are excellent sources of photo ideas. In addition
to close-up shots of sea life, visitors to the aquarium, and
the aquarium itself, make good subjects for pictures.

Make the most of crowds

of people at the aquarium.
Stand back and include
a group of visitors—
silhouetted against the
blue of the water—to
convey the scale of
the tanks and the
creatures inside them.

You’ll need to be patient to

capture a dramatic portrait
like this. Instead of moving
around trying to follow
your subject, watch its
behavior, position
yourself, and wait for
it to come to you.

Shots like this are all about

perspective and symmetry,
but the wide angle of the
shot and the position of
the sharks are key to
its effectiveness.

FOR THIS SHOT

The presence of fog on an
early winter evening has
transformed this scene by
concealing the background
and softening the harsh
street light.

Exposure
1 Set your exposure on
the residual light in the sky,
rather than the artificial light
source. This will capture the
scene clearly, while adding a
atmospheric flare to the
street lamps.

Depth
2 Shoot before the
sky becomes totally dark.
Any remaining light will
create silhouettes in the more
distant elements of the scene.

White balance
3 The color temperature
of streetlighting can be
unpredictable, but start with
the Tungsten white balance
setting, which cools down
the warm tones. Experiment
with different settings for
warmer or cooler results.
STREE T LIGHTS 305

TAKE IT FURTHER ALTERNATIVE APPROACHES

A GRITTY WINTER SCENE Think of street lights as more than just street furniture or
Enhance or exaggerate the a source of light. Try using them as an intrinsic part of
gritty, noir-like look of a the composition, in which they can play a large part in
brightly lit blizzard by using defining the atmosphere and feel of a scene.
image manipulation filters. Use
the Add Grain filter to give the In this picture, different
scene a coarseness in keeping colored street lights have
with the weather. Use the been used to draw the eye
Colorize feature (or a photo down the backstreet. By
filter effect) to add a cool, getting down low and
blue tone to the image. zooming out wide, the
slick sheen on the cobbles
and the reflection in
the puddle have been
included to add depth
and foreground interest.

Streetlights tend to throw

pools of light in their
immediate vicinity.
Compared to our eyes,
digital cameras are very
good at picking up on
these, so look for the
interesting compositions
that these pools create.

Street lighting can boost scenes that are still bathed in

residual daylight. Here, a lamp casts a golden shaft of
light across the wet road, producing a very striking
foreground to the scene.

FOR THIS SHOT CAMERA MODE

The natural arrangement of fallen Select Landscape
leaves over bare branches reflected in mode or Aperture
a roadside puddle creates a beautiful Priority and an
aperture of f/16
mixed-media collage of a tree.
SENSOR/FILM SPEED
Underexpose
1 To preserve the leaf colors and
Use a low ISO
the reflection of the blue sky on the setting (e.g. ISO 100)
water, underexpose by 1/3 or 2/3 stop.

Format LENS SETTING

2 To accommodate as many leaves
as possible and increase the sense of Zoom to moderate
depth, zoom out to a moderate wide wide angle
angle and shoot in portrait format.
FLASH
3 Timing
A passing cloud has allowed
a burst of sunlight to lift the scene Shoot without flash
without burning out the reflection
of the branches.

TRY THIS
Create an artwork from
fallen leaves. Collect
specimens based on a
theme, such as shape,
pattern, or color, and
arrange them on a plain
surface. Here, the dark trunk
of a fallen tree gives the
background texture without
distracting from the leaves.
FALLEN LEAVES 307

ALTERNATIVE APPROACHES
Floating on a pond or strewn across a sidewalk, fallen leaves can look
spectacular en masse, creating a gorgeous mosaic that brightens even the
gloomiest of settings. However, detailed and delicate images can be made
using a single leaf, or just a handful of leaves.

With its harmonious combination

of colors, a confetti-like carpet of
fallen leaves makes a colorful
picture, but can be lacking in focus.
Look out for situations like this,
where the landscape imposes
patterns and structure on the leaves.

Leaf colors appear at their most

vivid—and luminous—when
backlit. Rather than searching for
perfectly positioned leaves, select
one with a pleasing shape and
color and place it as required.
Notice the way that shadows fall
on the leaves and the impact this
has on your composition.

Less vibrantly colored leaves can be used to create more mellow, atmospheric
images. Choose your leaves and background carefully for a harmonious composition,
then select Macro mode to maximize texture.

ON YOUR PHONE ALTERNATIVE APPROACHES

THE COMING STORM In stormy weather, normally static scenes are set in motion
Many camera phone by the whipping wind and the rain has a softening effect
apps can be used to on the landscape. Look for strong shapes and splashes of
accentuate bad weather color to give your images an interesting focal point.
shots. Use filters that
exaggerate contrast, add This view from an interstate
vignettes, or suppress bridge successfully exploits
color. Each produces the contrast between the
different results that will solid shapes of the trucks,
make your images look the pinpricks of oncoming
as if they were taken in headlights, and the pale
extreme conditions. clouds of spray.

FOR THIS SHOT

Steely grays and slate blue
dominate this striking shot Take cover in a dry place
of a yacht keeling over in to catch some candid, fun
shots of people battling
the wind. Waiting for a crack
against the weather. Look
in the heavy cloud cover to out for fleeting moments
illuminate the stormy sky has that capture its effects in a
added a touch of melodrama new way. This woman’s
to the scene. crumpled red umbrella looks
like a giant flower that’s
Exposure about to swallow her up.
1 Underexposing by 2/3
stop intensifies the blue
tones and revealed detail
in the clouds that might
otherwise appear featureless.

ISO setting
2 Use short shutter times
to keep the stormy waves
well defined. You may need
to increase the ISO sensitivity
to 1000, or even higher.

Zoom in
3 Bad weather can be
treacherous and change
quickly, so use your zoom
to get in close to details,
rather than risk your safety.

Strong winds can create unusual effects in the landscape. Here

the sand resembles a tempestuous seascape. In situations like
this use a tripod to steady the camera, and keep it protected.

FOR THIS SHOT CAMERA MODE

In this portrait, the lighting creates Select Portrait
a striking contrast between shadows mode or Aperture
and highlights focusing attention on Priority and an
aperture of f/5.6
the woman’s eye, lips, and hand.
SENSOR/FILM SPEED
Lighting
1 Warm lighting, reminiscent of
the light from a fire, casts an amber Use a low ISO
setting (e.g. ISO 400)
glow and helps to establish a relaxed,
intimate mood.
LENS SETTING
Eyes
2 Eye contact is vital for creating
a sense of shared intimacy, so make Zoom to moderate
wide angle
sure the eyes are in sharp focus. Once
you’re happy with a pose, take several
shots to capture the best expression. FLASH

3 Framing
Zoom in close to the face. Here, Shoot without flash
the shot has been tightly framed
to create a more dynamic image.

TRY THIS
Use a mirror to help create
intriguing shots. The mirror
image will show the side of
the face you can’t see,
producing a double image
of your subject. Cropping in
closely so that you can’t see
the whole head adds to the
impact of the portait.
ROMANTIC POR TRAIT 311

ALTERNATIVE APPROACHES
Because you know your partner well, you can try out both informal shots and
more staged poses. Lighting and props play an important role in setting the
mood for romantic portraits, so experiment with different locations and try
out various light sources and exposures to see how they change things.

Take the time to compose your

images carefully. Think about
where to place your subject and
ask her to try out different poses,
to see what looks best. Here,
strong lighting from the left
highlights the model’s arms and
legs, as well as her face, creating
some interesting shapes.

Informal shots can evoke tender

memories. This unusual shot has
been taken from a low viewpoint
above the model’s head, so that
her body is foreshortened. Making
the image black and white
accentuates the the curves and
planes of her shoulders and back,
which are thrown into relief by
strong light from the right.

Clever choice of location can make

portraits more interesting. Here,
the bare corner of a warehouse
provides a rugged setting for a
man working out. He has been
positioned in front of a bright
window so that he is backlit and
partially in silhouette. The light
picks out the contours of his back
and torso, enhancing his physique.

TRY THIS ALTERNATIVE APPROACHES

To capture a ghostly image An image of a solitary tree set in a muted landscape has a
of a tree at night, mount your timeless feel, evoking a sense of strength and permanence.
camera on a tripod, setting But look out too for opportunities to capture dramatic
the ISO sensitivity to 100 and images of leafless trees in more intriguing contexts.
the aperture to f/5.6. Open
the shutter, and use a
Seek out trees in urban
flashlight to cast an ethereal
settings and capture the
light across the tree. As an
uneasy relationship
alternative, experiment by
between the organic
using your flash at different
architecture of the tree and
intensities, if possible.
that of the surrounding
buildings. Shooting upward
from a low angle emphasizes
the vertical thrust of both.

FOR THIS SHOT

This picture of a lone
tree standing in a misty Keep your eyes open for
landscape inspires feelings compositional tools and
of isolation and detachment framing devices. Here, for
in the viewer. example, the tree and field
is glimpsed through a small
window in the wall of a
Symmetry
1 When stripped of
barn, creating an image
within an image. Use a
their leaves, some trees small aperture to ensure
display a near-perfect the whole of the image
symmetry. Highlight this remains sharp.
by positioning the line of
symmetry at the center
of your shot and, where
possible, exploiting any TAKE IT FURTHER
symmetry in the background. YEARROUND PROJECT
For a year-round project, shoot a single tree from the same
Composition place during each season. Make sure you take the exact
2 To emphasize the position and use the same framing each time, and try to match
feeling of its quiet solitude, the skies and the direction of the sunlight as much as possible.
the tree has been shot from
a distance, is fairly small in
the frame, and is surrounded
by lots of empty space.

Creative exposure
3 In murky conditions,
overexpose by up to 1
stop to keep the image
as bright as possible. The
tree will be rendered as
a virtual silhouette.

TAKE IT FURTHER ALTERNATIVE APPROACHES

A CLOSER LOOK Although we usually associate it with nighttime pictures, the
For frame-filling images moon is often visible during the day too. Try photographing
of the moon, you can it at different times of day for images with a markedly
get an adaptor that allows different feel.
you to shoot through a
telescope. Set the Shooting the moon during
exposure control to the day solves the problem
automatic. Avoid shooting of exposure, as its contrast
when the moon is full, as with the sky is negligible.
this can result in flat, This is ostensibly a picture
shadowless lighting. of a dramatic cloud
formation, but the inclusion
of the moon is what makes
the shot stand out.

FOR THIS SHOT

The power of this seascape
lies in the way the moonlight Without a telescope, it’s
defines the outline of the difficult to make successful
clouds. The soft reflection pictures in which the moon
of the moon balances the is the sole subject. For
composition. dramatic, eerily beautiful
moon portraits, keep an eye
out for those times when ice
Exposure
1 For moonlit landscapes,
crystals in the atmosphere
produce a white or rainbow
underexpose by up to 2 halo effect.
stops from your camera’s
suggested reading to retain
the dark tones.

2 Cloud cover
The moon can appear
over-bright in a pitch-black
sky, so choose a cloudy night
when the light is diffused.
Use a tripod so you don’t
have to hold the camera in
position while you wait for a
good cloud formation.

ISO sensitivity
3 Clouds—and the sea—
will move while the shutter
of your camera is open. To
prevent any motion blur,
set a high ISO sensitivity
of up to 1600. In this shot a long focal length has been used to capture
the moon, set against a clear twilight sky, as an effective
counterpoint to the tightly framed apartment blocks.

MAKING THE “CORRECT” EXPOSURE

A camera’s autoexposure system aims to balance the If difficult conditions have caused your camera to
lens aperture size, shutter time, and ISO setting to produce a poor exposure, you can remedy this by
ensure that the light falling on the sensor captures using its Exposure Compensation control. This lets you
adequate detail in the shadows, mid-tones, and override the camera’s suggested exposure settings
highlights of an image. Given this strategy for achieving by adjusting the aperture size or shutter speed, or both.
a “correct” exposure, we can broadly judge the exposure If you anticipate exposure problems, and your camera
of any image. If its shadows and mid-tones appear too has the feature, bracketing is useful. This works by
light, and its highlights are burned out, we deem an making three, five, or more separate pictures with
image to be overexposed. Conversely, if its highlights one press of the shutter button: one or more either
seem too dim, and its mid-tones and shadows are too side of the metered setting. From these you can
dark, we consider an image to be underexposed. then select the most satisfactory image.

1 STOP ORIGINAL EXPOSURE +1 STOP

EXPOSURE 317

METERING SYSTEMS
Even basic modern cameras have accurate metering
systems. Most have center-weighted systems and
some have more advanced metering.
Center-weighted metering systems calculate image
exposure from the central part of the scene, where
your subject is most likely to be placed. Multi-zone
or evaluative metering is a more sophisticated system
that breaks up the scene—especially the central
area—into smaller segments and uses the readings to
calculate the best exposure. Spot metering calculates
an exposure from a small area of the frame, which is
particularly useful when lighting conditions are difficult. MULTIZONE OR EVALUATIVE METERING

CENTERWEIGHTED METERING SPOT METERING

CREATIVE EXPOSURE CONTROL

The “correct” exposure of an image
will always be the one that best
conveys your intentions. In fact,
underexposure and overexposure
can improve the look of your
images in various ways. Try
reducing exposure to combat
glare in bright areas, create
stronger silhouettes, and make
mid-tone colors appear richer.
By giving extra exposure you
can create a light, dreamy
atmosphere or blow out detail
for artistic effect.
1 2⁄3 STOP COMPENSATION +2 STOPS COMPENSATION
Early Winter
burst of brilliance

Winter dawn is the color

of metal, The trees stiﬀen
into place like burnt nerves
Sylvia Plath

a cacophony of color
opalescent dawn light

snow on snow on snow

dashing through the snow

322 EARLY WINTER

Golden sunrise
Photographers often talk about the golden hour: the
60 minutes or so after sunrise and then again before 1
sunset, when scenes are suffused with a warm golden
light. A wondrous spectacle at any time of year, the
winter sunrise, with its long shadows, is well worth
getting up for, and offers the added bonus that it
arrives much later than sunrise during the summer.

FOR THIS SHOT CAMERA MODE

Golden light combined with the Select Landscape
contrast-reducing effect of mist, has mode or Aperture
created very special shooting conditions. Priority and an
aperture of f/16
The soft, almost sepia, tones are a
perfect fit for the nostalgic feel of this SENSOR/FILM SPEED
shot of a deserted country road.

Lighting
1 Shooting into the sun lights up
Use a low ISO
setting (e.g. ISO 100)
the icy tracks. The mist has diffused the
light and reduced the lens flare that’s
LENS SETTING
often a feature of this technique
Perspective
2 Use a series of converging lines—
Zoom to moderate
telephoto
here, the warm light reflecting off
the road—to create perspective.
FLASH
Exposure
3 In misty conditions, when the light
is soft, modest overexposure (around Shoot without flash
1/3 stop) stops the scene becoming
dull and accentuates the highlights.

TRY THIS
The rising sun bathes
melting ice in beautiful, if
somewhat incongruous,
warm amber light. Switch
your camera to Macro mode
to focus on the small details
of the ice and shoot with a
fast exposure time.
2
GOLDEN SUNRISE 323

ALTERNATIVE APPROACHES
Trust your camera for early morning sunrise images—it can see more
colors than you can. Notice the way the light changes, from strong
reddish-gold at sunrise through to a softer, more pallid yellow later.
Each tone will alter different scenes in various subtle ways.

Use the glow from the rising

sun to imbue street scenes with
gorgeous opalescent colors.
Here, the lone cyclist heading
toward the brightness of the
coming day, captures the
tranquility of early mornings.
For a wide depth of field in low
light, you’ll need to use a tripod
to avoid camera shake.

Photographing a sunrise over

water increases the overall light
level of your pictures, and helps
to bring out details and increase
depth. This image of a jagged
coastline and choppy sea is full of
texture. Fill-in flash has been used
to balance the sunlight and bring
out detail in the foreground rocks.

Try using a sunrise to backlight a cityscape. Here, the soft yellow sky provides a simple
and elegant backdrop for the elaborate buildings. Together with the glowing windows,
the effect is stunning. Expose the scene for the foreground to retain shadow details.

Shops and shoppers

A shopping mall, or any busy retail street, with its crowds
of people, modern architectural features, and imaginative
window displays, is bursting with energy and life. In
addition, at this time of year, they are often festooned
with lavish decorations. There’s plenty to photograph,
but remember—for safety (and to avoid unwanted
attention) try to be as discreet as possible.

FOR THIS SHOT CAMERA MODE

This photograph of a shopping mall Select Landscape
atrium captures the activity, and mode or Aperture
gaudy splendor of these cathedrals Priority and an
aperture of f/16
of consumerism.
Elevated position SENSOR/FILM SPEED
1 Find a high vantage point
and zoom out as far as possible to Zoom to maximum
capture a sense of scale. Try to wide angle
feature any seasonal displays—these
are a gift for photographers.
LENS SETTING
Color balance
2 With many different and unusual Use a medium to
light sources, set your camera’s white high ISO setting
(e.g. ISO 400 to 800)
balance to auto—or experiment with
different settings for unusual effects.
FLASH
Sensitivity
3 Since tripods are not allowed
in most shopping malls set the ISO Shoot without flash
sensitivity to medium or high
(ISO 400 to 800) for handheld shots.

TRY THIS
Try your hand at street
photography and you might
find that some of your pictures
take you into the realm of
social commentary. For
example, images of rich
and poor, side by side,
can create powerful and
poignant contrasts.
SHOPS AND SHOPPERS 325

ALTERNATIVE APPROACHES
December is one of the busiest shopping months, providing endless
opportunities to capture photos of people hurriedly, sometimes frantically,
seeking out gifts for the holiday season. Look for opportunities to capture
this lively atmosphere, but be alert for telling moments of stillness too.

From a raised position, such as

a walkway or second floor window,
you can photograph the organized
chaos of a street market or main
street. Experiment with exposure
times to capture different levels of
motion blur.

Store window displays are

designed to catch the attention
of passersby and draw them into
the store. If you spot an intriguing
composition, don’t be afraid to
stop people and ask them if you
can take a picture.

TAKE IT FURTHER
A MOMENT OF STILLNESS
Using an ultra wide-angle lens, ask your subject to stand still (reading a shopping list
or using a phone) in a busy street. With a long (1/2 to 1 sec) exposure time, your subject
will appear motionless while other shoppers hurry past in a blur.

Mist and fog

On a foggy winter’s day it can be tempting to hunker CAMERA MODE LENS SETTING
down at home rather than head off in search of Select Landscape
mode or Aperture Zoom to moderate
photographic inspiration. Fog and mist, however, create Priority and an telephoto
aperture of f/5.6
magical, atmospheric scenes, so it’s well worth getting
up early (but not too early at this time of year) to catch SENSOR/FILM SPEED FLASH
them. In fog, the distances between objects appear
Use a medium ISO
Shoot without flash
greater, altering your sense of perspective. Look out setting (e.g. ISO 400)

for viewpoints where you can best capture this effect.

FOR THIS SHOT

Swathes of mist envelop
the landscape in this early
morning shot, veiling the
valleys and lakes below.
Note the striking contrasts
between light and dark.

Perspective
1 Zoom in to frame
the shot, flatten perspective,
and further compress the
planes of the scene.

Light levels
2 A modest amount
of underexposure (around
1/3 to 2/3 stop) helps to
define detail in the mist
itself and avoid bleached-
out highlights.

3 Exposure
Experiment with
different exposure times:
longer exposures will make
the bands of mist look like
smooth rivers of silk. Brief
exposure times will give
sharper definition and
more structure.
MIST AND FOG 327

TRY THIS ALTERNATIVE APPROACHES

Like mist and fog, low Dense fog transforms the appearance of familiar places,
cloud also distorts obscuring some things and making others appear more
perspective, increasing prominent. It also creates ghostly light conditions that
the sense of distance you can exploit to make some really atmospheric images.
from the camera. Tall
buildings look even taller
Although fog reduces
when their upper floors
visibility, it can create the
vanish into the clouds.
illusion of increased depth,
You can emphasize the
as in this avenue of trees.
sense of height by using
Those in the foreground
a wide-angle lens
stand out clearly, whereas
setting.
those in the background
disappear. The presence of
the cyclist and his dog
provide a sense of scale.

When the sun breaks

through fog, the warmth
makes it swirl, creating
striking patterns. Try to
focus on an area of fog
in the middle distance
to create a painterly,
smudgy image of subtle
light and color.

Streetlights cast an orange glow in fog, giving ordinary scenes

an oddly theatrical appearance. Try different exposures to
capture the light effects. Here, blurring the image slightly
and tilting the camera creates an eerie sense of disorientation.

See also: Rainy day pp.98–99, Changing skies pp.106–07, Out of season
pp.284–85, Street lights pp.304–05, White on white pp.334–35
328 EARLY WINTER

Abstract lights
A neon-lit city center on a wet night is the perfect CAMERA MODE LENS SETTING
hunting ground for some colorful abstract images. Select Macro mode
or Aperture Priority Zoom to moderate
Neon signs alone can produce bold, graphic images, and an aperture telephoto
of f/4
albeit with a commercial message, but when scattered
and reflected in rainy windows or puddles, they take on SENSOR/FILM SPEED FLASH
a less figurative form. As well as images in which color
Use a high ISO
Shoot without flash
and pattern alone take precedence, look for compositions setting (e.g. ISO 800)

that include visual references to recognizable objects.

FOR THIS SHOT

This psychedelic image is all
about color, pattern, and
texture. It would be entirely
abstract, but for the sharpness
of the raindrops, which tells
us that we’re looking
through a window at
a view of a city street.

Sharpness
1 For shots like this,
sharpness is more important
than absolute color fidelity.
For short exposure times
you may need to increase
the ISO sensitivity.

2 Focus
Focus on the raindrops,
using the Close-up or Macro
mode, if necessary—to give
the most abstract view of the
lights beyond.

Composition
3 Different apertures
alter the shape of out-of-
focus lights, so decrease
aperture to around f/8 to
make lights sharper and
smaller or increase aperture
up to about f/2.8 to render
them softer and larger, while
keeping raindrops sharp.
ABSTR AC T LIGHTS 329

TRY THIS ALTERNATIVE APPROACHES

You can create dreamy Explore the possibilities offered by reflections. In fluid or
abstract effects by shaped surfaces light is distorted, producing intriguing
shooting lights out of textures and patterns. Try including areas of darkness too,
focus. In Aperture to lend contrast and structure to your composition.
Priority mode, open the
lens to at least medium
Look for surfaces that are
aperture and set the
arranged on different levels.
focus to Macro, or lock
Here the steps form a series
the focus at the closest
of dark geometric shapes
focusing distance.
set against the random
splashes of color.

Ripples in water fragments

reflections and produces
a softly linear pattern of
intersecting colors. Get
close to the water—the
more oblique your angle,
the more abstract your
image will be. Experiment
by zooming in and out for
different effects.

Lights don’t have to be blurred out of recognition to produce

an interesting abstract. Sharp reflections in curved surfaces can
turn a regular shape into something rather more surreal.
Remember to focus on the reflection, rather than the surface.

really freezing conditions.

FOR THIS SHOT

While you’d expect to see
photos of skiers in action or
picturesque snow scenes, a
different perspective results
in a more personal, and
interesting, image.

Shadows
1 A stretch of snow has
been used like a screen on
which a shadow, formed
partly by the person taking
the shot, is projected.

Texture
2 A small aperture
of around f/16 keeps
everything looking sharp
while an overexposure of 2/3
to 1 stop retains the texture
and detail of the snow.

Lead-in lines
3 The skis and ski-pole in
this shot don’t just add to the
interest of this quirky self-
portrait. They lead the eye
toward the focal point of the
image—the shadow of the
ski lift and its passengers.
WINTER SPOR TS 331

TRY THIS ALTERNATIVE APPROACHES

Using a short exposure time From the colorful clothing worn by skiers and
to freeze motion isn’t the snowboarders to the impact of their activities on the
only way to depict speed. mountain landscape, winter sports offer a huge variety
Controlled blurring blurs of subjects for photography.
a subject at the edges,
imitating the feel of a Futurist
Look out for interesting
painting. Use a longer shutter
perspectives and ways of
time—say 1/4 to 1/2 sec—to
shooting people in the
capture movement during
landscape. Here, a reflective
exposure. Use a tripod or rest
snow visor acts like a wide-
your camera on a stable
angle lens. Adjust your
surface to keep it steady.
position to get a good
balance between the
subject and the reflection.

Skiers slaloming their way

down snow fields leave
lines in their wake. Include
skiers in the shot to give
the scene a sense of scale
and overexpose by up to
1 2/3 stops to keep the
snow bright, while retaining
the all-important texture.

To capture fast action you need to find a good position,

prefocus, and set your camera to Sports mode (or select a very
brief exposure time). Pan the camera to follow the action and if
your model has a multi-shot mode, use it. For midair shots it’s
usually best to include some of the surrounding landscape.

morning scenes that have an altogether chillier feel.

WINTER MARKE T 333

TRY THIS ALTERNATIVE APPROACHES

Get up close and shoot Winter markets are as varied as the stalls found in them.
details of the people who Seek out different viewpoints, capturing close-ups of the
work at the winter markets. stallholders and visitors as well as moving farther away
Concentrate on their work, to photograph the whole scene laid out before you.
whether it’s producing
crafts or preparing food and
Take advantage of the
drinks. Making a purchase
lovely light and upbeat
can help develop a rapport
mood of a winter market
with the stall holder and
to make some seasonal
could lead to some extra
portraits of friends and
special shots.
family. Look for moments
when people’s faces are
illuminated by the glow of
candles and colored lights.

FOR THIS SHOT

A stall decked in glass
baubles, figurines, and Not all winter markets are
candle-lit trinkets is the about bright lights and
staple of winter markets. color. Year-round weekly
markets can have a very
different feel. On cold
Composition
1 Filling half the image
mornings, when there are
fewer customers around,
with a close-up of a painted and especially if there’s fog
glass ball sets the scene and in the air, they can have a
leads the eye into the image. slightly melancholy feel.

Wide angle
2 The wide and off-beat
The seasonal appearance
of a winter market has a
angle shows as much of the transforming effect on the
light and color of the scene landscape. Large open
as possible. The wide-angle squares and parks become
view has distorted the a congested mass of color
nearest bauble, but in and lights. Shoot in early
this scene it’s perhaps evening to contrast bluish
even an advantage. daylight with the warm
glow of incandescent lights.

Exposure
3 Autoexposure mode
gives good results for
shots of stall gifts, but try
using Macro mode too
for some really close shots
of small objects.

FOR THIS SHOT CAMERA MODE

A thick blanket of snow has settled Select Landscape
on a lone bicycle and a set of bike mode or Aperture
racks, completely transforming the Priority and an
aperture of f/8
appearance of an everyday scene.
SENSOR/FILM SPEED
Depth
1 Snow conceals the ground and
Use a low ISO
flattens perspective. Elements such as setting (e.g. ISO 100)
these bike racks help give the image a
sense of depth.
LENS SETTING
Exposure
2 Snow turns murky gray if shot Zoom to maximum
using auto-exposure settings. To wide angle
preserve its brilliant white, it ‘s best
to overexpose by at least 1 stop.
FLASH
ISO setting
3 Use the best quality settings Shoot without flash
(and the lowest ISO sensitivity) to pick
up detail in the texture of the snow.

TRY THIS
Look for repeating
patterns that have
been enhanced by
snow. The graphic
quality of these
roof tiles and wire
fencing has been
greatly increased
by the strong
contrast between
light and dark.
WHITE ON WHITE 335

ALTERNATIVE APPROACHES
Explore the effect that modest to heavy snowfall has on the landscape: all
but the most prominent features will have been reduced to gentle undulations.
Look at the way in which variations of light and shade give form and imply a
sense of depth in your image.

When color and contrast is

minimal, perspective is flattened
because the usual clues that show
distance are absent. Instead, the
sense of depth is created by aerial
perspective, which is based on the
experience that more distant
objects are paler and less distinct.
Use falling snow, mist, or low cloud
when you encounter them, as they
increase the sense of depth.

Even a modest covering of snow

makes things unrecognizable.
Rows of similar objects, such as the
cars in this image, simply look like
ripples or waves, particularly when
they are shot obliquely. The effects
will vary according to the direction
of the light, so it’s worth revisiting
the scene at different times of day.

On snowy, overcast days, contrasts

in tone and color are much lower
than normal so it’s a good idea to
make the most of any tonal or color
differences you can find. Set the
camera’s white balance to Cloudy
to ensure results are not too blue.
Here, correct balance helps the tiny
patch of green to carry its proper
weight; if the tone had a bluish
cast, the door would disappear
into the overall tint.

Fun in the snow

Shooting in the snow doesn’t have to be just about
tranquil snowscapes or howling blizzards—snowy days
are an opportunity to capture informal portraits and
action shots. Experiment with different types of image,
and try to express the spontaneous joy of messing
around in the snow. But don’t get too carried away
if your camera isn’t waterproof.

FOR THIS SHOT CAMERA MODE

The tight framing of this photograph, Select Portrait
which all but crops out one of the mode or Aperture
protagonists in the snowball fight, Priority and an
aperture of f/8
pulls the viewer into the action.
SENSOR/FILM SPEED
Timing
1 Timing is crucial for capturing an
action shot like this. Allow for the short Use a medium ISO
delay between pressing the shutter setting (e.g. ISO 400)
release and the camera taking the shot.
LENS SETTING
Framing
2 The explosion of snow dominates
the shot—with a wider view, much Zoom to moderate
telephoto
of the energy and exuberance of the
scene would be lost.
FLASH
Focusing
3 Your autofocus system will
struggle to work for this scenario, Shoot without flash
so prefocus on the subject then turn
off the autofocus before shooting.

TRY THIS
If a subject is moving
quickly past you, your auto
focus may struggle to pick it
up. Counteract this problem
by prefocusing the camera
on a predetermined point—
be sure to press the shutter
just before your subject
reaches that point.
FUN IN THE SNO W 337

ALTERNATIVE APPROACHES
As well as altering the landscape, snow transforms mood so make the most of
the situation. Try to capture the spirit of informality and freedom that snow
encourages, be inspired and, most importantly, have fun.

Images of snow don’t have to be muted

in tone. Parks and open spaces become
playgrounds for children and adults alike,
and offer opportunities for surprisingly
colorful compositions. As well as taking
those close-up action shots, take a step
back to show the setting. The people
playing in the snow will look like bright
splashes of color on a white canvas.

Drawing pictures in the snow is a playful

alternative to building snowmen. For the
best results, wait until the sun is low in
the sky and take the shot as shadows
begin to fall. The humor of this image
is given poignancy by the knowledge
that its subject will disappear with the
next dusting of snow.

Children are invariably excited when

playing, or simply walking, in the snow.
As a result, formal portraits are likely to
seem a little stiff, even incongruous.
Embrace the opportunity to capture your
child’s natural enthusiasm for the snow
with a more informal portrait.

Using an elevated camera angle tends

to reduce a subject’s status in the eyes
of the viewer. However, when the subject
is a child, it can imply affection. A high
camera angle is also useful when you
want to concentrate on the subject—or
subjects—and isolate them from
any potentially distracting elements
in the background.

Dimly lit interior

Reminiscent of 17th-century Dutch paintings, subtly lit CAMERA MODE LENS SETTING
interior scenes can be strongly atmospheric. Don’t be Select Landscape
mode or Aperture Zoom to moderate
tempted to use Auto mode because your camera will Priority and an wide angle
aperture of f/11
automatically compensate for the lack of light with an
extended exposure time, resulting in an artificially bright SENSOR/FILM SPEED FLASH
image that may also be blurred. Mastering exposure Use a medium to
high ISO setting Shoot without flash
control is important when the light is low and will (e.g. ISO 400 to 800)
usually require the use of a tripod.
DIMLY LIT INTERIOR 339

TRY THIS ALTERNATIVE APPROACHES

Shooting through Working with interiors is your chance to be a lighting
patterned voile not only director: you can control every element of light by pulling
produces an intriguing curtains or positioning candles. Measure exposures from
effect, but also softens lit areas to keep shadows deep and mysterious.
the scene, reducing the
levels of contrast and
Still-life arrangements
brightness. You could
make it easy for you to
also try using colored
control the lighting and the
translucent fabrics to
position of any props. Look
give an image a delicate,
at where the light falls in
overall wash of color.
this image, and note how
touches of color and pattern
add interest.

FOR THIS SHOT

Taken in an historic building,
this quiet domestic scene, lit Candles emit a soft, warm
only by daylight from a small light that’s perfect for
romantic portraits. Check
window, evokes the feel of a
your shots for a color
bygone age.
cast and adjust the white
balance setting to Tungsten
Exposure
1 To preserve muted
if your pictures appear
too orange.
tones, take an exposure
reading using the multi-zone
setting, if possible, then
underexpose the shot by
around 1 stop or more,
adjusting as necessary.

Contrast
2 You can create moody,
atmospheric images by
avoiding strong contrasts.
This will also help you retain
shadow detail and subtle
differences in tone.

Depth of field
3 In low lighting, your
camera will tend to select a
wide aperture, resulting in a
narrow depth of field. Select
a small aperture to keep the
whole image sharp, but use Interior shots with windows can be tricky. If you expose for the
a tripod as this will require a window, the interior will be too dark, but if you expose for the
longer exposure. interior, the window will be overexposed. Avoid direct sunlight
and underexpose by 1 to 2 stops below what the camera suggests.

FOR THIS SHOT

The inclusion of figures in
the foreground of this
picture gives a sense of
scale and helps to make the
viewer feel part of the scene.

Exposure
1 A low ISO setting and
medium aperture setting,
with exposure times of
around 1/2 to 1 sec, will
preserve the color and
detail of the fireworks.

Focus manually
2 Autofocusing systems
will struggle to focus on
fireworks until the display
is well underway. If possible,
focus manually instead.

Tripod
3 Use a tripod to assist
with accurate framing and
to make it possible to use
longer exposure times while
avoiding camera movement.
FIRE WORKS 341

ON YOUR PHONE ALTERNATIVE APPROACHES

AN ABSTRACT LIGHT SHOW From enormous public extravaganzas to more modest
Fast changing light backyard celebrations, firework displays are always joyful
levels and movement occasions. As well as explosions set against the night sky,
can confuse the exposure look out for the dramatic way in which fireworks illuminate
and focusing systems of their surroundings. Your viewpoint is crucial to making the
camera phones. For most of these events, so arrive early and set up in advance.
colorful abstract pictures,
shoot away and then, A firework display in an
using an app, adjust the urban setting can act
color and contrast of as a spectacular—and
your images. unusual—backdrop to
floodlit buildings. Setting
the exposure for the
floodlighting normally
results in the correct
exposure for the fireworks
too. Try underexposing by
1 stop for richer colors.

Unlike other fireworks,

sparklers give you some
degree of control over
the content of your
image. Get your subjects
to draw patterns in the air
at different speeds and
then experiment with
exposure times up to
2 sec. Try shots with and
without flash.

Public firework displays

often take place near rivers
or over the sea, so make
the most of the opportunity
to use reflections to add
even more light and color
to your composition.
Frame widely to ensure
the whole display is
captured and crop
afterward, if necessary.

special—than professional portraits.

POSED POR TRAIT 343

TRY THIS
Set up a group portrait with a
few friends. Try to find a simple,
uncluttered location with good
natural light. Pose your friends
so they’re lit from the side, and
move them away from the wall
to avoid shadows. Leave room
to include yourself and use your
camera’s self-timer mode. When
shooting from closer-in, use fill-
in flash to balance the lighting.

FOR THIS SHOT ALTERNATIVE APPROACHES

This striking portrait combines A posed portrait needn’t be formal, but it should be
strong eye contact with the constructed in a way that suggests some forethought
inventive use of the subject’s and that sets it apart from spontaneous snapshots.
reflection. The woman
appears to be looking at us If you can’t find a sitter,
and herself at the same time. shoot a self portrait.
Arrange your lighting and
visualize the shot before
Reflection
1 Try to match your
setting up your camera.
Use the self timer or, if
approach to your subject. you have one, a remote
Here, a strong pose and control shutter release.
intense gaze are
complemented by the
unconventional use of a
mirror. The result is a A plain, simple background
multidimensional portrait is often the best option for
that may reflect something portraits. However, a busy
of the subject’s character. background can add
context and interest. Here,
even though the picture
Location
2 Find a location with
has a boldly patterned
backdrop, the strong
good light and a background natural side lighting and
that isn’t too loud or busy. clear modeling of the
Move around your subject subject’s face ensures that
to find the best angle. this isn’t a distraction.

Engage your subject

3 Involve your sitters in
what you’re doing and show
them your try-out shots so
they know what you’re trying
to achieve. Try to work
quickly and encourage them
to experiment with poses.
See also: Indoor child portraits pp.32–33, Character portraits pp.82–83,
Window-lit portraits pp.300–01, Romantic portraits pp.310–11
344
EXPLORING TECHNIQUE

Using flash
Although digital cameras work very well in
low-light conditions (see pp.288–89), there will
be times when you need some additional
illumination. All compact cameras feature a
small built-in flash unit that may be sufficient
for general use. However, for more challenging
subjects, or for more accomplished lighting
results, a variety of accessory flash units is
available. Learning to use flash effectively will
enable you to broaden the scope of your
photography and boost your creativity.

WHEN TO USE FLASH FLASH LIGHTING TECHNIQUES

Using flash is a convenient way of taking photographs The standard flash unit built into many cameras is
when the available light isn’t sufficient to make a adequate but usually produces rather harsh and
satisfactory exposure. By reducing the necessary directional lighting. For more effective flash lighting
exposure time it prevents the effects of camera shake it’s better to use a separate flash unit. This is normally
(when you’re using the camera hand-held), and attached to the accessory shoe on top of the camera
also enables you to freeze motion. However, you (where available) but can also be mounted separately,
can also use flash to complement the ambient using a flash bracket, or positioned away from the
lighting in a scene. For example, one of the best camera. An accessory flash unit will enable you to
uses of flash is to balance the variation between experiment with the following techniques:
foreground and background light levels when you • Fill-in flash: ideal when a subject is back-lit, this
are photographing a back-lit subject. balances the ambient light—but doesn’t overpower it—
and fills in shadows. You can do this, in a less controlled
way, using an on-camera flash (see above, right).
• Diffused flash: to create gentler shadows and soft,
uniform lighting, the flash gun is aimed at the
subject—therefore providing maximum illumination—
but has a diffuser placed over it.
• Bounced flash: for a more even and less harsh light,
the flash is directed at the ceiling or a wall to diffuse the
light before it hits the subjects. The light can also take
on color tones from the surface.
• Mulitiple flash: using two or more flash units that
trigger simultaneously, it is possible to provide lighting
that specifically lights parts of the scene and gives you
A MOMENT CAPTURED
more control over the general effect.
USING FLASH 345

COMPACT CAMERA FLASH MODES

Many digital cameras have several flash modes to
choose from. The following are the most common in
compact cameras using the built-in flash unit:
• Auto flash: triggers automatically when your camera
calculates that extra light is needed in a scene.
• Fill-in (forced) flash: activates the flash unit even
when your camera determines that there is sufficient
light to make an exposure. When set to fill-in flash,
most cameras will reduce the intensity of the
flash produced to create a more subtle effect.
• Red-eye reduction: helps to prevent eyes turning
red in portraits by firing a series of flashes before the
exposure to make the subject’s pupils dilate.
REDEYE REDUCTION

FILLIN FLASH DIFFUSED FLASH

BOUNCED FLASH MULITIPLE FLASH

346 GLOSSARY

Glossary color cast Tint or hint of color

evenly covering an image.
EV (exposure value) A measure
relating exposure time and f/number
to brightness: high EV indicates
ambient light Existing light arising contrast Measure of a scene’s
bright light. A change of one EV is
from natural sources. subject brightness range.
equivalent to a change in one stop.
aperture Opening behind the lens crop To use part of an image for
evaluative metering A type of
through which light passes. the purpose of, for example,
metering system which divides a
aperture priority An automatic improving composition, fitting scene into a number of sections
exposure mode that varies the an image to an available space or and measures the brightness in
shutter time as required. format, or squaring up an image to each in order to determine the
correct a tilted horizon. final exposure.
app A contraction of application.
Downloadable software used on EVF (electronic viewfinder)
mobile devices. depth of field Measure of zone or LCD camera screen, viewed under
distance over which any object in an eyepiece, showing the view
autofocus Default automated through the lens.
system of camera focus. front of a lens appears acceptably
sharp; lies in front of, and behind, exposure Process of allowing light
AWB (auto-white balance) plane of best focus. to reach light-sensitive sensor to
Automatic setting of white balance create an image.
digital manipulation The process
to correct color cast.
of changing the characteristics of exposure compensation Control
a digital image using a computer over autoexposure which increases
backlighting Lighting the subject and software. or decreases exposure in accordance
from behind with the light source direct vision finder Type of with the setting.
facing the camera. viewfinder in which the subject is
black An area that has no color or observed directly, through a hole
or optical device. f/number (f/stop) Setting of the
hue due to its absorption of most lens aperture that determines the
or all light. display Device that provides amount of light passing into the lens.
brightness Quality of visual temporary visual representation of
data such as a monitor screen, an fill-in To illuminate shadows cast
perception that varies with the by the main light source, by using
amount or intensity of light. LCD projector, or the information
panel on a camera. another light source or reflector to
bounce light from the main source
distortion Inaccurate representation into the shadows.
camera exposure Quantity of light of lines or shape of objects in image
reaching the camera sensor: causing bending of lines or change filter (1) Glass or plastic attachment
depends on the effective aperture placed in front of lens to alter color
of shape.
of the lens and the duration of the or other quality of image. (2) Software
dynamic range Measure of the that applies effects to the image.
exposure to light.
difference between the highest and
center-weighted metering A type of flare A nonimage forming light
lowest energy of significant areas
metering that gives more importance caused by internal reflections within
in a scene.
to the central areas of an image. the lens.
flash (1) To provide illumination
color Quality of visual perception
enhancement Change in one or with a very brief burst of light.
characterized by hue, saturation,
more qualities of an image in order (2) Equipment used to provide
and lightness.
to improve its visual properties, such a brief burst or flash of light.
color balance The relative strengths as an increase in color saturation, (3) Type of electronic memory used
of colors in an image. sharpness, and so on. in digital cameras.
GLOSSARY 347

focal length Distance between the JPEG (Joint Photographic Expert monochrome Photograph or image
lens and a sharp image of an object Group) Data compression protocol made up of black, white, and grays
at infinity projected by it. Usually for reducing file sizes. that may or may not be tinted.
measured in millimeters.
multi-shot Camera setting that
focus To make an image look sharp enables many exposures to be made
K (1) Binary thousand: 1,024, or in a short time, e.g. six framers per
by bringing the focal plane of an
optical system into coincidence with 1,024 bytes is abbreviated to 1 KB. second. Also called series exposure.
the sensor plane. (2) Degrees Kelvin, measuring color
temperature. multiple exposure Camera mode
follow focus Autofocus method that allows exposures to be made
which adjusts continuously to follow key tone The principal or most one on top of another, resulting in
changing position of the subject. important tone in an image, blending of the images.
Also called servo focus. usually the mid-tone between
white and black.
foregrounding The practice of noise Irregularities in an image that
making an object stand out among reduce information content.
surrounding imagery. landscape Image orientation in
full-frame Sensor size: which the longest side is horizontal.
approximately 36mm x 24mm. lead-in line A line that a viewer’s OLED Organic Light-Emitting Diode:
type of display screen used to show
eye can follow through an image.
preview images and menus.
grayscale Measure of the number levels Display of the distribution
opacity Measure of how much can
of distinct steps between black and of pixel brightness in an image
be “seen” through a layer.
white in an image. as a histogram—the height of the
column is proportional to the optical viewfinder Type of
number of pixels that are the viewfinder that shows the subject
highlights The brightest or lightest indicated value. through an optical system, rather
parts of an image. than via a monitor screen.
light meter A device used to
histogram Graphical representation calculate camera settings in overexposure A loss of highlight
showing the relative numbers of response to light. detail in an image.
something over a range of values.
hue The visual perception of color. paint Use light source such as torch
macro Focusing in the close-up
range but with the subject not or flash to illuminate large scenes.
magnified. palette (1) Set of tools, colors, or
ISO Name of the International
Organization for Standardization: in manual exposure Setting the shapes. (2) Range or selection of
digital photography, usually applied camera exposure by hand rather colors available to a printer, a
as the measure of sensor sensitivity, than automatically. monitor, or other device.
though other ISO standards are used. panoramic A view obtained by
metadata Information about the
image stabilization An in-built image—its location, time, creator, rotating a lens to see a wide area.
feature that serves to reduce blurring and more. partial metering Metering that
associated with the motion of a measures from a part of the image,
moiré Pattern of alternating light
camera during exposure. usually in the center.
and dark bands, or colors, caused by
intelligent auto Autoexposure the interference between two or perspective The way in which a
mode in which camera sets more superimposed arrays or three-dimensional scene is projected
sensitivity (ISO setting) as well as patterns that differ in phase, or seen on the two-dimensional
exposure time and aperture. orientation, or frequency. surface of a screen or paper.
348 GLOSSARY

photomontage A single be imagined as divided into nine telephoto Lens or zoom setting of
photographic image made by equal parts and that important greater-than-normal focal length,
digitally combining several other compositional elements should be producing magnified view of the
photographic images. placed along these lines or their subject.
intersections.
pixel Picture element: the smallest thumbnail Representation of an
unit of digital imaging. image as a small, low-resolution
version of the original image.
pixelated Appearance of a digital saturation The vividness or intensity
image in which the individual pixels of hue. TIFF Widely used image file format,
are clearly discernible. based on tags.
scanning Process of turning an
portrait Image orientation in which original into a digital facsimile—a tint Overall pale color affecting the
the longest side is vertical. Compare digital file of a specified size. whole image.
with “landscape.”
scene mode Automatic modes that tonal range The numerous shades
prefocusing A technique of setting set up several camera functions to of gray between absolute black and
focus first before recomposing a suit specific scenes or subjects. absolute white.
photograph to take the shot.
sepia Brown tint applied to images
program exposure A type of to give antique look.
underexposure A loss of shadow
autoexposure control in which
series exposure Camera setting detail in an image.
the camera sets both shutter time
that enables many exposures to be
and aperture.
made in a short time, e.g. six frames
per second. Also called multi-shot. wide-angle Lens or zoom setting of
shorter-than-normal focal length
RAW format Image file output from shutter priority A type of
which gives a wider-than-normal
the camera with minimal in-camera autoexposure in which the user sets
field of view.
processing, in a format specific to the the shutter while the camera sets
camera model or range. the aperture automatically.
red-eye Bright red spot appearing silhouette Subject rendered in zoom lens A type of lens in which
in one or more eyes of subject in black outline by exposing for a bright the focal length can be altered
dark illuminated by flash. background. without changing focus.
resizing Changing file size or output single-shot Autofocus mode in
size of an image. which exposure is made only when
focus is achieved.
resolution Measure of how much
detail can be seen or has been SLR (single-lens reflex) Camera
recorded, and of how clearly it that views and takes photos through
can be seen. the same lens, using a mirror to
control the light-path for viewing
rim lighting Lighting technique
and shooting.
that illuminates the outline or edge
of an object from the rear. stop A change in brightness or
exposure: reducing by one stop
RGB (Red Green Blue) Color model
halves the amount of light and so
that defines colors in terms of
reduces exposure, while adding a
relative amounts of red, green, and
stop doubles the light and
blue.
increases exposure.
rule of thirds A guideline that
proposes that an image should
INDEX 349

Index angle of shot, light and lighting

city lights 63
glare avoidance 132–33
depth of field 121
detail, focusing on 78–79
framing 260
discarded objects 244–45
landscape, moonlit 289
leaves, fallen 307
light trails 88–89 gardens, formal 156–57 leaves, playing in 273
A shafts of light 241
sunset, snowy 60–61
heritage 258–59
and marathon runners 247
market 332–33
migratory birds 281
abstract forms angle of shot, outdoors modern 74–75 mist and fog 23, 326–27
angle of shot 25, 221 camping vacation 197 railway station 76–77 music festivals 224–25
blur 24–25, 86–87, 165 children 103, 126–27 ruins 144–45 parks, out of season 284–85
cropping 25 cycling 189 shadows 79, 259 railway station 77
interiors 24–25, 221 dew on plants 128–29 skies, changing, reflection of seascape 117
shadows 217 discarded objects 244–45 107 snow, playing in 336–37
textures 114–15 farm animal 71 snow-covered 22–23 swimming pool 201
white on white photography gardens, forlorn 277 spiral staircase 226–27 vacation postcard shots 218–19
335 glare avoidance 132–33 street signs 230–31 winter festivals 295
abstract forms, light and lighting pond life 132–33 sunset 251 atmospheric images, portraits
fireworks 341 snow, playing in 337 see also interiors; urban scenes children 126–27, 273
on glass 24–25 spring blossom 119 artistic effect people at work 187
light trails 88–89 sunset, snowy 60–61 cropping 239 under water 175
lights, outdoor 328–29 winter festivals 295 depth of field 121 vacation 213
sunlight, dazzling 222 angle of shot, urban scenes flower field 111 window-lit 300–01
underwater 201 architecture, modern 75 portraits, outdoors 17 atmospheric images, urban
abstract forms, outdoors city lights 63 spirit of place 239 scenes
barren landscape 228–29 city’s reflective surfaces 184–85 still life, indoors 274 café life 257
birds in flight 165 street performers 171 see also graphic style city lights 63
boats in harbor 73 street signs 230–31 atmospheric images street lighting 304–05
crop fields 193 tree, skeleton 313 black and white photography street performers 170–71
dew on car hood 129 animals 255 trees, skeleton 312–13
fishing harbor 211 adult interaction with 81 and color 233 urban decay 56–57
frost 18–19 black and white photography interiors 26–27, 275, 338–39 autofocus problems
garden party 217 137 shadows, fuzzy-edged 53 and movement 20–21, 188–89
garden wildlife 173 blur 81, 195, 269 spirit of place 238–39 snowstorms 44–45
icicles 15 farm 70–71 atmospheric images, light and
leaves, fallen 306 zoos and animal parks 80–81 lighting
lights, outdoor 328–29
mountain scenery 163
see also wildlife
animals, domesticated
abstract lights 329
animals, domesticated 27
B
plane, pictures from 198 in action 29, 194–95 backlighting 204 background
seascape 117 atmospheric images 27 bonfire 286–87 animals, domesticated 136–37,
snow-laden trees 54–55 attracting attention of 71, 268 candles 27, 339 269
waterfall 135 character, capturing 136–37 city lights 63 architectural detail 78–79
abstract forms, urban scenes depth of field 29 lens flare 205 blur 18, 273, 269, 282–83
architectural detail 78–79 fall colors 268–69 light, shafts of 240–41 children’s party 109
city bridge 58–59 overexposure, effects of 29 moonlight 289 flowers in close-up 190–91
city’s reflective surfaces 185 portraits 27, 71, 104–05, urban street 304–05 mist 284–85
snowstorm 44–45 136–37, 195, 268–69 window-lit portraits 300–01 portraits 82–83, 169, 343
wintry cityscapes 51 pose, importance of 28–29 atmospheric images, outdoors ruins 145
angle of shot sidelighting 27 abstract lights 329 selective focus app 285
abstract forms 25, 221 in snow 28–29 animals and fall color separation, and depth of field
children 32–33, 103, 126–27 street photography 161 269 64, 121
interiors 32–33, 221 vignette effect 29 barren landscapes 228–29 silhouettes 203
train wheels 73 architecture beach scenes 214–15 spring blossom 119
underwater photography 176 buildings in mist and fog 327 bonfire 286–87 street performers 170–71
water splashes 103 contrast 75, 79, 259 children 126–27 travel portrait 169
350 INDEX

backlighting bokeh (aesthetic quality) 120 children garden wildlife 172–73

atmospheric images 204 candlelight 27 angle of shot 32–33, 103, ice formations 14–15, 19
and color 173, 266, 268–69 composition and movement 126–27 leaves, fallen 307
crop fields 192 86–87 baby portrait 140–41 marathon runners 247
exposure 204 depth of field 30–31, 86–87 birthday party 108–09 market 303
fill-in flash 205 distance 87 camera shy 127 street performers 171
flowers in close-up 190–91 exposure times 98–99 carnival 158–59 water droplets 280
garden wildlife 173 marathon runners 246 composition see composition, water splashes 103
halo effect 268–69 mist and fog 327 children winter festivals 295
ice crystals 19 motion see motion blur depth of field see depth of winter sports 299
leaf structure 139, 276 panning 87 field, children winter woodland 35
lens flare 17, 204, 205 reflections 87 eating al fresco 154–55 close-ups, plants 271
outdoor sports in winter shutter time experimentation framing see framing, children dew on 129
298–99 86–87 garden party 216–17 flowers 190–91
plants 91, 251, 271 sunset 101 humor 253 ice formations on leaves 14–15
portraits 105, 268–69, 311 waterfall 134–35 kitchen activities 282–83 leaves, fallen 307
rainfall 299 zoom 295 light and lighting see light and lush greenery 139
rim lighting 204, 273, 300–01 bounced flash 344, 345 lighting, children macro 92, 93
silhouettes 202–03, 204, 301 brightness movement, capturing 127, 217 new growth 90–91
sunset 251 control, and image outdoors 126–27 winter woodland 35
sunshine, winter 17 manipulation 117, 267 playing in leaves 272–73 close-ups, portraits 17, 160–61
transparent objects 275 and overexposure 281 playing in puddles 103 animals, domesticated 137
underwater photography preservation 22, 29, 34, 42–43 playing in snow 336–37 baby 141
176 and shadows 254, 259 portraits 17, 32–33, 140–41 people at work 186–87
see also light and lighting see also color viewpoint see viewpoint, sunglasses 227
black and white photography children wedding photography 146–47
animals 137 window, portrait in 17 close-ups, wildlife 103, 164–65
atmospheric images 255
bonfire 286
C wonder, capturing sense of
295
animals 269
fall 280, 281
city lights 63 camera modes 64–65 close framing garden 172–73
color tinting 191, 212 camera phones aquariums 303 macro 92
flowers in close-up 191 baby portrait 140 party settings 20–21 color 232–33
grain filter 255 bonfire 286 underwater photography 176, casts, correcting 37
lighting, low 289 café life 256 177 depth of field 268–69
portraits 137, 140–41, 147, close-ups 105, 191 see also framing and exposure 266–67, 317
212, 311 color, suppressing 309 close-ups gray shades 254–55
ruins 145 distressed effect 85 camera phones 105, 191 isolated element 233
selective color app 147 film-processing app 256 depth of field 92, 93 monochrome see
shadows 57 Hipstamatic app 215 exposure 93 monochrome effect
spirit of place 239 panoramic interiors 297 focal length and working mood and emotion, conveying
street photography 161 party settings 20 distance 92–93, 173, 281 233
sunset, snowy 61 plane, pictures from 198 interiors 21, 24–25 muted, effect of 76–77
urban decay 57 public transport 72 Macro scene mode 92–93 and perspective 233
wedding photography 147 street photography 161 close-ups, light and lighting rainbows 107, 135
white on white photography vignette effect 29, 309 bonfire 287 relationships 232
335 vintage effects 215 sunlight, dazzling 222 Saturation tool 149, 267
see also monochrome effect weather, stormy 309 close-ups, outdoors silhouettes 203
blur candles agriculture, impact of 131 suppressing, camera phones
abstract forms 24–25, 86–87, atmospheric images 27, 339 bonfire 287 309
165 children’s party 109 fall wildlife 280, 281 tinting 61
animals 81, 195, 269 interiors 339 family day out 113 underexposure 79, 221
background 18, 269, 273, white balance 339 farmers’ market 253 warm 26–27
282–83 see also light and lighting fishing harbor 211 water, effect of 303
INDEX 351

wheel 232 night garden 142–43 dew on plants 128–29 abstract forms, indoor 25
white balance see white spring blossom 119 forest 270–71 artistic effect 239
balance winter garden 30–31 gardens, formal 156–57 city river 243
see also brightness color, portraits 310–11 tree, skeleton 312–13 city’s reflective surfaces 185
color balance 36–37, 233, travel 168–69 composition, portraits image manipulation 148
238–39 color, urban scenes character 82–83 kitchen activities 282–83
gray shades 254–55 architectural detail 79 posed 342–43 letterbox 185
Hue and Color Control tools city shoppers 324–25 romantic 311 lush greenery 139
149 street lighting 305 vacation 212–13 portraits 71, 282–83, 301
winter woodland 34–35 color, wildlife composition, urban scenes public sculpture 167
color, interiors 221, 297 birds 164–65 architecture, modern 74–75 shadows 52
kitchen activities 283 garden 172–73 café life 256–57 spirit of place 239
still life 275 pond life 133 city shoppers 325 urban decay 57
color, light and lighting winter 49 city’s reflective surfaces wildlife on riverbank 100–01
backlighting 173, 266, 268–69 composition 260–61 184–85
low 288 blur and movement 86–87 industrial landscape 84–85
street 305
sunlight, dazzling 222–23
contrasts, striking 278–79
diagonals 212, 230, 245, 261,
public sculpture 166–67
street lighting 305
D
sunlight, shooting into 266 270, 278 street performers 170–71 depth, adding 261
sunrise, golden 323 framing see framing street photography 160–61 architecture, heritage 258–59
sunset 250–51 gray shades 255 street signs 230–31 city river 242–43
twilight 42–43 silhouettes 202–03 tree, skeleton 312–13 gardens, formal 157
color, outdoors spirit of place 238–39 composition, wildlife harvest time 248–49
abstract lights 328–29 composition, children bird life 164–65 lighting, low 238, 289
barren landscapes 228–29 leaves, playing in 272–73 fall 280–81 lighting, street 305
carnival 158–59 outdoors 126–27 winter 48–49 mist and fog 255, 327
crop fields 192–93 composition, interiors 296–97 contrast 278–79 snow scenes, city 22–23
eating al fresco 155 modern 220–21 abstract forms, indoor 25 white on white photography
fall 266–69, 272–73 still life 274–75 architecture 75, 79, 259 334–35
farmers’ market 252–53 composition, outdoors barren landscapes 228–29 see also perspective
fishing harbor 210–11 abstract lights 328–29 city shoppers 324–25 depth of field 120–21
harvest time 248–49 barren landscapes 228–29 composite picture 278 Aperture Priority 64
ice and frost 19 beach scenes 214–15 crop fields 192 aperture size 121
leaves, fallen 306–07 camping vacation 196–97 discarded objects 245 artistic effect 121
leaves, playing in 272–73 children 126–27 fall color 266–67 background separation 64, 121
market 332–33 cycling 188–89 fishing harbor 210–11 and blur 30–31, 86–87
music festivals 224–25 discarded objects 244–45 flower field 111 close-ups 92, 93
parks, out of season 284–85 eating al fresco 154–55 flowers, spring blossom 119 color 268–69
rainfall scenes 99 farmers’ market 252–53 gardens, formal 157 contrasts, striking 278–79
snow, playing in 336–37 harvest time 248–49 ice and frost 19 controlling 120
snowstorm 44–45 leaves, playing in 272–73 industrial landscapes 84–85 and focal length 120
still life 46–47 market 332–33 interiors, dimly lit 338–39 framing 121
underwater photography 176 mountain scenery 162–63 light, shafts of 241 plane of focus 120
vacation postcard shots 218–19 parks, out of season 284–85 low light 288, 338–39 spirit of place 239
waterfall 135 ruins 144–45 seascape 117 spontaneous shots 102–03
winter sports 331 skies, changing 106–07 snow scenes 22–23, 28–29, depth of field, children
color, plants still life 47 44–45 baby portrait 141
flower field 110–11 sunset 250–51 street photography 160 indoor portrait 33
flowers in close-up 190–91 sunset, snowy 60–61 sunlight, dazzling 222–23 outdoors 126–27
gardens, forlorn 276–77 vacation postcard shots 218–19 sunset 250–51 depth of field, interiors 121
gardens, formal 156–57 winter festivals 294–95 underwater photography 176 abstract forms 24–25
lush greenery 139 winter sports 298–99 winter woodland 34–35 animals, domesticated 29
new growth 91 composition, plants cropping 148 dimly lit 338–39
352 INDEX

modern 220–21 city shoppers 324 cycling 188–89 party portraits 21

still life 274–75 discarded objects 245 fireworks 340–41 shadows 33, 127, 282–83
depth of field, outdoors family day out 113 garden party 216–17 sunlight and shadows 282–83
agriculture, impact of 130–31 farmers’ market 253 leaves, playing in 272–73 sunlight, shooting into 213
camping vacation 197 harvest time 249 marathon runners 246–47 swimming pool 200–01
children 126–27 kitchen activities 283 market 332–33 travel portrait 168–69
eating al fresco 154–55 light trails 88–89 mist and fog 326–27 watersports 175
farm animals 70–71 public sculpture 167 mountain scenery 162–63 see also flash, use of
frost on window 18–19 street photography 161 music festivals 224–25 fire
frozen water crystals 15 tourist trail 226–27 ruins 144–45 atmospheric interiors 26–27
landscapes 121 tree, life of 313 seascape 116–17 bonfire 286–87
mountain scenery 162–63 urban decay 57 skies, changing 106–07 fireworks 340–41
plane, pictures from 198–99 winter sports 299 snowstorm 44–45 fisheye lens 271
rainfall 99 stormy weather 308–09 flash, use of 344–45
ruins 144–45 tourist trail 226–27 see also fill-in flash
sunrise, golden 323
sunset on riverbank 101
E underwater photography 176
waterfall 134–35
focal length
close-ups and working
tourist trail 226–27 exposure 316–17 winter festivals 294–95 distance 92–93, 173, 281
vacation postcard shots 218–19 autoexposure 316 winter sports 298–99, 331 and depth of field 120
winter festivals 295 blur 98–99 exposure, plants reflections 16
depth of field, plants bracketing 215, 316 ice formations on leaves 14–15 focal point
flower fields 110–11 close-ups 93 lush greenery 138–39 agriculture, impact of 131
flowers in close-up 190–91 and color 266–67, 317 spring blossom 118–19 architecture, heritage 259
gardens, formal 156–57 creative control 317 tree, skeleton 312–13 baby portrait 141
night garden 142–43 Exposure Compensation exposure, portraits barren landscapes 228–29
plant growth, new 91 control 316 character 82–83 bonfire 286–87
snow-laden trees 54–55 freezing action 64, 102, 116, equine 104–05 café life 257
spring blossom 118–19 194, 200–01 wedding photography 146–47 car headlamp 72–73
depth of field, portraits 121 metering systems 317 window-lit 300–01 children’s party 108–09
baby 141 overexposure see overexposure exposure, urban scenes eating al fresco 154–55
indoor child 33 silhouettes 154, 155, 205, 317 architecture, heritage 258–59 eyes of animals 80–81
vacation 212–13 spirit of place 238–39 architecture, modern 74–75 fall wildlife 281
depth of field, urban scenes spontaneous shots 102–03 city lights 62–63 falling objects 20–21
architecture 121 underexposure see city shoppers 325 flower fields 110–11
café life 256–57 underexposure public sculpture 166–67 garden wildlife 173
city’s reflective surfaces 184–85 exposure, light and lighting snow scenes 22–23 light trails 88–89
street photography 160–61 backlighting 204 street lighting 304–05 mountain scenery 162–63
street shadows 52–53 bonfire 286–87 tree, skeleton 312–13 portraits, animal 104–05, 137
street signs 231 fireworks 340–41 wintry 51 portraits, romantic 310–11
urban decay 56–57 light, shafts of 240–41 exposure, wildlife ruins 145
depth of field, wildlife light trails 88–89 aquariums 302–03 snow, playing in 336
animals in zoos 80–81 in low light 288–89, 338–39 garden 172–73 sunset, snowy 60–61
garden 173 moonlight 314–15 winter 48–49 textures 115
pond life 133 street 304–05 winter festivals 295
diffused flash 344, 345 sunlight, dazzling 222–23 fog see mist and fog
distortion avoidance
objects on ground 19
sunrise, golden 322–23
sunset 250–51
F food
alfresco eating 154–55
wedding photography 147 window-lit portraits 300–01 fill-in flash 344, 345 café life 256–57
wide angle shot 332–33 exposure, outdoors backlighting 205 camping vacation 197
documentary photography beach scenes 214–15 garden wildlife 172–73 close-ups 253
beach scenes 215 bonfire 286–87 home interiors 296–97 farmers’ market 252–53
café life 257 camping vacation 196–97 kitchen activities 282–83 garden party 217
camping vacation 197 carnival 158–59 lighting, low 289 kitchen activities 282–83
INDEX 353

framing 260 outdoor 16–17 sunset, snowy 61 contrasts, striking 279

close see close framing romantic 310–11 textures 114–15 silhouettes 203
depth of field 121 vacation 212–13 woodland shadows 34–35 see also urban scenes
interiors 297 framing, urban scenes see also artistic effect interiors
silhouettes 203 architecture 260 gray shades 254–55 abstract forms 24–25, 221
textures 114–15 architecture, heritage 258–59 angle of shot 32–33, 221
windows as 17 city bridge 59 atmospheric images 26–27,
framing, children
baby portrait 140–41
city lights 62–63
industrial landscapes 84–85
H 275, 338–39
child portrait 32–33
indoor portrait 32–33 street performers 170–71 halo effect 55, 268–69 close-ups 21, 24–25
outdoors 126–27 street photography 160–61 round moon 315 color see color, interiors
party 108–09 street shadows 52–53 humor composition see composition,
playing in snow 336–37 street signs 230–31 animal close-up 105 interiors
framing, light and lighting tree, skeleton 313 carnival 159 cozy, and atmospheric images
light, shafts of 240–41 wintry cityscapes 50–51 children 253 26–27
moonlight 315 framing, wildlife garden party 216–17 depth of field see depth of
twilight 42–43 bird life 164–65 kitchen activities 283 field, interiors
framing, outdoors pond life 132–33 marathon runners 247 dimly lit 338–39
agriculture, impact of 130–31 winter 48–49 music festivals 225 framing 297
barren landscapes 229 frost see ice and frost formations pets in action 195 home 296–97
children 126–27 portrait, outdoors 16–17 light and lighting see light and
crop fields 192 snow, playing in 336–37 lighting, interiors
cycling 189
discarded objects 245
G street photography 161
tourist trail 227
modern 220–21
patterns see patterns, interiors
eating al fresco 154–55 gardens water splashes 102–03 perspective 221, 296–97, 339
fall color 266–67 fall wildlife 280–81 weather, stormy 309 shadows 301, 338–39
family day out 112–13 forlorn 276–77 wedding photography 147 still life 274–75
fireworks 340–41 formal 156–57 viewpoint see viewpoint,
garden party 216–17 night 142–43 interiors
harvest time 248–49
icicles 23
party 216–17
winter 30–31
I see also architecture

mountain scenery 163 see also parks; plants ice and frost formations 14–15
music festivals 224–25
parks, out of season 285
glass
abstract forms, indoor 24–25
close-up at sunrise 322
frost 18–19, 30–31
L
pets in action 28–29, 194–95 aquariums 302–03 halo effect round moon 315 landscapes
rainfall 98–99 architecture, modern 74–75 icicles 15, 23 abstract forms see abstract
skies, changing 106–07 city’s reflective surfaces 185 image manipulation forms, outdoors
snow, playing in 336–37 faces obscured by 187 Brightness/Contrast control agriculture, impact of 130–31
vacation postcard shots 218–19 rainfall through 98, 99 117, 267 angle of shot see angle of shot,
waterfall 134–35 reflections through 256–57 Clone tool 149 outdoors
watersports 182–83 still life, indoors 275 Color Balance tool 149 architecture, modern 75
winter sports 299 graphic style color and RAW mode 303 atmospheric images see
framing, plants 260 contrasts, striking 279 color saturation 267 atmospheric images,
flower field 111 crop fields 193 color tinting 61 outdoors
new growth 90–91 cycling 189 cropping 148 barren 228–29
snow-laden trees 54–55 dew on car hood 129 grain filter 305 color see color, outdoors
tree, skeleton 313 forest plants 271 Hue Control tool 149 composition see composition,
winter woodland 35 industrial landscape 84–85 Image Size tool 149 outdoors
framing, portraits riverbank plant growth 101 Saturation Control tool 149, 267 contrasts, striking 279
animal 105, 137 ruins 145 Shadow/Highlight tool 149 depth of field see depth of
baby 140–41 silhouettes 202–03 textures 115 field, outdoors
character 83 snow-covered roads 51 urban decay, emphasizing 57 exposure see exposure,
indoor child 32–33 street signs 230–31 industrial landscapes 84–85 outdoors
354 INDEX

framing see framing, outdoors flash see flash twilight see twilight monochrome effect
gardens, formal 156–57 framing see framing, light and underwater photography 176 architectural detail 78
harvest time 248–49 lighting vacation postcard shots 219 color splashes 285
industrial see industrial light box 90 waterfall 134–35 pets in snow 28–29
landscapes light sources as abstract forms light and lighting, plants seascape 117
Landscape Mode 65 25 dew on 128–29 street shadows 53
light and lighting see light and light trails 88–89 flower fields 110–11 watersports 183
lighting, outdoors low, working in 288–89 forest 270–71 see also black and white
moonlit 289 pond life 132–33 gardens, forlorn 276–77 photography; color
mountain scenery 162–63, 219 rainbows 107, 135 gardens, formal 156–57 motion blur
patterns see patterns, outdoors reflected 26–27, 215 ice formations on leaves 14–15 birds in flight 165
plane, pictures from 198 refraction 19 new growth 91 children playing 127
Shutter Priority mode 64 shadows 23, 35, 59, 240–41, night garden 142–43 city shoppers 325
sunset 250–51 285 snow-laden trees at night 54 conveying 86–87, 257
twilight, purple 43 shafts of light 240–41 spring blossom 118–19 cycling at speed 188–89
vacation postcard shots 218–19 silhouettes see silhouettes, tree, skeleton 313 leaves, playing in 273
viewpoint see viewpoint, light and lighting light and lighting, portraits party settings 20
outdoors sunrise, golden 322–23 baby 140–41 winter sports 331
waterfall 134–35 sunset 42–43, 60–61, 250–51 backlighting 105, 268–69, see also blur
weather, stormy 309 textures 114–15 311 motion blur, avoiding
white on white photography white on white photography people at work 186–87 dew on plants 128–29
335 335 window-lit 300–01 fireworks 340–41
see also seascapes light and lighting, children light and lighting, urban scenes moonlight 314–15
lens flare baby portrait 140–41 architecture, modern 74–75 pictures from planes 199
atmospheric images 205 leaves, playing in 272–73 café life 257 movement, capturing
backlighting 17, 204, 205 party 108–09 city lights 62–63 autofocus problems 20–21,
crop fields 192 reflected in faces 26–27, 33 city river 242–43 188–89
leaves, playing in 273 light and lighting, interiors floodlighting 58–59 beach scenes 214–15
sunlight, dazzling 222–23 296–97 mist and fog 327 birds in flight 165
sunlight, shooting into 213, abstract forms 24–25 snowstorm 45 carnival 158–59
322–23 dimly lit 338–39 street 304–05 children at play 217
watersports 182–83 modern 220–21 tree, skeleton 313 flower field 110–11
windows 301 party settings 20–21 ghostly effect 247
light and lighting still life 274–75 marathon runners 247
abstract forms see abstract
forms, light and lighting
light and lighting, outdoors
clouds and shade 71
M panning 87
and perspective 261
angle of shot see angle of shot, crop fields 192 mist and fog 326–27 pets in snow 29
light and lighting discarded objects 244–45 background 284–85 railway station 76–77
artificial, and white balance fireworks 340–41 depth, adding 255, 327 still life, indoors, and impression
76–77 frost on window 18–19 and frost 19 of movement 275
atmospheric images see garden party 217 fall wildlife 281 street performers 171
atmospheric images, light leaves, playing in 272–73 gray shades 255 watersports 183
and lighting market 332–33 highlights, effect of 255 multiple flash 344, 345
backlighting see backlighting mist and fog 326–27 light, shafts of 241
candles see candles moonlight 289, 314–15 market, outdoor 303
close-ups see close-ups, light
and lighting
morning mist 23
music festivals 224–25
morning 23
parks, out of season 284–85
N
color see color, light and night garden 142–43 riverbank 101 night scenes
lighting pets in action 194–95 street lighting 304–05 carnival 159
contrasts, striking 278–79 snow-laden trees at night 54 tree, skeleton 312–13 city river 243
exposure see exposure, light still life 46–47 twilight 43 light trails 89
and lighting swimming pool 201 vacation postcard shots 219 night vision 288
flat 28–29 tourist trail 226–27 waterfall 135 skeleton tree 313
INDEX 355

fabric, shooting through 331 party settings 21 color see color, portraits
snow-laden trees 54
kitchen activities 283 portraits under water 175 composition see composition,
snowstorm 45
windows, decorative, shadows public transportation 72 portraits
from 301 spirit of place 238–39 cropping 71, 282–83
depth of field see depth of
O pattern, outdoors
agriculture, impact of 130–31
street performers 171
sunrise, golden 322–23 field, portraits
bird life 164–65 sunset, snowy 61 exposure see exposure,
overexposure
dew 129 winter sports 298–99, 330–31 portraits
and brightness 281
eating al fresco 155 wintry cityscapes 50–51, 305 eyes and macro lenses 93
city bridge 58–59
effects of 29 fishing harbor 211 see also depth, adding faces, not restricted to 33
frost 18–19 pets see animals, domesticated framing see framing, portraits
frost and mist 19
harvest time 249 plants glass obscuring faces 187
glare of low sun, emphasising
ice formations 14–15 backlighting 91, 251, 271 kitchen activities 282–83
298–99
leaves, fallen 307 close-ups see close-ups, plants light and lighting see light and
lightning 107
marathon runners 247 light, shafts of 240–41 color see color, plants lighting, portraits
plane, pictures from 198 pond life 133 composition see composition, mirror, use of 310
skies, changing 107 plants occupational 83, 131, 186–87
reflected light 215
still life, winter 46–47 crop fields 192–93 party settings 20–21, 216–17
silhouettes 154
vehicles in line 73 depth of field see depth of patterns see patterns, portraits
snow scenes 16
waterfall 135 field, plants Portrait Mode 65
white on white photography
winter sports 331 dew on 128–29 posed 342–43
334–35
pattern, plants discarded objects beside 245 props, use of 17
see also exposure
flowers in close-up 191 exposure see exposure, plants rapport building 187, 252, 303,
forest 270–71 flower fields 110–11 325, 343

P gardens, forlorn 277

gardens, formal 157
flowers in close-up 190–91
forest 270–71
red eye reduction 345
in reflection 16–17, 342–43
lush greenery 139 framing see framing, plants romantic 310–11
panorama
new growth 91 light and lighting see light and self, and timer mode 343
city river 243
snow-laden trees 55 lighting, plants staged 169, 200–01, 273,
city’s reflective surfaces
pattern, portraits lush greenery 138–39 300–01
185
animal 136 new growth 90–91 studio-style 83
home interiors 297
wedding photography 147 night garden 142–43 travel 168–69
parks
pattern, urban scenes patterns see patterns, plants viewpoint see viewpoint,
bonfire 286–87
city’s reflective surfaces riverbank 100–01 portraits
carnival 158–59
184–85 spring blossom 118–19 wedding 146–47
fall wildlife 280–81
graffiti and urban decay viewpoint see viewpoint, window-lit 300–01
fireworks 340–41
56–57 plants portraits, outdoors 16–17
out of season 284–85
street signs 231 see also gardens; plants beach scenes 214–15
snow in city 22–23
urban decay 56–57 portraits bonfire 287
zoos and animal parks 80–81
perspective 261 animals 27, 71, 104–05, café life 256–57
see also gardens; plants
aquariums 303 136–37, 195, 268–69 carnival 159
party settings 20–21
architecture, modern 75 atmospheric images see city shoppers 324–25
al fresco 154–55
beach scenes 214–15 atmospheric images, farmers’ market 252–53
children 108–09
and color 233 portraits garden 143, 216–17
garden party 216–17
converging lines 76–77 background 82–83, 169, 343 marathon runners 246–47
pattern
crop fields 193 black and white photography market 303
distortion 184–85
gardens, forlorn 277 137, 140–41, 147, 212, 311 mountain scenery 163
white on white photography
interiors 221, 296–97, 339 candid 168–69, 187, 200–01, music festivals 224–25
334, 335
limiting 112–13 213, 257, 300–01, 311, 337 street performers 170–71
see also textures
marathon runners 246–47 character 82–83 swimming pool 200–01
pattern, interiors 297
mist and fog 326–27 children see children tourist trail 227
abstract forms, indoor 25
mountain scenery 163 close-ups see close-ups, under water 174–75
children’s party 109
movement, capturing 261 portraits vacation 196–97, 212–13
dimly lit 339
356 INDEX

portrait, animal 27, 104–05 blizzard and street lighting 305

R crop fields 192–93
mist and fog on buildings 327
portrait character 83 contrast 22–23, 28–29, 44–45
portrait, romantic 311 mountain scenery 162–63
rainfall 98–99 urban bridge 59
and shadows 59 overexposure 16
abstract lights through 328–29 urban decay 57
travel portrait 169 playing in 336–37
backlighting 299 waterfall 135
window-lit portrait 301 portraits, outdoor 16–17
rainbows 107, 135 winter sports 331
winter foliage 30–31 storms 44–45
spontaneous shots 102–03 seascapes 116–17
see also light and lighting sunset 60–61
stormy weather 308–09 boats in harbor 73
silhouettes 202–03, 205 texture 48–49
underexposure 98–99, 107 fishing harbor 211
animal 105 trees laden with 54–55
see also water moonlight 314–15
aquariums 303 urban scenes 22–23
RAW format postcard shots 218–19
architecture, heritage 259 white on white photography
color and image manipulation sunrise, golden 323
beach scenes 214–15 334–35
303 see also landscapes; water
bird life 165 wildlife, winter 48–49
underwater photography 176 shadows
composition 202–03 winter sports 330–31
reflections abstract forms 217
cycling 189 spiral form 226–27
abstract lights, outdoor 329 animals, portraits of 136
exposure 154, 155, 205, 317 split-field shots, portraits under
architecture 74–75, 78–79 architecture 79, 259
fishing harbor 211 water 175
blur 87 atmospheric effects of 77
framing 203 sports photography
café life 256–57 beach scenes 214–15
gardens, forlorn 277 cycling 188–89
car headlamp 72–73 black and white photography
graphic style 202–03 marathon runners 246–47
fall color 267 57
harvest time 249 Shutter Priority mode 64
fireworks 341 and brightness 254, 259
music festivals 225 swimming pool 200–01
focal length 16 cropping 52
overexposure 154 watersports 182–83
glass, through 256–57 discarded objects 244–45
riverbank 101 winter 298–99, 330–31
interiors, modern 221 fill-in flash 33, 127, 282–83
shadows 223 still life
light 26–27, 215 fuzzy-edged 53
and sheer fabric 203 abandoned items 245
low lighting 289 gardens, formal 157
snow-laden trees 54–55 food 154, 155
mountain scenery 163 gray shades 254–55
underexposure 53, 98–99, 249 garden, forlorn 277
night garden 142–43 interiors 301, 338–39
winter woodland 35 indoors 274–75
portraits 16–17, 342–43 inversion of 52
silhouettes, light and lighting kitchen 283
portraits under water 174–75 light, effects of 23, 35, 59,
backlighting 202–03, 204, 301 poolside 201
skies, changing 107 240–41, 285
bonfire 286 winter 46–47
sunglasses 227 marathon runners 247
morning mist 23 street lighting see light and
sunlight 61 plane, pictures from 199
sunlight, shooting into 77, 101, lighting, urban scenes
sunrise, golden 322–23 Shadow/Highlight tool 149
218, 211 sunlight
urban scenes 184–85 sidelighting 59
street lighting 304–05 beach scenes 214–15
on water 23, 142–43, 184–85, silhouettes 223
sunrise 205 crop fields 192
267 spring blossom 119
sunset 189, 205, 250–51 dappled 138–39, 275, 277
water splashes 103 still life, winter 46–47
silhouettes, urban scenes dazzling 222–23
wildlife on riverbank 100–01 street 52–53, 231
industrial landscapes 85 fill-in flash 282–83
windows 301 sunlight, dazzling 222–23
street shadows 52–53 and flare 31, 105
winter sports 331 textures 114–15, 228–29
wintry cityscapes 50–51 halo effect 55, 268–69
underexposure 77, 231
skies highlights 112–13
white on white photography
changing 106–07 low, underexposure
S 335
winter festivals 294–95
lightning 107 emphasizing glare 298–99
plane, pictures from 199 lush greenery 138–39
safety issues winter sports 330–31
rainbows 107, 135 mirages 223
underwater photography 177 winter woodland 34–35
smoke, bonfire 286–87 mist and fog, shining through
urban decay 57 sidelighting
snow scenes 327
weather, stormy 308–09 atmospheric images 27
animals in 28–29 music festivals 224–25
scale enhancement frost on surfaces 19
animal tracks in 31 reflected 61
architecture, heritage 259 group portraits 343
animals, domesticated 28–29 seascape 117
barren landscapes 229 light, shafts of 241
INDEX 357

and shadows 23, 35 shadows 114–15, 228–29 silhouettes see silhouettes,

sparkle of water droplets 194–95 snow 48–49 U urban scenes
sunrise, golden 322–23 still life, winter 46–47 snow scenes 22–23
underexposure
winter, and backlighting 17 viewpoint 114–15 street performers 170–71
abstract forms, indoor 24–25
winter garden 31 waterfall 135 street shadows 52–53
color 79, 221
sunlight, shooting into white photography 334–35 street signs 230–31
color enhancement 119
and color 266 winter sports 330–31 sunrise, golden 323
garden portrait 143
dazzling sunlight 223 timing, importance of sunset 42–43, 251, 288
interiors, atmospheric 26–27
fill-in flash 213 animals in zoos 80–81 tree, skeleton 313
leaves, fallen 306–07
and halo effect 268–69 aquariums 303 urban decay 56–57
mist and fog 326–27
icicles 15 domesticated animals, portraits vertical structural elements
people at work 186–87
and lens flare 273 of 136–37 62–63
plane, pictures from 198–99
lens flare 322–23 fall wildlife 280–81 viewpoint see viewpoint, urban
pond life 132–33
silhouettes 77, 101, 211, 218 fishing harbor 210–11 scenes
rainbow 107
translucent petals 111 industrial landscape 84–85 wintry cityscape 50–51
rainfall 98–99, 107
sunrise, silhouettes 205 leaves, fallen 306–07 see also architecture
shadows 77, 231
sunset 250–51 lush greenery 138–39
silhouettes 53, 98–99, 249
city river 242–43 moonlight 314–15
fall color 266
silhouettes 189, 205, 250–51
pond life 133
public sculpture 166–67
street signs 230
sunset 61 V
see also exposure
snowy 60–61 seascape 116–17 vacation photography
urban scenes
underexposure 61 snow, playing in 336–37 beaches 214–15
abstract forms see abstract
urban scenes 42–43, 251, 288 spontaneous shots 102–03 camping 196–97
forms, urban scenes
see also twilight street shadows 52–53 music festivals 224–25
angle of shot see angle of shot,
symmetry twilight 42–43 portraits 212–13
urban scenes
aquariums 303 urban bridge 58–59 postcard shots 218–19
atmospheric images see
architecture, modern 74–75 urban river 242–43 street signs 230–31
atmospheric images, urban
snow-laden trees 55 watersports 182 swimming pool 200–01
scenes
tree, skeleton 312–13 wildlife 48–49, 100–01 tourist trail 226–27
black and white photography
tonal effects viewpoint
57
Adjust Levels control 148 blur and movement 86–87
T frost patterns 18–19
ice formations 14–15
blur and movement 86–87
bridge 58–59
textures 114–15
vertical lines 78–79
café life 256–57
textures pond life 133 viewpoint, children
color see color, urban scenes
abstract forms 114–15 reflections on water 23 outdoors 127
composition see composition,
barren landscapes 228–29 snow-laden trees 54–55 party 108–09
urban scenes
boats in harbor 73 transportation portrait, indoor 32–33
cultural contrasts 279
bonfire 287 boats in harbor 73 snow, playing in 337
depth of field see depth of
city’s reflective surfaces 185 car headlamp 72–73 viewpoint, interiors
field, urban scenes
contrasts, striking 279 car headlights, tunnel effect 45 light, shafts of 240–41
exposure see exposure, urban
discarded objects 245 car journeys and cityscapes 51 modern 221
scenes
eating al fresco 155 dew on car hood 129 viewpoint, outdoors
framing see framing, urban
exploring 114–15 fishing harbor 210–11 agriculture, impact of 130–31
scenes
fishing harbor 211 plane, pictures from 198–99 animals and fall color
light and lighting see light and
forest plants 270–71 railway station 76–77 269
lighting, urban scenes
framing 114–15 vehicles in line 73 beach scenes 215
market, outdoor 332–33
frost 19 twilight bird life 165
patterns see patterns, urban
gardens 119, 129, 157, 277 camping vacation 197 boats in harbor 73
scenes
graphic style 114–15 city bridge 58–59 camping vacation 197
public sculpture 166–67
ice formations 14–15 light and dark, play between carnival 158–59
railway station 76–77
image manipulation 115 197 children 127
reflective surfaces 184–85
leaves, fallen 307 purple 42–43 crop fields 193
river 242–43
lush greenery 139 see also sunset cycling 189
shoppers 324–25
358 INDEX

discarded objects 245 architecture, modern 74–75 water droplets birds in flight 165
eating al fresco 155 city bridge 58–59 animals in action 194–95 close-ups see close-ups,
family day out 112–13 city lights 62–63 close-ups 280 wildlife
fireworks 340–41 city river 243 dew on plants 129 color see color, wildlife
harvest time 248–49 city shoppers 324–25 frozen crystals 15 composition see composition,
leaves, playing in 273 reflective surfaces 184–85 macro lenses 93 wildlife
light trails 89 street performers 171 shutter times 15 depth of field see depth of
marathon runners 246–47 street signs 230–31 sparkle and sunlight 194–95 field, wildlife
market 303 wintry cityscapes 50–51 sport action, capturing 182–83 exposure see exposure, wildlife
music festivals 225 vignette effect waterproof camera 133 fall 280–81
pets in action 194–95 camera phones 29, 309 wedding photography 146–47 fishing harbor 210–11
portrait 16–17 tunnel of light 75 white balance framing see framing, wildlife
portraits under water 175 vintage effects 215 artificial lighting 76–77 garden 172–73
public sculpture 166–67 auto 37 horse portrait 104–05
railway station 77 candles 339 pond life 132–33
rainfall scenes 99
ruins 145
W city shoppers 324–25
color balance 36
on riverbank 100–01
Shutter Priority mode 64
seascape 117 water color casts, correcting 37 snow scenes, city 22–23
snow, playing in 337 abstract lights, outdoor, color enhancement 119, underwater photography
tourist trail 226–27 reflected on 329 252–53, 270–71 176–77
travel portrait 168–69 aquariums 302–03 farmers market 252–53 winter 48–49
twilight 42–43 city river 242–43 forest plants 270–71 see also animals
underwater photography 176 color, effect on 303 garden party 217 windows
vacation postcard shots 218–19 dew 128–29 manual 36 abstract lights through 328–29
water splashes 103 fishing harbor 210–11 modern interiors, color in 221 cityscapes through clouded 51
watersports 175 night garden 142–43 portraits under water 174–75 decorative, shadows from 301
weather, stormy 309 portraits under 174–75, 182 seascape 117 as framing 17
winter sports 299, 330–31 reflections on 23, 142–43, street lighting 304–05 frost on 18–19
viewpoint, plants 184–85, 267 street signs 231 interiors, dimly lit 339
flower field 110–11 Shutter Priority mode 64 underwater photography 176 lens flare 301
flowers in close-up 191 sparkle, and shooting into warm color 26–27 plane, pictures from 198–99
forest 270–71 sunlight 213 warmth, adding 36 portraits lit by 300–01
gardens, formal 156–57 splash, capturing 102–03, 213 white on white photography reflection 301
lush greenery 138–39 split-field shots 175, 177 334–35 woodland
snow-laden trees 55 sun highlights on 112–13 see also color snow-laden trees 54–55
viewpoint, portraits sunset 251 white on white photography winter 34–35
indoor child 32–33 swimming pool 200–01 334–35
outdoors 16–17 underwater photography wildlife
people at work 187 176–77 animal tracks in snow 31
travel 168–69 waterfall 134–35 aquariums 302–03
under water 175 watersports 182–83 bird life 164–65
viewpoint, urban scenes see also rainfall; seascapes birds at twilight 43

Acknowledgments
From the author From the publisher
This book is more of a team eﬀort than many, and I couldn’t have Dorling Kindersley would like to thank the following for their
done it without the fantastic team at DK, led by Nicky Munro and Jo invaluable support: Peter Cope, Ed Wilson, Angela Wilkes, and Nicola
Clark with the able assistance of David Summers and Simon Murrell. Hodgson for editorial assistance; Simon Murrell and Katie Cavanagh for
Thanks to a sterling picture research eﬀort from the whole team the design assistance; Margaret McCormack for compiling the index; and
book is a time-slice of today’s inspiring images. Susie Peachey for compiling the picture credits.
ACKNO WLEDGMENTS 359

Picture credits / Flickr. 49 FLPA: Konrad Wothe / Minden Pictures

(fcr). Getty Images: abbietabbie / Flickr Open (tl);
Darrell Gulin / Photodisc (fcra); Paul Tessier / Vetta
Tim Pannell (br); Juice Images (fcr). Getty Images:
AT Photography / Flickr (tr); Edwin Remsberg /
Stone (c); Eriko Koga / Stone+ (bl). Nicky Munro:
Blend Images / John Fedele / the Agency
Collection (c). 138-139 Corbis: Ghislain & Marie
David de Lossy / cultura. 139 Corbis: amanaimages
The publisher would like to thank the following (br). 50-51 Corbis: Al Francekevich. 51 Corbis: Rob (tl). 96-97 Corbis: Roger Tidman (c); WB-Images / (br); Bloomimage (tl); Carol Sharp / Eye Ubiquitous
for their kind permission to reproduce their Casey (tl); David Pollack (fcr); Karl-Josef Westend61. 97 Corbis: Karen Kasmauski / National / Eye Ubiquitous (fcr). Getty Images: Christopher
photographs: Hildenbrand / dpa (br). Getty Images: Jeff Geographic Society (bc); Michael Wheatley / All Hope-Fitch / Flickr (fcra). 140-141 Getty Images:
Hutchens (fcra). 52-53 Getty Images: Jacques LOIC. Canada Photos (fcl); Tetra Images (cla); Seb Oliver / Bryce Pincham. 140 Getty Images: Evan Kafka /
(Key: a-above; b-below/bottom; c-centre; f-far; 52 Getty Images: D. Sharon Pruitt Pink Sherbet cultura (br). Getty Images: altrendo nature (bl); Stone (bc). 141 Corbis: John Kroetch / Design Pics
l-left; r-right; t-top) Photography (cb). 53 Alamy Images: Robert Adrian sodapix sodapix (tr). 98-99 Corbis: David Jay (c); Dann Tardif / LWA (ca). Getty Images: by Nada
Hillman (ca). Corbis: David H. Wells (cb). Getty Zimmerman / Terra. 98 Corbis: Jed Share / Kaoru Stankova Photography (br). 142-143 Getty Images:
1 Getty Images: Mitchell Funk / Photographer’s Images: Image by Ivo Berg (Crazy-Ivory) (c). 54-55 Share / SuperStock (bc). 99 Corbis: Bohemian Ben Pipe Photography / Photolibrary. 143 Corbis:
Choice (fcl). 2-3 Corbis: Darrell Gulin. 4-5 Getty Corbis: The Brett Weston Archive. 54 Corbis: David Nomad Picturemakers (c); Luo Xiaoguang / Xinhua Marnie Burkhart (br); Clive Nichols / Arcaid (fcr).
Images: EschCollection / Photonica. 6 Corbis: Buffington / Spaces Images (cb). 55 Corbis: Richard Press (ca). Getty Images: Dennie Cody / Getty Images: Olena Chernenko / Vetta (tl); Kevin
Bloomimage (fbl); Richard Hamilton Smith (ftl); T. Nowitz (ca); Paul C. Pet (cb). Getty Images: Philip Photographer’s Choice (crb). 100-101 Corbis: Dutton / Garden Picture Library (fcra). 144-145
Rob Casey (tr). Getty Images: Jenny de Groot / and Karen Smith (c). 56-57 Jef Poskanzer. 57 Robert McGouey / All Canada Photos. 101 Corbis: Getty Images: Ed Freeman / Stone. 145 Getty
Flickr (ftr); Rainer Martini / LOOK (bc); Diane Cook Corbis: Timothy Fadek (fcr); John-Patrick Roger Tidman (tl); Michael Wheatley / All Canada Images: photography by Spencer Bowman (fcra);
and Len Jenshel / Stone+ (fbr). 7 Corbis: Alaska Morarescu / Westend61 (tl); Ross Hillier (fcra). Photos (br). Getty Images: altrendo nature (fcr); David Sacks / Photonica (tl); Tim Graham Photo
Stock (fbr); Katsuhiko Kato / amanaimages (ftl); Getty Images: Monzino (br). 58-59 Corbis: Henryk sodapix sodapix (fcra). 102-103 Getty Images: Library (fcr); Joe Cornish (br). 146-147 Getty
Don Mason (ftr); George H.H. Huey (fbl); John Sadura / Tetra Images. 59 Corbis: Michael Macor / tancrediphoto.com. 103 Corbis: Ocean (fcra); Images: TAO Images Limited. 147 Corbis: Jack
Conrad (bc). Getty Images: Dave Zubraski (tc). San Francisco Chronicle (br). Getty Images: Dawn TongRo / TongRo Image Stock (tl); Ross Woodhall / Hollingsworth (fcr). Getty Images: Keith Alstrin (tl);
10-11 Corbis: Radius Images. 12 Corbis: John D. Hanna (tl); Ragnar Schmuck (fcra); Wilson cultura (fcr); Jeremy Woodhouse / Blend Images ImagesBazaar (fcra); Joe Klamar / AFP Creative (br).
Gillmoure (cr); Image Plan (tl); Serge Kozak (tc); Santinelli (fcr). 60-61 Alamy Images: Romeo (br). 104-105 Corbis: Birgid Allig. 105 Corbis: 148 Tom Ang: (tl, bl). Corbis: Redlink (br). 149
KidStock / Blend Images (bl). 12-13 Corbis: Frank Koitmäe. 61 Corbis: Ocean (br); Radius Images (tl, Arctic-Images (fcr); Seb Oliver / cultura (fcrb); Corbis: Frank Krahmer (cl); Zero Creatives / cultura
Lukasseck (c). Getty Images: Gert Tabak The tr). Getty Images: Cavan Images / Photographer’s Jason Hosking (fbr). Getty Images: Boston Thek (tr); Robert Niedring / Westend61 (br). 150-151
Netherlands; Photograph by Dr. Andreas Choice (fcr). 62-63 Corbis: Jon Hicks. 63 Corbis: Imagery / Flickr (tl). 106-107 Corbis: Dave & Les Corbis: moodboard. 152 Alamy Images: Limor Sidi
Zachmann (bc). 13 Corbis: Richard Hamilton Smith Radius Images (fcr); José Fuste Raga (br). Getty Jacobs / Spaces Images. 107 Corbis: Warren Faidley (crb). Tom Ang: (bc). Corbis: Robert van der Hilst
(br). Getty Images: Daniel J Cox (tr); Riccardo Savi Images: Giorgio Fochesato (fcra); Photo by Neil Ta (tl); Beat Glanzmann (fcra); Radius Images (fcr); Seb (ftl); John Nakata (tl); Lynda Richardson (tr); Tom &
(tl); Keiichi Tsuji (fcr). 14-15 Getty Images: (tl). 64 Corbis: Arild Heitmann / Stocktrek Images Oliver / cultura (br). 108-109 Getty Images: Cultura Dee Ann McCarthy (ftr). Getty Images: Sylvain
Photograph by Dr. Andreas Zachmann. 15 Corbis: (tl); David Spurdens / www.ExtremeSportsPhoto. / Nick Daly / StockImage. 109 Corbis: Tim Pannell Grandadam / Stone (fcla); Dave Zubraski (bl); Dave
Alaska Stock (fcr); Image Plan (tr); Keith Douglas / com (br); KidStock / Blend Images (bl). 65 Corbis: (br). Getty Images: AT Photography / Flickr (fcr); Porter Peterborough Uk (fcr). 152-153 Corbis: Ron
All Canada Photos (fbr). Getty Images: Patricia Anthony Asael / Art in All of Us (tc); Frank Krahmer Brand New Images / The Image Bank (tl); Huy Lam Watts / All Canada Photos (bc). 153 Corbis: Ralph
Granlund (tc). 16-17 Getty Images: Adam Hester / (ftr); Ben Welsh (ca); Robert Postma / First Light / First Light. 110-111 Corbis: Martin Siepmann / A. Clevenger (bl); Mauricio Handler / National
Photographer’s Choice RF. 17 Corbis: Darren (fcra); Sylvain Sonnet (c); Kevin Steele / Aurora Westend61. 111 Corbis: Fabio Muzzi / cultura (fcr). Geographic Society (cla); Don Mason (tr); Will Gray
Greenwood / Design Pics (tl); Christoph Jorda (fcr). Photos (fcr). 66-67 Getty Images: Kaz Chiba. 68 Getty Images: altrendo nature (tl); Universal / JAI (fcr); Imageshop (br). Getty Images: Peter Lilja
Getty Images: Jonathan Kirn / The Image Bank (br); Corbis: Franck Guiziou / Hemis (tc); Alan Schein Stopping Point Photography / Flickr (fcra); (clb); Westend61 (c). 154-155 Getty Images: John
Paul Viant / Photodisc (fcra). 18-19 Corbis: Richard Photography (br); John Warburton-Lee / JAI (fcr). altrendo travel (br). 112-113 Corbis: Heide Benser. Lamb / Stone. 155 Corbis: Kenneth Bengtsson /
Hamilton Smith. 19 Corbis: John Gillmoure (tl); Getty Images: Angelo Cesare Amboldi (bl); Rob 113 Corbis: Reg Charity (fcra); Juice Images (tl); Naturbild (tc); Roy Botterell (fcrb). Getty Images:
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Barrie Watts (fbr). Getty Images: Ernest Manewal Images: Eightfish (tc). 69 Corbis: Fernando Alda / Geographic Society (br). 114-115 Nicky Munro. 115 Suri Sun / Flickr (br). 156-157 Corbis: Radius
(fcr); Kevin Summers (fcra). 20-21 Corbis: Serge Arcaid (bl); Keith Levit / Design Pics (tc); Judith Corbis: WB-Images / Westend61 (br). Getty Images: Images. 157 Corbis: Rudy Sulgan (tl). Getty Images:
Kozak. 20 Corbis: Bruno Ehrs (bc). 21 Getty Images: Haeusler / cultura (tr); Ant Strack (c); Corey Rune Johansen (tl); Rune Johansen / Photolibrary David Dixon / Garden Picture Library (fcr); Tohoku
Fuse (ca); Adam Hester (c); Javier Pierini (br). 22-23 Hochachka / Design Pics (fcrb); Benelux (cb); Neil (tr); Edwin Remsberg / Stone (fcr). 116-117 Getty Color Agency / Japan Images (tc); Image Source
Corbis: Mouton Laurence / ès. 23 Corbis: Frank Emmerson / Robert Harding World Imagery (bc). Images: Duncan Shaw / Britain on View. 117 Getty (ftr); Sylvain Grandadam / Stone (br). 158-159
Lukasseck (ftr); Ocean (fcr). Getty Images: Cristina Getty Images: Ulrich Kerth (fbr); Adam Jones / Images: Aaron Foster / Photographer’s Choice (tl); Corbis: Tom & Dee Ann McCarthy. 159 Alamy
Pedrazzini (tc). 24-25 Tom Ang. 25 Getty Images: Stone (fcra); John Warden (fcl). 70-71 Corbis: David Mathies / Vetta (fcra); Image Source (fcr); Images: Roger Bamber (tl); Rosemary Harris (tr).
Foodcollection RF (br); Alfred Schauhuber (fcra); Deddeda / Design Pics. 71 Corbis: Benelux (fcr); Dale Wilson / Photographer’s Choice (crb). 118-119 Tom Ang: (fbr). Getty Images: Rob Brimson / Taxi
Marser (fcr). 26-27 Getty Images: Franky De Meyer. Roy McMahon (crb). Getty Images: eyetwist / kevin Corbis: Tetra Images. 119 Corbis: Chaoimages / (fcrb); Dave Porter Peterborough Uk (fcr). 160-161
27 Corbis: Tim Tadder (crb). Getty Images: Danielle balluff (tl); Anthony Lee (fcra). 72-73 Getty Images: amanaimages (fcra); Claudia Rehm / Westend61 / Corbis: Randy Olson / National Geographic
D. Hughson (fcra); Keiichi Tsuji (tl); Ryan McVay Mark Hannaford / AWL Images. 72 Alamy Images: Alloy (tl); Ocean (br). Getty Images: Eriko Koga / Society. 161 Alamy Images: philipjbigg (fcra);
(fcr). 28 Getty Images: John Churchman (tl). 28-29 Alex Segre (bc). 73 Corbis: Jeremy Woodhouse / Stone+ (fcr). 120 Corbis: Imagemore Co., Ltd. (tl). Limor Sidi (fcrb). Corbis: hamideddine Bouali /
Corbis: Michael Prince. 29 Corbis: Fotofeeling / Spaces Images (ca). Getty Images: Paul Getty Images: Haakon Nygård / Flickr (bl). 121 Demotix / Demotix / Demotix (tl); Anna Larsson /
Westend61 (fbr); Ken Gillespie / First Light (tr); Edmondson / Stone (c); (crb). 74-75 Corbis: Franck Corbis: Karine Aigner / National Geographic Etsa (fcr). 162-163 Getty Images: Erin Butler / Flickr.
Patrick Pleul / dpa (fcr). Getty Images: Daniel J Cox Guiziou / Hemis. 75 Corbis: Fernando Alda / Arcaid Society (cb); Tim Hall / cultura (fcr); Ocean (crb); 163 Corbis: Imageshop (tl); Kazuyoshi Nomachi /
(fcrb). 30-31 Corbis: Image Source. 31 Corbis: (br); Judith Haeusler / cultura (fcra); John Desgrieux / SoFood (bc); Sylvain Sonnet (fbr). Terra (fcra); Ron Watts / All Canada Photos (fcr);
Harpur Garden Library (fcr); Andrew Parkinson (br). Warburton-Lee / JAI (fcr). Getty Images: Con Ryan / David Summers: (fcla, ca, fcra). 122-123 Corbis: Ocean (br). 164-165 Corbis: Lynda Richardson. 165
Getty Images: Gerard Soury (tl); Gert Tabak The Flickr Select (tl). 76-77 Corbis: Jeremy Woodhouse Ghislain & Marie David de Lossy / cultura. 124 Corbis: Nathan Griffith (br). Getty Images:
Netherlands (fcra). 32-33 Corbis: David Shopper. 33 / Blend Images. 77 Corbis: Jeremy Horner (fcr); Corbis: Bloomimage (fcl); Andreas Kunert (tl). Getty Wolfgang Bayer / Discovery Channel Images (tl);
Corbis: Heide Benser (tl); KidStock / Blend Images Gong Lei / Xinhua Press (tl). Getty Images: Rob Images: Olena Chernenko / Vetta (fbl); Blend Duncan Usher / Foto Natura (fcra); Westend61 (fcr).
(fcra); Nick Dolding / cultura (fcr); Yang Liu (fcrb). Kints (br). 78-79 Corbis: Lee Frost / Robert Harding Images / John Fedele / the Agency Collection (ca); 166-167 Corbis: Hemis. 167 Corbis: John Nakata
34-35 Getty Images: Riccardo Savi. 34 Corbis: Scott World Imagery. 78 Getty Images: Diane Bos (bc). Nevena Uzurov / Flickr Open (c); ImagesBazaar; (fcr); Murat Taner (tr). Getty Images: Gary Conner
Barrow (cb). 35 Corbis: Radius Images (ca); Sayaka / 79 Corbis: Neil Emmerson / Robert Harding World Petteri Löppönen / Flickr Open (br); OGphoto / (tl); Maremagnum / Photographer’s Choice (br).
amanaimages (cb). Getty Images: James Wellner Imagery (c); Corey Hochachka / Design Pics (cra); Vetta (fbr). 125 Corbis: Dan Jurak / First Light (bc). 168-169 Corbis: Martin Puddy. 169 Corbis: Lee
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Prezant. 40 Corbis: The Brett Weston Archive (br); 82-83 Getty Images: Mitchell Kanashkevich. 83 Stone (ftr); Cal Vornberger / Peter Arnold (fbr). 171 Corbis: Mark Hannaford / JAI (br). Getty
Rob Casey (tr); Ken Gillespie / All Canada Photos Corbis: Ant Strack (br); Tim Tadder (tl). Getty 126-127 Getty Images: Photos by Carol / Flickr. 127 Images: Tony Anderson / Taxi (fcra); WIN-Initiative
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Mitchell Funk (tr); Steve Satushek (cla); Image by Barbour (fcra); John Churchman (fcr). 88-89 Corbis: Xiangquan / Xinhua Press. 131 Corbis: Jim National Geographic Society; Radius Images (bl).
Ivo Berg (Crazy-Ivory) (fcra); Philip and Karen Smith Dick Reed. 89 Corbis: (ca, c); Paul A. Souders (br). Cummins (fcr); Max Wanger (tl); Pete Mcbride / 177 Corbis: Hello Lovely (cl); Amos Nachoum (tr);
(br). Jef Poskanzer: (clb). 42-43 Corbis: George 90-91 Getty Images: James A. Guilliam. 90 Getty National Geographic Society (fcra); Owen Franken Birgitte Wilms / Minden Pictures (fcr). Getty
Hammerstein. 43 Corbis: Ken Gillespie / All Canada Images: Ulrich Kerth (bc). 91 Getty Images: Amana / Documentary Value (fcrb). 132-133 Corbis: Images: Georgette Douwma / Photographer’s
Photos (fcra); Arthur Morris (tc); Ocean (fcr). Getty images (cr); Kaz Chiba (c); Photography by Simon Andreas Kunert. 133 Corbis: Gary Bell (br); Ocean Choice RF (bl); Monica and Michael Sweet / Flickr
Images: Steve Satushek (br). 44-45 Getty Images: Bond (br). 92 Corbis: John Beedle/http://www. (cla); Radius Images (fcr). Getty Images: Victoria (br). 178-179 Getty Images: Jeremy Woodhouse /
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(tl). Corbis: Steve Prezant (br). Getty Images: Robert Postma / All Canada Photos (bl); Ken Arnold (fcrb). 134-135 Corbis: Darrell Gulin. 135 Charles O’Rear (ftl); Ocean (cl); Holger Winkler /
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Alamy Images: Gabe Palmer. 47 Alamy Images: Harrigan / ableimages (bc); Ocean (tr, br, bl); Images: Peter Blahut / All Canada Photos (tr); Justin Charles / Stone; Jenny de Groot / Flickr (fcla);
Greg Wright (tl). Getty Images: James A. Guilliam / Antonio M. Rosario / Tetra Images (fcr). 94-95 OGphoto / Vetta (tl); SambaPhoto / Edu Lyra (fcr). (c); emmabradshaw (fcl); Gary John Norman /
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Photolibrary (fcra); Kathy Quirk-Syvertsen / Heide Benser (ca); TongRo / TongRo Image Stock (bc). 136-137 Getty Images: jnmmr / Flickr. 137 Images. 181 Corbis: Adie Bush / cultura (ca); Mark
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360 ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

Images (tc); Katsuhiko Kato / amanaimages (ftr); Images. 225 Alamy Images: Rosie Collins (tr). (clb). 266-267 Corbis: Ocean. 266 Getty Images: Scott T. Smith (br). 308-309 Getty Images: Ulli Seer
Anahelena Natera / Ppsop (fclb); Lisbeth Hjort / Corbis: Julian Smith (br). Getty Images: AFP (fcr); mymonobrow / Flickr (bc). 267 Corbis: Momatiuk / LOOK. 309 Corbis: Erin Trieb / VII Mentor Program
cultura. Getty Images: Chase Jarvis (br); RunPhoto Redferns (tl). Andy Mitchell: (fcrb). 226-227 Getty - Eastcott (ca). Getty Images: Angus Clyne / Flickr (tl); Janusz Wrobel / All Canada Photos (fcra); Emily
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Sundberg / Workbook Stock. 182 Getty Images: Phototravel (ftr); Ian Lishman / Juice Images (fcr); Medford Taylor / National Geographic. 269 Corbis: 310-311 Getty Images: ILina S / Flickr. 310 Getty
Erik Isakson (bc). 183 Corbis: Carson Ganci / Design Ryan Pyle (fcrb). Getty Images: (fbr); Suzanne and Penny Adams / SuperStock (fcr); Marnie Burkhart Images: Alija / Vetta (bc). 311 Corbis: John Fedele /
Pics (cb). Getty Images: Justin Charles / Stone (c); Nick Geary (tc); Mitchell Funk / Photographer’s (tr); Dan Sherwood / Design Pics (br). Getty Blend Images (cb). Getty Images: Alex Gumerov /
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Richard Hamilton Smith. 185 Corbis: Jacobs Stock Corbis: George H.H. Huey (cb). 229 Corbis: Pete Images: Ben Pipe Photography. 271 Corbis: William 312-313 Getty Images: Steve Thomson /
Photography / Spaces Images (br); Anahelena Mcbride / National Geographic Society (c); Ocean Manning (fcr); Peter Van Rhijn / All Canada Photos WOWstockfootage. 313 Corbis: Ron Chapple Stock
Natera / Ppsop (fcrb). Getty Images: EschCollection (cb). Getty Images: Robert C Nunnington (ca). (fcra); Andrew McLachlan / All Canada Photos (br); (fcra); Noah Kalina (tl); Guntmar Fritz (fcr). Getty
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Choice (fcr). 186-187 Getty Images: Ian Taylor / Sodapix (br); Transtock (bc). 231 Corbis: Jeff (tl). 272-273 Corbis: LWA / Dann Tardif / Blend 314-315 Getty Images: Christoph Martin. 315
First Light. 186 Getty Images: Diverse Images / UIG Spielman (cb); Jim Vecchi (ca); Jeremy Woodhouse Images. 273 Corbis: Dex Images (fcra); Eyecandy Corbis: Michael Bader / Westend61 (br); Douglas R.
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Digital Photography Through The Year - Tom Ang (DK Publishing 2012 9780756698348 Eng) PDF

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Digital Photography Through The Year - Tom Ang (DK Publishing 2012 9780756698348 Eng) PDF

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TOMANG

HOW TO CAPTURE THE MOMENTS AND MOODS OF EVERY SEASON

Senior Editor Nicky Munro

First American Edition, 2012

Copyright © 2012 Dorling Kindersley Limited

A catalog record for this book is available

DK books are available at special discounts when

Midwinter 10 Late Winter 38 Early Spring 66

Midsummer 178 Late Summer 206 Early Fall 234

Mid-Fall 262 Late Fall 290 Early Winter 318

Come, ye cold winds,

sparkling cold and bright

misty mornings and ﬁligree frost

a wealth of patterns and subtle tones.

FOR THIS SHOT

Air bubbles trapped in ice

When water droplets

See also: Frosty mornings pp.18–19, A walk in the park pp.22–23,

frame your shot, yet keep obvious the wintery season.

FOR THIS SHOT

TAKE IT FURTHER ALTERNATIVE APPROACHES

Make the most of a burst

See also: Character portraits pp.82–83, Children outdoors pp.126–27,

morning before the frost is melted by the sun.

FOR THIS SHOT

TAKE IT FURTHER ALTERNATIVE APPROACHES

When frost is accompanied

When frost forms it can

See also: Ice formations pp.14–15, A walk in the park pp.22–23,

FOR THIS SHOT CAMERA MODE

suggests a bigger picture we can’t see.

Intersperse your pictures of

The unpredictable lighting in

See also: Balancing color pp.36–37, Wedding day pp.146–47,

A walk in the park

FOR THIS SHOT

Sunlight can transform

Sometimes, a covering of ice can embellish a sculpture or statue

See also: Outdoor portraits pp.16–17, Woodland shadows pp.34–35,

photographs all the more powerful.

FOR THIS SHOT

TRY THIS ALTERNATIVE APPROACHES

When viewed from an

Try arranging everyday

See also: Camera modes pp.64–65, Light trails pp.88–89,

the cold tones or darkness glimpsed through a window.

FOR THIS SHOT

TRY THIS ALTERNATIVE APPROACHES

Even though we only get

Using lamp lighting and even underexposing by up to 2/3 stop,

create expressive and characterful portraits.

FOR THIS SHOT

ON YOUR PHONE TRY THIS

Include the wider scenery

Capture your pet’s playful

See also: Winter wildlife pp.48–49, Down on the farm pp.70–71,

In the winter garden

FOR THIS SHOT

TRY THIS ALTERNATIVE APPROACHES

The delicate pastel colors of

See also: Ice formations pp.14–15, Frosty mornings pp.18–19,

Indoor child portraits

are perfect for practicing your candid portraiture.

TRY THIS ALTERNATIVE APPROACHES

See also: Character portraits pp.82–83, Baby portraits pp.140–41,

FOR THIS SHOT CAMERA MODE

To capture long shadows that

Frame close-up details carefully to

Woodland shadows can be just

See also: A walk in the park pp.22–23, Street shadows pp.52–53,

WHITE BALANCE TYPES MANUAL WHITE BALANCE

DID YOU KNOW?

AUTO WHITE BALANCE

CORRECTING COLOR CASTS

WARM CAST COOL CAST

roads shining like rivers