pgriz
Been spending a lot of time on here!
- Joined
- Jul 30, 2010
- Messages
- 6,734
- Reaction score
- 3,221
- Location
- Canada
- Can others edit my Photos
- Photos OK to edit
My issue was/is rushing the shot. It's too easy to whip out the camera, focus and shoot. So I'm forcing myself to slow down. Instead of getting out the camera, I study what I see and think about what is interesting about the image. What is the relationship between the subject and its surroundings? What attracted me to the originial vision? It there a photographic way of conveying that sense? Is there another vantage point that can make the image more compelling? What emotions does the image evoke for me?
Then I will choose the lens, the filters, the flash unit(s) if appropriate, set up the tripod, take several meter readings, and made decisions on the depth-of-field I need and the shutter speed. I'll take a shot and check the histogram for overall exposure, clipping, and dynamic range, check the image borders for extraneous detail, and the principal subject for correct focus. Depending on what I see, I'll take several more, bracketing the exposure, or changing the focus position.
Obviously, this approach does not work for street or event photography, or sports, or any event which is basically a one-shot deal. But for macro, nature, landscape, portraits, and even wild-life, it works really well. My keeper rate is going up and number of good shots in each series is also going up. However, the journey is still only starting. I still find putting the images up on the monitors at home shows many imperfections that I should have handled in the field. That image would have benefited from a graduated ND filter, this one needed the focus just a touch closer to the camera, another one has too much distracting foreground, etc. It is a journey, not a destination.
Then I will choose the lens, the filters, the flash unit(s) if appropriate, set up the tripod, take several meter readings, and made decisions on the depth-of-field I need and the shutter speed. I'll take a shot and check the histogram for overall exposure, clipping, and dynamic range, check the image borders for extraneous detail, and the principal subject for correct focus. Depending on what I see, I'll take several more, bracketing the exposure, or changing the focus position.
Obviously, this approach does not work for street or event photography, or sports, or any event which is basically a one-shot deal. But for macro, nature, landscape, portraits, and even wild-life, it works really well. My keeper rate is going up and number of good shots in each series is also going up. However, the journey is still only starting. I still find putting the images up on the monitors at home shows many imperfections that I should have handled in the field. That image would have benefited from a graduated ND filter, this one needed the focus just a touch closer to the camera, another one has too much distracting foreground, etc. It is a journey, not a destination.