10 Fun Cool Things to do right now with your DSLR freebie

Photocrafty
10 FUN COOL THINGS YOU CAN DO
RIGHT NOW - WITH YOUR DSLR!
FOCUS ON ‘SELECTIVE FOCUS’
The number one frustration from people regarding their DSLR’s is that they can’t get
their images in focus. So lets get this sorted...
Getting out of focus shots, can make people
want to admit defeat and never pick up their
subject is in focus. And of course when you are in ‘auto’ the
camera automatically finds focus.
DSLR again.
But the trouble with ‘auto’ focus is that the camera focuses on
You know the scenario: you’re behind the lens and think you
what it thinks you want to focus on. It normally goes for the
have taken an amazing shot but when you finally get round to
brightest object or the thing in the centre of the viewfinder.
reviewing it on the LCD screen, you’re confronted by a blurry
Cameras haven’t yet developed a mind reading button, so you
fuzz. Your heart sinks as you realise the moment you wanted to
and your camera might not agree! To override auto focus you
capture forever has long since past.
need to get to grips with selective focus - this is only available if
you move out of the safety of the green ‘auto’ mode - try
There are two buttons which can normally be found on the side
‘P’ (Program Mode) or AV (Aperture Variant - more about this
of your lens they are called ‘MF‘ for Manual Focus and ‘AF‘ for
one in the next project).
auto focus. Quite a lot of focus issues have arisen from the
photographer thinking they are in auto but actually they were in
This allows you to select the area of the image that you think is
Manual Focus. So, check it!
the most important thing - which is pretty cool. To do this on a
Canon you need to hold down the button which has a square
When you are in manual focus, you have to manually adjust the
containing a dotted cross, (image below left) then use the wheel
lens so that the image is in focus. You do this by looking
to select the area that you want in focus.
through the viewfinder and rotating the end of the lens until your
Use this setting and your photos will go from zero to hero!
Auto Focus
Point Selection button
Use the dial to
select the AF point
The foreground object is in focus
whilst the one behind isn’t
Photocrafty [1] Copyright Sue Venables 2013
FAST GLASS
If taking perfect
portraits is your thing,
it might be worth
investing in a lens that
has a very low f-stop.
This allows you to get a
beautifully shallow depth
of field. The cheapest
option is a 50mm prime
lens f1.8 - it retails
for less than £100.
Perfect Portraits
TAKE CREATIVE CONTROL WITH YOUR APERTURE MODE
Are your portraits a bit disappointing? Do your
Without infusing your brain with too much camera geekery
photos make your mates look more like mingers
aperture is measured in f-stops and controls the amount of light
than models? Well use this technique to turn
coming into the camera. A low f-stop number e.g. f4.5 allows a
your portraits from dreary to dreamy! Get shots
lot of light into the camera and gives a shallow depth of field,
where their eyes are in sharp focus and the
which is the holy grail for portraits. Now if you dial in a large f-
background is beautifully soft.
stop e.g. f22 you will get a large depth of field which is idea for
landscape photography.
To do this, you need to get familiar with the Aperture
Mode. You’ll find this on the mode dial - which is that
disk which is sitting on top of your camera. On a
Canon it’s ‘AV’ (Aperture Variant) and on a Nikon it’s
a ‘A’ (yes, you guessed it - for Aperture!).
When you look at a portrait that has a shallow depth
Always make
sure the eyes are
in sharp focus
of field, the viewers eye is naturally drawn to the
area of the photograph which is in focus for
example the persons eyes. This creates a sense of
intimacy between the viewer and the portrait. Make
This semi automatic setting allows you to control the
aperture, whilst the camera figures out the shutter speed,
sure that you are getting the right part of the image in
focus by using selective focus see previous page.
resulting in a correct exposure. This setting is cool because it
allows you to choose how much of the image is in focus. So
Now you have the settings right for perfect portraits, read the
when you are in this mode and you use the wheel, it scrolls
next project for getting your composition spot on.
through different aperture settings, which are visible as
numbers through the viewfinder or on the LCD screen.
Photocrafty [2] Copyright Sue Venables 2013
Apply it!
The tree is
on the right
vertical third. The
horizon is on the
lower third.
The rule of thirds can be
applied the horizon line
in a landscape (left) or
to a portrait (below).
Using the rule of thirds
can transform your shots
in an instant.
Compose yourself -Rule of Thirds
One of the simplest things you can do to improve your
When you apply this to portraiture you should always aim to put
photography is to improve your framing. Often the difference
the eyes (the most important part of a persons face) on the
between a good photograph and a disappointing one is the
upper third. Also try and avoid the ‘bullseye’ look where you
angle of the shot and how the elements are arranged in the
place the face in the centre of the image - it can look too
frame.
obvious. Instead place the person on the left or right vertical.
Being able to compose shots well is of course a matter of
personal taste. However if you apply the rule of thirds, you will
When you apply the rule of thirds to landscape photography,
be applying some collective wisdom on what makes good
experiment placing your horizon line on either the upper or
composition.
lower third. This results in a bold shot with your images having
To apply the rule of thirds you need to visualise the screen
either lots of foreground or lots of sky. Visually this is a lot more
being divided vertically and horizontally in three (or use the
interesting than the horizon line smack bang in the middle of
‘grid’ setting on your camera). Now, the theory goes that you
the frame.
should place your main point of interest where the lines cross.
Dull! Smack bang in the middle of frame!
Dynamic use of the rule of thirds!
Photocrafty [3] Copyright Sue Venables 2013
Take it Further
It’s not just traffic
that produces light
trails, you could apply
this technique to
shooting at fairgrounds
or fire work displays.
Don’t play
with traffic!
Stay safe.
Chillax and take it slow by using the shutter priority setting...
This nifty setting allows you to take some incredible long
★Secondly Put your camera in Shutter Priority Mode using the
exposure shots, where the light is given time to infuse onto the
mode dial (‘TV’ for Time Variant on a Canon or ‘S’for Shutter on
censor. This setting is particularly useful for night time
shooting.
a Nikon).
★Then use the dial to set an exposure of 5 seconds. Keep your
Using shutter priority allows you to choose the shutter speed
ISO low – try not to go beyond ISO 400.
and the camera cleverly works out the aperture. One of the
★Now you need to find a rock solid surface to rest your camera
most rewarding type of shots is taking photographs of light
trails. Nothing says speed like a moving object whizzing
on like a brick wall or use a tripod.
★Test your settings by reviewing the image on your LCD
through the frame and nothing says ‘cool photo’ better than
screen.
light trails!
★If your image looks too dark (underexposed) you have two
These pro looking shots are actually very easy to achieve.
options: Increase your exposure time or Increase the ISO If your
Follow these steps to find out how.
image is looks too bright (over exposed) then you have also
★Firstly you need to find a location which allows you to focus
have two options: decrease your exposure time or lower your
on some moving traffic.
ISO.
Keep experimenting until you get the perfect shot!
Photocrafty [4] Copyright Sue Venables 2013
COMPLIMENTARY
The yellow and orange
tones of the sunflowers
are contrasted against
the dark blue sky. These
colours are opposite each
other on the colour wheel
(left). This creates an
image where the colours
leap out at you and
deliver a sucker punch
right between the eyes!
COLOUR BRIGHT
Kiss goodbye to dull and boring photos and turn your camera into a colour
seeking missile.
Each color is said to have a complementary color - that’s it’s
Green is strongly associated with freshness, think about logos
opposite on the colour wheel. To really make your colours pop,
for supermarkets and healthy eating. It’s also thought to have a
look for photographic opportunities where complimentary
calming effect on the viewer, think about landscapes and
colours are placed next to each other. Try and capture these
mother nature. But it does have the odd negative association
color combo’s: Red and Green. Blue and Orange. Yellow and
like being a ‘bit green’ and the stuff that comes out of your
Purple.
nose!
Colour is a great way of getting your photos to
stand out and grab peoples attention. It’s also
thought to have an an emotional and physical effect
on the viewer.
Use
complimentary
colours to make
your photos
pop!
Blue is often associated with masculinity and it also
the colour of military and police uniforms. This
popular colour is also thought to have a calming
affect upon the viewer. So infuse your photos with
this colour and get the viewer to relax.
Advertisers use the sunny colour yellow a lot because it is
said to be the most visible colour on the color spectrum. Use
Orange, is a warm attention seeking colour and is often
yellow in your photos to grab peoples attention.
associated with religion and also with creativity. It’s also
thought to increase our appetite.
Red is all about extremes of emotion, on the one hand it’s
about passion and love and on the other its about war and
Experiment with only firing the shutter when you see something
danger. Use this colour a lot to get the viewers pulses racing.
that has some eye catching colour - your photos will be all the
better for it.
Photocrafty [5] Copyright Sue Venables 2013
FRAMING
WINDOW TO
YOUR WORLD
beyond it, or to use a window to frame
the landscape beyond.
I’m not talking about the guilt
Don’t forget to tell your camera exactly
frame around the edge of your
what part of the photograph should be in
picture but rather a frame within
focus by using the selective focus
your picture itself: confused? Read
technique (see page 1).
on...
This is a useful technique for any
Mastering your framing adds punch to
photographer because it makes the
any picture. Look for opportunities to use
viewers look to a specific part of the
architectural or environmental surrounds
photograph. For the viewer it gives depth
to frame your subject. This might be a
to the image, the frame adds a strong
foreground object or something in the
visual layer for the viewer to look through,
background. A classic example would be
this makes the viewing experience more
to use an archway to frame the person
pleasurable.
The leaves of
the trees frame
the spire
beyond
You’ve been framed!
Looking through the arch
(top image) to the distant
ruin, adds a great visual
layer. The arch tells the
viewers about the
materials and texture of
the ruin beyond. Our eyes
are drawn to the area of
image which is most in
focus, (middle image) this
is the sleeping commuter.
The view beyond the
commuter gives us an idea
of the location and a
sense of the trains speed.
Turbo change your photos
(bottom) with a frame
within a frame.
Photocrafty [6] Copyright Sue Venables 2013
LEADING LINES
Lines area a strong compositional element to any photograph as they lead our eyes
on a journey. They are also a useful way of linking objects in a photograph...
Horizontal lines
These are thought to covey stability and harmony
as they tend to pull our eyes from side to side.
This is probably similar to the journey your eyes
took last time you admired a great view.
When the camera has a strong horizontal line it’s
often best to photograph it using the camera in
landscape position.
Vertical Lines
These lines convey a sense of power and can
make us stand to attention -think trees, tower
blocks, railings etc. These lines make our eyes
look to the top and bottom of the image.
When we take a picture of an image that has a
strong vertical line we tend to use the camera
vertically as well.
Receding Lines
Receding lines can add depth to a photograph by
pulling the viewers eyes through a photograph to
the focal point in the distance. This is typically
used in landscape photography, where
converging lines meet.
RADIAL AND DIAGONAL LINES
These lines give our eyes a visual workout pulling
our eyes all over the image
Check out the these images and take your eyes
for a wonder. Think about how you ‘read’ an
image and where your eyes go? Now try and
replicate similar eyeball experiences in your own
photographs!
Photocrafty [7] Copyright Sue Venables 2013
REPETITION, REPETITION,
REPETITION
There’s something really satisfying in seeing the same thing repeated in a photo.
We delight in the familiarity the reoccurring form,
Visually disruption.
whether it’s tiles on a roof, pebbles on a beach or
Sometimes too much of the same thing gets a little bit too
bikes in a row.
and break the pattern (below left) . This can be a great
Creating patterns in photographs gives an image a
visual rhythm, which echoes what came before. It
also creates a sense of abundance and our eyes
can play a visual game of spot the difference
between each repeated form.
It’s not just form that makes interesting photographs
seeing repetition of color is also pretty cool too. (below
middle)
uniformed so it’s good to inject a little bit of visual disruption
Look for
the same thing
again and
again!
way of attracting attention to the thing that breaks
the rule.
There are different types of repetition, it can be
uniformed like the tiles on a roof (above top). or
more chaotic, like leaves on the ground (above
bottom).
Grab your camera and start snapping shots that contain
repetitive patterns.
Photocrafty [8] Copyright Sue Venables 2013
DANGER
This will
make your
friends look
fugly!
AVOID THIS LOOK!
Try using a wide aperture
and even a higher ISO to
banish the washed out
flash look. The shot below
captured without a flash
has a natural and more
flattering feel.
KILL YOUR FLASH
images a bit of ‘colour fuzz’ which can
99% percent of the time that nasty
photos. But on the up side it can give
little critter pops up - push it
down!
compromises the look and feel of your
your shots a more natural feel and look.
Now, if you want to take a shot of
something stationary at night time you are
THIS TECHNIQUE ROCKS
Next
your
this
some
time you rock out at
favorite gig, use
technique to take
atmospheric shots.
When the flash is used at parties it
best to put your camera in Shutter Priority
makes you mates look bad, they look like
(see page 1), grab yourself a tripod or a
they’re from the film Cocoon, with white
steady surface and dial in a long
faces and black circles for eyes! If you
exposure, making sure you have a low
weren’t using it for night time portraits but ISO. This will produce gorgeous long
exposure shots where the natural light will
instead wanted an interior shots it won’t
do much better: only illuminating the first
have time to infuse the censor.
five feet whilst the rest of the room is in
total darkness - aagh get rid!
So what about the 1% of time that you
should use your flash? Well I think the
So if you are at a party and you want to
flash can be a great tool on a sunny day.
take pictures of your mates try this
Yes that’s right when the sun is really
instead: Put your camera in Aperture
bright and high in the sky! No, I haven’t
Priority mode (see page 2) and dial in the
gone totally mad!
largest aperture (smallest f-stop number)
that your lens can produce now take a
Often if you are taking portraits outside
shot. If you friends are still under exposed the overhead sun can create unattractive
(looking too dark) then increase the ISO in panda like shadows on your subject. So
the camera. ISO increases the cameras
fill in the shadows with a bit of light from
sensitivity to light. Now the downside of
your flash. This way you get a very well
too much ISO is that it can give your
illuminated portrait with a nice even light.
Photocrafty [9] Copyright Sue Venables 2013
It’s also a good idea to give your
Landscape photography
The master of this art form Ansel
Adams said, “Landscape
landscapes a focal point for the viewers
eyes to rest upon. In a landscape this
might be where the slope of two
photography is the supreme test of
the photographer and often the
supreme disappointment.’
mountains cross, or a building or an
LANDSCAPES
interesting cloud formation.
A typical landscape shot will have a
really large depth of field where
essentially the foreground and
I think big frustration of landscape
photography is that the breath taking
magnitude of the scene is in front of us
rarely transcends the small photograph
that we see afterwards.
To help give your landscape shots a
sense scale within the image itself, it’s a
good idea to include some foreground
interest, like leaves of a tree, grasses,
rocks etc. The sense of scale is created
by the juxtaposition of detail in the
foreground with the big blocky shapes of
the background. The foreground interest
can also act like an access point for the
viewer in the image as it helps frame the
shot as the viewer looks beyond to the
horizon.
background are in focus. To achieve this
type of shot your could always use the
‘mountain’ setting (the one that looks a
tiny bit like a mountain) on your mode
dial. Another way of achieving a large
depth of field is to use ‘aperture priority’
on the mode dial and dial in a high f-stop
number e.g f-22.
Now when you use a high f-stop, the
size of the aperture is very small which
means there isn’t that much light coming
into the camera. So to compensate for
small amount of light coming into the
camera you need to increase the
exposure time if there isn’t an abundance
of bright light. This will mean that you will
need to use a tripod or have your camera
fixed on a solid surface.
JUMP TO IT!
Don’t sit at home waiting
for a beautiful bright day
before you take your
shots. Dark skies can add
drama to a shot.
So grab your camera and
get snapping!
Photocrafty [10] Copyright Sue Venables 2013