Tips for the Creative Photographer

The key to being a good photographer is learning to visualize potential opportunities that will make a great photograph. You can find endless sources of inspiration and ideas from from any searchable source such as Google Earth, Google images, Flickr, travel websites, travel apps, and even postcards. You can expand your creativity with new options, and fresh opportunities, making the photo uniquely yours. Here are few tips and techniques that you can use with your own photography.

Equipment

·      Use the nifty 50mm lens wide open for the beautiful bokeh effect.
·      Try a fisheye; fabulous for distortion or for perfect wide-angle shots.
·      With your zoom lens use a wide aperture for subject isolation, or to zoom in extra tight on an appealing portion of your subject.
·      Use narrow aperture with your wide angle for compelling story-telling compositions.
·      Use a macro lens more often and practice close, unique views of your subject.
·      Get creative with a Lensbaby circular fisheye to capture a perfect circle composition for FX cameras.

Technique

·      Tilt the camera for a creative composition, doing things outside of your normal shoot style.
·      Shoot both vertical and horizontal composition for the same shot.
·      Look up, look down, and behind you; don’t miss outstanding alternative photo compositions.
·      Change your perspective; try a ground level shot, or high vantage point shot.
·      Look for diagonal rhythm (example: bottom left to top right) throughout the composition.
·      Seek patterns and repetition in shape, color, light and shadow for one-of-a-kind shots.
·      Avoid static or dead center compositions.
·      Shoot a time lapse to convey the passage of time: use in-camera intervalometer or remote controller.
·      Try slow motion when shooting a video. Or, speed things up to add fun and variety to most any subject.
·      Create multiple exposures, or double exposures for unique imagery.
·      Try intentional camera movement…..pan, motion, or zoom blur for creative drama.
·      Shoot long exposure using neutral density filters, 10 stops or more for creative blur.
·      Shoot a panorama for the widest view of landscapes or cityscapes.
·      Add a person for scale, dimension and drama.

Creativity with Light and Reflections

·      Be creative with light, shoot silhouettes, sunrays, sunbursts, and starbursts.
·      Go for the golden hour; shoot the warm light and long shadows.
·      Blue hour, shoot exquisite light during twilight, perfect for cityscapes or landscapes.
·      Shoot streaks of light from passing cars. Try 8 seconds or more during the blue hour.
·      Find reflections in water, cars, glass structures, and any mirror like surface.
·      Bring mirrored sunglasses everywhere you travel and use them to shoot iconic reflection photos.

Optical Filters

·      Use FL-W, FL-D filters to accentuate violet and gold colors in a photograph during the blue hour.
·      To reduce glare and reflections and to add definition, use a polarizer.
·      Use graduated neutral density filters to balance light (Vü).

Gear

·      Carry a light tripod; essential for long exposure and low light photography (like the Induro CGT-214).
·      Try a MeFoto Sidekick 360 for your tripod mounted smartphone for long exposures or videos.
·      A bendable tripod, like the Joby Focus, can be wrapped around almost anything to provide a portable, yet stable platform.
·      Use a cable release, remote release, or self timer to prevent camera shake.

Most of all, be creative, have fun, and be passionate; it will show in your photos! I hope to see you on an upcoming workshop or seminar! http://www.debsandidge.com/workshops