Moving forward, I've just gotten myself a full frame camera in the form of a 5D Mark II! I'll tell you that in a future post, after I give it a few hundred clicks. For now, I should say that getting to the 5D2 was a fairly strenuous affair, which I shall also detail as part of my post on the 5D2.
Sunday, August 23, 2009
I've come a long way...
After making the two previous posts, I just went back to read what I wrote in my first few posts of this blog. I realize today that I've come a long way since first getting my DSLR. Or as the blog title goes, my first dSLR! I chuckled when I read some of my own remarks - like opening up the aperture to 5.6 so that it lets the most light in. Of course, back then, I did not know about primes that can do f0.95. But like everybody else, I had to start somewhere. And where I am today? Well its a long way from where I started. But there's still soooooo much more to learn. In any case, I feel good about documenting what I know in this blog. It will be a reference of sorts for me, and I hope there will be a few people that might benefit from it as well.
How to take spectacular travel photos
Many people who have seen my photos from New Zealand say how impressed they are with the images. Many of them also say that I manage to get such great photographs because of the expensive DSLRs I use. Well, that's only partly true. The other part of it is knowing a few simple guidelines.
As always, my disclaimer is that I am not a pro. I'm just like the average tourist with a DSLR. If you read the tips I have below and you already know this, then you're already well on your way to capturing good photos. If you're still learning, like me, then some of this may come in handy.
I'm assuming that you own a DSLR. Some of the functions and features I explain below will not be found on a point and shoot camera.
1. Good Composition.
If you read any photography 101 type books you'll read about the rule of thirds. A simple rule. All it says is, split your picture in three sections. Place the object that you are photographing 2/3rds into the picture. Let the rest of the photo capture the scenery around the object that you are photographing. This works especially well when you're photographing people. Here is an example.
See how the object I'm photographing, in this case the lady, is about two thirds into the picture? This is a classic photo taken according to the rule of thirds. Also, as would already be obvious, you can apply this rule even using a point and shoot.
2. Take photos of scenery that are sharp
If you have a DSLR, you can set your DSLR to Aperture mode (on a Canon, you would turn the dial to Av), and set your aperture to between F8 or F13. What this does allow everything you see in the picture to be in focus. Do note that it is best to shoot with this setting when there is plenty of light. Also, remember to set your camera back to the settings prior to changing to aperture mode after you have snapped the photo. Below is an example of a landscape I shot at f7.1. I used a Sigma 30mm lens on my EOS 50D.
3. Isolate your subjects with large apertures
Another type of shot you can use to make your photos more impactful is to again shoot in Av mode and set your aperture to a fairly small f number, such as f1.8. A smaller f number will get the lens to focus only on your target whilst everything else in the picture will become a beautiful blur. In the example below, I set my f number to 1.8 and it isolates the target, which is my wife. Notice how everything else in front or behind my wife becomes slightly blurred? Also note that I've again followed the rule of thirds.
Of course, the prerequisite for this is to have a lens that is capable of shooting at small f numbers or large apertures.
4. Use reflections
Anytime you're around water, say a lake or river, you can compose your picture to make the reflections in the water the main part of the photograph. Here's my example below.
5. Don't be afraid to get up close
A lot of people tend to take photos from a distance. Get up close to the subject. Especially if the subjects are inanimate objects and make up some kind of pattern. How close? How about the minimum focusing distance your lens allows you? Of course, you don't want to take a picture of a person from 18 inches away. All you'll achieve is getting a picture full of nose and an angry subject, if you're doing street photography. Here's my example of a close up.
6. Get an ultra wide angle (UWA) lens
This one might be a bit expensive. Good UWA lenses can cost a couple hundred dollars. With a UWA, you can get very interesting shots as the lens will distort the picture and give you a sense of vastness (for lack of a better word). Here is my example below.
Do note that you need to be careful when choosing a UWA lens as the 'wideness' of the lens depends on what type of body you use. There are crop bodies and full frame bodies. In general, a UWA on a crop body will be anywhere between 10 to 24 mm, whilst a UWA on a full frame body can be anywhere from 16 to 40 mm. In my photo above, I used a Canon EOS 450D with a Tokina 11-16mm f2.8.
I hope the tips I shared here will be useful in getting you some vacation photos with oomph!
My trip to New Zealand
I was in New Zealand for 2 weeks, with my wife and kids. It is definitely one of the most beautiful places on the face of this earth! Plus, the people there are very friendly. I'm fortunate that I took my holiday in New Zealand after I became interested in photography. I brought my gear and managed to capture beautiful images.
1. First glimpse
Here are some of them as a preview. The rest can be found here.
2. Kaikoura
3. Gore Bay
4. Avon River
5. Hokitika
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