Posts Tagged ‘photography tips’
Sometimes in candid photography it may be better to spare a thought for your subject and not just your shot. A little thoughtfulness can go a long way.
This doesn’t really apply of course if you’re taking shots of inanimate objects. A flower is not going to be upset if you shoot it at a moment when its petals look a bit sad - but a person might.
For example, you’re prowling the backstreets of some Third World city, or even your own, trying to capture a mood of desolation or estrangement – don’t ask me why, but people like shooting this kind of thing – and you get an old woman in your viewfinder who has obviously seen better days. Nevertheless, there’s a certain grace in her pose, and a nobility in her expression, so you shoot.
Later you can touch it up with your editing program of choice and your friends will admire it. You get that pleasure for your efforts – but what did your model get?
Back when I was first taking candid photos I caught sight of a one legged man on a crutch hobbling towards me along a city street. it was a perfectly formed image, so throwing caution to the wind I just snapped it. The subject got very upset – and I immediately saw his point: who wants to be immortalized looking your worst?
When I returned to the darkroom I threw the neg out and made a vow not to do that again. Should I have asked his permission first? That would not have solved the situation and he most certainly would have said no. The point was, why was I taking that shot in the first place? If I’d thought about it I would have taken a shot from the back and at least spared his feelings.
Sometimes you take a candid snap and the value of the shot is that the person is unaware of your interest. These pictures can be great and the effect would be spoiled by going up and announcing your intention beforehand. However, what you can do is once you’ve got your shot, approach the subject, let them know you’d like to take a photo and do the best job you can of taking a flattering picture of the person. They may never see it, but here, as in many things – it’s the thought that counts.
Another variation, especially if you’re in that same Third World country where the locals have probably been photographed every which way by thousands of tourists, is to carry some small denomination notes or coins in your pocket, and politely offer payment for the modeling work. This is usually appreciated and it’s good for your conscience.
Some other examples: one time I did my own personal photo essay on a school. It wasn’t practical to offer every student and teacher a print but I cut a CD of the best shots and presented it to the principal.
Another time, I shot a dog class and made some small prints of the ten best shots and gave them to the trainer to pass out at the next class.
All this comes under the heading of good manners, and in candid photography as in many things in life, good manners are always appreciated. Furthermore if you want or need to return and re-shoot, you’ll find yourself welcomed not resisted.
Try it.
Digital camera photo sharing has empowered the average person to create their own pictures. With technology rapidly changing, options now exist to keep the photography printing at home instead of having to wait weeks and sometimes even months to get their precious pictures. The downside with digital camera photo sharing is that photo labs are having to change their tactics to keep up with the new demand.
One demand being placed on labs is to offer a quick photo printer. These new photo printers are easy to use, and the type of media that can be used to print pictures is greatly varied. With digital cameras, usually a form of a memory card is needed to store images on. However, if a person does not want to take their memory card into a store, than they can make copies on a CD and bring it to the photo printer and quickly have pictures printed. Before printing, the picture will be previewed, and size and images can be chosen at that time. The prints will be more expensive than what one would normally pay for if the lab printed their pictures.
Digital camera photo sharing is a great technology to use at home. However, photo lab associates are feeling the crunch. Even though some people are still using basic film cameras, the majority of people are taking advantage of digital. Lab associates can still help consumers by giving them photography tips to make their photos the best they can be. After all, working in a photo lab does have its advantages. When it comes to pictures, they have usually seen it all.
One reason that digital camera photo sharing has become so popular is the internet. If a person has a digital camera and a computer, not only can they print their own pictures, but they can also send pictures easily to family and friends. Then that person can burn a CD and take it to their local photo lab. Or if this is not an option, a person can send the pictures to most photo labs via the net, and then they can be picked up. The options are endless when it comes to digital photos.
Digital camera photo sharing has become the technology of today. Because of technological advances, people are printing their own pictures and sharing them on the web with friends and relatives. The old days of waiting weeks for pictures to be printed are over unless an individual goes to a professional photographer. Photo lab associates are having to learn new skills in order to compete in this market. They must learn how to use new machines. They are also having to spend more time with a customer helping them become associated with this modern advance. Like any other job, a photo technician position is becoming more and more technical.