Digital Photographer

A large proportion of the earth’s surface is covered with water, so it is not unreasonable to think of it as a subject in its own right, as we do landscape. After all, what a range of options it offers us: waterfalls, rivers, lakes, reservoirs, pools – plus, of course, the sea.

Photographing Water

The appearance of water is determined largely by the quality of the light and the colour of the sky. Shoot at different times of day and in a variety of different weather conditions and you get a wide range of results. In bright, sunny conditions, rivers and lakes tend to look blue, whereas early or late in the day they take on an attractive warm coloration. The position of the sun also plays a role. When it is overhead, around noon, a highly reflective finish is produced, with lots of highlights dancing on the surface. But during the morning or afternoon, when the sun is at a lower angle, light rakes across the surface, revealing the texture of the water. Best of all, though, is a sunset over water – which is closely matched by the delightful colours you get an hour or so after the sun has gone to sleep.

ON REFLECTION One of the first things that comes to mind when you think of water is reflection (see right). From perfect mirror images in a tranquil lake to shimmering abstracts in a bustling harbour, reflections make great subjects. Use a wide-angle lens if you want to include both the reflection and what is being reflected, or a telephoto zoom to crop in on just a small area.

Moving water has immense power and the most effective way of capturing it is by setting a long shutter speed. The result is an atmospheric, creamy froth that flows effortlessly around rocks or plummets earthward from a waterfall (see above). The longer the exposure, the greater the degree of blur. Start by mounting your camera on a tripod, then experiment with a range of shutter speeds, to see what works best – this will often be in the range of ¼ second to 4 seconds, which will require a slow ISO setting.

Action is one of the most challenging subjects to photograph. As well as having to worry about all the normal things - such as exposure, lighting and composition - you also need to focus accurately on something that is moving, possibly so fast that you can hardly see what’s going on.

Shoot Everyday Action

While it is natural to equate action with sport, in fact it is only the tip of the iceberg. A better approach is to think of action as capturing movement, and no matter where you live you will find opportunities to take great action pictures. So do not ignore the more common subjects that are around you every day – such as your kids jumping off a trampoline in your garden or skateboarders honing their skills on the street.

By far the trickiest part of focusing is keeping a moving subject in sharp focus. Happily, most autofocus cameras will handle this chore for you – and many have a ‘predictive’ capability that anticipates where the subject will actually be when the shutter fires.

ACTION Action is all around us - and can be just as captivating as sport. The slight movement in the jumping boy’s legs makes this shot work effectively.

One of the best ways of representing action is by setting a long shutter speed and blurring the subject. These dodgem cars were photographed at ¼sec, with the camera panned to render the dodgem recognizable.

You need quick reactions, a reasonably long lens, and a shutter speed of at least 1/500sec to capture racehorses galloping towards you. Get it right, though, and the results can be spectacular.

Photographing Winter Sports

Special considerations when shooting winter sports include the need to check the exposure carefully. Snow is white. To a human, such a statement is obvious; however, to a camera, it is not. When it is pointed at snow, the camera simply ‘sees’ a great deal of light and reduces the exposure to compensate. The result is dingy, dirty snow and figures which come out far too dark. One solution is to leave the camera set to automatic exposure, but apply an EV compensation value of + 1EV to + 1.7EV, depending on the camera and the prevailing conditions. Alternatively, set the camera to manual mode, take a meter reading from a subject in the same lighting and use this exposure for your photographs.

You need a long telephoto lens, a shutter speed of 1/1000 sec, and perfect timing to capture images like this…

PANNING Panning is a very successful technique for conveying a sense of movement.

1) Choose your viewpoint Firstly, prepare carefully for the shot. Plan where you are going to stand to get the best view of your subject. Think about the background as well, and try to pick one without too much detail.

2) Set a slow shutter speed You may need to experiment with shutter speeds to find the one which offers the best compromise between background blur and still keeping the subject acceptably sharp. Start with a shutter speed of 1/30sec and work up or down as necessary.

3) Match the camera movement to the subject The next part is the most difficult. You need to follow the subject with the camera as it passes, releasing the shutter as you do so. You will need to practise to discover the right timing for the shutter release. On your first attempts you may find that you are releasing it too soon or too late.

Look for ways of improving images in the computer. This bobsleigh shot lacked impact, but a little motion blur, and tipping the subject to more of an angle, increases the interest.

Tricky subjects like this, in which there is movement towards the camera, require fast, accurate autofocusing systems that can predict where elements of the picture will be at the point at which the shutter actually fires. Without these, parts of the image would almost certainly come out blurred, which would destroy what is otherwise an arresting photograph.

Many cameras are bought in order to photograph holidays, trips overseas and days out. All photographers, experienced or otherwise, will want to record these events.

Be Selective

While it is tempting to photograph anything and everything that catches your eye in an indiscriminate fashion, a little planning and attention to detail will produce a much more satisfying visual record. The obvious candidates for photography are local views and landmarks. The postcards in the tourist shops can give you some great ideas for locations and viewpoints. However, look for a new angle on the scene and include yourself or other members of the party in the photography to give it a more personal appeal in the future.

Additionally, be careful that you do not simply photograph ‘things’. Holidays and outings are not just about the places you visit – they are also about the things you do while you are there. Consequently, make sure that you record your activities as well as local sites of interest.

USING LIGHT One of the great things about being on holiday is that you have the freedom to take pictures when the light is at its most perfect, because you can be out with your camera at any time of day. This dramatic photograph was taken just as the sun was about to disappear over the horizon.

Think Before You Shoot

Travel ‘light’, and this does not stop at limiting the weight of the equipment you take with you. You should also travel light’ in a mental sense, sticking to a simple camera that you can operate without concentrating (you will have other things on your mind), when the time comes to take your picture.

Local people can make great subjects for your photographs, and we have all seen many appealing and fascinating examples in magazines and photography books. However, it is important always to approach people with caution and, above all, respect.

Take care when photographing the locals. The best approach is to ask permission loudly and clearly, or at least make it clear that you would like to take a picture. Always bear your subject’s feelings closely in mind.

Unusual or exotic locations often make for compelling images. However, if you can work in an extra element to your photograph – such as the boy running with a football in the foreground of this picture - you can make an already eye-catching scene even more interesting. Sometimes it is worth waiting around a while in order to capture the best possible shot.

Protect Your Equipment

You should also consider the security of your photographic equipment when you are taking photographs while abroad. While branded camera bags are a neat lifestyle accessory, they can also serve as a blatant advertisement for thieves in many places. Plain, unbranded camera bags are generally a safer bet. Try to avoid waving your camera around in too obvious a fashion or leaving it in plain view on a strap around your neck, for example. Straps offer a level of security against pickpockets, but expensive and highly visible camera gear may also tempt muggers, which can result in much more serious problems.

Cameras may need protection from the elements as well, especially on trips to the beach. Keep your camera in a bag and place it carefully on a beach towel or a chair whenever it is not actually in use. Sand quickly gets into knobs, dials and seams in camera bodies and can be next to impossible to get out again. Of course you want to be able to take photographs in such situations, but care and thought is required. The same applies to any other equipment you take with you. Lenses, lighting aids, tripods and other supports are all expensive items of kit which should last you years if they are looked after properly. However, one overly casual visit to the beach on a windy day could change all that and could prove an expensive mistake in the long run.

Always be on the lookout for subjects that give a flavour of the place you are visiting. For example, Las Vegas makes people immediately think of wedding chapels, so why not take a picture of one of these, or the inevitable garish sign advertising its services?

KIDDY PIX Taking pictures of children playing on the beach or in a pool is an essential part of summer holidays for many people. However, make sure that you protect your camera from sand and water, so that these images remain evocative for the right reasons!

Photographing wild animals is by its very nature more of a challenge than taking pictures of your pets at home – but it can be extremely rewarding. The key to good shots of wildlife is patience, combined with luck and practice.

Wildlife

Venturing into the countryside to photograph animals in the wild for the first time can be an exciting experience, but also a disappointing one. Most species quite sensibly stay well away from people, so you need an extremely powerful lens to stand any chance of filling the frame. At the right time of day you may have success with rabbits and deer, but animals such as foxes and badgers may prove elusive unless you have specialist knowledge of their habits and habitats. To stand any chance at all you will need to wear drab clothes, avoid aftershave or perfume, and move slowly and carefully.

Using a telephoto zoom it is possible to get decent shots of small, distant creatures. Try to capture them doing something interesting.

CLOSE-UPS Powerful closeups can be created using an ordinary telephoto zoom – as in this dramatic photograph of a horse’s eye.

ON SAFARI If you are fortunate enough to be able to go on a wildlife safari, the scope for amazing photographs of animals in the wild is unlimited. Take a good telephoto lens and a tripod with you.

Birds

Wherever you live, there is a pretty good chance you will be able to take pictures of birds – possibly without even having to leave your house. Though you may not find exotic species like golden eagles in your garden, you will probably have sparrows, thrushes and robins around you in abundance. With a reasonably powered telezoom that goes up to 300mm, you will be able to get a decent-sized image – which subsequently may need cropping and enlarging in the computer to fill the frame. However, birds have far greater appeal when they are on the wing. But capturing them in flight can be far from easy, especially in the case of small species that travel at great speed, such as swallows and swifts. To get good pictures of birds like these, you need fast reactions. Your best bet, therefore, is to get out and about and find some larger birds, such as geese, ducks or gulls, which are slower and more graceful in flight.

Small birds can be tricky to photograph well, but larger species, such as ducks, can be photographed readily where there is plenty of water.

If you go to a park, the birds will be used to humans coming and going, and are consequently less likely to be scared away. This is a good way to begin taking pictures of birds and to accumulate valuable experience without complications. Toss the park birds some bread or seeds and you will be able to photograph them as they come in to land or take off.

GETTING UP CLOSE Move slowly and steadily and you should be able to get reasonably close to deer in parks and gardens. Very often they are quite used to people and will not scare too easily.

Always make sure you choose a vantage point in relation to the background and direction of light which shows the subjects at their best. All birds move relatively quickly, so you need to be prepared.

Exotic creatures such as this brightly coloured iguana lizard can make good subjects. Go to your local zoo or safari park and experiment.

If your subject is relatively slow moving, like this languid swan, it is possible to set up a shot in a more leisurely fashion, in order to make the most of the prevailing light and colours. The contrast here between the white bird and the black water is striking.