Home » Archive

Articles in the Technique Category

Technique »

[25 Jun 2010 | 15 views]

 
Interesting question came up the other day – why do we go for f11 as the "preferred" aperture on our lens?
 
Well, it is a bit of a "add salt to taste" thing.   Different photographers will have different favourite f-stops, particularly as the wider (lower number) you go, the more the background is pushed out of focus.
But your depth of field at lower apertures is incredibly tight, so it is about getting reasonable sharpness across a reasonable depth of field.
F11 on 80mm lens at 4 feet, focus …

  • Share/Bookmark

read more »    

Technique »

[10 Jun 2010 | 5 views]

 
Part of an occasional series on Plugins that I use while in photoshopping (or strictly Corelling) images.   A plugin is third party software which integrates with your photo editor to add functionality.  There are many completely free plugins as well as paid for software at a range of prices.  Thanks to Dani who appears as the untreated “before” image.

Filters Unlimited from icnet at http://www.icnet.de
 
This is a little different from your usual plugin, because its a sort of filter manager as well as a filter in its own right.   I …

  • Share/Bookmark

read more »    

Photography Tips, Technique »

[9 Dec 2009 | 3 views]

 
 
1) Get In Close – it’s the faces your interested in, not the shoes.   Fill the frame with the face or faces.  
2) Keep it natural – don’t over-pose pictures – natural pictures are often the best ones.  Keep your camera ready and take peoples pictures when they’ are not looking.  This is especially true for children.
3) Get down with the kids:  while your children are playing with the Christmas presents you want to be down on your knees or tummy photographing from their height.
4) If you are posing to …

  • Share/Bookmark

read more »    

DVD Training, Photography Tips, Technique »

[14 Nov 2009 | 48 views]

 
This is warmed chocolate sauce, a wonderfully graphic prop for photography. 
 
Lighting Diagram 
The cove is lit to balance the front main light to right hand side. 
 
For me the monochrome images are stronger because the pure graphic mix of the chocolate against the skin is so much stronger. 
 
However, I had pre-visualised this shoot about a some what manic women laughing her way through the chocolate. 
In this case you really only get one sequence or style to shoot, the chocolate runs, smudges and so on. It would be interesting to repeat this shoot …

  • Share/Bookmark

read more »    

Critiques, Photography Tips, Technique, Workshops »

[24 Oct 2009 | 12 views]

After every workshop, whether through the Royal Photographic Society (RPS) or privately, attendees are invited to submit images based on the workshop for further comment.   I always hope to provide information suitable for the individual and for others readers.   If you are interested in attending any future workshops, please contact me sqw @ FilmPhotoAcademy.com
 

Because the lightbox setup we had produces a lot of light from below you have to be careful how it lights the face.   I’m not unhappy with the light here, just something to be aware of.  
What bugs me …

  • Share/Bookmark

read more »