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General Photography Notes:
The
following ideas, tips, and tricks are of my own personal opinion through my own experience... 3
Basic photography ingredients that make a photograph extraordinary: (1) Light, (2) Color,
(3) Composition (1) Light: The "magic hour",
which is either one hour before sunset, and one hour after sunrise generally offers the best light with which to shoot with.
As with any travel itineraries, you are not able to choose the weather. Then, it is best to shoot the mood- meaning if it
is raining, then shoot darker and more "blue" subjects. However, if the light is even slight or better yet- powerful,
then the striking power of a beautiful landscape or a scenic can be captured easily. When you do find the light to be great,
shoot like a fool- everything that you care to shoot. These times are an opportunity for us to create, so it is important
to "strike while the iron is hot"! Always shoot with the sunlight to your back- so that it bathes the subject.
If there is no sunlight, try to clip the sky from the composition as much as possible, as this will affect your image negatively. (2) Color: Try to shoot bright and complementary colors on any scene, as well as use higher
speed settings. Speeds of 400+ bring out the best in colors of the scene. Do not be afraid of a dominant color in a scene
(such as the green in my "Misty Forest" shot under the Photo Gallery- Nature link). In contrast,
do not be afraid of just the opposite either- a total chaos of color. As long as it creates a shot aesthetically- it will
work in some way, shape, or form! (3) Composition: Remember the "rule
of thirds" in composing shots. This can be obtained by mentally dividing the scene into three sections, and placing the
subject(s) at the 4 intersections of these lines vertically and horizontally. This style of basic composition
"breaks" the monotonous images that our minds eye creates as we view anything. As I found on a great photography
tutorial- try to imagine your subject as an atom's nucleus...this nucleus is surrounded by a global 360 degree perimeter.
As you and the camera can move anywhere is this 360 degree area, this allows you to go under, over, beside, closer, farther,
etc. to the subject you are shooting. Thinking this way has really added depth to any shots that I have taken in the past
few years, and I am sure that it will change the way you "see". Also, remember the depth of field that is
controlled by the aperture setting...make sure that what you would like to be in focus is in focus, and what you would like
to be blurred is blurred and out of focus. Another important creative idea for shooting any subject is to avoid the empty spaces
around the four sides of a photograph. In other words: "fill the frame"...This creates a much more intimate
composition and takes the viewer into the subject's space. Of course, we ALL have these types of photographs with
space around the edges, and there is a need for that with certain scenes- however, if the subject is singled as the only subject
in the scene, move in.
Although sometimes, there is no way of getting away from it, try to never cut a picture
in half with a horizon- either horizontally or vertically. Having said this, there are some photos in my photo gallery
that do break these rules- is it wrong? Well- it depends on the viewer...There are certain times, such as the spectacular
sunset in the Loire Valley of France that I shot, when you simply must capture the water AND the sky. I actually took
several photographs of that scene, and in the end, that one shot stood out as most effective.
Gone are the days
in my life when I shoot with so much pressure and determination that I do not even remember the moment...I love to shoot period,
and having a basic style allows me to shoot during the moment- not missing the moment racking my brain with rules and
techniques. They come naturally with practice.
Lightning
Photography Notes:
When it comes to lightning photography, there are many variables which will determine
success and failure. In hindsight, there are countless times where I should have done something differently to get a better
shot, but those moments only lead to maturity. Below is a very short summary containing a few more pointers that are important
in lightning photography: 1. Location, location, location...As a rule, storms
that occur in somewhat "clear air"- meaning that they are not embedded in rain, blanketed by clouds, etc are almost
always better photographically. In the South, this is not typical- however, you can put yourself into a position to shoot,
even when the clouds are thick by getting to a good location. From my experience, I have found that a storm moving somewhat
parallel to you produces the best lightning angle, as well as for safety reasons. Always shoot a squall line, rain-shrouded
storms, or anything that is barreling down on you with extreme caution. The bolts that are produced are so powerful
and bright, but the danger is higher as well. Storms that are more than 20 miles or so away usually will
not turn out that well- but sometimes they can surprise you. Never shoot in the rain, unless you want to damage
your equipment and risk your life, as lightning is most abundant in downdrafts of rain. I have
only had two instances that were close...Both of these times were when I first started out, and on one of those occasions,
the lightning was close enough to cause my joints to hurt and my hair to stand on end as it raced above me, along the anvil.
Since that time, I shoot wiser with age- and the results are better as well. With lightning, it only
takes one hit, and not even directly! Never put yourself in a dangerous position to get a shot- it is
not worth the effort. The most puny and inactive lightning storm can be a killer... 2. Use
the slowest shutter speed (Bulb), slow film setting (ISO 50-200), focus set to "infinity"and a wide view- unless
the storm is localized in any certain direction. Expose for the background of the scene, and adjust for the brightness of
the lightning flashes. In this case, I'd go a little wider than expected anyway- you never know. Most lightning
photographers have many tales that stem from being out in the field getting a shot- and most photographs have an amazing or
amusing story- I know all of mine do! I have had to dodge crazy late-night swerving drivers, high headlight beams attempting
to ruin my shots, party animals who come up and ask me why in the world I am in a field looking at "the rain"...Also,
on a few occasions, the police came up to check me out- just to make sure what I was doing was legal, and not trying to rob
a business or two...On one of those occasions, the police actually stayed and watched the lightning as I shot it- It was pretty
cool...  The voice of the Lord strikes with flashes of lightning...
Psalm 29:7
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