Candid Photography and Good Manners

Candid Photography and Good Manners   This doesn't really apply of course if you're taking shots of inanimate objects. A tree is not likely to get offended if you shoot it at a moment when its branches look forlorn and 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 zap the pix in Photoshop, give it a good color balance 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 photos I caught sight of a one legged man on a crutch hobbling towards me along a city street. It was a striking image, so being a god with a Nikon I brazenly stepped out and took 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 negative 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 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.

Abstract Photography - Capturing Water Droplets and Splashes

Abstract Photography - Capturing Water Droplets and Splashes Water droplets are a fascinating photography subject but some people say that it has become a little cliched, but I for one totally disagree. Each image can be unique and there are countless variations that can be tried for some amazing effects. So, if your itching to do something different with your camera indoors when the weather is not agreeable outside, then read on for some tips on how to take these kind of shots. Capturing water droplets is not as hard as you may think. you don't need modified flashes or timing equipment and you certainly don't need to take several hundred shots to get a few acceptable ones. If you do a bit of pre-planning and setup carefully there is no reason why you can't get some stunning shots with that "wow!" factor. The Equipment you will need     * Tripod - This is really essentiaI and if you don't have one I suggest you go and buy one!     * Cable or remote release - This is pretty much essential too as it will be very difficult to control the droplets and have another hand on the camera shutter at the same time. Cable releases are so cheap and useful in all kinds of photography that I highly recommend getting one.     * External flash - Preferably off camera to control the direction of light.     * Reflector - To stop under exposure. A piece of white card is fine.     * Macro or telephoto lens - To allow you to fill the frame but stay a safe distance from water splashes You will also need a large plastic tub or container for the water and a small dropper or small plastic bottle with a fine nozzle. Setting up the Equipment     * External flash - Set this to manual mode and set the output to 1/32 or lower. The output setting doesn't affect the amount of light from the flash but rather the flash duration which allows you to freeze the motion.     * Reflector - Use a reflector or white card placed opposite the flash. I found that not doing this resulted in under exposed images.     * Camera - set this to manual mode and a shutter speed of roughly 180. this isn't too important as with these kind of shots the flash duration is now your effective shutter speed. For focusing, place the plastic ruler where the drops will fall into the container of water and focus on this. The aperture setting really depends on the type of lens you are using but basically you want the water drops and splashes to be in sharp focus with the background out of focus to blur out any potentially distracting objects. For larger macro lenses of 100mm (which I use) I set the aperture to f16. this gives me sharpness a couple of centimeters just in front to a couple of centimeters just behind the point of focus. Focus on the plastic ruler and use aperture preview to get an idea of the depth of field, if it's not to your liking adjust it and recheck. Taking the Shots Once everything is setup and ready to go, practice dropping some water drops where the plastic ruler was. Once your happy you can hit the right spot keep the cable release in one hand and the dropper in the other. Start dropping water drops into the container and fire off a few shots before the drop hits the water and after it hits the water. If you have a high speed shutter mode on your camera then enable this and fire the shutter repeatedly in bursts as the drops fall. Using this method you will be suprised at how many good shots you actually get. Variations Other things to try are food dyes to colour the water and water drops, dropping pieces of ice into the water and small pebbles. you could also have a picture in the background behind the container which will then be reflected in the drops as they fall! The list of what you can try is really endless! I highly recommend that you give this technique a go, it's great fun and with some imagination you will get some really stunning images.

Du Noyer Photography Competition 2009

Du Noyer Geological Photography Competition 2009 Entries are invited for the 11th Du Noyer Geological Photography Competition, which each year seems to go from strength to strength. George Victor Du Noyer, who served as a geologist with the Geological Survey of Ireland from 1847 to 1869, was a skilled field artist whose numerous sketches and pictures, with their combination of artistic skill and technical accuracy, were the “field photographs” of their day. This competition seeks to encourage the same blend of artistic and scientific skills through the medium of photography. Prizes will be awarded in two categories, Irish and Foreign, and a prize fund of €800 applies. All photographs - print or digital - entered must be supplemented with the following information: * Name * Address * Telephone number * Email of entrant/photographer * Short description of geological content * Place and Date when taken For prints please write on a label and stick it onto the back of the photographs or include a note with each entry. DO NOT WRITE ON THE BACK OF THE PHOTOGRAPH. Prints must be not less than 6 x 4 inches in size. For digital entries please include the required information in the e-mail and please send high resolution images if possible. Entrants may submit a maximum of 4 photographs, illustrating any aspect of field geology or scenic landscapes. The competition will be judged by a panel including representatives of the IGA, the GSI and external nominees and their decision will be final. Entries will be exhibited and prizes awarded at a GSI Cunningham Awards ceremony in early December. We are not in a position to return entry material. GSI reserves the right to reproduce entries in its publications and promotional activity with due acknowledgement. Entries should be posted in an envelope marked “Du Noyer Competition” to: Cartography Unit, Geological Survey of Ireland, Beggars Bush, Haddington Rd, Dublin 4 or e-mailed to info@planetearth.ie Evaluation Criteria · Creativity (25 marks) · Technical Skill of the Photographer (25 marks) · Geological Content of Photograph (50 marks) Closing date for entries: Friday 9th October 2009. Ceremony awards: Friday 4th December 2009, GSI, Dublin.