Notes from Maury
|
Notes from Maury
 When photographing a scene with a lot of red in it, set the white balance to sunlight or partial shade and check results, making adjustments if necessary.
What’s the difference between Automatic and Program mode? “Automatic” is pure point-and-shoot. The camera sets the aperture, shutter speed, ISO, flash, white balance, and auto-focus. “Program” sets only the aperture and shutter speed. You can apply the other settings as you prefer.
A good way to reflect light on tabletop subjects is to try the mirror side of old compact disks (CDs). They’re easy to position and you can use small wads of putty to aim them. They’re lighter than mirrors, don’t shatter if they fall, and are usually free.
Simple uncluttered backgrounds are a fundamental element of most good photos, especially in still life images. Two examples: 1) Try seamless black velvet as it will absorb any light hitting it. There will be no reflections or shadows. 2) If you use a white background, you can make your subject appear to be floating in space by lighting the background separately at two f-stops brighter. By doing portraits with this lighting, the figure stands out, resulting in a “high key” photo.
Turn water into a mysterious smooth schmear by using a tripod and the slowest permissible shutter speed (1/4 second or slower). The water’s movement will become a blur (or ribbon, if you will) and all else with be sharp and clear, assuming no wind.
If the economy allows you to fly somewhere and you wish to shoot aerial shots from the plane, switch your camera to manual focus (so it doesn’t get confused when focusing thru glass), shoot early to avoid condensation on the window, and be sure to turn off your flash so you eliminate reflections from the glass.
|
|
