Author: ksccc

Click here to see Anne Jones’ notes on iPhone Photography from the April 7th meeting.

Anne also mentioned PhotoSync for moving photos between her Apple devices.

Figure Out What Type of Photographer You Are

You should try shooting all sorts of stuff – from food to landscapes, from portraits to sports, from products to travel, and everything in between.  When you are just starting out, shoot everything. And once you have done that, sit down and figure out what kind of photographer you really want to be and work on that.

The first step is to take a good look at the stuff you’ve been shooting and ask yourself, “Which one of these do I seen to have knack for? Or, Which shots have people told me I have a knack for?  Chances are there is something you shot that you particularly felt you had a knack for – you just kind of knew what to do.

Okay, that’s step one (and it might be more than one thing – you might feel like you have a knack for travel, sports and natural light portraits, and that’s okay).  The next step is to ask yourself, “Which one of these do I really enjoy shooting?”  This is really important, because this is what you should be focusing on.  There’s no sense at getting really good at product photography when what you really want to be is a natural light portrait photographer.

But, few photographers, even more experienced ones, really sit down and think this through – they just shoot what comes their way.  And while they may wind up being competent at shooting a lot of different things, I’m guessing being competent isn’t your goal (it’s like getting a C+ in class).  Finding who you are as a photographer allows you to focus your learning, your energy, and your time in the right direction.  When you start to get good at what you really enjoy, this is when the magic happens.

Marg Jackman

Did you know that Friday March 31st is World Backup Day?

If your computer or smartphone failed tomorrow or it was infected with ransomware, all the files it contains could be lost! Would you lose all your precious photographs?

Do you have a backup plan in place?

If you need help with setting up a backup procedure why not book an hour with one of the Seniors Council’s computer tutors? They can help you set up a safe, thorough and automatic backup procedure for all your files.

General Guidelines

It is hard for a photographer not to be sensitive to remarks about changes and possible improvements to ones’ photographs.  Remember the comments are on the photographs not the photographer.  Some of the comments will carry with them the bias of the reviewer.  As an example a world class female reviewer once told me about this problem by saying:   “I hate snakes, so it is real hard for me to give a good review on a snake, no matter how good and wonderful the photograph may be.”

Also there are no definite rules of what makes a bad or great photo which have come to us from Mount Sinai.  Even generally accepted rules, such as the “Rule of Thirds” can be successfully broken.  For those who do post processing remember there is never a photograph taken that cannot be improved in some way – including how it is framed. Now on with some basics of doing a critique.

Basic Critique Considerations

1. Is the photo properly focused, with foreground, main subject, and eyes (usually) sharp?
2. Is the background appropriate, or is it too busy/cluttered? Does it have best focus or out of focus areas appropriate for image?
3. Does the photo display a good depth of field for subject and treatment of subject?
4. How is the exposure?  Is it too dark (underexposed), too light (over exposed). blown out, blocked up, or okay?
5. How is the image contrast?  Flat with little tonal difference or too extreme?
6. Are the colours accurate or appropriate for subject?  Are there overlaps or bleeding, too much saturation or not saturated enough, or other colour issues?
7. Is the composition pleasing, properly balanced, and appropriate? Do objects in images give a 3-D effect? Does use of framing, leading lines, image placement, or other composition components, indicate direction or movement, and does this improve the image or distract from it?
8. Is cropping required, or is there to little or too much cropping to flatter main subject/topic?
9. Is your eye drawn to the best spot/subject of the image first, and does your view stay within the main subject/topic of picture or are there bright, dark, or highly colourful distractions?
10. Is it easy to determine what the best spot or subject is?
11. Is there a clear story line or message in the photo?
12. Is there a uniqueness or rarity to captured scene or captured item?
13. Does the photo carry emotional appeal, such as babies/moms, puppies, love, danger, and so on?
14. Are there any technical issues which distract from the image quality or appeal?

One of the best ways for a photographer to improve is by having their work critiqued.  Even though one may not agree with critique points made, the process helps one identify what appeals to the viewers and what does not.  With this understanding you are better able to create the best photograph you or a viewer likes.  The more you practice and apply your knowledge the better photographer you will become.

Based on this post by Scott Bourne in the Photofocus blog.

Frank Knor