Tips for taking low angle shots

Low angle shots or worm’s eye view offers a different perspective of the world and can deliver a mesmerizing image of the reality. Since we are adjusted to looking at things from the eye level, a ground level perspective brings in a new flavor to photographs.

Wider lens ranging from 10-40mm can deliver amazing perspectives from the ground level. Fisheye lenses can be used for wider view and to capture amazing totality of the perception.

It is vital to position the subjects and the objects so that they fit the picture. To show the perspective by including foreground objects the right Aperture and depth of field must be chosen. A proper understanding of the camera and lens will assist to find the right image.

It is a priority to ensure that the camera is level with the subject so that the aesthetic balance is preserved. By ensuring the right level, the framing can be made perfect and the right perspective can be portrayed in the photograph.

During sunny days it is a salient feature that the skies are bright and the texture and patterns of clouds are not visible. Adjusting the right exposure, white balance and using a filter can ensure that the entirety of beauty is captured in the image. A filter can be used to underexpose just the sky and to capture the effects.

 

Since the camera must be positioned at a lower angle it may no be always use the viewfinder of the camera. In such cases the frame can be ascertained through the LCD monitor. It is an added advantage for DSLR cameras because the image is viewable as soon as it is taken. Also the flaws can be found out immediately. DSLR cameras also facilitate multiple shots of the same frame so that the best could be selected from the choices.

~ Hari Bhagirath Photography

Framing the right background for your subject

Understanding the background and observing the background along with the texture ensures that the framing and composition are apt for the photograph. Pay attention to detail not only on the subject but also to the four corners of the background as well as colors that don’t fit with the rest of the image, bright patches that might distract the eye, lines that clash, people that don’t belong etc.

Be sure to move the subject to the right spot until the composition of the image is perfect. By this any distraction can be removed and framing can be perfected. One other option is to change the angle of the frame. This might mean rotating around your subject but could also include getting down low to make the sky the background or even getting up high and shooting down onto your subject to make the background the ground.

Aperture can be used to blur backgrounds. At wider apertures the subject will be given prominence blurring out the background, giving prominence to the subject. One of the most useful things to learn as a way to combat distractions in backgrounds (and foregrounds) is to use the power of your lens to throw the background out of focus using depth of field. The easiest way to do this is to use a wide aperture (the smaller the number the wider the aperture). The wider your aperture the more blurry your background should become. Longer tele-photo do help a little to get narrower depth of field. In actual fact the impact is smaller than it seems and the main reason for the change is that with a longer focal length the subject actually takes up more space in the frame.

One of the most effective ways of removing distractions from backgrounds is to remove the background altogether by totally filling the frame with your subject. Get up close and/or use your zoom lens to tightly frame the shot and you’ll not only remove distractions but could end up with a high impact shot as well.

~ Hari Bhagirath Photography

Using objects and foregrounds

Photography is the art of perception, what you perceive can be created and presented in photographs. Though photoshop made image manipulation easy, many complicated image manipulation tactics can be done without photoshop. One of the most important among these are the use of foreground and objects to manipulate the image. 

Let us take the example of the image I have shot in an abandoned graveyard. I have used a filter, however I have not used photoshop to create the image and the image is 100% real. Now I would be amused to know some explanation for the "divine light" that radiates from the heart of the statue. However I have to answer what I started. It is nothing but a thin piece of cotton which is placed at a range where it is out of focus while the subject (statue) remains in focus. So the thin cotton layer remaining out of focus creates an effect that it seems to appear like a sours of light. The real object disperses the light to create a photoshop effect within seconds. Similarly, window glass, plastic wrap, aluminium foils can be used to create various visual effects effectively.

~ Hari Bhagirath Photography

Colour Filters in Black & White Photography

It is a general notion that Black & White Photography doesn't include use of colours at all. However I have different thoughts about this point. Well visibly Black & White are the only shades present in the resultant image, however it is possible to use colours in Black & white photography by using filters. For instance the dark skies and puffy white clouds never looks natural so as the dark flower facing the sun. Such effects requires the use of color filtering to produce the desired effect.

Using colour filters give the required tone and definition to the image by accepting certain colours meanwhile blocking certain colours. However filters cost a lot and it may not be always feasible to use a filter for each effect you would require. A coloured piece of cloth, transparent sheet of coloured paper, sunglasses, tinted glass can all be used as filters. In fact filter is any medium that filters the external light. Use of filters also save much of unwanted time with photo-manipulation and showcases the creativity of the photographer.

~Hari Bhagirath Photography

Black & White with a point and shoot camera

Photography is more about the person behind the camera than the camera itself. With the right techniques anyone can excel in photography even without high end DSLR cameras available today. Imagination is the only key to success. However a high-end camera can make the difference from a professional point of view. But the ground rules remain the same for photography at all levels. 

1. Shoot in RAW- Shooting in RAW format allows post production work to be easy and stores a various combinations from which the image can be processed. This will allow a multiplicity of options for the image. However most point and shoot cameras do not have the option to take the image in RAW format. 
2. Shoot in Colour- Shoot in color and do your conversion to black and white later on your computer. While most digital cameras offer you the option to shoot in Black and White, shooting the image in colour will offer you more control over the end results if you have the color data to work with in your conversion. on your computer.
3. Low ISO- Shoot with the lowest possible ISO possible. It is important in black and white where detail is of high prominence because Black and white photographs pay attention to details and it is reduce the noise by lowering the ISO. 
4. Contrast- Shooting for Black and White in low contrast situations has its advantage. So an dark or overcast day can be a great time to shoot out door shots. Ironically this is a ‘poor light’ situation for colour photographers, but it can work miracles for Black & White photograhy. 
5. Composition- Framing is penultimate for black and white photography. Framing and attention to detail differentiates a good photograph from a great photograph. Most of the general tips on how to compose or frame a good shot apply just as well to black and white photography as they do when shooting in color. Training yourself to look at shapes, tones and textures in your frame as points of interest in Black & white will be a great advantage.

Black & White Photography

Monochrome, or black-and-white photography dominated for decades, due to its lower cost and its "classic" photographic look. Black and white photography is a branch which can be traced back to the very origins of photography.  It is important to note that some monochromatic pictures are not always pure blacks and whites, but also contain other hues depending on the process. The cyanotype process produces an image of blue and white for example. 

The albumen process, first used more than 150 years ago, produces brown tones. Certain labs process true black and white film and use actual black and white process paper. Black and white photography focuses more on light intensity and contrast than color photography. When color is stripped away details of objects become more prominent to the eye and different parts of a scene can become more important than in a color image. Although colour photography and digital photography pushed black and white photography to the background, it still have its own patron audience and enthusiasts.  However, there are a few items that can really help the impact of a black and white photograph.

• Wide Range of Tones- Having a wide range of shades of black/grey and white can help add a strong sense of depth to your black and white images. Images that are literally only black and white (or close to it) create an almost illustration effect, like an ink pen drawing without shading.
• Contrast- Because black and white depends on shading to help show boundaries between items, good contrast between objects (via color or lighting) is a great help in creating a strong black and white image. While we usually try to find colors that do not clash with one another in color photography, clashing colors can help create contrast when captured as black and white.
• Good Lighting- Good lighting is an almost universal need in photography. With black and white photography it can be even more important as a slight shadow becomes a charcoal grey over whatever is in it. With black and white photography it can be much more difficult to recover details in shadow after capture than with color film.

(Compiled from the web)

Basics of Photojournalism

Photojournalism is a branch of photography however it differs from regular photography on a number of levels. Photojournalism is story/event centric while photography is image centric. Photojournalism always intent to tell a story or convey a concept may it be a sports event, a fire or an award ceremony. The most important element of photojournalism could be condensed into one word, “faces.” Photo editors love to see people’s faces for the news. Facial expressions help to tell a photo’s story and convey emotion. Photojournalism is a merger of photography and written language into a coherent communication medium.

Ethics

Ethics is the most important element that separates photojournalists with photographers, while photographers can manipulate the event or image, a photojournalist is supposed to stick by the rules and give a representation of what he see with his eyes. The audience must be able to trust that the image they see is a true representation of reality. A photojournalist must never interfere with a situation. He/She can never direct or pose their subjects, unless the situation calls for a portrait.

Post-Production Ethics

During post production manipulation of photos is forbidden. Post-production work should focus on correcting color problems, exposure and latitude problems, and slight sharpness problems. Though cropping is allowed any other form of manipulation is indeed forbidden.

Communication skills

Without compassion and trust, one cannot relate to their subjects. To excel as a photojournalist one must convince people to allow you to document their lives, to give you access to their story. Stories are never born in editing rooms or press conferences, they come from people. To be  with them a photojournalist must convince them and be one among them.

Elements/Layers

Every image has many layers to it a politician addressing the crowd shows the politician, however the layers are the crowd, security guards and visual elements in the image. The elements don’t necessarily have to be on a large scale even elements and details that are minimal can influence the content and the theme of the photograph.

Emotion

The most important element of telling stories is emotion. The photojournalist has to be an expert at reading and more importantly anticipating facial expressions. Emotions are the driving factor that induces narrativity in photojournalism. The right emotion in the photograph can drive the story successfully. A deep understanding of semiotics can be of great help for photojournalists.