Over the next few weeks, I will be working towards some of the educational aspects of the Photography Activity Badge. I’m going to focus on Alternative A – Still photography. The requirements of this section are as follows:
- Choose one of these two activities:
- Produce twelve prints of photographs (negative or digital), taken by yourself, covering at least two different aspects from this list:
- portrait
- still life or similar
- land or seascape
- sport or similar action
- flash-gun
- time-lapse photography
- Produce six black and white photographs where you have undertaken some part of the processing.
- Choose one from the following two activities:
- Show knowledge of the main functions of a film camera, including shutter speed, aperture, film speed, depth of field and lens focusing.
- Show knowledge of the main functions of a digital camera including resolution, digital compression and how these affect the final print. Show knowledge of the types of removable memory available.
- Discuss the different types of camera and the accessories available.
- Choose one from the following activities:
- Describe the process of developing black and white films and prints, including the use of an enlarger.
- Describe the processes and equipment needed to produce prints from a digital camera, including the use of editing software.
- Describe the processes and equipment needed to scan prints or negatives from existing photographs, including the use of editing software.
- Diagnose faults that occur both at the photographing or printing stages, such as over/under exposure and high/low contrast. Explain the difference between camera shake and subject movement.
- Demonstrate that you know how to care for a camera and accessories.
My plan is that this week we’ll look at the photograph formats in (1) and also a quick look at “framing” the picture.
Next week (4 Mar) we’ll look at the functions of a digital camera, digital compression and memory. We’ll also look at the types of cameras available.
On the 11 March we’ll review how to produce a print of an image and also editing images.
Finally on the 18th March we’ll look at faults and other things, such as improving the picture.
I will be focusing on the digital camera aspects rather than the 35mm film option as I think that’s what most people have access to now. It’s important to note that you DON’T need an expensive camera – even the camera on your mobile phone can be used to take pictures (and as you’ll see below… I have!). The knack is knowing what makes a picture over a quick “snap”.
So, let’s begin!
Firstly, let’s look at framing a picture. Anyone can point a camera at the subject and press the button. Typically, that’s what a lot of people do – and spend very little time “framing” the picture, or considering what they are taking the picture of. Whilst we will look at this in a little more detail later on, there is a simple “trick” to making a picture look better. The “trick” is known as the Rule of Thirds.
2 Ninjitsu - not as exciting as it could be.
sometimes you get the opportunity to get a really interesting picture - the wasp was eating the sweets!
If we divide our picture frame into 9 blocks, using two vertical lines and two horizontal lines, then we have a guide to where things should be. When we take the picture, we want to make sure that our subject items are on the lines. The challenge that we have with the simplest of cameras is that they tend to focus on a single, central point. You may find that the camera will allow you to “hold” the focus – as you press the button the camera will focus, and then as you further press it takes the picture.
So what do the aspects mean?
Portrait
Portrait photography is taken a photograph of a person or group of people. It becomes a challenge for several reasons, not least the fact that you need people to do as they are told! However, it does not need to be formal and with the right framing can make the image look quite interesting.
The image above was taken using a normal camera phone!
Still life
Still life is photographing a collection of items. The challenge here is how the objects are arranged, where the photographer places the focus on the picture and how the scene is “lit” – this might be by natural light, flash, or even reflected light.
as you can see - sometimes the Lego people can't wait to get in the picture!
I used a tripod to stabilize the camera – also the draped sheet of clean paper; the paper takes away distracting background and creates a backdrop that has no “end”.
Land or Seascape
Probably the second-most common photograph taken on holiday! This is when the Rule of Thirds really comes into its own to make something interesting. Using editing tools, you can “stitch” a collection of pictures together and make even more interesting pictures!
Ilfracombe harbour - 3 pictures "stitched" to make a panorama.
Sport (or action)
This type of picture is always an interesting challenge. When you take the picture, you need to be “telling a picture” – in this case it may be speed, or some form of dynamic action. If you’re going for a “speed” shot by following the subject (the image below is a motorcycle going round Druids Bend at Brands Hatch) the race track becomes blurred – and so speedy. This speed is also shown by the water spray that’s being spat by the back tyre.
Flash-gun
Flash gun isn’t just for night time! Using a Flash gun will provide additional light. Using walls, reflectors etc you can “bounce” the light which will create other effects with the lighting. Additionally now, you can use editing software to take out “red eye” – an unfortunate side effect when the light bounces of the back of a person’s eye.
This was taken at 11:30 in the morning – two flash guns set apart created the dark and moody image.
Time-Lapse photography
Time-lapse photography is quite interesting. You will need a tripod or be able to fix your camera to limit movement as it will allow more light into the camera. This will result in either blurred lines where something has moved; or more clarity for dark pictures (such as late night photography). This style of photography will not use a flash gun.
the hard part about timelapse is the camera (and subjects) must remain still.
