Editorial
By Eugene Struthers
The recipe to achieving great results.
The Recipe to assist you to capture "That great
shot".
Understanding the simple ingredients which make it come together is an important aspect to any photographers function. When I was
first starting out. I would be looking through a magazine, and "I would be wondering how the photographer was able to capture such a great shot". Was it a
hidden secret past from one master photographer to his students. Could it be that he used special lighting, perhaps a studio, even a flash, how many lights,
where to position the model, what should I input into my camera settings. And before you know it. You have information over load. You can't decide which
information to follow, and basically you are back where you started. Plus you are more confused than ever.
Basically you require a simple set of rules and a guide to set you off in the right direction. Training wheels for photography if you will. A set of
instructions that if applied correctly will enable you to achieve and deliver excellent results consistently. Just like a professional.
The common characteristics to an outdoor portrait, taken at midday, with soft directional lighting.
1):- The first guide would be to move your model out of the direct sunlight. Position her under a tree, completely in the shade. You don't want any
speckles of light drifting through the tree branches onto the model as this will give an unflattering result.
2):- To light the model. You will require one single off camera flash on a stand up high in front of her and to her left. This light will be too harsh, so you will need to soften it by using a soft box.
3):- You will want to focus on the model and have an obvious separation between the model and the background. In order to achieve this, you need to have the back ground out of focus - blurry. You will need to have a very low numbered aperture. The lower the aperture you use, the more out of focus the background will be. I mostly use the second lowest-numbered aperture or if all fails aperture f/5.6.
4):- One very important setting which a lot of new photographers forget to do. Is to set their flash to a very low power. This will enable it to blend
in with the existing surrounding light around the model. You don't need to use a tripod, as the flash will freeze the model.
Each month I will try to outline a simple and easy set of instructions to shot and achieve great results.
Understanding your digital camera:- Click here
.
Eugene Struthers Esq
Thanks for all your support and comments.
Contact me:- Letter to the editor
Please
note:- Those interested in being included in my Time for prints directory, please include your name, web site, email
address and a few words about yourself and your photography.
Have fun see you next month :-)
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