Photography: The art of light & capturing moments.
On the surface
photography may seem like a simple thing. A hobby, or weird Uncle Bob with his
old camera at all the family gatherings. To many of us, however, it is so, so
much more. There is a certain magic in holding a beautiful camera and feeling
the shutter “CLACK”, knowing that an instant of time has been frozen.
Beneath all this
nostalgia and romanticism there are innumerable practical implementations of
the art. An important aspect to consider is that being an art form means that
it is a matter of subjective views and values. In other words: there are no
right or wrong ways.
This is an important thought to bear
in mind when observing someone else at work, and especially the final product.
What looks good to me may not look good to anyone else and of course vice
versa.
Now; onto more
technical matters:
The practical
implementations are legion. Many photographers love to work with people,
specialising in portraits & modelling work. Others prefer to travel,
capturing people across the globe in their spontaneity, recording the changes
across our magnificent home.
Others
prefer wildlife, spending their life in the bush or remote places, capturing
our planets incredibly diverse and extraordinary animal & insect life, not
to mention the limitless landscapes and vistas. Some of these photographers
specialise further still, delving into the almost alien world that is Macro
photography. Climbing down into a world that co-exists with humanity yet lies
almost beyond our sight.
And the list goes on:
businesses hire photographers to build up a portfolio of products, or to
improve their public image. Journalism affords photographers the opportunity to
highlight important events across the globe and share them with the world.
There are even
abstract variations on photography such as lomography and graphic design. Many
graphic design projects rely on photographs to form the base of their work, many
graphic designers will even broaden their fields of expertise to include
photography.
The lists of
photographic uses are endless.
And, of course,
matters are easily complicated. The individual who wants to pursue photography
is brave indeed. They are faced with an unlimited number of choices when
shopping for equipment. There are a variety of choices when choosing a camera
body and then there are the lenses, tripods, filters, stands, lights, flashes,
diffusers.
The decisions you
reach when choosing equipment needs to be based around what field you as a
photographer want to follow and what final results you want to achieve.
For
many reasons the camera you choose may ultimately dictate the path your
photography follows, although this is often also largely influenced by
budgetary allowances.
Even SLR cameras come
in varying ranges, from amateur bodies with the basic features, to the massive,
fast-paced bodies for professionals. These latter are often far more
complicated and are crammed full of specialised programmes and settings.
One of the most
frequently heard questions for me is; “what camera should I buy? Canon? Nikon?
I hear Sony is good? What about Pentax, or Olympus?”
The truth is
academic: There is no one camera that is necessarily better than another.
Despite technological
improvements made over the decades, despite the massively funded branding and
advertising that goes into many of these products; at the end of the day they
all take a picture.
The question one
needs to ask right at beginning is; “what do I want to do with this?”
Before you start
spending massive amounts of money on expensive gear make sure you know that you
are going to need it and obviously that you are going to use it.
Further to that;
research the compatibility of your gear. Some lenses will only operate with
lesser camera bodies, some cameras make use of a standardised data storage
system which means that finding memory cards is easier and cheaper. Certain
generic flash heads will only work a certain way with certain camera bodies.
Compatibility, in
this age of rapid change and improvement, is something that any aspiring
photographer needs to consider in the greatest of detail. That is, unless you
have loads of spare cash to throw away – and let’s face it, even the wealthy
are feeling the fiscal strain in today’s economy.
Issues with
compatibility can be financially damaging should you purchase a camera and
lenses, only to upgrade your camera body later and discover that your lenses do
not work efficiently with the new body. This would mean that to fully utilise
your new camera body you also need to replace all of your lenses.
There
are some occasions where this can work to your advantage. Having a spare body
or two and a few extra lenses can’t hurt your work, but it can seriously dent
your pocket. And in some instances using a variety of equipment can seriously
hinder your ability to work quickly when the occasion demands it.
There are basics, of
course, that you need before you can even play around as a hobbyist.
Most cameras come
with basic kit lenses. These are normally around 18-55mm, which gives you a
fair wide angle to work with for landscaping (for example), however it is a
terrible lens to use for portraits as the zoom lends a bulging effect to the
image – this could be unfortunate if your subject has a large nose for example.
Portrait lenses will,
of course, differ from zoom lenses.
Zoom lenses are
generally larger and allow for more flexibility in photographing the unwilling
subjects. These are generally used for wildlife or sports photography, allowing
the photographer to capture the action while remaining at a safe distance.
There are macro
lenses, or techniques to turn standard lenses into passable macro tools. These
lenses can be used with bellows and extenders to broaden the results one can
achieve.
It may be nice to
have a macro lens, but if you plan to venture out to sports matches, horse
shows or a game reserve, a macro lens would be virtually useless.
For most projects a
photographer will find that they need to carefully select the equipment they
want to carry with them. A 50kg case of photographic gear will almost certainly
be a problem if you decide to travel, and even if you are working locally, lugging
around the weight of a person can become an exhaustive and time consuming
inconvenience. And of course it is never wise to leave your gear lying
somewhere, unattended.
The solution to this
is to tailor your kit into a precise and practical assortment of gear that you
would realistically need for the projects in mind. Remember that you can repack
your bag for each different project – assuming that they have different
requirements.
The best advice I can
offer when searching through the cornucopia of options available, would be to
NEVER rely on the commission bunny standing behind the counter at a retail
store. The internet is filled with sources of photographic information; social
media is connecting people from across the world with an unlimited number of
varying ideas, tastes and how-to-guides. There are also many photographers who
would be happy to share their thoughts and advice with you, and they are more
likely to be impartial than the ignoramus trying to sell you a Hasselblad for
your cousins wedding.
Before making the
plunge read up on the subject, explore the different fields and play around to
find the best fit for your tastes and personality. Do all this before walking
into a store and deciding you want the camera in the pretty box because the
salesperson says it comes with a free battery. Sales gimmicks do not make a
good camera, nor do they make a good photographer.
With all that said I
am going to share the gear in my kit. I make use of all my lenses to photograph
a variety of subjects; I love portrait photos, sharp and emotive images of
people and animals. Still life can be equally fascinating and challenging. And
then one of my all-time favourites is Macro photography.
I started my foray
into the world of macro by using my Canon’s kit 18-55mm with a reversal ring.
The reversal
technique means that you lose a great deal of light, and also restricts your
use of aperture control and auto focus. Over all it is a clumsy method, but it
provided for an excellent learning curve. I would advise anyone who is
interested in Macro to attempt this first, before spending money on a lens.
I was lucky enough to
inherit a beautiful 100mm Macro Canon lens, with this lens I have started to
explore the field with more intensity. It opens up a world of inexplicable
detail that is normally beyond the scope of human vision.
In my camera bag I
normally carry a bunch of multi-purpose lenses and accessories. I like to have
the equipment for any situation. As you can surely guess this means a heavy pack
and a high-risk level. However for some this is the way to go, if you are aware
of the risks and disadvantages involved, and you are willing to make
accomodations for these; then go ahead! If you truly love your subject then
there is no reason you should not jump in and start shooting. After all it is
not the camera or gear that makes a great photo, it is the monkey behind the lens that matters.
My
kit comprises of:
Cameras:
Canon EOS 1000D & Canon EOS 550D
The
1000D was the first SLR I bought and it has served admirably. Although it is
limited in some aspects, considering that it was the cheapest entry level DSLR
available it has surpassed all of my expectations and has kept me learning
throughout! The 550D is a slightly more advanced model and has more features
crammed into it. It has an intimately, easy to use interface and will
undoubtedly serve me for a many of years to come.
Lenses:
Canon Kit Lens EFS 18-55mm F4. The kit
lens has been an awesome companion and has done its job well. It is the lens
that is, usually, on my camera.
Canon Zoom Lens EF 75-300mm F4
(admittedly this lens does not get much use, but it is good to have on hand.)
Canon Macro Lens EF100mm F2.8. My
favourite lens of the pack. The macro lens is sharp, easy to handle and despite
some of its limitations serves as a surprisingly versatile portrait lens.
Canon Zoom Lens EF L 70-200mm F4, as
standard telephoto lenses go this is a beauty, superbly sharp with an exceptional
auto focus motor it feels so right in my hand when I am aiming for that perfect
shot.
Accessories:
Nissin
Flash
Gary
Fong Flash Diffuser - a MUST have for
anyone who uses a flash.
Tripod
Studio
Lights:
3x
300w Heads
3x
Light stands (air cushioned)
Carry
Bag
Wireless
Transmitter
2 x
Soft boxes
2 x
Umbrellas
My
studio lights were a 21st birthday present from me to me.
Unfortunately they have not had to work very hard over the last few years.
Studio work is a field that can take years to master, but like anything else;
practice!
Another
thought I would like to add – and this is purely a personal preference - is
based on the most basic element of photography: light. While there are many
approaches to any image, I personally prefer as natural an image as possible.
Many
folks will edit their photographs to a point where they are barely recognisable
from the original image. Healing blemishes, smoothing wrinkles, the list goes
on.
Prior
to editing many folks use elaborate equipment set ups, dozens of lights and
reflectors, beauty dishes, again an almost endless list.
Bearing
in mind the subjective nature of any art I would like to say that I do not
believe that all this excess is necessary.
Do
not misunderstand this as a slight against those who work this way (although if
the cap fits. . .) No, indeed everyone practices their art in the manner that
best appeals to them.
I
however prefer to work with as minimal a set up as possible, using natural
light and occasionally a flash or reflector to add some punch. Admittedly I am
also still an amateur, and I learn new things almost daily, but a frozen moment
should be real, and to me that is the ultimate goal; to capture a moment in
time, so that it may be immortalized for future generations to enjoy. To open a
window onto the world that allows us to view not just from our own narrow
perspective, but to open our minds to the views of others, and ultimately to
develop a greater understanding of humanity and the world we live in.
Remember
that photography, whilst being an art, is also a discipline. There are skills
one needs to learn when handling an SLR camera. Experiment and play with it,
try various settings. Remember with digital photography you have an unlimited
number of opportunities to try again.
I
hope that some of this was helpful and informative. If you have any specific
questions please fire away.
Until next time!
