Tag: techniques

A visit to the county fair

By John Watson
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There’s something fascinating about a county fair. I’d never been much of a fan of the whole concept until after I’d gotten hooked on photography. And then, one Summer, I went to the fair and brought my camera along. Maybe it was because photography had taught me how to see again. How to see the wonder and grotesquerie that abounds at a county fair. There are more photo opportunities per square meter than almost anyplace I can think of.

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Converting color images to black and white

By John Watson
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But black and white images can be very powerful. By eliminating color, black and white forces us to concentrate on other aspects of the photo. Textures. Lines. Something as simple as a surface receding into shadow becomes positively sensuous when care is taken in the conversion process. There are many techniques for converting a color image to black and white. The only consensus seems to be that simply converting to grayscale is the wrong way to do it.

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How to shoot fireworks

By John Watson
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Independence day is coming up in the USA (July 4th) and you’re bound to see a lot of articles start popping up about how to shoot fireworks. So many, in fact, that you might start to think it’s some kind of dark art (Ha! Dark, get it?). It’s pretty simple though, especially if you have a digital camera with a working LCD.

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Weekend assignment: Available light night photography

By John Watson
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Capturing light is the essence of photography. So what do you do when the sun goes down? Fortunately, light is ever present, be it the sun, moon, stars, a single flashlight under the covers, or the glow of a city at night bustling with activity. Making photographs at night is a strange and wonderful thing.

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An introduction to macro and close-up photography

By John Watson
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Macro photography is one of the most demanding disciplines of photography. The world of the small is a strange and unique place and makes some unusual demands on a photographer interested in capturing its beauty. Razor thin depth of field, extremely close working distances, and long exposure times combine to make macro photography a challenge. But it’s a challenge with a reward. Macros reveal a world that can’t be seen with the naked eye, alien landscapes, and strange creatures both beautiful and grotesque. I encourage you to try it. Many who do find a passion for macro photography they never knew existed.

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Tips for shooting a children’s birthday party

By John Watson
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As a father of two, I’ve shot my share of birthdays. My own kids’, sure, but also plenty of others on the never ending “birthday circuit.” You parents know what I’m talking about… My kids have more friends and have been invited to more birthday parties in six years than I’ve ever been to in my entire life. When I’m shooting a birthday, for myself or someone else, 90% of the photos are candid. I’ll do one or two posed group shots but candids are the truest way to capture the excitement and emotion of children at play.

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A solution for perfect group photos

By John Watson
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Microsoft Research Group ShotNext Saturday I’m going to be doing about 30 group portraits with two to three poses each. And if you’ve ever taken a group photograph, you know how frustrating it can be trying to get everyone looking the same way at the same time, not blinking, or generally not looking goofy.

If the group is paying attention it might only take two or three shots to get everyone synchronized. Fortunately for me, this is a dance studio so I’m not going to be dealing with inebriated party-goers. On the other hand, many of them are children. So what happens after the shoot when I find one or two photos where I didn’t notice someone blinking?

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Weekend assignment: Night portraits

By John Watson
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If you’ve ever taken a flash photograph at night, you probably know first hand how cold and unnatural these kinds of photographs can look. What you often end up with is an overexposed photograph of a person floating in a sea of black space. But there is a better way to make a portrait at night, the subject of this week’s Weekend Assignment.

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Shooting a live event: an exercise in positioning and timing

By John Watson
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I attended the Aloha Expo in Sante Fe Springs, California. Great food, music, entertainment—and events like these are fantastic photo opportunities. Shooting a live performance outdoors can be a lot of fun. Here are some tips to help you get the best photos possible.

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