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Creative Photography With Shutter Priority

Gordon Campbell — Fri, 11 May 2012 10:00:45 +0000

Ever wish you could stop the action only to experience the disappointment that comes with out of focus shots? Or, would you like to produce those artsy photos you see of silky water or dramatic sports images? One of the things I cover in lessons is the use of shutter priority. What’s that mean? Well, you can determine the look of your photo in advance by understanding shutter speed. Your shutter either acts to freeze or blur motion so get it working for you. Here are the basics:

1- Fast speeds freeze motion and work best under bright light, simple. Look at the detail in the photo below…

This diving pelican was taken at 1/1500th to stop the action and preserve detail. Gordon Campbell www.swfloutdoorphotography.com.

2-Slow speeds will accentuate motion with soft blurs and done intentionally will add lots of extra appeal making for great pictures. Check out the image of the soccer game below…

Experiment with shutter speeds well under 1/60th to dramatize action. Soccer blur by Gordon Campbell www.swfloutdoorphotography.com.

Start experimenting using the info above. One point of confusion I see is that some people confuse ISO with shutter speed. Nope, ISO is set to facilitate the speed you desire.

To see shots depicting the use of these techniques, view the images in the slideshow here and read over another article I found on the subject here.

As an aside, for you Canon users there is a sale going on & you can check out if there is something on your photographer’s wish list here.

With Winter over my guided nature excursions are on hold ’til the Fall but I’m available for other instruction by appointment and am of course available should you email in a question as some often do- Gordon.

Professional Photography from Ft. Meyers & Sanibel to Naples, Marco Island and the Everglades.

gordon@SWFLOutdoorPhotography.com

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Tips For Better Nature Photography Compositions

Gordon Campbell — Fri, 27 Apr 2012 10:00:12 +0000

You know when a picture looks good right? Framed nicely, attractive use of light, sharp focus, etc. Yet one of the things I encounter most when guiding nature photography excursions is people’s excitement to get a shot at the cost of good composition. Here’s the thing: a pretty subject isn’t always a pretty picture if things aren’t put together right. Read this excellent synopsis by Artie Morris who I’ve linked to before. Then read it again!

Read through then check out the photos below…Last week Linda Diaz was out with me on a trip booked by friend and colleague Peggy Farren to Marco for burrowing owls and she composed this charming shot under early morning light. This past Monday client Charleen Wiseman and I worked on alligators and she chose to compose this gator (who came over for a look just before dark) near the top of the frame, interesting for a buoyant subject.

Update- there is still time for both guided Everglades trips and photographic excursions to Marco for burrowing owls. Email me if you might be interested…

Nicely composed burrowing owl taken by Linda Diaz with me on Marco Island.

Professional Photography from Ft. Meyers & Sanibel to Naples, Marco Island and the Everglades.

gordon@SWFLOutdoorPhotography.com

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Alligator by Charleen Wiseman, Everglades photo excursion.

Upcoming Birding Excursion, Burrowing Owls & More

Gordon Campbell — Fri, 13 Apr 2012 10:00:55 +0000

It’s not unusual to receive an email asking ”When’s your next photo excursion”? So the answer to that one is “Next Wednesday”! Burrowing owls, wading birds and more are on the ticket down on Marco Island where we’ll spend time photographing water birds at Tiger Tail lagoon before heading over to the active owl nests for portaits of what are easily one of Southwest Florida’s most photogenic species.

Burrowing Owls are always a highlight on Marco Island. Photo by Gordon Campbell www.swfloutdoorphotography.com.

Lighting, shooting angle, composition and the art of anticipating bird behavior for the best shots will all be covered. Participants should come away with a better command of their camera and lenses while making some attractive shots too. If you’ve got a DSLR and a moderate zoom lens you’re equipped.

This limited guided outing is put on in partnership with my friends at photography naples. For more info email me or check there too. Can’t make it but would like more info related to the subject? No problem and email will get your question answered.

We’ve got a couple spots left- hope to see you- Gordon.

Professional Photography from Ft. Meyers & Sanibel to Naples, Marco Island and the Everglades.

gordon@SWFLOutdoorPhotography.com

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3 Steps to Great Night Photos

Gordon Campbell — Fri, 06 Apr 2012 10:00:59 +0000

Do you put your camera down once the sun sets feeling that landscapes, street scenes and nature photography are over? Last night I taught a class on the subject and attendees learned to use low light and darkness to liven up their portfolio. There are some tricks involved but here’s how to get started:

Liven up your photos after dark. Sugden Square fountain by Gordon Campbell www.swfloutdooorphotography.com.

1- Slow down! That means be ready to adjust your shutter speed down to settings as long as 30 seconds.

2- Take a rest. Shots like this require a rock steady rest, preferably a sturdy tripod though a beanbag may do. Familiar with your self timer and or a remote shutter release? Use them to trip the shutter for no unwanted blurs.

3- Time to bracket. Try bracketing a series of 3 or more shots with one shot metered properly then at least one over exposed then one underexposed to the same degree. You’ll need to put the shots together in Photoshop or Elements and even better with a program like Photomatix which will allow you to process for HDR. Do you know what that means? Night photography isn’t mastered first time out but now you can try.

With bird life in the Everglades on the decline and mosquitoes on the rise I’ll be targeting the beaches and downtown areas for my own shooting as well as for classes. Does that interest you? As always if you’d like to get involved or if you enjoyed this article contact me or share this article. Good shooting- Gordon.

Professional Photography from Ft. Meyers & Sanibel to Naples, Marco Island and the Everglades.

gordon@SWFLOutdoorPhotography.com

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On Meeting The Bird Photographer…

Gordon Campbell — Fri, 30 Mar 2012 10:00:24 +0000

Ever meet someone who is the best of the best in their field? Last weekend I got to do so while attending the Florida Camera Club Council’s convention where I was honored to give 2 presentations on composition, lighting and color on behalf of the DPI-Sig camera club here in Naples. Who was I privileged to meet? None other than Artie Morris!

Get out and mingle with other photographers. Royal Tern silhouette by Gordon Campbell www.swfloutdoorphotography.com.

For regular readers of my posts especially those with an interest in nature photography, Artie’s site is well worth a visit too. You’ll find everything from extremely helpful info, books, CDs, photo critiques, good shopping & lots more.

Later on at the convention, his interesting and at times moving keynote address covered everything from the photography he’s so known for intertwined with both the ups and downs that mark his life experience. So this weekend’s photography tip? Get out there and mingle with other photographers, you never know who you’ll meet or what you’ll come away with.

As always if you enjoyed reading, please share this article. Best- Gordon.

Professional Photography from Ft. Meyers & Sanibel to Naples, Marco Island and the Everglades.

gordon@SWFLOutdoorPhotography.com

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Hit The Links For Great Pictures

Gordon Campbell — Fri, 23 Mar 2012 10:00:22 +0000

An outing with a client out on a very scenic golf course gave me the idea for this week’s weekend photography tip. With one of the largest number of golf courses per capita Collier County offers a bevy of photography opportunities especially in the Naples/Bonita Springs area:

Look for leading lines around the links. Gordon Campbell www.swfloutdoorphotography.com.

Landscapes- are an obvious opportunity. Look for colorful plants to front some of your shots and pay attention as water, leading lines in the form of cart paths and other similar set ups.

Lenses- chances are if you’re shooting a DSLR you’ll have the opportunity to you your selection of lenses. A wide angle is great for closeups of attractive foregrounds with a scenic backdrop while zoom lenses can help you compose tighter shots of greens, pins,balls and other signature subjects.

Lighting- early and late day light nicely saturates the greens of the course while harsher mid day light can cause severe highlights and shadows. As we did yesterday that’s a great situation for bracketing and processing in HDR.

Golf courses offer lots of photo opportunities. Club house by Gordon Campbell www.swfloutdoorphotography.com.

If you have a question or two about these terms and techniques or if a shot of your favorite hole would be of interest, let me know. Enjoy the weekend, Gordon.

Professional Photography from Ft. Meyers & Sanibel to Naples, Marco Island and the Everglades.

gordon@SWFLOutdoorPhotography.com

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3 Tricks For Photographing Birds In Flight

Gordon Campbell — Fri, 16 Mar 2012 10:00:27 +0000

During a photography class along the beach last week there was an interest in photographing birds in flight so I thought I’d share some tips that will help with this tricky but fun pursuit. The idea is to both nicely frame and sharply focus a moving object so here are three things that should help:

Pelican in flight by Gordon Campbell www.swfloutdoorphotography.com.

Set Your Camera- Make sure to set your DLSR on continuous or burst mode. Then check your autofocus options and see if you have a setting such as dynamic or predictive mode. This will help keep your shots sharp once you get your bird in the frame.

Bigger is Better- especially at first larger subjects make better targets. So forget hummingbirds and go right for the ubiquitous and photogenic pelican. Their graceful flight and swooping dives make great compositions. Later when you’ve honed your skills try smaller species like gulls and terns.

Practice- don’t be satisfied with just getting something to show. Delete out of focus shots and images of birds flying away. Be observant and learn to anticipate behavior-this will ready you for when good shots present themselves. Go where the birds are and they’re usually near food. In Naples the pier is a superb location for flight photography- see you there!

One last tip: Let the sky be the dominant background, try to avoid choppy water and horizons.

If you’d like to learn more secrets about flight photography email me now and good luck over the weekend- Gordon.

Professional Photography from Ft. Meyers & Sanibel to Naples, Marco Island and the Everglades.

gordon@SWFLOutdoorPhotography.com

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Weekend Photography Tip: 4 Steps To Understanding Light

Gordon Campbell — Fri, 02 Mar 2012 11:00:20 +0000

Ever wondered why your pictures are too dark, why your friends & family show red eye after a flash photo or how to make better use of natural lighting? Today I link to an article I found in PC World. Below are some questions I get and issues that arise when working with photography classes, when in the field on guided photo excursions or when I’m on a shoot myself and they’re addressed nicely in the article.

Understand light source, distance, white balance and more for great photos. Naples Pier by Gordon Campbell www.swfloutdoorphotography.com.

Soft light works best- natural light early or late day lighting , an overcast or even a passing cloud and diffused flashes are your friend.

Distance makes a difference- sounds simple and it is. The closer your light source is to your subject the more influence it has and of course visa versa (did I spell that right!). Think about that when using your flash but read more on:

Red eye- occurs essentially when flash emits on the same plane or nearly so as the camera lens. Basically it bounces off the retina and results in perfectly disturbing red eye but that can be avoided by adjusting shooting angle and by accessories like external flashes.

White Balance- this is often a tough one to explain but basically the light source carries a certain color balance or influence and when set improperly can result in disappointing color casts over your shot- usually yellow or blue. I always teach beginners to immediately place this setting on auto (since most cameras are well engineered) until they understand the concept enough to make manual adjustments.

All of this stuff is good to know and makes a difference. Read here to learn more about what inspired this week’s post. For more in depth instruction, drop me a line- Gordon.

Professional Photography from Ft. Meyers & Sanibel to Naples, Marco Island and the Everglades.

gordon@SWFLOutdoorPhotography.com

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Deliberate Blurs, This Weekend’s Photography Tip

Gordon Campbell — Fri, 17 Feb 2012 11:00:30 +0000

One question often received regards how to take pictures showing an element of purposeful blurring, especially involving sports and water. I was recently honored to speak on the subject at the DPI-SIG camera club meeting in Naples. A few of the points I covered on this sometimes tricky subject were:

Deliberate blurs add to your nature, sports and street scenes photography. Motorcycle blur by Gordon Campbell www.swfloutdoorphotography.com.

What’s Going On?- low light is your friend and essentially creative blurs occur when the camera moves, the subject or part of moves and or both move to help structure the image.

Shutter Speeds: Your best shots will occur with shutter speeds ranging from around 1/60 of a second down to 30 full seconds and more when shooting after sundown.

Steady Rest- because of these extended times, a rock steady rest involving tripods and other anchors like beanbags plus the use of a self timer or remote shutter release helps keep those subjects within the frame that act as an offset to the blurred areas sharp.

A strong command of these techniques adds to your ability and the portfolio of great photos you’ll eventually take but practice and knowledge are key. Zip me an email or leave a question if you’d like to learn more- Gordon.

Professional Photography from Ft. Meyers & Sanibel to Naples, Marco Island and the Everglades.

gordon@SWFLOutdoorPhotography.com

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Your Weekend Photography Tip: Know Your ISO

Gordon Campbell — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 11:00:47 +0000

Don’t worry about the basis for the scientific acronym but rather how things work. For some reason I find that people often confuse their ISO setting with shutter speed. Here’s the lowdown: The lower your ISO the less sensitive your camera is to light and the amount of associated grain tends to be less too. Perfect for bright sunny days. The higher your ISO say 800 plus the more sensitive your camera is to light. It will allow you a faster action stopping shutter speed but will yield noise or grain at slow shutter speeds. The upside?- you can maintain a higher shutter speed to avoid blurs under dimmer outdoor conditions or when using a flash at night.

Bump your ISO up for action shots under late day conditions like this. Flight silhouette by Gordon Campbell www.swfloutdoorphotography.com.

Now a counter intuitive curve ball. Since lower ISO settings like 100 or 200 are less grainy and less sensitive to light they’re perfect for deliberately long exposures at night when stopping motion and brightening up the room with a flash are not the goal. An evening shoot downtown is a perfect application. Not sure which way to g? Set your ISO to “auto” and let your camera do the thinking ’til you get more experienced.

Reduce your ISO for night scenes like this where long exposures are the intent. 5th Avenue, Naples by Gordon Campbell www.swfloutdoorphotography.com.

If this article helped, browse the archives here for lots more good info and if you have a question or interest in instruction, let me know. Good shooting- Gordon.

Professional Photography from Ft. Meyers & Sanibel to Naples, Marco Island and the Everglades.

gordon@SWFLOutdoorPhotography.com

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Gordon Campbell

239-776-4743