Black & White Cont'd

009  Reflection
  Photograph reflections in water, metal, mirrors...

TIPS:

  1. Reflections with a distortion to them can instantly create an element of interest to your subject.
  2. Avoid getting yourself in the photo.  Resist the temptation to take your on photo in a mirror.  We don't want another weak Facebook selfy.
  3. Sometimes you can't help but to be in the photo.  No worries, it isn't the end of the world.
  4. Ample light is important.  Avoid dark spaces.
  5. After finding a great subject look for reflection.  That puddle you are standing near will offer a reflection of everything around you.
  6. Any smooth and glossy surface works well for a reflection.


Further Learning:
Picture
By Jocelyn Fries
Picture
By Ashley Phillips
010  Shadow:
 
Photograph a variety of shadows.  Distinct shapes are best.  Longer shadows in the golden hours.

TIPS:
  1. Try to make the emphasis of your photo on the shadow.
  2. Look for interesting shapes and lines.
  3. A strong single point light source will give you the darkest and sharpest shadows.
  4. Use a tripod for low light exposures and set your ISO manually to 100.  Auto ISO will choose 1600 or higher and it will look very grainy.
  5. Try creative ideas where you stage the shadows.  Think shadow puppets.
  6. Look for overlapping shadows from multiple subjects.  The combination might be better than any single shadow.

Further Learning:
011  Action:

Capture a sense of movement with a freeze frame, blur or panned photograph. 

TIPS:
  1. Use Tv mode to set your shutter speed for the type of action your are capturing.
  2. Set your camera's drive mode to continuous shooting to capture multiple frames of the action.
  3. Auto-focus isn't always the best idea but for fast moving subjects is can be.  For sports action auto-focus is a must.
  4. Experiment with a range of fast and slow shutter speeds on each subject to get a variety of results.  
  5. The 35mm lens on your school camera can't zoom, so it can be tough to get close to the action.  Instead try using one of the zoom or telephoto lenses to capture your shot.
  6. Use a tripod to slow down your shutter speed to get the best motion blur. This is a must for subjects like fireworks.
  7. Anticipate the action and press the shutter releases button before it happens.  If you react and try to capture the action when you see it, you've already missed it.
  8. When panning try starting with a 1/30 shutter speed.  Adjust your shutter speed to the speed of the moving subject.

Futher Learning:
Picture
By James Fischer