Have a photogenic subject? During field workshops, I'm always amazed how a group of photographers can shoot the same scene in the same light, yet each person interprets things in his or her own individual style. One picture records one moment in one way and another records it in a totally different way.
Self-Portrait & Truck 1a
© Kerry Drager
All Rights Reserved
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Whenever I find a photogenic (and static) scene that really motivates me, I work it every which way I can within whatever time constraints I have. This means trying different compositions, different focal lengths, or different lighting angles. But this process also might mean the following:Try different f/stops ... in order to experiment with the depth of field (the range of sharpness in the scene). Try different shutter speeds ... in order to experiment with subject motion - by freezing the action or by showing a soft blur of movement.
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If possible, I�ll even go back for seconds - maybe even thirds! Here�s why I do it, and why you should, too:The act of shooting a subject, inspecting the results later (especially after the initial excitement of the shooting session has cooled down), and then returning for a re-shoot is a valuable way to develop your self-critiquing abilities ... while also improving your photographic vision. This article is excerpted from Kerry Drager's BetterPhoto.com course: Field Techniques: Light and Composition
About Author / Instructor / Photographer, Kerry Drager
The content manager and an instructor for BetterPhoto.com, Kerry Drager is also the author of Scenic Photography 101. In addition, he teaches two online photography courses at BetterPhoto: Creative Light & Composition and Creative Close-ups. Kerry's Pro BetterPholio Web site offers an assortment of galleries and illustrated how-to articles on photography. In addition, kerrydrager.com was featured in Shutterbug magazine. His work has appeared in Outdoor Photographer and other major magazines; Hallmark cards and Sierra Club Calendars; and in advertising campaigns for American Express and Sinar Bron Imaging. He is also the photographer of the photo-essay books The Golden Dream: California from Gold Rush to Statehood and California Desert, and is a contributing photographer for the books Daybreak 2000 and Portrait of California. He lives with his wife, Mary, in the country near Sacramento, California, with their six Newfoundland dogs, six cats, two horses, and a mixed terrier.
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