Mercantile June/July 2011
Page 14
summer
PHOTOGR APHY MADE EASY
Capturing the fleeting fun of text and photo by Joel Weisbrod
i t seems like summer happened in just one day. As we all complained about the never ending rain, summer just snuck up on us without warning. Now that summer is here, opportunities abound for using your camera to capture some memories of barbecues, beach outings, and other back yard fun. Here are some suggestions to help make your summer photo experiences more rewarding. “Capture the Action” with Faster Shutter Speeds If your camera has “Shutter Priority Mode”, select it and try adjusting for shutter speeds that will “stop the action”. The shutter speed needs to be fast enough that the movement of your subject is slower than the time the shutter is open. Try these examples: • 1/1000+: Freezing Motion – Racing cars, sports action, shooting while moving in a vehicle, wildlife moving across your field, etc. In most or all cases, you will need to pan the camera to follow the subject as you shoot. • 1/500: Freezing “slow” action – Slow moving vehicles, runners, wildlife, etc. This is suggested for hand held telephoto lenses with focal lengths greater than 300mm. • 1/250: Great for outdoor “static” nature shots especially telephoto shots using 200-300mm lenses. If your camera does not have “Shutter Priority Mode”, try selecting one of the scene modes for sports or action. This scene mode usually is identified by the “man running stick figure” and tells your camera to use a faster shutter speed. Find some “Summer Only” Events or Venues One of the great things about living in upstate New York is the abundance of county fairs. These summer-only events are a great place to take your camera and have some fun. For color, visit the carnival midway, cotton candy vendors, and carnival rides. For action, visit the pig races, high dive tower, and the Horse Arena. For cute animal photos, visit the livestock barns, heifer judging, and the petting zoo. At the end of the fair day, the carnival midway and rides areas glow with brilliant colors. Try using slower shutter speeds (or Portrait Mode) to capture carnival rides in motion with swirls
At the end of the fair day, the carnival midway and rides areas glow with brilliant colors. Try using slower shutter speeds (or Portrait Mode) to capture carnival rides in motion with swirls of color in the finished image. of color in the finished image. Some other great “summer only” photo ops include outdoor concerts, beach and lake visits, Old Rhinebeck Aerodrome (a great place to see and photograph some WWI aircraft), and of course, professional baseball games. Photograph a Fireworks Display Before you know it, July 4th will be here along with some stunning fireworks displays. Wouldn’t it be nice to capture some of these beautiful pyrotechnics with your camera? Actually, it is not that difficult, especially if you follow the steps below: Use a Tripod. Okay, I know you hate to have to do this, but for fireworks it is essential. For any of the three methods below, a tripod is necessary for clear images. 1. Set your camera for “Shutter Priority Mode”. Set the camera ISO to 400. Keep adjusting the shutter speed to slower values until the camera says it can get a good exposure (probably about 1 second). Carefully and slowly depress the shutter release button as soon as you see the fireworks explode. 2. If your camera has a “Fireworks Scene Mode”, use it and you will likely get some decent results. 3. If you can’t use either method above, set your camera for the “Night Photo” scene mode.
Joel Weisbrod is a published author of a book on digital photography and the owner of jwArtWorks Photography in Rhinebeck. In addition to portrait, commercial, event, and other photography, Joel teaches private one-on-one photography classes and can be reached by email at mercantile@jwArtWorks.com.