REVISIT FAMILY ALBUMS and TRAVEL/ MEMORIES
See how Jason Powell takes an old photograph back to the site where it was originally taken, then re-photographs the site with the old photograph in the new picture. SEE ARTICLE.
Photographer Jason Powell takes a photo using an historic picture at the Capitol. (Bill O'Leary/WASHINGTON POST)
STEPS TO TAKE – this is also a review of ISO/White Balance & the Composition Blogs
1. Find the old photo then go to the place where it was taken – a childhood home or playground, a historic building or location, a travel location with special meaning.
REVIEW of CAMERA SETTINGS:
2. Match your ISO setting in the camera to the light level at the location: a lot of light – ISO 200; or very little light – ISO 800 or higher (however ISO 800 or more will create some digital grain/ noise but you will get the picture as a trade-off).
3. Set your WHITE BALANCE for the type of light you are shooting in (sunny, cloudy/overcast, shadow, indoors with tungsten/ incandescent light – choose the appropriate symbol in the White Balance settings).
4. Will this be a close-up, or a long-shot, or a medium-shot? If it is a close-up and you have a telephoto lens, then use the telephoto.
APERTURE: It will blur the background nicely if the f-stop is under f/8 (f/5.6, f/4, f/3.5, f/2, f/1.8). Set A or AV (your Aperture) setting to the Aperture you want. The camera then chooses the appropriate shutter speed to match up with the Aperture. This is called Aperture priority. (A smaller Aperture – f/11, f/16, f/22, [aperture numbers are actually fractions 1/11, 1/16, 1/22] will make the background of your image sharper).
5. Your SHUTTER SPEED number should be higher than the length of the lens – for instance: if your lens is 150mm or 200mm, then your shutter speed should be faster (higher) than 150th/second or 200th/second (these are also fractions), so that you avoid camera shake/ blur for a sharp image.
Also, if the light is a bit low, you choose the shutter speed greater than your lens length and let the camera choose the appropriate aperture to match up with the shutter speed so that your image is sharp. This is called Shutter speed priority.
REVIEW of COMPOSITION:
6. RULE OF THIRDS or SYMMETRY: When you are composing your image in the viewfinder/viewing screen, you can make the image symmetrical or imagine the Rule of Thirds grid.
Remember, with the Rule of Thirds grid, there are four strong power points that are great locations for objects of interest. Just move yourself and the camera around until your object of interest/person is on one of the power points.
The Rule of Thirds also can be used to place the horizon line(s). Place horizon lines, or ‘partial’ horizon lines, spacially at 1/3, and ½, ¼, or 1/8. Remember that you can have several “horizon lines”, especially if there is no sky.
7. FRAMING: If you want to “hold in” or frame your scene, find something – a shadow, tree, building, post, or anything that creates an edge at the side of the scene – and manage your image in the viewfinder so that you have a different element that ‘frames in’ one or both sides of the image. This makes the image feel more intimate and inclusive.
8. FOREGROUND: A foreground element (an object that seems closer to you in space and is therefore larger than the background) – in this case the old photograph – gives a sense of depth and space. This is an illusion of course, because the photograph is actually flat, but a great visual trick.
9. DIAGONALS: Strong diagonals give the illusion of depth and distance. Diagonals could be lines made by differences in: tone (light & dark), colour (blue & orange), texture (rough & smooth, fluffy & solid), or different material (grass & concrete). Another great trick.
Well done if you got this far!!! When you reviewed the camera settings and composition, did it make more sense this time? Were you able to compose your scene differently? THIS TAKES PRACTICE and ATTENTION. So, just keep at it, you will be happy with the results!!!!