Cars pass in front of a colorful warehouse in Miami, FL
If you live in or near a major urban area, chances are you will come across interesting street art. I’m not talking about random graffiti, I’m talking about serious art, sometimes offered in areas to create a unique urban setting. Whether you’re on a casual photo walk or planning a comprehensive shoot, the colors and textures of urban art can be a really fun subject to photograph.
I always find it a little bit tricky to take photographs of other people’s artwork. At what point does a photograph of art become art itself? For that reason, I like to employ a variety of creative techniques when I’m out shooting street art. Here are some tips for creating unique photographs of urban art: Continue reading Photographing Street Art→
Here’s a tutorial video showing how I use solid ND filters to capture long exposures in daylight conditions. A couple of key points for long exposures:
Focus and compose before attaching the filters to your lens
Determine the base exposure shutter speed using Aperture-priority mode
Close the eyepiece shutter or use the cover before you shoot
Use Manual exposure and set the shutter speed to “bulb.”
Calculate the long exposure and use a timer to get the exposure right
Use a locking remote release so you don’t have to touch the camera during the exposure
Photography is a combination of technical and artistic techniques. The more techniques you master, the more opportunities you’ll have to create your vision.
Photography combines technical and artistic elements and allows me to express my creativity. Today, just about anyone with a cell phone has a camera on-hand. So how do you go beyond just taking pictures of your food and your cat?
As with all things, you should have a grasp of the basic fundamentals of exposure. Sure, you can put your camera into Program Auto or “Scene” mode, but doing so can sometimes restrict your creativity. Program Auto mode is great when you’re just looking to get snapshots, and it is well-suited for those just starting out to allow the user to concentrate on composition. But at some point, all your photos will start to look the same, and you’ll probably want to expand your horizons. Here are some techniques you can experiment with once you have the basics down. Continue reading Get Out of Your Rut: Tips for Creative Photography→
