The Importance of Backgrounds- How to Use Backdrops to Improve Your Photography

Professional photographers know that setting up a shot and concentrating on the subject is crucial, but the importance of backgrounds should not be overlooked.  This is a problem among amateurs, who set-up spectacular landscape or portrait shots, just to find out something in their background ruined the photograph to begin with. What you capture behind your subject can often make or break your photographs. Generally speaking, there are two approaches to developing an appealing background in your photographs:

This image was shot upward to avoid a potentially cluttered background and allow for the monochromatic sky to be used to emphasize the person's character.

-Clean and Simple-  With straightforward, uncomplicated backdrops you can isolate the true topic of your image and accentuate the details of your subject. By keeping your backdrops uncluttered, you identify the central theme of your photograph for the viewer. Make sure that whatever background you choose complements the story you're trying to tell.

Here it's not clear where the background starts or ends, and creates a visually interesting shot in one sense.

-Intricate and Complicated- Intricate backgrounds are potentially beneficial because they can tell a story all their own. Try not to have backgrounds that detract from the overall meaning of the photograph.  Instead, they should add a sense of place.

How Can I Improve the Backdrops in my Images?

1. Survey the scene and approach accordingly. For example, when photographing a landscape you want to maintain the integrity of the atmosphere you're trying to capture. Therefore, cropping out or removing any Coca-Cola cans, car bumpers, or extraneous visuals from your shot is in your best interest. If you can plan your photographs ahead of time, you can ensure that the background is clean. But, if any issues arise you can change your perspective, move your subject,adjust your depth of field via aperture or lens selection, remove superfluous objects, adjust lighting, or add motion blurs, among other things.

2. Avoid distracting elements. Distracting objects take away from your photograph's message, unless of course that's part of your message. This means don't have objects protruding out of your subject's heads. 

3. Look for contrasts. Contrasts help to make elements stand out and seem more appealing. 

I find this to be a good balance between the space devoted to the foreground and the background while the backdrop successfully adds character and a sense of place to the subject.

4. Use your foreground and background space strategically. All elements in your photograph are important, but consider which you want to stand out most. Amateur and beginner photographers are generally advised to fill the frame with their main subject, and by doing so you're emphasizing the foreground and minimizing the background.  This means that you'll have less opportunity to utilize a background to its fullest extent.  If your background establishes a sense of place or has some importance, than filling most of the frame with your subject may not benefit your photos, as you may be sacrificing potential background "real estate."   If, however, your background is visually intrusive or difficult to work with, then minimizing this real estate could work to the photograph's advantage.

Posted by Chase Guttman Photography at 10:56 PM 146 comments

How to Capture the Essence of Children- 11 Tips to Photographing Energetic Adolescents

Children let out the deepest of emotions and tend do the most amusing things. They're always on some sort of quest and are on the move with seemingly unlimited energy. For those reasons, photographers pursue children as subjects (quite literally) and can have difficulty doing so. This blog post addresses the variety of challenges that children pose to photographers and how to get the best end results.

1. Quick Shutter Speed. Although experimenting with motion blur can sometimes enhance your shots, it can also ruin them.  With subjects as energetic as kids, you need to quicken up your shutter speed for the best results (like 1/1000 sec.).

2. Go Candid. Candid photographs make your shots have real emotion and allow you to really expose your subject's character. With children, candid photography is the best guarantee for consistently good photographs. Besides, your little subjects are likely to get restless with your posed shots.

3. When Posing Shots With Kids Make It Quick and Interesting.  To avoid the "are we done yets?" there are a few tricks you can try. For instance, work quickly, prepare for the shots ahead of time, experiment with different poses and expressions, incorporate comedy, and place your subjects in their "natural" environment.

4. Get on their level. When you get at someone's level you are entering their world and are making the subject feel more connected with the photographer.  This will allow you to better capture the child’s character.

5. Interaction is Key. Incorporating people and things (that your subject can interact with) into your images, helps to fuel the story you're trying to tell.

6. Eyes say it all. Focus on the eyes, because they tell the story of anyone’s soul. They're also one of the most distinguishing and interesting details to capture in youngsters. 

7. Continuous shooting. You should always expect action when approaching photography of children. Flipping your camera into burst mode ensures you never miss a moment. In other words, take lots of photographs because you never know what will end up to be worthwhile.

8. Fill the Frame. Getting closer to a little one helps you to become more intimate with your subject and capture them in a much truer light.

9. Don't stay in one place. In all likelihood, your subject won't stay still if they're of walking age, so you shouldn't either. Move around and experiment with different positions and angles.

10. Value Backgrounds. What is behind your subject can be just as important as your subject itself. Your backgrounds can isolate the topic of the image or can tell a story all their own.

11. Add Extra Omph with Composition. Adding certain compositional elements can enhance your photographs. Always be on the lookout for textures, patterns, symmetry, etc.

And one extra crucial tip...courtesy of a reader...

12. Patience. Cooperation is very hard to get from kids when a camera is pointing their way, so be patient. Not everything works because there is no formula to art. That's why you must let things take its course. Remember if you stay with a subject long enough, you might just be able to craft something worthwhile. 

Posted by Chase Guttman Photography at 10:09 AM 14 comments

A Guide to Panning in Photography- Tips to Mastering This Important Art

Photo Tip World Definition- Panning = a useful technique where a photographer keeps a fast moving object in focus while allowing the background to blur. This is accomplished by moving the camera (or panning it) at the same speed and same direction as the subject.

The blurry background and focus on the jaguar helps capture the energy of the animal

Panning is a technique that adds a new layer of dynamic energy and realism to your images. Sometimes action photographs tend to "kill" the energy of their photos by completely freezing the frame. Panning moves away from a standard approach and creates an emotional feeling about the subject. Panning results in interesting imagery that can border on abstract and although it can create rewarding effects it’s a technique that is hard to perfect. Here are some tips to mastering this technique and improving your action photography. Starting with a quick how-to:

 

1. When possible, set-up in a location that provides an open and unobstructed view of your potential subject.

2. Before the subject approaches, pre-focus your lens on the location and direction you predict your subject will take. Use manual if you're familiar and comfortable with the mode.

3. Set a longer exposure than usual, making sure that ISO and aperture compensates for any potential overexposure.

4. As the subject gets closer to your frame, carefully move the camera at the same speed of the subject as you click the shutter. Make sure to do this while tracking the object's direction and movement.  Avoid shaking and try to move as smoothly as possible. 

5. Continue to pan, even a little after the exposure finishes to ensure that your subject ends up crisp and sharp.

Secrets to effective panning shots: 

1. Backdrops can be crucial. Simplistic, monochromatic colors are easiest to work with, but sometimes the more complicated backgrounds can tell a story all their own.

2. Since the goal is to capture a subject in focus, look for movements that are easily tracked. Generally speaking, the straighter the subject moves, the easier it will be to capture the object perfectly. Also, avoid very fast objects, longer exposures, etc. because they make your end goal harder to achieve.

3. Although the common goal that photographers have when they "pan" is to capture an object in sharp focus, many eye popping and abstract photos are results of trial and error.  Don't click delete too fast.

4.  It's unrealistic to expect your subjects to be perfectly sharp.   

5. Practice, practice, practice. Keep trying until you get it right.  

6. If you're having difficulty keeping the subject sharp, use a tripod with a swiveling head, so to minimize shake.

7. Experiment with flash if you're close enough to the subject.

Images are copyright Chase Guttman and Peter Guttman, respectively.

Posted by Chase Guttman Photography at 11:58 PM 0 comments

Tricks and Tips to Getting Better Candid Photographs

Photo Tip World Definition- Candid = photographing someone's spontaneous and surprising emotions and actions.

There is no better way of encompassing a human personality's than photographing candidly. Posed images often seem bland and plastic because they lack a real world, spur-of-the-moment liveliness. This is because you can't truly capture human emotions by controlling them -- instead you must let them play out on their own merits. By letting emotions and reactions take their own path, you're allowing the subject to be open and sincere with the camera. This has many obvious and less obvious benefits: you let your subjects become comfortable with the camera, you add interest to the photograph, and you tell a story while depicting the person in a more appealing light.  So, candid shots are about letting people act as themselves while vividly capturing the depth of feeling. Here are some important tricks and tips to getting better candid photographs. 

The subject stands out here because of the emotion peering out of the unfocused foreground elements.

1. Take your camera everywhere. Yes everywhere...errrr...let's say nearly everywhere.  Leaving your camera at home is a bad mistake.  Natural actions and emotions tend to only occur once, and since you normally don't have second chances, you should take advantage of every opportunity presented to you. Always having your camera gives you those better opportunities with candid photography. Great moments can be captured anywhere or at any time, so be on the look out.

2. Analyze and approach situations strategically.  Are your subjects comfortable with you?  When do your actions begin to interfere? What is likely to occur (this helps you position yourself in the prime location before the picture even comes about)?  This analysis will help you determine one of two distinct approaches:

This shot is worthwhile because of its observation of compositional rules and how it captures a man's surprising toothy grin.

-Separation- When you deem that your presence will negatively affect the picture or the subject, step back from the scene and be unobtrusive.

-Joining- Approaching a subject can result in spontaneous moments. Catch the surprising emotion of the person veering into your viewfinder. Stay with a subject long enough and even some posed shots can turn into candid ones (like the one above). 

3. Shoot a lot and be patient.  Human actions and reactions take time and they tend to play out on their own.

4. When considering technical aspects: kill the flash and photograph in RAW color format. Consider changing some of your images to black and white in post processing programs later. B&W is about the vivid and powerful contrasts that simplicity brings to the table. The way that black and white encompasses emotions makes it an important consideration for candid photographers. Also consider your camera's focal length: make sure to use a wide angle lens to give a sense of environment and a telephoto to isolate the person's emotions.

Posted by Chase Guttman Photography at 3:36 PM 2 comments

A Comprehensive Guide to Blue Hour and Five Examples for Inspiration

When all fails in a day full of photography, blue hour is there for you.  No matter the weather or the day of the week, the sky (almost reliably) turns into a nearly deep blue a few minutes after the sunsets. While the loss of sunlight is the cue to packing up for many photographers, that is a big mistake. When using color film remember that on a rainy day the sky doesn't go from gray to black, but rather gray to blue to black. The fact of the matter is a lot of fresh opportunities present themselves after a sunset, so a photographer must always be ready to shoot at this time. What I like to do is scout an area for potential photo-ops before the sunsets and occasionally I set myself at the best place possible for blue hour. But remember that blue hour, despite its deceiving name, is only at its prime for a few minutes, so plan ahead. Here's a great tool to calculating the time of the "blue hour:" http://bit.ly/emF5sT The following are a few good examples of blue hour photographs and the reasons why they are good:

How this photograph captures color, as well as the essence of the time period it was shot in makes for a vivid blue hour shot. This image is visually alluring because it observes two guidelines of composition: the rule of thirds and leading lines. This makes the viewers eyes "flow" with the image in an interesting and appealing way. On the other hand, this image is also a prime example of the importance of mood in a blue hour image. This is depicted through the Christmas lights, which acts as an contrast to the dark blue coloring of the sky.

 

The interspersion of patterns, texture, color, and greenery in Fez, Morocco, make this blue hour photograph work. In this instance, the pinkish blue sky is an attractive feature that lures the eye to the horizon of the photograph, allowing a viewers eyeballs to begin its journey through the city. The coexistence between the sky and the scene itself adds value to the image. This image also acts as a good reminder that its important to observe the cycle of lighting and wait for the most compelling lighting in the atmosphere (as it did here) in order to get the best shot possible.

 This image is a good example of blue hour photography because of the utilization of multiple factors. For one, the color is integrated very well into the image.  The fire does a good job of fully illuminating the scene, adding a sense of atmosphere, as well as creating an orange colored glow on the faces of the subjects. Furthermore, the silhouette adds a sense of energy and mystery to the scene. On the issue of composition, the use of the rule of thirds and the presence of rich texture in the snow add considerable weight to the overall value of the shot.

This dramatic photograph was taken after a full day of rain storms in Ireland (actually its still raining in this photograph). But after the sun had set, this image had become possible without a bleak and gray sky. Without shooting during blue hour, the photographer would have come across poor lighting and rain drops in his images. Furthermore, the photographer, used the silhouettes of the tree to fill the emptiness of the sky in a visually arresting way.

This photograph demonstrates how timing is key in blue hour photography: this image most definitely wouldn't have worked 10 minutes before or 10 minutes after the shutter clicked. This image also acts as another good example of contrast, with numerous and interesting dark and bright regions seen in this photo: such as the shadows on the ground, the branches against the sky, or the lights of the scene.

FINAL TAKEAWAYS -

1. Blue hour lasts only a few minutes so plan your shots ahead of time and scout.

2. Blue hour occurs after sunset, when the sky is almost reliably blue.

3. Try using silhouettes in your blue hour images.

4. The deep blue color of the sky affords a great opportunity to create lighting contrasts. Using artificially lit subjects against the sky makes for a dramatic scene.

5. Understand timing and color is everything.  

Images are copyright Chase Guttman and Peter Guttman.

Posted by Chase Guttman Photography at 11:43 PM 4 comments

Five Photography Resolutions for 2011

A new year means another 365 days (sometimes 366) of happiness and sadness, peace and violence, sunrises and sunsets, and of course photography. Throughout the history of business, companies have tried to come out with the best new products, whether it be camera body's, lens', flashes, or accessories. While photography hobbyists will always be buying the newest "thing" as long as there's a market to do so, at the end of the day, photography comes down to the ability of the person behind the camera. So the photographer must always strive to become better and hone their skills. Here are our five quick tips to getting better photographs in the new year.


1. Fill the frame and get closer. Getting closer to a subject helps you to become more intimate with a subject and capture them in a much truer light. For portraits, remember to focus on the eyes because they truly are the gateway to the soul. In landscapes, experiment with focusing on a single detail in a scene and keeping it simple.

2. Be aware of backdrops. What is behind your subject is just as important as your subject itself. Cleaner backgrounds are a good place to start because they help to isolate the true topic of your image. Complicated backgrounds are trickier. Remember not to have backgrounds that are too distracting, but one's that add to the overall worth of an image. A good way to enhance the background of your image is to change your perspective or decrease your camera's depth of field.


3. Understand flash better. It's very important to remember that flashes only go so far. Understanding the limitations of your flash, help you to better manipulate lighting conditions. Also, experiment with flash fill. Flash fill allows you to get rid of shadows, without weirdly exposing anything else (to do a flash fill you must either use a gel or lower the stop of the flash). I, on the other hand, personally try to avoid straight forward flashes. For less overly exposed results, I "bounce" the flash off the walls when I'm indoors, by aiming it away from the subject.

4. Take some vertical pictures. Vertical imagery offers different compositions that horizontal can't, and therefore can create a greater diversity of a visual experience.

5. Follow the basic rules of composition. Observing the rules of composition, help make your snapshots into more powerful visual statements by helping you create a more dramatic setting.

...and some extra tips for safe keeping...

6. Practice, Practice, Practice. I hate to go this route, because everyone says this, but practice makes perfect. So get out more often with your camera and with more memory cards. Since most people learn by doing, grab your camera and try some of these things out for yourselves. If you really want to go all out, try a Project 365.

7. Know your camera. Read your camera manual! Its a vast collection of free photo tips bundled into something you've probably left in your garage, or worse yet, thrown away (don't worry, you can usually download them online). Understanding camera modes (tutorial to come), ISO, file formats, etc., are a good place to start.



So happy new year and happy shooting in 2011! From...

Posted by Chase Guttman Photography at 10:02 PM 2 comments

A Comprehensive Guide to Water Photography

Water is part of our daily lives and is one of the most fundamental natural elements essential to human life. Hence, water is a cherished part of human society, and we naturally are appealed to it's nearly spiritual properties. Being photographed in it's many forms, water is a critical part of photography because it's everywhere in the natural and man-made world. So how do you make your snapshot of a waterfall, current, or water droplet become a visual statement?
 
First you must understand that images of water usually comes in two forms: one that depicts movement through a "milky" motion blur and one that freezes the fluids motion at a given moment, so it looks like shards of smashed glass. The difference is the blur the eye sees present in the water. In going about a water shot, you must pose the question of what emotions you're trying to evoke. I think the spur of the moment feeling that fast shutter speeds capture (that is without a motion blur) create energy. On the other hand, the silky properties of a long exposure evokes a tranquil and meditative feeling. The trick to making your water images stand out is controlling and manipulating those emotions in a way you personally see fit.

Here's some of my simple tips-

Moving Water- 

-Make sure you've made a deliberate choice of the amount of blur you hope to capture in your shot (below are some exposure ideas for two approaches). 

 -Don't paint an image that is solely exclusive to water. Capturing a secondary subject (such as a person) will help better pass off emotions to your viewer.

 -Don't forget the importance of composition. Finding unique and "extreme" perspectives make for more visually interesting photographs because they offer something away from the norm.

-Generally, the sun is a problem when photographing water. Look for shaded areas (but remember having an image that is half shadows and half sunlight has negative factors because it distracts away from the subject).

-Add some scale. Providing a scale for your landscape images add context to your shots. Scales add a wow-factor to landscapes, by impressing your viewer with the size of your subject.

-Look for interesting textures, color and odd movements because they act as alluring components to the image. 

Still Water-

-When photographing still water, carry around a polarizing filter to help make colors in your images pop. Polarizing filters reduce reflections off of objects and in return enhance the saturation of objects colors. 

-Remember to capture the bluest of waters you need some sun in the sky to reflect off of the surface.

-Look for forms of reflections. The stiller and calmer the waters are the better the mirror images you can catch. Try to capture the two symmetrical objects perfectly aligned or consider what I call "half-reflections" (an image of water that only shows the reflected image, not the "actual" element). 

-Don't forget the importance of other elements and distinguish the roles they play in your images. 

For under water photography-

Some quick guidelines for your exposures:
Milky motion blur= 1/4 of a second or longer
Frozen moment= 1/125 of a second or shorter
Macro water droplet images= 1/400 of a second or shorter

Images are copyright Peter Guttman.

Posted by Chase Guttman Photography at 8:47 PM 0 comments

How to Photograph at Night

The unique magical qualities of nighttime photography offers endless artistic opportunities to a photographer. As light diminishes from the evening sky, colors stand out and energy is visible across city streets. But without the presence of the sun in the sky, effectively capturing images become much more difficult. So how should you go about taking pictures at night?

1. Remember that the darker it gets, the longer exposure you need to shoot (in order to compensate for the lack of light). Hence, the earlier you photograph, the easier and generally more rewarding your images will be. In my opinion, the best time to shoot is during blue hour, the time period after sunset where the sky is reliably blue no matter what the weather was throughout the day.

2. Its crucial you bring a tripod. Tripods are used to steady cameras which is important when your shutter is open for a long period of time. Make sure to use a self-timer, remote control, or cable release to initiate the photograph or the tripod will become pointless (as you'll shake the camera when you click the shutter). Don't worry, you can get a decent tripod for just $25, although more substantial ones are more pricey. Often times when you don't have access to a tripod, you can improvise by finding some form of a brace or steadying material.

3. Understanding manual exposures is key so you can manipulate any problems that arise with auto exposure (because often times the lack of light confuses your metering). I suggest you shoot in RAW mode so you can fix later issues and aperture priority mode to help control depth of field and sharpness.

4. Bracketing or taking various exposures are key to ensuring you get the best images possible. Bracketing is the altering of various camera settings to assure you got the best image possible and give you options on the final photograph. In the case of nighttime photography, ISO, aperture, and exposure would be the ideal settings to experiment with. Also make sure to take multiple shots in case a shot was too blurry or wrongly exposed (make sure to use your photo histogram).

5. Experiment with unnatural lighting. Often times using flashlights or a detached flash unit creates dramatic results. Remember that when your flash is on your camera it can only illuminate a few feet ahead of its base and dilutes the color of elements beyond its range. Also, consider the fact that the degree of movement a exposure captures is based on the exposures length and the speed of the movement.

-Nighttime Cityscapes- There are two important factors in shooting a cityscape: vantage points and color. Most cities have some form of overlook or skyscraper that provide unique vantage points and dramatic views of the city. These provide perfect locales for you to set up your tripod. Another essential element in taking a powerful cityscape is color. Without color in the sky or on the streets of the city, the camera will expose the image as simply various shades of white. Since lights are nearly always on in a city, all you need is a few seconds' exposure to capture a captivating photograph.

-Star Trails- When shooting star trails, use a shutter release cable (which gives you the ability to keep your shutter open for hours on end) and keep the shutter open for at least an hour (even though minute movements are visible after a few moments). To make for a more interesting image, I often include illuminated foreground subjects that help draw the eye to the skies.

-Fireworks- Fireworks are one of the most colorful and dramatic displays that night skies have to offer, yet they bring some challenges to photographers. I usually shoot fireworks on few seconds' exposures, but it requires plenty of bracketing to get the perfect shot. Remember that incorporating silhouettes, harbors, cityscapes, etc. generally is more captivating than a telephoto shot of colored fireworks alone.

Tom Sawyer's Christmas Tree Farm

-Fireplaces- The orange glow of fire ambers offers unique visual opportunities and adds an atmospheric feeling to your images when they are correctly executed.You can use a few seconds' exposure to capture the blur of the people who stand around the edges of the fire and enable you to take advantage of the glow on their faces.

Images are copyright Chase Guttman and Peter Guttman.

Posted by Chase Guttman Photography at 12:18 AM 1 comments

The Basic Rules of Framing Captivating Compositions

Composition- Composition is the process of visually organizing the essential elements of your image through the unique framing of your camera. Composition serves as an anchor for the eyes of your viewer as they scan an image, and therefore it is probably the most crucial tool a photographer can use to tell a story. A well composed image is measured by its ability to convey the photographer's message. Even though many professional photographers utilize the basic rules outlined below, the following are simply guidelines. For amateurs, these guidelines are important, until that is they understand when to break them. In general, go with your primary instinct because rules cannot cater (apply) to every situation.

-Framing and Viewpoint- Framing is the most basic part of a well composed image, and acts as a larger category for the other rules. Framing has to do with how you contain all the elements you hope to capture. Good framing includes just the key elements of your image while omitting objects that detract from the larger picture. Also, keeping the horizon perfectly parallel and straight is a fundamental framing strategy that most should observe. Often times, to get the best framing you must change perspective, move around, and crop out objects using a magnified lens. Although framing is a basic principle of composition it's harder to master than you think.


-Rules of Thirds- The rule of thirds is based on the idea of a photo being divided into three imaginary horizontal and vertical sectors. Placing a subject along the dividing points of these lines creates alluring imagery because the main subject is placed off-center. This creates more visually interesting photos because of the way it naturally draws the eye.

-Filling the Frame and Balance- It's important that you fill the frame of your images so you get intimate with your subject. Without having a connection to your subject, your viewer will think less of him or her, and hence your story as a whole. This doesn't mean negative space (which is an empty visual region) is discouraged, but it should be used artistically. However, when negative space becomes superfluous you begin wasting valuable image "real estate." The concept of image balance also derives from the idea of negative space. The rule states that negative space should at least have "balanced" elements, although I believe this rule is flawed because  the absence of balance can be used artistically.

-Patterns- Patterns can be approached in two unique ways: keeping a pattern consistent and undermining a pattern by putting something out of place. The ultimate goal with patterns is to trick the eye into seeing more then what is really present. In some cases, patterns also serve as a visual line from the foreground to the background, pushing the eye to inspect every inch of the composition. Undermining a pattern, on the other hand, is also very effective. This means having one out of place item in the middle of an otherwise consistent pattern. This unique approach adds contrast to your image and has certain qualities that can connect with the viewer.


-Simplicity- Simplistic framing can often times be the most artistic way to shoot because when concentrating on basic elements your story can be told successfully without any other distractions. By focusing on one given thing you can attract your viewer's attention on exactly what you want them to see. To accomplish this you must have plainly colored backdrops (generally, black is the best), and subjects that strongly contrast with the clean background. This supports the idea of the power of"negative space," or an empty area of an image.

-Symmetry- Symmetry makes the eye wander all across an image, which is pleasing to the mind of your viewer. Symmetry also often echoes your scene, giving emphasis to the story you're trying to tell. In the image to the right, symmetry is also acting as leading lines that attract the eye upward.

 
-Lines- Using converging, diagonal, horizontal, and vertical lines in your photographs makes for an interesting composition. Lines act as a director of traffic for your viewers' eye. This helps your viewer focus on the key points of the image and in doing so you're also adding an amusing component to your shot. Remember a line can be the tracks of a train, the fencing on a hill, a cloud formation, or a fallen tree branch, whatever forms a line in your image can be used to your artistic advantage.


-Texture- Texture is the incorporation of a unique surface to an image. Texture helps your images really come alive and make your viewer feel like they are there.


-Depth of Field and Backdrop- Depth of field is the field or space within an image that is in focus. So, a wide depth of field, means that nearly everything, if not everything, is in focus. On the other hand, a small depth of field means that elements only a very specific distance from the camera's lens are in focus. Depth of field helps direct attention to the elements of your choice. Remember depth of field is dependent on lens (wide angle lenses have a greater depth of field than a telephoto lenses) and the aperture you shoot at.

I hope everyone had a merry Christmas and happy new year! Images are copyright Chase Guttman and Peter Guttman.

Are you still interested in learning about composition? Read these guides by Digital Photography School: http://bit.ly/hPRws

Posted by Chase Guttman Photography at 11:21 AM 2 comments

The Facts of ISO

ISO- A camera's sensitivity to light. ISO controls the possible interactions and combination's between shutter speed and aperture. ISO settings hence indicate to the camera sensor how the shutter speed and aperture must interact to compensate for its given lighting situation. A higher ISO makes for greater sensitivity to the light, which is ideal for low light situations. A lower ISO setting, on the other hand, is better suited for recording brighter scenes.

A higher ISO can lead to image "noise." Noise is the  graininess of an image that results from the image sensor from becoming "contaminated."* The larger an image sensor (a buying point to consider) you have, the more then this can be minimized. DSLR's, generally speaking, have an advantage at this because of their larger sensors. Also certain post-processing tools on software's like Photoshop can also drastically reduce the problem.

Things to Consider about ISO-

1. The smaller the ISO you shoot at the less noise will be present in your images and the higher quality the end photograph will be.
2. For outdoor shooting and in bright scenes, lower your ISO to its minimum settings for the highest quality. High ISO will generally be unneeded, because other settings can make up for any lighting problems.
3. For low light situations I use ISO as a last resort. When ISO needs to be utilized, I experiment with the lowest possible setting. For amateur shooters I suggest making your camera decide upon ISO automatically, by putting it on auto.
4. The larger the camera sensor the less likely noise will appear in your images.

So next time you go out to photograph consider ISO.

*People's approach to image noise differs because its based on personal preference. Back in the days when film was prevalent, people selected film rolls based on the the extent of grainyness in the shots they developed. This is because people use grain as an artistic tool while others find it undesirable.

Posted by Chase Guttman Photography at 12:28 AM 0 comments