FINE ART PORTRAITS

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A very easy and effective way to create more mystery in your portraits is to photograph your models utilizing window light shining through curtains. The light should be in the evening when the sun is low and warm, and you, the photographer, should be inside the house, somewhere between the window and the model. The position of the model in relation to the window with curtains will determine how much curtain fabric detail shows up on his or her face. Experiment with different locations for the model, but realize that the sun sets quickly! In order to get rid of distracting backgrounds, place a black sheet or bristol board behind the model. For faces, try to use a zoom lens in the 100mm range, which is usually the most flattering lens focal length.

Mark's photographic prints for your wall can be purchased at www.markhemmings.com

Mark can be hired as a photographer or filmmaker via www.hemmingshouse.com

SYMMETRICAL COMPOSITIONS

Dear reader, if this entry or my other blog entries don't answer your specific photography questions, you can call me on the phone anytime for advice by clicking here.

When photographers first learn about compositional guidelines, such as the rule of thirds, they are often subconsciously bound by these parameters. One thing to keep in mind is that if an image is symmetrical, or has a triangular appearance to it, a centered composition often works best. For the above image, if the door was placed on the left or right of the picture space (rule of thirds), the photo would lose much of its strength. Indeed, images that have triangular shapes are often associated with power or authority, and to compose off-center will often weaken the photograph.

The best way to find out for yourself what compositions look best is to take three versions of the same scene; one where the center of interest is to the left, one to the right, and one in the center. It won't take long to be able to know in advance of your picture taking what composition will be the most effective.

Mark's photographic prints for your wall can be purchased at www.markhemmings.com

Mark can be hired as a photographer or filmmaker via www.hemmingshouse.com

WALL ART Part 1

Dear reader, if this entry or my other blog entries don't answer your specific photography questions, you can call me on the phone anytime for advice by clicking here.

With the steady rise of Modernism's popularity in the home, design has been receiving almost as much attention as traditional artwork when it comes to wall hangings. While many would not classify two dimensional design as art, record sales at art auction houses say otherwise. To create your own piece of Modern design for your walls, simply find a colorful linear or circular pattern and take a picture of it out of focus. You will need to have your lens aperture set to its lowest f-stop number. The photo above was originally a colorful bedsheet, focused manually.

One day I was preparing my camera for a photo shoot, and I took a test shot of a venetian blind. My photo was out of focus, so I checked my camera and saw that my lens was on manual focus instead of auto. I was just about to delete the test shot, when I realized that the image had a nice abstract appearance to it. During the next few weeks I photographed many things out of focus, and eventually had enough dynamic images to create a series. It was a good example of serendipitous creativity!

The next lesson is also on artwork for your walls, and will mention printing options.

Mark's photographic prints for your wall can be purchased at www.markhemmings.com

Mark can be hired as a photographer or filmmaker via www.hemmingshouse.com

WALL ART Part 2

Dear reader, if this entry or my other blog entries don't answer your specific photography questions, you can call me on the phone anytime for advice by clicking here.

A friend of mine showed me a collection of beautiful 200 year old South Korean manuscripts. They were made with an old leathery paper and still intact, which gave me the idea that they would make unusual and dynamic artwork to hang in my home. Because the books were only 10 inches high, I decided to photograph them, blow them up for printing, and then get them framed.

Depending on your choice of interior decor, texture photos like this can make for interesting wall hangings. Some good ideas for finding texture are old worn-out leather, old printed fabrics, wall paper from a different era, and designs within nature.

Some tips for photographing these textures and printing them out for display:
1. Make sure that the light is evenly illuminating the texture. Overcast days may be best for this.
2. Use a tripod, and if you need maximum sharpness (not always necessary for artwork), set your lens aperture to f8.
3. Take a few different exposures of the same photo, so you are guaranteed at least one with the optimal light level.
4. Get the image printed at a professional lab that has access to fine art archival printing paper. These papers are usually thick, and can be watercolor style, canvass texture, Japanese Washi paper and so on. Ask your printer how many years the paper is rated for. The good papers and special ink jet printers (by Epson, HP, Canon etc.) can offer up to 100 years of color fidelity.
5. When the print is done, it is better to get the print framed by a professional. It will cost more than buying stock frames, but you will be guaranteed acid free matting which will extend the print life.
6. Enjoy your new artwork!

Mark's photographic prints for your wall can be purchased at www.markhemmings.com

Mark can be hired as a photographer or filmmaker via www.hemmingshouse.com

THEATER PHOTOGRAPHY

Dear reader, if this entry or my other blog entries don't answer your specific photography questions, you can call me on the phone anytime for advice by clicking here.

There may come a time when you are asked to photograph an event at a theater. This can be a tricky endeavor, as you will be dealing with situations beyond your control. Here are a few pointers for successful theater photography:

1. Ask the management what areas of the audience you can photograph in.
2. Use a tripod, as you will not be allowed to use a flash.
3. Set your camera to Aperture Priority, and place the f-stop at its lowest number (f2.8, f4, etc.)
4. If you are using film, choose a high ISO film.
5. If you are using digital, change the digital ISO until the shutter speed is 1/125 of a second or faster.
6. Make your exposures so that the face of the lead character is properly illuminated. This may result in everything else being dark, but that is a sacrifice you may have to make. If you expose for any other element on stage, the main subject may be too dark or too bright. This is easy to judge with digital cameras, as you have access to the monitor. If you are using a film camera, use a spot meter and judge exposure from the face, and add one f-stop.
7. Try to take the pictures when the actors or musicians are loud. This will mask the sound of your shutter.
8. Photograph in places that are a fair distance away from the audience. They will be able to hear your camera and it may be distracting.
9. Theater lighting is often multi-colored; there may be no way to get proper color balance, but it won't matter. When people see the photos they already know that theater lights can be many different colors and intensities.

I took this photo of the Eastern European Szeged Contemporary Ballet, while doing their interpretation of A Midsummer Night's Dream.

Mark's photographic prints for your wall can be purchased at www.markhemmings.com

Mark can be hired as a photographer or filmmaker via www.hemmingshouse.com

CHEAP STUDIO LIGHTING

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If you are a photographer who is just starting to get paying clients, but don't have the money to buy strobes (studio flashes), there is a way to get similar results for interior portraits or subject matter when natural light is unavailable.

The only purchase necessary for this technique is a yellow construction light available at any hardware store. They are high powered lights that have their own tripods, and you can often see them being used on construction sites. They are not very expensive, and come in a variety of wattages. Make sure to get the strongest light you can get; 500 watts minimum.

The next item needed is a normal white bedsheet. The sheet doesn't need to be large. At the location of your photo shoot, pin the sheet up with clamps so that the sheet is a bit higher than your subject. Then place your construction lights so that they shine on the bedsheet, in the direction of the subject. The bedsheet acts as a diffuser, and softens the light.

You will find that the amount of softness will change when the placement of the sheet and lights change with relation to the subject. Experiment with these three elements, and you should end up with a nice image. You will probably need a tripod, as the power of the light reduces dramatically as it is diffused, which causes slower shutter speeds.

One final note: As these lights are incandescent, they will produce a yellow/orange color shift in the final photo. To correct for this, use a blue filter if you are using a film camera. If you are using a digital camera, Auto color balance should work, or switch to the indoor light bulb setting.

Mark's photographic prints for your wall can be purchased at www.markhemmings.com

Mark can be hired as a photographer or filmmaker via www.hemmingshouse.com

BLACK AND WHITE FILM

Dear reader, if this entry or my other blog entries don't answer your specific photography questions, you can call me on the phone anytime for advice by clicking here.

In this new age of digital photography, it is sometimes nice to revert to a good solid film to record certain events. Even though I predominantly use professional digital cameras, there are certain subjects that just seem to require traditional film. I find that nature photography is better suited to slide film, wildlife photography (in certain cases) works best with professional color film, and in the case of the above photo, Asian martial arts work well with B&W film.

There are two brands of Black and White film that I have always loved; Kodak T-Max P3200 (ISO 3200) and Fujifilm Neopan 1600. Both films are very high contrast, grainy (but in a good way), and wonderfully fast for low-light and quick moving situations. If you are used to hand-holding your camera using a 400 speed film, you will really enjoy the added shutter speeds afforded by these higher speed films.

Subject matter consideration is very important when using these films. Similar to Monday's lesson, these films are better suited to mysterious subject matter, and portraits of models who have soul. Photojournalists often used these films in the past, and they are well suited to many forms of social documentary work.

Mark's photographic prints for your wall can be purchased at www.markhemmings.com

Mark can be hired as a photographer or filmmaker via www.hemmingshouse.com