SCENIC BACKLIGHTING

Backlighting is when the light source is pointing toward the camera, and the main subject is in shadow because the light source is hitting the subject's back. You can create very dramatic landscape photos in early evening if the landscape includes water. Set your digital camera to High Contrast, or use slide film, and make sure the sun is illuminating the rear of the subject, in this case, the island.

Exposure probably won't be too difficult, as the extreme highlights of the reflective water and the dark shadows of the land will often give an accurate average exposure meter reading. Still, it is always best to take a few photos of the same scene, at different exposures. This image was taken in the South Shore of Nova Scotia, an area rich in photographic subject matter.

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GRAPHIC IMAGES

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If you have ever heard of the term "graphic image" applied to a photograph, you are probably looking at an image that is bold, minimal, possibly abstract, and strong in its compositional framing. This type of image usually doesn't tell a story as it is more for attention grabbing; because of these photos are often well suited for advertising photography.

When deciding on a certain subject matter and crop, look for bold colors, or high contrast if the image is black and white. Often symmetrical compositions work well, or the utilization of geometric shapes such as triangles, squares, and circles.

To make your image more marketable, allow for a lot of empty space for the addition of text. My example above of a Lunenburg building has plenty of empty space, thus making it a good choice for a magazine cover shot. Speaking off magazines, remember that vertical compositions are sometimes preferred . . . make sure you take two photos of everything, one horizontal and one vertical. You will then have the choice if an editor needs a few different options.

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LOOK FOR NARRATIVES

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When doing street photography, it is not good enough to just capture people within their environment . . . anyone can do that. Continually look for interaction between people, or a situation that suggests some form of narrative between the subjects. If you look at the history of street and editorial photography, you will see that the classic images all have the above mentioned elements.

In the example photo, the merchant has a pleading look on his face, hoping that the passing man and boy will stop to make a purchase. If the viewer senses tension in the photo, then the photographer has done his or her job. Viewers of street photography want to see emotion and tension. Resolution is rarely present, as a photograph is only one still frame; it is the job of the filmmaker to allow a street narrative to have a conclusion. Indeed, many of the best films seem to be extensions (in both directions) of a single photograph.

I took this photo in the famous Market district of Ueno, Tokyo, using my favorite film, Kodak T-Max 3200. Email this Blog to a friend! To see more photographs by Mark Hemmings, click here

SINGLE LIGHT SOURCES

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If you don't have access to a photo studio with strobe lights, but you do have an external flash with a long sync chord, try the following set-up:

1. Hang a piece of black velvet fabric on a wall, in a fairly dark room. Pin a flower onto the fabric. Roses work well.
2. Place your camera on a tripod, and focus on the flower.
3. You will need to find a way to hang a white bed sheet directly behind you.
4. Attached to a flash synch chord (available at camera stores) to your external flash, and place the flash about 2 or 3 feet behind the white bed sheet. The easiest way to have the flash unit secure is to place it on a second tripod, or get a friend to hold it.

To summarize the set-up:
Black velvet hanging on a wall with flower pinned to it
Camera
Photographer
White bed sheet behind photographer
Flash unit a few feet behind bed sheet

The flash unit should be directed so that the light is hitting the back of the photographer (albeit through the bed sheet). The goal is to only allow perimeter light to hit the subject. Your own body acts as a light blocker, keeping the strongest light away from the subject. Place the flash unit on its fullest output setting, and take some test shots. You should end up with a nice softly-lit image, as it is only the softer light that comes from around your upper body that will illuminate the flower.

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NON-STATIC PHOTOS

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If you have been to New York city, no doubt you have visited the iconic landmark, Rockefeller Plaza. This location has been in countless movies, and always makes for interesting people photography. This lesson has to do with the importance of movement in a photo, and how to technically achieve such an end.

This image would not have nearly as much drama if the people were frozen in action. The figures needed a very slight motion blur to suggest movement, taking the image from a static to a dynamic state. Since every moving subject will be traveling at a different speed, it is impossible for me to suggest accurate shutter speed and aperture settings, so it is best to experiment with a few different exposures. Put your camera on a tripod, lock it tight, and start photographing.

If you find that the people are blurry beyond all recognition, then speed up the shutter speed. Conversely, if they are still frozen in place, the shutter speed needs to be a bit slower. Depending on the speed of the subject, 1/2 second exposures are a good starting point for this process.

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NIGHT PORTRAITS

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Even though this image is exposed normally, there is something about the quality of the light that tells you it was a night shot. If you are living in a city with traditional or old architecture, try doing portraits using the artificial ambient light that comes from streetlights and other sources. I have found that slight camera shake or lens blur adds a Romantic quality to the image that seems to be absent when the shot is in perfect register.

This photograph was taken in Hungary, which is blessed with Baroque, Art Nouveau, and Secessionist architectural styles. However you don’t have to travel to Europe for this type of image. Doors in old buildings seem to work well, as a door is an iconic image that is rich in metaphor, and is understood worldwide in poetic and philosophical terms. Try a few shots without a tripod and slight defocus. If the results are un-usably shaky, try a monopod or a tripod with a loose ballhead. Sepia toned B&W film seems to work well with these images, or if you are a digital shooter Photoshop has a sepia tone Action that you can play around with.

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HIGH CONTRAST

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If you are using only natural window light and want to get a high contrast look for your portrait, black fabric will do the trick. The best material is black velvet, which seems to "soak up" the light, as velvet does not reflect any light back toward its source.

Simply hang or pin any type of black material as close to the subject as possible. Obviously you will not want the material to be in the photo, but just at the edge. If you want to see how much difference this technique makes, take two photos, one with, and one without the black material.

To increase the contrast even more, use high contrast film, or set your digital camera to its highest contrast setting. Keep in mind that extreme contrast portraits are usually best for fine art photography. If you are doing a portrait session for a normal paying client, it may be best to do it with a more traditional method.

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