Page 46 - Cape-Camera-May-June-2021

May/June 2021 Cape Camera

completely different photos of a single tree? Zoom in or out, get Perspective is very important. Elements that are further away
close up shots of texture, lie on your back and shoot up, climb are smaller, slightly less sharp and are generally darker
into the tree, try to get backlit images of leaves or seeds, select a Keep it simple. If an element does not add to the story, it will
slow shutter speed when the wind is blowing… become a distraction
Try shooting from different angles, flat on your tummy or from Remember your eye will always be drawn to the lightest /
a rooftop or scaffolding. I take no responsibility for any injuries brightest part of the image so be aware that this will be your
you may incur! focal point. Do you want it to be your focal point?
Dig out that lens that you bought and hardly ever use. My fa- Colour creates mood in an image so be sure that your choice
vorite lenses are my 24-70 f2.8 and the 28-300. I certainly sur- of colour palette will evoke the desired mood, emotion or at-
prised myself when I promised myself that for one whole day, I mosphere. Warm colours like red, yellow and orange will create
would only use my 10-20 wide angle!! a livelier feel while cool colours can be more somber or melan-
You might however want to start dabbling with more advanced cholic or calm.
photo manipulation, currently known as Altered Reality. Start Good technique is absolutely essential and while cutting out
shooting stock images. Remember that if you want to sell your images painstakingly is laborious and frustrating it is absolutely
work or enter PSSA or FIAP competitions every element you use essential.
must originate as a photo taken by you. My stock folders include Texture can unify an image and if I am going to add texture it
clouds, trees and leaves, flowers, buildings, textures, light sourc- will always be the last step. Be very careful how you apply tex-
es, paint splashes, landscapes without a centre of interest. No ture as it can overwhelm the image.
matter where I am shooting, I am always on the lookout for an
element that might come in handy at a later stage. When you have completed the image save it as a PSD file as
To begin with you can take an image and simply drag a texture this will enable you to return to the image at a later stage if
over it and selectively erase areas to create a whole new look. you would like to make alterations or corrections. I work on a
This works quite well on images with clean backgrounds. desktop so when my images are displayed on a 3m screen at
club evenings I pick up errors that are not evident on a 60cm
For the more complex Altered Realities I always start with a story monitor. I also find that judges give constructive suggestions
or concept and shoot the main elements I need. Your image on how to improve an image and this is only possible if I still
must tell a story. Personally, I need to see the finished image in have the PSD. It always helps to have a fresh eye.
my mind before I start but this is not how everyone works. Do
whatever works for you. We all have a different creative process. I love using text in my images to create an extra dimension.
I store all the images that I plan to use in a folder and I give the However, because we are able to read when we are presented
folder a name, which generally becomes the title of the work. with an image that contains text it is our instinct to read it thus
The stock images you have collected can add to your story. drawing us away from the focal point. When using text, I make
Sometimes you will find that you need a specific element that sure that it is gibberish and can’t be read.
you don’t have but once you have shot and used it, save it in I love working in monochrome because it enables one to create
the stock folder. I start with a blank canvas (in Photoshop go very dramatic images. Monochrome is a very powerful creative
to File>new> to create it.) I then drag in vertical and horizontal tool but not all images work well as monochrome. Ask yourself,”
guides on the thirds to help with placement of the focal points Am I improving this image by stripping it of colour?” The ideal
and horizon. The elements of the composition are cut out and monochrome has either black with good detail in the texture
dragged onto the background layer. or white with detail in the texture, both black and white is even
There are certain compositional elements that will make your better unless you are specifically aiming for a low key or high
image more believable. Light must be believable. Be aware of key feel. All other colours become shades of grey. If you only
the direction of light. Look for consistency in light. For example, have grey in an image with no contrast it is possible that it will
all elements are shot during the golden hour or are modified in lack impact. If I am going to create a monochrome Altered Re-
post processing to replicate the golden hour. ality, I generally work in colour until I am happy with the com-
position and then do the monochrome conversion one layer
Look at scale. If someone is standing in the doorway do, they still at a time.
look like a normal human or Have they been turned into giants?
If, however you are trying to create a surreal feel then scale will I have been doing composites for a number of years but re-
become a valuable tool in creating the desired illusion. cently I have found myself yearning for the days of slide pho-
tography. Trying to get it right first time. Pressing the shutter,

45 Cape Town Photographic Society