PHOTOGRAPHY
Every Good Photograph Is . . .
• Dramatic . . . Offering unique storytelling appeal
• Creative . . . Shot with various composition
techniques
• Flawless . . . Having impeccable technical quality
Storytelling Power
Interesting and intriguing photos . . .
• Cover every angle
• Freeze action
• Express emotion
• Show conflict
• Illuminate personalities
• Establish relationships
Diversify storytelling photo content:
• Action
• Reaction
• Scrapbook
• Illustrations
STORYTELLING PHOTOGRAPHY ACTION
STORYTELLING PHOTOGRAPHY REACTION
STORYTELLING PHOTOGRAPHY ACTION & REACTION
STORYTELLING PHOTOGRAPHY SCRAPBOOK
STORYTELLING PHOTOGRAPHY ILLUSTRATION
STORYTELLING PHOTOGRAPHY ILLUSTRATION
Basic Content & Composition
Follow the Rule of Thirds
• A composition technique that places the
main subject off-center for a more appealing
picture. The primary action should take place
along one of the intersecting lines.
Diversity of storytelling content
• Cover the entire event.
• Avoid: same photo just with different
subjects, just the “popular people,” and the
yearbook staff.
Variety of photo elements
• Shape: vertical, horizontal, square
• Size: dominant, subordinate
• Numbers: single, multiple subjects
STORYTELLING PHOTOGRAPHY RULE OF THIRDS
STORYTELLING PHOTOGRAPHY BEFORE, DURING, & AFTER
STORYTELLING PHOTOGRAPHY SHAPES & SIZES
STORYTELLING PHOTOGRAPHY NUMBER
Advanced Content & Composition
• Framing
• Angle
• Leading Lines
• Shallow Depth of Field (Selective Focus)
• Repetition
• Silhouettes
STORYTELLING PHOTOGRAPHY FRAMING
Framing:
Positioning the camera
so that foreground and
background objects
form a natural frame
around the primary
subject
STORYTELLING PHOTOGRAPHY ANGLE
Bird’s-eye View: shots
taken from above
Worm’s-eye View: shots
taken from ground level
STORYTELLING PHOTOGRAPHY LEADING LINES
Leading Lines: Using natural lines to direct
attention to the center of interest
STORYTELLING PHOTOGRAPHY LEADING LINES
STORYTELLING PHOTOGRAPHY SHALLOW DEPTH OF FIELD
Shallow Depth of Field:
Choosing a lens opening that
produces a shallow depth of field,
so that some of the picture is out
of focus to emphasize another
part of the picture.
The lens aperture mainly controls
depth of field. Larger apertures
(greater diameter of the lens that
allows light to enter) will yield
pictures with shallow depth of
field. For instance, an f/stop of
f/2.8 would produce a picture with
very shallow depth of field.
STORYTELLING PHOTOGRAPHY SHALLOW DEPTH OF FIELD
STORYTELLING PHOTOGRAPHY REPETITION
Repetition:
When two or more
subjects or elements
repeat in a given
scene
STORYTELLING PHOTOGRAPHY SILHOUETTES
Silhouettes: the
image of a person, an
object or scene
represented as a solid
shape of a single color,
usually black, its edges
matching the outline of
the subject.
STORYTELLING PHOTOGRAPHY SILHOUETTES
Photo No-Nos
• Blurry
• Poorly Lit
• Poorly Composed and Cropped
• Boring
• Inappropriate content
STORYTELLING PHOTOGRAPHY BLURRY
Probable Causes
• Holding the camera
unsteadily
• Inappropriate
camera settings—
usually when taking
fast-action shots
Solutions
1. Create a solid base on which to rest the
camera
Solutions
2. Set the Camera for the correct fast-action
setting
Of course, this depends on the camera, but the
“running man” setting on the mode wheel is the
usual default for fast-action/sports shots. This
setting works best for daytime sports, when there
is enough light for a fast shutter speed.
Solutions
3. Use the appropriate ISO (International Organization for
Standardization)—AKA film speed. With digital cameras, it really
is a standard of measurement of the camera sensor’s light
sensitivity.
•
For fast-action shots during the day, this should be set at
400.
•
For fast-action shots at night and with a flash, this
should be set at 800 or 1600.
•
For fast-action shots at night and without a flash, this
should be set at 1600 or 3200.
•
Higher ISOs can result in more digital noise (grain) though.
ISOs range from 100 to 3200, depending on the camera.
Solutions
4. Setting the camera to a higher shutter speed (the length
of time it takes light to reach the sensor) can decrease image
blurring as well. Basically, the “running man” icon on the mode
wheel automatically selects a fast shutter speed, but—
sometimes—by using the Shutter Priority mode (S or TV), the
photographer can select an even faster shutter speed.
Shutter speeds for fast-action shots should be 1/250 or faster
(shutter speeds range from 30 seconds to 1/8000 second,
depending on the camera).
STORYTELLING PHOTOGRAPHY POORLY LIT
Probable Causes
• No flash when one is needed
• Shooting too far away from the subject
• Too much light/flash
• Shooting with the sun or other light source
directly in front of the photographer
Solutions
1. Physically move closer to the subject, so that
the camera’s built-in flash will illuminate the
subject and surrounding area. Normally, a built-in
flash is only adequate from 12’ or closer.
2. Shoot a faraway subject with a telephoto
lens (80mm or greater) and an external flash.
Solutions
3. In situations where there is no flash available or when the
photographer cannot use a flash, . . .
•Set the ISO to 800+
•Increase the size of the Aperture (F/stop)
•The Aperture is the size of the diameter in the lens that allows light
to enter.
•The smaller the F/stop number, the larger the Aperture. For
instance, a f/1.8 is a very large Aperture, whereas f/22 is a very small
Aperture.
•The larger the Aperture, the more amount of light is let in the lens.
•The Aperture Priority mode (AV or A) will allow the photographer to
set the Aperture.
•FYI, Aperture also dictates Depth of Field (the area in front of and
behind the subject that is in acceptable focus)
Solutions
4. If you do not desire a silhouette, shoot with the
sun behind you.
5. If there is too much flash, simply turn the
internal flash off, remove the external flash, or
bounce the flash.
Bouncing a flash can only be accomplished
with an external flash and occurs when the
photographer reflects the flash off of the ceiling,
wall, etc., resulting in a soft, indirect light.
6. Just after sunrise and just before sunset are
called the “golden hours”—when subjects are
bathed in a golden light—and are ideal times to
take pictures outside.
STORYTELLING PHOTOGRAPHY POORLY COMPOSED/CROPPED
Probable Causes
• Not knowing the basic rules of cropping
pictures
• Placing the subject of the photo in the
dead center, rather than off-center and
based on the Rule of Thirds
Solutions
1. Learn to crop correctly.
• Ideally, crop either so that the entire body,
from the waist up or from the shoulders up is in
the picture.
• Avoid cutting off people’s appendages.
• If an action picture, crop so that the subject
has room in the picture to continue the action.
• Eliminate any “dead space” by cropping
in/zooming in on the subject.
Solutions
2. Follow the Rule of Thirds.
STORYTELLING PHOTOGRAPHY BORING
Probable Causes
• Laziness
• Unworthy events or activities covered
• Tired/Predictable angles
• Fear
Solutions
1. Simply insist on quality pictures and motivate
students through praise, grades, photo credits, awards,
scholarships, etc.
2. Avoid covering mundane events, like students at
desks taking notes, etc.—unless for a specific story around
the school.
3. Discourage students from taking those types of pictures
by not uploading them to YBA or the school’s computers.
Instead, make sure to have on hand a list of “always
useful” pictures the staff could use and other tasks, like
photo corrections, tagging pictures with names, etc., the
photographers can work on.
Solutions
4. Use the advanced composition techniques.
Angle
Framing
Leading Lines
Repetition
Shallow Depth of Field
STORYTELLING PHOTOGRAPHY INAPPROPRIATE CONTENT
Probable Cause
• Not looking at the picture
Solution
• Look at the picture
WHAT MAKES THIS PHOTO GREAT
WHAT MAKES THIS PHOTO GREAT
WHAT MAKES THIS PHOTO GREAT
WHAT MAKES THIS PHOTO GREAT
WHAT MAKES THIS PHOTO GREAT
WHAT MAKES THIS PHOTO GREAT
WHAT MAKES THIS PHOTO GREAT
WHAT MAKES THIS PHOTO GREAT
WHAT MAKES THIS PHOTO GREAT
WHAT MAKES THIS PHOTO GREAT
WHAT MAKES THIS PHOTO GREAT
WHAT MAKES THIS PHOTO GREAT
WHAT MAKES THIS PHOTO GREAT
WHAT MAKES THIS PHOTO GREAT
JAMES BOWIE HS, TX PHOTOGRAPHY
PALOS VERDES HS, CA PHOTOGRAPHY
STILLWATER HS, MN PHOTOGRAPHY
WESTMOORE HS, OK PHOTOGRAPHY
Other Assorted Tips . . .
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For an SLR (Single Lens Reflex) camera, invest in a $15 UV or Skylight
filter.
Dress appropriately for the event at which you are covering.
Have patience. You may have to wait—with the camera up to your eye for
several minutes to capture the spontaneous moment and perfect shot.
•
If possible, carry your camera with you at all times.
•
Use the camera’s viewfinder instead of the LCD screen.
•
At sporting events, take pictures of the scoreboard after momentous plays.
•
Make sure to cover the defensive side of the ball.
•
At Homecoming, ask the sponsor or administrator a few minutes before
the crowning who the winner is, so you can be in position.
Other Assorted Tips . . .
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•
•
•
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Politely turn away from students who pose for the camera and do not take
their pictures.
Take a lot of pictures.
Never upload or keep bad images . . . they cannot get in the yearbook if
they do not exist.
Never use digital zoom (a “feature” of many point-and-shoot cameras).
Take a paper pad or recorder for notes, names, etc.—especially for group
pictures.
Make your coverage of an event fair. Do not focus on your friends.
Only take pictures in one of the following formats: JPEG, TIFF, RAW.
Fortunately, one of these will be your camera’s default.
PHOTOGRAPHY