Tip # 64: Breathtaking Waterfalls

Last week I talked about making the most of the water in a scene when taking a picture. This week I want to discuss how to take cool shots like this one.

It’s simple, but you’ll need a tripod or something solid, like a rock, to keep your camera steady and at the correct height. Then adjust the camera to a slow shutter speed like I described in this post. If you use a fast shutter speed, you’ll freeze the movement of the water, but you won’t get the smooth effect shown here. Experiment with different speeds, but generally the slower the better. You'll also want to check out this post first.

If you’re lucky *waves at Nisa* and live near the ocean, try using both a fast and slow shutter speed during a storming day, and see the amazing pictures you’ll get when the wave surges. You’ll have to get close to capture the effect. Just try not to drown when the wave hits.

Tip # 63: Mirror Mirror On The Wall

If there’s water in the scene, see if there’s a way to make the most of it in your photo. Just watch out for the glare of the sun reflecting from it. Sometimes the effect is cool, sometimes not. Depends on the look you’re after.

Assignment: Locate a body of water (pond, lake) near where you live, and experiment by taking photos at different times of the day and under different conditions. A blue sky will give you different results compared to a cloudy or windy day. And the time of day will affect how much glare you’ll have to deal with. Remember to take notes of the conditions to keep with your pictures for further study.

Tip # 62: Monochromatic Beauty

Just because the weather is blah doesn’t mean your photos have to be. Look for interesting textures to make up for the lack of color. In this picture, the removal of the snow from the street created cool patterns on the road, and the evergreens added additional texture. The result is a beautiful picture that you might not have otherwise expected.

The Link Between Writing and Photography

Yesterday, Carolyn Kaufman (Query Tracker Blog) posted a great article on what writer’s could learn from photographers. Naturally, I started to think about other connections between the two disciplines.

Stories have themes. It’s the unifying thread that ties everything together. Great pictures have themes, too. Like in stories, sometimes they’re obvious, and sometimes they’re not. If you haven't already, figure out what theme you're going for when you take pictures. It doesn't have to be complex. Maybe just a word like friendship. And definitely make sure your stories have a theme.

And what about detail? I love doing close up photography. It’s the attention to detail that gets me excited. For example, in the above shot, I zoomed close to the plant so the only thing you see are the leaves and the rain drops. Those are the important details. Not the ground or my home. It’s the interaction between the two that'll stick in your mind. Same thing with writing. By focusing on the important details, relating to the setting or character, a more vivid image is painted in the reader’s mind. Specific is easily remembered. General is quickly forgotten. But like in the plant picture, keep the number of details presented at a time to a minimum so not to overwhelm your reader.

And then there’s perspective. Remember how changing the angle from which you take a photo gives you a completely different picture. Same deal with fiction. Maybe your story could be told from a different point of view than from what you’d originally envisioned. For example, Cinderella is told from her point of view. But what if you retold the story from the fairy godmother’s point of view? Or better yet, the fairy godmother’s really a teenage girl attending the Academy of Fairy Godmothers, and Cinderella’s her first class project. The story would be very different, right?

So there you go, some more things to dwell on as to how you can make your pictures and writing even better. And thanks, Carolyn, for inspiring this post.

Stay tune for tomorrow’s topic. I’ll be discussing that dreaded condition that writers fear—Voice Envy.

Tip # 61: Sneaky Effects

To me, there’re two types of photographers. There are those—like me—who prefer to spend their time before snapping a shot to make sure everything’s perfect. That’s when we’re at our creative best. We tend not to like wasting our time on Photoshop. But it’s during the post production work (editing) when the creativity of the second type of photographer really shines.

So how did I turn the sky purple? Simple. I held a transparent piece of colored plastic in front of my camera lens. True, the Photoshop loving photographer would be able to create all kinds all different effects on her computer. But to each her own.

So what kind of photographer are you?

Tip #60: Getting Close and Personal

This is gonna be a super quick tip.

Get close to your subject and see it in a whole different way. Plus, you can get some pretty cool abstract shots that way.

These two photos were taken of my neighbor’s apple tree during a foggy day (ice fog).

Tip #59: Through the Clutter

One of my favorite things about photography and writing is challenging myself to do better. In writing, it’s called editing. Some writers love it. Others loath it.

In photography, it’s about analyzing your photos, and figuring out what works and what doesn’t. For example, in this picture, there was originally a lot of decorative clutter on the table behind the teen. Knowing from past experience that this would distract the viewer’s eye from the girl, I took the time to remove it. Except I left the blue and white vase, figuring it would be okay, and would provide balance to the picture. Wrong. To some people, it might not be a big deal. They don’t even notice it. But to me, it’s still a distraction.

So there you have it. Two tips today for the price of one. Remove all the objects that can distract from the subject, or move your subject away from the clutter (unless the clutter is part of the theme). And take the time to figure out what’s good and what isn’t in your photos so that you can improve on them next time.

Now for the writers out there who are wondering if I love or loath editing, let me just say this: One of my favorite things about playing with Playdoh is trying to mold it into something new and exciting. But that’s a topic for another day.

Tip #58: Cool Effects

PHOTOGRAPH: a picture made using a camera, in which an image is focused on to film or other light-sensitive material and then made visible and permanent by chemical treatment. (Oxford Dictionary). Geez, and I thought Calgary’s winter air was dry. I wonder if the writers of the Oxford Dictionary have ever tried to write a novel.

Okay, moving along.

The key word in this desert-like description is ‘light-sensitive.’ When we take a picture, we’re recording the visible light bouncing off an object. There is, however, a specialty film that allows us to take wicked photos of infrared light, but that’s a discussion for another day (once I get the film developed).

So keeping this definition in mind, I wondered if it was possible to take pictures of an object made of glow-in-the-dark materials. Would it emit enough light for me to take a picture? Obviously yes.

To shoot this photo, I focused on the dolphin while the light was still on. I then turned the light off, and experimented with different exposure times. You definitely need a tripod to do this.

I did have to adjust the exposure and brightness in Photoshop Elements. Although the image showed up in the LCD panel of my camera, the picture was blank when I opened it on the computer. Never a pleasant feeling. Trust me.

Remember, part of the fun of photography is being creative and exploring new way of taking photos. So go out an experiment. That’s your assignment for this week.

Side note: The dolphin is a symbol I've woven into my novel, Lost in a Heartbeat. Hence why this dude has a glow-in-dark heart. But contrary to what my kids believe, it isn't a story about a dolphin who lost his heart.

Tip # 57: The Color of Temperature

Back in the olden *cough* days, when everyone used film, the typical amateur photographer would buy her film without paying any attention that it was labeled daylight film. But what is daylight film, and what does it have to do with you since you use a digital camera?

Daylight film refers to film designed for—hold on to your seat—daylight or natural lighting. Camera flashes were designed to mimic the white light of daylight. If you use the film (same deal with digital cameras) in a setting lit by artificial light, then the color of the individual’s going to look weird. In tungsten lighting (e.g. your table lamp), your subject will take on an orange hue. Under fluorescent light, you’re friend will turn a-not-so appealing shade of green.
To correct for this, you can use film that was specifically designed for these purposes, or use a lens filter that corrects the color. In tungsten lighting, you would use a blue filter. This is not necessary with the digital cameras. Yay!

With a digital SLR camera (and maybe with some of the digital point and shoot cameras), you can adjust the color temperature on your camera. See your manual to find out how for your particular make and model. You can also adjust the color temperature when you open the picture, if it is saved in the RAW format. Most digital point and shoot cameras save pictures as JPEG files, so you have to make the adjustments using a photo editing program such as Photoshop Elements. With the RAW format, you can easily make the color temperature cooler (add a blue tinge to it) or warmer.

In the photo on the left, the shot was taken in front of my computer screen while the room was dark. This caused the bulb and keyboard to look blue. I didn’t adjust the color temperature. On the photo on the right, I adjusted the setting so that the picture was warmer, and the bulb looked normal. If the picture had been taken in daylight, I could have made it look blue by adjusting the color temperature (sliding it to the left). This opens you up to all kinds of creative possibilities.

Don’t worry those of you who aren’t able to use the cool RAW feature. I’ll be discussing in the New Year how to get similar effects with a JPEG file.

Tip # 56: ’Tis the season

’Tis the season for holiday cheer and Christmas lights. And what better way to start the season than to explain how I created these super cool shots.

They’re really easy. For the picture on the left, I set the aperture at F4.5. The one on the right was taken at F8.0. The camera speed was adjusted accordingly. Both were purposefully out of focus.

As you can see, the large aperture (F4.5) resulted in a circular shape, the smaller one (F8.0) a hexagon. Pretty cool, huh? It looks awesome with colored lights, but unfortunately none of ours work. Guess it’s time for some new ones.

Tip # 55: Be a Drag!

Dragging the shutter is a cool technique that professional photographers use when shooting pictures in a room and they want to include some of the ambient lighting in the picture.

In the first photo, the speed was set at 15 seconds (obviously I used a tripod) to capture the glowing flame. However, you see little else of the scene.

In the second picture, I used a flash, and the camera speed was set at 1/60 second. You can see the scene, but the glow of the candle is lost.

In the final picture, the camera speed was set at 15 seconds (like in the first shot) and I used the flash. This time, you can see the setting and the pumpkin, but the glowing effect of the candle is still there. It doesn’t look like the wind extinguished the flame. A much better picture than the other two.

Try it out for yourself, and experiment with all kinds of possibilities. The key is to set the speed according to the ambient light and let the flash add whatever else is needed.

Tip #54: Batteries + Cold Weather

Batteries + cold weather doesn’t equal true love forever.

If you’re planning to take photos during a cold day, make sure you pack tons of batteries, and keep them in a warm place. The temperature has an annoying habit of sucking them of their energy. Not what you want to happen when you’re outside shooting pictures. Also, keep your camera tucked in your jacket—preferably close to your body—to keep the camera warm. You’ll be glad you did.

Tip # 53: Shooting Your Pumpkin

There are two ways of taking pumpkin pictures: with or without the flash.

Most people use the flash since it’s the easiest method (picture on the left). But to me, you lose the cool glowing effect of the candle by doing this. The picture on the right was taken while experimenting with the exposure to see what I liked best. If I wanted just the facial features to glow in a sea of darkness, then I exposed for the light. I zoomed in so the light source took up most of the view, adjusted the speed according to the exposure, then recompose the picture. If, as in this photo, I wanted to reveal a little more of the pumpkin, then I adjusted the exposure (the speed) so that the camera took in consideration both the dark and light areas of the scene.


The best thing to do is play around with different exposures (underexpose, regular exposure, and overexpose) to see which effect you prefer. And remember, you’ll need a tripod or a stable surface for your camera; otherwise, the picture will be blurry due to the long exposure times.

Have a great Halloween!

Tip # 52: Mood Counts

When planning your pictures, decide what mood you want to convey. That will impact your choice of lighting.

In this picture, I wanted a serious look. This, though, was partly dictated by the available light. We were staying in a hotel, and the balcony door was north facing with the forest and mountain reducing the amount of light reaching our room. The exposure was set according to the light falling on the boy’s face so that the background, which was medium brown, was thrown into shadow. Honestly, the room wasn't as dark as it looks here.

Assignment: Study pictures in magazines or online and see how the lighting affects the mood of the picture.

Tip #50: Great Bug Chill Out

Want to know the secrets to getting great bug shots like you see in magazines? Here are a few pointers to get you started.


Live where they do

Okay, if you life in Canada—like moi—you’re not going to find a cool Praying Mantis wandering about your backyard. At least you won’t find them in Southern Alberta. For those shots, you need to visit the tropics or maybe the zoo (assuming they have a bug exhibit). Otherwise, you have to be content with what favors your backyard or local parks.

Consider the time of day

Both of these shots were taken late afternoon or early evening when the bugs were drowsy. Some bugs, like lady bugs, tend to be quieter when it’s hot; whereas others, such as bees, won’t stay still long enough for you to take a shot of them during the heat of the day.

Types of lens

The dragonfly was pretty big to begin with, so I was able to shoot the picture with the macro feature on my lens. It’s not the same thing as using a specialty macro lens, though. If you’re really into taking bug shots, then you might want to invest in one of the high price lenses that are designed for close up work. Talk to your professional camera store to find out which focal length is best for your needs. Just remember, they can only be used on a SLR camera.

The bee shot was taken with the same lens I used for the dragonfly, but I added a close up filter designed to magnify the bug. Just like a magnifying glass. It’s cheaper than buying the specialty lens. There are pros and cons to consider when going this route, but for my purpose, it was perfect.

Some camera makes (Nikon and Canon) also allow for equipment such as extension tubes and bellows, which are also cheaper than buying a specialty lens. These are found only through professional camera stores.

Don’t forget your tripod

This is essential, especially if you’re taking pictures in the evening when the lighting is less than idea (tip # 8) or if you’re using a lens filter which automatically narrows your depth of field (tip # 7). This will help keep your camera steady. Unfortunately the sunflower—where the bee was hanging out—was nodding in the ever-so-slight breeze. I also had to take tons of shots to get a few goods ones because the bee kept moving as she gathered the pollen. Yes, I know it’s a she because apparently the only thing male bees do is have sex with the queen. Yup, go figure.

Other secrets

Ready for this one? Your mom might not appreciate it, though. A lot of bugs you see in those cool magazine shots are either dead or have been refrigerated. Pleasant, huh? Those of us who live in colder climates can attest to how much slower we get during the winter. Makes sense the bugs feel the same way after a spell in the fridge or freezer. Just don’t forget they’re there. You don’t want to freak your mom out, right?

So there you go. Five secrets to great bug shots. Enjoy!

Tip # 49: Play Around with Different Perspectives

Try shooting your subject from different angles, times of day, distances, etc., instead of taking one picture and moving on.

For example, the picture on the left was taken further away, and around late afternoon. See how the angle of the sun highlights one half of the teen’s body, thus emphasizing him against the dark backdrop of the bridge. The picture on the right was taken early evening, when the sun was behind the hill, but because of the angle of the camera, and the proximity of me to the teen, you can easily see her against the water.

Another thing to remember when you’re taking actions shots, is to take tons of pictures. In the end, only a few of them might work, so you don’t want to risk missing that perfect shot because you only took a couple. When your subject is moving, it’s hard to capture the exact moment unless you’ve taken lots of pictures. And even then, there’s no guarantee.

Taking the Challenge

Today I went for a run.

Nothing unusual about that, really. I normally run almost everyday. And most days, I run pushing my five year old in the chariot. No biggie. Except today I decided to run (literally) to Walmart. Nine to twelve miles from my house, one way. Uphill.

Naturally I had plenty of time to think, and as I ran against a stiff wind, I realized just how much running has in common with my writing and photography. Sometimes it’s so easy to stay in our comfort zone, we don’t realize how much we benefit from pushing ourselves that much further, and trying things we might not have otherwise considered.

So my question for you. How have you challenged yourself lately, and was it worth it? For me, I get to have ice cream tonight. And yes, it was worth it. Okay, I might not feel that way tomorrow. But hey, too late now to change my mind.

Tip # 48: Getting Your Inspiration

Magazines are an incredible source of information. Look beyond the makeup and hairstyle tips, the cool friendship quizzes, the latest fashion-must-haves, and find the poses that really call to you.

These pictures are a great way to show your friend what you’re looking for, but don’t let her dwell too long on the pose, trying to get it just so. You want to give her the general ideal then let her play around with it and have fun. The best part is, you can use the pose with another friend, and she’ll have a completely different take on it.

So start now, and make a file of all the pictures that inspire you. Your photos will look better for it. Trust me.

Tip # 47: What Makes Your BFF Special?

Does your friend have a hobby or interest she’s known for or proud of? Make sure you take photos of her that include objects that highlight this interest. These are known as props.

Props can be anything, as these three photos show. They can be as simple as a chair, book, musical instrument, sunglasses, or hat. They’re great for adding interest to the photo, and a perfect way to give your friend something to do with her hands.

Check out previous posts on composition (tip # 30), and you’re be on your way to producing great photos using these invaluable objects.

Tip # 46: One Is Never Enough

Have you ever noticed how when you take a photo of your friend, it sometimes ends up looking painful? Instead of smiling, she’s grimacing or she blinked at the wrong time.

The best thing to do is take tons of photos (cheap to do thanks to digital cameras), and you’ll be guaranteed some great shots. It will also help with those first pictures where we tend to look uncomfortable and nervous. The other advantage of doing this is you’ll capture some priceless expressions.
If you can, use a tripod and a cable release (mostly used with SLR cameras), then your friend won’t know exactly when you’re taking the photo, and it enables you to interact with her face-to-face instead of camera-to-face.

So remember, one is never enough.