I'm still camping in the Outer Banks with family.. and having an absolute blast! I can't wait to share a little sneak peek of our getaway later this week. But today Mason is here to share a bit of his photography wisdom. This guy is one of husband and my best friends and just downright incredible at what he does [his pictures have even been on this very blog, check some of them out here, here, here, here, and here]. Thanks so much for sharing, Mason! You're awesome.
I shoot people, then take them in a dark room in my basement and blow them up.
[Husband and I laughed for about 15 minutes when we read this. In case you're a little confused, please understand that Mason is referring to photography here.. not violence.]
1) YOU DO NOT NEED AN EXPENSIVE OR FANCY CAMERA: Sorry about the all caps, but this is something I get pretty spirited about. Chase Jarvis is one of my favorite photographers and when he was asked what his favorite camera was, he replied "The one that's with me." In this case he was referring to his iPhone, but it's a great mindset to have as a budding photographer. And ESPECIALLY with the improvement/accessibility of technology these days, it's not a hard mindset to have. Camera phones have pretty much killed the "consumer" camera industry and, honestly, are beginning to encroach on the pro market. It's a camera. It fits in your pocket. Do the math.
I took this with my Droid X last year. Not too shabby.
2) Confidence: This one's short and sweet. You can't expect to get great photos while walking on eggshells. Even if it means running across the street, getting too close to the water's edge or (God forbid) embarrassing your friends, go get your shot by any means necessary. Shoot with confidence and worry about explaining yourself later.
Pro tip: If you REALLY want to embarrass your friends, striking a pose helps. Notice how they're all trying desperately not to be seen with me.
3) Composition: You don't take a photograph, you make it. If you only learn one thing about framing a shot, make sure it's the rule of thirds.
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| source To me there's nothing more boring than a picture with the subject framed directly in the middle. I envision a tic-tac-toe board over my viewfinder and try to line up the eyes with the crosshairs of the upper left or right field. This example uses the mouth, but whatever keeps your subject out of the middle works. Also, don't forget to leave headroom. |
4) Editing: Photo editing is an excellent tool, but it's never something that you should rely on. Don't ever go into a shoot thinking "I'll just fix it in post." That mindset leads to crappy shots. If you nail exposure, frame it right and get it in focus, you'll take great photos. It's always better to slightly enhance your work than try to fix it. I'm not saying don't ever edit your shots, in fact I'm saying the opposite. Find your style, your niche. Find a look that you love to replicate and that people will recognize you for. Whether you use Instagram or Photoshop, simply capture beauty in the mundane, and you'll have yourself a great photograph. Also, something that has plagued budding photographer since the dawn of time is the over-editing of their pictures. Including me.. sigh.
Example: Here's a picture that I took at Lena's graduation party. The exposure and framing are good, but I like to add my own flair to my work. I didn't alter the photo in any way, just added a little more contrast and a slight vignette to make the subject pop. Less. Is. More. Say it with me. "Simplicity."
5) Have fun, dangit.
There are so many ways to enjoy yourself while taking pictures. For example, there's nothing more exciting to me than snapping a candid pic of a perfect stranger. Also, photography and travel go together like PB and J, but don't think that you have to fly to Europe to get the perfect shot. There are plenty of opportunities right in your backyard. Photos also make excellent gifts. Print them out, frame them, put them around the house, give them to your friends, heck, give them to strangers! Find out what makes you happy, capture it, repeat.
6) One last thing: Draw as much inspiration as you like from photo blogs, but please. Please. PLEASE. Be original. Here are some great links to get you started: (one) (two) (three) (four) (five)
7) One more last thing: Don't hoard your secrets. Share them with the world. Get out there, take a few thousand pictures, then make your own list.
