A group portrait is one of the most difficult portrait genres, since the photographer is faced with the task of conveying the emotions and appearance of not one person, but several people at once. Most average photographers approach a group portrait in a trite way - all under the ruler, smile, and you're done. However, if you want to fill up with good photos, you will need a professional approach.
Technical points
Tripod
For shooting in poor lighting conditions, such as indoors, a tripod is a must. Nevertheless, even on the street, it will help to attract additional attention of your models, and most importantly, to get photos with the same frame boundaries, which will be useful for the photographer in post-processing, in case some frames have to be combined.
Optics
For group portraits, lenses with a standard focal length, namely, from 35 to 50 mm, are best suited. Wide-angle lenses are best avoided, as they distort the figures of people who are closer to the camera. However, using the standard one, you need to calculate the distance to the group and choose the shooting location carefully, as you may need more space.
Focus
Avoid shallow depth of field (apertures smaller than f4). When shooting group portraits, this usually results in someone in the group coming out of focus. To ensure that all models come out equally sharp, DO NOT shoot at the lowest allowed apertures such as f1.4 and f2.
Burst shooting
If your camera supports continuous shooting, this is the best solution for group portraits. When shooting large groups of people or complex group portraits that include children or animals, the neighboring frame may be better, and when processed, you can copy the successful facial expression of a blinking or turning away model.
Light
Light is one of the most important components of any portrait. If shooting outdoors, try to avoid harsh midday shadows by shooting in the shade, or shoot in the morning or evening when the sun is low and the light is softer. Pay attention to the direction of the light. On the face of models there should not be ugly deep shadows under the eyes or under the nose. If you are shooting a group portrait indoors, use a tripod or . It is better to remove the flash from the camera or bounce it off the walls or ceiling.
Organizational moments
Training
Models (especially children) run out of patience the fastest if you take a long time to prepare for the shoot. Therefore, before demanding the attention of the person being portrayed, prepare for shooting, namely:
1. Find a good shooting location. If we are talking about a prearranged shooting on the street, it is better to look at everything before the start of the photo shoot, to find interesting angles and backgrounds even before the clients appear.
2. Consider pose and composition.
3. Check the readiness of the camera: battery power, etc., prepare the flashes.
4. Warn people that posing for one shot can take several minutes.
Large groups
When there are a lot of people, one of them may turn away or be distracted. To avoid this:
1. Smile and be friendly - people will want to work with you (this does not only apply to large groups).
2. When staging, try to keep an eye on those who are overly distracted.
3. Ask all the models to do some kind of general action: shout “Hurrah!”, sing a song, wave your hand - this will attract attention to you.
Composition and poses
This is the most important part of shooting. It will depend on the composition and posing of the pose whether you managed to convey the unity of the group. First of all, you need to decide how strict the requirements are for the client. Does he need a group portrait where everyone is clearly visible and everyone looks into the frame, or does he agree to creative photographs and you will have more freedom?
Poses
The most difficult are groups in which there are people with a large difference in height. For example, children and adults, or men and women of different heights. For this case, you can try several different schemes.
1. The tallest models can be seated on benches / chairs / armchairs, children can be placed on the arms of tall models. Thus, the issue of a large difference in growth will be resolved. Those who no longer fit on their knees can be placed behind the backs of those sitting. So, we will get three rows: behind the model of average height, in the middle - high-growth models sitting on chairs / bench; in the foreground are models of short stature in the hands of those sitting. Models of short stature can also not be kneeled, but removed while standing. Here is an example of such a setup:
The photo itself is not very successful, but clearly illustrates the pose.
2. Tall adults - in the background, standing; short adults - in the foreground, along the edges; children are in the foreground, in the middle.
3. Adults - sitting, children - standing.
If the people being photographed are about the same height, arranging them in one strict ruler is the worst option. Someone should sit, someone should stand, or, when shooting on the street, in places where there are steps or other elevations that can create different levels - you must definitely use these elevations:
When it comes to shooting at home, it is best to create an atmosphere for a relaxed shot, use the furniture in the house to the maximum so that the photo looks natural. For example, the same handles of chairs and sofas, on which it is usually not customary to sit, can be perfectly used for models:
Finally, don't be a boring photographer. A creative approach to shooting will only please customers:
Typical examples of productions for family photo shoots can be seen in this video:
Subtleties
- When shooting a group portrait, make sure that none of the models obscure those standing behind them - all faces must be clearly visible.
- Ask models not to tilt their heads - this will help you avoid double chins.
- A group portrait is best taken without headgear. If clients do insist on hats or caps, set the camera just below their eye level and use it to highlight shadows - usually hats and other headwear with brims create shadows on faces.
It is better to choose the background in such a way that it does not dominate the models. The background should not have many small distracting details, it should be more or less uniform, but not boring. A beautiful staircase against the sky is a great option. Forest landscapes, urban exterior designs, and so on are also suitable.
Composition
1. The basic, simplest principle for constructing a composition in group portraits is that when people are arranged in a group, the combination of their faces forms a triangle or other geometric figure.
Painting examples:
Photo example:
2. Another principle is the arrangement of faces along the diagonals. When building models in a portrait under each other or next to each other, faces line up vertically or horizontally, and the composition is more boring. It looks more advantageous if the faces can be arranged diagonally. Combinations of horizontals and diagonals look good. The diagonal may even be slightly pronounced, but it will look better than the horizontal.
3. In addition to faces, it is imperative to monitor hands. Pay attention to the group portraits above - the hands everywhere emphasize the pose or are busy with something, and not just hang inactive along the body. Hands can also emphasize the commonality of the group. Pay attention to this picture - the hands here bind the composition together.
4. Use different angles. You can not only arrange the group at different levels (for example, on the steps of the stairs), but also climb the stairs yourself to get an upper angle. This is especially true for large groups.
Top view:
Bottom view:
5. Use different plans. Some of the models can be placed further away, others can be placed closer to the camera.
If you have any questions or additions on the topic of a group portrait, write to me in the comments, do not be shy, I am attentive to criticism and requests from readers.
It's time for a group photo. All group photos can be divided into three types. The first includes collective photographs of people, sustained in a strict, official style. The second includes less formal shots with friends. And the third type of group photo is shooting with family members. Below are examples of group photography poses and tips for those who want to learn how to take photos with multiple people.
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1 . When you have to work with a large number of people in the frame, it is very difficult to follow the posture of each person. This is not required - try to focus your attention on the composition in general, try to imagine the whole group of people as a whole. Make sure that the faces of each of the participants in the group shot are visible.
2 . It so often happens that when trying to capture all the people in a group photo, you cannot do without a full-length composition. Such pictures are usually formal in nature and here, again, the main emphasis should remain on the clear visibility of all faces.
3 . If possible, try to take a picture while towering over your subject. Take advantage of the balcony or climb on the car, an unusual angle can suddenly enhance the photo, make it more lively and emotional.
4 . On some frames it is better to place the participants separately from each other than to collect them in a "friendly" company. This technique is great for taking a picture of a small team, a musical group, or work colleagues. If the group has a leader, it should be brought to the fore and, thereby, strengthen the composition.
5 . Pretty standard framing for shots with friends, right? But if it still works, then why not use it?
6 . The position is ideal for a group of close friends. Ask everyone in the group shot to stand closer to each other, lean their heads back and lean slightly towards the camera.
7 . In nature or at home, ask friends to lie down so that their heads form a general circle while you shoot them from above.
8 . The atmosphere of mutual support will be created by the following composition: put the leader of the team in the foreground, ask the person following him to look at the camera over the shoulder of the person in front and, bending slightly towards the lens. In this sequence, one by one, line up all the people in the frame.
9 . The above position can be played up by changing the depth of field. Again we put the leader of the group in the foreground, and we line up the rest of the participants behind his back and ask them to look into the lens, leaning in a checkerboard pattern. Take pictures with different apertures, later, on the computer, sort photos with the focus on the leader or colleagues behind him.
10 . For a positive and dynamic shot for close friends, ask them to jump while holding hands after a short run towards the camera.
11 . An interesting composition will come from a small group of people lined up in a row. Make sure all faces are clearly visible and in frame before shooting. Position yourself near the person in the foreground and shoot wide open. Of course, the faces of those furthest in the row will be blurred, but they cannot deny that the end result is worth it.
12 . Some tips for family photos. Most often, you have to shoot at home, on your favorite couch - creativity is inappropriate in such an environment, but a few tips will quite help save a family photo. Try to fill the frame tightly with all family members, and only with them, and not with home furniture or carpets, no matter how expensive they are.
13 . A good place for a family photo is a park bench or a sandy beach. Do not forget that seated people need to be removed from the same level as them.
14 . Ask family members to lie down on the floor and lean against each other, propping their heads up with their hands, while you yourself take a low point of view.
15 . A universal position for any number of family members, it can be built both in nature and at home, lying on the bed.
16 . A homemade photo of a family comfortably nestled on their favorite couch.
17 . A non-standard shooting angle will help to diversify a family photo on a home sofa. Take a position behind the back of the couch and ask all family members to turn to face you.
18 . Another version of the frame from behind the back of the sofa.
19 . An absolutely universal way to take a family photo with children - just ask the kids to hug adults by the shoulders.
20 . The simplest pose for a full-length photo, suitable for any number of people in the frame.
21 . When photographing a family on a walk, ask them to hold hands and set the camera to continuous shooting mode, keep focus as the subject approaches. After downloading the photos to your computer, sort out the best shots in motion.
And the last tip - fantasize, change the frame setting until you get exactly the result that you need for your conditions and subject. Let the traditional positions be the impetus for your own discoveries!
The article was prepared based on the materials of the siteIt is quite difficult to learn how to take good pictures if you do not know the basics and main terms and concepts in photography. Therefore, the purpose of this article is to give a general understanding of what photography is, how the camera works and to get acquainted with the basic photographic terms.
Since today, film photography has already become mostly history, we will continue to talk about digital photography. Although 90% of all terminology is unchanged, the principles of obtaining a photograph are the same.
How a photo is taken
The term photography means drawing with light. In fact, the camera captures the light entering through the lens onto the matrix and, based on this light, an image is formed. The mechanism of how an image is obtained on the basis of light is quite complex and many scientific papers have been written on this topic. By and large, detailed knowledge of this process is not so necessary.
How does image formation take place?
Passing through the lens, the light enters the photosensitive element, which fixes it. In digital cameras, this element is the matrix. The matrix is initially closed from light by a shutter (camera shutter), which, when the shutter button is pressed, is removed for a certain time (shutter speed), allowing the light to act on the matrix during this time.
The result, that is, the photograph itself, directly depends on the amount of light that hit the matrix.
Photography is the fixation of light on the matrix of the camera
Types of digital cameras
By and large, there are 2 main types of cameras.
SLR (DSLR) and without mirror. The main difference between them is that in a SLR camera, through the mirror installed in the body, you see the image in the viewfinder directly through the lens.
That is, "what I see, I shoot."
In modern ones without mirrors, 2 tricks are used for this
- The viewfinder is optical and is located away from the lens. When shooting, you need to make a small correction for the shift of the viewfinder relative to the lens. Commonly used on "soap dishes"
- Electronic viewfinder. The simplest example is transferring an image directly to the camera display. Usually used on point-and-shoot cameras, but in SLR cameras this mode is often used in conjunction with optical and is called Live View.
How the camera works
Consider the operation of a SLR camera as the most popular option for those who really want to achieve something in photography.
SLR camera consists of a body (usually - "carcass", "body" - from the English body) and a lens ("glass", "lens").
Inside the body of a digital camera is a matrix that captures the image.
Pay attention to the diagram above. When you look through the viewfinder, light passes through the lens, reflects off the mirror, then refracts in the prism and enters the viewfinder. This way you see through the lens what you are going to shoot. At the moment when you press the shutter button, the mirror rises, the shutter opens, the light hits the matrix and is fixed. Thus, a photograph is obtained.
Now let's move on to the main terms.
Pixel and megapixel
Let's start with the term "new digital age". It belongs more to the computer field than to photography, but it is important nonetheless.
Any digital image is created from small dots called pixels. In digital photography, the number of pixels in the image is equal to the number of pixels on the camera's matrix. Actually the matrix also consists of pixels.
If you magnify any digital image many times over, you will notice that the image consists of small squares - these are pixels.
A megapixel is 1 million pixels. Accordingly, the more megapixels in the camera's matrix, the more pixels the image consists of.
If you zoom in on the photo, you can see the pixels.
What gives a large number of pixels? Everything is simple. Imagine that you are painting a picture not with strokes, but with dots. Can you draw a circle if you only have 10 points? It may be possible to do this, but most likely the circle will be "angular". The more dots, the more detailed and accurate the image will be.
But here lies two catch, successfully exploited by marketers. Firstly, megapixels alone are not enough to get high-quality pictures, for this you still need a high-quality lens. Secondly, a large number of megapixels is important for printing photos in a large size. For example, for a poster in the entire wall. When viewing a picture on a monitor screen, especially reduced to fit the screen, you will not see the difference between 3 or 10 megapixels for a simple reason.
A monitor screen will usually fit a lot fewer pixels than your image contains. That is, on the screen, when compressing a photo to the size of a screen or less, you lose most of your “megapixels”. And a 10 megapixel photo will turn into a 1 megapixel one.
Shutter and exposure
The shutter is what covers the camera's sensor from light until you press the shutter button.
Shutter speed is the amount of time the shutter opens and the mirror rises. The slower the shutter speed, the less light will hit the matrix. The longer the exposure time, the more light.
On a bright sunny day, to get enough light on the sensor, you need a very fast shutter speed - for example, as little as 1/1000 of a second. At night, it may take a few seconds or even minutes to get enough light.
Exposure is specified in fractions of a second or in seconds. For example 1/60sec.
Diaphragm
Aperture is a multi-blade baffle located inside the lens. It can be completely open or closed so that there is only a small hole for light.
The aperture also serves to limit the amount of light that eventually reaches the lens matrix. That is, shutter speed and aperture perform the same task - regulating the flow of light entering the matrix. Why use exactly two elements?
Strictly speaking, the diaphragm is not a required element. For example, in cheap soap dishes and cameras of mobile devices, it is absent as a class. But the aperture is extremely important to achieve certain effects associated with depth of field, which will be discussed later.
Aperture is denoted by the letter f followed by a fraction followed by the aperture number, for example, f / 2.8. The lower the number, the more open the petals and the wider the hole.
ISO sensitivity
Roughly speaking, this is the sensitivity of the matrix to light. The higher the ISO, the more sensitive the sensor is to light. For example, in order to get a good shot at ISO 100, you need a certain amount of light. But if there is little light, you can set ISO 1600, the matrix will become more sensitive and you will need several times less light for a good result.
What would seem to be the problem? Why make a different ISO when you can make the maximum? There are several reasons. Firstly, if there is a lot of light. For example, in winter, on a bright sunny day, when there is only snow all around, we will have the task of limiting a colossal amount of light and a large ISO will only interfere. Secondly (and this is the main reason) is the appearance of “digital noise”.
Noise is the scourge of the digital matrix, which manifests itself in the appearance of "grain" in the photo. The higher the ISO, the more noise, the worse the quality of the photo.
Therefore, the amount of noise at high ISO is one of the most important indicators of the quality of the matrix and the subject of continuous improvement.
In principle, the noise performance at high ISOs for modern DSLRs, especially the top-class ones, is at a fairly good level, but it is still far from ideal.
Due to technological features, the amount of noise depends on the actual, physical dimensions of the matrix and the dimensions of the matrix pixels. The smaller the matrix and the more megapixels, the higher the noise.
Therefore, the "cropped" matrices of cameras of mobile devices and compact "soap dishes" will always make much more noise than professional DSLRs.
Exposure and Expopara
Having become acquainted with the concepts - shutter speed, aperture and sensitivity, let's move on to the most important thing.
Exposure is a key concept in photography. Without understanding what exposure is, you are unlikely to learn how to photograph well.
Formally, exposure is the amount of exposure to a photosensitive sensor. Roughly speaking - the amount of light that hit the matrix.
Your picture will depend on this:
- If it turned out too light, then the image is overexposed, too much light got on the matrix and you “lit up” the frame.
- If the picture is too dark, the image is underexposed, you need more light on the matrix.
- Not too light, not too dark means the exposure is right.
From left to right - overexposed, underexposed and properly exposed
Exposure is formed by selecting a combination of shutter speed and aperture, which is also called "expopara". The task of the photographer is to choose a combination so as to provide the necessary amount of light to create an image on the matrix.
In this case, the sensitivity of the matrix must be taken into account - the higher the ISO, the lower the exposure should be.
focus point
The focus point, or simply the focus, is the point that you have "sharpened". To focus the lens on an object means to choose the focus in such a way that this object turns out to be as sharp as possible.
Modern cameras usually use autofocus, a complex system that allows you to automatically focus on a selected point. But the principle of autofocus depends on many parameters, such as lighting. In poor lighting, autofocus may miss or fail to do its job at all. Then you have to switch to manual focusing and rely on your own eyes.
Eye focus
The point on which autofocus will focus is visible in the viewfinder. Usually it is a small red dot. Initially, it is in the center, but on SLR cameras, you can choose a different point for a better frame composition.
Focal length
Focal length is one of the characteristics of a lens. Formally, this characteristic shows the distance from the optical center of the lens to the matrix, where a sharp image of the object is formed. Focal length is measured in millimeters.
The physical definition of the focal length is more important, and what is the practical effect. Everything is simple here. The longer the focal length, the more the lens "brings" the object. And the smaller the "angle of view" of the lens.
- Lenses with a short focal length are called wide-angle ("width") - they do not "zoom in" anything, but they capture a large angle of view.
- Lenses with a long focal length are called long-focal lenses, or telephoto lenses ("telephoto").
- are called "fixes". And if you can change the focal length, then this is a “zoom lens”, or, more simply, a zoom lens.
The zooming process is the process of changing the focal length of the lens.
Depth of field or DOF
Another important concept in photography is DOF - depth of field. This is the area behind and in front of the focus point where objects in the frame look sharp.
With a shallow depth of field, objects will be blurred already a few centimeters or even millimeters from the focus point.
With a large depth of field, objects at a distance of tens and hundreds of meters from the focus point can be sharp.
Depth of field depends on the aperture value, focal length and distance to the focus point.
You can read more about what determines the depth of field in the article ""
Aperture
Aperture is the bandwidth of a lens. In other words, this is the maximum amount of light that the lens is able to pass to the matrix. The larger the aperture, the better and the more expensive the lens.
Aperture depends on three components - the minimum possible aperture, focal length, as well as the quality of the optics itself and the optical design of the lens. Actually, the quality of optics and the optical design just affect the price.
Let's not go into physics. We can say that the aperture ratio of the lens is expressed by the ratio of the maximum open aperture to the focal length. Usually, it is the aperture ratio that manufacturers indicate on lenses as a number 1:1.2, 1:1.4, 1:1.8, 1:2.8, 1:5.6, etc.
The larger the ratio, the greater the luminosity. Accordingly, in this case, the lens 1: 1.2 will be the most aperture
Carl Zeiss Planar 50mm f/0.7 is one of the fastest lenses in the world
The choice of lens for aperture should be treated wisely. Since aperture is dependent on aperture, a fast lens at its minimum aperture will have a very shallow depth of field. Therefore, there is a chance that you will never use f / 1.2, because you simply will not be able to properly focus.
Dynamic Range
The concept of dynamic range is also very important, although it doesn't come up very often. Dynamic range is the ability of a matrix to transmit both bright and dark areas of an image without loss.
You probably noticed that if you try to remove the window while in the center of the room, then the picture will show two options:
- The wall on which the window is located will turn out well, and the window itself will be just a white spot
- The view from the window will be clearly visible, but the wall around the window will turn into a black spot
This is due to the very large dynamic range of such a scene. The difference in brightness between inside the room and outside the window is too big for a digital camera to capture in its entirety.
Another example of a large dynamic range is landscape. If the sky is bright and the bottom is dark enough, then either the sky in the picture will be white or the bottom is black.
A typical example of a high dynamic range scene
We see everything normally, because the dynamic range perceived by the human eye is much wider than that perceived by camera matrices.
Bracketing and exposure compensation
There is another concept associated with exposure - bracketing. Bracketing is the sequential shooting of several frames with different exposures.
The so-called automatic bracketing is usually used. You give the camera the number of frames and the exposure offset in steps (stops).
Most often three frames are used. Let's say we want to take 3 frames at a 0.3 stop offset (EV). In this case, the camera will first take one frame with the specified exposure value, then with an exposure shifted by -0.3 stops, and a frame with a shift of +0.3 stops.
As a result, you will get three frames - underexposed, overexposed and normally exposed.
Bracketing can be used to more accurately match exposure settings. For example, you are not sure that you have chosen the correct exposure, shoot a series with bracketing, look at the result and understand in which direction you need to change the exposure, up or down.
Example shot with exposure compensation at -2EV and +2EV
Then you can use exposure compensation. That is, you set it on the camera in the same way - take a frame with exposure compensation of +0.3 stops and press the shutter button.
The camera takes the current exposure value, adds 0.3 stops to it and takes a picture.
Exposure compensation can be very handy for quick adjustments when you have no time to think about what needs to be changed - shutter speed, aperture or sensitivity in order to get the correct exposure and make the picture brighter or darker.
Crop factor and full frame sensor
This concept came to life along with digital photography.
Full-frame is considered to be the physical size of the matrix, equal to the size of a 35mm frame on film. In view of the desire for compactness and the cost of manufacturing a matrix, “cropped” matrices are installed in mobile devices, soap dishes and non-professional DSLRs, that is, reduced in size relative to full-frame.
Based on this, a full-frame matrix has a crop factor equal to 1. The larger the crop factor, the smaller the area of the matrix relative to the full frame. For example, with a crop factor of 2, the matrix will be half as large.
A lens designed for a full frame, on a cropped matrix, will capture only part of the image
What is the disadvantage of a cropped matrix? Firstly, the smaller the matrix size, the higher the noise. Secondly, 90% of the lenses produced over the decades of the existence of photography are designed for the size of a full frame. Thus, the lens "transmits" the image based on the full size of the frame, but the small cropped sensor perceives only a part of this image.
white balance
Another characteristic that appeared with the advent of digital photography. White balance is the process of adjusting the colors of an image to produce natural tones. The starting point is pure white.
With the right white balance - the white color in the photo (for example, paper) looks really white, and not bluish or yellowish.
The white balance depends on the type of light source. For the sun, he is one, for cloudy weather, another, for electric lighting, the third.
Usually beginners shoot on automatic white balance. This is convenient, since the camera itself chooses the desired value.
But unfortunately, automation is not always so smart. Therefore, pros often set the white balance manually, using a sheet of white paper or another object that has a white color or as close to it as possible.
Another way is to correct the white balance on the computer after the picture has been taken. But for this it is highly desirable to shoot in RAW
RAW and JPEG
A digital photograph is a computer file with a set of data from which an image is formed. The most common file format for displaying digital photos is JPEG.
The problem is that JPEG is a so-called lossy compression format.
Let's say we have a beautiful sunset sky, in which there are a thousand semitones of various stripes. If we try to save all the variety of shades, the file size will be simply huge.
Therefore, when saved, JPEG throws out “extra” shades. Roughly speaking, if there is blue in the frame, a little more blue and a little less blue, then JPEG will leave only one of them. The more “compressed” a Jpeg is, the smaller its size, but the less colors and image details it conveys.
RAW is a "raw" data set fixed by the camera's matrix. Formally, this data is not yet an image. This is the raw material for creating an image. Due to the fact that RAW stores a complete set of data, the photographer has a lot more options for processing this image, especially if some kind of "error correction" made at the shooting stage is required.
In fact, when shooting in JPEG, the following happens, the camera transmits “raw data” to the camera’s microprocessor, it processes them according to the algorithms embedded in it “to make it look beautiful”, throws out everything superfluous from its point of view and saves the data in JPEG which you see on the computer as the final image.
Everything would be fine, but if you want to change something, it may turn out that the processor has already thrown out the data you need as unnecessary. This is where RAW comes to the rescue. When you shoot in RAW, the camera simply gives you a set of data, and then do whatever you want with it.
Beginners often bang their foreheads on this - having read that RAW gives the best quality. RAW does not provide the best quality by itself - it gives you many more opportunities to get this best quality in the process of processing a photo.
RAW is the raw material - JPEG is the finished result
For example, upload to Lightroom and create your image "manually".
A popular practice is to shoot RAW+Jpeg at the same time, with the camera saving both. JPEG can be used to quickly view material, and if something goes wrong and a serious correction is required, then you have the original data in the form of RAW.
Conclusion
I hope this article will help those who just want to take photography at a more serious level. Perhaps some terms and concepts will seem too complicated for you, but do not be afraid. In fact, everything is very simple.
If you have suggestions and additions to the article - write in the comments.
To get successful group shots in which all faces are clearly visible, our simple tips and tricks will help you.
Group portrait: how to take the best shots
- Lighting: make sure the room is well lit. In dark rooms, the camera's flash may produce excessive light.
- Location of people: in order to be seen as a group in a photograph, you must stand close to each other. If you're photographing at a wedding or children's birthday, it's best to highlight the newlyweds or birthdays (for example, with fun hats or other accessories).
- Creativity: When shooting a group portrait, think creatively. For example, all participants in the shooting do not have to stand at all; some may crouch, lie down, or even jump.
- How to avoid closed eyes: since blinking is perfectly normal for a human being, you, as a photographer, will need to take several shots. Divide the number of people present by three. For example, if there are nine people in front of you, take three consecutive photos so that you have at least one photo where everyone's eyes are open.
- Communication with people: the photographer must be able to communicate with the people he photographs and give clear instructions. Note that these instructions don't have to be commands, and it's good to let people relax from time to time.
- Shooting time: If you are photographing an event, you should start shooting as early as possible! At the very beginning, all people are still in a good mood and are more willing to be photographed. Do not take pictures at noon - it is better to do it in the afternoon. At noon, the sun often blinds and casts unnecessary shadows. In some cases, it may be better to wait until the sun is covered by clouds. If you are photographing in the late afternoon, when the sun is already setting, you need to remember special ones.
- The shoot place: Naturally, the location of the photograph is also of great importance. Make sure it's suitable for a group shot. If there are a lot of people in the photo, you can arrange them, for example, on a hillside or on the steps of a staircase.
- Perspective: in many cases, a new perspective helps create a completely new frame, so it's a good idea to take multiple photos of the group from different angles.
Modern cameras from phones to high-end DSLRs are designed to make decisions for us. And for the most part, they do the job pretty well. Set your camera to Auto, and more often than not, you'll get fairly sharp, well-exposed photos. If you just want to document the world around you, then do it, switch. The disadvantage of such images is that they look similar to each other - with a uniform depth of field and exposure. If you want to go beyond the automatic settings, you must have a good understanding of your camera, how to use it, and most importantly, what effect the changed settings will have on the final image. Here are five of the most important camera settings and how they affect photography.
ISO
First off, the acronym ISO is terrible, it basically doesn't make sense in terms of photography. It stands for "International Standards Organization" - a European non-governmental organization that ensures that industries use the same standards. As for photography, they guarantee that 800 ISO on Canon is the same as on Nikon, Sony or Fuji. If this standard did not exist, then the settings could not be applied to all brands. So if I took an image with my Canon camera at 1/100 sec. at f/2.8 and ISO 400 and you set the same settings to your Nikon, we wouldn't get the same exposure. Fortunately, all major manufacturers adhere to ISO standards.
This night image required a fast shutter speed to keep details in the fire, so I had to use a highISO(3200). In the next detailed shot you can see the noise in the original fileRAW. (By the way, this photo shows what happens when you release methane from a bubble in the ice of a frozen pond in the northern forests, and then set it on fire).
Yes, yes, but what is ISO? This is a measure of the sensitivity of a digital camera sensor to light. The lower the number, the lower the sensitivity. The higher the number, the greater the sensitivity. If you are photographing in low light conditions, say a dimly lit room or at dusk, an ISO value of 100 will require more light to enter the sensor, as if using a value of 400, 800, or 1600.
Notice the noise in the details of the person's clothing and the dark areas.
Flaws high valuesISO
So why not shoot at a high ISO all the time? There are two reasons: 1. High ISO often creates digital noise in the image (although camera sensors are getting better and better) and 2. Sometimes you need to use a slow shutter speed, in which case you need less sensitivity to light. This may be the case when you want to capture motion blur such as flowing water, wind movement, or create a nice blur in sports photography.
- High ISOs often create digital noise in the image (although camera sensors are getting better and better).
- Sometimes you need to use a slow shutter speed, in which case you need a lower sensitivity to light. This may be the case when you want to capture motion blur such as flowing water, wind movement, or create a nice blur in sports photography.
In short, ISO is one of three tools at your disposal that give you control over exposure.
Excerpt
The length of time the camera's sensor is exposed to light is called exposure. Many cameras have a mechanical shutter that opens and closes to allow light to hit the sensor, others use a digital shutter that simply rotates the sensor for a set amount of time. Exposure has a huge impact on the final image. A slow shutter speed will blur moving objects. As a landscape photographer, I often use slow shutter speeds to blur the movement of water, expose starlight, or convey the movement of wind.
For this image, I used a shutter speed of 0.5 seconds to blur the waves a little, but keep the details.
A 30 second exposure to blur the Yukon River to make the surface look like a mirror.
A fast shutter speed has the effect of freezing motion. Use a shutter speed of 1/2000 second to capture the movement of a runner or cyclist clearly.
This image of a bicycle was taken with a shutter speed of 1/500 second. It was just enough to keep the sharpness at the same time as the feeling of movement in the area of the wheels.
The use of shutter speed must be deliberate in order to create a good image. Think about what kind of photo you want to take. Does it have blurry components or should it be crisp? Do you want to capture or convey a sense of movement? Think, experiment, and then decide on your shutter speed.
Diaphragm
Aperture or f-number can be the most confusing aspect of photography for many photographers because it affects images in unexpected ways. Essentially, aperture refers to the size of the hole in the lens. The smaller the hole, the less light will get inside; the larger the hole, the more light will pass through it. Often people are confused by the numbering system: the lower the number, the larger the hole. So, at f / 2.8, the opening is larger than at f / 4, f / 5.6, f / 8, f / 11, etc. Lenses with the largest possible aperture (small number, like f/2) are considered "fast", meaning they can let in more light.
diaphragmsf/11at 17 mm was enough, to do Everybody image from most the edges before rocks far away sharp.
But it's not just about the light, and how wide the lens can be opened. The aperture also affects the sharpness of the image. Most lenses (dare I say all?) are sharper a few steps down (this is called "sweet spot"). A lens with a maximum aperture of f/2.8 will produce a sharper image at f/8 than at f/2.8. The better the quality of the lens, the less it matters, but it is noticeable with most lenses.
Highly small depth sharpness in this image does bird, hiding in bushes, in focus, a Environment Wednesday from branches blurred in haze.
Depth sharpness and application
Further, the aperture also controls the depth of field. This is the amount of the image that is in focus. When the lens is wide open, such as f/2.8, the image will have a shallower depth of field than at f/11.
As with shutter speed, your use of aperture should be deliberate. Want to get a landscape image that has everything in focus from front to back? Then you'd better choose a high f-number (like f/11). How about a portrait where you want a clean, soft background but a very sharp look? Then use a very small f-number (like f/2.8 or f/4) and keep an eye on the focus point.
Aperture has a direct effect on shutter speed. A large f-number will require the use of a slower shutter speed to ensure adequate exposure. A smaller f-number will allow you to use a fast shutter speed. These two parameters are completely interrelated, there is no way to avoid it, so you MUST understand both.
Balance White
White balance, like ISO, is related to the sensor, but in this case, it has more to do with the color of the light than its intensity.
Different light sources have different shades. Our eyes often can't tell the difference, but you can bet the camera does. Have you ever seen a photo of a home interior lit with soft white lamps as well as a window? Usually, the interior of the room looks natural when the light from the window is artificially blue. This is white balance. The camera (or photographer) uses room light (warm-colored lamps) as a neutral color, and then natural light from a window looks blue.
When the White Balance is set incorrectly, colors are distorted. They look too yellow, blue or orange. When the White Balance is correct, everything looks natural or as our eyes see.
This is the camera's automatic White Balance setting. The colors of the northern lights seem too purple and yellow
In this version, using the same exposure settings in post-processing, I set the White Balance to a bluer range, thereby making the colors more natural and pleasing.
How about auto white balance?
I have to make a confession. I almost always use the automatic white balance mode. The cameras are quite good at distinguishing shades and choose the right White Balance. When it is detected incorrectly, I check the image on the screen and make changes for the next shot. Secondly, I only shoot in RAW, which means I can make adjustments on the computer. I trust the image on the computer monitor more than on the small screen of the camera.
However, there are times when the White Balance needs to be adjusted. First, if you shoot in JPEG. This format will not allow you to adjust the White Balance later, so it must be correct initially. Secondly, in the case of combining images for high-contrast scenes or panoramas. Slightly changing the hue when combining HDR shots or panoramas will make this more difficult or impossible. You can use White Balance when you intentionally want to take a picture in cool or warm tones, or when using artificial lighting. (Now THIS topic warrants a separate article...)
Be mindful of white balance, learn what it means and how it affects your images, and then decide how to use it.
Compensation exposure
Here I've used Exposure Compensation to make sure the image is bright enough to show the details in the foreground and the bright sunset in the background doesn't get overexposed.
These two images show how useful Exposure Compensation can be. The image below was taken in bright sunlight but deliberately underexposed by three stops, turning the mountains black but retaining detail in the sky area, thus creating a surreal image.
Get to know your camera well
Exposure compensation is a tool that you should be able to adjust without even looking at the camera. Exposure compensation allows you to very quickly add or reduce the amount of light in an image. Too dark? Use Exposure Compensation to add light. Too light? Exposure compensation will quickly reduce exposure. Its setting depends on your camera.
I often use the Aperture Priority mode. This means that I choose the aperture and the camera determines the shutter speed. If I set Exposure Compensation, the camera will save the selected aperture and simply recalculate the shutter speed. If I were to use Shutter Priority, as I sometimes do, the camera would set the aperture. In Auto mode, the camera makes these decisions for me.
I use Exposure Compensation all the time. This is my usual way of fine-tuning exposure while shooting. On my Canon DSLR, I can do this with a simple turn of the wheel. On other cameras Exposure compensation is set on the front panel, the dial next to the shutter button, or the same button system on the rear panel. Learn how your camera works and learn how to set it up quickly and efficiently. Understanding these important tools means you won't miss the chance to get a good shot, whether you're outdoors or in the studio.
Conclusion
These five settings are the most important for understanding the camera. Experiment with them to know how they affect the final image and how to change them quickly and without too much fuss. Once you've done that, you're on your way to creating thoughtful images.
