Digital Camera World (2019-06)

ules are made to be broken, so the old

saying goes. And that’s certainly the case

with photography, where you really don’t

have to be bound by everything you’ve

learned since first picking up a camera.

Some of the technical aspects of photography are carved

in stone for sound reasons – they have helped define the

visual grammar for the medium for more than 150 years

• but in a world that has never been as saturated with
  photos as the present day, it’s getting ever harder to
  make your images distinctive and to ensure that your
  skills as a photographer really stand out from the crowd.

So over the next 10 pages, we’re going to cast some

conventions to the wind. You’ll learn that some of the

guiding principles of photography can soon become

upended in the hands of imaginative shooters. And

while some of the techniques we’ll be focusing on may

require a little trial and error to produce pleasing results,

none of them is beyond the reach of an enthusiastic

and capable photographer with a creative vision.

So read on to discover how to shoot your most creative

images yet. With longer days on the horizon, you can even

take these tips and tricks on your summer holidays... But

does that horizon really need to be straight?

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10 WAYS TO BREAK THE RULES

“Don’t shoot

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Pick the right place at the right time,

and you can actually get stunning shots

One of the first rules of photography

you’re taught is not to take pictures

into the sun... And with good reason.

You can end up with unpleasant

glares and risk damage to your camera’s

sensor if it’s left exposed to such a bright

light for any period of time.

There are exceptions, though. Placing a

subject – a person or a tree, for example –

between the camera and the sun can give a

pleasing creative effect. And around an hour

after sunrise or before sunset, the sun is lower in

the sky and less harsh, permitting compositions

that feature a lush golden backlight. Think

of how attractive a backlit building can be with

streaks of sunlight emerging from behind it, or

how this light will throw a foreground subject

into silhouette, creating an enigmatic look.

• Important reminder: don’t look directly into
  the sun at any time while you’re shooting

How to get the shot...

Switch to Manual mode for more control

For portraits, use partial or spot metering

for exposure readings local to the subject,

rather than averaged for the whole scene

Shoot with the sun at eye level behind your

subject, for a flattering rim light effect

RULE

1

f/11 100 ISO 1/60 sec

http://www.digitalcameraworld.com JUNE 2019 DIGITAL CAMERA^43

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