Digital Camera World - UK (2022-02)

64 DIGITAL CAMERA^ FEBRUARY 2022 http://www.digitalcameraworld.com

from a tripod slows you down

and provides more time to consider the

composition. It also allows you to have

both hands free when the picture is taken,

so you can hold reflectors, flashguns

and other accessories in position.

Using a tripod allows you to keep the ISO

low for maximum image quality, without

having to worry about the length of the

exposure. But there are ways to guarantee

you get the best performance and squeeze

the last drops of sharpness from your lens.

If you’re using a DSLR, it pays to shoot

with Live View activated, so that the mirror

doesn’t move up and down in the camera

and create vibrations. Your camera may

also have a mirror lockup option that

you can enable when you shoot with

the viewfinder. A mirrorless camera is

permanently in Live View mode, whether

you’re using the screen or the viewfinder,

so there’s no risk of vibration there.

Whatever type of camera you’re using,

use the self-timer to take the picture so that

you don’t nudge the camera inadvertently.

If the tripod is set up on a carpeted floor,

it’s worth putting some heavy, solid objects

under the tripod feet, too, so that you

have the most stable platform possible.

Last, but definitely not least,

Put solid objects under

the tripod feet so that

you have the most

stable platform possible

Have fun with bokeh

Take advantage of festive lights to enhance the mood of your close-ups

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Approaching a small-scale setup

in the same way that you would

a portrait shoot is often a good rule

of thumb. Consider using a longer

focal length (something equivalent

to around 85-100mm) to isolate the

subject against a complementary

background, and setting a larger

aperture to reduce the depth of field.

You can then selectively focus on

the part of the subject that you want

to be sharp, with the rest of the scene

being rendered as a soft blur.

The further the backdrop is from the

subject, the more pronounced the

blur. You can also position something

very close to the lens to create blur

in front of the subject, which can

add a sense of depth to the image.

String lights are a useful accessory

to use for this technique, as the

out-of-focus highlights can add a

pleasing ‘bokeh’ to the background.

The bokeh – or blur quality – will

depend on the lens that you’re using.

Typically, if it’s a fast lens (one that has

a large maximum aperture for its

focal length – such as an 85mm f/1.4

or 100mm f/2.8), the lights will be

rendered as large, soft discs when

the aperture is used wide-open. The

longer the focal length, the greater

the size of the discs in the image.

Set your camera up on a tripod

in a dark room, and set a manual

exposure so the background lights

are exposed correctly. The subject

will be too dark, so illuminate it using

an off-camera flashgun or a torch.

The 15cm subject was placed one metre

from LED light strings draped over

black velvet fabric. The light discs look

OK with the aperture set to f/5.6...

... but using f/2.8 gives more pleasing

blur. Note the ‘cat’s eye’ shape of the

highlights at the edge – some lenses

suffer from this more than others.

Holding lights close to the lens adds

foreground blur. Be prepared to adjust

the exposure when you do this, to make

sure the image doesn’t get too dark.