While you’re shooting, think about how to make your work more artistic
CHOOSe YOUR TeCHniQUe
Location and light are undoubtedly important
when your quest is to create artistic black and
white images. However, the techniques you
use while shooting those images also play an
important role because it helps to define the
way your subject is recorded and the mood of
the final image. It also allows you to put your
own creative stamp on those images.
Capturing motion can make a big difference
to impact and appeal as it adds an extra
dimension that takes the image beyond the
realms of a ‘straight’ photograph. Instead of
merely freezing a moment, you’re recordingthe passing of time in some way, whether it’s
a fraction of a second or many minutes.
There are numerous ways to record motion.
The most popular these days is by using one
of the many ‘extreme’ neutral density (ND)
filters available from Lee, Hitech, NiSi, Hoya
and others, to give exposures of several
minutes in broad daylight. Moving water ends
up as smooth as silk, drifting clouds record
as streaks of tone across the sky, while static
elements remain pin-sharp and contrast
dramatically. For the best results, try to keep
the composition bold and simple. Croppingthe final image to a square can also enhance
its artistic appeal.
Another option is to pan the camera while
making an exposure. If everything in the
scene is static you’ll end up with streaky
abstracts – try it on beach and landscape
scenes for horizontal pans, and woodland for
vertical pans. If your main subject is moving
you can keep it relatively sharp by panning
at the same pace, while the background will
come out streaky and blurred. This technique
works brilliantly on most moving subjects.
Experiment with different shutter speeds,Techniques