scale

I like to hike. Maila doesn't.

So whenever I take hiking trips I'm always confronted with this dilemma: How do I express, or share, with others the 'scale' of something -- whether it be the grandness of a valley or waterfall, the minuteness of a flower or insect, or the distance of a monument, to take a few examples?

Here is the tip -- introduce something in the photograph to compare the subject to. This provides the viewer with a sense of scale.

Although I haven't mastered the technique yet, I think the best way to illustrate this is to provide some examples.

At first glance, noticing the grass and shrubbery on the left side and the rocks on the right, the hill in this photo may seem to be close by.

However, including my friend James in the photo gives a better idea of the distance and size of the hill. We may start to realize that some of the "grass and shrubbery" in the first photo may may actually be trees.

Including my boot after I passed the waterfall crossing in this photo may help the viewer understand that I was looking down.

Admittedly, these aren't the best of photos, but I hope in some way that they help explain some of the things we can do to help express a sense of scale to our subjects. Until the next tip, enjoy!

jte

how to take a picture

It sounds basic enough. And who really has time to read the part in the camera manuals that tell you how to press the shutter button?

The truth is, there is a little bit more to taking a picture than just pressing the button. The most important thing to remember for today is that pressing the shutter button is a 2-step process. However, we will add steps 1 and 3 to the process below to expand on it a bit.

This applies to all types of cameras. I use the procedure whether I'm holding a camera phone, a simple point-and-shoot, or one of the more advanced SLRs.

1. Zoom in (or out) until your subject fills your screen.
2. Aim the camera at your subject, and press the shutter button HALF-WAY ONLY! (generally, this is your camera's only chance to focus in on the subject). When your camera indicates focus, don't let go of the button!
3. Compose your picture. Remember, your subject doesn't necessarily need to be in the center of the picture.
4. Complete the shot -- by pressing the shutter button all the way.

That's it. These are general principles, and steps 1 and 3 are general rules of composition that you can break if your artistic natures so dictate.

In the future we can cover elements of composition. But for now, enjoy!

jte