BetterPhoto Instructor Insights

How to Photograph at Night: Vegas Lights

By Kerry Drager

The Las Vegas Strip is always a colorful treat for night photography. On a recent 5-day trip, I devoted time each evening for shooting the Nevada city's bright lights. With my DSLR camera, a single lens (a 50mm "prime" or non-zoom lens), and a small tripod, I spent a string of refreshingly creative times exploring - and photographing at night - in one of the most visually exciting cities around.

The accompanying sequence (see below) was shot from virtually the same spot in front of the Bellagio hotel. My primary goal was to photograph the fantastic fountain performance. As show time neared and people started lining up along the fence in front of the hotel's huge front pool, I found a nice lineup of viewers to serve as silhouetted foreground figures. See the top photo above.

As I often do in tricky low light photography, I started things off with a quick grab shot to check the highlight warning on my LCD monitor - i.e., that my exposures weren't blasting out any important bright areas. Due to the extreme lighting contrast, having the fountain show good detail meant that the shadowed figures in front would be silhouetted, which was just what I wanted.

For these fountain silhouette shots, I was able to shoot around 1/30th of a second, thanks to the use of ISOs ranging from 400 to 800 (which, with my Nikon D3, yield very little noise). Still, to play it safe, since digital camera exposure can be tricky in low light, I set my DSLR for continuous shooting in order to fire off a rapid burst of images. When photographing in low light with some subject movement, I usually choose my camera's continuous shooting mode that almost always ensures sharpness in at least some pictures in the sequence. (Nature photographers frequently use this "trick" when shooting flowers or other delicate plants when there's a breeze.)

After the light and water show ended, I discovered the graphic-design repetition and pattern of the Bellagio's decorative fence. I kneeled down for a low-angle perspective and worked the scene for a variety of compositions, two of which are shown above. While the fountain may have been my main goal, I'll sure enjoy sharing these "bonus" close-up photography images with my online students at BetterPhoto.com.

For my Vegas photos, the 50mm lens worked great. It is very lightweight, very fast (large maximum aperture of f1.8), very affordable, and extremely sharp ... and surprisingly versatile if you "zoom" the old-fashioned way: with your feet :-)

Notes: Learn more about making creative use of night photography and photographing in low light through BetterPhoto.com's online photo courses. Also, BetterPhoto's online photography school offers many classes on digital camera exposure, too.

 
   
 

All photos copyright Kerry Drager

Photography Composition: Work Your Subject

By Kerry Drager

When I come across a scene I like, I try to shoot as many compositions as possible. Rarely do I stumble upon the best camera angle right from the start. It takes time to explore the subject - shooting it from different positions while varying the lens focal length too. Best yet, I often come up with more than one photography composition that I like.

Seattle, Washington, is one of my favorite cities to photograph. Such a visual variety of subjects! And during the BetterPhoto Summit photography conference in Seattle, we visited the Olympic Sculpture Park.

The color contrast of the park's red chairs and green grass caught my eye. (See the images below.) Fortunately, I was able to shoot the scene on two mornings - with two very special kinds of light. On one morning, the white sky produced beautifully soft light - shown in three of the accompanying photos. On the other morning, a low-angled sun created some fine shadows - shown in the image with the three chairs.

All of these photos were captured with my Nikon D3 camera and 70-300mm Nikkor lens. As with all stationary scenes, I also used a tripod - not only to keep the camera rock steady but also for getting the composition as good as possible.

Here's my tripod "workflow": I begin the shooting process without the tripod - by zooming in, zooming out, moving closer, backing up, checking out the view from the side. Only when I find a photographic design that I like do I break out the tripod and fine-tune the framing.

Spending time with your subject is one of the best things you can do to take your photography to the next level. And when you are able return on another day, all the better!

Note: Learn more about making creative use of composition in photography through Kerry Drager's BetterPhoto.com online photography courses: Photography Composition and Creativity and How to Photograph Close-ups.

Also check out the other online photo courses at BetterPhoto.com.

All photos copyright by Kerry Drager

Photographing Nature: Working with Light and Composition

By Kerry Drager

When photographing in the great outdoors, lighting can be just as important as the composition.

On a recent trip to Carson City, Nevada, I was out at sunrise and found beauty in an old fallen tree. But a thin layer of clouds on the horizon continually changed the "look" of the scene as the sun went in and out of the clouds. The wider view of the bottom photo shows the total overcast light - making the log appear fairly "flat", since it had little inherent color. But then the soft low-angled sunlight came out and warmed up the log, as shown in the big close-up image.

I also framed a tight composition, with just enough of the surrounding grasses to provide context. At the same time, the camera position made a difference too. For example, I chose a camera angle that created a strong diagonal line, with the log "moving" from lower left to upper right in the frame. To my eye, that diagonal aspect is far more visually dynamic than if the log were placed perfectly parallel to the picture's borders.

Tech specs for close-up image: f/22 @ 1/15th second; 105mm Nikkor micro lens; tripod

Thanks, Kerry Drager

Creative Close-ups

Photographing Water: Getting That Silky Look!

By Kerry Drager

Some beautiful things happen when light and composition come together, especially when it involves water in motion!

Jane, a family friend, has a beautiful waterfall fountain in her back yard. It's an eye-grabbing scene at any time of day, but for photography, the sunny midday is rarely a satisfactory time for shooting moving water ... often too harsh and contrasty, with washed-out colors. (See the vertical "Before" image below.)

For more pleasing light with better color, you need the soft conditions of overcast or shade. Then, with the "right" camera settings - small aperture (high f/number) and low ISO number - it's possible to capture a smooth and flowing look to the water. See my "After" horizontal close-up image, which also shows another fine evening feature: nice colors. The colors were further enhanced by a polarizing filter that reduced the amount of glare.

Technical data for the main close-up image: evening shade, f16 @ 30 seconds, ISO 200, 80-200 zoom @ 200mm. I also used a polarizing filter, which reduced the amount of glare in the scene. In fact, a polarizer can really make the colors come alive in wet rocks, as it did here. This deep-tinted filter also had another benefit: It further extended the exposure time (by about 2 stops). Of course, a tripod and cable shutter release kept the camera steady.

   

Thanks, Kerry Drager

Creative Close-ups

Photographing Architecture: Zooming In on Graphic Design

By Kerry Drager

Architecture is always a favorite subject of mine. Near my California home, Sacramento offers a cityscape of modern and 19th-century buildings. Whether old or new, however, my approach is the same: Zeroing in tight on graphic-design elements such as patterns, lines, repetitions, etc.

In the accompanying "Before and After" series, the repetition/pattern of the decorative stairway railings caught my eye. My telephoto-zoom lens served a double purpose: 1) to fill the frame with this graphic-design; and 2) to take advantage of the telephoto's unique visual perspective that "compresses" objects and makes them appear closer together than they really are.

The color of light: Soft lighting can be great for architecture, but not all soft light is the same. For both images, I went with my usual sunlight White Balance setting and chose not to tinker with WB in Adobe Camera Raw.The smaller overall view below was captured in the shade of a blue-sky day - resulting in a natural bluish cast. The main photo (close-up) was shot on a different day - under a white overcast sky that produced a more "neutral" tone that I like.

Tech details for repetition close-up: 80-200mm zoom (set at 125mm), f9 @ 1/8th sec., ISO 200; polarizer to reduce glare; tripod and cable shutter release.

 

Thanks, Kerry Drager

Creative Close-ups

Urban Photography: Light, Line & Reflections

By Kerry Drager

When photographing cityscapes filled with distinctive modern buildings, I'm always on the look-out for strong lines and bold reflections. At the same time, beautiful late-day sunlight helps pump up colors and, in general, makes things look soooooo much more dynamic than in harsh middle-day sunlight.

For the accompanying photo, a telephoto zoom (80-200mm) let me zero in tight on this sunset light-and-color scene. I chose an upper part of the glass-walled building that had excellent diagonal lines and that was catching the evening light. I liked the key focal point too: the reflection of a neighboring warm-lit building.

Searching for graphic-design scenes keeps my shooting eye sharp, provides lots of creative fun, and even results in some satisfying images too. Now that's a combination that's hard to beat!

Note: Check out my Creative Light and Composition and Creative Close-ups online photography courses, and also BetterPhoto's digital photography school.

Light, Line & Reflections - (c) Kerry Drager
Sunset, office building, Sacramento CA; f16 @ 1/15 sec; 80-200 zoom set at 200mm; ISO 200; tripod

In Search of Light, Shadow and Graphic Design

By Kerry Drager

I always enjoy getting out and looking for photos - even when I don't have a specific project or assignment in mind. It's a fun and challenging visual workout. And when a low-in-the-sky sun casts a warm glow and long shadows, then things are particularly inspiring!

On a recent photo quest, I discovered a multi-story parking structure amid a group of office buildings. It caught my attention due to its graphic-design potential - a product of architecture and beautiful late-day light. I used my telephoto zoom to zero in for a very tight composition. No sky, no ground, just a nice light-and-shadow show.

Getting out in fine light is a terrific way to escape the creativity doldrums. After all, just about everything looks better in eye-grabbing light - even parking garages!

Note: See my Creative Light and Composition and Creative Close-ups online courses, and also BetterPhoto's online photography school.

AFTER: Light-and-Shadow Pattern (c) Kerry Drager
sunset at parking garage, West Sacramento, CA - 80-200mm zoom @ 170mm; f22 @ 1/60th sec; ISO 200; Nikon D3; tripod

BEFORE: Parking Garage

Nature Photography: The Art of Revisiting Past Successes!

By Kerry Drager

I often return to the scene of previous shoots - particularly landscape or cityscape subjects that I found enticing in the past! There are a number of good reasons why I do this:

1) To stretch my creative vision - by looking for new ways to photograph "old" subjects. 2) To catch the scene in different lighting. 3) To improve upon past efforts - i.e., by fine-tuning a previous composition or by trying a different technique.

A frequent "go to" spot is a nearby country pond, and I photograph there in all types of light with all types of compositions. See the photos below. After catching a wide-angle version during a phenomenal sunset (and writing about it in a recent blog), I returned the other day for another sunset view - Sunset Reflection Close-up below. But although the colors were less vibrant and a slight breeze prevented mirror-like reflections during this followup shoot, I found a telephoto close-up image I liked. As a result, it became an enjoyable revisit to a favorite subject.

Have fun stretching your vision, and best wishes for an outstanding 2008!

Note: See my Creative Light and Composition and Creative Close-ups online courses, and also BetterPhoto's online photography program.

Sunset Reflection Close-up ... (c) Kerry Drager
at my CA country pond; f7.1 @ 1/25th sec.; ISO 200; 80-200mm zoom @200mm; tripod & cable release

Pond Wide-Angle - previous day
(c) Kerry Drager

Great Sunset Sky in the Works? Plan to Be Flexible!

By Kerry Drager

When it comes to sunset photography, it really pays to not only be there - i.e., in a good location with camera in hand - but also to remain flexible in order to take full advantage of the outstanding light.

Late one day just down the street from California's Capitol, I had planned a wide-angle shot of the colorful sky and colorful Sacramento River reflections. But I saw how the low-in-the-sky sun was making the Tower Bridge light up in the warm glow. I then used my telephoto zoom to zero in tight on the graphic-design pattern of strong vertical and diagonal lines. And, as is often the case in late (or early) day, the shadows were all in the right place ... and the bright sunlit colors popped out in contrast.

Have fun getting out and shooting sunsets, but make sure you're ready for an unplanned visual adventure!

Note: See my Creative Light and Composition and Creative Close-ups online courses, and also BetterPhoto's online photography program.

Bridge Pattern at Sunset ... (c) Kerry Drager
Tower Bridge, Sacramento, CA; 80-200 zoom @ 200mm w/Nikon D2X; f/22 @ 1/40th sec; ISO 100; tripod w/cable release

Focusing on Close-up Photography!

By Kerry Drager

I take my camera on just about every trip - even short ones - because I never know what I'll find!

A quick detour to a fairground (no events, but open to the public) revealed an outdoor storage area with rows of colorful portable fencing. The soft light of overcast - ideal for capturing details - and the colorful repetitions caught my eye. I zeroed in tight with my Nikkor 50mm 1.8 lens (compact, relatively inexpensive and verrrry sharp).

More shooting thoughts:

- I chose an off-to-the-side camera position, so the close-up fence posts extended across the frame at a nice diagonal.

- I used my d-SLR camera's Depth of Field Preview to get a desired sharp-to-blur effect (shallow DOF or "selective focus") - via an aperture of f9.5. A lower f/number (wide aperture) had too little sharpness and a higher f/number (small aperture) had more sharpness than I wanted. Without a DOF Preview feature, I would have experimented - by shooting the scene with various f/stops and picking my favorite later.

Note: Check out my Creative Light and Composition and Creative Close-ups online courses, and also BetterPhoto's online photo school.

Yellow & Green Repetition
Soft overcast light; 50mm lens (telephoto with Nikon D2X "crop factor"); F9/5 @ 1/15th second; ISO 100; tripod with cable release