Karen Tate Photography

A photographer is invited to a friend’s house for a dinner party. She brings some of her new photos to share. The host looks at the photographs and exclaims, “These are wonderful! You must have a really great camera!” The photographer simply says “thank you,” and the evening continues.

After dinner, the photographer turns to her host and exclaims, “The food was wonderful! You must own some very good pots and pans!”

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We might have some good tools to work with, but *we* are the ones using those tools with skill to make those pretty pictures!

Today let’s talk about more tips for better compositions. Ever wonder why many photos look blah? Been there, done that? Do you want yours to stand out more? Well, one way to make your images more attractive and interesting is to think ahead about what message, story or emotion you’re trying to express. Also be mindful of the foreground, main subject, background, lighting and direction of the light, where you want to lead your viewer’s eyes, and so on. It helps if you try to visualize how you want the picture to look before taking it. That can make a huge difference, and it takes practice, practice, practice!

There are also several photographic “rules,” which are really just guidelines. But they’re important, and once you learn them, you’ll soon discover when it’s better to break them.

The first “rule” I want to mention is the Rule of Thirds. Imagine a tic-tac-toe grid in your viewfinder or LCD. Generally, the most visually-pleasing placement of the most important part of your image, such as the eyes and head, should be at or near one of the intersecting points of the grid, or on one of the gridlines, as shown in the first pelican photo. The second Pelican photo looks tense: the bird has no place to go in the frame, no breathing room. And with the first Pelican, you see a bit more of his environment, and he has space to move. In the photo at the end of this article, the Tufted Titmouse, the entire bird may be centered, but look where I placed the main subject – the head, eyes and beak: along one of the gridlines. Doesn’t your eye go right to the bird’s head and make you think about what’s going on there?

Pelican, Framed Dead-Center

Pelican, Placed on a Virtual Grid

Another idea: Change your perspective and find unusual places to photograph from. Be different. Stand out. Don’t be afraid to get into the water, down low, up high. Jeans and sneakers will dry, so who cares if you get a little wet (just be careful of your gear!). Even sliding over just a foot or two can make a huge difference in your composition. And always remember to turn around! Look around you, check out different angles and positions. Watch your background so you don’t photograph a branch looking like it’s growing from your mother-in-law’s head! Draw people into your image…. Make them feel like they’re there, like they know more about what’s going on, and so they’ll say “Wow, I never saw a bird quite that way before!” Your friends and family will remember those pictures.

Had I blinked, I might have missed this Tufted Titmouse examining its toes, wondering if it was time for a pedicure. Or deciding the best way to snag that worm under water for a little snack. Whatever you decide he's thinking, one thing's for sure: Shooting from unusual angles can yield unexpected – and exciting – photos!

If you haven’t already guessed, I’m quite passionate about photography. It’s an expression of ourselves, a barometer of how we view the world on a given day, an art form, and so much more. Stick with me and maybe some of that passion will rub off onto you. If it does, you’ll have a blast and will make memorable pictures! And maybe even find it therapeutic like I do! Me and my camera. Uh oh: I feel a song coming on….

You can pick up your camera, look through the viewfinder, and snap away. Sure, you’ll get a picture. But will you get it the way you want it? Will it tell the story? Will it show the emotion you felt at the time? Do you want to make that moment in time special, different, unique, yours? Do you want your family and friends to quickly flip through your photos just to get it over with, or do you want them to stop and take notice – hey, this is different! So unusual! I never saw a cat like that before!

Or… I never got such a sharp mid-air shot of my daughter’s grand jeté at her recital.

Do you want to surprise people with unexpected pictures like this “lost” prairie dog? Here, I darkened the background and tossed in a moon that I had photographed at an earlier time. It can be done in almost any image editor. Pretty cool, huh? (I added the water with a plug-in filter, for added effect.)

With Howard the Cat, I laid on my tummy, took test shots to get him used to the camera and me, and by the time I made this image he was quite trusting and comfortable, as you can see!

My first tips? Get down! Get low! Get dirty! Climb high! And…. be patient! If you shoot only from eye-level, your pictures will look like everyone else’s, and your subject will look the way everyone sees it all the time – from eye level. For kids and pets: get yourself down to where they are! Get into whatever position it takes to show your subject the way you want it seen. So what if you get your jeans dirty. Wash ‘em later! But you may never again see a prairie dog like this one, in this position and with this expression, that I photographed at the Philadelphia Zoo. I waited patiently, took lots of continuous shots, and crossed my fingers…. for just this look. If you’re using a digital camera, no worries about wasted “film.” As Ansel Adams once said: “Twelve significant photographs in any one year is a good crop.” Don’t miss the shot, and never assume you’ll be able to get the same shot another time!

Great question, but it’s impossible to answer without more information and, in fact, there’s no right answer. If I had a dime for each time I was asked this question, I could buy a Starbucks® venti half-caf caramel macchiato. Yep, I was asked about 50 times! So before you run out and buy the next camera you see your favorite celebrity hawking on TV, ask yourself some questions:

• What’s my budget?

If you’re getting a point-and-shoot (P&S), you won’t need too many accessories, so a smaller budget will work. Some must-have accessories are: spare battery, card reader, 2  memory cards (4-8 GB each), and a protective case. There are lots more accessories, but these are what I’d start with. A 6-10 megapixel camera is plenty, and at least 3-5x optical zoom.

If you’re getting a dSLR (a digital single lens reflex camera that lets you change lenses), your budget will have to be much higher because, besides the above accessories, you’ll also want to start with 1-2 lenses to cover a good range of focal lengths, filters (a circular polarizer to start), a tripod and ball or tilt/pan head (and these are probably the most important accessories of all – don’t skimp here!), a cable or remote shutter release, a camera bag, an external flash unit, rechargeable batteries, and I could go on and on. This isn’t your father’s pocket camera!

• What will I photograph most often? People? Sports/Action? Landscapes? Close-ups? Wildlife? Candids of my kids? Everything?

• What’s my skill level and how much more am I willing to learn (to have more control over how my images look)?

• Would I prefer quick-and-easy, or the ability to make most or all decisions about how my photo will look? Do I want my camera to make all or most of the decisions for me, or do I want to? For example, do I want soft backgrounds behind portraits and flowers? Flowing waterfalls or freeze-action falls (flowing is sooooooo much prettier!)? Do I want more control over how my sunsets look with respect to colors and saturation? Do I want cool light trails behind moving cars at night? Will I read the manual? (That answer should be a resounding “yes”!) Do I want to make eye-popping silhouettes?

• Will I use the images mainly for emailing and uploading, or will I also print many of them (and if so, what’s the largest size I’d print)?

There are many more considerations, but for simplicity’s sake, we’ll stick with this short list. Now, let’s talk about recommendations:

A P&S has shutter lag. Can’t escape it. Shutter lag is that horrible delay between the time you press the shutter release and the time the photo is made, and that delay could mean missing the shot. A P&S also has a limited focal range, meaning you can’t shoot wide angle or true telephoto. A P&S is convenient, easy to carry, and is often good enough for your needs.

A dSLR gives you maximum control over aperture, shutter speed, ISO, metering, manual or auto focus, and much more, which will give you the greatest control over making a photo look the way you want it to look, not the way the camera thinks it should look, provided you take the time to learn at least the basics of photography and exposure. Many P&S’s offer these controls as well, but they may be limited.

There’s soooo more to write about this topic. The bottom line is, whatever camera you choose, it’s just a tool. The camera isn’t the photographer, you are! Like a painter, his brushes and other tools don’t make the painting, he does. Photography is about light, your vision, your mood, your eye, your passion, telling your story. Whatever you decide, read the manual and then go have fun!

This series is geared toward people who would like to improve their photo-taking skills, learn some beginner to intermediate  basics about photography, lighting, composition, exposure, tips ‘n tricks, and maybe even have a laugh or two (hopefully not at my expense!).

If you’d like to have your question posted and answered here, please email me at Karen@ThroughKarensEyes.com for consideration. I’ll include your first name only, unless you’d prefer to be listed as “Anonymous.” None of your personal information will be posted or used in any way (such as full name, email address, etc.). Due to time constraints, I’m unable to personally answer questions by return email, so check back regularly to see if your question has been published. (I’ll try to remember to send you an email to let you know it’s posted.) And remember: No question is stupid, and if you have that question, chances are that others do too, so please don’t hesitate to ask!

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First article: Let’s Get Started!

Memories. Fun. Creativity. Beauty. There are so many reasons to grab your camera and capture the moment. But ask yourself this: Do you want your images to really stand out, to look more spectacular than how your digital camera processes them? Do you want to freeze the action when your Little Leaguer slams that line drive between second and shortstop? Or “slow” the motion of waterfalls for that silky look, or make the background behind flowers and people fall softly out of focus so that your main subjects “pop”?

If you keep your camera in full auto mode, you’ll have no such control. If your camera has them, “scene” modes can help, but for that “wow factor” that makes your photos unique, stand out, and look the way you really want them to look, then read this column regularly!

I’m going to focus – pardon the pun – on digital cameras and basic photography and composition skills, and how camera settings, light, and other factors work together to create an image, so that you can decide how your image should look, not the camera. Your camera is a tool. You’re the photographer. You’re in control if you want to be. If I can find the time, I’ll create a separate series on intermediate photography and dSLR’s (digital Single Lens Reflex cameras), and maybe a third series on how to get the most out of post-processing (basic, advanced and creative).

My goal in this series is to introduce people from ages 3 to 103 to the beautiful, creative art of digital photography. We’re going to have fun here! You’ll learn how to take great pictures, get your creative juices flowing, hopefully be inspired to get out there and shoot, and maybe even have a laugh or three! Share this column with your kids; they’ll learn how to wow their friends with amazing Facebook and MySpace pictures, and maybe also see that there’s more to life besides texting, YouTube and Wii. I had no idea that I’d develop such a passion for photography until I learned that I have far more control over how my pictures look, and don’t have to just rely on the camera’s “decisions.” I have more fun now than I’d ever imagined! I even love creating artistic versions of some of my images. So join me here regularly. I’ll have a few surprises, answer your questions, share cool tips & techniques, and hopefully inspire you to give photography a try. I don’t know who’s reading this or what your skill level is, so I’ll keep it as basic and plain-language as possible. If I remember, I’ll include a photography glossary to help with some of the “photo lingo.”

If I can inspire just one person to take it to the next level and make some outstanding, story-telling images, then I’ll consider this series to be a great success!

… judging photography contests. Which is what I did last night for a contest open to the public and sponsored by a photography club (I’m so glad I didn’t enter; I was going to but didn’t have time. If I had entered, I couldn’t have judged). I know it isn’t a big deal to people reading this, but to me it was, and it was a great and fun experience, and I’m told that now I’m “on the list” of judges and that I will definitely be invited back. That’s it for today. I hope everyone enjoys the week. Hugs.

• 5  to say that only pros should change lightbulbs, and not to change lightbulbs for friends.

• 3  to say that their friends changed their own lightbulb and it went fine.

• 15 to say that former friends changed theirs and they’re no longer friends.

• 4 to say the new bulb is too blue.

• 8 to say no, it’s too red.

• 6 that say the color’s fine, but the new bulb is too soft.

• 1 to ask if it’s ok to use the cheapest bulb.

• 25 to say, no, you can only call yourself a light bulb changer if you have the most expensive bulb.

• 13 to say that it’s the light bulb changer, not the bulb.

• 5 to say that they saw their first lightbulb today and ask how to become a professional bulb changer.

• 3 to complain about artifacts in the new bulb.

• 2 to defend the artifacts saying that it’s just because of resizing the bulb for the socket.

• 10 to ask about rumors of new bulbs coming out from GE within the next 5 years.

• 28 to ask if they should buy a bulb today or wait for GE to come out with the Mark IV bulb.

• And 3 to chime in and say that the two big players, GE and Phillips, don’t make the best light bulbs.  Sylvania does.

(I found this on the Internet somewhere, so I take no credit for it! )

1. If using a touch-tone phone, press random numbers while ordering. Ask the person taking the order to stop doing that.
2. Make up a credit card name. Ask if they accept it.
3. Order a Big Mac Extra Value Meal.
4. Terminate the call with, “Remember, we never had this conversation.”
5. Tell the order-taker that a rival pizza place is on the other line and you’re going with the lowest bidder.
6. Answer their questions with questions.
7. Say hello, act stunned for five seconds, then behave as if they called you.
8. Make a list of exotic cuisines. Order them as toppings.
9. Change your accent every three seconds.
10. Order 52 pepperoni slices prepared in a fractal pattern as follows from an equation you are about to dictate. Ask if they need paper.
11. If they repeat the order to make sure they have it right, say “OK. That’ll be $10.99; please pull up to the first window.”
12. Rent a pizza.
13. Ask if you get to keep the pizza box. When they say yes, heave a sigh of relief.
14. Ask that your pizza be “shaken, not stirred.”
15. Eliminate verbs from your speech.
16. When they say “What would you like?” say, “Huh? Oh, you mean now.”
17. Ask to see a menu.
18. Ask what topping goes best with well-aged Chardonnay.
19. Order a slice, not a whole pizza.
20. Order two toppings, then say, “No, they’ll start fighting.”
21. Learn to properly pronounce the ingredients of a Twinkie. Ask that these be included in the pizza.
22. Ask if the pizza is organically grown.
23. Ask about pizza maintenance and repair.
24. State your order and say that’s as far as this relationship is going to get.
25. When listing toppings you want on your pizza, include another pizza as a topping.
26. Put them on hold.
27. Make the first topping you order mushrooms. Make the last thing you say “No mushrooms, please.” Hang up before they have a chance to respond.
28. When you’re given the price, haggle.
29. Order a one-inch pizza.
30. Order term life insurance.
31. When they say “Will that be all?”, snicker and say “We’ll find out, won’t we?”
32. Dance all around the word “pizza.” Avoid saying it at all costs. If the order-taker says it, say “Please don’t mention that word.”
33. Order a steamed pizza.

(I found this somewhere on the Internet, so I take no credit for it! )

• you’re out for dinner and unconsciously complain aloud about lighting with mixed color temperatures.

• your significant other tells you to focus, and you grab your camera.

• you say you love to shoot kids and animals, and people look at you funny.

• you get arrested after going up to a cop and asking him if he knows where you can find a ladder because you want a better angle from which to shoot the governor.

• you pull out your camera phone at a bar and begin to play with angles.

• you’re in a strip bar and wonder aloud what f/stop you’ll need to catch the dancer, using only ambient light, as she slides down the pole.

• you’re getting your credential photo taken at an event and you demand that the person taking your photo move to the right, in order to obtain a cleaner background.

• you can walk into any room or onto any scene and manually set your exposure within +/- one stop of the actual exposure.

• you’ve ever said the words “Nothin’ a little gaffer’s tape can’t fix.”

• you believe that people of the opposite sex will be impressed with the size of your flash card.

• you slam your jeep into the back of a van, and after looking around to see if everyone’s okay, your first thought is “well, I can forget about that new Mark IV.”

• you pray for overcast days while you’re vacationing in Hawaii because the light is better.

• your 2-year-old counts like this:  ”1.4, 2.0, 2.8, 4, 5.6, 8, 11, 16, 22.”

• you read the photography magazines that arrive in your mail cover-to-cover before you even glance at Cosmo, Maxim, or Victoria’s Secret.

• you’re shooting a downhill mountain-bike race that your kid is in, he crashes and gets stuck upside-down beneath a pile of logs, but you first grab a couple of shots before running to help him.

• you’re shooting a bull-riding event and the bull zeroes in on you, but instead of turning and running for your life, you run backwards and keep shooting… just in case.

• you’ve scared the passengers in your car to death because you slammed on the brakes, skidded to a stop, and reversed without warning in the middle of the street, because you caught a great potential shot out of the corner of your eye.

• you’re searching for a house to buy and find yourself frustrated by the awful photos taken by the Realtors.

• you attend a friend’s wedding and you have more equipment in your car than what’s being used by the wedding photographer.

• you’re the official photographer for your own wedding.

• you’re watching a pro sporting event but paying more attention to the photographers on the sidelines  than the actual game (and I just did exactly that while watching a recent Eagles/Dallas game).

• your friends harass you for giving unsolicited photo tips to fellow tourists while at national parks and other weekend destinations. “Seriously, your flash will NOT improve your pictures of Mt. Rushmore…”

• while dreaming about your upcoming honeymoon, you think more of the photo ops and about what camera gear to take.

• you visit family and someone hands you their recent wedding album, and all you do is complain about the photography.

• you set up remote cameras, strobes and pocket wizards at a friend’s birthday party to get an angle that none of your other friends will get when it comes time to blow out the candles.

• you pay more attention to the wattage of the bulbs in the light fixture above your table at a restaurant, than to your dinner companion.

(I found this on the Internet somewhere, so I take no credit for it! )