Basic Photography Course

The objects needed to frame your subject must be

associated with the person. You would not want to frame
a Seabee with the wings of an airplane (unless of course
a runway is being constructed). The Seabee would be
better framed by the arch of a new building being
constructed, or the hood and engine of a dump truck.
The frame should add emphasis and lead the viewer to
the subject. Do not make the frame the subject. The
frame does not always have to be in focus or "box" the
subject. Study pictures of people that have been framed
Sometimes the frame is only on one side of the subject,
sometimes in back of the subject, and sometimes only
in the foreground. Seldom does the frame completely
box the subject.

PEOPLE WORKING

When you read an article about someone, it may be

accompanied by a picture of the person who is often at
work A picture of someone at work says more to a
viewer than an ordinary head-and-shoulders
identification ever can, because it immediately places
the person in a particular setting.

The secret to making good working pictures is to

capture the atmosphere of the place and show the
subject

actually working. The use of a wide-angle lens

lets you show a large work area from close in. This
conveys a better idea of the working conditions. Try to
bring out the atmosphere of the worker and the

workplace; for example, if your subject does hard
manual labor, try a low camera angle to create an
impression of power. Although it is usually better to
photograph a worker as though he were unaware of your
presence, this is not always possible. Warn people when
you are going to use the flash, so you do not startle them.
When shooting at a slow shutter speed, you can even ask
the worker to hold a pose.

Most people who are working are involved with

something that can provide a prop: books, scale models,
equipment, and so forth. Use these props to create a
stage and put the people into it-really into it.

TWO-SHOTS

So far, the discussion has been based on shooting

pictures of only one person. Another assignment facing
the photographer is handling the two-shot, a picture
showing two people.

People can be pretty awkward when told to "just be

natural" or "just talk to each other." It is better to give
them something to talk about. Have them talk about
what they are doing. Tell them you are listening to what

they say so you can have information with which to
write your captions. Better yet, give them something

they can actually handle, talk about, and concentrate on.
This makes the situation more realistic to them, and it
results in better quality pictures.

Try the frame approach for your two-shots. It is very

effective. Even people can be used to frame other people.

DIRECTING PEOPLE

One of the most difficult tasks in photographing

people is directing them. But you, the photographer, are
the only one that can actually see what the picture is
going to look like before it is taken. So, you must take
the responsibility for setting up the "pose." It is not
enough to let your subjects just arrange themselves.
They have no idea what they look like.

One way to make directing and posing easier is to

give your subject something to do. Do not tell your
subject to "just stand there," as though in a vacuum, with
nothing to do. Instead, give your subject something to
handle. For a man, it might be a pipe, a book, a spyglass,
or a tool they use in their work. For a child, it could be
a doll, a model plane, or something of a similar nature.
Often a woman can use an item of clothing in this way-a
hat or a scarf.

Another useful tip is to give your subject a "prop"

or a support in a more literal sense-something to lean
on or sit on. A chair, stool, post, or tree can be used.
When using props, frames, and poses, do not forget one
important point: The Navy uses photographers so its
pictures are made by professionals. These are people
who know what they are photographing and the reason
why. A civilian photographer could most probably make
an excellent picture of a Navy scene; however, it
probably will show technical errors that make the
picture look like a joke to other sailors. Do a little
research. If using props that you do not understand, ask
about them. Do not have a sailor hauling on a line that
should be taken to a capstan or a Gunner's Mate holding
a 3-inch shell in front of a 5-inch gun.

Eyes are very important when photographing

people. You must direct the subject to ensure that all
parts of the scene are in the right place or in proper
perspective. You must also direct the expression of the
subject. The eyes are a very vital part of this and have a
significant effect on the viewer's response. In a picture
where the eyes of the subject are looking straight into
the camera, a strong and immediate impact is created.
This attracts viewer interest. When the eyes are directed
away from the camera, the effect is less explicit and has
a more ambiguous quality.

Finally, you must be in charge of the situation. It is

up to you to tell the subjects where to stand, what to do,
how to do it, and when to do it. This applies to everyone.

6-4

contents

Basic Photography Course

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DOFMaster for Windows On-line Depth of Field Calculator DOFMaster for Mobile Devices On-line Depth of Field Table Hyperfocal Distance Chart Articles FAQ Recommended Books Support Contact Links Home As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.	contents <- previous page next page -> The objects needed to frame your subject must be associated with the person. You would not want to frame a Seabee with the wings of an airplane (unless of course a runway is being constructed). The Seabee would be better framed by the arch of a new building being constructed, or the hood and engine of a dump truck. The frame should add emphasis and lead the viewer to the subject. Do not make the frame the subject. The frame does not always have to be in focus or "box" the subject. Study pictures of people that have been framed Sometimes the frame is only on one side of the subject, sometimes in back of the subject, and sometimes only in the foreground. Seldom does the frame completely box the subject. PEOPLE WORKING When you read an article about someone, it may be accompanied by a picture of the person who is often at work A picture of someone at work says more to a viewer than an ordinary head-and-shoulders identification ever can, because it immediately places the person in a particular setting. The secret to making good working pictures is to capture the atmosphere of the place and show the subject actually working. The use of a wide-angle lens lets you show a large work area from close in. This conveys a better idea of the working conditions. Try to bring out the atmosphere of the worker and the workplace; for example, if your subject does hard manual labor, try a low camera angle to create an impression of power. Although it is usually better to photograph a worker as though he were unaware of your presence, this is not always possible. Warn people when you are going to use the flash, so you do not startle them. When shooting at a slow shutter speed, you can even ask the worker to hold a pose. Most people who are working are involved with something that can provide a prop: books, scale models, equipment, and so forth. Use these props to create a stage and put the people into it-really into it. TWO-SHOTS So far, the discussion has been based on shooting pictures of only one person. Another assignment facing the photographer is handling the two-shot, a picture showing two people. People can be pretty awkward when told to "just be natural" or "just talk to each other." It is better to give them something to talk about. Have them talk about what they are doing. Tell them you are listening to what they say so you can have information with which to write your captions. Better yet, give them something they can actually handle, talk about, and concentrate on. This makes the situation more realistic to them, and it results in better quality pictures. Try the frame approach for your two-shots. It is very effective. Even people can be used to frame other people. DIRECTING PEOPLE One of the most difficult tasks in photographing people is directing them. But you, the photographer, are the only one that can actually see what the picture is going to look like before it is taken. So, you must take the responsibility for setting up the "pose." It is not enough to let your subjects just arrange themselves. They have no idea what they look like. One way to make directing and posing easier is to give your subject something to do. Do not tell your subject to "just stand there," as though in a vacuum, with nothing to do. Instead, give your subject something to handle. For a man, it might be a pipe, a book, a spyglass, or a tool they use in their work. For a child, it could be a doll, a model plane, or something of a similar nature. Often a woman can use an item of clothing in this way-a hat or a scarf. Another useful tip is to give your subject a "prop" or a support in a more literal sense-something to lean on or sit on. A chair, stool, post, or tree can be used. When using props, frames, and poses, do not forget one important point: The Navy uses photographers so its pictures are made by professionals. These are people who know what they are photographing and the reason why. A civilian photographer could most probably make an excellent picture of a Navy scene; however, it probably will show technical errors that make the picture look like a joke to other sailors. Do a little research. If using props that you do not understand, ask about them. Do not have a sailor hauling on a line that should be taken to a capstan or a Gunner's Mate holding a 3-inch shell in front of a 5-inch gun. Eyes are very important when photographing people. You must direct the subject to ensure that all parts of the scene are in the right place or in proper perspective. You must also direct the expression of the subject. The eyes are a very vital part of this and have a significant effect on the viewer's response. In a picture where the eyes of the subject are looking straight into the camera, a strong and immediate impact is created. This attracts viewer interest. When the eyes are directed away from the camera, the effect is less explicit and has a more ambiguous quality. Finally, you must be in charge of the situation. It is up to you to tell the subjects where to stand, what to do, how to do it, and when to do it. This applies to everyone. 6-4 contents Basic Photography Course <- previous page next page ->	As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
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