PHOTOGRAPHY

Every Good Photograph Is . . .

•Dramatic . . . Offering unique storytelling appeal

•Creative . . . Shot with various composition techniques

•Flawless . . . Having impeccable technical quality

Storytelling Power

Interesting and intriguing photos . . .

• Cover every angle

• Freeze action

• Express emotion

• Show conflict

• Illuminate personalities

• Establish relationships

Diversify storytelling photo content:

• Action

• Reaction

• Scrapbook

• Illustrations

STORYTELLING PHOTOGRAPHY ACTIONSTORYTELLING PHOTOGRAPHY ACTION

STORYTELLING PHOTOGRAPHY REACTIONSTORYTELLING PHOTOGRAPHY REACTION

STORYTELLING PHOTOGRAPHY ACTION & REACTIONSTORYTELLING PHOTOGRAPHY ACTION & REACTION

STORYTELLING PHOTOGRAPHY SCRAPBOOKSTORYTELLING PHOTOGRAPHY SCRAPBOOK

STORYTELLING PHOTOGRAPHY ILLUSTRATIONSTORYTELLING PHOTOGRAPHY ILLUSTRATION

STORYTELLING PHOTOGRAPHY ILLUSTRATIONSTORYTELLING PHOTOGRAPHY ILLUSTRATION

Basic Content & Composition

Follow the Rule of Thirds

• A composition technique that places the main subject off-center for a more appealing picture. The primary action should take place along one of the intersecting lines.

Diversity of storytelling content

• Cover the entire event.

• Avoid: same photo just with different subjects, just the “popular people,” and the yearbook staff.

Variety of photo elements

• Shape: vertical, horizontal, square• Size: dominant, subordinate• Numbers: single, multiple subjects

STORYTELLING PHOTOGRAPHY RULE OF THIRDSSTORYTELLING PHOTOGRAPHY RULE OF THIRDS

STORYTELLING PHOTOGRAPHY BEFORE, DURING, & AFTERSTORYTELLING PHOTOGRAPHY BEFORE, DURING, & AFTER

STORYTELLING PHOTOGRAPHY SHAPES & SIZESSTORYTELLING PHOTOGRAPHY SHAPES & SIZES

STORYTELLING PHOTOGRAPHY NUMBERSTORYTELLING PHOTOGRAPHY NUMBER

Advanced Content & Composition

• Framing• Angle• Leading Lines• Shallow Depth of Field (Selective Focus)• Repetition• Silhouettes

STORYTELLING PHOTOGRAPHY FRAMINGSTORYTELLING PHOTOGRAPHY FRAMING

Framing: Positioning the camera so that foreground and background objects form a natural frame around the primary subject

STORYTELLING PHOTOGRAPHY ANGLESTORYTELLING PHOTOGRAPHY ANGLE

Bird’s-eye View: shots taken from above

Worm’s-eye View: shots taken from ground level

STORYTELLING PHOTOGRAPHY LEADING LINESSTORYTELLING PHOTOGRAPHY LEADING LINES

Leading Lines: Using natural lines to direct attention to the center of interest

STORYTELLING PHOTOGRAPHY LEADING LINESSTORYTELLING PHOTOGRAPHY LEADING LINES

STORYTELLING PHOTOGRAPHY SHALLOW DEPTH OF FIELDSTORYTELLING PHOTOGRAPHY SHALLOW DEPTH OF FIELD

Shallow Depth of Field: Choosing a lens opening that produces a shallow depth of field, so that some of the picture is out of focus to emphasize another part of the picture.

The lens aperture mainly controls depth of field. Larger apertures (greater diameter of the lens that allows light to enter) will yield pictures with shallow depth of field. For instance, an f/stop of f/2.8 would produce a picture with very shallow depth of field.

STORYTELLING PHOTOGRAPHY SHALLOW DEPTH OF FIELDSTORYTELLING PHOTOGRAPHY SHALLOW DEPTH OF FIELD

STORYTELLING PHOTOGRAPHY REPETITIONSTORYTELLING PHOTOGRAPHY REPETITION

Repetition: When two or more subjects or elements repeat in a given scene

STORYTELLING PHOTOGRAPHY SILHOUETTESSTORYTELLING PHOTOGRAPHY SILHOUETTES

Silhouettes: the image of a person, an

object or scene represented as a solid

shape of a single color, usually black, its edges matching the outline of

the subject.

STORYTELLING PHOTOGRAPHY SILHOUETTESSTORYTELLING PHOTOGRAPHY SILHOUETTES

Photo No-Nos• Blurry• Poorly Lit• Poorly Composed and Cropped• Boring• Inappropriate content

STORYTELLING PHOTOGRAPHY BLURRYSTORYTELLING PHOTOGRAPHY BLURRY

Probable Causes• Holding the camera unsteadily• Inappropriate camera settings—usually when taking fast-action shots

Solutions1. Create a solid base on which to rest the camera

Solutions2. Set the Camera for the correct fast-action setting

Of course, this depends on the camera, but the “running man” setting on the mode wheel is the usual default for fast-action/sports shots. This setting works best for daytime sports, when there is enough light for a fast shutter speed.

3. Use the appropriate ISO (International Organization for Standardization)—AKA film speed. With digital cameras, it really is a standard of measurement of the camera sensor’s light sensitivity.

• For fast-action shots during the day, this should be set at 400.

• For fast-action shots at night and with a flash, this should be set at 800 or 1600.

• For fast-action shots at night and without a flash, this should be set at 1600 or 3200.

• Higher ISOs can result in more digital noise (grain) though. ISOs range from 100 to 3200, depending on the camera.

Solutions

4. Setting the camera to a higher shutter speed (the length of time it takes light to reach the sensor) can decrease image blurring as well. Basically, the “running man” icon on the mode wheel automatically selects a fast shutter speed, but—sometimes—by using the Shutter Priority mode (S or TV), the photographer can select an even faster shutter speed.

Shutter speeds for fast-action shots should be 1/250 or faster (shutter speeds range from 30 seconds to 1/8000 second, depending on the camera).

Solutions

STORYTELLING PHOTOGRAPHY POORLY LITSTORYTELLING PHOTOGRAPHY POORLY LIT

Probable Causes• No flash when one is needed• Shooting too far away from the subject• Too much light/flash• Shooting with the sun or other light source directly in front of the photographer

Solutions1. Physically move closer to the subject, so thatthe camera’s built-in flash will illuminate thesubject and surrounding area. Normally, a built-in flash is only adequate from 12’ or closer.

2. Shoot a faraway subject with a telephoto lens (80mm or greater) and an external flash.

Solutions3. In situations where there is no flash available or when thephotographer cannot use a flash, . . .

•Set the ISO to 800+

•Increase the size of the Aperture (F/stop)

•The Aperture is the size of the diameter in the lens that allows light to enter.

•The smaller the F/stop number, the larger the Aperture. For instance, a f/1.8 is a very large Aperture, whereas f/22 is a very small Aperture.

•The larger the Aperture, the more amount of light is let in the lens.

•The Aperture Priority mode (AV or A) will allow the photographer to set the Aperture.

•FYI, Aperture also dictates Depth of Field (the area in front of and behind the subject that is in acceptable focus)

Solutions4. If you do not desire a silhouette, shoot with thesun behind you.

5. If there is too much flash, simply turn theinternal flash off, remove the external flash, orbounce the flash.

Bouncing a flash can only be accomplished with an external flash and occurs when thephotographer reflects the flash off of the ceiling,wall, etc., resulting in a soft, indirect light.

6. Just after sunrise and just before sunset arecalled the “golden hours”—when subjects arebathed in a golden light—and are ideal times totake pictures outside.

STORYTELLING PHOTOGRAPHY POORLY COMPOSED/CROPPEDSTORYTELLING PHOTOGRAPHY POORLY COMPOSED/CROPPED

Probable Causes• Not knowing the basic rules of cropping pictures• Placing the subject of the photo in the dead center, rather than off-center and based on the Rule of Thirds

Solutions1. Learn to crop correctly.

• Ideally, crop either so that the entire body, from the waist up or from the shoulders up is in the picture.

• Avoid cutting off people’s appendages.

• If an action picture, crop so that the subject has room in the picture to continue the action.

• Eliminate any “dead space” by cropping in/zooming in on the subject.

Solutions2. Follow the Rule of Thirds.

STORYTELLING PHOTOGRAPHY BORINGSTORYTELLING PHOTOGRAPHY BORING

Probable Causes• Laziness• Unworthy events or activities covered• Tired/Predictable angles• Fear

Solutions1. Simply insist on quality pictures and motivate students through praise, grades, photo credits, awards, scholarships, etc.

2. Avoid covering mundane events, like students at desks taking notes, etc.—unless for a specific story around the school.

3. Discourage students from taking those types of pictures by not uploading them to YBA or the school’s computers.

Instead, make sure to have on hand a list of “always useful” pictures the staff could use and other tasks, like photo corrections, tagging pictures with names, etc., the photographers can work on.

Solutions4. Use the advanced composition techniques.

Angle Framing

Leading Lines Repetition

Shallow Depth of Field

STORYTELLING PHOTOGRAPHY INAPPROPRIATE CONTENTSTORYTELLING PHOTOGRAPHY INAPPROPRIATE CONTENT

Probable Cause• Not looking at the picture

Solution• Look at the picture

WHAT MAKES THIS PHOTO GREATWHAT MAKES THIS PHOTO GREAT

WHAT MAKES THIS PHOTO GREATWHAT MAKES THIS PHOTO GREAT

WHAT MAKES THIS PHOTO GREATWHAT MAKES THIS PHOTO GREAT

WHAT MAKES THIS PHOTO GREATWHAT MAKES THIS PHOTO GREAT

WHAT MAKES THIS PHOTO GREATWHAT MAKES THIS PHOTO GREAT

WHAT MAKES THIS PHOTO GREATWHAT MAKES THIS PHOTO GREAT

WHAT MAKES THIS PHOTO GREATWHAT MAKES THIS PHOTO GREAT

WHAT MAKES THIS PHOTO GREATWHAT MAKES THIS PHOTO GREAT

WHAT MAKES THIS PHOTO GREATWHAT MAKES THIS PHOTO GREAT

WHAT MAKES THIS PHOTO GREATWHAT MAKES THIS PHOTO GREAT

WHAT MAKES THIS PHOTO GREATWHAT MAKES THIS PHOTO GREAT

WHAT MAKES THIS PHOTO GREATWHAT MAKES THIS PHOTO GREAT

WHAT MAKES THIS PHOTO GREATWHAT MAKES THIS PHOTO GREAT

WHAT MAKES THIS PHOTO GREATWHAT MAKES THIS PHOTO GREAT

JAMES BOWIE HS, TX PHOTOGRAPHYJAMES BOWIE HS, TX PHOTOGRAPHY

PALOS VERDES HS, CA PHOTOGRAPHYPALOS VERDES HS, CA PHOTOGRAPHY

STILLWATER HS, MN PHOTOGRAPHYSTILLWATER HS, MN PHOTOGRAPHY

WESTMOORE HS, OK PHOTOGRAPHYWESTMOORE HS, OK PHOTOGRAPHY

Other Assorted Tips . . . • For an SLR (Single Lens Reflex) camera, invest in a $15 UV or Skylight

filter.

• Dress appropriately for the event at which you are covering.

• Have patience. You may have to wait—with the camera up to your eye for several minutes to capture the spontaneous moment and perfect shot.

• If possible, carry your camera with you at all times.

• Use the camera’s viewfinder instead of the LCD screen.

• At sporting events, take pictures of the scoreboard after momentous plays.

• Make sure to cover the defensive side of the ball.

• At Homecoming, ask the sponsor or administrator a few minutes before the crowning who the winner is, so you can be in position.

Other Assorted Tips . . .• Politely turn away from students who pose for the camera and do not take

their pictures.

• Take a lot of pictures.

• Never upload or keep bad images . . . they cannot get in the yearbook if they do not exist.

• Never use digital zoom (a “feature” of many point-and-shoot cameras).

• Take a paper pad or recorder for notes, names, etc.—especially for group pictures.

• Make your coverage of an event fair. Do not focus on your friends.

• Only take pictures in one of the following formats: JPEG, TIFF, RAW. Fortunately, one of these will be your camera’s default.

PHOTOGRAPHY