Technique Tuesday « Through the lens with Chris Gamel

Technique Tuesday: Elements of Composition – Space in the Frame

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We have established that placing the subject in the center of the frame is rarely the best option. For the sake of argument, lets say we agree that the rule of thirds offers the best starting point when deciding where to place the subject within the frame. Where do we go from there? The rule of thirds gives us four points of power with which to work. Which is the best one?

The answer depends on your subject and how it is positioned in the frame. With wildlife, and people, the main item of concern is which way the animal is facing. Given the choice, it is more effective to place an animal with extra space in front rather then behind. Take the image above. The mongoose is taking in the beautiful light of sunset while look off to the left. For placement, I have three choices:

Option 1: Put the mongoose in the center. This is a common choice for many photographers, but produces the least appealing results. Lets stick with the rule of thirds and forget about the center.

Option 2: Put the mongoose on a point of power on the left side of the frame. This will place the mongoose near the edge of the frame on the side he is looking. All of the empty space in the photo will be behind the mongoose rather then in front of it, making the image feel crowded. Viewers will subconsciously want to know what they are missing. Why is he looking over there? What does he see that I don’t? Why didn’t this @#$#% photographer show me what I want is over there? Putting the mongoose on the left side of the frame will look like you made a mistake.

Option 3: Put the mongoose on a point of power on the right side of the frame. This is the correct choice. How do you know? It will be obvious when the stars align, the sun shines down on the mongoose, and triumphant music begins to play……OK, maybe not. By placing the mongoose with space in front of him, we give the viewer the opportunity to see the world through the mongoose’s eyes and we want to see what he sees. Ironically, it doesn’t really matter that nothing is there, it just feels right.

The image of the dwarf mongoose was captured while on safari with my family in Tarangire National Park, Tanzania. The image was taken using a Canon 1D mark 2, 500mm IS lens with a 1.4 teleconverter, at 400 ISO. The image was shot from a vehicle and the lens was supported on a beanbag.

Written on November 30th, 2010 , Africa, Composition, Photography Information, Tanzania, Technique Tuesday, Understanding Photography Series

Technique Tuesday: Elements of Composition – Centering the Subject

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The first rule of composition we all learn is, “don’t put your subject in the middle of the frame!” Yet, I like the above image. The subject is almost perfectly centered in the frame yet the composition works. True, there are some strong diagonal lines created by the wings, but how do we explain the fact that this image successfully shatters the number one rule of photographic composition?

Wanting this post to be more then a single paragraph, I have two theories.

First, my experience is that centering the subject rarely works, with one exception. Look at a picture and cut it in half. What do you see? If the answer is two mirror images, the subject will probably look good in the center. People find beauty in symmetry and we can take advantage of that when designing our images. In those rare occasions where the subject can be divided into identical halves, try placing it right in the middle of the frame. With that in mind, lets rewrite that first rule of composition.

Don’t put your subject in the middle of the frame, unless you have a good reason.

My second theory can best be summarized by stealing a line by Captain Barbosa, “….. their really more guidelines then actual rules.” The fact is there are no composition police out their. If you break one of the rules, no one is going to take your camera away. The rules of composition exist because most of the time they make our pictures look better. Let me say that again. The rules of composition exist because most of the time they make our pictures look better. There are exception to every rule and you will come across situations where it is best to throw the rules out the window and try something different. That doesn’t mean the rules should be ignored, but they should be treated as the recommendations and guidelines that they are and not the absolute rules many photographers believe.

Written on November 23rd, 2010 , Africa, Composition, Photography Information, Tanzania, Technique Tuesday, Understanding Photography Series

Technique Tuesday: Elements of Composition – Placing the Horizon

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Wildlife photographers tend to be a shoot from the hip kind of crowd. It’s not that we take composition for granted, its just that the longer we take to set up the shot, the greater the chance that our subject will walk away. When the subject doesn’t move, as occurs in landscape photography, we have the opportunity to sit back and plan out our shots in greater detail. This offers advantages and disadvantages. On the one hand, time gives us the opportunity to perfect the shot. This is a good thing. On the other hand, sometimes we take the analysis to the extreme. You can some photographers agonizing over every aspect of the image. Should that rock be included? What if the clouds move? Should I set up here or over there? What if I wait too long and that tree grows across my frame!?! All good questions, but there comes a point where you need to make a decision and press the shutter button (Can you tell that I am a first and foremost a wildlife photographer?).

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Lets assist the decision making process by looking at one aspect of composition. Where should we place the horizon? The default for most photographers is the middle of the frame. The idea seems to be that cutting the image in half will give the best results. Lets be real here, has cutting anything in half ever made it look better? Arbitrarily cutting the image in half is a subconscious way of avoiding making a decision. Take a close look at the three images in this post. Do you see any similarities? While they are all landscape shots (and yes, it pained me to take them, but I promise I only did it because there were no animals in sight), the subjects (Bryce Canyon National Park and Serengeti National Park) are thousands of miles apart. Yet these three pictures share something in common. None of them has the horizon near the center of the frame.

Years ago I got some advise I am going to pass along. When taking a picture, decide which is more important, the land or the sky. They might both be interesting, but I guarantee one caught your attention more then the other. Once you have decided, frame your picture to showcase that part of the scene. If the land is the star, limit the sky to the top quarter of the frame. If the sky is the main point of focus, move the land toward the bottom edge. In the picture of Bryce Canyon (top), the canyon is the subject, not the sky. Therefore the canyon fills the scene and the sky only appears in the top quarter of the frame. The African savannah picture (middle) emphasizes the space of the savannah and the scarcity of trees. The sky does not assist in the story I ma telling, so it is minimized. The image of the African sunrise (bottom), on the other hand, is about the sky. The ground is a dark silhouette which does nothing but create an end point for the colors so I moved it near the bottom.

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Good composition is about emphasizing the important parts of an image while minimizing distractions. Placing your horizon near the top or bottom of the frame is a great choice for creating dynamic photographs. The rest of the decisions are up to you.

Written on November 16th, 2010 , Composition, Photography Information, Technique Tuesday, Understanding Photography Series

Elements of Composition – Picking the Subject

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The next time you’re out taking pictures, ask yourself an important question, “What am I taking a picture of?” It sounds simple, but we hardly ever stop long enough to really think about the answer. But the answer is extremely important. As photographers, we are constantly scanning the world around us in search of things to photograph. When something captures our attention, we pull out the camera. Too often, however, the resulting photograph falls short. The problem is our eyes. The human eye is amazing. Without conscious thought, our eyes can focus on one thing while ignoring everything else. The camera doesn’t do this, which causes our pictures contain too much information.

How do we overcome this challenge? Again, the answer is deceptively simple: determine what you are photographing and don’t include anything else. Easy to say, harder to do. One of the best techniques I have found was given to me by fellow nature photographer John Shaw. John’s suggestion is to describe the subject of the image in words. Actually stop and say the words. It might sound silly, but it works. If your image is best described as, “a picturesque shot of a variety of wildlife as they wander through the trees and fields on their way to the lake at the base of the mountain,” then you probably don’t have a very strong image. You are trying to include too much in a single frame, causing your viewer to get lost in their search for a focal point. I will be the first to admit that wildlife, trees, fields, lakes, and mountains are all excellent photographic subjects, but don’t they each deserve to star in their own image instead of sharing the spotlight? The idea is to simplify the picture to its bare essences. When you describe the subject, it should only take one or two words. Anything else is a distraction. Like the description, the image itself should contain no distractions. If it is not your subject, remove it from the frame. You can always include it in the next picture. One of the main jobs we have as photographers is to bring order out of the visual chaos that surrounds us. Isolating the subject helps to clarify our visual message and makes the viewer want to see more.

The owl photograph above is a perfect example of a clear, simple subject. When asked to describe it, two words come to mind, “Eagle Owl.” Nothing more, nothing less.

The image was created using a Canon 1D mark 2, 120-300mm Sigma lens, at 250 ISO. The lens was mounted on a Gitzo carbon fiber tripod with a Wimberly tripod head. This Eurasian Eagle Owl was part of a wildlife rehab center’s educational program. The bird had been permanently injured and could not be released back into the wild. It was living out its remaining days as a spokes person (or is that a spokes bird) for raptors everywhere.

Written on November 9th, 2010 , Composition, Photography Information, Technique Tuesday, Understanding Photography Series

Understanding Autofocus

Autofocus is one of the great convenience of modern photography. 18 years ago when I picked up my first camera, autofocus was making a big splash. It had been around for a while, but it wasn’t until that time that it really started to work. Today, we take it for granted. The autofocus systems on today’s cameras are amazing and help us to capture images that would be difficult, if not impossible, to capture without it. Despite the ready acceptance of the technology, most photographers don’t even realize that their cameras have different options when it comes to autofocus. On my canon cameras, I find settings for one shot, AI servo, and AI focus (other manufacturers offer similar settings though the names might be different). What do these settings mean and how do they impact our photography?

Before we get started, we need to understand a term: point of focus. When you tell you camera to focus, what you are really telling it is focus on a single point within the image. This point is the point of focus and it impacts how autofocus works.

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One Shot Autofocus:

One shot autofocus is what most people think of when they use autofocus. The way one shot works is that once focus is achieved (pressing the shutter button part way), it remains locked on a single point of focus until the shutter button is released. Moving the camera around does not change the original point of focus. This is convenient when you want to recompose the scene after focusing. Place the subject int he middle of the frame, focus, then recompose to take advantage of the rule of thirds.

The image above, for example, shows a mother baboon holding her baby as she eats the fruit from a sausage tree. While there certainly was movement, the baboons were not going anywhere and the baby was fairly still (mother was the only one eating). This was a perfect situation for one shot. To get the shot, I focussed on the baby’s face, recomposed the image so that the baby was in the lower center of the frame, and waited for the pair to assume a nice pose.

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AI Servo Autofocus:

In the second image (above) one shot would not have worked. The mother was on the move with her baby and locking down a single point of focus would have been problematic because the female’s location was constantly changing. Attempting to use one shot would result in blurry pictures and a lot of frustration. The solution is to switch the setting to AI servo. Unlike one shot, AI servo does not lock once a point of focus has been set. Instead, AI servo tracks the subject as it moves around the frame. As long as you keep the subject in the frame, AI servo will try to keep it in focus. While not perfect, AI servo does work surprisingly well in situations where the subject is mobile, such as flying birds, running cheetahs, or monkeys on the move. The downside of AI servo is that moving camera can cause the point of focus to shift, so it can be difficult to reposition the subject within the image.

AI Focus Autofocus:

In recent years, Canon’s camera’s have offered a third autofocus option: AI focus. In theory, AI focus is the best of both worlds. Using advanced technology, the camera decides if the subject is moving or stationary. Once that decision is made, the camera shifts between one shot and AI servo. When it works, AI focus is a fantastic tool. Unfortunately, I find it unpredictable in the real world, so I tend to stick with either one shot or AI servo for my autofocus needs.

Hopefully this provides you with a better understanding of how the different autofocus settings work and which setting will give you the best results in a given situation. When in doubt, keep it simple: stationary subject = one shot, moving subject = AI servo. Now get out there and give them a try.

Written on October 19th, 2010 , Africa, Camera Controls, Equipment, Photography Information, Technique Tuesday, Understanding Photography Series

Have fun

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Two years ago we took my daughter Kara and her cousin to the Frio bat cave for Kara’s seventh birthday. If you have never experienced a bat emergence, it is quite a sight. The Frio bat cave is home to over 10 million bats. Visitors are permitted to stand outside the cave as the bats come out, a spectacle that can last for over three hours! From a distance the stream of bats looks like smoke as it moves into the distance. In addition to the bats, hawks and falcons dance across the sky as they try to catch their limit. Watching the aerial acrobatics is a great way to end the day.

For obvious reasons, I took my camera along on our little adventure. As expected, I got the traditional shots: bats flying out of the cave, a cloud of bats extending into the distance, and groups of bats framed against the sky. It wasn’t until the light began to fade from the sky that I realized a golden photographic opportunity was sitting right in front of me (it involved people, so I can be forgiven for the delay in thinking of it). I positioned Kara and her cousin in front of the bats and let them start to make different faces and poses. The above shot is one of my favorites.

So next time you are out photographing, be willing to take a lighter look at your subject and have some fun. It is amazing how often those images end up being your favorite.

The image was created using a Canon 1D mark 2, 24-70mm lens (set at 24mm), at 1000 ISO. The high ISO setting enabled me to handhold the camera and reposition as the bats emerged from the cave.

Written on September 28th, 2010 , Photography Information, Technique Tuesday, Understanding Photography Series

The importance of anthropomorphism in wildlife photography

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In yesterday’s post “Elephant Entertainment” I mentioned how much I enjoy photographing elephants. The above image is one of my favorites and clearly shows the humor exhibited by elephants. It began as a typical day in the Serengeti as we followed a large herd of elephants. After about an hour, the herd began to move towards a waterhole and we all grew excited. As predicted, the elephants began to drink and the action started. Young elephants chased each other through the grass as adults waded and splashing in the water. As the excitement died down, one juvenile (maybe 8-10 years old) decided to lie down and rest. This caused one of his younger siblings to cautiously approach, evaluate the situation, and then respond in that time honored tradition of all younger siblings. He sat on his brother’s head! Imagine the laughter as the older elephant struggled to get up and imagine the chase that followed! The whole experience reminded me of past interactions between my own two children.

This story brings me to the point of today’s post: anthropomorphism. Anthropomorphism is defined as the “attribution of human motivation, characteristics, or behavior to inanimate objects, animals, or natural phenomena.” As a wildlife researcher (in my previous life), the idea of anthropomorphism was always viewed with suspicion. It was not suppose to be done. The assumption that animals share the same motivations, emotions, or desires as humans was frowned upon by scientists for fear that those assumption would not only turn out to be untrue, but would in fact distract us from discovering the truth. The danger of applying anthropomorphism to wildlife behavior was shown repeatedly. Ever seen a chimpanzee smile? Does he do it because he is happy? Humans smile when we are happy, so it is a logical assumption that chimpanzees do to. Unfortunately that assumption would be wrong. What we call a smile is a chimpanzee’s way of showing fear. Imaging the typical chimpanzee’s reaction to hundreds of smiling school children as they visit the zoo. Can you say terror?

So what does this have to do with photography? Simple, photography is not science. The goal of science is to answer questions in an unbiased manner. The goal of photography is to share the vision and message of the photographer. Yet, on a number of occasions I have listened to photographers talk about the evils of anthropomorphism as if the same restrictions should be applied. Lets be real here, there is nothing unbiased about photography. Each image we take contains our world view, preconceptions, and dreams. Trying to remove those things from the image results in boring images. In wildlife photography, we want the viewer to fall in love with the subject. We want them to share the awe, the laughter, and the sadness we experienced while out capturing images. To do this, photographers need to use anthropomorphism to our advantage. Use emotions, beliefs, and assumptions to make a connection with the viewer. If an animal looks like it is exhibiting a human emotion, celebrate. We are not scientists. We are photographers and in that context, anthropomorphism is OK.

Written on September 21st, 2010 , Africa, Animal Behavior, Photography Information, Tanzania, Technique Tuesday, Understanding Photography Series

A Look at Cropping

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When I got started in wildlife photography I shot slide film (I admit it, I am getting old). One of the consequences of this is that I am very hesitant to crop my images. With slides, what you see is what you get. There was no post production option where the slide could be cropped before being shared. What you shot is what the viewer saw. Today, in the world of digital, we have cameras with insanely high megapixels and the option to crop is readily available. So why do I still hesitate? Truth be told, I just like to the challenge of getting it right in camera. So, I guess I do crop, but I tend to do it before I ever press the shutter.

Now, having said that, lets talk a little bit about cropping. As beginning photographers, one of the pieces of advise you constantly hear is, “fill the frame.” Generally speaking this is good advise because new photographers tend to leave too much space and clutter around their subjects. Simplify and the easiest way to do that is to move in closer. The advise, however, can be taken too far. Look at the above image. What do you think? On the plus side, it is a nice behavior shot with the trunk lifted towards me (she is picking up my scent in case you were wondering). On the down side, I framed the image too tight. The elephant is squeezed between the sides with part of her ear and rump getting cropped off. Her feet are also cropped off as they disappear into the grass. Is the end result pleasing? I don’t think so! This is a photographer that got too close and didn’t have the sense to change lenses (what can I say, I was excited).

So, what is the lesson? When it comes to cropping, I find it best to follow one of two possible paths. The first path resists in camera cropping. Show the entire subject without cutting anything off. Provide enough space in the frame so that the subject has room to breath. Even go so far as to include part of the environment (a crazy idea, I know). The other approach is to crop like crazy. Don’t cut off a little bit, cut off a lot. Why settle for a foot when half the body can be eliminated? While this sounds extreme, it usually works. Cropping off a little bit of the subject (part of the tail) often looks like a mistake, while a significant crop looks intentional.

Written on September 14th, 2010 , Photography Information, Technique Tuesday, Understanding Photography Series

Not all subjects are created equal

As photographers, we have limited time to spend on photography. Even with no logistical restraints, there are only 24 hours in a day and 7 days in a week. Given these limitations, it becomes important for us to acknowledge an important point, not all photographic subjects are created equal. With limited time available, it is beneficial to evaluate potential subjects and focus our efforts on those most likely to create the images were are after. Note that I do not say we have to focus on the prettiest subject (though that often is where our attention goes). Rather, as photographers we must make decisions about the purpose of the photograph and then select our subjects so as to maximize the image’s impact. If the message is about the beauty of nature, then a beautiful flower will better tell the story then a wilted one. If, on the other hand, the image’s purpose is to showcase the exploitation of natural resources, a harsh, barren landscape might better serve.

Lets look at an example using the two ostrich images below. Both images depict ostriches on the savannah. The first shows a female ostrich sitting among a field of flowers. The second, a male in full breeding plumage. I like both images and often include both in slideshows. I don’t for a moment, however, fool myself into thinking that they have the same level of impact when viewed. When comparing the two, the image of the male stands out dramatically because of its color and posture. The female, while beautiful in her own right, is much less impressive when compared to the male. So, how as a photographer should I devote my limited time between these two subject? Ideally, I would spend time shooting both (which I obviously did). If time was limited, however, I would focus my attention on the male as he is the more dramatic subject, and is more likely to produce an image with impact.

When out photographing, remember that your time is limited, and all subjects are not created equal. How will you choose to spend your time?

(click on the images to see larger versions)

The image of the female ostrich (top image) was captured using a Canon 1D mark 2, 500mm IS lens, at 400 ISO. The image was shot from a vehicle and a beanbag was used to support the lens.

The image of the male ostrich (bottom image) was captured using a Canon 1D mark 2, 500mm IS lens with a 1.4 teleconverter attached, at 200 ISO. The image was shot from a vehicle and a beanbag was used to support the lens.

Written on August 31st, 2010 , Photography Information, Technique Tuesday, Understanding Photography Series

Filling the Frame

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This post marks the beginning of a new editorial schedule entitled Technique Tuesday. Each Tuesday, I will post a photographic tip or suggestions with the goal of develop your understanding of photography and the skills necessary to create the pictures you want.

This week we will begin with a simple concept that has resulted in some of my best images: fill the frame with something interesting. Everywhere we look, potential photographs exist. Too often, however, we include too much and the resulting image lacks focus. Viewers become confused about our message and loss interest. The solution? When you find a subject, fill the frame with it. Cut out everything but the subject. If it is a person, get up close and personal until their face is all you see (make sure they are OK with this before you try). For wildlife, pull out the telephoto lens and creep forward as close as possible. Getting closer, either physically (move those legs) or optically (pull out the telephoto lens) helps eliminate the distractions and focus all of the attention on your subject. This is not to say that you should never include the surroundings as part of the photo, but include them because they are important, not because you got lazy and didn’t fill the frame.

The above image of a Cheetah was captured in the Northern part of the Serengeti, Tanzania. The image was created using a Canon 1D mark 2, 500mm IS lens with a 2x teleconverter attached, at 500 ISO. The image was made from a vehicle and a beanbag was used to stabilize the lens.

Written on August 24th, 2010 , Photography Information, Technique Tuesday, Understanding Photography Series

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