It’s a very common thing to find street performers and carnivals in every big city in Germany if you happen to be in the market place during the weekend.
This is, for photographers, a great opportunity to capture spontaneous emotions of people, take advantage of the free show and the clothing.
Please comment about the feelings that these photographs have on you. Do you feel the music? Do you hear the drums? If you do, then it means that the shot is a succesfull one: your eye went from the happy faces of the players to their instruments and back, without any other distractions from the background.

During the Photo-Tour I encountered nice places and scenes that I wanted to photograph but could not get out of the car because the road and traffic did not allowed me to stop the car. Also, sometimes, pictures taken from a car can be more creative, more interesting than a normal snapshot of the landscape. Here is what I mean:
1. TIP: By shooting from inside the car, frame your picture with the car elements: mirror, or, the lateral window. However, don’t focus on these element: they represent just the frame, not the point of interest. The point of interest is the environment outside the car.

2. TIP: The picture from inside the car is interesting when motion blur is present. Not hard to do that: there are two key factors that you should know when hunting for the right moment to get the most spectacular blur:
FIRST: near objects get more of the motion blur

SECOND: the greater the speed, the stronger the motion blur

3. TIP: Considering the speed of the car, and the fact that inside the car there is less light than outside, you should set your camera on shutter speed priority – fast shutter speed. The kind of motion blur you want is not the one caused by your camera shake (which is an up-down movement), but the one caused by the moving car (which is horizontal).

4. TIP: Some animals tend to approach the car. Prepare something to eat and ask someone inside the car to hand it over the window, then catch with your camera the moment when the animal sticks the head into the car. Funny, isn’t it?


5. TIP: If the car is stopped but there is no need to get off in order to shoot something you like, then maybe you should not think about framing the picture with car elements: just open the window and take a normal shot. Without the motion-blur or middle of the road situations, it does not make much sens to fill the picture with unnecessary elements. However, the next pictures are some exceptions.

6. TIP: Watch out for the reflection and dust! The reflection of your body or other elements in the care window, and the dust on the window, can be avoided if you just open the window. Depending on the Sun’s position, you may not get any reflections thou the glass. Here’s an example of the situation when you can not open the front window of the car, so the is some dust…

Also, there are some situations when the reflection in the car’s lateral mirror can be interesting.

I received (from Mark via email) a nice video tutorial on the workflow and editing that can be used to create moody and melodramatic monochromes well suited to architectural and urban photography.

Clcik here to watch the tutorial

Tools used by Mark in this video:
* RAW conversion software,(Pixmantec’s Rawshooter Essentials 2006)
* High Dynamic Range imaging software (DynamicPhoto HDR)
* Photoshop CS3
Also, the pictures were made with Canon 350D Digital SLR with Canon EFS 17-85mm f4-5.6 IS USM lens + sky filter (mainly for protection) + hood to cut down stray light. Look at the pictures.
Mark’s work is also exhibited at Masa Fine Art Galllery, Royal William Yard.
Thank you Mark for this brilliant tutorial and magnificent photos!

Mark about the world in he’s photography:
“The back streets and the docks, this is where people have lived and worked through Plymouth’s history. Once these have been razed and redeveloped, part of the our heritage will be gone.
The pretty places and views will be recorded, but to many people this is the real Plymouth, and deserves to be remembered. My aim is to show things as people may not see them, to give a different viewpoint. I like secret spaces, lost spaces, which are in the middle of communities but which people just pass by and don’t really notice.”

If you have just purchased your Nikon D80, the controls on the outside of the camera coupled with all the menus and custom settings can be … all » downright overwhelming. We give you a structure for looking at the controls as well as a repeatable ritual for taking great photos with your new camera. You spent a bundle on this camera. Let it be an extension of your hands rather than a struggle. The Nikon D80 is a powerful piece of equipment. A solid understanding of its features and controls can really unleash its potential. Once you learn how the camera’s components work together, you’ll have all the tools you need to capture the best image under all conditions.
Understanding AF Area Selections Topics include:
• Be Prepared (To Get the Shot)
• Shutter Priority
• Aperture Priority/Depth of Field
• Focus Alternatives
• Metering and Bracketing
• White Balance/Color Temperature
• ISO
• Playback Options / Image Review
• Understanding Histograms
• Exposure Compensation
• Flash Overview
• Custom Settings
• Tripods and Telephoto Lenses
• Programmable Buttons
• RAW (NEF) Files
• Composition
• My Menus
• Bracketing versus Post Processing
• Shutter Priority to Achieve the Effect You Want
• Self Timer and Delay for Rock Solid Results
Take great pictures with your Nikon D80! All you need is this training DVD and about 93 minutes, and you’ll have the knowledge and the confidence to create the images you want. The topics are arranged in chapters, so you can move at your own pace, and return later to individual subjects.

Nikon Understanding Digital Photography DVD You are ready to take your digital SLR photography beyond the automatic settings on your … all » Nikon digital SLR camera, this 45 minute Nikon School© DVD is the perfect guide. Join Bob Krist, award-winning National Geographic Traveler Photographer, on a day of shooting and instruction. Along the way, Bob will offer valuable insights on choices you can make to begin composing and shooting breathtaking photographs.

While on a variety of locations, Bob will share his vast knowledge of photography and Nikon digital SLRs to educate you on:

· Camera settings for best quality in various situations
· Lens choice for creative and practical shooting
· Utilizing the Retouch Menu for in-camera editing
· Exposure fundamentals and shooting options

During the day’s shooting, Bob takes us to familiar situations around the home and demonstrates a variety of creative photographic opportunities. Understanding Digital Photography covers the use of the Nikon Creative Lighting System, using Nikon Speedlights for portraits and small groups. Bob continues removing the mystery of overcoming photographic challenges in a variety of environments including the difficulties encountered with twilight portraits and landscapes.

This DVD offers valuable instruction to anyone interested in digital SLR photography, particularly those who have some familiarity with a digital SLR’s basic functions. For those unfamiliar with basic digital SLR operation, I recommend beginning with the Nikon School© DVD, Fast, Fun& Easy: Great Digital Pictures.

Repetition of shape and colour can add an engaging motif to your scene without making an ugly busy composition. Finding pattern and symmetry for your shot need not constrain you to photographing your grandparent’s carpets and curtains.

Spot the Patterns

Patterns of all kinds occur at all scales throughout nature, but also throughout human constructs too – and this is what I’m focusing on now.
If you live in a big city and don’t feel too attracted to street photography, then you probably think about abstract photography. By looking for patterns around your home you train you eye to see in a more abstract way.
However, note that abstract art not only includes textures and patterns, but also minimalistic lines and color spots/shapes. The keyword for a successful urban pattern photography is repetition.

Accentuate the Pattern in Your Photo

Try to zoom in close enough to the pattern so that it fills the frame and makes the repetition seem as though it’s bursting out. In some rare cases you can brake this rule to give the viewer a comparison for the patterned object.
One of the most commonly seen pattern in a city is made by the arrangement of the windows. You can photograph this scene normally (horizontal view) or in diagonal, from different angles. (examples sourse)

Stairs also create interesting shapes: different spirals, curves and lines.

Example by Yitzhak Avigur

Alex Wasilewski from Springfield, Illinois and his image ‘A Record in Stone’:

Night lights: dots from the standing reflectors and lines from the moving vehicles.

Any other objects that come together in a group in public places: like baskets in shopping malls, sits in an empty room, boxes and books on shelfs, the same product repeated in a shop, dishes, wheels and wheel patterns, bricks and so on.

Original Image

Industry (not just construction industry that I mentioned at the beginning) and agriculture (however, this goes under rural patterns) present activities which have as a result a man-made work full of patterns. Some of these are only visible from a plane or some high building.
One of the most famous picture of this kind illustrates parked cars (by Alex MacLean).

And one last note: you can also try some macro shots on electronic circuits (and any other man-made little objects) and include them as urban patterns.

Last one by arhitectural photographer Ross Langdon.
More:
Charles Webster Patterns:

Windows, just like doors, are gates, or better said portals, to other worlds. The words inside and outside don’t make too much sense in photographing windows, so we can let the imagination decide what are the two worlds on each side.

These portals welcome you with flowers. They also wary in shape and the old ones have sculptures. Some of them are deteriorated by time and no one considered repairing them, but, for photography, this fact ad more to the mystery of the gate between the worlds. The rustier it is, the more impressive it gets.
There are barriers at the windows even if opened: not everyone is welcomed to enter or to leave. And the funny thing is: this barrier only filtrates by size.

Things get more dynamic as someone gets “trapped” in the portal. Hanging on a window between two worlds, looking curiously to see what’s on the other side.
If the window is tall and there is nothing around it that makes the composite of the idea, the vertical shooting is a standard. No special camera settings are required, just a good eye and imagination.

Tags: window, windows, window picture

Preparing to Shoot

Honest emotions (tip1) is the expression that best describes what we feel when we look at children. This is what a kid picture should capture. But, just like pets, young kids are most of the time restless and with no patience for a shooting session. Otherwise, why do a shooting session if you focus on spontaneous emotions(tip 2)?

Another tip would be to collaborate with the kids (tip 3): go to the park and offer them some chocolate or candy. This will bring up even more joy on their faces. They will look towards the camera with no fear (and maybe will even ask to play with it). However, at the beginning, they will try to get attention by playing a circus… but after a short while they will get bored of that and will finally get natural – so be patient (tip 5). If a child is there with the parents, talk to them, gain trust (tip 6).

Camera Requirements

The unexpected movement of the children is the reason why your power-up time and shutter lag should be minimal (tip 7) (the laugh, the cry, the joy won’t wait for your camera to be prepared) and the shutter speed under 0,5 sec (tip 8 ) (to prevent motion blur that may occur while the child moves).

If the lighting conditions won’t allow you to have such a short shutter speed, adjust the ISO setting (tip 9) to a higher level. Most compact cameras have a preset shooting mode for Kids&Pets (tip 10) which will automatically do all the settings for you if you don’t want (or can not) do it manually. The movement of the kids will probably also result in having problems with the focus (especially if you try a narrow DOF like in portraiture). This means that each shot will be focused differently and that should happen fast. The auto-focus is definitely the best choice (tip 10).

Shooting and Later Edits

First of all, remember that you are taller than the children and by shooting from your eye level will not result on a good perspective (tip 11).

Get down to their level and be inside their world (tip 12). Most of all, the eyes of the kids are large and beautiful; therefore you will want to place them in a point of interest of the picture for enhancing the face value (tip 13). Sometimes, to do so, get closer and if getting closer will not help, use zoom (tip 14).

Happy kids pictures always turn out good in vivid colors (tip 15) (later on you can even give the picture a warmer tone (tip 16)), but, like any broken rule, black&white – see above – (tip 17) works also.

The pictures of kids being all over the parents and parents taking care of the kids (tip 18) are good ideas for shooting too.

Tags: photographing kids, photodraphing children, kids and pets, spontaneous, emotions, photographing kids tips, Tips for Photographing Kids

What do you have in mind when taking pictures on a highway? Maybe the road signs. Yes, it’s a good idea but here I’m not talking about that.
Road construction requires the creation of a continuous right-of-way, overcoming geographic obstacles and having grades low enough to permit vehicle or foot travel. This means you will find interesting sinuous shapes of roads.

Notice that in most of the cases the road should be free of cars and walkers. Two exceptions are noticeable: the pictures depicting intense city traffic and the night roads when a car leaves behind a rail of light.

As for the composition, it’s always a good idea to start the road from a corner of the picture up to the middle or the other corner. In most of the cases it will appear larger in the starting corner and thinner at the end. However, sometimes, when symmetry allows, you can start and end your road line in the middle of the picture.

As I said many times before, following the weather helps a lot: fog or rain give special effects, and, in the case of train rails, sunrise is also creating a mystical atmosphere.

Tip 1 Forest Road

Tip 2 City Road

Tip 3 Mountain Road

Tip 4 Desert Road

Tip 5 Night Road

Tip 6 Train Rails

Sometimes when I can’t go out, all I have to do is to look over the window… and… here’s what I come up with:

Tip 1
More sky filled with clouds and less city scape or city shapes in direct sunlight.

Tip 2
Cranes or other human crazy inventions look good in composition.

Tip 3
Natural gradient with little building part form a nice minimalistic image.

Tip 4
Birds, birds, so many birds…

Some of those shots are made with “vivid” option on the camera. After shooting, some Photo Editig is required to obtain the right colors (Selective Color, Curves, Hue and Saturation) and reduce the noise (with NeatImage).

Tags: Urban Skyline, Photography Tips, Poto Tips, Urban Photo Tips