jd40
10th of May 2008 (Sat), 11:30
Remember how you use to take pictures back in the old day? When you went to a bd party, clubbing, dinner, family gathering, bbq, etc and just whip out your camera taking pictures left and right in the auto mode? Remember those days when no one look at you twice when you made a huge scene taking pictures? Yeah, remember those days 2-3 years ago when your beloved P&S never left you?
And now, unless you're doing some serious photography, you feel somewhat awkward and cumbersome lugging that huge DSLR around, lucky if you only bring one walk around lens. So how do you still be able to use your fantastic DSLR without appearing like you're a paparazzi, professional photographer, or camera person of the night? All you really want is to take nice pictures and still participate in the events, is that too much to ask for? Yes it is
So unless you plan to take pictures (your son game, portrait in the garden, landscape, graduation, etc) in the beginning but if it's just a "grab & go in case you catch sum' good" or still be part of the event without anyone categorize you as "paparazzi, photog, cameraman", here are some basic rules to follow.
And please, feel free to contribute :lol:
- When you take a group pictures, keep it 2 shots at a time. The first picture is to check for proper exposure. More than 2 picture is too long for the group and will put you in the paparazzi, photog, cameraman category.
- Which bring to this rule. The time between the 1st and 2nd shot must be less than or equal to 4 seconds. Within that 4 seconds, you must be able to review the picture on your LCD, make proper adjustment (aperture, speed, iso, picture style, flash on/off, zoom, w/b, etc), and ready to shoot again. Longer than that then you will lose people attention or they will scatter away. This apply to a group of 6 or less, if you have more people, your time decreases even more.
- The only thing you can direct people is "don't blink", anything more than that like "tilt your hear, turn little sideway, put your hand right there, adjust your shoulder, move your feet, etc" is a no-no
- one lens per body and leave your camera bag (with all the other lenses) at home
- While you're taking pictures, keep your space to yourself and don't allow any part of your body exceed one foot radius from the center of your body. The attention you get from strangers and the professional belief you get from your friends increase exponential the wider your legs spread.
- dress to blend in, especially no baseball cap backward (talk about paparazzi)
- minimize holding your camera at formal event when you're in shirt and tie or suit (talk about professional photographer)
- when you take candid shot, make sure you're at least 12 feet away from your subject
- when you take candid shot, make sure your subject didn't look at you 3 seconds before that
- when you take candid shot, make sure your subject don't see you
- don't walk around trying to find the best angle, or taking pictures while you're doing it
- when you use the terms "focus, fast, sharp, etc", make sure they're relevant to the chatting topics of the group and not because you're talking to your camera
- don't smile when you're just standing there by yourself reviewing the pictures on the LCD, unless someone else is there looking at them with you
- use the words "blurry" in stead of "bokeh", "fast" instead of "panning", "bad" instead of "out of focus", "not clear" instead of "sharp", and "lens" instead of "zoom/prime/tele/wide".
you will lose people if you use the latter
- don't tell them how much your lenses cost
And now, unless you're doing some serious photography, you feel somewhat awkward and cumbersome lugging that huge DSLR around, lucky if you only bring one walk around lens. So how do you still be able to use your fantastic DSLR without appearing like you're a paparazzi, professional photographer, or camera person of the night? All you really want is to take nice pictures and still participate in the events, is that too much to ask for? Yes it is
So unless you plan to take pictures (your son game, portrait in the garden, landscape, graduation, etc) in the beginning but if it's just a "grab & go in case you catch sum' good" or still be part of the event without anyone categorize you as "paparazzi, photog, cameraman", here are some basic rules to follow.
And please, feel free to contribute :lol:
- When you take a group pictures, keep it 2 shots at a time. The first picture is to check for proper exposure. More than 2 picture is too long for the group and will put you in the paparazzi, photog, cameraman category.
- Which bring to this rule. The time between the 1st and 2nd shot must be less than or equal to 4 seconds. Within that 4 seconds, you must be able to review the picture on your LCD, make proper adjustment (aperture, speed, iso, picture style, flash on/off, zoom, w/b, etc), and ready to shoot again. Longer than that then you will lose people attention or they will scatter away. This apply to a group of 6 or less, if you have more people, your time decreases even more.
- The only thing you can direct people is "don't blink", anything more than that like "tilt your hear, turn little sideway, put your hand right there, adjust your shoulder, move your feet, etc" is a no-no
- one lens per body and leave your camera bag (with all the other lenses) at home
- While you're taking pictures, keep your space to yourself and don't allow any part of your body exceed one foot radius from the center of your body. The attention you get from strangers and the professional belief you get from your friends increase exponential the wider your legs spread.
- dress to blend in, especially no baseball cap backward (talk about paparazzi)
- minimize holding your camera at formal event when you're in shirt and tie or suit (talk about professional photographer)
- when you take candid shot, make sure you're at least 12 feet away from your subject
- when you take candid shot, make sure your subject didn't look at you 3 seconds before that
- when you take candid shot, make sure your subject don't see you
- don't walk around trying to find the best angle, or taking pictures while you're doing it
- when you use the terms "focus, fast, sharp, etc", make sure they're relevant to the chatting topics of the group and not because you're talking to your camera
- don't smile when you're just standing there by yourself reviewing the pictures on the LCD, unless someone else is there looking at them with you
- use the words "blurry" in stead of "bokeh", "fast" instead of "panning", "bad" instead of "out of focus", "not clear" instead of "sharp", and "lens" instead of "zoom/prime/tele/wide".
you will lose people if you use the latter
- don't tell them how much your lenses cost