The Perfect Photo PDF
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The Perfect Photo edition espresso Elin Rantakrans ([email protected]) Tobias Hagberg ([email protected]) Editor: Gerhard Rossbach Translation: David Schlesinger Copyeditor: Julie Simpson Layout and Type: Petra Strauch Cover Design: Anna Diechtierow Printer: Tallinna Raamatutrükikoja OÜ Printed in Estonia ISBN 978-1-933952-85-7 1st Edition 2011 © 2011 by Elin Rantakrans and Tobias Hagberg Rocky Nook Inc. 26 West Mission Street Ste 3 Santa Barbara, CA 93101 www.rockynook.com Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Rantakrans, Elin. [Grunderna. English] The perfect photo : 71 tips from the top / Elin Rantakrans, Tobias Hagberg. -- 1st ed. p. cm. ISBN 978-1-933952-85-7 (pbk.) 1. Composition (Photography) I. Hagberg, Tobias. II. Title. TR179.R3613 2011 770.1--dc23 2011014231 Distributed by O‘Reilly Media 1005 Gravenstein Highway North Sebastopol, CA 95472 Many of the designations in this book used by manufacturers and sellers to dis- tinguish their products are claimed as trademarks of their respective companies. Where those designations appear in this book, and Rocky Nook was aware of a trademark claim, the designations have been printed in caps or initial caps. They are used in editorial fashion only and for the benefit of such companies, they are not intended to convey endorsement or other affiliation with this book. No part of the material protected by this copyright notice may be reproduced or utilized in any form, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without written permission of the copyright owner. While reasonable care has been exercised in the preparation of this book, the publisher and author assume no responsibility for errors or omissions, or for damages resulting from the use of the information contained herein. Copyright © of all photographs in this book belong to the photographer on record. This book is printed on acid-free paper. Elin Rantakrans & Tobias Hagberg The Perfect Photo 71 Tips from the Top WITH PHOTOS BY Knuth Bergholm Szabolcs J Csörge Lars Dareberg Robert Eliasson Camilla Eriksson Tobias Hagberg Hasse Holmberg Martina Holmberg Jesper Linse Hans Nydahl Elin Rantakrans Sebastian Romert Gerhard Rossbach Marie Rytkölä Per Stymne Elin Torger edition espresso Contents Foreword 6 Camera Equipment 8 To get the most out of the tips in this book, you’ll need to spend some time with your camera and become comfortable with it. Don’t be afraid of experimenting and, most importantly, don’t be afraid of this guidebook. Broaden Your Knowledge, the Easy Way 22 There are several rules of thumb and technical terms that you should know so you can manually set up your camera to take the pictures you want. Capturing the Best Light 42 Photography literally means painting with light. It comes from the Greek roots photo (light) and grapos (painting). We’ll explore what this really means. Composition 58 A photograph is a reflection of reality, or, to be more exact, a reflection of a part of reality. The composition of a photograph—or the selection of this piece of reality—is fundamental to a photo’s effect. Impressive Landscapes 70 Nature images pose additional challenges: How can you capture the over- whelming wonder of a landscape with only a finite number of megapixels? It’s difficult, but not impossible. 4 Portraits 80 Take some time to get to know the person you’re photographing. You’ll not only be doing your subject a favor, you’ll be doing yourself one too. It’s important to get a sense of who your subject is, so you can photograph him or her meaningfully. Bringing Movement into the Equation 92 Movement can be captured and conveyed by various methods. A moment packed with action can be frozen in a razor-sharp image, for example, or it can be conveyed with motion blur. Both effects can even be used at the same time. Effective Use of Flash 98 A camera’s flash controls more than you might realize. The flash de- termines, for example, the contrast of a picture: in bright lighting, the flash lessens a picture’s contrast, and, in dim lighting, amplifies it. Starting Out in the Digital Darkroom 104 Now is when it really gets interesting. Load your photos onto your computer and start editing in your own digital darkroom. Afterword 125 Photo Credits 126 Index 127 5 Foreword Your camera doesn’t take pictures—you do. Photographic equipment may make up your toolbox, but ideas for pictures come from your head. Don’t worry if you can’t afford the latest equipment such as a flash with 3D light metering. Focus instead on how to take good pictures in the lighting con- ditions you have to work with. Someday you may be able to buy that fancy flash, if you still are interested in it, but in the meantime you can learn how to take amazing pictures. Don’t let the technology of your camera be limiting; instead, take advantage of the possibilities it creates! This book offers practical advice—simple tips that may be taken on their own or used in combination with each other. The sequence of the advice isn’t significant. The book is compact and light, so you can throw it into your camera bag and take it with you on your search for stunning photos. You should read your camera’s instruction manual to learn how to make the most of all its capabilities. Our tips aren’t designed for any specific camera model—our focus is on you. Your perspective and your ideas are what make your pictures great, so the most important advice we can offer has nothing to do with your equipment. It’s this: wherever you go, take your camera with you. You may think this goes without saying, but our experience has taught us that people make the mistake of leaving their cameras at home all too often. Do these excuses sound familiar? “My equipment is expensive and I don’t trust myself not to break it on the ski slopes.” “The lens is so heavy.” “I’m just taking the dog out for a quick walk, what’s the chance of coming across anything of interest?” And so the camera sits at home unused and covered in dust. Take our word for it: Always bring your camera. Maybe you’ll take the picture of your lifetime on your ski trip, when your friend completes a 1080-degree-turn while snowboarding in the half-pipe. Or maybe you’ll capture a rare bird with your heavy, super-telephoto lens. Maybe you’ll even win first prize in a contest of autumn pictures with your shot of a beautifully-colored fall leaf that you discovered on your seemingly boring walk with the dog. Seize moments like these and don’t let them go! Elin Rantakrans & Tobias Hagberg 6 PHOTO: ELIN RANTAKRANS 7 8 CHAPTER 1 CAMERA EQUIPMENT PHOTO: ELIN RANTAKRANS 9
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