Gus’ Guide to Taking Great Photos
When you get to visit as many beautiful places as Appalachia has to offer, it's only natural that you want to document what you're seeing. Some people write detailed travel journals, others will sketch out the details of their surroundings.
At Willawisps, my (Gus) preference is taking photos. I started taking photos as a kid as a way of creating a visual diary. I often serve as my family's archivist of events and librarian of photos. At first it was just a fun way to spend the time, but over the last twenty years I've worked hard to develop my skills into something I'm proud of.
Today I'm sharing my tips for taking photos, no matter if you're a beginner or a seasoned adventurer. While these tips will help you become a better photographer, I hope they'll encourage you to become a better observer as well.
Essential Equipment
I prefer Canon cameras. My old model was a Canon 450D EOS Rebel XSi, but I've since upgraded to a Canon 5D Mark IV. You don't have to break the bank to get great photos (I've taken plenty of good photos on my iPhone), but I prefer to have more control with my camera.
I use three lenses, a portrait lens (EF 50mm f/1.4), a landscape lens (EF 17-40mm f/4L), and a telephoto lens (EF 75-300mm F/4-5.6 III).
The stationary portrait lens is great for taking general photos in normal light (my portrait lens has a very low F-Stop number, giving better opportunities in darker areas, but we'll get to that later). It also helps as a standard lens if you don't want to carry too much. To get those great close up photos of animals or textures, you'll need a telephoto lens.
Telephoto lenses can help you get shots of things you may not have been able to get near. Whether that be worrying about disturbing wildlife, seeing a cool rock at an inaccessible area, or helping you remove yourself as the photographer from the scene of your shot.
Landscape lenses widen your visual range. They are often the lenses behind those wide-shot breathtaking views. I will criticize the way these lenses portray people. It tends to stretch shoulders wider and heads smaller, so be sure to tell your friends that when they ask why they look so weird.
Camera Basics
While you are learning your tool mechanics, it is important to know certain aspects of photography do not rely on the device. Composition (rule of thirds, aspect ratio, narrative, ect) can all make images better, whether taken with a Canon 5D Mark IV, or a phone camera.
What is Composition?
Composition is the difference between 1,000 washed out cruise photos and one fascinating shot of someone's hands hanging over the edge of the ferry. Composition is the difference between an accidental release of flash with a long-exposure light picture and a beautiful line of light directing the view of the subject.
OBX Ferry Ride
Because the rules apply across the arts most of, if not all, of these compositional directions can be found easily in any design or photography guides. I want to provide the bare necessities I often think about when shooting.
Focal Point
One goal of an image is directing the viewer where to look. If there is a person, a subject, they easily take center stage. If the image contains a waterfall or a rock formation, or some wildlife, they step into the spotlight. If the response to an image is "What am I looking at?" it may be a poor focal point. An important aspect of a focal point is focusing the lens on the intended point.
Elkins River
Rule of Thirds
This rule guides creators to place focal points in the interesting areas of a piece. We do not want points of interest to fall in the center of the image. Evenly half-split images feel stagnate. If lines connect with corners or other unintended lines, they cause tangents, which interrupt the flow of the image. If a viewer's response is "This seems flat," or if they happen to glance over the image, it may have poor layout without the Rule of Thirds.
New York City
Aspect Ratio
The shape of the frame can serve a narrative purpose. Think about the subconscious impact a change in ratio can have on the viewer in a movie. The wider images are more pastoral and calm, while the tighter shots imply more individual connection. Square shots are less natural and they imply a display. In the pre-Instagram world, they were more for advertising and avant-garde shots. Instagram did re-write the semantics of this framing though. They now hold a more organic and casual "one-shot" implication.
Dry Branch
Leading Lines
We mentioned tangents previously. Sometimes, on an accidental bizarre alignment, we can see images which are difficult to interpret. Edges of rocks aligning with the horizon, a power line seemingly connected to the corner of the frame, or edges of subjects aligning with other objects. These are tangents. They interrupt the flow of visual space, and often demand our focus.
In contrast, leading lines can be crucial, especially in wide, sweeping shots. Leading lines direct the eye to the focal point. These leading lines also work with vertical and horizontal alignment. When these lines cross, it creates focal points.
Snowshoe Mountain Resort
Negative Space
Negative space is the quieter area beyond the focal point. There needs to be a good balance between the two, or the image will feel empty. When I take a photo, and I worry it doesn't quite hit where I want it to hit, sometimes, I have not balanced the shot. Sure, we want to focus on the subject, but a more interesting shot balances the two; the subject, and the setting.
Every shot has some degree of negative space. It gives "breathing room" for the subject. It helps define the main focal point.
With that in mind, a good balance between dark, medium, and light can be helpful in making a good shot. They do not have to be evenly distributed, just present. It is important to remember that balance is a rule I break constantly. If the narrative purpose includes tension, then balance is not part of the image.
Gloss Mountains, Oklahoma
Purpose
Visual storytelling is the whole reason we are here. Why did you bring your camera? Did you want to have memories of an event? Did you want to bring light to a current topic? Do you just think the flowers look nice in the sunlight? It's not always a complicated purpose, but there is always a purpose. When you decide the purpose, it becomes much easier to catch the shots. My purpose is often retelling the story of our adventures. I like to capture shots of the things I know I will tell my friends about later. My list of photos often archives a nice memory we experienced so other people can experience it too.
NYC, Bryant Park
You can aim to display a physical subject, but the subject can also be an idea or a feeling. Whether it is something like the placement of boulders showing their movement over millions of years, or an interesting break in pattern.
Dry Branch, WV
It's important to trust your viewer, but it's also important to cut out or avoid anything outside of the image goal. Sure, the trees behind someone may be interesting, but it might just not be their time to shine.
Compose with Intention
Now that we've gone over the basics of composition, let's get into the mechanics of your camera.
Mastering the Balance of Shutter Speed, F-Stop, ISO
Shutter Speed is the amount of time a shutter is open to absorb the light sent through the lens. It's measured in the fraction of a second. 1/500th of a second captures motion stopped in time, while 1/5th of a second shows the streams of the motion the droplets take as a short line. The longer the shutter is open, the more light it lets in.
1/500 Shutter Speed
1/15 Shutter Speed
Aperture/F-Stop is the width of the opening for the intake of the image. The F-Stop serves as a numerical indication although it can be confusing. Let me explain: f/1.4 is an open aperture while f/16 is a tighter aperture. The technical reason is based on fractions and the amount of light hitting the sensor. Each number halves the standard amount of light hitting that sensor.
The wider aperture, like f/1.6, has a shallow depth of field and is more sensitive to light. The tighter aperture, like f/16 deepens the depth of field with less sensitivity to light. If you want the soft focus around the subject, it helps to use a wider aperture. If you want to show more in focus, it helps to tighten the aperture.
Valley Falls, WV
ISO came from an inter-linguistically standardized acronym of the International Organization of Standardization. It served as a measurement for the sensitivity of films to light, but in the DSLR world, it describes the digital sensitivity to light.
Think of it as a gauge showing the way the camera reacts to light. At lower ISO like 100, the image stays softer and relies on the other settings. At a higher ISO like 3500, the image can be much brighter, but it can be very grainy. My best example for those types of images is a classic black and white live music photo taken in a low-lit bar.
Last Year’s Model at 123 Pleasant Street
The shot you want comes from balancing those three settings in your camera. Each affects the other, so it takes some experimenting to understand the best settings. In the beginning, I use this website with a simulation to show the effects the settings have on the final image. This site is set up for Canon, but the same rules apply to any others as well.
Douglas Falls
More Settings
The first few weeks or months with your DSLR can be spent utilizing the standard settings. Most DSLRs come with the following settings:
automatic mode, where you trust the camera to fit the settings,
a portrait mode which with soften the background and keep flesh colors reasonably balanced
a landscape mode which typically uses wider focal range and brighter, cooler colors.
a sports mode to focus more on higher shutters and moving focal points,
a flower mode for closer shots,
a night portrait mode with slower shutter speeds for more light exposure,
Av, where the aperture is your choice and the camera will balance the ISO and the shutter speed,
Tv, where the shutter speed is your choice and the camera will balance the ISO and the aperture,
some cameras have a children setting based on high motion and fluid focal range
and last, but not least, my preference, full manual, where you have total control of the images (5D has full auto, program auto mode for external added flash with ISO control and white balance, Tv, Av, Manual, Bulb, and three custom manual settings C1, C2, C3).
Take the Shot
First, decide what the subject will be. Next, pick the vibe you want to convey with the image. Think about the full frame with both positive and negative space along with the (at least) three tones. If anything can be removed from the frame, adjust the focal area and build the composition. Then take the shot! I aim to need as little after-shot editing as possible.
Final Thoughts
I'm a firm believer that anyone can take a great photos. They just need to learn the basics of composition, and be willing to learn. I only know what I know now because I tried, failed, and kept trying. Everyone will make mistakes and take bad photos. Learn from them by talking to your friends and seeing what looks good and what doesn't.
My favorite style of photography is out in nature. Nature photography is more fun if you don't get too focused on having a ground-breaking image. You will get that perfect shot one day, and then another day. They will grow more frequent as you grow as a photographer. You just have to keep trying and keep your eyes open.
Let me know how the photography is going! Send me an e-mail with your latest shot, and tell me the story behind it. If you need more inspiration, check out my portfolio.
Happy travels!
