Serious Photography For Serious Professionals
Serious photography means artistic, well-considered photography. As such, it also entails a vast scope of equipment, tools, and techniques that make most point-and-shoot enthusiasts, just that: an enthusiast. Though a hobby is an admirable thing, the professional consideration of photography requires serious dedication. Most hobbyist never bother learning the rules of Depth of Field or which f/stop is best to use on an overcast day because the art of photography is now geared towards the hobbyist.
Investing the time to master the basics of classic photography is a worthwhile endeavor. You would never condemn the painter for mastering the basics of rendering the human body. So, too, the photographer must learn how to master a basic 35mm film camera. The average person would be stunned to account for all the elements of photography a serious degree entails.
The serious photographer must abide by three indispensable rules. Know your subject, tailor the camera to meet your needs, and always simplify. Composition is more than trying to recreate your favorite movie angle. Ho does the background interact with your subject? What does the angle to the emotional sense of your photograph? Your subject should never, ever be placed in the middle of the picture.
Of course, in addition to composition, you must contend with light. Light, or the lack thereof, is the single most important factor governing the quality and appeal of a photograph. Do you have enough natural light? How will a flash affect the subject? Do you need a bounce board? Will the position of the camera affect the light? How? Which f/stop is best? The problem-solution dialectic never ends. It simply gets more and more involved especially considering whether or not you are skilled at color, digital, or black and white photography.
The time and effort a stunning photograph encapsulates is lost on most peoples. Even with digital SLR cameras most professionals will tell you out of two or three entire memory cards they will be hard pressed to find one or two acceptable shots. Of course, it may be easier for photographers today, given the proliferation of corrective software available. But regardless of how you manipulate a photograph, if its basic qualities are poorly considered, you will be wasting your time and resources.
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