Break the Rules of Photography and Take

Stunning Images
by Darren Rowse

Photo by Andy100
This week Im going to start a series of short posts here at Digital Photography School that are all about Breaking
Photographic Rules.
Since starting this blog Ive written about many rules of photography but in almost every rule post Ive included
some sort of disclaimer indicating that breaking the rule can lead to great results.
So over the next couple of weeks I want to look at 10 or so photography rules that are worth knowing but which can
also be fun and effective to break.
While you probably wont want to break these rules in every photograph that you take breaking them can bring about
some fairly spectacular results.
Stay tuned for the first rule of photography to try breaking shortly (and feel free to nominate some of the rules you
break in comments below).

Experiment with Different Framings

with Portraits
by Darren Rowse

Photo by Dalla*
In a similar way to our previous post on breaking the rule of Active Space when photographing moving subjects a
similar technique can be used when photographing people.
When taking portraits it is customary to position your subject with more space on the side of their head where they are
facing (or give them space to look into).
If your subject is looking off to one side you would generally give them a little extra room to look into. This creates
balance and gives viewers of the shot a sense of where your subject is looking.
However, as weve found with other broken rules in this series of posts, breaking this rule can produce some eye
catching shots also.
So next time youre doing some portrait work experiment with different poses and framing. Take some shots with your
subject looking directly at the camera, some with them looking to one side with more space to look into and some the
other way around.
Youll find that youll end up with three quite different moods in the three different framings.

Break the Rule of Thirds

by Darren Rowse

Photo by straightfinder
The good old rule of thirds makes a lot of sense in many types of photography (if you dont know what the rule of
thirds is see out tutorial on it).
The Rule of Thirds does work well as a compositional rule in many situations however placing your subject dead
center in an image can also produce powerful and confronting images particularly portraits where the subject is
looking directly down the barrel or where you are presented with a scene with real symmetry like the one to the left.
Next time youre out with your camera experiment with composing shots both to follow and break the rule of thirds
youll find in doing so you can end up with two very different interpretations of the same scene.

Ignore the Active Space Rule for Moving

Subjects
by Darren Rowse

Photo by Jim Skea

Another rule of composition that weve talked about previously is creating Active Space for moving subjects to move
into.
The idea is that if you are photographing a subject that is moving you should place more empty space in front of it than
behind it. This gives the viewer of the image a sense of where the subject is moving and creates a sense of
anticipation.
While following this rule can produce some excellent results, breaking it can add a little tension and intrigue to your
images.
It can also convey a sense of speed and/or give the viewer a sense of where the subject has been rather than where
they are headed.
For instance the image to the left would not have been as dramatic without the trailing smoke behind the place. The
fact that its approaching the top edge of the frame also gives a sense of speed as it almost bursts out of the frame
(not to mention the clever mirroring and contrasts in the image).

Taking Unfocused Photos

by Darren Rowse

Photo by CARNIVAL OF LIGHT

Beautifully sharp and detailed images are something we all aspire for in the majority of our shots I know I do.
However purposely leaving your main subject (or even your whole shot) out of focus can also create stunningly dreamy
images also.
There are two main strategies if youre wanting to explore purposely unfocused images:
1. You might choose to focus on a seemingly unimportant element of the scene (do this by choosing a wide aperture
which will give a narrow depth of field and focus on something in front of or behind your main subject).
2. The other option is to make your full image out of focus but choosing to focus well beyond or in front of your main
subject. Again, a wide aperture will help here and you will probably need to switch your camera to manual focusing
mode or it will attempt to find something to focus upon.
This second option will take a little experimentation. Get things too unfocused and youll end up with a completely
unrecognizable subject the key is to have enough focus for it to be recognizable but out of focus enough to create a
wonderful dreamy mood.
Below are two more examples of unfocused images for a little inspiration.
This post belongs to our series on Breaking Rules of Photography.

Photo by Jeff Kubina

Photo by peskymac

Use a High ISO to Create Grainy Shots

by Darren Rowse

Photo by onkel_wart
Today were going to continue our Breaking the Rules of Photography series by suggesting you experiment with a high
ISO.
Dont know what ISO is? Read this introduction to ISO before reading on.
While not really a rule of photography it is generally accepted in most photographic tutorials that you should avoid
noise in your images at all costs by choosing the lowest ISO possible for the light situation that youre shooting in. This
will leave you with shots that are as smooth, clean and sharp as possible for the lighting conditions that youre in.
While this is a recommended practice in most shooting circumstances there are times where ramping up your ISO
setting to its maximum can create some interesting effects.
Grainy or noisy shots can give your image a gritty and raw quality that creates a completely different mood in your
shots.
I should say in concluding that this technique is getting more and more difficult as an in camera technique because
manufacturers are getting better and better at eliminating noise and grain from high ISO settings. In the old days of
film this was a lot easier to do as high ISO films naturally had lovely gritty grain to them. Some cameras will end up
with muddy/murky shots instead. A better route is probably to take a shot at a lower ISO and do some post production
work to get the grainy effect that youre after however sometimes its more fun to try to get these effects in camera.

Move Your Camera to Create Motion Blur

by Darren Rowse

Photo by klevo!
Here is another quick post from the our Breaking Rules of Photography series of posts this time on moving your
camera during exposure.
One of the most common tips that are given in photography tutorials is to secure your camera.
Usually the method is by attaching your camera to a tripod or monopod to avoid camera shake however purposeful
camera shake can actually give an image a sense of movement, excitement and energy. It can also result in shots with
a more candid or voyeuristic feel.
You might want to do this simply by selecting a shutter speed that is slightly slower than normal and moving your
camera during the exposure. In fact with even just slightly slower shutter speed than normal just trying to handhold
your camera while taking your shot will probably give it the effect that youre looking for.

Introduction to Shutter Speed in Digital

Photography
by Darren Rowse

Photo by Hughes500
Previously Ive introduced the concept of the Exposure Triangle as a way of thinking about getting out of Auto Mode
and exploring the idea of manually adjusting the exposure of your shots.
The three main areas that you can adjust are ISO, Aperture and Shutter speed. Ive previously looked at making
adjustments to ISO and now want to turn our attention to shutter speed.

What is Shutter Speed?

As Ive written elsewhere, defined most basically shutter speed is the amount of time that the shutter is
open.
In film photography it was the length of time that the film was exposed to the scene youre photographing and similarly
in digital photography shutter speed is the length of time that your image sensor sees the scene youre attempting to
capture.
Let me attempt to break down the topic of Shutter Speed into some bite sized pieces that should help digital camera
owners trying to get their head around shutter speed:

Photo by konaboy

Shutter speed is measured in seconds or in most cases fractions of seconds. The bigger the
denominator the faster the speed (ie 1/1000 is much faster than 1/30).
In most cases youll probably be using shutter speeds of 1/60th of a second or faster. This is
because anything slower than this is very difficult to use without getting camera shake. Camera shake is when your
camera is moving while the shutter is open and results in blur in your photos.
If youre using a slow shutter speed (anything slower than 1/60) you will need to either use a
tripod or some some type of image stabilization (more and more cameras are coming with this built in).
Shutter speeds available to you on your camera will usually double (approximately) with each
setting. As a result youll usually have the options for the following shutter speeds 1/500, 1/250, 1/125, 1/60, 1/30,
1/15, 1/8 etc. This doubling is handy to keep in mind as aperture settings also double the amount of light that is let in
as a result increasing shutter speed by one stop and decreasing aperture by one stop should give you similar
exposure levels (but well talk more about this in a future post).
Some cameras also give you the option for very slow shutter speeds that are not fractions of seconds
but are measured in seconds (for example 1 second, 10 seconds, 30 seconds etc). These are used in very low light
situations, when youre going after special effects and/or when youre trying to capture a lot of movement in a shot).
Some cameras also give you the option to shoot in B (or Bulb) mode. Bulb mode lets you keep the shutter open for
as long as you hold it down.
When considering what shutter speed to use in an image you should always ask yourself whether
anything in your scene is moving and how youd like to capture that movement. If there is movement in your scene
you have the choice of either freezing the movement (so it looks still) or letting the moving object intentionally blur
(giving it a sense of movement).
To freeze movement in an image (like in the surfing shot above) youll want to choose a faster shutter
speed and to let the movement blur youll want to choose a slower shutter speed. The actual speeds you should
choose will vary depending upon the speed of the subject in your shot and how much you want it to be blurred.

Photo by flamed

Motion is not always bad I spoke to one digital camera owner last week who told me that he always used
fast shutter speeds and couldnt understand why anyone would want motion in their images. There are times when
motion is good. For example when youre taking a photo of a waterfall and want to show how fast the water is flowing,
or when youre taking a shot of a racing car and want to give it a feeling of speed, or when youre taking a shot of a
star scape and want to show how the stars move over a longer period of time etc. In all of these instances choosing a
longer shutter speed will be the way to go. However in all of these cases you need to use a tripod or youll run the risk
of ruining the shots by adding camera movement (a different type of blur than motion blur).
Focal Length and Shutter Speed - another thing to consider when choosing shutter speed is the focal
length of the lens youre using. Longer focal lengths will accentuate the amount of camera shake you have and so
youll need to choose a faster shutter speed (unless you have image stabilization in your lens or camera). The rule of
thumb to use with focal length in non image stabilized situations) is to choose a shutter speed with a denominator that
is larger than the focal length of the lens. For example if you have a lens that is 50mm 1/60th is probably ok but if you
have a 200mm lens youll probably want to shoot at around 1/250.
Shutter Speed Bringing it Together
Remember that thinking about Shutter Speed in isolation from the other two elements of the Exposure Triangle
(aperture and ISO) is not really a good idea. As you change shutter speed youll need to change one or both of the
other elements to compensate for it.
For example if you speed up your shutter speed one stop (for example from 1/125th to 1/250th) youre effectively
letting half as much light into your camera. To compensate for this youll probably need to increase your aperture one
stop (for example from f16 to f11). The other alternative would be to choose a faster ISO rating (you might want to
move from ISO 100 to ISO 400 for example).
Ill write more on bringing it together once Ive written a post in the coming week on the last element of the Exposure
Triangle Aperture.

The Art Of Panning

Mastering the Art of Panning and you can end up with some eye catching images. Discover how
to do it with these tips.

by Natalie Norton

What is Panning?
Panning is the horizontal movement of a camera as it scans a moving subject.
And since someone out there whos mind is permanently blocked to technical jargon, as mine is, there was bound to be
a huh? or two. So let me break it down a bit.
When you pan youre moving your camera in synchronicity with your subject as it moves parallel to you. Still a little
wordy huh? Its not as complicated as it sounds. Shake your head no. Go on and do it. Now cut that in half and
pretend like youre moving you head along with a cheetah as is it flies by and youve got the idea. In order to pan
successfully your camera has got to follow the subjects movement and match its speed and direction as perfectly as
possible.
Whats it for?
Proper panning implies motion. However, panning creates the feeling of motion and speed without blurring the subject
as a slow shutter speed sans panning would tend to do. Take for example the two images below. The first is an
example of panning. Notice how the car is clear and crisp but the rest of the image is blurred to show the motion of
the vehicle. This effect was achieved by panning.

Image Credit: Blentley

Now check out the second image. This is an example of a slow shutter speed (which panning also requires by the way)
without the panning of the camera. Because the camera was held static, the moving object, in this case the train,
depicts the motion while the area around it is static.

Image Credit: Papalars

Is one image better than the other? Maybe, maybe not, its certainly a matter of preference. Both static shots
employing slow shutter speeds and panning images have their place and time and its up to you as the discerning
photographer to decide which youd like to employ in any given situation.
5 Tips for Successful Panning
1. Panning requires a steady hand and a relatively slow shutter speed.
The actual shutter speed depends on the speed of the subject but generally it will be 1/200th or slower. 1/200th if your
subject is really flying along, like a speeding car on a race track, and maybe as slow as 1/40th of a second if your
subject is a runner on a track.
2. Keep in mind that the faster your shutter speed is the easier it will be to keep your subject crisp.
Especially as youre learning the art of panning, dont slow your shutter down too much. Just keep it slow enough to
begin to show some motion. As your confidence increases and youve got the hang of things, go ahead and slow your
shutter more and more to show even further pronounced motion and thus separation of your speeding subject from the
background.
3. Make sure your subject remains in the same portion of the frame during the entire exposure: this will ensure a
crisp, sharp subject.
4. Remember that the faster your subject is moving the more difficult it will be to pan.
This point goes right along with number 3. Its harder to keep your subject in the same portion of the frame if its
moving faster than you are able to. So again, start with something a little slower and then progress from there.
5. Have fun! and if at first you dont succeed, give up for sure. Wait, er, try try again.
Trick for beginners:

Image Credit: Natalie Norton

When I was trying to learn how to pan I sincerely found it difficult to match my speed to that of my subject. Id plant
my feet firmly in the ground, pull my elbows in tightly to my sides to avoid camera shake, wait wait wait for my subject
and then zoom right along with them. I was having the most difficult time! Id normally move faster than my subject
ending up with an image that was nothing short of a blurry mess. Then I had an idea. I took my son with one hand,
held my camera to my eye with the other, and spun him in a circle.
WE WERE MOVING AT THE EXACT SAME SPEED BECAUSE WE WERE CONNECTED! I felt like Albert Einstein!

You dont actually have to spin a child around one handed to achieve the same affect. . .
You could use a teddy
bear, a milk jug, or jump on a merry-go-round (come on you know you want to). Anyway, I found that it was a great
way to get the hang of it and I havent had any problems since!
Happy shooting!

How to Choose the Right Shutter Speed

by Guest Contributor

Taking good photographs isnt just about buying the most expensive camera available. Whether youre a wedding
photographer or an amateur looking to turn professional, its important that you understand shutter speed and how it
can affect the photos you take.

What is Shutter Speed?

The easiest way to explain shutter speed is the length of time the camera shutter is open. Back in the days of film
photography, this was the time that the film was exposed to the scene. In digital photography terms, the shutter speed
is how long the cameras image sensor sees the scene.
Different Shutter Speeds
There are various shutter speeds for various purposes. Measured in seconds (fractions of seconds), speeds are denoted
in numbers such as 1/1000 or 1/50. Obviously, the larger the denominator, the greater the speed. The average camera
speed is usually 1/60. Speeds slower than this are hard to manage as they almost always lead to blurry photographs.
The most common shutter speed settings available on cameras are usually 1/500, 1/250, 1/125, 1/60, 1/30, 1/15, 1/8
etc. Some cameras also allow you the option of measuring shutter speed in full seconds (not fractions) such as 1
second, 2 seconds, 10 seconds etc. This is particularly useful in low light photography or when you are trying to
capture movement.
Of course, many photographers use shutter speeds lower than 1/60 and this does not mean all their photographs turn
out blurry. For best results, slow shutter speeds should be used when your camera is on a tripod so your camera is
stable and there is no shake whilst capturing the shot.
Picking the Ideal Shutter Speed
Now that you know the technical details, how do you go about picking the right shutter speed so you get perfect
photos? Needless to say, the demands of wedding photography will be vastly different to photographing a school
sports carnival.
The most important consideration when picking the right shutter speed is movement. How much movement do you
expect to capture?
Would you like to freeze this movement in order to get a clean, clear photo? In this case, you need to use a fast
shutter speed. This will let you capture the moment before it escapes you. Or maybe you would like to let the
movement appear blurry (intentionally) in the photos to better project the movement? A slower shutter speed should
be used in this case.

The actual numbers for the speeds will depend on how frozen or blurry you want your images to turn out and a
little trial and error in the right situation will help you figure this out.
Considering Focal Length
The focal length of your lens will contribute to camera shake and unless you have in-camera image stabilisation, you
should consider your shutter speed depending on the focal length as well. For longer focal lengths, you will probably
need faster shutter speeds. Without image stabilisation, you are best to use a shutter speed denominator that is larger
than the length. So, for 200mm lens, your ideal speed would be 1/250 for a good quality photograph.
Following these tips will help you choose the right shutter speed and will take you a long way towards taking better
photos.

15 Stunning Images Using Blur to Portray

Movement
by Darren Rowse

Photo by Mr Bones No exposure settings supplied

Today, as a followup to our post earlier in the week A Beginners Guide to Capturing Motion in Your Photography I want
to post a series of posts from Flickr that all illustrate a variation on the same theme movement.
The following shots are all of moving subjects where the photographer has made the choice to set their camera to
capture the movement as blur rather than freezing it. This is in all cases by choosing (or letting the camera choose) a
slow shutter speed (although by slow youll see that the speeds (noted under each image) vary from anything from
1/30 second to up to 40 minutes).

Photo by Ben
McLeod Shutter Speed 8 seconds

Photo by zane&inzane Exposure Time 10 minutes

Photo by PhotoToasty Composition of 3 images at shutter

speeds of between 1.6 seconds and 25 seconds

Photo by Heidi
Morton - Taken with a Blackberry! (awesome huh!)

Heinrichs Exposure Time: 20 seconds

Photo by Sara

Photo by
Mace2000 50 second exposure time

Shutter Speed 1/30

Photo by WisDoc

Photo by
Mace2000 Shutter Speed 50 seconds

Mosely Shutter speed 4/5 of a second

Photo by Wam

Photo by
Mace2000 Exposure Time 43 seconds

Photo by jon
madison Exposure photographer estimates somewhere between 30-40 minutes

Photo by thorinside Shutter Speed 13 seconds

Photo by
tschnitzlein No Exposure information given

Slow Shutter Shoot-Out 3 Slow Shutter Speed

Techniques
by Chas Elliott
Experimenting with Slow Shutter Speeds can be a lot of fun. Today Charles Clawson
fromblog.chaselliot.com sums up three types of slow shutter techniques and invites you show
off your attempts at doing them.

There have been some great articles and interest lately on long exposures so I thought I
would put together a hodgepodge of techniques and then turn it over to DPS readers to
see what they can come up with. Ive broken this slow shutter shoot-out into 3
categories. When you submit your photograph, do it under one of these styles. Ive
thrown in a few of my own as examples into the article just to give you an idea. Get a
tripod, set your cameras to shutter priority and fire away.

1. Light Painting:

Digital Photography School Forum member Sodaman420 couldnt have done a better

job introducing the technique of Light Painting. His video is posted here. Light is what
makes up your photos. Perhaps too often we limit ourselves to the normal diffused
lighting we are used to seeing. Locking your camera down on a tripod and setting it for a
slow shutter speed allows you to manually get some movement on the lights in your
scene. Experiment with flashlights, rope lights, candles or anything handy. In the picture
here I had a friend sit perfectly still in a completely dark room. I set the shutter to be
roughly the time it would take me to walk around his chair holding a candle (8 seconds).
His face was entirely lit by candlelight. Since I was moving too quickly to get in the shot,
all you see is the floating flame. I know, it turned out a little demonic, but unintentionally.
This is just to get your ideas flowing.

2. Capturing Movement:

Blur isnt always a bad thing, especially when it captures the movement occurring in a
photo. Photoshop even includes a filter called motion blur to recreate this effect if you
missed it while taking the photograph. Find a scene that could appropriately benefit from
motion blur and experiment. In this photo, I used a shutter speed just slow enough to get
the movement of the carousel, but fast enough to not record my handheld camera jitters
or the movement of the kids in the foreground (1/20 second). It would have been nice to
have a tripod, but since one wasnt available I had to fire off a few shots until I got one
without camera shake.

3. Turning Darkness into Day:

I recently talked about this on my blog, but on a good moon lit night, its fun to create the
illusion of photographs being taken in daylight but with the added effects that come with
slow shutter speeds. This is a photography I took in Hawaii around 10pm on a dark night.
The moon was out in full, so by letting my camera soak in the light for about 30 seconds,
the colors start to appear in full vibrancy. When I took this shot, because it was so dark, I
had no idea someone was sitting out on the rocks star gazing. If you live near the ocean,
I love the dreamy look it gives to the moving water, rendering the waves almost like lowlying clouds.