MUSKEGON, Mich. — Another week, another photo challenge! Justin Stubleski, from the Camera Shop in Muskegon offers up tips on how to capture our state in great photographs.
1. Grab your cell phone or camera and get ready to capture the absolute "Best of Michigan".
2. Share your images with us! Email your captures to photochallenge@camerashopmuskegon.com. Let us know what camera, lens, or phone you used to capture your images.
3. Join us Monday, July 27th, 2020 at 5:00 PM for a Facebook Live Tips & Tricks recap for the "Best of Michigan".
4. Tune in to our Facebook LIVE "Best of Michigan" Photo Challenge photo review on Monday, August 3rd, 2020, at 5:00 PM.
"Best of Michigan" Photography Photo Tips:
1) Inspiration - As always, start with research! This will probably be the easiest part! I always begin with a simple Google search. In this case search for "Michigan Photography". Click on the image tab and look through all the images you come across. As an alternative, try a search for your favorite place or local attraction here in Michigan. You'll be able to see firsthand what other imagery others have created. This should provide you with enough inspiration to spur your creativity and aid you in creating some beautiful photographs.
2) Tell A Story - The most important thing about photography is the ability to touch your viewers' hearts and minds. Photography is more than simply tripping the shutter and creating an image, it's about telling a story. So when you are creating your images, make sure to capture the heart and soul of what you are photographing. Tell us the story that best captures the essence of Michigan.
3) Lighting - Remember that photography means painting or drawing with light and the key to every successful photograph is the quality of light. The best light for creating memorable photography is found during the "magic hour", the light just after sunrise and right before sunset. I would encourage you to photograph your "Best of Michigan" during these times. However, feel free to shoot at any time. These tips are merely suggestions, don't allow them to hinder your creativity, allow them to inspire.
4) Angles & Perspective- Perspective is key in how you present and tell the story of what you're photographing and presenting to your viewer. Perspective is key in creating creative interesting photographs. Shooting from eye level can create some great images, but try and show the viewer something new. Try shooting from a higher point of view. Shoot for a low point of view. Most of us are stuck on the ground at eye level, so show us something we don't normally see.
5) Lines, Shape, & Details - Keep your eyes peeled for horizontal, vertical, diagonal, and curved lines. Lines can lead your viewer into and through your image, create and imply movement, and influence your viewer's emotions. Remember the saying, "The devil is in the details." If you come across any implied shapes or details, focus on them, playing with composition, and filling the frame. These elements will influence how your viewer find their way through the photograph that you end u creating.
6) Abstraction - Try showing us the "Best of Michigan" in a way we have never seen it before, abstracted. The closer you get to something the more unrecognizable it becomes. We shouldn't be able to recognize what we are seeing immediately, but be able to piece it together with the subtle clues provided.
7) Color- Along with line, shape, and detail, color plays a powerful role in the humane psyche. Draw us into your images using contrasting colors, bright colors, or no color at all with Black & White photography. Check out basic color theory at https://www.colormatters.com/color-and-design/basic-color-theory. Understanding basic color theory will help you to create more compelling work.
8) Timing - The decisive moment is a concept made popular by the street photographer, Henri Cartier-Bresson. The decisive moment refers to capturing an event that is ephemeral and spontaneous, where the image represents the essence of the event itself. The best way to capture an object in a decisive moment is to first, find a good background, wait for your subject to enter the frame at the right time, and then click the shutter.
9) Shutter Speed - Shutter speed allows you to expresses the passage of time or motion. When photographing things in motion, you'll have to make a decision to freeze the action using a fast shutter speed or a slow shutter to allow for motion blur. You may require a tripod to accomplish shots with slower shutter speeds. You can also try a technique called "panning". Panning is a photographic technique that combines a slow shutter speed with camera motion to create a sense of speed around a moving object. It is a way to keep your subject in focus while blurring your background. Choose your target and set your shutter speed around 1/60th of a second. Now move your body and lens at the same pace as the moving object. Keep the subject in focus and hold down the camera trigger to continuously shoot frames as you move with the subject. Keep shooting through the entire rotation.
10) Suggested Equipment - To get the most out of your shots I suggest that you shoot utilizing a wide-angle lens, a macro lens, or a telephoto lens. The size and focal length of your lenses will differ depending on what camera system you own. If you are having trouble deciding, stop by your local camera shop for advice on what lens will work best for you. Shoot on a tripod. Shooting with a tripod will add stability to your shots and will help in controlling distortion, will allow you to make minute adjustments, and will reduce camera shake from shooting handheld. Try using a CPL filter (circular polarizing filter). A CPL filter will help reduce or remove unwanted reflections off of the objects your shooting and also make your skies bluer.
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