Sometimes an opportunity presents itself that, from a photographic standpoint, is too good to pass up.  From time to time I foster cats and kittens for various shelters and individuals.  Recently I was asked to foster a pregnant feral cat. 

Please pardon me as I take a quick detour to clear up misconceptions about feral cats.  The word “feral” here is used to describe cats who may or may not have been domesticated at some point, but now live untamed.  Although they are very wary of humans, and can react out of that fear, it has been my experience that beneath that fear, they are gentle souls who are often misunderstood.  Now I climb gingerly off my soapbox.

So this beautiful girl is brought to me, with the vet’s assurances that she is 1 to 2 weeks from having her litter.  She, of course, had other ideas, and delivered her four babies a few hours after her arrival here.  I hope to document their time with me.  Of course, it’s a bit of a cheat…kittens are adorable, and make an easy subject.  Oh well! ;) 

The first photograph is one of a few I took when she first arrived.  From a photographic standpoint, there isn’t much to recommend it, it was merely to document her arrival. 

This is Vixen

Here she is with her beautiful family

So that is the “ferocious” feral cat who is raising her brood in my spare room.  She’s been enormously patient and sweet-tempered.  Over time I hope to gain her trust so that she can find a home of her own.  In the meanwhile I will have the pleasure of watching her lively crew grow up, at least for awhile.  From time to time I will post pictures of them.  It won’t be in “real time”, because I take so many, I would be posting several every day.  For three months.  I shall spare you that!

If you would like to learn more about stray and feral cats, I suggest two excellent resources:  www.feralcatbehavior.com/ and www.thecatsite.com/forums/ .

Introduction

While on the surface, it would seem to be an easy task…to take a good picture of a baby.  Babies are cute!  Baby pictures are cute!  Well sure, it is easy to take a “cute” picture, but wouldn’t you rather take a great picture?  In this article, I will talk about a few simple tips that will help your photos go from “cute” to “great”.

Composition

In earlier articles, I discussed the rule of thirds.  That technique can help you.  Try to avoid the pitfall of centering your subject in the center of the frame.  That’s not to say that all your shots need to be off-center, but having the focal point somewhere besides dead-center helps to make a more interesting composition.  For instance, if the baby is awake, try photographing him so his eyes are above the center line.

Another tip is to make sure to fill your frame.  Try to limit the amount of space around your subject.

Not every picture needs to be of a face either.  A photograph of a baby’s toes,  or button nose can be very powerful.  A close-up of your baby’s fist wrapped around her daddy’s finger can be a touching portrait.

Positioning

If the baby is very young, it may be difficult to get a good shot vecause the baby cannot sit up.  Try to avoid the “baby couch potato” look that is achieved by propping the baby up in a corner of the couch or chair.  If the baby is very young, you can try covering a pillow in cute fabric and placing it in a big basket.  You can nestle and prop the baby on the pillow.  If the baby is a bit older, but still “tippy” when sitting up, you can try using a boppy-type pillow, and sit the baby up in the curve of it.  You can also place the baby on her tummy, and then lay on your tummy facing her, and take her picture when she pushes herself up.

Getting their attention

When I photograph babies, I keep a few toys hidden from their sight.  That way when I have the baby in the position that I want, I can capture her attention by pulling a toy out and giving it a squeak.  I often use a feather duster (never used for dusting of course!) to tickle a chin or a foot to elicit  a smile.  It also helps to have an “assistant” to stand or sit behind you trying to get the baby’s attention and to make the baby smile.  The perennial favorite “Peek-a-boo” almost never fails to win a smile.  Just make sure you’re ready to capture that smile when it comes…sometimes it’s fleeting!

Lighting

In my opiniion, in-camera flash is the most unflattering light.  Often all you achieve is red-eye, and “baby flash burn” where the baby’s face appears overexposed in the picture.  Natural light is wonderful for babies.  If you are doing a portrait, choose a spot in your house that has a lot of natural light.  If it is nice outside, photograph your baby in a light shady spot.  If it’s overcast, even better!  Overcast days provide beautiful, even light.  Avoid direct sunlight…it’s unflattering, and also uncomfortable for the baby.

 So with a few adjustments in composition, positioning and lighting, you should see an improvement in the quality of your shots.  Babies make marvelous subjects to begin with, and these simple techniques, you’ll be able to do them justice!

Let me start off by saying I’m a big Green Bay Packer fan.  Huge.  It’s genetic, and I can’t fight it.  More importantly, I don’t want to.  This week one of the greatest to ever play the game, Brett Favre announced his retirement.  I only got to go to one game, and as it turned out, it would be the last regular season game he would ever play.  Prior to the game, they hold a raffle, and my best friend won us two field passes for the pregame warm-up!  I was on the sidelines of Lambeau Field for 45 minutes, and shot over 400 frames…I was in heaven!  Here is one of the last shots I took that day.  I was incredibly fortunate to have that experience, and to get this shot.

How many megapixels a camera has is probably one of the biggest considerations most people have when shopping for a digital camera.  But do most people really know what they are, and how important their role is in producing a great photograph?

 Definition

Digital cameras capture images on a sensor.  The sensor is made up of light sensing dots.  These dots are called “pixels”, which is shorthand for “picture elements”.  One million pixels is what a “megapixel” is.

More is better…right?

Where megapixels are concerned, more is better…or is it?  Up until a certain point, yes.  You need many pixels to produce a smooth, sharp image.  But at a certain point, the number of megapixels no longer adds benefit for the average user.  A 4 megapixel camera will produce a good quality 8″ x 10″ print, and at smaller print sizes, will be, to the naked eye, the same as it would be taken with an 8 or 12 megapixel camera.  There are other components that play a much larger role at that point than megapixels in producing a quality photograph.  There is some evidence to suggest that in a point and shoot type digital camera that high megapixel counts (10 or 12) might even contribute to a lower quality photograph.  The thinking is that the lower quality lens cannot adequately focus on that many pixels, and therefore they lose sharpness.  The photograph many have more “noise” than a picture taken with a comparable camera with a lower megapixel count.  However, a Digital SLR’s lens will be able to utilize the pixels more effectively because of its higher quality lens.

 So the next time you are shopping for a digital camera, consider more than just the megapixel count.  If you’re shopping for a point and shoot camera, save yourself some money and memory, and get a higher rated and better reviewed camera with the lower megapixel count.  Don’t be swayed into thinking that where pixels are involved that “more is better”.  Think about what your needs will be.  If a 4 or 5 megapixel camera can produce a good 8″ x 10″ print, will you need more than that?  Do you forsee yourself needing to make larger prints than that?  If you rarely print your photos, but view them solely online, then megapixels make even less difference.  Which camera you buy is a big decision.  Educate yourself about them, and read the reviews…that will tell you more about the camera than a megapixel count.

When I approach writing these articles, I always do a bit of research just so that I’m sure of what I’m bringing to you, and to organize my thoughts.  I have to say that if I did not already have a working knowledge of depth of field, I would have run screaming into the night!  Being self taught, I understand visually what I’m talking about, but may not always know the science or math involved in the process.  Yes, there is a lot of technical know-how necessary to completely understand depth of field, but I feel that goes beyond what I’m trying to accomplish here. 

So get to it already…what is depth of field?

Depth of field refers to the range of acceptable sharpness  in a photograph from near to far.  What that means is that each photograph has a focal point.  Depth of field is how much of the foreground and background are in focus.  Focus tapers off gradually.  In the photograph below, the red apple on top is the focal point.  Notice how the focus drops off coming toward the foreground, and moving toward the background.

Shallow depth of field

Shallow depth of field is just what it sounds like.  It is when very little in front of, or behind the focal point is in focus.  Below is a photograph that depicts that.  Notice how one orange is in focus, but the focus drops off sharply.

Wide depth of field

On the other end of the spectrum, there is wide depth of field.  this is where much in front of and behind the focal point of the picture is in focus.  Below is a photograph that has a wide depth of field.  Even the person walking in the background, beyond the surfboards is in focus.

Factors that affect depth of field

The first factor that affects depth of field is the aperture, or “f-stop”.  When you take a photograph, the aperture, or opening, snaps open and shut quickly to expose your film, or sensor (in digital photography) to light.  Some point and shoots will not show an f-stop range, but SLRs and some point and shoots will.  The f-stop range should be on the lens itself.  The lower the number, the more light that the lens can gather, and higher numbers, less.  The lower the f-stop, the more shallow the depth of field will be.  The apples and oranges above were shot at an f-stop of 1.8, the surfboards were shot at f-16.

 The other way to control your depth of field is by controlling how close you are to your subject.  The closer you are to your subject, the more shallow your depth of field.  The picture of the plant below was taken farther away.  Notice how nearly everything in the shot is in focus.

In the next photograph, I moved in much closer to capture the flower.  Notice in this shot how nothing except for the flower is in focus.

Which is better?

When it comes to depth of field, there is no right or wrong.  It often depends upon the preference of the photographer or the situation.  If you’re shooting a landscape, generally a wide depth of field is called for.  Are you trying to capture the lattice of a dragonfly’s wing?  Then you’re probably going to want a shallow depth of field.  If you camera has the capability to manually override your f-stop, do it, and play with it.  Try different exposures and distances, and find out what appeals to you!

All of the photographs used on this site were, or will be taken by me, unless I specify otherwise.  So far I’ve only used my photographs to illustrate a point.  Every few days I plan to post one of my own photographs as a stand alone feature.  I don’t plan at this point to post exposure, lens type, f-stop, or any of that technical jargon.  The camera I use currently is the Canon 30-D.  As far as lenses are concerned, I only own the kit lens (28-135) and the 50mm f1.8 lens.  I’m utterly in love with many other lenses, and I hope some day to increase my lens arsenal!  The reason I’m sharing all this information, though, is to illustrate the point that the type of photographs I will post here is an achievable level of quality for many amateurs, and with a bit of knowledge and practice, beginners.  It takes practice.  It also takes reading the owners manual of your camera, so get cracking on that!  

Chance Meeting

This is a photograph I took just before Christmas 2007.  I live in a neighborhood that at one time had a large Swedish population, and maintains a bit of that heritage.  There was a St. Lucia Festival which was attended by Santa.  I shot this sweet tableau that night.

Photographing animals brings with it a unique set of challenges.  I mean, I love my two cats, but frankly they stink at taking direction.  No, seriously…they stink at it!  I also volunteer at a local shelter taking pictures for their website, and you know what?  None of the cats would pose for me!  Dogs were not much better!   Fortunately there are ways to help overcome the language barrier. 

More is Better

 The first piece of advice is one you will hear often from me.  That advice is to take lots of pictures.  I mean a lot!  I know that this is more difficult if you are still using film, but even when I was using film, I would take more pictures than I thought I would need.  Often I’d take an entire roll to get one or two really good shots.  Sometimes more.  If you’re using the digital format, there are no excuses!  You can’t expect your first couple of photos to be the keepers.  Sometimes it is the 30th one that is the charm! 

Light it Up

 Lighting is critical in every photograph.  Animals particularly are prone to “red eye”, which comes across as blue or yellow.  Does this look seem familiar?

 That doesn’t make for an attractive photograph of a pretty darn cute cat!  Natural light shows her off to her best advantage.

So, whenever possible, use natural light.  You can even play with more dramatic lighting…sidelight and sunbeams can make for a more dramatic photograph.

Take a Unique Look

While it’s nice to have a gorgeous portrait of your little darling, it’s also fun to focus on an individual feature…

a paw

or a nose

Get Down To Their Level

Perspective is everything.  The “looking up with plaintive eyes” shot is lovely, and cute, but try getting on the floor, and shooting from their level.  It makes for a much more intimate photo.

Send In The Clowns

Animals are natural comedians.  Goofiness makes for a heartwarming portrait of your pet.

Up Close and Personal

Closeups can really bring drama to your photographs.  If your pet is used to being photographs, eventually she will let you get close enough to catch all the details of her beautiful face.

Fishing for Material

Are you dying to show off your aquatic pets?  Much of the same advice applies.  For these photos, I had my camera set for macro shooting, I got into a comfortable position in front of the tank, and let my subjects come to me.

 Pets are members of our family, and deserve to be immortalized.  Keep at it, and keep practicing…at least as much as they will let you!

In the previous article, I discussed using the rule of thirds to improve the composition of your photographs. In that article, only single subject photographs were used. The rule of thirds is also useful in photographs with multiple subjects, or focal points.Now remember, the rule of thirds has you imagining that your photograph is divided by a grid with two lines horizontally, and two lines vertically.

The idea is to have the subjects, or areas of interest either along the lines, or at the intersections of the lines. This grid is a simple tool to help improve the composition of your photographs. Multiple subjects can benefit from this technique. In the photograph below, you’ll see how the two butterflies lie along the two vertical lines.

If you have a digital camera, and have toggled through some of the settings, you might have seen a grid appear on your view finder screen…two lines down and two lines across.  Most likely you continued to toggle through the settings to get rid of it…it’s in the way, and it has no discernable purpose, right?  Well it does have a purpose, and a good one, actually.  It’s a tool to help you create a well composed photograph.  It’s a tool to help you compose a photograph using The Rule of Thirds. Even if your camera does not have this feature, you can still use The Rule of Thirds to help compose a good picture.  Imagine that your photograph has a grid, two lines across, two lines down, composed of nine rectangles.  The eye is naturally drawn to the intersections of the lines as illustrated below.

The idea is to place objects of interest on these intersections, or along the lines, either horizontally or vertically. This is a very basic rule, but it does work.  It helps to avoid the beginner pitfall of placing the subject smack dab in the center of the photograph, with lots of space on all sides, as in the example below.

Here is the same photo with the grid in place.  Note how the butterfly falls directly in the center of the photograph.

Wouldn’t it have been a more interesting photograph if the butterfly had been placed off center?  In the photograph below, the caterpillar is placed off center.  You’ll notice that he falls directly on one of the intersections.  The caterpillar photograph is much more interesting than the butterfly above.

When photographing people, the Rule of Thirds still applies.  The photograph is much better if either the person is off center along one of the vertical lines, or if the persons eyes are along one of the horizontal lines like in the photograph below.

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You can also improve a photo you’ve already taken if you have basic editing software.  I generally use Photoshop Elements.  The photograph below has the Dicentra bud dead center.

,

A little cropping changes the feel of the photograph greatly, and in my opinion, improves it.

Hopefully that gives you a basic understanding of the Rule of Thirds when photographing single objects.  A future article will help illustrate the use of this rule when photographing multiple objects.  So the next time you’re taking pictures, why not toggle around and bring that grid back up on your viewfinder?  You can also use your imagination if your camera does not have this feature.  Play around with it, and enjoy the results!

You see what you think will be a good picture; your child doing something adorable, your dog snuggling with her favorite toy, or a beautiful outdoor scene. You grab your camera,  shoot what you think will be a great picture. But time and again  you’re disappointed. Something seems like it’s missing, and your pictures didn’t turn out as well as you had hoped.What makes the difference? What can you do differently to take better photographs? Maybe you’ve done an internet search, and come across some sites dedicated to photography, but they seem to be speaking a foreign language. They’re discussing terminology you don’t understand, and equipment you’ve never heard of.My hope here is to help the beginner. I want to help those who have never heard of depth of field, or natural lighting. I want to make taking a better photographs more accessible, understandable, and enjoyable. It is such a wonderful feeling when you take a really beautiful photograph, when all of the elements are there. There’s a sense of pride when others compliment the photographs you have taken.Possibly, down the line as your skills grow, someone might ask you to take pictures of their child, and it starts from there. That’s how it started for me. Like many, I didn’t formally study photography, unless you count one multi-media class in high school that I took about a million years ago. Now I consider photography one of my careers. It provides for me a nice side income, and hopefully in the future, a full income. I specialize in portraits, both casual and studio. These days I work mostly in a digital format, but I haven’t had the heart to dismantle my darkroom…perhaps I never will.My goal here is to help the beginners attain their goals, whether that is to improve their photographic skills purely for personal pleasure, or possibly to improve them enough to work their way into the lucrative world of professional photography.Hopefully you’ll find at least a bit of information that helps you…maybe even a lot.  I know that I will be learning right along with you as I research topics to present to you, so check back often!