By John Tucker Rowan Public Library
The crazy, hazy days
of summer beckon us out doors to celebrate nature’s beauty with family and
friends. Such memory filled moments
deserve our best efforts when trying to capture them on digital images. No one wants a blurry image of a sunset, a
colorful rainbow or a child’s birthday celebration. If your images could use a new focus on
details, perhaps a visit to the library might offer some creative advice and
direction.
If this is your
first adventure in photography, take a look at “Digital Photography for
Dummies” by Julie Adair King. This book
starts with the very basic decisions such as selecting a camera, settings for
the device and using the phone application on your cell phone. Many of the new cell phones have camera
applications that make them equal to or better then individual cameras. This text offers sound advice to get started
snapping photos and even emailing them from your camera device.
Should your photo
selection involves light and dark backgrounds, many newer cameras will seek to
correct an imbalance by adding light. In
the case of a sunset or landscape, the shadows are what make the picture. To “out-think” my smart phone camera, I
solved the problem with advice found in the book “Transient Light: A
Photographic Guide to capturing the Medium” by Ian Cameron. This book takes on the topics of light,
aperture settings, and speed so that the image you shoot, looks exactly like it
appears to your eyes. The dramatic
photos and scenery in this book will take your breath away, as will your photos.
If your eyes are
drawn to color as mine are, you will want to investigate books about
photographing the garden. First, take a
look at the text “Photographing Your Garden” by David Bjurstrom. His expertise regarding close ups of flower
petals, buds, trees and the shade fields created by each of these varying
subjects is spot on. Photos are enhanced
with greater planning and attention to the final composition of your delicate
flowers. Whether you are photographing
your garden or the garden of your vacation destination, that blooming radiance
can last forever in your captured image.
When your summer
photos will include capturing a trip-down-the-isle for a bride and groom, you
may wish to preview the “Wedding Photographers handbook” by Bill Hurter. Here the focus is not just on the smiles of
the couple, but on the details of enchanted moments and lighting. Again, the illustrations will get your
creative thoughts flowing about unique angles and settings that showcase the
newlyweds.
Last-but-not-least,
take a look at the book “Travel Photography” by Christian Heeb and Detlev Motz. This resource brings all of this information
together in capture the essence of places and people of various cultures from
around the globe. There is even a
chapter on aerial photography for your photos of clouds and towns that carpet
the earth under your flight. Your
“birds-eye-view” of creation never looked so good as these photos from cameras
and cell phones.
Summer travel plans
and summer sunsets only happen once so it is important to capture the memory in
the clearest image. May your photos be
enhanced following quick trip to the Rowan Public Library and a visit to the
photography collection. I “shutter” to
think what great pictures await you and your new found knowledge of
photography. Happy reading!
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