Learning to See Like an Artist – 7 Powerful Techniques to Help You See More Compelling Images

By: Anthony Epes

Being an artist has nothing to do with your camera, your kit or your photo knowledge.
It has nothing to do with how long you’ve been taking photos or if you shoot on manual or automatic.
Being an artist is totally and completely about the mindset you inhabit when you are out shooting, and what you create from this state.
It’s about looking at the world in a way that is different from how we usually see it. It’s ridding ourselves of the habits to ‘get somewhere,’ to accomplish and tick things off our to-do lists.

It’s all about immersing ourselves, our senses, our beings in this beautiful, wild, chaotic and amazing world.
It’s diving deeper, seeing more and finding new and interesting ways to capture what we discover.
What you get from bringing this artistic approach into your photography are unique images.
Your photos become about expressing who you are, encompassing everything that you have seen and experienced in your life.
This to me is the joy of photography. So I have some simple, but immensely powerful tips that will help you connect to your inner artist.

“There is only you and your camera. The limitations in your photography are in yourself, for what we see is what we are.” – Ernst Haas

7 Powerful Techniques to Help You See More Compelling Images

First – ignore everyone

We spend so much of our lives in contact with other people. At work, our efforts are analyzed by our colleagues, boss or clients.
At home, our children, partner or family will comment on how we live, wash clothes, what we eat etc. We post something on Facebook and someone comments; everyone has an opinion.

As we are in constant contact with other humans, we find ourselves playing a role, fitting into expectations or rules or ways of living. We probably don’t even think about how the constant stream of people in and out of our lives makes us adjust and alter our behavior.
Creating art operates in a very different space – completely outside this interaction with other humans.
Being in the space of creativity is about forgetting what other people might think of our work, what other people are doing, literally everything that connects us to other human beings.

We need to release ourselves from our ‘normal lives’ and the way we live.
Because art can never be created by a committee. And what is completely unique and interesting about you is what will make the most compelling photos.

2. Know that we aren’t seeing the world as it really is

“Vision is the art of seeing what is invisible to others.” – Jonathan Swift

Did you know that your brain processes two billion pieces of visual data per second? And yet we only see about 50 bits of this information.

Of course, our brains are doing us a massive favor. If it didn’t block out most of what was happening around us, we couldn’t focus.
What’s interesting here is what 50 bits of information are you seeing, and what 50 bits am I seeing?
If we are seeing such a small selection of what’s available, then it’s highly unlikely we are all seeing similar things.
Which makes our personal world highly selective.
I find this so exciting because it shows how we are always able to create something new if we only open up our awareness.

This explains why we can all stand in front of the same scene and take different photos (this happens all the time on my workshops.)
Let’s celebrate that there is so much more to discover in the world around us.

3. Take your time to really observe the world around you

One thing I constantly see in my workshops is when people find a subject they love, they shoot it, then move on way too quickly.
I think it’s a natural response to how we live in this modern life. We are very driven by results. We shoot something, then we move on to the next thing. Almost like we are ticking a box.

But the way to be more creative in your photography is to forget about where you want to go next.
In fact, forget about everything that is not totally related to the present moment you are inhabiting, and the subject you are facing.
Take your time. Watch the light. Maybe wait for the light to change to see what would happen to your subject.
Look at the shadows. The people that are passing. What’s happening around your subject? Feel the atmosphere, and maybe how it is changing.
Observe.

As you see more and get to know your subject more, new angles will open up on how to shoot. Maybe the weather will change, making more dramatic images, or the light will soften creating a totally different feel to the mood of the shot.
The more you observe your subject the more it will reveal different qualities to you. You will notice more subtleties.
There is no rush. Allow yourself all the time you need to observe and shoot your subject.

4. It’s all about the light

“I am forever chasing light. Light turns the ordinary into the magical.” – Trent Parke

When people ask me what I photograph, I always say the same thing – light.
My biggest passion and main subject in photography is light. I love light in all of its forms.
The joyful, effervescent light of a spring morning; the deep, brooding, metallic grey light before a storm; the deep, deep blues of twilight in the city; the misty, melancholic light of a winter’s afternoon.
Light is always changing. Each day brings us something different and each part of the day has different qualities. And when you have interesting light it makes your subject so much more compelling.

Your job is to play with light and your subject, seeing what happens when the light changes.
What qualities are revealed in your subject in different light?

“Embrace light. Admire it. Love it. But above all, know light. Know it for all you are worth, and you will know the key to photography.” – George Eastman

5. Photography is all about feeling

When we see a photo we really love it’s rarely only because it’s nice to look at.

Beyond the composition, color, light and all of the things that we can organize, there is a more important element to a photograph that is more elusive and hard to capture.
This element is emotion.

“Photography’s a case of keeping all the pores of the skin open, as well as the eyes. A lot of photographers today think that by putting on the uniform, the fishing vest, and all the Nikons, that that makes them a photographer. But it doesn’t. It’s not just seeing. It’s feeling.” – Don McCullin

When a subject stirs emotion in us – joy, love, fear – it will transfer into our photo. And when the viewer sees that image, we want that emotion to be evoked in them too.

Capturing emotion is an art, and it’s not automatic. But it’s totally worth focusing on. Find subjects that stir your emotion, and try to capture that feeling in your images.
The most iconic photos that we remember for years, or the ones that really speak to us personally, will be communicating a powerful feeling.

6. Be in awe

“Instructions for living a life. Pay attention. Be astonished. Tell about it.” – Mary Oliver

If we think that photography is all about feeling then the most sensible option when deciding what to photograph is to find subjects that fill you with emotion.

I like to ask myself – what fills me with such deep excitement I am in total awe when I see it?
You can probably guess that light is what makes my heart burst with excitement and makes me want to get my camera out.
But there are other things too.
Exploring nature is always something that excites me. Spending days walking through the hills near where I live in Southern Spain, or through the pretty English countryside of my adopted homeland on a beautiful summer’s morning.
Cities too, especially at sunrise when they are empty and beautiful. I like to explore, wander and see what I come across.

It doesn’t matter though what your subject is, the most important part of your decision of what to photograph is that it has to be something that stirs your soul. It has to thrill you. It has to fill you with awe.
Otherwise, what’s the point of taking the photo?

7. Stop thinking

Now, the last step is often the hardest. We are trained from an early age to be in our heads. To be thinking and doing all the time.

However, if you want to hit that artistic mindset where you are present, connected to the world and in total creative flow, you will not be thinking or analyzing what’s happening around you.

“Don’t think. Thinking is the enemy of creativity. It’s self-conscious, and anything self-conscious is lousy. You can’t try to do things. You simply must do things” – Ray Bradbury

Once you have made the choices of when and what to shoot, then you can let yourself go.
Being an artist is losing yourself and becoming part of this magical and amazing world.

It’s daring to lose yourself to see what you can find. It’s being prepared to forget all the things that you have to do or worry about.
For this we have to be a little courageous, we have to experiment and try, we have to make mistakes and trust that we will take good photos (eventually). But –

“What would life be if we had no courage to attempt anything?” – Vincent Van Gogh

I hope you enjoyed these ideas.
I’d love to know if these sparked ideas or inspiration for you. Let me know in the comments below. Thanks!

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  This is a "re-post" of an article.  Many of you have been reading my blog for a while now, thank you.  I'm posting this particular article again because some of you are new here, and I want you to enjoy this information too.  And remember, I post a free Ebook dedicated to Photography weekly.

Photography Tips for Absolute Beginners

By: Lea Hawkins

So you have decided you might like to try getting into photography, you have either just acquired a new camera or are about to, where do you begin?
Here are some photography tips for absolute beginners to help get you started:

Buying gear

Your gear does not make you a good photographer. If you are just starting out, a top of the line camera is likely to not ony be be a waste of money for you, but also make your learning process a bit trickier. A bit like buying a formula one race car to learn to drive.
When you do want to buy gear, research first. It’s really helpful to take a look at some photography forums or articles here on dPS to find tips on beginner cameras. Once you find something that sounds viable and fits your budget, read reviews, and again look to forums such as Flickr, where there is a chat group for nearly every brand or model of camera, and they are often more honest about any issues.
The same applies to other gear like lighting. You don’t need to set yourself up with professional soft boxes to try studio lit portraits, you can try some of these DIY lighting tips, or find some cheap beginner setups on Amazon or Ebay.

Take lots of photographs

“Your first ten thousand photographs are your worst” – Henri Cartier-Bresson

As with any skill, the more you use it, the better you get. As you progress with your photography and look back on those early beginner shots you thought were fabulous, you’ll be able to see Mr. Cartier-Bresson was very right.

Read the manual

Camera manuals are at best, the most boring thing you have ever read in your life, with the possible exception of that friend that wanted you to read all 600 pages of their poetry about love and skin rashes.

Camera manuals are not exactly a riveting read.

It’s a good thing both in the beginning, and to refresh down the track, to know how this wonderful instrument (your camera) actually works. Even if you don’t recall all of it, that doesn’t matter, you will learn or be reminded of something helpful.
Yet it’s such a hard thing to read that manual! So it’s best to place it somewhere where you can push through it in small instalments while you are passing some time such as: the bathroom, in the car if circumstances have you often sitting there waiting for the kids, or at work during lunch break. Just as long as you give that thing a good going over.

Workshops and courses

So you’ve got the photography bug. You might be thinking, “Ooooo! I’ll sign up to a bunch of courses, workshops, buy online courses.” It might seem like a good idea and while they can be fantastic, I don’t recommend going nuts with your enthusiasm, and signing up for courses and workshops the moment you get the photography buzz.
You are currently reading one of the most useful photography sites on the entire internet. There is more information, tips and tutorials on this site, and others, than you will ever need to get you started and beyond. Once you get the hang of things, then you will have a better idea of the type of courses and workshops that would suit you. So I’m not saying don’t take a course – just wait until you know what suits your needs.

Connect with other photographers

This is invaluable, whether you sign up to an online group that use your brand of camera, or join a local camera club, your photography will progress faster, and it will be more fun with the help of fellow shutterbugs.

Connecting with other photographers is a great way to learn more and get inspired.

Camera clubs often have monthly competitions to practice with and sometimes organize photo tours, exhibitions and other activities. Talking with knowledgeable photographers or even fellow beginners can not only inspire, but also keep you motivated.
Sign up to some reputable photography newsletters and Facebook pages, or even approach photographers you admire to ask questions. Most professional photographers don’t mind answering a few questions, as long as you are respectful and polite, and don’t demand too much of their time.

Try everything

You may have taken up photography with a certain style or subject in mind, but it can be helpful to try all styles. You never know what you might have a knack for, or what you will learn along the way.

Getting feedback

Your friends and family may love you but they will lie to you about your photography. Unless you have a very honest friend or family member who actually knows a bit about photography, it’s often more beneficial to get feedback from strangers.
Signing up to a photo sharing site where others can comment on your work will get you mostly honest feedback, sometimes brutally so. I posted the image below on a feedback site some years ago. Aware the image had faults, I was keen to hear what someone else could point out for me, that I might not have seen after working so closely on the image.

A fellow submitted a lengthy comment , basically pulled it apart, pointing out several (million it seemed) faults, he really went to town on it. But while the comments were brutal and borderline unkind, it was useful advice. All of which I ignored in regards to that image, but was useful for later attempts.

Enter free competitions

If you have loads of money to spend, and confidence in your work, by all means as a beginner enter some of the big competitions. You wouldn’t be the first to take out a major prize in the first few months of picking up a camera. But there are loads of free competitions out there for you to throw some images, at and see how they go. Have a read of this helpful guide to entering competitions.

Aim to get off Auto settings

If you really want to be a good photographer, this is vital. No rush though! Just enjoy photographing in Auto Mode, and experiment with the settings as you go. Manual settings are not nearly as difficult as some beginners think. It can be a bit like learning to drive. In the beginning, it can be challenging to manage gears, indicators, and steering, all the while trying not veer off the road. But, with a bit of patience and practice, it becomes second nature. When you are ready to try manual settings there are plenty of beginner guides and cheat sheets here on dPS.

The digital darkroom

If you are really into your photography, you will need some sort of editing program. In the days of film photography you needed a darkroom and the use of heavy chemicals. But these days, thanks to modern technology, you can edit almost anywhere.

These days your darkroom can even be in bed with some accompaniments.

There are free and simple programs like Picasa, which have their limits, but are good for those just starting out. Then there are the big guns like Photoshop and Lightroom, which can be daunting for beginners, but it’s worth learning even just the basics of these programs, if you intend to get serious about your photography at some point. As with getting off Auto settings, it’s not as difficult as it may seem at first, and the internet is bursting with free tutorials on pretty much any program you choose.

Have fun

This is the best and most important part of photography, the enjoyment of it.
Don’t get bogged down by unsuccessful attempts, or by comparing yourself to professionals. Even the best photographers in the world were beginners at some point. Just keep taking photographs, keep learning, keep challenging yourself, and above all keep enjoying the fun you can have with photography.

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What to Do When Your Camera Won’t Work and You Wanna Scream

Erin Fitzgibbon

You love your camera and care for it with due diligence. You (hopefully) clean the sensor and wipe down your lenses, being careful to keep them dry and avoiding high humidity. But what happens when no matter how careful you’ve been, your camera won’t work and starts to act funny? What if that dear, dear equipment of yours stops working the way you try and expect? Then what?

Easy Fixes

There are some fairly common problems that you can fix yourself. They involve a little bit of fiddling with your camera, but you don’t always need to run to your local camera store for repairs. So before you go running to the experts consider these options if your experience the following issues with your camera.

1) The lens won’t focus

• Check that the autofocus is turned on – This is a fairly easy fix most of the time. The first thing you should always do is check to make sure you have the lens’s autofocus turned on. There have been a few times when I didn’t realize that I had pushed the switch to manual focus and I can’t understand why the lens won’t work. Always, always check this button first.
• Try removing the lens and reattaching it. Sometimes when changing lenses you may not quite connect the camera and lens properly. In this case, the camera and lens can’t communicate and the camera can’t send a message to the lens to start the autofocus adjustments. Make sure you hear a click and the lens is attached tightly to the camera body (if not it can also fall off!).
• Try using compressed air or a blower. It may be that there is some dust that is interrupting the proper workings of your camera use a blower to clean out the attachment area for both lens (metal contacts) and the area on the camera.

Try using a blower to clean the attachment area for your lens. Just remember don’t ever touch the little gold squares with your fingers. They can corrode and then your camera cannot communicate with the lens. I will apologize for the camera shake on this image. It’s not easy holding a camera while shooting using a blower tool.

• Take out your trusty user manual and see if the there’s a troubleshooting section. Most camera user manuals will have a section where you can find solutions to common problems.
• You’re too close – Every lens has a minimum focusing distance. If you get too close to your subject, the lens will not be able to focus. For example, if the minimum focusing distance for your lens is 18″ and you try to do a macro shot of a flower and get right into about 8″ away from it – you lens physically cannot do that job. Try adding a close-up filter or using extension tubes to solve this issue.

2) Memory Card Errors

• Check it’s not locked – If your camera won’t allow you to take or to delete photos it may be because you’ve not removed the write protect on your card or you’ve locked it. If the memory card is locked you can move the switch to unlock it. Sometimes the switch will break off. This is an easy repair. Place a piece of tape over the space where the switch should be and the card will once again be unlocked.
• Format – If nothing is working, it may be time to consider formatting the card. You will lose all pictures currently on the card (download them first) but this may be the only way to get the card working again.

Here you can see the little switch on the SD card. If you can’t write to the card check here.

3) Weird Exposures

It can happen sometimes, you read the exposure correctly, and somehow everything comes out way too bright or too dark. The first thing to check is your exposure settings.

• Perhaps you’ve got exposure compensation turned on. This means that the camera will alter the value selected when the camera is set in various automatic modes (with some models it even applies in Manual Mode, like most Nikons). Check to make sure you haven’t accidentally turned on exposure compensation.

Oops, yep definitely did not look at camera settings when I shot this. Always check those
when you consistently get a weird exposure.

• Also, check what metering mode the camera is set to use. Often, issues can be caused by using Spot Metering mode if you are not careful and understand how to use it. If in doubt, use Average or Evaluative Metering Mode as a safe fall-back.
• Check you haven’t activated Auto Exposure Bracketing (AEB) by mistake. This is a common accident and you may not even realize it’s happened, but auto bracketing will take a series of images both under and overexposed that could be throwing off your exposures. If one shot is dark and the next is too bright this could be the culprit, check your bracketing settings.

Know when it’s time to put your camera to rest

There are times when there’s nothing you can do. Your camera is just like other tools and eventually, it will wear out. So let’s talk about the signs that you may have a camera on its last legs.

• The ISO grain on your camera has become way more sensitive. In this case, it’s time to consider a new camera. If your camera’s ISO 400 is starting to look grainy in good lighting then you may need to go shopping.
• The shutter is very slow. A camera usually has a lifespan of maximum shutter actuations. Once your camera reaches its limits, there’s nothing you can do. You will know if you’re reaching the end when the shutter on your camera starts to become very slow and there is often a delay after you press the shutter button before it takes the photo.

The dark band at the top is a sign that your camera shutter isn’t functioning properly.

• You’ve surpassed your camera’s limits – There’s another factor that has nothing to do with the proper workings of the camera. Sometimes you may outgrow the capabilities of your equipment. I used a Canon 50D for years. But then when I became much more serious about my photography, and I needed something with a higher megapixel count I knew it was time to put my lovely camera to rest. Sometimes we need better equipment. It’s okay to accept this fact and move on. I know this sounds like you’re breaking up a relationship of sorts. Well, the truth is you are. Do what’s best for you and the goals you have for your photography.

So go ahead and tell us more about your camera. Give us some nice anecdotes about your frustrations with your gear. Tell us about the quick fixes you’ve found and tell us about your love-hate relationships with your older gear and why you moved on.

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How to Create and Use a Light Skin Smoothing Action in Photoshop

By: Jackie Lamas

When you photograph portraits, you’ll spend time editing the photos so your clients look their very best. A lot of that time is often spent smoothing out the skin. But while some smoothing is okay, doing it too much can change the look of the person.
Here’s how to create a simple and easy Photoshop action that will have you smoothing out skin faster without over-retouching it.

Before and after using this light skin smoothing action.

What is a Photoshop Action?

A Photoshop action is where you record various steps in an editing process and save them so you can then reapply those steps simply by ‘playing’ the action.
In this case, the action will have three steps. When you press ‘Play’ it will apply those three steps quickly and automatically so you can get to the fun part – the retouching.

Create the action

Step 1: Open a photo (any photo will do) so you can create the action.
Step 2: Make sure the Actions panel is open. If it isn’t, go to the Window menu and make sure Actions is selected. If you can’t find the Actions panel on your workspace, deselect and re-select it in the menu.
Step 3: Create an Action Set, which will create a master folder for your action to live in and help you organize your actions. (You can skip this step if you already have one.) Click on the three lines in the Actions panel and select New Set. You can also create it by clicking the folder icon at the bottom of the Actions panel. You can give it any name you like. (In this example I named it “My actions”.)

Step 4: Now it’s time to record the action. Select New Action from the Actions panel menu, or click the New icon at the bottom. Choose a name for your action, select the set you want it stored in, and click Record.

Note: Once you hit record, everything you do in Photoshop will be recorded – including the things you did accidentally. Fortunately, you can click the Record and Stop buttons at any time while you’re recording the steps.
Step 5: Once you start recording your action, duplicate your layer in the layers panel or by hitting CMD/CTRL+J.

Step 6: From the Photoshop menu select Filters ->Blur -> Gaussian Blur and choose a value between 10 and 25 pixels. (Don’t worry. Your photo won’t stay blurry.)


Step 7: Create a mask layer, then hold down the Alt/Option key and click on the mask. This will add a black mask on your blur, and your photo will be back to normal. We’ll be using this mask to add the smoothing rather than erase the blur, which is a lot more work.

Step 8: Select the Brush tool (or press B on the keyboard), and choose an opacity between 10% and 20%. Make sure your foreground color is set to white so you can paint back the smoothing.

Step 9: Hit Stop to stop recording.
Your action is now ready to use.
To test your action, open a new photo and hit Play in the Actions panel.
You’ll see the actions you recorded re-applied to the new photo.

How to use your action

Open a photo with the skin you want to smooth out. It’s best if you retouch any imperfections or blemishes beforehand. This action simply smoothes out the skin lightly to make it look natural and clean.

Hit Play on your action, choose a brush size that’s best for your photo and start painting in the smoothing in small strokes. Make sure you paint in the mask layer or you’ll be painting white onto the skin.
You should see the difference after a few strokes. You can also change the opacity if you need more or less smoothing.

Tips

If you accidentally record extra steps, simply stop the recording and then delete the steps that aren’t part of the action.

You can also delete the action and start over. So don’t worry if you don’t get each step right the first time.

Retouching skin can often take time away from photographing clients. But by using actions, you can streamline your editing by automating steps you use regularly.
This action also helps you retouch photos lightly and more naturally.
Let us know if you find it helpful.

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3 Tips For Photographing Kids in Harsh Light

By: Meredith Clark

You’ve probably heard that the absolute best time for taking gorgeous portraits is before sunset at golden hour. I love the golden hour as much as the next photographer. But I’m also a mom, and I know the importance of being able to capture photographs of your kids throughout day-to-day life, not just when the lighting conditions are ideal.
Let’s face it – birthday parties, parades, celebrations, and field trips often happen in the middle of the day when the light is harsh and more difficult to work with. How do you capture those special midday moments?!

You can absolutely take amazing photos of your kids no matter the time of day! In this article, I’ll share three quick and easy tips for those times when you want to capture memories and are photographing kids in harsh lighting conditions.

1. Find or Make Some Shade

One of the easiest ways to approach photographing kids in harsh lighting conditions is to find or make some open shade.
If you’re outdoors, look for a group of trees, a small hill, a tall building, or even part of a play structure that can provide you with a bit of shade for your photo. When you’re looking at the shadows on the ground, try to find a patch of shade that doesn’t have “hot spots” of sunlight mixed in with the shade. Mottled light is generally not the most flattering type of light for photographs.
If you aren’t able to find open shade, you can also create it. I’ve used everything from a sun hat to a couple of friends holding a beach towel in the air to create a small patch of shade for a photo of my kiddos. Be creative!

2. Find Your Light

Unless you’re shooting right at high noon, the light from the sun will still have some direction to it. If you’re familiar with the circle trick, this is a great time to utilize it so that you can easily visualize the direction of the light.
Snapping photos without taking the direction of light into account often results in lackluster images with squinting subjects and uneven unflattering lighting.

This is an example of what NOT to do when shooting in harsh lighting conditions. See how the
girls are squinting and the light is uneven across their faces?

However, spending just a few seconds thinking about the direction of the source of light makes for a much better image in exactly the same location. One simple way that I often communicate this to kiddos is to ask them to stand with their feet pointing towards the head of their shadow.

Nine times out of ten, this simple instruction quickly orients kids so that the direction of light (backlit) is most flattering. You may still end up with some hot spots across their shoulders and the tops of their heads, but typically the light will be nice and even across their faces, which is really my goal when shooting in harsh light or full sun.

3. Try a Fill Flash

So, what if the background you’re trying to capture doesn’t allow you to orient your child in the best way given the direction of light?
Whether you’re taking photos of a historical landmark or a hometown parade, there is another trick you can utilize in harsh lighting conditions. That is to use your on-camera flash as a fill light to help diffuse any harsh shadows and brighten your subject’s face.
For example, the above image was taken at a local lake. Because of the location of the dock coupled with the time of day, I wasn’t quite able to get the sun all the way behind my daughter, resulting in a bit of a hot spot on the right edge of her face, while the rest of her face is just a bit dark.
If this effect bothers you, give fill flash a try!

This second image (above) was taken at the same time, in the same place. But this time I used my camera’s flash to soften some of the highlights near her face. You’ll notice that the coloring of the water is entirely different when using a fill flash versus without it. Additionally, her eyes seem to have more pop with the flash compared to without it.
Whether or not to use fill flash in harsh lighting conditions is really a matter of aesthetic preference. But it’s certainly worth a try if something feels a bit off when you’re shooting in harsh light.
In a nutshell, don’t be afraid of photographing kids in full sun – it’s easier than you may think. Give it a try, and chime in and share your best images with us below.