Let's Go Photo - Part 1
 Are
your group photos gritty, moving shots muddled, or your landscapes lacking? If
you're having trouble getting good shots while you're out riding, here's a short
lesson in photography basics as it relates to you, your motorcycle and the
people you ride with.
Jerry just e-mailed over a few pictures from his clubs
recent ride. "These are some pictures of our ride around Mt. Rainier the other day" he wrote. The images
include photos of a few guys standing around talking and a few guys standing around buying
gas. Then there were the photos of Mt. Rainier, which were shot in the lowest
possible resolution from the north side with the lens pointed into the sun, only
picking up the outline of the mountain. It may have been a glorious ride,
unfortunately the pictures don't tell half the story.
Today's automatic film and inexpensive digital cameras
offer us all a license to be photographers, but for most, we miss the essentials
to taking good photos. This series is directed at the motorcyclist who takes a
great ride and wants to make it a memorable one by bringing home some great
pictures.
In part one we will discuss 5 basics to better photos.
Getting that Group Shot
It's common for someone to think they're getting a group
shot when everyone stops for gas or coffee and is moving around putting gas in
their tanks or socializing and sipping on coffee. These aren't really group
shots, they aren't memories of the ride the way you want to look back at them
months or years later (see lower left).
Take an extra five minutes out of the ride and gather the
group together for a posed shot that will make it memorable and that you can
e-mail out to all the riders later on. Which shot do you like better, the one on
the left or the one taken on the right after the group was gathered together
(see lower right)?
Remember when taking a shot like this, to come in tight
with your camera so you can capture the whole group in the lens and not include
other distractions such as parked cars or useless surroundings.
Working with Natural Light
One of the most common errors I see in amateur photos is
the use of light. The relationship of where the sun is to your photo can make
it a great one, or just plain lousy. When you're photographing a group of
individuals outside in sunlight, look for shots that light them. The rule of
thumb here is to have the sun at your back.
Example 2: The photo on the left missed the
riders altogether. The one on the right captures the rider and Mt. Rainier
in the back. Note it is also framed with the tree on the right.
The other consideration in a typical group photo is the
shadow placements. If all the shadows are directly behind the individuals, or
slightly to one side or the other, you're doing a great job of capturing the
group and the local surroundings without mucking the image up with a lot of
black lines.
When to Flash
Sometimes it's not easy to capture a shot where the
subjects are lit up because of the fact of where you are. In that case give
yourself 5-10 feet between you and the subjects and force your camera into the
flash mode. Even with the sun sneaking straight into your lens you can capture
the subjects' faces. This can also provide a nice silhouette effect on the
landscape behind you. Such a technique can help shots like the one on the
right in example 2.
Put a Frame Around
You can enhance a great shot and show some depth at the
same time by framing the shot with a tree or other surrounding object. While
everyone is socializing together take a moment to plot out a nice framing setup
and then have your riders gather into that area. See the shot on the right
of example 2.
Follow That Rider
 Taking
pictures of people in your group moving is a great way to capture the essence of
speed. One of my favorite tricks is to leave my group from a gas stop before
everyone else, get up the road a few minutes, find a picturesque spot, pull over
and setup. As the riders approach I can get suitable for framing photos of them
as they roll down the highway.
But one secret to this type of photo is to follow the
rider with your camera as you pick them up in your lens and ultimately snap the
shutter.
The photo above demonstrates this technique. By
following the rider the subject is tight and in focus, but the rest of the road
and landscape are just a blur. SR!
TM/Spring 02 |
