Guest Post: ‘Photography Tips’ by Phil Gould

The reason I started photography 28 years ago was to share my memories of my first school trip aboard to Israel. Photography is one of the biggest hobbies in the world, whether you are capturing your family, birthdays, weddings, celebrations or that special moment.

Photography is all about passion, I still have the same excitement that I had all those years ago. When I first picked up my camera, looking through the view finder to record that memory of an event. Pressing the shutter and hearing it click, not knowing whether that magical moment has been captured for ever!

Of course it has changed with digital photography, you can now see that special moment instantly. At least now when I go to Africa or any other trip, I’m not spending huge amounts of money on film instead it seems to be going on storage devices and laptops, but the rules of photography and the simple tips of getting great images hasn’t changed at all.

Teaching Photography can be as hard or simple as you want it.  I’m sure some night classes and articles make things so difficult that it often goes over the head of the new inspiring photographer who just wants to take better photographs.

Tip 1:  Getting the right equipment.  I have known so many people buy the wrong equipment and waste a lot of money just by not asking advice. When you are buying your first camera make sure it fits nicely into your hand and is not to heavy to hold for long periods of time. If the camera is too heavy you wont take it out! So what’s the point of having a camera ?

Tip 2:  Have the right lens to do the right job ! If you are a baker, you don’t use a hammer to bake a cake!  The same applies to photography you wouldn’t have a short lens to photograph something that’s in the distance. Lens are expensive so you need to decide what type of photographs you intend to use your camera for, i.e. a macro lens for close-up flowers and insects, a short lens 28-70mm for portraits and landscapes, a 70-300mm lens for distance etc., and always buy the best you can afford.

Tip 3: What length of lens do you need?  If you are going to use extenders on lenses to get a longer length, i.e. make a 70-300mm lens into a 140-600mm by placing a 2x extender or convertor between the camera and the lens, remember that it also changes your f stop on your camera lens. Many cameras will not auto focus when using extenders.  When adding an extender, the aperture on the camera automatically changes, a f stop of f2.8 becomes f5.6, and a f stop of f4 becomes f8, therefore altering the amount of light that reaches the camera.

Tip 4:  Is deciding what style of photograph you wish to take, i.e a vertical image (portrait style) or horizontal (landscape style). The same image can be total different by changing it from a portrait to a landscape. So take both and see which image you prefer, therefore creating your own style.

Tip 5:  What do you want to be in focus, all of the picture like a jigsaw puzzle, or just a part of the picture so everything else is blurred making that part of the image the most important.

By setting your aperture you control your depth of field, using that famous little ‘f stop’. By setting your camera to an f stop of f22 everything will be in focus, but as the lens needs to stay open longer to allow the light in the shutter speed will be low. Dependent on the amount of available natural light you may have to support your camera with a tripod to avoid camera shake and blurred images.  Alternatively if the aperture is set at f5.6 there will be more available light and a faster shutter speed will be achieved but only part of your image that you are focusing on will be sharp and everything else in the image out of focus.  So if your camera isn’t steady you will get camera shake !  This is where you need a tripod.

If you have enjoyed these simple tips then you will love :

My book 365 Photography Days.  It tells the story of awarding winning, freelance photographer Phil Gould, as he travels the globe in search of adventure. At the outset he sets himself the challenge of capturing a definitive image for each day, and these stunning photographs are accompanied by a journal-style commentary of the author’s journey.

This book is also a practical guide to photography techniques with hints and tips from an expert. Each day of the journey includes a photo tip, giving advice about everything from lighting techniques and camera settings, to groupings that work and images that sell.

From the majestic wildlife of the African plains and the awe-inspiring beauty of Antelope Canyon, Arizona, to the shanty towns of Rio de Janeiro and the plight of South African orphans, Phil details his journey with a refreshing honesty, humour and great compassion.  (Available from bookshops & online retailers, ISBN 9781846244599)

Phil Gould

Phils’ Links:

- Website:  Phil Gould Photography