Taking Pictures vs Making Pictures

A friend and fellow photographer recently made a very bold statement over drinks one night...

"Rangefinders help you take pictures and single-lens reflexes help you make pictures."

I believe there is a colossal difference between taking pictures and making pictures, and an equally enormous difference between rangefinders and and SLR's. However, I can't help but take offense to the statement that SLR's help you make pictures.

Rangefinders help me make pictures all the time...

The differences between these two types of cameras are obvious. Through the lens versus a viewfinder, focusing mechanisms, size, weight, film advance etc. What we as photographers seem to forget is that a camera is a tool.

When I was little my father had a workshop in the basement. In the workshop was a hammer. This was not a special hammer, other than the fact that is was older than dirt, rusty, beat up, just a really old hammer. I asked my father why he did not just buy a new hammer. He said, "It still pounds nails." Point being, my rangefinders still pound nails.

That aside, the real issue I have is the difference between taking and making a picture.
The other day I was at a friends house for dinner. She took a picture of everyone at the table with her digital camera. Result: She took a picture. Short, sweet, to the point.

Last month I bought a roll of Tri-X (yes I still shoot film). I had a few things in my head I wanted to photograph. I made some exposures over the next week or so. I developed the film, made a contact sheet, edited down to a couple of frames I thought would print well. I then proceeded to the darkroom where I made an 11X14 fiber base print. When I was pleased with the print, I then matted and framed it. Result: I made a photograph.

Some people take pictures, other people make photographs. The camera is just a hammer. Film, digital, rangefinder, SLR, all just ways of recording an image. Our individual process is what makes photographs, not our hammers.

Taking Aquarium Photos

Aquariums are a popular destination for photographers of every level of skill and experience. They provide ample animal subjects of varying size, shape, and color. Aquatic scenes can be vibrant and dynamic, but they can also be surprisingly difficult to capture. Many factors contribute to this fact; from the lighting to the glass of the tanks to the contained water itself. These simple tips will help you take great shots on your next trip to the aquarium.

Amateur photographers often don't realize that the lighting in aquarium calls for some special consideration. The tanks appear bright to humans because our pupils dilate to allow more light into our eyes. Our pupils remain open, too, allowing for ample time to process the light they are receiving. A camera can pull some similar tricks, but you must remember to employ them when you are taking your aquarium photos. You should use a larger aperture (smaller F-stop) and extend your shutter speed. Don't go above 1/60th of a second, however, as the moving fish are likely to come out blurry. A film speed of ISO 800 is recommended if you are shooting without a flash. Do your best to exploit the tank lighting. Aquarium displays are usually lit from the top, so think about taking your shots from an elevation if this is possible. Also ensure that you do not use a flash when photographic light-sensitive creatures.

The glass or plexiglass of the tanks in aquariums can be up to a foot thick. Both materials distort and bend light, especially at these dimensions. They are also prone to reflecting a nasty glare whenever a flash is used. You may need to use manual focus, as the glass can confuse automatic focusing systems. It is generally a good idea to try to shoot perpendicularly to the tank, as this will minimize the light-distorting effects of the material of its walls. If you must use a flash, then be sure to shoot at at least a 45 degree angle to the wall of the tank. This will cause some distortion of the subject of your photo, but it will mitigate the chances of capturing your own flash.

The last substantial hurdle to aquarium photography is all of the water between your camera and your subject. Watch the clarity of the water and plan to shoot when the densest concentrations of waterborne particles have passed. While this should be obvious, you should take your photo when your subject is closest to the wall of the tank. This will enhance the quality of the final image. Some aquariums offer aquarium photography workshops to interested photographers. Consider these programs if you want to further refine your skills.

10 Tips for Taking Sharp Photos

You've spent your cold, hard cash on a great camera; yet capturing a crisp, sharp image still escapes you. What's the catch? A professional photographer will tell you that the secret to sharp photos requires hours of practice and the proper technique.

Here are ten tips for taking sharp photos:

1. Do what professionals do: Use a tripod or monopod, especially when the light gets low.

2. When using the tripod with the camera shutter speed at a slow setting, use a remote release or the self-timer--that way you don't have to touch the camera at all.

But what about those times when you really can't do that?

3. Then become a tripod by keeping your arms and elbows close to your sides to steady the camera. Lean on a wall if one is handy.

4. As you shoot, press the shutter--don't poke it.

5. Make sure that the camera has confirmed that the auto focus has locked on your subject (otherwise the camera might actually take the picture after you think you took the picture).

6. Set the ISO to a higher number, such as 800 or 1000. You may get increased noise (which looks like grain), but the camera will fire at a higher shutter speed, and that promotes sharpness.

7. If your camera has selectable auto-exposure modes, shift to Shutter Priority mode and set a faster shutter speed.

8. When it gets too dark, use a flash. Flash exposure freezes camera shake and subject movement because the burst of light from a flash is so very fast.

9. Watch for the peak of action and carefully time your shot--this is especially useful when shooting sports. If someone is jumping, for example, catch the person at the instant when he or she has leaped the highest and is about to settle back down to earth.

10. Consider a new camera with image stabilization. This can be built into the lens or camera to compensate for camera movement during exposure that will make subjects blurry. It's the ultimate remedy for a case of the jitters.