Shallow depth of field and 'Bokeh' - tips for good Photography

Bokeh is the term used to describe how out of focus highlights in the background of a picture appear as circles of light when they are thrown out of focus by what is called a shallow depth of field. In this picture of the wait groom and father of the groom, taken with a zoom lens, a wide aperture was used to throw the background out of focus and it also resulted in the bokeh affect.

This young dancer portrait shows a similar effect. By throwing the background significantly out of focus the eye is drawn to the sharply focused elements of the eyes and face.

It also works well in this picture of the golden eagle. I call it the 'sky-eyed' eagle because the blue sky and clouds appear very clearly in the birds beautiful eye.



I usually only post three pictures, but here is a bonus picture. In this case, unusually, I threw the foreground out of focus with the highlights on the flute producing the bokeh affect.

Thanks for viewing.

Spring and Summer light - tips for good Photography

Glorious day today in North West England. Taking pictures which make the most of the sunlight will help you enjoy the change in the weather. The picture of grass seeds was an attempt to record the highlights on the seeds against a blurred background.

Controlling the depth of focus requires you to open up the aperture which you can do in manual control or aperture priority. The aperture also controls the amount of light entering the the camera through the lens as does how long the shutter stays open. Aperture size and shutter speed are fundamentals in terms of exposure and focus.

The bright colours of wild flowers such as this host of golden buttercups can look spectacular in bright sunshine and for me, make this picture of distant Beeston Castle. In this case the aperture was closed right down to give a greater depth of focus. More on aperture control soon.

Bright dappled sunshine in a country lane lined with wild garlic is also a strong image.

Another project to work on are sets of pictures of the different seasons, perhaps capturing your favourite places at different times of year. Could make a very personal and beautiful calendar.



Pet Portraits - tips for good Photography

Getting a good shot of you animal 'best friend' does not have to be difficult but it may take a bit of thought.

All the rules of portrait photography for people apply such as focusing on the eye and reducing background distraction. A favourite toy will also help especially when you look back on the picture in the future and smile at the memories stimulated.

Also remember to get in close so that what is unique about your pet is clear to see. An earlier tip about getting down to their level even if it means laying on the floor should also be considered.

Your pet will love the attention. A picture of your Mum's pet might make a great Mothers' Day card or if framed a great present.

More project ideas coming soon from this blog.

Angling the camera and breaking the rules - tips for good Photography

Beauty and interest are in the eye of the beholder and there are no strict rules to what composition works for a particular subject. Sometimes deliberately angling the camera can add energy to a picture. Look at these examples and see what you think.

The first picture has a subtle tilt which emphasises the low angle and the landscape format. This young lady by the way would like to be a racing driver and a model.

This second picture is of Bath and a backstreet coffee house which, for me, recalls the atmosphere of the city without focusing on the landmarks. The angle adds something which I believe lifts it as an image.

This last picture is slightly more disturbing because I wanted it to be, trying to gain an effect. These are the stepping stones at Whitewell in the Forest of Bowland. We want the stones to be perfectly level because that is how we want to remember walking across them. By tilting them it might also remind me of that apprehensive feeling I get whenever jumping from one stepping stone to the next, besides, there are many pictures of these stones taken the 'normal' way, I was looking for something different.





Feel free to break the rules, not that you need permission, and tell me how you get on.

Mothers' Day Portrait Gift Voucher

Thinking of a special present for Mothers' Day?

The perfect present might be a 1 hour portrait session in my studio to ge the perfect image of your Mother, and of you with her. For £80 you would receive two mounted 10 by 8 inch colour or black and white prints, one for you and one for her.

Go to my webste for details: http://www.richardlinnett.com/

Eye-light or catch-light - tips for good Photography

Click on th images to see them larger and the effect more clearly.

I have already said that the eyes are the secret to a good portrait. They must always be in focus and often placed in the composition to be a focal point, usually, but not always, at or near the intersection of 'the thirds'. Very rarely will I place the head or eyes on the centre line, much better to have them off-centre, a point I have also made before.

A 'light' in the eyes, sometimes called a 'catch-light', is also very important, lifting and bringing life to the face. Studio flash and camera mounted flashes can give great results in creating these bright point, and it is worth turnng the flash on for this effect even in daylight, as long as the cameras settings allow it.

The three pictures included here are some recent sudio shots which show the eye- or catch-light to good effect.

I hope you continue to enjoy my blog.