Fuji Digital Camera

Wednesday, April 9, 2008

Only 10% Of All Photographers Know This

Here is a searching question for you...

Have you ever wondered why professional news photographers get their images so quickly and accurately? Have ever considered there must be a way to sharpen up your observation and shooting skills. There is a way and here it is.

Professional image makers instinctively know precisely what their lenses see! Now inwardly digest every word written here because it has huge bearing on the way you approach your image construction, professional attainment and image acceptance.

Here it is again... professional photographers know precisely what their lenses see. And they see it all in their mind's eye first. When an action photographer brings his or her camera to the eye, the lens focal length is already instinctively set; image all but shot and shutter released instantly. It's pretty to watch a professional in action... so fast it's a blur. I want you to think seriously about what this statement means for the future of your shooting skill.

1. It means the complete mastery of precise observation.
2. It means a new dynamic in image awareness.
3. It means a shoot discipline that produces instant results.
4. It means economy of effort.
5. It means a closer more intimate relationship with your equipment.
6. It means the difference between capturing a classic image or abject failure.

Now the thinking ones are going to say does this knowledge apply to all lenses? Of course it does; wide angle, mid angle, of the long or telephoto end of the lens. The only difference is your the zoom lens speeds up the process.

Alright, how do you learn to visually appreciate and utilize the varying focal lengths of your fixed focus or zoom lenses? For the moment I want you to become a walking breathing zoom lens. Take your camera out and begin by carefully selecting a scene you can progressively record in a series of physical steps, beginning at the widest (wide angle) end of your lens . That could be 28 -35mm focal length.

You have selected your subject and allowed plenty of space all around the inside of the view finder in the wide angle setting. This space will decrease as you move forward in a straight line towards your selected subject. Begin your straight line walk keeping the camera view finder at your eye. Walk 5 meters and take a shot, continue another five and reshoot, another and another until you have reached your subject which will eventually go out of focus. That's the shooting bit completed.

Now produce a series of images showing the series of steps you recorded as you moved closer and closer towards the subject. Clearly mark each image, step one to step? Arrange the images in sequence. You now have a visual format and template on which you can formulate the precise performance and focal lengths of your zoom lens. You have a visual marker to use as ready reference.

Now here is the clever bit. Instead of just looking through your zoom lens and tromboning haplessly until you get the frame size you want, you eliminate this time consuming habit and instantly and instinctively select the exact focal length you want to achieve automatically. The image size is preselected before the viewfinder hits the eye line. In very short order you will take a look a possible scene, and mentally assess and predict the zoom size you want without the camera anywhere in sight. Now is that an advantage or what? This is one technique most professionals keep to themselves

Can you imagine if you master this technique what advantage you have over the all the trombone quartets? As a matter of interest I have five set positions I instinctively relate to my zoom lenses; each end, (wide angle and telephoto), plus three preselected focal positions in the middle of the zoom as I visualize a scene in my mind's eye. That brings me into the focal length range I want first and then the final preselect adjustment is added all in one movement. This all happens as the camera is coming to the eye. It is important to remember this whole technique is all about advanced observation skills and preselected viewfinder sizes.

Understanding the unique vision of your lenses is fundamental to action and combat photography. In combat, can you imagine some 'nasty' taking pot shots at you while you a fiddling around with your zoom lens? I have no desire to die of lead poisoning if I can avoid it. Get it and get out...quick!

But more importantly, it's the personal shooting discipline that matters here, provided you have motivation to practice and put the technique into action. If you do master it you are going to walk down the road observing scenes thinking, 18mm, 28mm, 50mm, 100mm, 135mm, 200mm, 300mm and so on. Or you might say position one, two, three and so on as you visually change the zoom lens setting in your mind's eye.

Get this right and you will never you be in quandary asking yourself what focal length of my lens will I use for this shot? Before you can say 'Jack Robinson,' your intuitive awareness will give you the answer even before you ask the question. Something else I stated earlier... you will come to appreciate your lens, and its functions so much better using this technique. I should add those who have single fixed focal length lenses use the exactly same technique. It's a bit more time consuming as you change each lens that's all. You have the answer at your fingertips

Roger Jeakings
Author: The Camera on the Frontline

Learn from a Frontline Cameraman
Visit: http://wiseowlvision.com

Meet frontline cameraman, Roger Jeakings. He began his news career as a military photojournalist in Southeast Asia. An experienced infantry instructor, with rifle and light machine gun marksman credits to his name, Roger had little difficulty exchanging a rifle for a 35mm camera. His first combat news assignment covered the Commonwealth's counter insurgency operations against Communist guerrilla actions in Malaya and Borneo

Since then he has kept in close contact with his news media colleagues covering the conflict Iraq and Afghanistan. They have generously contributed some of their images and thoughts to his newly released e-Book, "The Camera on the Frontline."

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