Your Best Shot
Puppies. Doesn’t everybody love ‘em?
They’re wiggly, squirmy, bouncy, bundles
of energy. Capturing one of these little
critters on film can be a challenge akin
to shooting a timberdoodle in a thicket. A
challenge, yes, but not all that difficult.
There is a wide array of available
camera equipment ranging the gambit
from the old-style, manual, 35mm SLR -
to today’s auto-focus, automatic 35mm - to
digital. Regardless of what type of camera
you may have, there is some common
ground that determines the outcome of
releasing the shutter.
First of all, if your camera uses film,
choose either 400 or 800 ASA. Set your
camera to utilize the fastest shutter speed
that available light conditions will allow.
If you can shoot at 1,000 sec, or better,
you should be able to avoid blurring the
subject, even if it is in motion.
Second,
consider
the
lighting
conditions. Try to avoid taking photos in
bright, mid-day sunlight. The light will
be very high-contrast, resulting in harsh,
dark shadows, glaring highlights, and
washed out colors. Generally speaking,
the best times of day to shoot photos
outdoors is from early morning to about
10:00AM and again, from about 4:00PM
4
until twilight. These times can produce
beautifully lit shots. The quality and color
of the early morning or late afternoon light
can add a magenta or golden glow to your
photographs. Be mindful of the direction
of the sun and position yourself between
it and the subject. This will insure that the
subject is well lit and also add catch-lights
to the eyes. If the day is overcast, you can
get excellent results most anytime of day.
This type of light will bathe the subject in
soft, studio-type light, producing excellent
results. When you must shoot in harsh,
mid-day conditions, try moving the subject
into a shaded area. In back-lit situations,
meter light on the subject’s face for well
exposed prints. If in doubt, bracket your
shots, shooting one or two f-stops in either
direction.
The third thing to keep in mind is
composition. The placement of the subject
within the frame can make or break a
photo.
The “Rule of Thirds” is an easy method
by which you can improve the quality of
your photographs. This principle involves
visually dividing your photo into thirds,
both vertically and horizontally. Then
place your subject at any of the intersection
points.
In the case of a close up shot, try to put
the dogs head - or more specifically its eyes
- at any of the one-third intersection points.
If, for instance, you are photographing a
dog, avoid placing the horizon line dead