The fun stuff…filters, zooming, and panning
Yes, photography involves some seemingly boring, technical stuff…but it’s all necessary. Today it’s time for the FUN stuff! Now that you have a grasp on the basics, you can put the fun stuff to good use!
Filters are a way to add certain effects to your photos, without spending a fortune. Most filters are pretty inexpensive. Earlier, I discussed a few common filters, like the Polarizer, and Star filters. Polarizers are for use in landscapes and outdoor photos. This is a must have! This will make your colors super saturated, and eliminate unwanted reflections from water. This will help make your skies a beautiful deep blue, and your clouds stand out. They will reduce ugly glares and reflections from surfaces like water and glass. The only reflections that won’t change are those from metallic surfaces. Polarizers are inexpensive, so don’t skimp on a cheapo polarizer.
A soft focus filter is a favorite for many photographers, for photographing people, and delicate subjects. A soft focus filter does not take the picture OUT of focus, so it can’t be accomplished by just messing up your focus. A soft focus softens the hard edges and details, giving the photo a softer, haze effect. You can create a soft focus effect without spending any money on lenses or filters. Stretch a nylon stocking over the lens and you will get a heavy soft focus effect.
Star filters add a nice sparkle to any place that there’s a bright light in your photo…a twinkle effect. These filters come in versions that will give your stars anywhere from six to sixteen points! These are inexpensive and fun. Sometimes they are called a cross screen.
A fog filter is different than a soft focus. It doesn’t create even soft focus across the picture; it mimics a natural fog, with a soft glow and a bit of flare, beautiful for landscapes, and available in heavier versions that will create a strong, fantasy like effect.
There are several filters specifically for black and white photography. I will discuss black and white photography in its own lesson.
Panning is when you set your camera on a tripod, and use a long shutter speed, then pan the camera to get a dramatic motion blurs effect. Panning is moving the camera around, turning it on the tripod, as if to follow the motion.
Zooming while the camera is taking the picture can create an interesting effect as well. You will need a tripod, and probably a camera that zooms by physically turning the barrel of the lens. The tripod will keep the camera still, which will leave the center clear and the edges streaky.