by edin chavez | Nov 13, 2014 | California, Costa Rica, Informational, Tips and Tricks, Tutorials
How to photograph a moving car.
I love racing, there is so much action going on, the sound of a car going 200+ miles per hour 30 feet from you its just indescribable, your heart drops to the asphalt and you can feel the car vibrate inside you making your hear beat double. I often go to the Sonoma Raceway in California (formerly Sears Point Raceway and Infineon Raceway) to watch the races, indi cars, nascar, or drag cars, I love them all.
So how do you take a photo of a car blazing by and give it that feel of movement? Its not as hard as you might think but it does take a bit of practice.
Here are a few simple tips to get you started out at the race track (or on the streets).
Camera settings: When you are looking for an action shot such as this you need to have a slow shutter speed, you can achieve this in Manual (M) Mode or in Shutter Priority Mode (the S dial on your Nikon or Tv on your Canon Camera)
The shutter speed should be anywhere from 1/40 of a second to 1/80 of a second. This will create the blur effect in the back ground making the car feel like its going really fast in the photo.
1. Find a secure spot to take the photos.
First thing you need to do is find a secure spot where you can stand and where you are able to move around. By that I mean you need to make sure there is no one (or nothing) next to you (you need about 2-3 feet of space to be comfortable when learning) who you are going to bump with your camera every time you rotate. When you take this kind of photograph you have to follow the car with your lens and take it at a slow shutter speed, not run after the car but rotate with it as it passes you.
2. Observe the cars going by, try to get used to the speed and follow the subject with your eyes. Do this a few times before doing it with your camera. If you are on the streets, get used to the traffic and how its circulating.
3. Do it with your camera. Gain focus, rotate with the car and take the shot.
When the car is approaching you have to gain focus on it, so follow it from the far and the closer it gets thats when you want to gain focus. You can achieve this by pressing the shutter button (the button you use to take a picture) in your camera half way down, this will get the car in focus, then you start rotating with the car and when you feel right you snap the shot. Now remember this all happens very fast and it takes practice, so give it a few tries and don’t get frustrated its going to take a few fails before you get the killer shot. Be persistent and you will get it.
4. Repeat 1 and 2.
5. Remember to have fun, if you can’t get it walk away for a few and come back and try again, its really not that hard. Practice makes perfect.
Thats it, thats how you take a photo of a moving car giving it that motion feel, but what if you want to do the complete opposite and freeze the entire frame?? Well let me tell you thats even easier.
Here is a photo of a 4×4 race I shot in Costa Rica. I wanted to get the feel of the race and the mud and the environment so I wanted to freeze everything in my frame specially the mud flying all over the place.
How did I achieve this?
Thats easy, all you have to do is shoot this at a fast shutter speed, so instead of 1/40 of a second you have to be at about 1/200 of a second or more, this will ensure that everything on the photo gets captured perfectly still.
Camera settings for this particular shot:
Shutter speed 1/1250 of a second f/5.6 ISO 160
Thank you so much for dropping in guys, if you have any questions or suggestions please leave them in the comments below. Don’t forget to pick up your free Video below.
by edin chavez | Nov 7, 2014 | Black & White, educational, Informational, People, Street photography, Tips and Tricks, Tutorials
Black and White Photography tips:
Here are some tips on how to make a beautiful Black and White photograph. I live by this when shooting Black and White.
1. When shooting B&W photography it’s important that you learn to see in black and white. Remember you don’t have color to draw the eye when shooting B&W photography, so you have to find shapes and tones to compose your photo. Study the colors and study the your environment picture all the gray tones and picture everything in B&W. I will keep it short and sweet. If you have any others please share on the comments below.
2. Always shoot in color, it is important that you always shoot in color. Most cameras out there have a B&W setting DO NOT USE IT. If you shoot everything in color you will have more control of the gray scale in post production once you convert it.
The Man In White
3. Always use the lowest ISO setting possible. This will get rid of the noise in the photograph and you will end up with a great clear photograph. If you are looking for noise do it in post production. I like to add noise to (some) B&W but I always do it in post production that way I still have a very high resolution high quality photo.
4. Always shoot RAW, most DSLRS shoot in RAW (and any camera now a days), again this gives you more control of the image in post production thus making a better B&W photograph. If you don’t have this setting on your camera, don’t worry, you can still make an amazing B&W photograph shooting JPEG.
5. Contrast is very important when shooting B&W photography, it sets the mood it, it defines your lines, it brings out shapes and shadows you would never be able to see in color photography. Play around with it and make it work for you.
Did I miss any? Please leave them in the comments below.
Always remember that practice makes perfect, and always have fun out there.
by edin chavez | Jul 10, 2014 | Black & White, educational, People, Street, Street photography, Tips and Tricks
5 tips to shoot Street Photography.
I have put together 5 tips on how to approach street photography. I love graving my camera and going out to get some street shots. This is a totally different animal. Street photography is all about being incognito, and getting the shot. Shooting people up close can be a bit scary and intimidating, you never know the reaction you are going to get from people. You have to be on their face and just not care, basically you have to have some balls.
It took me a while to get comfortable with doing this, you never know if your going to get punched on the face or get a good reaction. I must say I have been pretty lucky and only had one bad incident. You will get asked to stop and delete the photos from time to time but I usually ignore them and get lost in the crowd. For the most part people are super cool, even gansters. I try not to make eye contact, go up to someone snap and disappear. You will find that 90% of people out there like their photo taken. Its their 15 minutes of fame. Click here to check out my New York Street Photos.
Click Here to download my Lightroom Street Photography Presets.
Here is 5 ez tips that will help you over come your fear of strangers.
1. Go shoot with a friend, it’s always easier if you go with somebody else.
2. Start from a distance until you get comfortable. Try to work up your courage slowly.
3. Be invisible, try not to be seen, don’t make eye contact and be quick. Blend in, be a chameleon.
3. If you do get caught smile and don’t be intimidating, if you get asked what you are doing tell them you are an artist, its a project for school or tell them you were shooting the person next to them.
5. Have fun out there, thats why we do this to begin with because its fun.
I hope this helps and if you have any tips to share with me I would love to hear them, please post them below.
Click Here to download my Lightroom Street Photography Presets.
by edin chavez | Jun 8, 2014 | Architectural, educational, Informational, Miami, Miami Beach, Tips and Tricks, Top 10
Must see places in Miami Beach.
Here is a list I have put together the most photogenic places in Miami Beach. This are the must see places when visiting. This are my personal favorite and when I am home, you can often find me at this spots catching a nice sunset or snapping some pics. This list is for photographers and tourists alike.
Number one. This is probably the most popular, The Colony Hotel on Ocean Dr. between 7th and 8th Street. This place is always packed and you can find photographers and tourists lined up to get a shot of the Colony Hotel. Lots of movies have been filmed here and continue to be filmed here. Large crowds of people gather around this place like a pile of ants do when they find a little snack.
Number 2. The beach. I know I know its obvious right? Well not for a lot of people, if your here you have to go to the beach and catch a sunrise, they come in all shapes colors and sizes, sure to please the soul.
Number 3. Española Way, this is street you would find in Europe, though is a short walk you are sure to enjoy it this is best experienced at night.
Number 4. South Pointe Park. This is my favorite spot in all of Miami Beach. What is cool about this park is that it wraps around the most Southern tip of the Island, from the beach (starting at the Jetty lifeguard tower) to the West, where you can catch a sunset you only see in magazines over the Miami Skyline. This is best experienced on a bicycle, walking or with a loved one. (see next photo below of an aerial view)
Here is an aerial view of South Pointe Park. This is great any time of the day or night.
Number 5. Maurice Gibb Memorial Park, here you can catch a sunset, go paddle boarding, have a picnic or simply relax. Lots of people come here to do Yoga during the sunset. I often come to watch the sunset with my doggies.
Number 6. Watson Island Park, this place is located behind the Children’s Museum. Very easy to find. Here you can see an incredible view of the Miami Skyline, great for a sunset shoot or a really cool night shot. Lots of people come here to fish and hang out. You are guaranteed to run into a photographer (or many) here any day or night of the week. Lots of cloud formations often changing, you are always guaranteed an insane shot and a feel good kind of evening.
There you have it guys, my top spots to visit and photograph while you are visiting Miami Beach. There is a couple more but this are the ones you shouldn’t miss. If you have one to add to the list, please drop me a line below.
by edin chavez | Nov 25, 2011 | educational, Informational, Landscapes, Tips and Tricks, Top 10
Here are 10 quick and easy tips to make you a better photographer:
1. I know this one is very obvious but not a lot of people practice it including some of my very close photographer friends,: Always bring your camera everywhere, you never know when the perfect shot is going to be there, and trust me it took me a long time to learn this.
2. Don’t worry about looking like a tourist or goofy, remember the people around you are the ones that are going to buy your photos. This is your craft and you are the professional.
3. Always look at your horizon in the background and make sure it’s straight (even if you want it to be out of focus). There is nothing worse than taking a great photo with an out of level horizon (unless that’s what your going for).
Take it all in
4. Always carry extra batteries and extra memory cards. (a bottle of water is heavenly as well)
5. Shoot what you want to shoot and what you feel in your heart. There is nothing worse than trying to copy someone else just because everybody likes it. There is room for everything out there, wether you are shooting landscapes, animals, people, junkyards etc. In my opinion, it’s all photography and it’s all beautiful. Be yourself.
6. Experiment, do not be afraid of getting unappealing shots, remember photos can always be erased (its a digital world), don’t be afraid to experiment. This is how in time you will develop your own style.
Ballons in the Mountains
7. Hang out with other photographers and learn from them, I’m a full believer in trading knowledge, even from beginners, you never know what you are going to learn. Everyday out there is an experiment. Ask questions, its much easier to ask someone how to do something than to break your head trying to figure it out.
8. Don’t worry about expensive gear and what the other guy has, this has nothing to do with your imagination and creativity. Even if you had a Million Dollar camera, it’s nothing without an imagination. Point and shoot cameras would suffice, cell phones are ok.
9. Believe in yourself and in your work, nobody is going to take you seriously until you take your self seriously. Share your photos with the world. Start here I Heart Photography Group.
10. Have fun, you wouldn’t be doing this if it wasn’t fun right?
I live by this day in and day out. I hope these tips will help you in your journey towards becoming an amazing photographer. Please feel free to share your tips below in the comments section. Don’t forget to Subscribe by Email. Thank you for dropping by.
