How Do You Shoot Your Photographs?

[chakalaka_rider]

1. Do you rearrange the setting to suit your ideas?
Or
2. Do you set your ideas base on what it is?

I guess what I just said wasn't that clear. What I am saying is... say if your topic is Rock, do you find a rock that you want, and move it away from its original spot to a spot that you think best suit your topic? or do you simply leave the rock to where it is, and find an angle the best express the rock?

Personally I always try to go with #2, but under special occasions, and given conditions, I may go with #1.


Eric

[pva_glue]

Most of time #2... I submerge myself into the topic then click away, out of 200 shots only 10 or less would be good enough to put on web "web worthy".

I like natural environments...

One thing I hate is that when I taking photo of people they notice you taking photo of them and gives look...... LOL. I always try to obtain their permission.

anyway that my opinion.

[w_d_p]

The "rocks" where I live tend to be 20-ton seastacks, and aren't inclined to be moved! <g> Fortunately, the south coast of Oregon is so wonderfully scenic that rearrangement isn't necessary-- it's already been breathtakingly arranged by a master hand, which then went on to add a wonderful quality of light and the purest, most vivid and sparkling color I've ever seen.

For anyone with a clue as to what he or she is doing, it's a photographer's paradise. (July and August notwithstanding-- in those months we tend to have fog. But other than that...)

When photographing the natural beauty of this area I'll look for the best angles, consider the light, wait for the decisive moment, and make good use of my polarizer and split ND filters-- but I don't try to move anything. Who am I to think I can improve on what's already been perfectly designed? <g>

Shoshanna Moser
http://www.pbase.com/w_d_p/shoshanna

[stevenoz]

When I am shooting pictures of landscape or natural things I do not disturb anything. I change my angle or time of day to get the results I am looking for.

If I am doing studio portraits of course I try to make the scene what I see in my head. Sometimes that is not the same thing that comes out but I take what I can get I guess to be honest this sometimes does include things I pic up from nature so I can't say "I don't disturb anything". I just like a natural setting.

Steve

[fastuno]

Indeed when you are shooting landscape not much can be moved, you generally try to position yourself to take the most expressive viewpoint. When it comes to things like shooting macro flowers, it may be to your advantage to manipulate the environment.

I will give you an example...this past weekend I decided to take some flower shots in someones backyard on a sunny day. The shots overall came out atrocious, one after the other...I couldn't believe it! I was suppose to be getting better, not worst! Well, I asked someone to stand over a flower to produce a shadow & I held up a flower with my own hand to make it appear more erect. Finally, some decent shots.

The direct sunlight produced an overcast in some areas & shadows in others. I have shot some okay shots before in direct sunlight (case in point.....http://www.pbase.com/image/25622931), but this time conditions wouldn't let me have it!

Another interesting point that someone had brought up here, taking 200 shots to get at least 10 decent ones. I found that to be the same case with me. Is this normal? Is it an indication of a bad photographer? or is it the nature of photography itself? All of us here pick our best photos to post, but what would be more interesting would be to see how many shots you took to get that one good one & to see the same shot, but a not so good version of it. Even more intriguing would be before and after photos of post processing.

[chakalaka_rider]

Umm I think I should be more clear.
I wasn't talking just about natural environment by itself, I was thinking more about umm, costumes etc. When taking portraits, do you ask your topic to dress in special costumes or perhaps ask them to pose in certain ways? Or do you simply just follow your topic around and take pictures whenever suitable.

I guess what I am saying is do you interfere with your topic? Or just let it be.

Sorry about my terrible examples.


Eric


*Edit
http://www.pbase.com/image/27961593 - the shoes were there. I did not move it there. It was just there at the right time. I did not do anything to change it other than take a photo of it. (#2)

http://www.pbase.com/image/27961774 - I kicked the cig box closer to the chair from its initial spot. I made a change. (#1)