Confirm the shoot/event schedule IN DETAIL before the event.
If the “event” is just you shooting portraits, having a loose agenda of what’s going to happen is sometimes enough. When you’re at an event to document or do portraits, get a clear schedule of events before you step foot there! Especially if there’s somewhere you need to be afterwards.
Columbus Art Walks are self-guided walking tours of several districts throughout Columbus. Each district has a map to direct you along the route. When you reach a point of interest, listen to a recorded message that tell you about it. You can either download the audio ahead of time, or call (614) 645-2646 and enter the number for your location. The majority of the routes are accessible and flat.
Shooting with a buddy? Communicate!
When shooting with an assistant, communication is the name of the game. Especially if you’re married to them. You don’t want to argue in front of your subject, but awkward silence can be worse.
If you’re looking for a shooting location downtown with a lot of variety, head straight to Scioto Audubon! Located on the Scioto River just south of downtown, it’s the newest Metro Park. Looking north, there’s a great view of the Columbus skyline. Facing south, it’s all trees and river.
Apply the things you know. Don’t assume you’ll do it right. (Practice!)
There’s so much to know about photography. The problem I run into sometimes is overconfidence. I went on a photowalk with a long zoom lens recently, and I hadn’t used glass longer than 85mm in a very long time. I was shooting at 400mm. In principle, I know that if your’e shooting hand-held, the longer the zoom, the faster the shutter speed you should use. I know that in my head, but I clearly didn’t apply that knowledge while shooting. And of course, I didn’t have a tripod or monopod on the shoot. On the camera’s LCD, my pictures looked okay, but once I got them on my computer, I could see just how shaky almost every single picture was.
If you’re looking to walk through a forest to take pictures of flora and fauna, you could certainly do worse than Blacklick Woods Metro Park. The park boasts a variety of habitats, including forests, swamps, ponds, and meadows. Covering over 600 acres, there’s plenty of room for critters to roam. Depending on the time of year, you might come across owls and other birds of prey, coyotes, deer, frogs, turtles, and more. This is definitely a good place to bring a long zoom lens. Continue reading Blacklick Woods
Sorry we’ve been so quiet—dismal weather seems to bring everybody down. But now that summer is creeping closer, there’s so much going on! Columbus is host to a whole slew of festivals, gatherings, and events. Not to mention all the educational opportunities provided by Midwest Photo Exchange, Metroparks, and more. Take a class or go on a photowalk with other photographers. Check out the events page to find something fun to photograph or learn near you! Everything we’ve added in the events section is within an hour’s drive of Columbus. We pull our information from various sources, so double-check availability or registration requirements on an event’s website.
Learn it at home before you go on location.
This may be the most “duh” post I’ll ever write, but it needs to be written, if not just to remind myself to STOP doing this. Too often, I’ve taken a new shiny piece of equipment on a shoot. It usually ends up with me looking like I have no idea what I’m doing. In front of a client, of course. I can laugh it off with them, but it simply doesn’t look professional. Continue reading Testing new equipment
Midwest Photo Exchange announced their Spring Photo Contest:
Spring is a great season for street photography. The snow and ice are melting, the sidewalks are clear, and people are happy to be out in the temperate weather. The theme for our Spring Photo Contest is good old-fashioned Street Photography. Submit your best images in outdoor public spaces. Buildings and storefronts are acceptable, but our judges tend to prefer street portraits and images brimming over with life and humanity. Happy snapping!
Our Spring Photo Contest is sponsored by Nikon! NIKKOR lenses have been redefining lens technology and setting the standard for good glass for 80 years, and the NIKKOR 50mm F1.4G is one of the best lenses for street photography, hands down.
Grand Prize: Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 50mm F1.4G ($500 Value)
Second Prize: Nikon Coolpix S5200 ($130 value)
Third Prize: $50 MPEX Gift Card
What seems to be the biggest focus at Blendon Woods? Birds. They have a variety of protected habitats for our flying friends, as well as excellent spots from which to observe and photograph them. Continue reading Blendon Woods Metro Park
