Tips for Creative Photography Part II
Posted: Sunday, December 07, 2008
by Danny Boxberger
Your Photography Now
In this article, I will go more into depth on tips, special techniques and filters that can be used to make your photography more creative. In the days when I shot film, I had Cokin adapters attached to every lens I used. I would use speed, star, and different filters for shooting sunsets and sunrises, on a daily basis. When I shot weddings, I had one filter that was a Center Spot, in which the very center of the filter was clear and the rest was a very soft focus. I used it on the bride shot making her face sharp, while blurring everything else. That was a shot that always sold. I have learned that in the digital photography world, not many photographers use filters anymore. They are always doing PP on the computer, which to me, takes away a little from the photography. One big change from film to digital is that in the days of film, you needed to use a UV filter to help block out the Ultra Violet rays, but with today's digital cameras, the sensor technology has taken care of this problem, so using a UV filter will do nothing more then give protection to the front glass on your lens.
At night time, a wide variety of light sources can provide excellent ideas for shooting. With today's higher speed ISO Digital Camera's, many of the brighter light sources can be photographed at shutter speeds that can allow you to hand hold your camera. With the fountain shot, I was able to shoot this shot without the use of a tripod. I bumped ISO up and opened the aperture to 2.8. The shutter speed was slow enough not to freeze action and fast enough to get a good shot. I used my Canon 70-200 2.8L non-IS for this shot. Other sources might require longer exposures, whether the lights are dimmer, or your using a slower shutter speed for special effects. For this I recommend using a very sturdy tripod or some kind of camera support. I also recommend a cable release, which will help prevent camera shake, which can happen as your pressing your finger on the shutter button. And don't forget when shooting long exposure shots, that if your camera has mirror lock-up, to use that feature also, because even the movement of the mirror is enough movement to destroy a perfect shot. If your not sure about this feature, check your camera's manual. Another reminder for shooting night time shots, always keep a small flashlight in your bag. It will be very useful for making camera settings and taking notes. If your into shooting fireworks, a trick I learned years ago when shooting film, if your wanting many bursts on one frame, just lock your shutter open and cover the lens with your hand or a piece of cardboard close to the lens between bursts. Be sure to use a normal or wide angle lens for these types of shots for a better creative effect. 
Multiple Exposures without special equipment is very simple to achieve. When two or more images are combined to produce another, the results can be extraordinary. The rose is an example that I shot years ago with film. You see how it has a soft glow around it, that was done with two exposures on a single frame. With this frame, the first shot of the rose was blurred on purpose, and the second shot was brought back into focus. This setup was used with my camera on a tripod, not to move position of camera. With film camera's you would shoot multiple exposures by taking your first shot, pressing the film release button on the bottom of your camera, advancing the lever like normal, then taking your second shot, and there you would have two shots on one single frame. You could use this technique for many shots on a single frame. With Digital the same process can be done in layers, although I am not experienced in that aspect. When I am doing creative shots like this, I still step back in time and use film equipment. I guess its tough teaching an old dog new tricks. 
As painters and photographers have known for a very long time, water is the preeminent source of reflections, giving you far more possibilities than any other reflective surface. On any given calm day, a sizable body of water can become one giant mirror reflecting almost perfect images of anything in the water, or along the bank of the water. As seen in this photo of the goose preparing for flight, you can even see the reflections of the splashes of water, as he's running along. At times, the reflected image can be so accurate that you can produce and eye puzzler, not knowing exactly what are the reflections. Since water is a liquid, it can also distort reflections, which can result in ripples creating a scene into an almost abstract look. Just like large bodies of water, small puddles can also be used to your advantage for your creative photography. Water is most reflective when the sun is low in the sky as in either early morning or late evening. My experience is that the best time to find glass smooth water would be just after dawn, before the sun has a chance to warm up the air and cause breezes. 
When it comes to expanding your creative photography, I think the first tool that comes to my mind would be filter kits. There are many filters on the market today to help you achieve any special effect that you are after. Of the many filters I keep in both my bags, I would say the one used most on my lens would be the Polarizing filter. To me, it offers the greatest versatility in achieving creative effects. The Polarizer Filter can be used not only to remove or lessen unwanted reflections from nonmetallic surfaces, but also to deepen the color of the sky, it helps to minimize haze, and richen the colors in the scene your shooting. In short, it can often elevate an ordinary snapshot into a spectacular photo. The main thing to remember when shooting with a Polarizer Filter is that it is most effective when the sun is at a right angle to your camera. As with most filters, they do block a stop or 2 of light, but with most modern camera's, the light meters sensor is located behind the filter, so it will automatically indicate the light loss. 
The second filter I reach for is used only when I am doing portraiture of women. It is actually one I made by breaking the glass out of 2 filters, and inserting black piece of pantie hose between them and using it as a soft focus filter. It not only softens up a woman's face, but helps remove unwanted blemishes and small wrinkles. I will shoot with and without this filter, and show each photo to the client, and they always pick the photo with the filter as the one they want. Soft focus filters alter the sharpness of the entire image, not just background or foreground. With a strong diffuser, or stack a couple with each other, you could make a landscape look like its veiled in a thick, misty fog. You can purchase either screw on or slide in glass filters like in the Cokin Filter Systems. Diffuser filters also come in many different colors to take your creativity a step farther. With most diffuser filters, all of the light is transmitted to the sensor or film, so there is no need for any exposure adjustment on your camera. Remember when buying diffusers or any other filters, make sure to get the correct size of your lens. I had a friend many years ago that would use a UV filter and smear it with petroleum jelly, and then rake it with a toothbrush to get a very interesting streaking effect. The list of different filters available for the photographer is a very big one, and each one can be used to take your creative photography to the next level. Experiment, and have fun, you will be amazed with the photos you will create. 
With Creative Photography, you can let your mind run wild. You don't need special filters, you can use your imagination. These two photos above, were very simple to do and something different. I played around one morning in my den shooting out the glass door. I wanted to see what effects I could come up with just by rotating the camera as I was shooting. The first photo I used a shutter speed of 1/8 of a second, and the second photo I slowed down the shutter speed to 1/3 of a second. You can visually see the effect this produced. I will definitely go to a playground and find a couple of kids on a teeter-tauter, to see what I can come up with. I encourage any of you reading this article to try it and let me see the effects you come up with. In the next two photos, it was a simple zoom effect. The first photo is the normal shot I took, the second is the same shot, only difference I slowed down my shutter speed to 1/4 , and while pushing the remote shutter button, I zoomed in with my 70-200 2.8 lens. I did have camera mounted on my tripod for this shot, because when shooting the shots just rotating the camera, I noticed it was hard not moving camera while rotating. 
I really love the zoom effect, might need to try this with Christmas lights to see how the colors will work with this method. The fun ideas about shooting creative photography, there are NO rules for you to follow, no set in stone way of shooting. Its totally up to what different artistic ideas you can come up with. You have no one else to please but you. 
I will finish up Part II of Tips for Creative Photography with a very simple shot of a water droplet hitting the top of water. Its by far the hardest shot for me. This was shot at home without the use of strobe lights or flash, shot in natural light. This is one style of shot I need to practice on more often, testing with strobes and camera settings. I have more ideas floating around in my brain, that I will share in my next article. Imagine riding an arrow on its way to its target....
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