Shadow hunting behind the photo

I came up with the idea for this a good few days before I did it but had to wait for the sun to come out as it was hidden behind clouds, but after 4 days of waiting it finally came out and so I jumped on my bike and rode off to town.

This first image I took after about a mile of cycling. I just stopped and waited for someone to come along; didn't have long to wait as it's a popular path. In Winter the sun goes down faster and so I was thinking that I'd left it too late but I caught this one just right.

I don't usually start out with any particular images to take in mind, I just take my camera and shoot anything I like, but this time I had some ideas and this time I wanted shadows, so shadow hunting it was.

Stopped by the waterfall and took this next one. I just wanted the roughness of the water, to capture movement.

For me, light is very important, but bright sunny days can be harsh; whereas cloudy days will make everything washed out or too even looking, and the images won't have the texture of shadow, the contrast. I always find a good time to take photos is early or late in the day. These are the times of day when the light can give the best effects.

Most of the time I can't get close enough to take the photo I want so then I use a long lens to help me to get closer, but they can be unsteady to hold with just my hands, and so sometimes I find using a tripod helps, or a bean bag set against a solid surface, like a wall or fence, to hold the camera steady enough to take the shot.

When I got to town I found the fun fair was happening so I went in to see what I could find. The big wheel was first so I stood under it and took a photo looking up, and as you can see it was big, and the sky was a lovely blue.

Framing the shot is subjective I find, and makes each person's perspective unique. there are some that say, the closer you get to the subject the better, but I think everyone tries for the image they see in their mind. I would also say that the more photographs you take the better you get, and by comparing the image you wanted to take with what actually comes out from the camera helps you to learn to use the camera and take the images you actually see and want. For me it was all trial and error until I'd learn enough to take the pictures I wanted.

This image of the green bottles was in one of the fun fair stalls and I just had to snap it. I took it with the camera set on automatic.

In point and shoot mode or automatic the camera is set up to take evaluative metering using all of the focus points and will usually take a good all-round photo. The points of focus take an average meter reading of the scene through the lens, and that which dominates the scene is going to be in focus, usually, but not always, sometimes it is the things that are closest to the lens that will come out more in focus.

This can be changed in the operating system so that the point of focus is on the central dot and is called spot metering making everything that dot is set on in focus. The metering also is set within this dot to the exclusion of the rest of the scene. This is the best way I find to take portrait photographs as the middle dot is the point of focus, and by focusing on the eyes, pressing the shutter half way to hold the focus, set to manual AF point selection, and then composing your shot, will give the best depth of field for a portrait. But generally I find automatic is best as sometimes there's not enough time to set up the camera, so all you can do is point and shoot.

The sun was going down fast when I came across this one of two people hugging. I wasn't sure if it was going to be any good, but after cropping it down and using some contrast etc on it I think it came out quite nice.

I find that so long as you have taken a good sharp photo then whatever clutter that is in the background can be taken out in Photoshop. By cropping you hone in on what is most valuable about the photo. But the trouble is that more you crop the more pixels you lose which can influence the enlargement to a great degree, and if you're sending them out to photo sites they may not even be accepted, because if you crop too much you lose too many pixels and then the photo won't be able to be enlarged too much before it becomes blurred, out of focus or just too grainy to be of any use. So it is always best to get in as close as you can and to fill the frame with only what you really want to be there if you want to blow the picture up to a large size, but for steemit a small size is usually okay.

Of course I had to take a shot of the Wellington boots, they just stood right out in the setting sun. Not many noticed them, they just kept right on walking.

Making a good image that is both pleasing and technically right can be a matter of chance to the amateur, but to the professional only comes after years of trial and error, and learning from others and perhaps during a college education, but for me I just point and shoot at what I like and hope it comes out good.

This image I came across just after the fun fare and the sun was still up enough not to throw shadows too far and yet strong enough to make the shadows dark. I like this one a lot even though it's a bit blown out in the highlights which is what happens when you take photos towards the sun.

Although I took many photos I'm going to finish off with this little tea house that was set in a small park...

All images are mine and were taken with a canon 550d with a 135 canon lens and hand held.

Link to contest: https://steemit.com/behindthephoto/@nelyp/behind-the-photo

Shadow hunting behind the photo

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