Page 4 Ray Barlow

The Static Shot by Ray Barlow (part 1)

A quick note to everyone who reads this magazine, thanks!! I really appreciate the viewers, and the emails I receive complimenting this cool site.

We do not have a lot of new articles coming in these days, and I am open to new writers and if your interested in joining NIOM, please send me an email... ray@raymondbarlow.com

Shooting static subjects seems easy, ?? yes and no. Sure, a subject that sits still, and poses is cool, and can be great fun, but the tough part is making the image artistic and interesting.

We have several things to consider.. the obvious, which focal length to use, shutter speed, ISO, and aperture... this is what we regard as "techs". A good focal length will give you enough depth of field to isolate the subject, without stopping down too much. The focal length you choose should also give you the freedom to create... move in and out from your subject and frame in the environment.

The next concern is the ISO. Personally, I find keeping the ISO low is a big advantage. Each camera body has an optimal ISO for clean smooth and detailed images. The lower the better, while maintaining enough shutter speed to keep your images sharp.

After setting your ISO, take a look at the size of the subject, how far you are away from it, and consider the depth of field you need to try to get your subject sharp. The further away form you the subject is, the more depth of field you will have to work with. This will allow you to keep you aperture open, and look towards a smooth background.

We know that the shutter speed is going to be a result of your ISO and aperture settings... if you have an ISO of 250, and an aperture of f4, and this gives you a shutter speed of 1/250 sec., your in good shape with most lenses and focal lengths. At 400 mm and a distance of 30-40 feet, you can then work on composition, and a possible change of your f-stop to increase, and decrease your depth of field.

One of the most important tips is to always consider the angle of the light, try to keep the sun at your back, and look for that split second that your subject is absolutely still. Always try different angles, and settings, move up, or down, left, right, higher ISO, or lower. Constantly making these kinds of changes is so important, to help give you choices when you get to your computer, and help you learn what works.

I will try to help you with further settings in part 2, coming soon... Auto Focus, VR and IS, and some support techniques.

Thanks for your visit to NIOM.

Ray Barlow