Creative Photography Lab

(Ray)

(Fogra 39)Job:04-30554 Title:RP-Creative Photography Lab

#175 Dtp:225 Page:112

106-121_30554.indd 112 4/26/13 11:13 AM

(Ray)

(Fogra 39)Job:04-30554 Title:RP-Creative Photography Lab

#175 Dtp:225 Page:113

106-121_30554.indd 113 4/26/13 11:13 AM

Finger Painting

Creative PhotograP hy Lab

(Text)

112

Head Like a Hole

4

0

LAB

Settings

Photography is like

cooking; the final

result is the interac-

tion of all the

ingredients. So what

do you put into your

shots? In this lab, we

will use a small round

window to isolate a

few simple ingredi-

ents and create our

own little world.

“ This exercise made

me zoom in on little

things, find a new

perspective,” wrote

online student

Kerstin Kumpe.

• ash off

• PAS: Landscape mode

usually works best.

• DSLR: Use manual mode and

set your exposure based on

the reading you get before

holding up your window.

• smartphone: Photographing

people this way can be a

hilarious exercise. You may

have to practice shooting

one-handed with your phone

before you start chasing

people around.

“ You gotta be able to

change worlds.”

—Courtney Love

1. Cut a round hole about the size of

a ping-pong ball in an 8 3 10 inch

(20 3 25 cm) piece of stiff paper or

cardboard. Use any color paper you

want; effects will vary.

2. Go out into the world and practice

framing shots with your round

window. When you see something

you like, take a shot through the

hole—simple as that.

3. Vary the distance from the paper

to the camera for different framing

and effects.

4. Keep some of the paper in every shot.

Let’s Go!

(Ray)

(Fogra 39)Job:04-30554 Title:RP-Creative Photography Lab

05-C68902 #175 Dtp:225 Page:112

106-121_C68902.indd 112 5/7/13 10:54 AM

Finger Painting

(Text)

113

Creative PhotograP hy Lab

Head Like a Hole

1. Cut a round hole about the size of

a ping-pong ball in an 8 3 10 inch

(20 3 25 cm) piece of stiff paper or

cardboard. Use any color paper you

want; effects will vary.

2. Go out into the world and practice

framing shots with your round

window. When you see something

you like, take a shot through the

hole—simple as that.

3. Vary the distance from the paper

to the camera for different framing

and effects.

4. Keep some of the paper in every shot.

Tips

• Two challenges will be focus and exposure because the camera will incorporate the paper

into its calculations. You want only what is in the hole to be focused and metered.

• To get focus right, make sure the focus point (little ashing square) is on the subject and not

on the paper. If you have face-detection or multiple-point focus, turn it off.

• Correct exposure will depend on whether your paper is lighter or darker than the scene.

It might require overexposing by a stop for white paper or underexposing a stop for black

paper. Use exposure compensation.

Valérie Astier used a translucent paper for this beautiful shot.

Let’s Go!

(Ray)

(Fogra 39)Job:04-30554 Title:RP-Creative Photography Lab

05-C68902 #175 Dtp:225 Page:113

106-121_C68902.indd 113 5/7/13 10:54 AM