Have you ever seen a great photograph and wonder how the person got that shot? If you are like me, you may have thought: “Must be a great camera or a high-quality lens.” Well, as my photography mentor Joe Baraban tells me, it is the 6” behind the lens that actually makes the difference – you the photographer. I have shot some of my best photos with a small point & shoot Panasonic pocket sized camera rather than my bigger more expensive gear. I learned to always carry the small camera with me just in case an opportunity arises for a great shot. Here is an example:
My wife Joyce and I were staying at the Thornhedge Inn in Bar Harbor, Maine. The early morning sun was shining through the partially opened blinds creating wonderful bands of light across the room. We were getting ready to go down for breakfast but I just had to stop to grab a shot of the scene. I quickly took out the Panasonic and started shooting. I did not want to take the time to dig out the bigger gear because the sun moves quickly that time of the day, and I wasn’t all that sure that Joyce would wait for me, again! The photos I took were ok but I was not excited. Then I noticed a beautiful bouquet of fresh flowers that the inn keeper had left in our room. So, “coloring-outside-the-lines”, I moved the vase and positioned the flowers in the bands of light. I then set the camera to manual mode (I did not trust the camera to make the proper exposure) and made several different exposures making sure to balance the light against the dark bands. Also, I made sure that the flowers were in focus – as sharp as could be. A unique opportunity for a unique image. Here are my settings: Panasonic DMC – ZS100; zoomed to 18.2mm; ISO 400; F8 @ 1/160. And, as always, Joyce was wonderfully patient with me! Join me for a lesson, photo shoot or workshop. Send me an email: Contact Nick
Next month – How I got the Shot of Il Duomo in Florence, Italy.
