PHOTO PROJECTS
Get wide Close up!
Open the aperture setting as wide as it will go for your close-ups
WHEN you shoot at close proximity to your subject, pro photographers will often advise you to use a small aperture setting (such as f/11), to get more of the subject in focus. For this project, though, we’re suggesting to do the exact opposite and open your aperture wide!
A close-up composition will exaggerate the shallow depth of field. The idea is that the blur becomes an integeral part of the compsoiton.
This shot was taken at 1/200 sec, f/2.8, ISO 1,600. Our tripod wouldn’t go as low as we needed, so we shot handheld. Nature images such as these mushrooms, often benefit from a low point of view, so try and get down on the ground. A waterproof mat or even a plastic bag can be useful to bring along!
Noise is not as much of an issue these days, so if you need to shoot handheld, simply push the ISO up to compensate for the lack of tripod. You could also bring along additional lighting, such as an LED light, if your subject is particularly dark. Most modern mobile phones come with a torch setting, which can really help in this type of set-up – or use a piece of white card or silver foil as a mini-reflector.
Why this shot works…
1 Leading lines
The composition of this scene draws the eye through by framing the line of mushrooms to curve from the bottom-left to the top right corner.
2 Colours
The contrast of the rich greens and the orangey-red leaves works well together and draws the viewer in.
3 Sharp focal point
Making sure one part of the scene is sharp is vital for the
