If you had to guess what one expert considers the number one skill of professional photographers (without looking at the lead image above), we doubt that your answer would be visualizing the world in three dimensions. But you can take this notion to the bank, according to instructor Simon d’Entremont.
Simon is an internationally acclaimed wildlife and nature photographer based in Nova Scotia, Canada. He’s also a Canon Ambassador and very popular educator. So whatever Simon says, we tend to listen—and you should too. The mission of his instructional YouTube channel is to “lift the knowledge, skills, and spirits of photographers around me so they can be at their absolute best.”
The concept behind today’s interesting episode is this: “People who see in 3D are automatically thinking about more than just the subject, because it’s the environment and background that makes the shot.” In others words, people who visual a scene in three dimensions are usually more conscious of the light, the direction from which it comes, and their place in space relative to the key subject within the frame.
This technique doesn’t involve any special skills or advanced equipment; rather, it just requires a different mindset and the straightforward tips that Simon describes in the next 12 minutes. So forget about 3D eyeglasses and learn how it’s done.
Simon demonstrates the importance of camera angle, vantage point, and perspective, while illustrating the different results that be expected when shooting in front light, side light, backlight. As you’ll see, the choice you make dramatically alters the effect and feel of every image you capture.
The first tip iinvolves using autofocus properly to accentuate a subject with blurry backgrounds and other out-of-focus elements in a scene. It’s all about “a thin slice of sharpness” in the middle of the view. The trick is to capture the right combination of foreground, mid-range, and background, that make your subject stand out.
Another way to work in three dimensions is to carefully align the subject and background with intention. This often requires patience and a bit of planning, and Simon provides the example of photographing his buddy’s airplane as it moves across the sky toward the moon and beyond. His 3D photo is captured at the precise moment when the plane passes in front of the lunar spectacle.
Simon’s other tips are equally effective and easy to achieve whether you’re a beginner or more experienced shooter. You’ll be surprised by the drama you’re able to achieve by taking advantage of these powerful suggestions. There are many more helpful tips and techniques on Simon’s instructional YouTube channel.
We also recommend the tutorial we featured with another notable pro who provides a beginners guide to shooting photographs at night—with camera settings, gear recommendations, composition tips, and more.
Last week we posted an eye-opening tutorial describing common “myths” about ISO settings than can easily compromise the quality of landscape, nature, and wildlife photos. We’re following up on that today by demonstrating how so-called “bad photography habits” may actually improve your imagery in several ways.
This video from Alex Kim is another example of why it’s sometimes beneficial to ignore conventional wisdom as pertains to both capturing and processing your work. Kim is a notable street photographer based in Seoul, South Korea, and he described the motivation for today’s episode like this: “I picked up some bad habits as my skills evolved, but it turns out that they were only bad because that’s what I was told—and now they actually help me.”
At the top of Kim’s list is taking too many photos, a common habit among photographers who invest in cameras with a very high burst rate. Kim suggests capturing fewer but better images by shooting in One-Shot mode rather than setting the camera for a high burst and leaving your finger on the shutter button to shoot a barrage of photos. In other words, “don’t spray and pray.”
Another common misconception involves what’s known as “chimping,” whereby some photographers constantly interrupt the process by looking at the rear LCD of their camera to evaluate each image they capture. Conventional wisdom suggests that, “this snaps you out of your rhythm and can easily result in missing a decisive moment.” But Kim chimps often and he explains why doing so can be beneficial.
Kim then turns to a familiar notion that dictates why you should always compose through the viewfinder while ignoring the rear LCD. So why does he consider this common technique to be so hurtful? He says he grew up with a habit of shooting without looking at the back screen before learning why some failed photos wouldn’t have occurred had he first checked the LCD.
At this point you’re barely halfway into the video and Kim has a lot more advice to impart as the lesson proceeds. The other bad habits that can actually be quite helpful involve Shutter Priority mode, whether or not to edit your photos, planning a shoot, collecting gear, and breaking other familiar rules.
Kim’s popular YouTube channel offers many more instructional videos that are sure to elevate your skills even though they may be somewhat controversial. So be sure to pay a visit when you have time to explore.
And don’t miss the tutorial mentioned above so you learn the true nature of ISO myths and understand how they may impact your photographs in ways you didn’t realize.
