art of photography

LICEUL TEORETIC “GRIGORE MOISIL” - TULCEA ENGLISH CERTIFICATE PAPER

LUCIA ADINA VALS - 1 - THE ART OF PHOTOGRAPHY


The Art of Photography

Contents

I. Introduction/ argument………………………………………………………………..2

II. History………………………………………………………………………………...3

a. Evolution of the camera……………………………………………………….

b. Great photographers in time…………………………………………………..

c. Technical aspects……………………………………………………………...

III. Modes of production…………………………………………………………………..

IV. How to be a good photographer……………………………………………………….

V. Conclusions …………………………………………………………………………...



I. .Introduction

Photography is the science, art and practice of creating durable images by recording light or

other electromagnetic radiation, either electronically by means of an image sensor, or chemically by

means of a light-sensitive material such as photographic film.

Typically, a lens is used to focus the light reflected or emitted from objects into a real

image on the light-sensitive surface inside a camera during a timed exposure. With an electronic

image sensor, this produces an electrical charge at each pixel, which is electronically processed and

stored in a digital image file for subsequent display or processing. The result with photographic

emulsion is an invisible latent image, which is later chemically "developed" into a visible image,

either negative or positive depending on the purpose of the photographic material and the method of

processing. A negative image on film is traditionally used to photographically create a positive

image on a paper base, known as a print, either by using an enlarger or by contact printing.

Photography is employed in many fields of science, manufacturing (e.g. photolithography)

and business, as well as its more direct uses for art, recreational purposes, and mass communication.



II. History

Precursor technologies

Photography is the result of combining several technical discoveries. Long before the first

photographs were made, Chinese philosopherMo Di and Greek

mathematicians Aristotle and Euclid described a pinhole camera in the 5th and 4th centuries BCE. In

the 6th century CE, Byzantine mathematician Anthemius of Tralles used a type of camera obscura in

his experiments, Ibn al-Haytham (Alhazen) (965–1040) studied the camera obscura and pinhole

camera, Albertus Magnus (1193–1280) discovered silver nitrate, and Georg Fabricius (1516–71)

discovered silver chloride. Techniques described in the Book of Optics are capable of producing

primitive photographs using medieval materials.

Daniele Barbaro described a diaphragm in 1566. Wilhelm Homberg described how light

darkened some chemicals (photochemical effect) in 1694. The fiction book Giphantie, published in

1760, by French author Tiphaigne de la Roche, described what can be interpreted as photography.

Plate photography

Invented in the early decades of the 19th century, photography by means of the camera seemed

able to capture more detail and information than traditional media, such as painting and

sculpture.Photography as a usable process dates to the 1820s with the discovery of chemical

photography. The first medium was photographic plate. The first permanent photoetching was an

image produced in 1822 by the French inventor Nicéphore Niépce, but it was destroyed in a later

attempt to make prints from it.Niépce was successful again in 1825. In 1826 or 1827, he made

the View from the Window at Le Gras, the earliest surviving photograph from nature (i.e., of the

image of a real-world scene, as formed in a camera obscura by a lens).

Film photography

Hurter and Driffield began pioneering work on the light sensitivity of photographic emulsions in

1876. Their work enabled the first quantitative measure of film speed to be devised.

The first flexible photographic roll film was marketed by George Eastman in 1885, but this

original "film" was actually a coating on a paper base. As part of the processing, the image-bearing layer

was stripped from the paper and transferred to a hardened gelatin support. The first transparent plastic


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eastman_Kodak

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sensitometry

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hurter_and_Driffield

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Camera_obscura

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/View_from_the_Window_at_Le_Gras

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nic%C3%A9phore_Ni%C3%A9pce

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/France

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Photoetching

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tiphaigne_de_la_Roche

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Giphantie

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wilhelm_Homberg

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diaphragm_(optics)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Daniele_Barbaro

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Book_of_Optics

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Silver_chloride

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Georg_Fabricius

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Silver_nitrate

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Albertus_Magnus

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ibn_al-Haytham

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Camera_obscura

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anthemius_of_Tralles

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pinhole_camera

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Euclid

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aristotle

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mo_Di


roll film followed in 1889. It was made from highly flammable nitrocellulose ("celluloid"), now usually

called "nitrate film".

Although cellulose acetate or "safety film" had been introduced by Kodak in 1908,[24] at first it

found only a few special applications as an alternative to the hazardous nitrate film, which had the

advantages of being considerably tougher, slightly more transparent, and cheaper. The changeover was

not completed for X-ray films until 1933, and although safety film was always used for 16 mm and

8 mm home movies, nitrate film remained standard for theatrical 35 mm motion pictures until it was

finally discontinued in 1951.

Films remained dominant form of photography until early 21st century when advances in digital

photography made them largely obsolete. Although 21st century is dominated by digital photography,

film continues to be used by enthusiasts and format lovers.

Black-and-white

All photography was originally monochrome, or black-and-white. Even after color film was

readily available, black-and-white photography continued to dominate for decades, due to its lower cost

and its "classic" photographic look. The tones and contrast between light and dark areas define black-

and-white photography.[25] It is important to note that monochromatic pictures are not necessarily

composed of pure blacks, whites, and intermediate shades of gray, but can involve shades of one

particular hue depending on the process. The cyanotypeprocess, for example, produces an image

composed of blue tones. The albumen print process, first used more than 150 years ago, produces

brownish tones.

Many photographers continue to produce some monochrome images, sometimes because of the

established archival permanence of well-processed silver-halide-based materials. Some full-color digital

images are processed using a variety of techniques to create black-and-white results, and some

manufacturers produce digital cameras that exclusively shoot monochrome. Monochrome printing or

electronic display can be used to salvage certain photographs taken in color which are unsatisfactory in

their original form; sometimes when presented as black-and-white or single-color-toned images they are

found to be more effective.

Although color photography has become dominant, monochrome images are still produced

mostly for artistic reasons. Almost all the digital cameras have an option to shoot in monochrome.

Color


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Albumen_print

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cyanotype

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hue

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Photography#cite_note-25

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black-and-white

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/X-ray

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Photography#cite_note-24

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Safety_film

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cellulose_acetate

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nitrocellulose#Nitrate_film

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Celluloid

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nitrocellulose


Color photography was explored beginning in the 1840s. Early experiments in color required

extremely long exposures (hours or days for camera images) and could not "fix" the photograph to

prevent the color from quickly fading when exposed to white light.

The first permanent color photograph was taken in 1861 using the three-color-separation

principle first published by physicist James Clerk Maxwell in 1855. Maxwell's idea was to take three

separate black-and-white photographs through red, green and blue filters. This provides

the photographer with the three basic channels required to recreate a color image. Transparent prints of

the images could be projected through similar color filters and superimposed on the projection screen,

an additive method of color reproduction. A color print on paper could be produced by

superimposing carbon prints of the three images made in their complementary colors, a subtractive

method of color reproduction pioneered by Louis Ducos du Hauron in the late 1860s.

Digital photography

In 1981, Sony unveiled the first consumer camera to use a charge-coupled device for imaging,

eliminating the need for film: the Sony Mavica. While the Mavica saved images to disk, the images

were displayed on television, and the camera was not fully digital. In 1991, Kodak unveiled the DCS

100, the first commercially available digital single lens reflex camera. Although its high cost precluded

uses other than photojournalism and professional photography, commercial digital photography was

born.

Digital imaging uses an electronic image sensor to record the image as a set of electronic data

rather than as chemical changes on film. An important difference between digital and chemical

photography is that chemical photography resists photo manipulation because it

involves film and photographic paper, while digital imaging is a highly manipulative medium. This

difference allows for a degree of image post-processing that is comparatively difficult in film-based

photography and permits different communicative potentials and applications.

Digital photography dominates the 21st century. More than 99% of photographs taken around

the world are through digital cameras, increasingly through smartphones.

Synthesis photography

Synthesis photography is part of computer-generated imagery (CGI) where the shooting

process is modeled on real photography. The CGI, creating digital copies of real universe, requires a


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Computer-generated_imagery

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Photographic_paper

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Photographic_film

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Photo_manipulation

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image_sensor

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Digital_photography

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Photojournalism

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DCS_100

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DCS_100

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sony_Mavica

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charge-coupled_device

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Louis_Ducos_du_Hauron

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Subtractive_color

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Subtractive_color

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Complementary_color

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carbon_print

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Additive_color

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Photographer

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Filter_(photography)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Clerk_Maxwell

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Color_photography


visual representation process of these universes. Synthesis photography is the application

of analog and digital photography in digital space. With the characteristics of the real photography but

not being constrained by the physical limits of real world, synthesis photography allows to get away

from real photography.

a) Evolution of the camera

19th century studio camera standing on tripod and using plates

Point-and-shoot box camera, the first type of mass-produced film camera, c. 1910s

Compact Kodak folding camera from 1922


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Digital_photography

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Analog_photography


Leica-II, one of the first 135 film cameras, 1932

Contax S of 1949 – the first pentaprism SLR

Polaroid Colorpack 80 instant camera, c 1975

Digital camera, Canon Ixus class, c. 2000.



Nikon D1, the first digital SLR used in journalism and sports photography, c. 2000

Smartphone with built-in camera spreads private images globally, c. 2010

b) Great photographers in time

Top 1o most famous photographers of all time :

1) Ansel Adams is probably the most easily recognized name of any photographer. His

landscapes are stunning; he achieved an unparalleled level of contrast using creative darkroom work.

You can improve your own photos by reading Adams’ own thoughts as he grew older, when he wished

that he had kept himself strong enough physically to continue his work.

2) Yousuf Karsh has taken photographs that tell a story, and that are more easily

understood than many others. Each of his portraits tells you all about the subject. He felt as though there

was a secret hidden behind each woman and man. Whether he captures a gleaming eye or a gesture done



totally unconsciously, these are times when humans temporarily lose their masks. Karsh’s portraits

communicate with people.

3) Robert Capa has taken many famous war-time photographs. He has covered five wars,

even though the name “Robert Capa” was only the name placed to the photos that Endre Friedman took

and that were marketed under the “Robert Capa” name. Friedman felt that if you were not close enough

to the subject, then you wouldn’t get a good photograph. He was often in the trenches with soldiers

when he took photographs, while most other war photographers took photos from a safe distance.

4) Henri Cartier-Bresson has a style that makes him a natural on any top ten photographer

list. His style has undoubtedly influenced photography as much as anyone else’s. He was among the first

to use 35mm film, and he usually shot in black and white. We are not graced by more of his work, since

he gave up the craft about 30 years before he passed away. It’s sad that there are fewer photographs by

Cartier-Bresson to enjoy.

5) Dorothea Lange took photographs during the Great Depression. She took the famous

photo of a migrant mother, which is said to be one of the best-known photographs in history. In the

1940s, she also photographed the Japanese internment camps, and these photographs show sad moments

in American history.

6) Jerry Uelsman created unique images with composite photographs. Being very talented

in the darkroom, he used this skill in his composites. He never used digital cameras, since he felt that his

creative process was more suited to the darkroom.

7) Annie Liebovitz does fine photographic portraits and is most well known for her work

with Vanity Fair and Rolling Stone magazine. Her photographs are intimate, and describe the subject.

She’s unafraid of falling in love with the people she photographed.8) Brassaï is the pseudonym for Gyula Halasz, and he was well known for his photographs

of ordinary people. He was proof that you don’t have to travel far to find interesting subjects. He used

ordinary people for his subjects, and his photos are still captivating.

9) Brian Duffy was a British photographer who shot fashion in the 1960s and 70s. He lost

his photographic interest at one time and burned many negatives, but then he began taking photos again

a year before he died.

10) Jay Maisel is a famous modern photographer. His photos are simple; he doesn’t use

complex lighting or fancy cameras. He often only takes one lens on photo outings, and he enjoys taking

photos of shapes and lights that he finds interesting.


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jay_Maisel

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brian_Duffy_(photographer)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brassa%C3%AF

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Annie_Leibovitz

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jerry_Uelsmann

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dorothea_Lange


c) Technical aspects

The camera is the image-forming device, and photographic plate, photographic film or a silicon

electronic image sensor is the sensing medium. The respective recording medium can be the plate or

film itself, or a digital magnetic or electronic memory.

Photographers control the camera and lens to "expose" the light recording material to the

required amount of light to form a "latent image" (on plate or film) or RAW file (in digital cameras)

which, after appropriate processing, is converted to a usable image. Digital cameras use an electronic

image sensor based on light-sensitive electronics such as charge-coupled device (CCD) or

complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) technology. The resulting digital image is stored

electronically, but can be reproduced on a paper.

The camera (or 'camera obscura') is a dark room or chamber from which, as far as possible, all

light is excluded except the light that forms the image. The subject being photographed, however, must

be illuminated. Cameras can range from small to very large, a whole room that is kept dark while the

object to be photographed is in another room where it is properly illuminated. This was common for

reproduction photography of flat copy when large film negatives were used (see Process camera).

As soon as photographic materials became "fast" (sensitive) enough for taking candid or

surreptitious pictures, small "detective" cameras were made, some actually disguised as a book or

handbag or pocket watch (the Ticka camera) or even worn hidden behind an Ascot necktie with a tie pin

that was really the lens.

The movie camera is a type of photographic camera which takes a rapid sequence of

photographs on recording medium. In contrast to a still camera, which captures a single snapshot at a

time, the movie camera takes a series of images, each called a "frame". This is accomplished through an

intermittent mechanism. The frames are later played back in a movie projector at a specific speed, called

the "frame rate" (number of frames per second). While viewing, a person's eyes and brain merge the

separate pictures together to create the illusion of motion.

Camera controls



In all but certain specialized cameras, the process of obtaining a usable exposure must involve

the use, manually or automatically, of a few controls to ensure the photograph is clear, sharp and well

illuminated. The controls usually include but are not limited to the following:

Control Description

Focus The position of a viewed object or the adjustment of an optical device necessary to

produce a clear image: in focus; out of focus.

Aperture

Adjustment of the lens opening, measured as f-number, which controls the amount of light

passing through the lens. Aperture also has an effect on depth of field and diffraction – the

higher the f-number, the smaller the opening, the less light, the greater the depth of field,

and the more the diffraction blur. The focal length divided by the f-number gives the

effective aperture diameter.

Shutter speed

Adjustment of the speed (often expressed either as fractions of seconds or as an angle,

with mechanical shutters) of the shutter to control the amount of time during which the

imaging medium is exposed to light for each exposure. Shutter speed may be used to

control the amount of light striking the image plane; 'faster' shutter speeds (that is, those of

shorter duration) decrease both the amount of light and the amount of image blurring from

motion of the subject and/or camera. The slower shutter speeds allow for long exposure

shots that are done used to photograph images in very low light, including the images of

the night sky.

White balance

On digital cameras, electronic compensation for the color temperature associated with a

given set of lighting conditions, ensuring that white light is registered as such on the

imaging chip and therefore that the colors in the frame will appear natural. On

mechanical, film-based cameras, this function is served by the operator's choice of film

stock or with color correction filters. In addition to using white balance to register natural

coloration of the image, photographers may employ white balance to aesthetic end, for

example white balancing to a blue object in order to obtain a warm color temperature.

Measurement of exposure so that highlights and shadows are exposed according to the



Metering photographer's wishes. Many modern cameras meter and set exposure automatically.

Before automatic exposure, correct exposure was accomplished with the use of a separate

light metering device or by the photographer's knowledge and experience of gauging

correct settings. To translate the amount of light into a usable aperture and shutter speed,

the meter needs to adjust for the sensitivity of the film or sensor to light. This is done by

setting the "film speed" or ISO sensitivity into the meter.

ISO speed

Traditionally used to "tell the camera" the film speed of the selected film on film cameras,

ISO speeds are employed on modern digital cameras as an indication of the system's gain

from light to numerical output and to control the automatic exposure system. The higher

the ISO number the greater the film sensitivity to light, whereas with a lower ISO number,

the film is less sensitive to light. A correct combination of ISO speed, aperture, and

shutter speed leads to an image that is neither too dark nor too light, hence it is 'correctly

exposed', indicated by a centered meter.

Autofocus

point

On some cameras, the selection of a point in the imaging frame upon which the auto-focus

system will attempt to focus. Many Single-lens reflex cameras (SLR) feature multiple

auto-focus points in the viewfinder.

Expousure and rendering

Camera controls are interrelated. The total amount of light reaching the film plane (the

'exposure') changes with the duration of exposure, aperture of the lens, and on the effective focal length

of the lens (which in variable focal length lenses, can force a change in aperture as the lens is zoomed).

Changing any of these controls can alter the exposure. Many cameras may be set to adjust most or all of

these controls automatically. This automatic functionality is useful for occasional photographers in

many situations.

The duration of an exposure is referred to as shutter speed, often even in cameras that do not

have a physical shutter, and is typically measured in fractions of a second. It is quite possible to have

exposures from one up to several seconds, usually for still-life subjects, and for night scenes exposure

times can be several hours. However, for a subject that is in motion use a fast shutter speed. This will

prevent the photograph from coming out blurry.



The effective aperture is expressed by an f-number or f-stop (derived from focal ratio), which is

proportional to the ratio of the focal length to the diameter of the aperture. Longer lenses will pass less

light even though the diameter of the aperture is the same due to the greater distance the light has to

travel; shorter lenses (a shorter focal length) will be brighter with the same size of aperture. The smaller

the f/number, the larger the effective aperture. The present system of f/numbers to give the effective

aperture of a lens was standardized by an international convention. There were earlier, different series of

numbers in older cameras.

If the f-number is decreased by a factor of √2, the aperture diameter is increased by the same

factor, and its area is increased by a factor of 2. The f-stops that might be found on a typical lens include

2.8, 4, 5.6, 8, 11, 16, 22, 32, where going up "one stop" (using lower f-stop numbers) doubles the

amount of light reaching the film, and stopping down one stop halves the amount of light.

Image capture can be achieved through various combinations of shutter speed, aperture, and film

or sensor speed. Different (but related) settings of aperture and shutter speed enable photographs to be

taken under various conditions of film or sensor speed, lighting and motion of subjects and/or camera,

and desired depth of field. A slower speed film will exhibit less "grain", and a slower speed setting on an

electronic sensor will exhibit less "noise", while higher film and sensor speeds allow for a faster shutter

speed, which reduces motion blur or allows the use of a smaller aperture to increase the depth of field.

For example, a wider aperture is used for lower light and a lower aperture for more light. If a

subject is in motion, then a high shutter speed may be needed. A tripod can also be helpful in that it

enables a slower shutter speed to be used.

For example, f/8 at 8 ms (1/125 of a second) and f/5.6 at 4 ms (1/250 of a second) yield the same

amount of light. The chosen combination has an impact on the final result. The aperture and focal length

of the lens determine the depth of field, which refers to the range of distances from the lens that will be

in focus. A longer lens or a wider aperture will result in "shallow" depth of field (i.e. only a small plane

of the image will be in sharp focus). This is often useful for isolating subjects from backgrounds as in

individual portraits or macro photography.



Conversely, a shorter lens, or a smaller aperture, will result in more of the image being in focus.

This is generally more desirable when photographing landscapes or groups of people. With very small

apertures, such as pinholes, a wide range of distance can be brought into focus, but sharpness is severely

degraded by diffraction with such small apertures. Generally, the highest degree of "sharpness" is

achieved at an aperture near the middle of a lens's range (for example, f/8 for a lens with available

apertures of f/2.8 to f/16). However, as lens technology improves, lenses are becoming capable of

making increasingly sharp images at wider apertures.

Image capture is only part of the image forming process. Regardless of material, some process

must be employed to render the latent image captured by the camera into a viewable image. With slide

film, the developed film is just mounted for projection. Print film requires the developed film negative to

be printed onto photographic paper or transparency. Prior to the advent of laser jet and inkjet printers,

celluloid photographic negative images had to be mounted in an enlarger which projected the image

onto a sheet of light-sensitive paper for a certain length of time (usually measured in seconds or

fractions of a second). This sheet then was soaked in a chemical bath of developer (to bring out the

image) followed immediately by a stop bath (to neutralize the progression of development and prevent

the image from changing further once exposed to normal light). After this, the paper was hung until dry

enough to safely handle. This post-production process allowed the photographer to further manipulate

the final image beyond what had already been captured on the negative, adjusting the length of time the

image was projected by the enlarger and the duration of both chemical baths to change the image's

intensity, darkness, clarity, etc. This process is still employed by both amateur and professional

photographers, but the advent of digital imagery means that the vast majority of modern photographic

work is captured digitally and rendered via printing processes that are no longer dependent on chemical

reactions to light. Such digital images may be uploaded to an image server (e.g., a photo-sharing web

site), viewed on a television, or transferred to a computer or digital photo frame. Every type can then be

produced as a hard copy on regular paper or photographic paper via a printer.

A photographer using a tripod for greater stability during

long exposure. ->


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Exposure_(photography)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tripod_(photography)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Rob_McArthur.jpg%00%E5%A1%B9%EF%92%81%E1%B4%BB%E4%A1%BF%E2%B2%AF%E5%B6%82%E8%97%84%E6%8C%A7%00%00%EA%AE%A5


Prior to the rendering of a viewable image, modifications can be made using several controls.

Many of these controls are similar to controls during image capture, while some are exclusive to the

rendering process. Most printing controls have equivalent digital concepts, but some create different

effects. For example, dodging and burning controls are different between digital and film processes.

Other printing modifications include:

Chemicals and process used during film development.

Duration of print exposure – equivalent to shutter speed

Printing aperture – equivalent to aperture, but has no effect on depth of field

Contrast – changing the visual properties of objects in an image to make them

distinguishable from other objects and the background

Dodging – reduces exposure of certain print areas, resulting in lighter areas

Burning in – increases exposure of certain areas, resulting in darker areas

Paper texture – glossy, matte, etc.

Paper type – resin-coated (RC) or fiber-based (FB)

Paper size

Exposure Shape — resulting prints in shapes such as circular, oval, loupe, etc.

Toners – used to add warm or cold tones to black-and-white prints

III. Modes of production

Amateur

An amateur photographer is one who practices photography as a hobby and not for profit. The

quality of some amateur work is comparable to that of many professionals and may be highly

specialized or eclectic in choice of subjects. Amateur photography is often pre-eminent in photographic

subjects which have little prospect of commercial use or reward. Amateur photography grew during the

late 19th century due to the popularization of the hand-held camera.

Commercial

Commercial photography is probably best defined as any photography for which the photographer is paid for images rather than works of art. In this light, money could be paid for the subject of the photograph or the photograph itself. Wholesale, retail, and professional uses of photography would fall under this definition. The commercial photographic world could include:



Advertising photography: photographs made to illustrate and usually sell a service or product. These images, such as packshots, are generally done with an advertising agency, design firm or with an in-house corporate design team.

Fashion and glamour photography usually incorporates models and is a form of advertising photography. Fashion photography, like the work featured in Harper's Bazaar, emphasizes clothes and other products; glamour emphasizes the model and body form. Glamour photography is popular in advertising and men's magazines. Models in glamour photography sometimes work nude.

Crime scene photography consists of photographing scenes of crime such as robberies and murders. A black and white camera or an infrared camera may be used to capture specific details.

Still life photography usually depicts inanimate subject matter, typically commonplace objects which may be either natural or man-made. Still life is a broader category for food and some natural photography and can be used for advertising purposes.

Food photography can be used for editorial, packaging or advertising use. Food photography is similar to still life photography, but requires some special skills.

Editorial photography illustrates a story or idea within the context of a magazine. These are usually assigned by the magazine and encompass fashion and glamour photography features.

Photojournalism can be considered a subset of editorial photography. Photographs made in this context are accepted as a documentation of a news story.

Portrait and wedding photography: photographs made and sold directly to the end user of the images.

Landscape photography depicts locations.

Wildlife photography demonstrates the life of animals.

Paparazzi is a form of photojournalism in which the photographer captures candid images of

athletes, celebrities, politicians, and other prominent people. Pet photography involves several aspects that are similar to traditional studio portraits. It can

also be done in natural lighting, outside of a studio, such as in a client's home.

The market for photographic services demonstrates the aphorism "A picture is worth a

thousand words", which has an interesting basis in the history of photography. Magazines and

newspapers, companies putting up Web sites, advertising agencies and other groups pay for

photography.

Many people take photographs for commercial purposes. Organizations with a budget and a

need for photography have several options: they can employ a photographer directly, organize a public

competition, or obtain rights to stock photographs. Photo stock can be procured through traditional stock

giants, such as Getty Images or Corbis; smaller microstock agencies, such as Fotolia; or web

marketplaces, such as Cutcaster.

Art

During the 20th century, both fine art photography and documentary photography became

accepted by the English-speaking art world and the gallery system. In the United States, a handful of


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paparazzi

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wildlife_photography


photographers, including Alfred Stieglitz, Edward Steichen, John Szarkowski, F. Holland Day, and

Edward Weston, spent their lives advocating for photography as a fine art. At first, fine art

photographers tried to imitate painting styles. This movement is called Pictorialism, often using soft

focus for a dreamy, 'romantic' look. In reaction to that, Weston, Ansel Adams, and others formed the

Group f/64 to advocate 'straight photography', the photograph as a (sharply focused) thing in itself and

not an imitation of something else.

The aesthetics of photography is a matter that continues to be discussed regularly, especially in

artistic circles. Many artists argued that photography was the mechanical reproduction of an image. If

photography is authentically art, then photography in the context of art would need redefinition, such as

determining what component of a photograph makes it beautiful to the viewer. The controversy began

with the earliest images "written with light"; Nicéphore Niépce, Louis Daguerre, and others among the

very earliest photographers were met with acclaim, but some questioned if their work met the definitions

and purposes of art.

Clive Bell in his classic essay Art states that only "significant form" can distinguish art from

what is not art.

There must be some one quality without which a work of art cannot exist; possessing which, in

the least degree, no work is altogether worthless. What is this quality? What quality is shared by all

objects that provoke our aesthetic emotions? What quality is common to Sta. Sophia and the windows at

Chartres, Mexican sculpture, a Persian bowl, Chinese carpets, Giotto's frescoes at Padua, and the

masterpieces of Poussin, Piero della Francesca, and Cezanne? Only one answer seems possible —

significant form. In each, lines and colors combined in a particular way, certain forms and relations of

forms, stir our aesthetic emotions.

On 14 February 2004, Sotheby's London sold the 2001 photograph 99 Cent II Diptychon for an

unprecedented $3,346,456 to an anonymous bidder, making it the most expensive at the time.

Conceptual photography turns a concept or idea into a photograph. Even though what is depicted

in the photographs are real objects, the subject is strictly abstract.

Science and forensics



The camera has a long and distinguished history as a means of recording phenomena from the first

use by Daguerre and Fox-Talbot, such as astronomical events (eclipses for example), small creatures and

plants when the camera was attached to the eyepiece of microscopes (in photomicroscopy) and for

macro photography of larger specimens. The camera also proved useful in recording crime scenes and

the scenes of accidents, such as the Wootton bridge collapse in 1861. The methods used in analysing

photographs for use in legal cases are collectively known as forensic photography. Crime scene photos

are taken from three vantage point. The vantage points are overview, mid-range, and close up.

By 1853, Charles Brooke had invented a technology for the automatic registration of instruments

by photography. These instruments included barometers, thermometers, psychrometers, and

magnetometers, which recorded their readings by means of an automated photographic process. Science

uses image technology that has derived from the design of the Pin Hole camera. X-Ray machine are

similar in design to Pin Hole cameras with high grade filters and laser radiation. Photography has

become ubiquitous in recording events and data in science and engineering, and at crime scenes or

accident scenes. The method has been much extended by using other wavelengths, such as infrared

photography and ultraviolet photography, as well as spectroscopy. Those methods were first used in the

Victorian era and improved much further since that time.

IV. How to be a good photographer

“How do I take better photos?”

I was extremely lucky to have many talented and generous photographers take me under their wing

to show me the ropes. Without their valuable advice there is no way I would have become the

photographer I am today. Ironically, the number one question I now get asked as an Open producer is

“How do I take better photos?”

So along with some tips that I’ve picked up over the years, I’ve recruited some outstanding

snappers across Australia to share their own secret techniques about how they take their photos to the

next level.

1. Get in close



It was the famous photojournalist Robert Capa who once said “If your photographs aren’t good

enough, you’re not close enough.” He was talking about getting in amongst the action. If you feel like

your images aren’t ‘popping’, take a step or two closer to your subject. Fill the frame with your subject

and see how much better your photo will look without so much wasted space. The closer you are to the

subject, the better you can see their facial expressions too.

2. Shoot every day

The best way to hone your skills is to practice. A lot. Shoot as much as you can – it doesn’t really

matter what. Spend hours and hours behind your camera. As your technical skills improve over time,

your ability to harness them to tell stories and should too. Don’t worry too much about shooting a

certain way to begin with. Experiment. Your style – your ‘voice’ – will emerge in time. And it will be

more authentic when it does. — Leah Robertson.

Leah Robertson is a super talented Melbourne based photographer and videographer, specialising

in music and documentary photography.You can see her work here.

3. See the light

Before you raise your camera, see where the light is coming from, and use it to your advantage.

Whether it is natural light coming from the sun, or an artificial source like a lamp; how can you use it to

make your photos better? How is the light interacting with the scene and the subject? Is it highlighting

an area or casting interesting shadows? These are all things you can utilise to make an ordinary photo

extraordinary.

4. Ask permission

When photographing people, especially while in countries with different cultures and languages, it

can be hard to communicate. In certain countries if you photograph someone you are not ‘supposed’ to

photograph, it can get ugly and rough very quickly if you are not careful. So out of respect you should

always ask permission. I have started shooting a series of school children in Pakistan. These are all



posed portraits and they are looking down the lens. My guide helps me with the language and I limit

myself to smiling, shaking hands, giving ‘hi-five’ and showing them the image on the back of my

camera once it is done. You would be amazed how quickly people open up. — Andrea Francolini .

Andrea Francolini is a well known Italian born, Sydney based sports photographer. He is also the

founder of My First School, as trust which has the aim to facilitate educations in Northern Pakistan. You

can see his work here.

5. Use flash during the day

You might think that you should only use flash at night time or indoors, but that’s not the case at

all. If it is an extremely bright day outside and the sun is creating harsh shadows on your subject, switch

on your flash. By forcing extra light onto your subject, you will be able to fill in those ugly shadows and

create an even exposure.

6. ISO

There are questions to ask yourself when deciding what ISO to use:

What time of day are you shooting? If you are shooting outside during the middle of the day you

will need to use a lower ISO such as 100 or 200. If you are shooting at night time without a tripod you

will have to increase the ISO to a higher number to be able to record the light on the camera’s sensor.

Will the subject be well lit? If your subject or scene is too dark you will need to use a higher ISO

such as 800 or 1600.

Do you want a sharp image or an image with more movement in it? Using a high shutter speed to

capture fast movement might mean that you need to use a high ISO to compensate. Likewise, if you’re

using a slow shutter speed to capture blur you will need a low ISO to compensate.

Don’t forget, increasing your ISO increases the grain or pixel size in your photo. So don’t use an

ISO of 3200 or 6400 if you don’t want a photo with a lot of ‘digital noise’.

7. f/4



f/4 is my ‘go to’ aperture. If you use a wide aperture with a long lens (200mm-400mm) you’re able

to separate the subject from the background. This helps them stand out. Works every time. — Peter

Wallis

Peter Wallis is a sports photographer extraordinaire, working for The Courier Mail in Brisbane.

You can see his work here.

8. You’ve got to be joking

A well timed joke will always yield a more natural smile, than simply saying “smile” — Dean

Bottrell

Dean Bottrell is a Emerald based photographer who specializes in portraiture. You can see his

work here.

9. Buy books, not gear

Having expensive camera equipment doesn’t always mean that you’ll take good photos. I’ve seen

some absolutely amazing images shot with nothing more than a smart phone. Instead of having ten

different lenses, invest in some fantastic photography books. By looking at the work of the masters, not

only do you get inspired, you come away with ideas to improve your own photos.

10. Read your camera’s manual

The best way to know what to do with your camera is to actually read the manual. So many people

miss this really important step on their photographic journey. Every camera is different, so by reading

the manual you’ll get to know all the funky things it’s capable of.

11. Slow down

Take time to think about what is going on in the viewfinder before pressing the shutter. How are

you going to compose the shot? How are you going to light it? Don’t jump straight in without giving it

some thought first. — Brad Marsellos.



Brad Marsellos is the Wide Bay über Open producer. You can see his photos, videos and musings

on life here.

12. Stop chimping (checking the photo on the back screen)

It’s a bad habit digital photographers can develop. Time and time again I see photographers take a

photograph and then look at the back of the screen straight away. By doing that you could miss all the

special moments. You can look at your photos later. You can miss ‘the shot’ and it affects the flow of

your work, so just keep shooting! – Marina Dot Perkins.

The lovely Marina Dot Perkins is a news, travel and wedding photographer who worked for The

Canberra Times and is now based in Newcastle.

13. Framing

This is a technique to use when you want to draw attention to something in your photograph. By

framing a scene or a subject, say with a window or an archway, you lead the viewer’s eye to the primary

focal point.

14. Shape with light

Never shoot with the sun directly behind you. It creates boring, flat light on the subject. If you

shoot with the light source to the side or behind the subject, you are able to shape with the light, creating

a more interesting photo. — Patria Jannides

Patria is not only a talented news photographer, she is also my long term friend, mentor, and

personal cheer squad. She even helped me to land my first job as a paid photographer. Thanks for

everything P xxx

15. Watermarks

This tip isn’t in direct relation to TAKING photos, but it does affect the look of photos. When it

comes to watermarks, the smaller the better. And if you can avoid using them, do.



Chances are, unless you are a paid professional, there’s not much of a chance of your photos

getting nicked. But in reality, they won’t prevent your images from getting stolen. They only distract

from the fabulous image that you’ve created, because once you’ve slapped a watermark all over it, that’s

all the viewer will be looking at. The only way you can prevent your images from being stolen is to not

publish them on the internet.

Read Open producer Luke Wong’s blog post on watermarks here.

16. Be present

This means make eye-contact, engage and listen to your subject. With the eyes – lower that camera

and be human. Bring the camera up for a decisive shot. But remember to lower it, like you’re coming up

for air, to check in with your subject. Don’t treat them like a science experiment under a microscope.

Being there with your subject shows them respect, levels the playing field in terms of power dynamics,

and calms them down. You’ll get much more natural images this way. — Heather Faulkner

Heather Faulkner is a photographer who convenes the ePhotojournalism major at QCA, Griffith

University. She is also the executive director of The Argus, a student-run, visual journalism online

magazine. See her personal work here.

17. Shutter speed

Being aware of your shutter speed means the difference between taking a blurry photo and a sharp

photo. It all depends on what you are after. If you are shooting a sporting event or children running

around in the backyard, you probably want your subjects to be in focus. To capture fast action you will

have to use a shutter speed over 1/500th of a second, if not 1/1000th to 1/2000th. On the opposite end of

the scale, you might want to capture the long streaks of a car’s tail lights running through your shot.

Therefore you would change your camera’s shutter speed to a long exposure. This could be one second,

ten seconds, or even longer.

18. Charge your batteries



This seems like a simple one, but pretty much every photographer on the face of the planet has

been caught out before. Including myself. The trick is to put the battery onto the charger as soon as you

get home from your photo shoot. The only thing then is to make sure you remember to put it back into

the camera after it has been recharged…

19. Focal length

Keep it simple. I shoot with two prime lenses and one camera; A 28mm and a 35mm. For

everything. I use the 35mm lens 70% and the 28mm lens 30% of time. It takes some time to get used to

it, but once you work it out, shooting primes is the only way to go. It means you have to work with what

you have and you can’t be lazy. Basically, this means more pictures and less fiddling around with

zooming and maybe missing moments. It also helps for consistency. If you’re working on a project or a

series, keeping the same focal lengths is a great way to maintain a powerful sense of consistency. —

Justin Wilkes

Justin Wilkes quit his job in Sydney this year to cover the political and social change in post

revolution Egypt. He has since had his photographs published in The New York Times, TIME

magazine, and The Jakata Globe to name but a few. You can see his amazing documentary work here.

20. Be part of a photographic community

Like ABC Open! Not only will you be able to publish your photos for the rest of the country to

see, you’ll be part of an active group that offers feedback on how great you are going. You can learn

new things to help you improve your technique, and you might even make some new photography

buddies.

Bibliography & Resources



1. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Photography

2. http://www.picturecorrect.com/tips/top-10-most-famous-

photographers-of-all-time/

3. http://petapixel.com/2014/01/24/40-tips-take-better-photos/


http://petapixel.com/2014/01/24/40-tips-take-better-photos/

http://www.picturecorrect.com/tips/top-10-most-famous-photographers-of-all-time/

http://www.picturecorrect.com/tips/top-10-most-famous-photographers-of-all-time/

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Photography

art of photography

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