Niles Dening Photography Chautauqua Star Articles

Better Pictures with your Digital Camera - by Niles Dening

Illustrations for :
006 - March 5, 2010 --- Some submitted Questions:
Tilting the Camera?
What camera supplies should I take on a trip?

Illustration 006-1 --- Cropping a landscape really cuts down on the information dedicated to the subject.
landscape orientation - each square represents 1"		portrait orientation - each square represents 1"
In the above illustration, the landscape "photo" has been cropped so the subject appears in portrait orientation. In the cropping process, a lot of potential information has been lost so the resulting file (on right) is much smaller.
<------ back to article <-----

Illustration 006-2 --- landscape and portrait orientation examples
	Here's an example of a landscape orientation photo. The wider format allows the viewer a bit of the perspective that surrounds the dredging equipment.
	Here's an example of a portrait orientation photo. The narrow format focuses the viewer to the dredging equipment, but loses some of the dreging operation context.
<------ back to article <-----

Illustration 006-3 ---Tilting the camera instead of cropping gives more file dedicated to the subject.
	Here's the figure in the window again - each sqare representing 1"
	Again, each square = 1" By tilting the camera 90 degrees, the full frame file is dedicated to recording the image w/ greater definition. (I think if there was any more definition on this figure, we could even see his smile!)
<------ back to article <-----

Illustration 006-4 --- A landscape oriented portrait

Here's a portrait in landscape orientation.

The interest in this photo is the subject herself.
If this photo was in portrait orientation, without cropping into the subject, a lot more backdrop and/ or a lot more foreground would be included in the picture and detract from the subject.

<------ back to article <-----

Illustration 006-5 --- This portrait needs to use landscape orientation
	This photo composite is a portrait in landscape orientation to show the area surrounding the fisherman and to establish the context of the portrait. Disclaimer: No one went wading in the Niagara River for the photo - and - there are no marlin this close to the Falls ( I think all the marlin must be farther upstream).
<------ back to article <-----

Illustration 006-6 --- Compare the effect of Portrait and landscape orientation
	Compare these 2 photos for effect. To me, the landscape version seems to indicate while this is remote, we're almost home.
	The portrait version seems to indicate this road goes a lot further into the distance and highlights the remoteness. Everything between the 2 photos was the same except tilting the camera 90 degrees.
<------ back to article <-----

Illustration 006-7 --- a travel style tripod

This style tripod is very handy for traveling. It's small (10" high), compact, and light.
It can be used in the conventional way as displayed here, or the legs can be wrapped around a post or railing.

It is sturdy enough to support a full sized camera as long as it's not using a heavy lens.

<------ back to article <-----