Photography - Hip Shooting

Hip shooting, which was named after gun fighting, is a photographic style described as shooting photographs from waist level without using the viewfinder of the camera to centralize the subject. This is a learned technique and can be very hit or miss while you are learning it. However, once you have the skill mastered, you will usually have some amazing photographs. This method of photography is preferred by many photographers for the unique and varied artwork that can be constructed from the photographs.

There are several advantages to using this style of photography. Photographers that have learned how to do hip shooting have an advantage over other photographers because they are able to capture the natural side of their subject instead of having them posed. When the subject is a person, they may be very relaxed and natural when they think the photographer is not aiming the camera at them, and they become rigid, tense, and unnatural when the camera is raised to the photographer's eye. Hip shooting allows the capture of a natural, relaxed moment.

Another advantage of this style of photography is the speed at which you can take the photographs. Without taking the time to bring the camera up to the eye and focus, many more pictures can be taken in a shorter amount of time. This can be especially helpful when you are taking photographs at a sporting event or theatrical event where people are moving continually.

If you want to try hip shooting with your camera, you will first want to make sure that your camera is on auto focus. By having the camera on auto focus, it will make it easier for you to get a quality shot while using this method. You will also want to get as close as possible to your subject so that you are able to get the photograph that you are hoping for. A good way to practice hip shooting is to have your camera on and ready to go and go for a walk. While you are on your walk, snap as many photographs as you can without editing them, you will do that step when you return home.

Remember that shooting from the hip is a learned skill. It will take time to perfect it, but once you do, you will have some amazing photographs. This technique is very popular among street photographers as their subjects often do not know they are being photographed. Have fun with it and remember to take as many shots as you can because for every fifty shots that you take, you may only get one or two usable shots.

Understanding Digital Photography and Concept Shooting

Digital Photography has revolutionized the field of photography to the highest level and it has given a lot of people the chance to enhance their hidden talents in the art of taking pictures.

Whether you are using a compact digital camera, a SLR or a mobile camera phone, capturing images has never been this easy. The time when photography was only a thing of the professionals are gone.

To understand the concept of digital photography you should first be familiar with a few things about how to use normal film cameras. The camera works just like our eyes; as the eyes see things because of the light that is reflected into the lens, the same thing happens with the camera and the camera lens. The camera lens transfers the light into a plane (film) where it is recorded into the film. The film then will be processed and the images in the negatives will be printed and transferred into photo paper. Basically, this is how photography works.

In digital photography, a silicon chip (also called a sensor) is used instead of the photographic film. The main advantage of the silicon chip over films is its ability to be used over and over again, whereas the film has limited capacity when it comes to storing images. In film photography, every exposure comes up with a photograph and the maximum capacity of a roll of film is only 36 shots. It is somehow a little costly to use a film camera for experimental shots.

Concept shooting is the next level of digital photographic approach. This is more than just the usual focus-shoot-preview-save mode that we are familiar with. Concept shooting is like advertising or a photojournalism rolled into one. It involves an intense study of the subject and a passionate presentation of a message that you want to convey through your photographic images.

It is simply story-telling with the use of images that can transfer emotions and provoke feelings. This is not easy to practice concept shooting especially if you only look at digital photography as a way to take pictures.

A scene can evoke those deepest emotions a human being can feel if it is presented in a very passionate way. A simple photograph of a sunrise can give a person strength to start the new day; whereas an image of a sunset can evoke romantic feelings for couples. That is the idea of concept photography.

Concept photography can be classified into these categories:

Message - could be about love, friendship or even heartaches.

Angle of the message - the message about love could be about love of the family or true love of soul mates.

Audience - your image could encompass a wide audience or a specific generation.

Creative Composition - the creativity of the entire composition will depend on the target audience; a younger generation will require a more preppy imagery with vivid colors that will imply life at its fullest.

Story Telling Quality - you may ask yourself, how can one image convey a story? It's the same with a painting; it is worth a thousand words. You can transfer your thoughts and emotions to your end product by simply taking the time out to get well-developed shots.

No matter what your photographic experience level is, as long as you are passionate about your craft, understanding digital photography and embarking into concept shooting will be as easy as 1-2-3.