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December 4, 2008 |
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Created and Maintained by: The Photoimaging Information Council |
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Columns |
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I’m a right-brained shooter. Never heard of this term in a photography book? That’s ok, as it’s a term I use to describe my personal philosophy on taking pictures. Many schools of thought suggest following the photo manual, memorizing f/stops, and exposure compensation. These are the technical components of taking great pictures. Finding a good image to take is the hard part. Photography has always been a language that enables me to convert visual elements into forms that are unusual and provocative. One of my earliest memories as a photographer was taking photos of the fire escapes in Harlem when I was 17. The patterns and perspective of the metal weaving its way into the skyline mesmerized me. Granted, most people would probably be content taking a picture of Mom in front of some restaurant. Snapshots have never really interested me. While attending UCSB, I was introduced to the nuances of the darkroom, and the many facets of black and white development. I began to experiment with multiple exposures. I was introduced to many types of photographic paper. I think I missed several classes that semester, as I was so fascinated with photography. I eventually saved up enough money to buy a Canon AE-1; a camera I used faithfully for about 10 years until my distance vision began to wane. I graduated to a Canon Elan that had autofocus capabilities. I’ve had this camera for about 10 years, and it has served my needs well. You don’t need a lot of bells and whistles on a camera to take great photos. Some of the more advanced settings will help you take better pictures, if you have the patience to learn them. I like things simple. I believe the basis of taking a great picture entails finding an interesting shot. It’s time-consuming to make a lousy picture look good. If you initially have a good shot, augmenting it is much easier. Tulips In general, I find black and white photography more challenging. Color can be distracting, as it can take you away from certain visual elements that can make a photo interesting. When I embark upon a photo excursion, I rarely have a “shot” I’m trying to take. I let the images come to me. I try to shoot in the early morning since I’m an early riser, and the light is usually good at that hour. However, I’ve never abandoned my camera simply because it’s noontime. Some of my best shots have been taken when I’ve least expected to find a good image. When I see a subject that appears interesting, I try to find an unusual angle so that the subject can be rendered in a unique manner. Get in close. Get on top of the subject. Lay on your stomach and start shooting. It’s easy to be lazy when you take a picture. More dramatic results will happen when you get out of your comfort zone and approach the subject from an unusual perspective.  © 2003 Mary McGrath "Earthquake hits Los Angeles" It’s also fun to try and do unusual things with your shutter speed, aperture setting, and other functions on the camera. Try mixing up the settings. Blur the shot. Use a telephoto lens in addition to a macro lens to shoot the same scene. Experiment with filters and flash. And try to bracket so you have an option of images from which to choose. This photo was taken at night from a helicopter. I couldn’t see the functions on the camera as the cockpit was dark, but I aimed my camera and just did continuous shooting. My editor liked this image and published it in the next issue. Hopefully Los Angeles won’t come to this demise.  © 2003 Mary McGrath Rose You don’t have to travel far and wide to take great pictures. With my macro lens, I’ve found some of the most unique images within five blocks from my home. Flowers can be wonderful subjects especially if you get in close. I will often search a subject with my camera until an unusual pattern appears in the viewfinder. This comes not from pre-conceiving a photo, but letting it come to you.  © 2003 Mary McGrath Car Details Look for the unusual when you’re out shooting. Mirror and windows offer a very unique point of view if you are observant. This black and white image was shot at an auto show, and recently won an award in a photo contest.  © 2003 Mary McGrath Benches While in Boston on a business trip, I took a walking tour and got outside the city limits to obtain this shot. The boardwalk was basically a boardwalk until I tilted my camera. The perspective of the benches and the grain really made a statement. © 2003 Mary McGrath Vegas In Las Vegas, I was intrigued with the patterns the lights were making on the Strip. I wasn’t sure my hand-held efforts would work, but I managed to brace the camera on the bridge to help me shoot the scene out of focus. © 2003 Mary McGrath Fruit stand When I traveled to Europe in September, I was a bit limited with my camera gear, due to the travel restrictions after 9/11. I only packed one lens, which limited the spectrum of shots I wanted to take. Somehow, I managed to take some interesting shots, but they still didn’t really pop until I began manipulating them on my computer. With some sharpening tools, I was able to take this image from Venice to another level so that it has an Impressionist feel to it. © 2003 Mary McGrath Coliseum This shot of the Coliseum was originally shot in black and white. I wanted to enhance the age of this structure, so again played around with some grain and sepia filters until I obtained the look I wanted.  © 2003 Mary McGrath Colorized Windmill Sandwich I’ve always been fascinated by those wind machines outside of Palm Springs. This image is a sandwich of two slides, which were then sharpened and colorized on my computer.  © 2003 Mary McGrath Emerald Boat Whenever I travel, I always take my camera, and a few lenses if traveling restrictions don’t limit my efforts. In Switzerland, I was lucky enough to be traveling by boat when I shot this photo. To augment the beauty of the Swiss countryside, I decided to then hand-tint the image.  © 2003 Mary McGrath Accordion building colorized Make sure you increase the size of the photo on your computer so that you can attend to the details of hand tinting. The process is arduous, but the results can be quite amazing.  © 2003 Mary McGrath Mind you, I’m not schooled formerly in photography. I’ve read and understood the fundamentals, but I don’t like to get bogged down with too much technical detail. To me, the art of photography is in the discovery of the unusual and experimenting to make the mundane come to life. To see more of Mary McGrath's photography >>click here.
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