Working photographer... stuck in P mode.

Jungli

Jungli

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So I'm in Cape Verde right now and we've spent the day at a beach restaurant and did some snorkeling etc.

Whilst we're there they have two photographers talking pics of us enjoying the sun and sea.

So... we got chatting about photography and asked him how he got into it.

He was honest with me and said I'm doing this to earn some money etc and it's part of his job.

He's asked if I was a photographer and I said I was a keen amateur. We talked about kit he was using (Nikon with a 70-200(?) Tamron lens).

Anyway, he straight up asked, how can I get better.

1. Join TP.
2. Get off P mode and move to Av mode so that he can control the background. All his photos were auto and I showed him how to adjust the aperture to suit.
3. Focus on the eyes.

He was amazed at the image... I kid you not the sun is so bright, it presents its own problems, but think holiday makers want a nice sharp photo with a decent amount of blurred background.

I know fully manual would have been the best option but he was young and hasn't got access to learning, hence the TP forum.

I admired his gumption to just get out there and try.

What would you have suggested to him in the short 5min conversation?
 
Jungli said:
What would you have suggested to him in the short 5min conversation?
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You did the right thing - no need for manual as long as he knows his cameras metering and can compensate if needed. I might have covered exposure compensation too, perhaps a little on framing IF that appeared to be a weakness. Sounds like you helped him along well though. (y)
 
That camera was getting a battering in the sun, sand and sweat.

He was trying really hard and I knew the more photos he sold to tourist the more he would make.

Nice lad, can't have been more than 23.

He was taking candid shots, but would have been better 'working' the audience as they were all there and in for the day.

But I had limited time.
 
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A kind gesture, let's hope he finds the time to come on the site to learn more.
 
Nowt wrong with P mode! Great for grabs and it's as quick and easy to shift to whatever shutter speed or aperture as the other automatic modes. The only real difference is that S and A modes remember what aperture/shutter speed you chose for the last shot when the camera's turned back on.
 
True. P mode has its place, but I felt he needed to know how to get a specific look with portraiture work and appealing to the customer.

His only issue would be strong contrast with the bright sun.
 
The trick with P mode is to know when not to use it, when you need something different to what the camera says.
 
You can't beat using a good "P" when the time is right,.:headbang:;)
 
For holiday snaps, I'd think that most holidaymakers would want acceptably sharp shots including the background rather than Mr and Mrs with a blurry background, it seems to only be photographers who get hung up on "creamy bokeh" and the like.
 
Nod said:
For holiday snaps, I'd think that most holidaymakers would want acceptably sharp shots including the background rather than Mr and Mrs with a blurry background, it seems to only be photographers who get hung up on "creamy bokeh" and the like.
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I second this. I think when we start out we're all told to get a nice blurry background for portraits, but perhaps some wiser advice especially for someone making holiday snaps would be to pay attention to everything in his frame and try to include some of the surroundings without them becoming a distraction. Don't let an umbrella pole stick up out of someone's head, for example, but definitely try to include something in the frame that shows the environment.

All tricky when you're having a passing conversation, and for all I know the blurry background shots probably sell more images for him - I think there's definitely a perception that lots of blur = a more professional image, for whatever reason.
 
The key is whether the picture is primarily of the people who are on holiday somewhere, or of the somewhere that the people happen to be on holiday in. Your subject needs to stand out in the image, and defocusing the background is a way to make the people the subject.
 
ancient_mariner said:
The key is whether the picture is primarily of the people who are on holiday somewhere, or of the somewhere that the people happen to be on holiday in. Your subject needs to stand out in the image, and defocusing the background is a way to make the people the subject.
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This!

I've been asked many times to take photos of couples (usually "photographers" [people with cameras rather than phones]) and I generally take 4 or so, a couple with shallow DoF and a couple at f/11 or so so they have a choice between it being them or them in a recognisable spot. I usually ask what they're after too.
 
Nod said:
For holiday snaps, I'd think that most holidaymakers would want acceptably sharp shots including the background rather than Mr and Mrs with a blurry background, it seems to only be photographers who get hung up on "creamy bokeh" and the like.
Click to expand...
The bokeh hive mind hyping 1.2 lenses 99% of people dont need
 
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Found this topic interesting as just had a look at my Canon R3 and I've no idea how to get it out of manual mode - I could if I had (I'd have to look it up in the manual) to but can't imagine a scenario where I would want to.
 
Probably pressing the big button labelled 'Mode' might help!!!

:ROFLMAO:
:ROFLMAO: :ROFLMAO:
 
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