John Bamber with the Four Seasons Garden Club
Local photographer John Bamber explains smartphone techniques to Four Seasons Garden Club members during their April meeting.
Posted: Tuesday, April 22, 2014 1:22 pm
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Updated: 1:26 pm, Tue Apr 22, 2014.
With a program entitled “Nature Photography: Photographing Birds, Bees and Butterflies and Goodbye Digital Camera, Hello Smartphone” local professional photographer John Bamber held the attention of the Four Seasons Garden Club on Tuesday, April 8, as he shared his knowledge about the latest technology in his field. Fourteen club members and two guests, most holding smartphones or other cameras, gathered around the garden area in front of the Rhea County Courthouse where the club maintains the plantings. He explained features of the cameras and used tulips that happened to be in bloom to show various shooting techniques. Some of his tips follow:
• Remember that the camera is not in the center of the phone’s back but in the upper left corner, along with the flash and exposure sensor. The camera can be used even when the phone is in lock mode by swiping up on the camera icon on the screen. The phone’s volume up button is the point and shoot button for the camera.
• A square appears in the view screen where the camera will automatically focus; to change the focal point put a finger on another area. There is a tic-tac-toe square grid available for use in composing the shot and aligning horizontals or verticals. The most interesting picture composition uses the “rule of thirds,” placing the subject near the intersection of two grid lines, not in the center, thus causing the eye to move around the image.
• There are edit buttons used to crop, adjust red-eye and auto-enhance the image. There are also filter effects which can be applied either at the time of shooting or afterwards. In HDR (High Dynamic Range) setting, the camera makes three exposures simultaneously and merges them, resulting in better detail in a high contrast scene.
• For wide angle shots hold the phone horizontally. Panorama mode allows the photographer to pan up to 240º around a scene and include the entire area in a single image. Macro, or close-up, mode is ideal for photographing flowers, as Bamber demonstrated by shooting the tulips. When using macro be aware of the background and emphasize the subject by keeping the background out of focus.
• Remember to Save!
Bamber also demonstrated shooting with a “traditional” digital camera which, although not quite as convenient, provides better photo quality, especially in low light situations, because the sensor is larger — reading more detail.
By using the display screen rather than the view finder on a traditional camera, unusual shots can be achieved by positioning the camera on the ground or other support; the photographer can frame the subject without needing to hold the camera near the face.
For extra convenience an Eye-Fi SD storage card can transfer photos wirelessly from the camera to a computer, phone or tablet. The AirDrop app from Apple allows wireless sharing of photos with other phones or iPads nearby.
When the photographers lost the late afternoon light everyone regrouped at Cafe Pascal where Bamber continued his instruction. On his iPad, he showed images of tulips which he had just photographed minutes earlier and transferred via EyeFi. He encouraged everyone to take the time to experiment, try unusual angles, learn from mistakes and have fun. He recommended Instagram as a good social site for the garden club to share photos — it allows for a closed group, if desired.
Reliable print labs include Millers Professional Imaging (mpix.com) and Apple (order directly from iPhoto on the Mac). Bamber has a fondness for traditional film photography and prints and said that a carefully handprinted black and white print will outlast any other print.
Bamber received hearty applause for sharing his expertise with Four Seasons. An assortment of Pascal’s delicious desserts and a brief business meeting brought the evening to a close.
Hostesses for the meeting were Linda Blevins, Kathy Griffin, Katie Trotter and Faith Young.
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Tuesday, April 22, 2014 1:22 pm.
Updated: 1:26 pm.
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