A Livescan Fingerprinting & Photos

Using a standard or telephoto lens Wide-angle lenses are a great choice for photographing environmental portraits, where you want to show a person within a specific context. However, wide-angle lenses used close-up will distort facial features and creative unflattering pictures.

High speed flash sync You need to know the maximum flash sync speed of your flashgun if you’re going to avoid flash exposure errors. The maximum flash sync is the fastest shutter speed at which normal flash photography is possible typically 1/200 or 1/250sec.

Slow-sync flash photography Your camera’s slow-sync flash setting enables you to combine slower shutter speeds with flash. Many of your camera’s shooting modes are programmed to produce a well-exposed foreground subject with flash, but the background can look too dark. Slow-sync flash gets around this by combining a slower shutter speed with flash, ensuring that the flash output is balanced well with the ambient light.

Coloured gels for flash When you’re carrying out flash photography in areas lit predominantly by warm light whether that’s natural warmth of sunset or the artificial glow of tungsten bulbs the cool ‘blue’ light from a flash will be stand out a mile. One way to solve this problem is to use coloured gels in front of the flash head. An orange gel will add warmth, helping you blend the flash light with the ambient light. The result should then be interesting rather than obvious.

Off-camera flash Taking a flash off camera gives you more creative lighting options. Of course, you’ll need a flashgun to do this, and even then you need to consider how the camera and the flashgun will communicate.

Bounce flash Direct flash is hard and directional shadows behind the subject will be obvious, and there’s a greater risk of hotspots and red-eye when shooting portraits (although it’s easy to learn how to remove red-eye in Photoshop). For a softer, more even illumination, bounce the flash from a wall or ceiling. Most flashguns enable you to swivel and angle the flash head, although you can achieve a similar effect with a pop-up flashgun using a piece of white card held at an angle.

Flash diffusers To soften the light emitted by a flash, fit a flash diffuser on the flash head. A wide range of commercial flash diffusers are available, ranging from the rigid plastic Sto-Fen Omni-Bounce to larger collapsible units like the Gary Fong Lightsphere. Options for diffusing pop-up flash are more limited, although there are a number of DIY flash diffuser solutions such as using a plastic milk carton to soften the light.

How to use TTL flash compensation If you’re trying to subtly blend a flash exposure with an ambient light exposure, use you the flash exposure compensation control offered by your camera or compatible flashgun. Negative flash exposure compensation will underexpose the flash try a subtle amount of 1/3 or 2/3 of a stop to start with. Then take a test shot and increase or decrease this amount to taste.

Using fill-flash in daylight Flash isn’t just for studio and night photography it’s also useful for outdoor photography on sunny days, particularly when it comes to portraits. Rather than asking your portrait sitter to face into the sun, which will result in them screwing up their face and squinting, get them to face in the opposite direction. With the sun now behind them, simply use a burst of flash to brighten up their face.

Follow an interesting subject Once you spot a subject with potential, follow them. We’re not talking about harrassing individuals, chasing the around the streets. But if someone with memorable hair, unusual clothes or interesting looking dog crosses your path, make the most of the opportunity.

Camera settings for fast reactions Don’t walk around with a camera pressed to your face. Not only will you look conspicuous, but you’ll miss potential pictures. Take the time to absorb yourself in your surroundings before you start taking pictures.

Choose shorter lenses Avoid using long zoom lenses for street photography. Rather than making you inconspicuous, these will actually draw attention to you. If someone clocks you ‘sniping’ from a distance, they’re more likely to confront you.

Indoor photo projects One fun photography project to try is to shoot creative light spirals or spirograms. By suspending a lightweight pen torch from a ceiling using a length of string and sending it spinning, you can record the light patterns it creates using a long exposure.