STREET PHOTOGRAPHY

When doing street photography, it is of utmost importance to have your camera ready to shoot. Great images present themselves all the time; most often we are fumbling with our cameras and miss the shot.

I took this shot last week in Mexico, and it was one of those images that can never be re-shot! The police turned a corner, and I had only 3 seconds to take the photo. I find that it is best (for me at least) to have the camera set to Aperture Priority, on the lowest "f" number, with the exposure compensation (+/-) set to +0.3. I set the white balance to Cloudy, to keep things warm. 

Try the above camera settings the next time you are traveling, and hopefully you will find that it is a fast combination, for capturing fleeting moments!

To see more of Mark Hemmings work, click here. All photos copyright Mark Hemmings

WATER FOUNTAINS

Each year I do international photography courses for those who want to learn more about their cameras, and how to take better travel photos. Right now I am in Mexico teaching a course, in the beautiful UNESCO designated San Miguel de Allende. 

Last night as we were walking back to our villa, we came across a recessed fountain that seemed to glow with a mysterious light. Although difficult to see in the small photo below, a stream of water was pouring from a carved mask, and the water was bubbling and moving as a result of the fountain. The water was illuminated from the bottom of the pool:

This lesson is about flowing water and long shutter speeds. When you are photographing a fountain, there are ways to change the bubbling water to a smooth sheet of luminescent liquid. This is done via a long shutter speed. Here are some tips to create a similar image:

1. Compose the scene with your camera on a tripod.

2. Manually focus on a point in the scene that is of primary interest, namely the pool of water.

3. Set your camera to Aperture Priority, and your lens to f22 (or the highest f-number available).

4. If the photo is taken at night, be prepared for a very long photo. The sample photo above took 30 seconds.

5. Take the photo, and when it is finished adjust the exposure compensation (+/-) if your image is either too bright or too dark.

6. You should now have a smooth, glowing image ready for framing!

Too see more of Mark's work, click here. All photos copyright M. Hemmings

OVERHEAD LIGHTING

I am on a theme of simplicity lately, so here is another one! When approaching the direction of a project, begin the experimentation with as few variables as possible. Keep everything minimal to begin with, and increase the complexity of lighting as needed.

This illustrative image was lit with only one overhead light. I tried the same composition with additional lights, but the photos weren't nearly as dramatic. This minimalist tip is good news for those on a budget . . . never be dismayed by your lack of gear; use what you have and put your soul into it!

To see more of Mark Hemmings work, click here. All photos copyright Mark Hemmings

SYMMETRY AND ASYMMETRY

When a potential composition allows for perfect, or near perfect symmetry, carefully adjust your camera and tripod so that all major lines are either vertical or horizontal. 

When the image is perfectly lined up, try to include an off-center subject within the symmetrical composition. This creates an interesting scenario where you have two unique compositional styles in one photo: symmetry and asymmetry.

This photo was taken last year during a trip to Hungary. It is at the Budapest Museum of Fine Art, in the ancient Rome and Greek hall.

Visit Mark Hemmings Website. All photos copyright Mark Hemmings