Help with my beginners photography please?
I am a beginner to photography and have just purchased a film SLR on which to learn the basics and build up a portfolio.
I want to concentrate on dark, brooding, gothic scenes such as castles and cathedral ruins at dusk, storm clouds, raging seas, deep shadows (both in a rural and urban setting) and thunder and lightning.
Is ther anything specific I need to get to grips with bearing in mind my subject material? Also, as blacks and greys will be predominant, is it worth me buying colour film? Note how I changing between interior and exterior environments with this gothic, shadowy feel being the only common factor.
As an aside, what else can I include in a portfolio that stays with this character, but adds perhaps a little more vivacity in case the album is seen as being too glum or monotone?
Thanks!
Oh and I forgot forests if this is important; woods in winter time, as well as under the lightless canopy! Thanks
Great that your off to use the SLR get to know every dial and use the lens aperture preview (usually found as a push in button or slide on either the lenses or sometimes the camera body)………. Dont take this the wrong way but get yourself several books on b/w and colour photography and pick up one aimed at kids along with the proffesional ones youll see a lot of those!!.(Simple language about fstops and depth of field and the one stop equating to film speeds are far easier to comprehend).Remember you can “push” film and “burn in or hold back areas when developing and printing)B/w is far easier to print at home than colour and you can pick up equip fairly cheap.If developing in a cold area for a fair while(likely?) then a dish/tray warmer is handy! .I have some very goth like images from graveyards,stones,statues,monuments,even my brothers Gibson les paul guitar on a tomb of a person called Gibson from 1800s..Cemetarys,castles,even run down housing and barns,chuch steeples,gargoyles,towers,follies,old trees,woodland paths,dont miss out on rain and puddles too,you will see many things through your lenses if you have a few,say,28,50,110,210mm,telephoto ,zooms,there are also lens filters to darken,sparkle,tone,etc etc.I hope your prepared for one “hell” of an exciting time..Colour film can be developed as c41 process and comes back as “mock sepia” prints. There are chemicals that can colour tone your B/w prints after printing,but i would always print up a few B/w the same and just experiment if you want to use these..As for a portfolio then just be strict with yourself and only show the “Cream of the crop” ,try not to talk yourself into including the might pass type or good enough,have a spare or second album,look at your images often and keep notes on exposure,time of day,month,year etc,time goes by and you will forget.. Its all about light and how you percieve that light,the camera can lie and in your hands can make even something as dull as a brick seem stunning ! .Read experiment,reread,experiment,keep reading,keep experimenting,go talk to any and all photographers,go to gallerys too,join your local camera club,but do not let anyone talk down to you or put you off,constructive criticism is great but some people try to destroy,your style,art is yours,so go get your stunning/dynamic photos and above all enjoy all the processes of Photography. Spell checker locked up so if any of this is lexic dick then sorry.
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