Unusual Photography Tips & Tricks

Handheld Shots -- When hand holding a shot that normally requires a tripod, try shooting several frames with motor drive on its fastest setting. The first picture is often blurry - like a single shot would have been - but subsequent shots are more likely to produce a satisfactory result.

Light (But Sturdy) Tripod (add weight on site) -- Buy a light aluminum tripod with a center post. Drill a hole through two sides of post bottom. When you set the tripod up for a shot, put sand, rocks, etc. into a plastic bag, then put the plastic bag into the nylon stuff bag you carry the tripod in. Hang bag from the center post. Note - replace the tripod's "cheap" head with a good ball head.

String "Tripod" -- Equipment required:

- a thumb-screw that fits your camera's tripod connector
- 4 to 6 feet of string
- a stick about 1-1/2” to 2” long

Tie one end of the string to the screw and the other to the stick. Attach the screw to the camera mount, drop the stick on the ground and step on it. Roll the stick with your foot to wind up the string while holding the camera in shooting position until the string is tight. Adjust the string to your preferred length and re-tie it. Place your legs apart a comfortable distance and step on the stick. Pull up with camera, tightening the string. Take a breath, hold it, and press the shutter release. (Note: using a longer stick with string going to both ends and placing both feet on the stick may be helpful.)

Stability in Sand -- Get three tennis balls, cut a "X" in them and put one on the bottom of each tripod leg. They will prevent the legs from sinking into the sand and stabilize your tripod.

Monopod -- A monopod can be a great solution for many photographers. A "walking stick" monopod with a reasonable quality ball head on top can be a great tool unless you: (a) use slow film, (b) need slow shutter speeds for low light or blurring motion. Backpacking stores will usually carry one or two brands.

Tungsten Film & Cibachrome Prints -- If you print on "Cibachrome" paper from color slides, avoid high contrast films such as Fuji Velvia. Try Kodak 64T tungsten film with an 85F filter for daylight balance (effective ISO of 40- 50). This results in a rich color saturation without high contrast and gives good shadow detail.

Cross Processing Film -- Like to experiment with different films/special effects? Try processing your film opposite of what the film type (print or slide) calls for. You will get different color shifts, and each film acts differently.

This tends to come out quite dense. To end up with “good” shots, choose from the following:

- Expose normal, push process +3 stops
- Expose +1 stop, push process +2 stops
- Expose +2 stops, push process +1 stop
- Expose +3 stops, process normal E-6

Film Leader Out -- if you have a motor-wind camera that doesn't let you leave the film leader out after rewinding, try this. Before rewinding, open the battery compartment and press in the back so the batteries make contact. Press rewind and release pressure (and battery contact) when the counter reaches "0". Your film leader will be out.

Exposed Film -- If you leave the leader out on exposed film, bend back the leader to keep from accidentally reloading the film again.

Manual Load Cameras -- Having trouble loading film into your camera? Film not catching? Try folding the film leader like an accordion before inserting it into the take-up spool. Don't fold enough to break it, just enough to hold it's position and not come out of the spool.

Method 1 -- For a quick "soft focus" filter, breathe on the front of the lens (or front filter). For a longer lasting effect take the lens off the camera, breathe on the rear lens element, and put back on the camera.

Method 2 -- Blow out a burning candle and place a UV filter over the smoke so it settles on the filter. It's pure carbon, lampblack so it can be easily removed with a tissue later.

Incident Light Meter -- Use a styrofoam coffee cup over your lens (note: styrofoam cups are different thicknesses, therefore you may wish to "calibrate" this approach using the f/16 rule on a clear sunny day). Stand where the subject will be, use the camera on manual and set the exposure to the reading of the light diffused through the cup, then walk back to your spot to take the picture.

Ice Chest Camera Bag -- Use an ice chest as a camera bag for your equipment and film when you’re at the pool or beach and want protection from the water and sun. It offers heat pro-tection in the car on hot days too. Security may also be enhanced - most thieves wouldn’t think of stealing an ice chest!

Day Becomes Night -- To make a picture taken during the day look like one taken at night under moonlight, try using the following filters, and expose for the highlights in the scene:

Use Reflections at Night -- To achieve a sense of depth in night shots and avoid "flat" looking pictures, try to include reflections of lights on water or other reflective surfaces.

"Red eye" Preflash for Indoor Photography -- If you're taking an indoor shot, use the “red eye” reduction feature of your built in flash - even if there aren’t going to be people in the picture. When you take the picture, watch to see if there are any reflecting surfaces. If there are, move to a different position and take a second shot.

Unusual Wedding Photo -- Use a full-frame fisheye and take a picture of the bride & groom seated in the back seat of a limo from the front seat. Because the wedding couple is in the center of the picture, they are pretty much undistorted. However, the limo will appear to be blocks long.

Flash for Snowflakes -- To show snowflakes in a winter scene, pick a viewpoint with a dark background for the flakes and use flash to brighten the flakes without affecting the rest of the scene.

Double Exposure Roll -- When loading the film, mark it with a permanent marker relative to a reference point on the camera before you close the camera back. shoot the roll of film and rewind (leave the leader out, or use a film retreiver). Reload the film, placing the film in the same spot before closing the camera back and reshoot the roll.