The longer days and pleasant weather made summer in New England fun for everyone– especially for photographers. At the BPW, we had the chance to run a number of outdoor workshops, and have compiled a few tips and tricks from what we learned over the summer so you can keep shooting any time of year!
Find a great photograph in an ordinary moment.
We’ve all done it before– we leave our cameras behind because we assume the day ahead will be uneventful.
BPW students in our beginner-level classes will often hear our instructors say, “Take your camera everywhere. You never know what you will find!” We even challenge those students to find something interesting in a small (and relatively plain) space as one of the practice segments to our Better Composition classes.
Bring your camera along wherever you go! Photography is all about being proactive and seeing what others may not see. Practice different compositional techniques (e.g., leading lines, the rule of thirds, negative space, etc.), and challenge yourself to make the ordinary extraordinary!
Get out of your comfort zone.
Whether you're planning on traveling or simply want to learn some new photography skills, practice a variety of photographic styles to get the fundamentals locked down. Ultimately, you’ll want to embrace new challenges with the right tools for thinking through the photographic process. If you are a landscape photographer, challenge yourself with portrait photography – so when your family goes out for a hike, you’ll find yourself capturing a range of images that will ultimately make you (and your family) happy. If you normally shoot in color, mix it up and try black & white to see patterns and texture differently.
After completing some of our classes, you can receive even more guidance at the free events that we host for our student community through our private Facebook group. Our students have a chance to practice photographing something new with the assistance of our instructors. Over the summer we offered chances to photograph skate parks at sunset and indoor aerial acrobatics in action— be on the lookout for more upcoming, exciting free events!
Shoot in all kinds of light, and don’t miss out on the best one (which happens twice a day!).
Photographers know that light can convey certain moods. Photographs that capture a whimsical feel are a result of shooting during golden hour - slightly after sunrise or just before sunset when the sun is low, the light is soft, and the environment feels more romantic.
Over the past few months, the BPW hosted special edition Better Composition: Photo Walk classes during golden hour. Even as the sun continues to sink lower in the coming winter months, challenge yourself to keep chasing that golden light! We have another Golden Hour class being held on September 30 and October 14 if you'd like to practice with us!
Pro Tip: If you have limited time in a destination spot but still want to capture photos during golden hour, spend the early morning or afternoon scouting locations and setting up your frame. You can then revisit it later in the day without worrying about losing time.