By Howard Moo Young, Contributor 
IF YOU ask any group of photographers what they have done recently to improve the quality of their images, most of them will likely respond by describing the purchase of some fancy new piece of equipment. Others will tell you how they have mastered a new technique, while a few may credit a visit to an art exhibition or gallery for their new found inspiration.
In fact, good technique and equipment alone rarely result in great photographs. Other important ingredients include creativity, experimentation, and passion. The art of seeing, as described by Ansel Adams, speaks of the ability of the trained photographer to visualise a finished picture in the mind's eye before the image is actually captured in the camera.
Try to capture images that provide visual expressions of your feelings, even when experimenting with new equipment or unfamiliar techniques. Strive to use these tools to reveal a bit of yourself.
TAKE OUTDOOR TRIPS
When you find yourself in the doldrums, and your creative juices stop flowing, pack your gear and head for the great outdoors, the change of atmosphere may be a simple solution. A photo excursion is a great way to rekindle your passion for photography, put your skills to work, and come back with some outstanding images. A change of location, unpredictable weather, the rural terrain, expansive vistas, unusual flora and fauna, and strange faces all combine to provide a fresh new perspective.
We recently experienced this in the Photography Club of Jamaica's 2004 'Roll-of-Film' competition, when members journeyed to Toll Gate, Porus, and Williamsfield to try and capture 14 classes on 24 images using 35mm Colour Transparencies (Slide Film). This competition takes place once per year, and after seeing the enthusiasm of the 19 photographers who participated along with family and friends, many requests came in for a monthly repeat. Everyone enjoyed the time spent improving their photography.
USE POLARISING FILTERS
Don't venture outdoor without a polarise filter. This filter can fool mother nature, and is ideal for all forms of outdoor photography, enabling you to increase contrast, eliminate distracting reflections from non-metallic surfaces like water and glass, darken light blue skies, penetrate haze, and dramatically increase colour saturation in your pictures. The polarising filter is easy to use, simply screw it onto the front of your lens, turn the filter in its rotating mount until you see the effect you want through the viewfinder of your camera.
VISIT AN ART GALLERY
Whether your interest lies in landscape, still life, or portraiture photography, a visit to a gallery can improve your work by studying fine paintings and drawings. The use of colour, lighting, form, posing and composition is universal. Many early photographers used their training as artists to gain recognition in the new medium of photography. The type of lighting used in many of Rembrandt's portraits is known today as Rembrandt's lighting, which is achieved by using a single source of light, usually from the side of a darkened room.
Photographers who consistently work toward getting sharper images, spare no expense when it comes to lenses, yet, these same enthusiasts often ignore one of the most common and easily rectified sources of "soft" pictures, the tripod. This important piece of equipment virtually guarantees a steady camera against movement or vibration. The old rule of thumb states that for sharp hand-held images, your shutter speed should be at least the reciprocal of the focal length of your lens; i.e. when using a 200mm telephoto, your shutter speed should be 1/200 or faster or your camera should be mounted on a tripod.
Many nature and sports photographers use a tripod as standard gear when shooting with lenses longer than 300mm, regardless of their shutter speed setting. Tripods are also essential when using macro lenses at high magnifications. See your pictures improve with this important piece of equipment that makes all the difference.
SHOOT WITH DIFFERENT FILMS
Would you wear the same clothing every day? So why shoot with the same film day in, day out, as many photographers do? If you usually shoot colour as most people do, try experimenting with black-and-white film. Or push-process some high-speed film to accentuate the grain for an unusual effect. Infrared film, which is available in both colour and black-and-white, enables you to create some very unusual effects without any special techniques. Try shooting transparencies (Slide film), then project the results unto a screen with a slide projector, I guarantee that these images, when properly exposed, have no match when it comes to colour. Today's photographer can choose from a wide and varied selection of slow, fast, and super fast film for shooting under any condition, day or night.
GET A DIGITAL CAMERA
What are you waiting for? Now is the time to own a digital camera! The latest high-resolution models are affordable and offer lots of creative control. They enable you to create some effects that would be difficult, if not impossible to accomplish with your film camera. A digital camera is just another tool in your gadget bag and you don't have to abandon your faithful 35mm SLR. You can see every picture immediately after you shoot, and make the necessary adjustments. You won't run out of film, and best of all, you can print the pictures yourself on a desktop printer, saving much needed time. The images can be e-mailed within minutes to friends and family overseas.
JOIN A PHOTOGRAPHY CLUB
Take the opportunity to expand your knowledge, meet other photo enthusiasts and improve your skills. Camera clubs offer workshops, fieldtrips, competitions, and exposure to many different forms of photography and a wide variety of equipment. Some clubs provide access to well-equipped darkroom facilities at little or no cost to its members. Club print exhibitions give members an avenue to expose their work to the public, thus building their confidence as photographers.
The Edna Manley School of Visual Arts offers courses in photography and is home for a 'Just Black-and-White Club'. UWI and UTECH Camera Clubs are open to students attending those campuses. The Photography Club of Jamaica celebrates its 40th Anniversary this year. Other recently formed clubs include the St. Ann Association of Photographers, the Photography Club of Clarendon, and the Portland Association of Photographers Club. If you are interested in forming a photo club in your parish, or joining one, please call the Jamaica Cultural Development Commission's main office in Kingston.
(To be continued next week)
Howard Moo Young is an Advertising/Graphic Design and Photography Consultant with over 40 years experience.
E-mail: mooimages@yahoo.com
