Dan
12-14-2007, 08:12 PM
The following is a result of my sporadic boredom over the past few days. I won't blame you if you don't read it, since it's so long. The sections are labeled, so you can always pick out what you're interested in and read that section. Let me know if this is at all helpful, as I'll add sections and change sections if this gets any interest.
An Enthusiast’s Guide to Photography
Introduction
After visiting many parks and attempting to capture some of the greatest roller coasters and thrill rides with still images, I’ve developed a set of ground rules and techniques for photographing them. There are, no doubt, more skilled professionals in the realm of photography than me who could probably give you better photography advice. However, I have personally found that though basic principles of photography carry over to the world of amusement parks, there are some more complicated techniques that apply solely to amusement park photography.
An amusement park is a place full of different photographic opportunities. A kid enjoying his cotton candy, a high speed thrill ride, a merry go round, the latest and greatest roller coaster, and thousands of other chances for great shots await you when you step into the entrance gates of any park. It’s good to know the basics when you want your shots to turn out well, and since there is so much variation in the park, there is a lot to know. The best way to photograph a roller coaster and a thrill ride can potentially greatly differ. Being prepared for all the situations and types of rides you will face is a good idea if you want good quality photos.
My goal in writing this is to share with you some of the techniques I’ve developed to get my best shots, and some tips to tweak your picture taking style to slowly improve the outcome of your pictures. Remember that these are all things I’ve learned simply from experience in amusement parks. I will not mention any techniques for photography outside amusement parks, because as I previously stated, every situation requires different techniques, and I’ve only become well-versed in the world of amusement park photography.
The Basics
The ride photograph consists of either a ride, or a track with a coaster on it. The easiest way to get clear pictures fast is to put the camera into sports mode (a method I still practice sometimes today). Your camera will automatically set the shutter speed as high as possible, and adjust the rest of the settings accordingly. To focus the lens on subject, hold down the shutter trigger lightly. This minimizes the amount of time it will take from your triggering the photo to when the camera actually takes a picture. All cameras have different lag times, so experiment with your camera to find what its lag time is. When the train is coming along the track, press the trigger just before the moment you want the picture taken. With practice, your timing will improve, and it will only take one or two tries to get perfect timing on every shot you take.
Camera Shake
Since the beginning of my endeavor into the amusement park industry, fellow enthusiasts have asked me a simple yet important question: “How can I eliminate camera shake at night?” Unfortunately, there isn’t one good answer to this, but I can provide a few different options, the first being use a tripod. However, many parks don’t allow tripods inside the gates, which can become a major problem. After browsing through the instructional booklet that comes with my camera, every camera shake troubleshooting question led to the answer, “use a tripod.” That does not help tremendously in this particular instance, as night shots at parks have the potential be some of the best of the day’s pictures. I have used a few solutions to this problem.
The first is to buy a small, compact tripod that will fit into a small bag and will not cause any trouble passing through security. If you have a smaller camera, there are tripods only a few inches tall that will do the trick. If you have a larger single lens reflex camera, there are slightly bigger ones that work the same way.
Another option is to lean the camera against something stable, such as a fence, a large rock, or even a footer. Although this is not ideal for shutter speeds as long as 30 seconds (to capture motion of a Ferris wheel’s lights, for example), if you need to get a coaster’s blur at night, while keeping the track sharp, this is a good option. Don’t set the shutter speed to over a few seconds using this method, or you will begin to notice your pictures are blurry.
The third option put your camera into manual mode (if it has one), and play with the settings. Because you need a relatively fast shutter speed to capture something without movement in the dark, the answer lies with the ISO. The higher the ISO, the more sensitive the camera’s sensor is to light, and the lighter your pictures will turn out. Bear caution when using this method, as higher ISO ratings on smaller, cheaper cameras can mean grainy images. Experiment with your camera, as all are different, and see what works best.
Angles
Positioning the camera to get the perfect shot can be more pretty difficult sometimes. If you have never been to a certain park before, chances are you won’t know where all the secret photo spots are for the rides there. An easy answer is to take known angles of a type of ride and make them unique, and interesting. For example, there are some angles of the zero-g roll which have been photographed time and time again on different rides around the world. Try exploring the area n which the ride exists, and look for unusual spots and places that make the track look different than it usually does. You’ll find you’re looking at coasters in a whole new way, and it will help you take more unique and interesting shots. A technique to employee while you’re riding a coaster is to scan the land under and around it to see if there are any accessible places that seem like interesting vantage points. Always bear in mind, however that the reason some shots are taken over and over isn’t just because the shot is easily accessible, but also because it looks good. Capturing ‘signature shots’ is sometimes a good thing to do in addition to looking for unique angles.
Vertical vs. Horizontal (Orientation)
This and angles go hand and hand, hence their placement. Before taking a picture, we are given the option to either take the picture vertically or horizontally. Sometimes this is decided simply by what we can fit in the viewfinder (or screen), but other times it’s based on our preference. These are some things to think about when deciding the orientation of a picture.
If you are photographing a midway, horizontal and vertical both have their advantages. If taken horizontally, a midway will look wide and the rides on either side will be visible. However, if you take a vertical shot, you can emphasize the length of the midway. So, the longer the midway, the more you should consider taking a vertical shot. Overviews of parks should almost always be taken horizontally. However, if you are elevated (on a chairlift or tower, etc.), vertical shots can end up looking great as well. Experiment with the two and see which you like better, or if you like to take a combination of both (usually the best idea). When taking a photo of a large drop or large inversion from close up, vertical shots emphasize height, giving a better look and feel to the picture. From farther away, vertical shots usually still work better, but if you are extremely far and getting more of an overview, horizontal shots will do the trick. Overviews of coasters usually look best horizontal. This does not hold true, however, if you’re taking a shot from the side of a coaster (not standing in front of a long side of the footprint.
Framing
Although good zoom is important for this, I think it’s a point worth making. Although some shots are large overviews and have many things in the background, isolating the coaster gives a completely different shot. For example, instead of taking a photo of a cobra roll with the three buildings and pathway behind it, try and zoom in on just the cobra roll. It will eliminate distracting items in the background, and give a shot clearly focused on the subject.
Optical vs. Digital (zoom)
Most of the smaller digital cameras on the market today have two types of zoom: optical and digital. Optical zoom is when the lens physically changes to zoom in, and digital zoom is when the camera zooms in while reducing quality. Digital zoom isn’t really zooming in at all; it’s more like automatic cropping on the camera’s part. Although I use my larger camera most of the time these days, a ground rule with cameras that have digital zoom is to always try to avoid using it. The more digital zoom you use the less quality a picture will have. It will also lose the crispness that the picture would otherwise have. Instead of using digital zoom, try to either get closer to the subject or try to make a zoomed out image look just as cool as the zoomed in one. When purchasing a camera, zoom is one of the most important things to look at. The more optical zoom, the better.
Motion Blur
Purposefully adding motion blur to coaster and thrill ride shots can give great results. At night, blurring lights of various rides gives an even more awesome effect. If you’re an expert in Photoshop you can add blur, but it’s not as natural as capturing it during the shot. To take a motion blur picture, you’ll want your camera to have manual modes on it. Some cameras may have a mode for blurring photos, but if your camera has manual modes, switch the mode to Tv (time value). This allows you to only change the shutter speed variable, and your camera will take care of the rest. During the day, start out with a speed of a half a second to a second. It may take a few tries to get the desired effect. If your entire shot is coming out blurry, see the camera section of this article. Adjust the speed according to how blurry you want the shot to come out. Don’t be afraid to take a lot of photos and choose the best one later, as that is the beauty of having a digital camera!
If you want to keep the shutter open for a much longer period to get more blur during the day, switch the camera to manual mode. If you can have the ability to change these features, put the ISO as low as possible and the Aperture set (or F-stop, F for short on your camera most likely) as high as possible.
Getting blur at night is a bit different. Set the camera to Tv again, but this time, you’ll need to keep the shutter open for longer. Depending on the light in the area, the speed you should enter can greatly vary. Some cameras give an indication of the exposure (how light the picture will be). If it doesn’t, try starting out with five seconds, and increase depending on how dark or bright the picture is. Cameras have different sensors, so each will work a bit differently. If you keep the shutter open for too long, you won’t be able to see a coaster on its track because it is moving, and does not stay in the frame long enough to be captured. If the image is still too dark, go to manual mode (again, only if you have it) and set the ISO to the second or third option from the highest (to balance light and graininess), and set the Aperture, or F-stop, as low as possible. Then, experiment with shutter speeds to see what works best. If the picture is now too light, lower the ISO.
If there are other questions you have, or comments, or if you want me to make a section for something else, say so. Although I’m sure most of you knew most of the things I’ve written, I hope you learned at least one new thing, and maybe you’ll use this as a troubleshooting guide if you come home with photos you’re unhappy with.
An Enthusiast’s Guide to Photography
Introduction
After visiting many parks and attempting to capture some of the greatest roller coasters and thrill rides with still images, I’ve developed a set of ground rules and techniques for photographing them. There are, no doubt, more skilled professionals in the realm of photography than me who could probably give you better photography advice. However, I have personally found that though basic principles of photography carry over to the world of amusement parks, there are some more complicated techniques that apply solely to amusement park photography.
An amusement park is a place full of different photographic opportunities. A kid enjoying his cotton candy, a high speed thrill ride, a merry go round, the latest and greatest roller coaster, and thousands of other chances for great shots await you when you step into the entrance gates of any park. It’s good to know the basics when you want your shots to turn out well, and since there is so much variation in the park, there is a lot to know. The best way to photograph a roller coaster and a thrill ride can potentially greatly differ. Being prepared for all the situations and types of rides you will face is a good idea if you want good quality photos.
My goal in writing this is to share with you some of the techniques I’ve developed to get my best shots, and some tips to tweak your picture taking style to slowly improve the outcome of your pictures. Remember that these are all things I’ve learned simply from experience in amusement parks. I will not mention any techniques for photography outside amusement parks, because as I previously stated, every situation requires different techniques, and I’ve only become well-versed in the world of amusement park photography.
The Basics
The ride photograph consists of either a ride, or a track with a coaster on it. The easiest way to get clear pictures fast is to put the camera into sports mode (a method I still practice sometimes today). Your camera will automatically set the shutter speed as high as possible, and adjust the rest of the settings accordingly. To focus the lens on subject, hold down the shutter trigger lightly. This minimizes the amount of time it will take from your triggering the photo to when the camera actually takes a picture. All cameras have different lag times, so experiment with your camera to find what its lag time is. When the train is coming along the track, press the trigger just before the moment you want the picture taken. With practice, your timing will improve, and it will only take one or two tries to get perfect timing on every shot you take.
Camera Shake
Since the beginning of my endeavor into the amusement park industry, fellow enthusiasts have asked me a simple yet important question: “How can I eliminate camera shake at night?” Unfortunately, there isn’t one good answer to this, but I can provide a few different options, the first being use a tripod. However, many parks don’t allow tripods inside the gates, which can become a major problem. After browsing through the instructional booklet that comes with my camera, every camera shake troubleshooting question led to the answer, “use a tripod.” That does not help tremendously in this particular instance, as night shots at parks have the potential be some of the best of the day’s pictures. I have used a few solutions to this problem.
The first is to buy a small, compact tripod that will fit into a small bag and will not cause any trouble passing through security. If you have a smaller camera, there are tripods only a few inches tall that will do the trick. If you have a larger single lens reflex camera, there are slightly bigger ones that work the same way.
Another option is to lean the camera against something stable, such as a fence, a large rock, or even a footer. Although this is not ideal for shutter speeds as long as 30 seconds (to capture motion of a Ferris wheel’s lights, for example), if you need to get a coaster’s blur at night, while keeping the track sharp, this is a good option. Don’t set the shutter speed to over a few seconds using this method, or you will begin to notice your pictures are blurry.
The third option put your camera into manual mode (if it has one), and play with the settings. Because you need a relatively fast shutter speed to capture something without movement in the dark, the answer lies with the ISO. The higher the ISO, the more sensitive the camera’s sensor is to light, and the lighter your pictures will turn out. Bear caution when using this method, as higher ISO ratings on smaller, cheaper cameras can mean grainy images. Experiment with your camera, as all are different, and see what works best.
Angles
Positioning the camera to get the perfect shot can be more pretty difficult sometimes. If you have never been to a certain park before, chances are you won’t know where all the secret photo spots are for the rides there. An easy answer is to take known angles of a type of ride and make them unique, and interesting. For example, there are some angles of the zero-g roll which have been photographed time and time again on different rides around the world. Try exploring the area n which the ride exists, and look for unusual spots and places that make the track look different than it usually does. You’ll find you’re looking at coasters in a whole new way, and it will help you take more unique and interesting shots. A technique to employee while you’re riding a coaster is to scan the land under and around it to see if there are any accessible places that seem like interesting vantage points. Always bear in mind, however that the reason some shots are taken over and over isn’t just because the shot is easily accessible, but also because it looks good. Capturing ‘signature shots’ is sometimes a good thing to do in addition to looking for unique angles.
Vertical vs. Horizontal (Orientation)
This and angles go hand and hand, hence their placement. Before taking a picture, we are given the option to either take the picture vertically or horizontally. Sometimes this is decided simply by what we can fit in the viewfinder (or screen), but other times it’s based on our preference. These are some things to think about when deciding the orientation of a picture.
If you are photographing a midway, horizontal and vertical both have their advantages. If taken horizontally, a midway will look wide and the rides on either side will be visible. However, if you take a vertical shot, you can emphasize the length of the midway. So, the longer the midway, the more you should consider taking a vertical shot. Overviews of parks should almost always be taken horizontally. However, if you are elevated (on a chairlift or tower, etc.), vertical shots can end up looking great as well. Experiment with the two and see which you like better, or if you like to take a combination of both (usually the best idea). When taking a photo of a large drop or large inversion from close up, vertical shots emphasize height, giving a better look and feel to the picture. From farther away, vertical shots usually still work better, but if you are extremely far and getting more of an overview, horizontal shots will do the trick. Overviews of coasters usually look best horizontal. This does not hold true, however, if you’re taking a shot from the side of a coaster (not standing in front of a long side of the footprint.
Framing
Although good zoom is important for this, I think it’s a point worth making. Although some shots are large overviews and have many things in the background, isolating the coaster gives a completely different shot. For example, instead of taking a photo of a cobra roll with the three buildings and pathway behind it, try and zoom in on just the cobra roll. It will eliminate distracting items in the background, and give a shot clearly focused on the subject.
Optical vs. Digital (zoom)
Most of the smaller digital cameras on the market today have two types of zoom: optical and digital. Optical zoom is when the lens physically changes to zoom in, and digital zoom is when the camera zooms in while reducing quality. Digital zoom isn’t really zooming in at all; it’s more like automatic cropping on the camera’s part. Although I use my larger camera most of the time these days, a ground rule with cameras that have digital zoom is to always try to avoid using it. The more digital zoom you use the less quality a picture will have. It will also lose the crispness that the picture would otherwise have. Instead of using digital zoom, try to either get closer to the subject or try to make a zoomed out image look just as cool as the zoomed in one. When purchasing a camera, zoom is one of the most important things to look at. The more optical zoom, the better.
Motion Blur
Purposefully adding motion blur to coaster and thrill ride shots can give great results. At night, blurring lights of various rides gives an even more awesome effect. If you’re an expert in Photoshop you can add blur, but it’s not as natural as capturing it during the shot. To take a motion blur picture, you’ll want your camera to have manual modes on it. Some cameras may have a mode for blurring photos, but if your camera has manual modes, switch the mode to Tv (time value). This allows you to only change the shutter speed variable, and your camera will take care of the rest. During the day, start out with a speed of a half a second to a second. It may take a few tries to get the desired effect. If your entire shot is coming out blurry, see the camera section of this article. Adjust the speed according to how blurry you want the shot to come out. Don’t be afraid to take a lot of photos and choose the best one later, as that is the beauty of having a digital camera!
If you want to keep the shutter open for a much longer period to get more blur during the day, switch the camera to manual mode. If you can have the ability to change these features, put the ISO as low as possible and the Aperture set (or F-stop, F for short on your camera most likely) as high as possible.
Getting blur at night is a bit different. Set the camera to Tv again, but this time, you’ll need to keep the shutter open for longer. Depending on the light in the area, the speed you should enter can greatly vary. Some cameras give an indication of the exposure (how light the picture will be). If it doesn’t, try starting out with five seconds, and increase depending on how dark or bright the picture is. Cameras have different sensors, so each will work a bit differently. If you keep the shutter open for too long, you won’t be able to see a coaster on its track because it is moving, and does not stay in the frame long enough to be captured. If the image is still too dark, go to manual mode (again, only if you have it) and set the ISO to the second or third option from the highest (to balance light and graininess), and set the Aperture, or F-stop, as low as possible. Then, experiment with shutter speeds to see what works best. If the picture is now too light, lower the ISO.
If there are other questions you have, or comments, or if you want me to make a section for something else, say so. Although I’m sure most of you knew most of the things I’ve written, I hope you learned at least one new thing, and maybe you’ll use this as a troubleshooting guide if you come home with photos you’re unhappy with.