Various Photo Themes

Action

Action in effort, speed, difficulty, risk, and an intensity—or even tension—to convey. You need to know how to position yourself and capture the moment, without forgetting that the goal is first and foremost to show the action or context, not what the person experiencing it sees.

Prioritise the "setting" by avoiding too tight a frame, work with fast shutter speeds while ensuring enough depth to compensate for any imprecise focus. Then play with contrasts by choosing spaces where the subject will stand out best.

Panning

Macro

Backlighting

Night Photos

Indoor Photos

Photos Through Glass

Who hasn’t wanted to take a photo while stuck behind a window in a vehicle or building? It’s tricky, especially because of reflections or focus issues.

The first thing to do when photographing through glass is to get as close to it as possible to avoid poor focus and reflections. To minimise—or even eliminate—reflections, make sure the subject’s side is, if possible, better lit than where you’re standing. If needed, don’t hesitate to darken your surroundings naturally or artificially while taking the shot. A polarising filter can also help significantly.

For focus, use manual mode to ensure the camera locks onto the subject, not the glass. Clean the glass if necessary to improve sharpness. As for the flash, avoid its constant reflection by shifting a few centimetres so it’s no longer directly facing the glass. And if reflections or focus issues persist, "work with them" to create an original composition.