Photographs are a medium which can be used to freeze time and when used properly, it can be used to tell meaningful stories. Images can be used to convey emotion through a still image, and by utilizing light and compositional techniques, your photos can do the same. People say that a picture is worth a thousand words, and there is a reason for that. Below you will find resources on how to learn and participate in the art of photography through on-campus resources, as well as some quick tips to take better photos in the field.
Preferred file format for IQPs: TIFF or JPEG
Resources
Digital Cameras
- ATC
- Field kits
- Digital cameras
Lighting
- Global Lab
- Three-point lighting
Tripods
Training/Workshops
- Global Lab
- Techniques in Field Methods
WPI Student Groups
Software
The following software is recommended to edit and process photographs.
Adobe Lightroom (WPI SUPPORTED)
- Used to edit RAW photos
- This software is available for free in the Global Lab, Shuster Lab, HL 230, Fuller Labs computers, SL 123, laptops from ATC (need approval from IGSD)
- Compatible with Windows and macOS
- Free on select WPI computers, paid subscriptions for students
Adobe Photoshop (WPI SUPPORTED)
- Used to edit photos (not RAW)
- This software is available for free in the Global Lab, Shuster Lab, HL 230, Fuller Labs computers, SL 123, laptops from ATC (need approval from IGSD)
- Compatible with Windows and macOS
- Free on select WPI computers, paid subscriptions for students
Microsoft Photos (WPI SUPPORTED)
- Free simple photo editor with Windows (minor edits)
- This software comes preinstalled on all Windows 10 computers, including all computers found in labs on campus.
- Compatible with Windows
- Free on Windows computers
Google Photos
- Free photo storage and editor (minor edits)
- This software is available online with all Google accounts.
- Compatible with all major web browsers.
- Free
GIMP
- A free alternative to Photoshop
- This software is available through online download
- Compatible with Windows, macOS, and Linux
- Free
DxO Photolab
- An alternative to Lightroom
- This software is available through online download
- Compatible with Windows and macOS
- One time payment
RawTherapee
- A free alternative to Lightroom
- This software is available through online download
- Compatible with Windows, macOS, and Linux
- Free
DarkTable
- A free alternative to Lightroom
- This software is available through online download
- Compatible with Windows, macOS, and Linux
- Free
Books
- Understanding Exposure (4th edition) by Brian Peterson
- Introduction to creatively using exposure, depth of field, and shutter speed
- AMC Guide to Outdoor Digital Photography by Jerry Monkman
- Introduction to how to shoot photos in wilderness scenes, which could be useful when telling your story
Videos
- Professional Photography Tips
- A YouTube channel which covers the basics of photography as well as some more advanced tips.
- Simon Baxter
- A YouTube channel which covers wilderness photography and how to take meaningful photographs.
- Sean Tucker
- A YouTube channel which covers a variety of photography topics such as portraits, black and white photography, ethics, and street photography.
Photograph Tips
Ethical Considerations
- Tone and positionality
- Photographic consent
- If you are planning on including a photograph of another person in your project, be sure to create and obtain a signed photographic release form from the person in the photo.
- A sample photograph release form
- Honesty and authenticity
Basic Tips
- Keep the contents of your photo simple
- Do not have a distracting background
- Choose one main subject to focus on, you may have to zoom or move closer
- Use a tripod
- Tripods help you get a steady shot and eliminate camera shake from your hands
- You can use a tripod along with the self-timer feature on your camera to take group photos
- Ensure your tripod is sturdy before letting go – that is how a camera can break!
- Have a spare battery and SD card
- You never know when you might come across the perfect shot, so be prepared and have a spare battery (fully charged) and SD card (with plenty of free space) on hand
- Do not overly edit your photos
- Storytelling shots (especially those in a journalistic setting) should not be overly edited and should be an accurate representation of what you could see when you took the shot
- Tuning the brightness/exposure, contrast, saturation/vibrancy, white balance, and/or levels should be enough for almost all photos
- Do not “Photoshop” people or objects in or out of your image – if you do make sure to put a disclaimer about it
- Take some test shots to make sure your images are coming out properly
- Some common mistakes are: fingers blocking the camera lens, improper exposure, wrong white balance, or a dirty lens
- Review your photos quickly before leaving the scene
- Just in case your subject blinked at the perfect moment or something is off in your photo
Advanced Tips
- Do not use digital zoom
- If you have a lens which actually zooms, you are fine, but if you are using digital zoom, consider taking the photo without zooming in and cropping using Lightroom or Photoshop later on
- Use the proper white balance
- If you are shooting in RAW, you can always change the white balance in post, but if you are not – make sure your photos do not look too blue or red, if they do, switch the white balance presets on your camera
- Take multiple photos of the same subject in different places
- The best shot is not always facing the front of your subject, shooting at eye level
- Understand the lighting in your scene
- Backlit shots are not good unless you want to make silhouettes
- Side lighting can make for a dramatic photo with lots of shadows
- Front lighting can make for shadowless photos that are evenly lit
- If you are trying to get photos of scenery, try doing so in early morning or late afternoon (golden hours)
- Try reflecting light off of white objects or use a reflector to make more even lighting
- Use a diffuser to create a softer light on your subject
- Shoot in RAW format if your camera supports it
- This allows better editing in Adobe Lightroom
- Use the rule of thirds for composing images
- Imagine a 3×3 grid on your image, try to place subjects on the intersection of the gridlines or the horizon on one of the gridlines
- Use depth of field to your advantage
- Only if you can control the aperture of your camera (shoot in aperture priority or manual mode)
- Larger f-numbers (> 11) make more things in focus and are good for storytelling shots about a landscape or scenery
- Apertures around 8-11 are for “who cares” scenes where you do not need either everything in focus or only one subject
- Smaller f-numbers (< 8) make a subject in sharp focus and the stuff behind them have a soft blur and are good for storytelling shots where the subject should stand out (portraits are a great candidate)
- Use the shutter speed to your advantage
- Only if you can control the shutter speed of your camera (shoot in shutter priority or manual mode)
- Fast shutter speed (represented as either small fractions or large numbers) freeze action and are good for moving subjects or dramatic storytelling
- Slow shutter speeds (represented as either large fractions or seconds – ex. 1”) reveal motion blur in photos and are good for shots that imply motion or creative shots
- Keep your ISO as low as you can (100 or 200 is typically the bottom limit of many cameras)
- You may not have the ability to do this, and is typically accessed within camera settings
- You can use high ISO for shots in low light, where you cannot get a shot any other way
Sample Projects with Effective Use of Photographs
Student Input on the Design of the Innovation Studio
This project contains several high-quality photos of architectural features and still objects, including the use of macro photography. This project was an IQP done by Carolyn Detora, David Powers, Ivan Melnikov, Megan Errichetti, Morgan Mitchell, and Peter Mitrano.
Lights on the Horizon: A Socioeconomic Impact Evaluation of Rural Electrification in Tsumkwe, Namibia
This report demonstrates the use of landscape and community photography to tell a story about the region. This project was an IQP done by Brennan Ashton, Donal Boyd, Jessica Lopez, and Lauren Bisacky.
Urban Intervention Corps: Planting the Seeds of Collaboration
This booklet format report utilizes photographs and visuals to tell a story. This project was an IQP done by Alexander Johnson, Dante Mauriello, Kristen Antunes, and Taylor Bergeron.