An invitation to 3-dimensional expression

Here are some useful tips for conveying depth in your images. The elegant restaurant in the Lyon Station Paris looks like this (photo left). It's a world-renowned establishment that has appeared in numerous moves. While my initial picture is a technically accurate depiction, this image is flat and uninteresting-it fails to convey presence, the feeling of being there. Since normal photographs are two-dimensional images, the challenge for photographers is how to convey three-dimensional effects on a flat plane. Zoom lenses are very useful in such a case since they allow you include background and foreground objects quite easily, adding a feeling of space around the main subject. If you wish to take pictures of a building, for example, you had better shoot from a higher vantage point if you can, rather than looking up from ground level. Whether you decide to shoot a building from above or below, it's always important to carefully observe the image in the viewfinder before you take the picture to avoid obvious linear distortion (known as the keystone effect) in pillars or walls.

Ordinary snapshot view of Lyon Station restaurant: Taken with Nikon D90 and Tamron AF18-270mm F/3.5-6.3 Di II VC lens at 23mm (equivalent to 34.5mm in the 35mm format). Aperture priority AE (f/5.6, 1/25 sec), ISO400, Auto WB, RAW, handheld. Capture foreground objects to add a three-dimensional effect: Taken with Nikon D90 and Tamron AF18-270mm F/3.5-6.3 Di II VC lens at 55mm (equivalent to 82.5mm in the 35mm format). Aperture priority AE (f/5.6, 1/30 sec), ISO400, Auto WB , RAW, handheld. *Click on the image to see an enlarged image.

Capture the atmosphere using creative white balance, slow shutter speeds.

Parisian carousel using Auto White Balance: Taken with Nikon D90 and Tamron AF18-270mm F/3.5-6.3 Di II VC lens at 20mm (equivalent to 30mm in the 35mm format). Aperture priority AE (f/5.6, 1/20 sec), Auto WB, RAW, handheld.

Merry-go-rounds are very popular in France. They're visually fascinating and beautiful, acting as a stimulus for your creativity, particularly when you photograph them in the early evening light. But to capture truly compelling images of carousels you need to employ some very specific photographic methods. If you don't use these techniques, you may succeed in capturing beautiful pictures of merry-go-rounds but not the atmosphere -a sense to place and a moment in time. The picture at left is a good example. Since the white balance of my digital camera was set to Auto, the reddish glare of the incandescent lamps in the photo has been automatically compensated to achieve a "normalized" result and the vibrant color is lost. When you're confronted with scenes like this I recommend setting the white balance to Daylight. The glare of the incandescent lamps will then be captured in a more emotionally compelling way (see photo below). Don't forget to reset white balance back to Auto (AWB) again when you have finished shooting the scene.

To faithfully capture the color of the incandescent lights as I saw them I set the white balance to "Daylight," and used a slow shutter speed to capture the atmosphere. Taken with Nikon D90 and Tamron AF18-270mm F/3.5-6.3 Di II VC lens at 18mm (equivalent to 28mm in the 35mm format). Aperture priority AE (f/5.6, 1/10 sec), ISO400, Daylight WB, RAW, handheld. *Click on the image to see an enlarged view.

Selecting the right shutter speed is also critical. In this instance you can better convey the real feeling of the place if you shoot the merry-go-round so it appears to be slowly rotating. The slowly moving carousel was captured here by using a slow shutter speed to suggest its natural motion the picture on the left was shot handheld, but the captivating blur is due to subject moving as the shutter was open, not to camera shake which was effectively controlled thanks to the VC. I also intentionally included a few people walking around while the merry-go-round itself relatively small in the frame in order to give the picture dimensional feeling of space. I think you will find that the picture below is a far better representation of what the scene felt like.

Since the Tamron 18-270mm is equipped with the VC mechanism, you can take handheld pictures even in the early evening around sunset. Previously, such photography was almost impossible, especially with long-range zoom lenses. Whatever the hour, the key to take capturing engaging street scenes is including people within the frame. For example, look at the picture on the left. It is kind of diffuse, lacking a central point of interest and the general effect falls flat. What makes the picture seem vague is that the main subject is vague. Simply capturing scenes literally is not sufficient if you want to create interesting images. Look at the picture on the right for comparison. It captures a family walking toward me and another couple walking away. Motion and dimension are expressed thanks to the composition. Having the patience to wait for the perfect moment to release the shutter release is essential if you expect to create memorable images of street scenes.

Taken with Nikon D90 and Tamron AF18-270mm F/3.5-6.3 Di II VC at 18mm (equivalent to 28mm in the 35mm format). Aperture priority AE (f/5.6, 1/8 sec), ISO400, WB set to Incandescent, RAW, handheld. *Click on the image to see an enlarged view.

Wait for the decisive moment to create the images you envision.

In France, buildings displaying the national flag are usually government buildings. In general, they are stately edifices. Is a national flag hanging motionless or one flapping in the wind better for creating an engaging photograph? It a matter of context and taste of course, but it's often technically difficult to capture scenes with a flapping flag, particularly on windless days. However, as a photographer you should understand that you will almost always have the opportunity to record the exact scene you want if you're prepared to wait for a while. Indeed, the ability to wait for the optimum shutter release moment is one of the most striking characteristics of all great photographers. If you wish to take pictures of a building with a flag flapping in the wind, you simply wait for the appropriate time, and return to the scene on another day if possible Waiting for the optimum moment is a fundamental element in raising the level of your photography. Practice photography in this way and it will be evident to all that you are a more skillful photographer.

Taken with Nikon D90 and Tamron AF18-270mm F/3.5-6.3 Di II VC at 92mm (equivalent to 138mm in the 35mm format). Aperture priority AE (f/5.6, 1/400 sec), ISO200, Auto WB, RAW, handheld. *Click on the image to see an enlarged view.

Adjust color saturation and contrast to suit the main subject.

Look at the two of the last pictures I took during my recent European trip. The main differences between the two pictures are the color saturation and contrast settings. Which one do you like better? You might say you prefer the picture right, but I prefer the one on the left. The contrast and color saturation in the picture right are relatively high, so it may look livelier and more intense. But look at the facial expression of the dog. He looks rather desolate and lonely. Since the main subject in this case is the dog, matching the tone and feeling of the overall scene to the dog creates a more compelling visual statement. In other words, the vivid colors in the background are not appropriate to the message. The atmosphere you wish to convey can be better expressed if you suppress color saturation and contrast. The lesson here is that capturing images in vivid colors and high contrast is not recommended in some cases, because the capability of the lens to faithfully reproduce the tone of the scene may be lost in such cases, as these pictures show. You will be more creative in your photography if you keep this in mind when making these settings.		Taken with Nikon D90 and Tamron AF18-270mm F/3.5-6.3 Di II VC at 140mm (equivalent to 210mm in the 35mm format). Aperture priority AE (f/6, 1/125 sec), ISO400, Auto WB auto, RAW, handheld. *Click on the image to see an enlarged view
Many thanks for reading my three-part report based on using the remarkable Tamron 18-270mm VC lens to cover my recent European trips. I hope you found it interesting and informative and I look forward to having another opportunity to talk with you on one of my favorite topics-how you can make better pictures. Hideyuki Abe

Hideyuki Abe Born in Tokyo. He works as a professional photographer of scenery in Europe, portraiture and many other fields. As soon as he became a freelancer, he started to contribute articles to photo fan magazines. Articles he contributes at present include "Travel Photography" (Asahi Camera Magazine), "Abe Hideyuki's Photo Seminar: Let's Take Pictures in This Way" (Monthly Photographer) and "Tips by Pro for Better Photography", a column in the e-Nikkor Club of the website operated by Nikon Imaging Japan Inc. He assumes the office of a member of the selection committee of Japan Camera Grand Prix since 1987, while serving as a lecturer at Photo Imaging Expo. He excels at technical review of hardware in addition to his work as a professional photographer. Web site (Japanese) : http://ameblo.jp/abe-hideyuki/