‘Strobist Photography’ has been a hot topic of discussion in the photography circle in recent years and more and more photographers are getting hooked on to this new genre of photography with every passing day. So in this article we introduce you to this new aspect of photography which looks set to play an intergral part in shaping the future of this industry.

Strobes give you the ability to selectively light subjects in a frame. Here the subject is reading a book and the strobe was placed behind the book

What is Strobist Photography?
Strobist photography is an upcoming genre of photography which involves the use of artificial lights to illuminate an entire picture or a few elements within the frame. These artificial lights may be used either for clarity or simply for effect. The artificial lighting may be created using small portable flashes (flash guns) or the lesser known variety of lights called studio strobes. All varieties of artificial lights, whether portable flash guns or studio lights, nonetheless have now come to be known as ‘Strobes’ and hence the genre was christined ‘Strobist Photography’.

Read more: Strobist Photography: An introduction

From the moment you get them home, pets quickly find a place in your heart and become an integral part of your family. And as is the case with your loved ones, you love shooting them when they are at playful best, to forever treasure those memories. But taking good photographers of your pets can prove to be quite a challenge considering how restless they can be. So here are a few tips that can help you make the most of the photo session with your pet.

Bring out their personality
The first question to ask yourself is ‘what sets your pet apart from other animals?’ Think about your pet’s personality and then attempt to capture some of it in your shots. For instance, if you have a pet that is known to be lazy, set up a photo shoot around its bed or where it lazes around. Similarly, if your pet is hyperactive, inquisitive and always on the move catch it in action when it’s racing around, jumping for the ball or playing with other animals.

Read more: How to shoot your pets: The basics

Photographing rural life and capturing the village folks engaged in their day-to-day activities may seem an easy task but there’s a lot more to it than simply pulling the trigger. To get interesting captures of ordinary situations one requires sharp observational skills, good sense of composition and a little bit of creativity. So if you are keen on making the most of your next trip to the farmlands, here are some tips to get you started.

Photo by Partha Pal | Fotoflock Gallery

Storytelling
Because rural life is so different and intriguing to anyone who hasn’t experienced it, great photographs need to tell a story about the place and the people therein without having to sport elaborate captions or lengthy explanations. The photographs must have intent behind them i.e. they need to be shot with a story in mind rather than the other way round. Great rural photos are never just random snapshots of scenery or people. One needs to be able to look beyond just what meets the eye. For example it is rather difficult to photograph a tribal ceremony unless you know the significance of each of the rituals being performed. Only if you know what each act means, will you know what the most interesting part to capture is. Similarly unless you know about the struggles and hardships that farmers in rural areas face, how can your photographs portray them correctly? Taking the photograph is just the beginning. The final objective of the photographer should be to understand, elaborate upon and create intriguing and empathetic images of his subject.

Read more: A photographer’s guide to the rural life

There are many reasons why a work of art is photographed. For one, it allows you to share a gorgeous piece of art easily with the world. Photographing artwork can also come in handy for cataloguing, for entering it in a competition and so on. It is also wise to keep a visual record of expensive pieces of art on display within a property for insurance purposes. 

So what goes behind photographing an artwork? To start with you don’t necessarily need a DSLR camera, studio lighting, remote shutter releases and other elaborate equipment for this kind of photography. All you need to do is follow the four steps listed below to take good pictures of any piece of art.

Read more: How to shoot artwork: The basics