Photography Faux Pas
This is an introductory article for those looking to make a jump into photography, to learn some of the do's and do not's (mostly not's) of our beloved hobby. These tips should also be beneficial for everyone, from the seasoned vet to the soccer mom with an iPad. Ah, where to begin? So much to cover, so little time!
Flash Photography on Rides
Let's start here. Flash photography on dark rides. Don't be that person to ruin the ride experience for others just so you can get an overblown photo of [HASHTAG]#hatboxghost[/HASHTAG]. I'll admit, my wife has been guilty of this on more than one occasion and she has gotten the evil eye from me every time.
Selfie Sticks
Next up is the new craze that has engulfed the parks as of late. You guessed it: the selfie stick phenomenon. You know, I'm somewhat OK if you are someone using these to capture a photo of yourself or your family like this:
What bugs me is when these are used on rides or when people hold them out in front of them while walking around the parks. It's not only dumb, but also a huge safety issue for yourself and those around you.
iPad Photography
Another of technology's greatest gifts of late has been the arrival of the tablet photographers. This I just can't comprehend by any means. OK, you want to bring your tablet into the parks to pass time; hey, I'm cool with that! But for the love of God, what good reason is there to whip this almost square foot combination of metal and glass out to capture those precious moments while visiting the parks? It would be a safe bet to say that close to 100% of iPad owners (throw Samsung or whatever other tablets you see in the parks here, as well) own some sort of smart phone, so why aren't they using that instead? Not only do the phones have a better quality camera, but they are also less intrusive.
Wonderful World of Instagram Filters
Maybe it’s just me but I see a lot of people getting carried away with these filters. Crazy saturation, lens flares that would make Michael Bay cringe, and green tints that would make Neo puke while in the Matrix. Maybe it's just me and I'm over reacting, but I'm just not a fan.
Over Cooked HDR
I’ll admit I have been guilty of this. When I first discovered HDR photography, I was amazed with how stunning the photos looked and I knew I wanted to try it firsthand. What I didn't expect was to see some of the wild results that I got from the programs that I used. I thought they looked wild and at the time I was pretty happy with the results, but as I grew as a photographer, my style evolved and instead of creating these cartoon looking environments, I was focusing more on trying to create an HDR photo that captured the natural beauty of the subject I was shooting.
So, there you have it. A few hints and tips for today's photographers or soccer moms. Feel free to add anything you feel could make it on your list, as well.
