Oct 3, 20213 min read

Creative Techniques by Abi Coop

Hi everyone, I’m Abi your newest admin, here to give you a little introduction to this new theme. It’s one we want you to have some fun with. The subject can be anything, but the aim is to experiment with using various creative techniques to achieve some cool effects in your images. There are endless different ways you could do this, so get your thinking caps on, use your imagination and enjoy creating.

Self portrait shot through flowers and bubble wrap by Abi Coop

I’m just going to give you a few suggestions and some example photos to get you inspired and thinking along the right lines, but I’m sure you can come up with many more ideas and your own unique techniques. There are going to be a couple of amazing new lessons this month to add to old lessons where we have previously delved into some of these topics as part of other themes. I’m not going to go into lots of technical detail here, but please ask if you have any questions or need pointing in the right direction for more resources.

1. Shooting through things

Shooting through leaves by Sofia De Vasconcelos

This is literally what it says – shooting with something in between your lens and your subject to add interest. If the object is transparent or translucent, such as glass prisms, drinking glasses, bottles, plastic bags, tissue paper, bubble wrap and so on, you might create interesting reflections, blur, colours and patterns. If the object is opaque, such as copper tubes, plants, toys, railings, ornaments etc… you can add depth to your image with layering and framing. It can be things you specifically hold or attach in front of your lens, or objects that are there in place already.

Shooting through earrings by Paphro Arijee

Shooting through playground equipment by Laura Sanchez

2. Freelensing

Freelensing is taking a photograph with your lens detached from the camera. This lets in loads of light, gives a small slice of focus and leaves the rest in a dreamy blur. This is one of my favourite techniques as I love the ethereal feel it gives my images.

Here’s a very brief explantation of the technique if you haven’t tried this before. You set your shutter speed (you’ll need quite fast as freelensing lets in lots of light), ISO and white balance, put your lens in manual focus turned all the way to infinity. Then detach the lens and hold it just a little away from the camera. Moving it very slightly in and out, and tilting left and right will have a big effect on where your slice of focus falls and the blur patterns created in the rest of the image.

Freelensed by Abi Coop

Along similar lines is reverse freelensing. This is basically the same thing but you turn your lens around, which means it acts like a magnifying glass, so you have a macro lens! You’ll need to be super close to your subject and it can be quite tricky to nail focus, but personally I find it quite theraputic and addictive!

Reverse freelensed by Abi Coop

3. Movement

Another way to create artistic effects in your photos is by deliberately moving your camera as you shoot, known as intentional camera movement (ICM). To do this you’ll need to have a slower shutter speed, so in bright settings even with a low ISO and a tiny aperture you might need a neutral density filter to reduce the amount of light coming in. Moving the camera in a straight line is called panning, and can be used with a moving subject such that the subject appears still and the background blurred. With a zoom lens you can zoom in or out as the shutter is released. You could also try rotating the camera, following the shape of something or just any freestyle motion. At lot of this technique is trial and error. Vary the speed of your movement, the settings, the focus and see what look you prefer.

Intentional Camera Movement by Regina Boston

4. Effect lenses such as Lensbaby, Helios…

Lensbaby Velvet 56 by Abi Coop

If you are lucky enough to own any of these special lenses, you’ll be able to create all kinds of effects: bokeh, flares, blur, ethereal glows and so on in-camera. You could then use any of the other techniques mentioned with one of these lenses to further enhance your images.

Freelensed with Helios 44-2 by Karin Burbridge

Besides the techniques mentioned there are so many more, you are only limited by your imagination. Think multiple exposures, diptychs (we know you loved those!), stripy light, coloured light, smoke, water droplets, collaborative work with your photog buddies... We hope you'll enjoy experimenting with something new this month and can't wait to see your images.

Abi xx