PhotoActive Archives

Naval officer in cape, Riva, Ca Di Dio, Venice, Italy

Street Photography Techniques

Street Photography techniques Let's take a look at two very different Street Photography techniques needed for capturing great photographs in the street. One of these methods involves a degree of premeditation and planning. The other…

Pure Street Photography - there was no contact with the subjects in this Venice street. If the children knew I was there, they ignored me - I was just another tourist with a camera. The success of this type of photograph depends entirely on the photographer's positioning, framing and timing

Street Photography – myth and fact

Street Photography - myth and fact How do we unravel all this Street Photography myth and fact? Well, for a start, my personal definition of Street Photography is a very loose one. Beach, market place,…

Picture B By raising the camera position a little and pointing the lens angle down slightly, the telegraph pole has gone, and so has that distracting sky

Good Picture Composition – improve your image framing

Good Picture Composition – improve your image framing If you want to improve your image framing there are some very simple steps you can take. The first step is to bear in mind that even…

PICTURE A Where does your eye go when you first look at this picture? There are clear triangle within this composition

Good Picture Composition

HOW CAN YOU IMPROVE YOUR PICTURE COMPOSITION? How to achieve good picture composition – the first thing to realise is that good picture composition does not have to be confined to landscape photography. All pictures,…

One of Philip Dunn's earliest street photography images. A dirty, barefoot boy eats a biscuit while standing on the doorstep of his home with his mongrel dog. This picture was taken in the north of England in the 1970s with an Pentax camera - using film, of course

Better Street Photography 1

COULD YOU BE A STREET PHOTOGRAPHER? Could you master the art of street photography? Or are you self-conscious about pointing your camera at strangers? Nervous about carrying your gear around in public? Philip Dunn offers…

Dog walker on Porthill Bridge - what a great spot to photograph people in Shrewsbury

Photography Courses in Shrewsbury

Photography Courses in Shrewsbury It's taken a couple of years, but, at last I'm in a position to 'get out more' and again start sharing my lifelong passion for photography. I've started by running Photography…

Blackbird V Fieldfare - it seems a pretty even contest - but you have to be quick to capture it on camera

Photographing Birds in the Snow

WILDLIFE PHOTOGRAPHY IN THE GARDEN SNOW Although I have always had a deep interest in the wildlife that surrounds us, I don't claim to be a nature photographer. It is a branch of photography about…

Understanding Light – its colour

COLOUR TEMPERATURE The colour of the light we use has a direct effect on our photographs. But there’s no need to get bogged down with technicalities to make the most of this colour temperature. An…

High quality light has no harsh, sharp edges on the shadows. It's soft and there is detail in those shadows - yet the light can still be directional as in theis picture taken in a potter's dusty studio. Photograph by Philip Dunn

Understanding Light – its quality

THE QUALITY OF LIGHT What’s all this about the quality of light? Philip Dunn shows you how to recognise good light - and improve it when it’s not so good. When asked to define the…

It's not just the old man's face and beard that brings impact to this portrait. I is the strong side light. That's what is emphasizing the texture of his skin. I deliberately positioned my subject beside a small window. Photography by Philip Dunn

Understanding Light – its direction

THE DIRECTION OF LIGHT Good light is the photographer’s most vital yet least understood ingredient. It’s more important than a whole bagful of expensive gear. Let's get to grips with the direction of light. Let’s…