Zoom Baby Zoom By Sharon Elrod At Isnare.com Ezine Articles

We will be the first to say that gear does not make the photographer. All the fancy equipment in the world will not compensate for poor skills, talent and/or training. On the other hand, good equipment can make a lot of difference in quality shots in the hands of a skilled professional photographer.

Knowing how to use a zoom lens at the right time and place is a basic tenet in the photography industry. And there is an inherent cautionary word that should be observed. Don’t let your zoom lens make you lazy. Keep all the basics of your profession in mind when you’re shooting… lighting, aperture, shutter speed, ISO… composition, where light is falling, background, depth of field… Hitting the zoom button will not compensate for ignoring these basics. And your pictures will reveal your short-cut attempts.

One general piece of advice for the beginning photographer... zoom in closer than you think you should. Fill The Frame! It is very difficult to create an image, especially a portrait, where you've zoomed in too far. Take a close look at impactful images in magazines. Often a fashion model is shot with half of the top of her head cut off, and you've never even noticed! The eyes are the most important part of a photograph, just keep them in sharp focus and Zoom baby Zoom!

So when else is zoom a good choice?

Always consider using your zoom feature when you want to focus on one area in the picture frame. You may want to physically move closer to the object(s) to get the frame just right. Physical movement isn’t always possible, and the zoom may be the only choice. Remember, when you use your zoom, the camera enlarges the area to fit the entire picture frame. Experimenting with physical movement and zoom will help you decide which option appears to work better for you.

Using the zoom feature is almost always recommended when you are doing face shots. Stunning facial features can be highlighted with a very close position and appropriate lighting, and conversely are usually lost with too much distance between the camera and the model. Experiment to find what level of zoom works best for the variety of pictures you enjoy creating.

Looking at the composition of the picture helps you decide whether or not to use the zoom feature. If you want to make a strong statement about just one item in the frame, zoom in on it to the exclusion of everything else. Or if you want to frame the picture with an attractive but subtle background, keep some of the background and zoom in only partly on the focal point. And obviously, with most landscape shots and large group pictures, the zoom feature is unwarranted.

Our advice is to decide in advance what level of definition you want in your picture(s) and be prepared to experiment with the various levels of zoom available on your camera. With digital technology, take shots at several zoom levels and decide later which ones you want to use.

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