Time Lapse Photography, Long Exposure & Other Tricks of Time: From Snapshots to Great Shots, First Edition

Time Lapse Photography, Long Exposure & Other Tricks of Time: From Snapshots to Great Shots, First Edition

by John Carucci
Released February 2016
Publisher(s): Peachpit Press
ISBN: 9780134429168

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Book description

In the newest entry in Peachpit's popular From Snapshots to Great Shots series, photographer John Carucci shares amazing techniques for creative time-related photography techniques, including long-exposure, time-lapse, and high-speed photography.

Carucci starts by reviewing your equipment needs, including filters, image stabilizers (tripods, monopods, beanbags, etc.), software, and more. Next, he explains the basics of long-exposure photography, demonstrating how to effectively capture time in nighttime cityscapes, photos of the night sky, and in brighter light using neutral density filters. Along the way, you'll learn the fundamentals of blurring, shooting in RAW, and balancing flash and ambient light.

He then walks through the essentials of time-lapse photography: how to regulate your camera's motion, determine the best duration to use, and use software to perfect your images. Carucci's time-lapse section is complemented with a complete online video tutorial on capturing effective time-lapse sequences.

You'll also find expert coverage of high-speed photography, including choosing shutter speed, stopping action with flash, shooting sports, and more. Carucci concludes by helping you develop and perfect your own aesthetic, with tips on properly framing your scenes, creative composition, and effective use of color and tone.

Time Lapse, Long Exposure, and Other Tricks of Time features beautiful full-color images, clear design, and John Carucci's friendly, knowledgeable voice. It's a pleasure to learn from - and if you've ever wanted to master any of these techniques, it's the guide you've been waiting for.

Table of contents

  1. Title Page
  2. Copyright Page
  3. Dedication
  4. Acknowledgments
  5. Contents
  6. Introduction
  7. 1. Having the Right Equipment
    1. Gearing Up for Creative Photography
    2. Poring Over the Picture
    3. Poring Over the Picture
    4. Being Properly Equipped
      1. What I Carry in My Bag
      2. Essential Accessories
    5. Knowing Your Camera
      1. DSLR Sensors Differ
      2. Sensor Sizes
    6. The Magic of Lenses
      1. Focal Length Is Not What It Used to Be
      2. True Focal Length
      3. Conversion Chart of Popular Focal Lengths
    7. Having the Right Media Card
      1. Making Sure Your Card Is Formatted
      2. Media Card Real Estate
    8. Keeping It Steady
      1. A Big Sturdy Tripod Saves the Day
      2. A Good Head on Your Shoulders
      3. Other Ways to Keep the Camera Steady
    9. Using Filters
    10. Computers and Software
      1. Looking on a Big Screen
      2. Operating Systems and Photoshop: Mac OS X and Windows
        1. Mac OS
        2. Windows
      3. Adobe Photoshop
        1. Photoshop Requirements
    11. Chapter 1 Assignments
  8. 2. Exposures Longer Than a Snapshot
    1. Got the Time, Get the Picture
    2. Poring Over the Picture
    3. Poring Over the Picture
    4. Collect Light in a Single Image
      1. Randomness of Long Exposure
      2. Subject Matters as Much as When You Shoot
    5. Practical Reasons for Long Exposure
    6. Understanding the Reciprocal Nature of Exposure
      1. Fractional Exposures
    7. Factors That Make Great Photographs
      1. Time of Night
        1. Twilight
        2. Dark Sky
      2. The Effects of Artificial Lighting
        1. Passive vs. Active Light
      3. Length of Exposure
      4. Weather Conditions
        1. Overcast
        2. Fog
        3. Rain
        4. Snow
    8. The Risk and Reward of Blurring
    9. Seeing Ghosts
    10. Chapter 2 Assignments
  9. 3. A Universe in Every Frame
    1. Trials and Tribulations of a Long Exposure
    2. Poring Over the Picture
    3. Poring Over the Picture
    4. Understanding Artificial Lighting
    5. Incandescent Light Sources
      1. Tungsten
      2. Fluorescent
    6. Color Temperature
    7. High-Intensity Discharge Lamps
      1. Sodium Vapor
      2. Mercury Vapor
      3. Multi Vapor
    8. Neon Lighting
    9. Taking Pictures in the Dark
      1. Focusing in the Dark
    10. Long Exposures During the Day
    11. Zooming as a Creative Device
    12. Photographing Trails of Light
      1. Photographing Automotive Light Trails
      2. Having Fun with Amusement Park Rides
      3. Shooting Fireworks
      4. Painting with Light
    13. Shooting the Night Sky
      1. Capturing Star Trails
      2. Shooting the Moon
      3. Other Night Sky Situations
    14. Chapter 3 Assignments
  10. 4. Mixing Time and Flash
    1. Playing with Time in the Same Frame
    2. Poring Over the Picture
    3. Poring Over the Picture
    4. Electronic Flash Basics
      1. Advanced Flash Unit Features
      2. Reasons for Using Flash
      3. On-Camera Flash
      4. Dealing with Red Eye
      5. The Effectiveness of Bounce Flash
      6. Where Do I Bounce Now?
      7. Off-Camera Flash Works Really Well
    5. Balancing Flash and Ambient Light
      1. Get a Good Reading of the Scene
      2. Use a Tripod or Not?
    6. Not All Flash Exposures Are Created Equal
      1. Dragged Shutter Flash
      2. Rear Curtain Sync
      3. The Long Exposure Portrait
      4. Filtering Flash
    7. Fun with Multiple Flash Exposure
      1. Repeating Flash in the Same Exposure
      2. Manually Popping Flash
    8. Chapter 4 Assignments
  11. 5. Having Fun with Time Lapse
    1. The Basics Behind Making a Time Lapse Sequence
    2. Poring Over the Picture
    3. Poring Over the Picture
    4. The Time Lapse Sequence
      1. Understand the Movie to Master the Time Lapse
      2. Playback Speed Makes the Difference
    5. Making a Time Lapse Movie
      1. What You Need for Time Lapse
      2. Time Lapse Length
    6. Choosing Your Camera
    7. Time Lapse with Your DSLR
      1. Transferring Your Images
      2. Making a DSLR Time Lapse
      3. Dealing with Flicker
      4. Calculating Your Time
    8. Time Lapse with Your Smartphone
    9. Using the GoPro for Time Lapse
      1. Editing Time Lapse with GoPro Studio
    10. Using Photoshop to Build a Time Lapse
    11. Chapter 5 Assignments
  12. 6. Crisp High-Speed Photography
    1. Exposing for the Moment
    2. Poring Over the Picture
    3. Poring Over the Picture
    4. A Fast Shutter Speed
      1. Using a High Shutter Speed for Bright Situations
    5. High-Speed Control Differs with Each Camera
      1. The Digital SLR
      2. Point-and-Shoot Cameras
      3. GoPro Cameras
      4. Smartphone Cameras
    6. Determining the Correct Shutter Speed
      1. Use an Effective ISO Setting
      2. Shooting Continuous Frames
    7. Handholding During a Long Exposure
      1. Minimum Shutter Speed
      2. Shooting at the Decisive Moment
      3. Mastering Motion Blur
    8. Freezing Action with Flash
      1. Fun with People
    9. Chapter 6 Assignments
  13. 7. Compositional Aesthetics
    1. Creating a Visually Literate Image
    2. Poring Over the Picture
    3. Poring Over the Picture
    4. Utilizing the Tools of Composition
      1. It All Happens in the Frame
    5. Creative Composition Techniques
      1. The Rule of Thirds Rules!
      2. Keep It Simple
      3. Framing the Subject
      4. Working the Dutch Angle
      5. Shadows and Reflections
      6. Using Shape and Form as Creative Devices
      7. Dealing with Symmetry
    6. Using Color Effectively
      1. For the Sake of Color
    7. Controlling the Scene with Focal Length
      1. Understanding Ultrawide-Angle Lenses
      2. The Wide-Angle Lens
      3. The Normal Lens
      4. Bringing It Close with a Telephoto
    8. Employing Angles Effectively
    9. Chapter 7 Assignments
  14. Appendix
    1. Enhancing Your Time Images with Adobe Photoshop
    2. Dealing with Shadow and Highlight Issues
    3. Enhancing Time Lapse Images En Masse
    4. Batch Processing Your Images
    5. Image Correction Using Camera RAW
  15. Index

Product information

  • Title: Time Lapse Photography, Long Exposure & Other Tricks of Time: From Snapshots to Great Shots, First Edition
  • Author(s): John Carucci
  • Release date: February 2016
  • Publisher(s): Peachpit Press
  • ISBN: 9780134429168