If you weren't lucky enough to attend Whistler's Outdoor Photography Workshop this week, which took place June 22 - 26, here's what you missed: Four days of hands-on instruction, workshops and lectures on how to shoot better outdoor and action imagery, led by some of the top pros in the action sports photography world, Blake Jorgenson, Jordan Manley, Scott Serfas, Paul Morrison, and Eric Berger.
Don't get too grumpy that you missed it (there will be similar workshops held in the future). And we are here to help. We asked Jorgenson, who put on the workshop and was the 2011 winner of the Olympus Pro Photographer Showdown at Whistler's World Ski and Snowboard Festival, to share five easy tips for better photography. Here is his advice.
1: Photography is a communication art. Always try to put yourself in the position of the viewer of your photo. It will help you with your composition and understanding of your image.
2: Examine what it is that interests you and concentrate on those details. Don't try to include everything you see or it might be confusing to your viewer. Break down what you're seeing and focus on that.
3: Develop manual control over your camera. Even with digital cameras working well on auto and powerful post software, it's the control over exposure, depth, and light in the moment of capture that will help you create great photos. Otherwise you will always be hoping for the best and simply guessing.
4: Always try to tell a story with your photos. Whether it's in a single image or series, it will help you piece together what you're seeing and give you direction in what to shoot. It'll also inspire you to see more things between the lines.
5: Have some kind of visual idea in your head of what you're tying to get instead of just shooting randomly. Especially with action you need to anticipate the shot before it happens.
