Tip 6: Composition
In photography exists many compositions. If you are new in this art, I trully recomend you research on other blogs and learn from photo books and magazines for common photo compositions like; Rule of thirds, leading lines, symmetry composition, creating depth of field, filing the frame: for example ˝shoot 3 steps closer˝, playing with colors, learn where to place the horizon line etc. ADVICE for good composition: LOOK AROUND YOU, find out how the SUN GOES, find EDGES OF ClIFFS from where you can shoot, DISCOVER THE FIELD FROM LEFT TO RIGHT (180º OR MORE), then pick 2 or 3 positions from taking pics and shoot. With this method you can cover different angles. Sometimes is one meter or just half to the right or left much better than just stuck in one position. Try to find yourself comfortable as much as possible and keep practicing. After shooting you can check photos at home and see from which angles were better photos. Shoot close ups or detail, then shoot normal lenght, or far away from different anlges to make climber smaller in the wall and get a landscape. Keep practicing and be patient.
landscape photo , take from edge of the cliff on other side.
The same angle,the photo was taken more closer.
Taking photos from different angles, with also some extra light-flash.
Another example of different angle, from above.
Tip 7: Camera settings
My steps: My camera is ON. I check my settings and pick lens for the shooting. Usually I put 18-140mm lens which has a VR on = lens shake stabilizator. Other brands has other signs like OS, VC etc. Settings of my camera: Exposure Mode: In (M) Manual mode you control the aperture and shutter speed, which I usually use. Sometimes the sunlight changes so fast, that I don’t have time to think about that, so I put on A (Aperture mode). CH is for trigger mode, where I use continuous shooting at high speed. In my camera is 6 frames/sek. WB; White Balance usually I set up on Auto, which for most cases works well. At sunset light sometimes I put on Cloud or Sunlight WB. Metering: I put on Matrix or Center-weighte metering option. It also depending of light and the sensor sensitivity. Try and you will noticed the differences on your images. Picture control: LS for me works best. LS=landscape. Focus: focus-mode selector is rotated to AF- Autofocus mode, I choose AF-S mode and I use AE-L/AF-L button for lock the focus and exposure. I shoot on this manner most of the time. Find where is your AE-L/AF-L lock button on your camera. First you focus point of interest and keep shutter-release button pressed halfway and then I press the AE-L/AF-L button and let loose the shutter-release button and wait for the moment of action. Image Quality and Size: I put Large size and JPEG-fine quality in most cases, sometimes I use JPEG -fine and NEF (RAW). Why JPEG format? Because I want to catch an action. When I shoot in JPEG, my camera speed frame is 6fr/sek. RAW format has many benefits, but for me is the most important to catch a moment. ISO must be as low as possible. from 100 till 1200. It's depends what kind of camera you have. You don't wanna see a grainy noise on images. Aperture: It depending what you wanna show and what you have on your list on the shooting day. And also depends which lenses do you use and depending how far is the background and what is on background. Anyway many things is involve for choosing aperture.I set up from F2.8 (for this I use 35mm F1.8 lens) till F11 with kit lenses . In my cases I set up F7.1 or F8 where I can get a climber is sharp in foreground and the background is a little blurry.Shutter speed: You must catch a moment in climbing, so you need a minimum number of shutter speed as 1/250th, 1/500th, 1/640th of a second and more. It can be less than 1/250 but you don’t wanna have blurry shots, right?!
1/1000, F4, ISO 400, 35mm, M ex.mode, matrix metering mode . Hard move in projekt Drasnice wall in Dalmatia, Croatia.
1/800, F/7.1, ISO 500, 130mm, A ex.mode, Center weighted average mode. Climbing in Oliana, Catalunya, Spain in August.
1/640, F6.3, ISO 100, 50mm, M ex.mode, matrix metterin mode. New year climbing in Forada, costa Blanca, Spain.
1/200, F11, ISO 200, 10mm, Flash on the ground, M ex.mode, matrix metterin mode. Bouldering in Prilep, Macedonia.
Tip 8: Shooting technique
#1: Camera is set up, and keep it ready. Learn how to handle your camera fast. The light is constantly changing, so be really fast to change setting like ISO, shutter speed, WB, Aperture.
#2: Measure the lighting with your camera and set up on correct light.
#3: I shoot with AF-S focusing system. I focus on point of interest that is the climber's head, or I focus a hold or between holds (the head and the eyes must be sharp during the move in most cases!) and then I press the lock button AE-L/AF-L for locking the focus and the light. Then I wait for climber’s move. When the climber starts doing a dynamic move, I usually start shooting a little earlier than the climber is moving and I shoot continuously while the AF-L lock button is pressed during the climbing. I stop shooting when the climbers hold the grip and sometimes I wait a little bit longer, if some other things happened. Usually they start chalking, shaking. I usually don't shoot chalking.
I do not shoot with AF-C 3D tracking or other focusing system because it still doesn’t works good enough performance for climbing photography. You can try with that but then you will see after shooting how many images will be out of focus. Maybe with other mirrorless or other cameras have a better AF-C system? I have almost 40% out of focus. I rarely use AF-C with locking button but I still prefer to use AF-S and that magic AE-L/AE-F button.
4# Keep changing the Focal length, from 10mm till 70mm. Again, it’s all depends what do you want to show. If the climber is far, I recommend the focal length to zoom in; from 50-70mm. If the climber is touching your feet, put on a wide-angle lens and catch in the frame also the background. Try to play with that.
5# Try to change the aperture. For example if you want a blurry background put a low number of aperture F2.8. If you want to have also a sharp background and a climber, then keep the aperture a higher number like F8-F11.
So, go practicing!
Projekt Drasnice on Dalmatia coast, Croatia.
Climbign in Arboli, next crag to Siurana, Spain.
Smokovac, Montengreo climbing in summer time.
Next time, some advanced techique..