Photography 101

Photography 101: Tips from a Pro--In photography, light is everything. Denver photographer Jack Olson, whose outdoor photography you've likely seen in books, magazines, and calendars, says, "A good photograph becomes a great photograph with the right light, and the best way to improve your photographs quickly is to teach yourself to recognize good light, and then to be at the right place at the right time."

Early and late in the day are the best times to take pictures, Olson says. "The sun is lower, the light has a warm color, good quality, and produces crisper shadows."

In contrast, light at midday is flat, and shadows are not as distinctive. "Just before sunrise to 1 hour after sunrise is magic time, and then 2 hours after is still good," he says. "Just the reverse is true in the evening -- 2 hours before sunset is okay, and then from 1 hour before sunset to just after is best."

Rocky Mountain National Park is among Olson's favorite shoots, he says, in part because Trail Ridge Road provides easy access to fantastic views. Still, he does much of his park photography from hiking trails, and he travels light, usually carrying one 35-millimeter camera body and two lenses -- a 35-millimeter wide angle and a 70- to 210-millimeter macro zoom. If he expects to see a lot of animals, he'll also pack a 400-millimeter telephoto, and for close quarters he sometimes uses a 28-millimeter.

Another essential item, even on a hike, is a sturdy tripod. Olson explains, "Most people who buy photographs want them sharp front to back -- tack sharp they call it." He says that to get sharp photos you need good depth of field -- the zone of sharp focus in front and behind the subject. For this you need a small lens opening, or aperture. Apertures are measured in f-stops, with the highest numbers having the smallest lens openings. However, the higher the f-stop the longer the lens must be open to produce a properly exposed photo. With his camera tripod-mounted, Olson sets the aperture to a high f-16 or f-22, which means that with the ISO 100-speed film he prefers, he usually must set the shutter speed at one-fifteenth or one-thirtieth of a second, which would surely produce a blurry shot if the camera were hand-held.

One exception to this tack-sharp rule, Olson says, is when he deliberately makes part of his photo blurry. "I like to shoot waterfalls and rushing streams, and very often I'll blur the action of the water to make it look like it's moving. But to do this you need a tripod because you're going to be shooting very slowly, perhaps one-fourth or one-eighth of a second."

Asked to divulge his secret spot for what he considers the finest scenery in the park, Olson says to wait until the snowdrifts have melted. Then, take a 28-millimeter wide-angle lens and head to Chasm Lake. "You go up above timberline, crossing a steep slope, with Longs Peak and Mount Meeker above you and this big valley below, with a little jewel of a pond -- Peacock Pool. You've got a waterfall thundering down out of Chasm Lake, Longs Peak 2,000 feet above, and from that trail you get wonderful shots of Peacock Pool, or the waterfall and Longs Peak, or Chasm Lake and Longs Peak. It's exceptional, one of the most spectacular places in the park."

Photo Tip--The key to getting good wildlife photos is to know the animals' habits, such as where they go and when. Get there first and quietly wait for your opportunity. Keep in mind that walking within photo or feeding distance of wildlife poses a threat to your well-being. It is not uncommon for elk in rut to attack unsuspecting shutterbugs. When the elk fills the viewfinder of your telephoto lens, you're close enough.