Graphics Deli
Taking better photos
Oh great! I just finished the paper that has to be Fedexed today and I forgot to take the photos I needed to put in it. I guess I'll just snap some off with the lab camera and take them to a one hour place to get developed. Then I'll just paste them in and drive the package to the airport.
So, it is down to the wire. You need photos fast. You're on your own. Let's try to make the best of it. The following is a basic primer for the non-photographer. It does not discuss F-stops, bouncing flashes, lens attributes, bracketing exposures or other 
features of professional cameras. We're starting with the assumption that most consumer cameras today are usually fully automated. And if you have one of the fancier cameras with more features to it, you might know what you are doing already. And then again, maybe not. . .
Starting Off Right
- Be familiar with the camera you are going to use,
(find a manual for it if not)
- Make a shot list of all the different photos you need.
- Based on this shot list, decide where most of your shots will take place: indoors, outdoors, under florescent lighting. . .
- Now using that knowledge, decide wether you need to use a flash. You need a flash if you are taking photos in a darker room, of fast objects, or in nonuniform lighting situations.
- Next comes film selection. What do you need as the final product? Slides, color prints, B&W prints? Consider the lighting conditions you have. This is only important when using slide film. For slide film indoors using regular light bulbs, you need tungsten film, for outdoor and flash slides, you need daylight film.
Last but not least, is the speed of the film. How fast is your subject moving, will you be using a tripod, how bright is the lighting, how big will the final image be? The faster the subject, the darker the area, the smaller the final print - the faster, or higher number ASA the film. The slower the subject, the more light, the bigger the final image - the slower, or lower ASA your film should be. The easiest part is choosing how many rolls of film you will need. Films come in 12, 24, or 36 exposures. If you have 23 must have shots, please go for a roll of 36. Don't cut corners, especially when it is a last minute rush. So choose the film that best suits your needs. Avoid Kodachrome. Most places won't develop it without sending it to Kodak, and it is not worth it for the quality. - Ok, so you have some film, you've got a camera. Do you need a tripod or a flash? How steady are you? For shots indoors without a flash, use a tripod. Especially for close-up objects. Flashes are great for larger areas, not small objects. They are very indiscriminate about what they light-up and create serious shadows behind objects.
Getting Ready to Shoot Some Photos
- Look at your shot list and group together the shots that involve either the same object, person or area. This way you can shoot things faster and more efficiently.
Gather all the items in the shot together and have things ready to go. The items you are shooting should be clean, dust free, and as neat as possible. Remove all unnecessary tape, wires and labels from the object. - Clean up! Clean the area up that you are photographing. Remove all extra items; papers, books, coke cans, pens, coffee cups and trash. (This is a great way to clean up the lab area)
- Pay attention to the background too, remove any distracting things. If the background is too distracting, us a backdrop to cover it up, or control the lighting so that it is in shadow.
- If the objects are small or complex, place them on a plain background. Even clean white pieces of paper work better than the lovely faux wood grain surfaces of most desks.
- Hold the camera in the correct orientation.
If the subject is tall, hold the camera up and down. If the subject is more horizontal, hold the camera horizontally too. What you are going for is best fit. Use up most of the film area, do not leave large blank areas. It is OK to hold a camera in the vertical position. Think of it as framing a picture. You wouldn't frame a horizontal picture in a vertical orientation would you? - If your camera will let you, get close to your subject. This is important when going for details of an item. You don't have to photograph the whole object if you are really only interested in one part.
Before You Press the Button. . .
When you look through the view finder, think of it as a mini picture. Look at everything. 
Is the area that is most important lit well? Are you using most of the film space for the subject? If using an automated camera, is your subject within the framing lines of the view finder? Are there bad shadows in the background that are distracting to the viewer? What is in the background? Is it competing with your subject? Is your subject in focus? Check the minium distance you have to be away from the subject, if you are using an automated camera. Otherwise you will have very clear backgrounds and fuzzy subjects.
Shoot!
Take your time, and pay attention to each shot. Take multiples of the same image from different angles, with different lighting. Turn off the flash and use a tripod for a few (if you can).Use up the roll. If is better to take more than you need, than to realize later that you missed a shot. Don't forget to rewind before opening the camera back. Opps. . . does happen sometimes, but you will still probably get most of the roll except for the last 5 or so shots.
Processing
Find out the quality and schedules of your most convenient local film processors. If you need it in an hour, your best bet is to find a place that does 1 hour processing. These can usually be found in malls, large supermarkets, and some discount department stores. Some Fotohuts, Fotomats and smaller processors also provide this service. These places usually run only consumer grade color print film, so if speed is the main factor, keep this in mind. For color slides or B&W contact sheets, check with your local professional film processing labs. We use ProPhoto located on the South Side. Some of them offer processing runs every 2 hours during the day. If your prints come out bad, check to see if they are consistently bad (tinted red of green, whole image too light or too dark, dust spots). Sometimes it is not you, but the processor. If that is the case, have them run the prints again. Don't be shy if you think it is their fault. If you are limited for time, look through them and only have them run the ones you really might use.
Final selection and Cropping
Your prints are back. Now go through and choose the best ones. Go for subject clarity, good lighting and good composition. Remember, you can trim down a photo to a better composition. Just use a nice sharp x-acto knife and a straight edge, and make sure the cuts are clean, and the lines straight. Do not try to cut a polaroid with a chemical back (like Spectra prints).
That's it! Go out there and take some great photos!
Mary Jo Dowling, Art Director,
The Graphics Deli
The Robotics Institute
Carnegie Mellon University