Taking Better Pictures - Part 10
Photo Accessories Expand Possibilities
It all starts out simply enough. A camera. A roll of film. A simple shot or two. Before long, you're looking at the photographs others have taken and wondering, How did she do that? The answer is often simple enough. She used a Greatstart camera with a Surefire lens and a Starburst filter. A what?
     When you find yourself longing to take photographs with just a bit more flare than normal, it's time to pay a visit to your local photo dealer. There you'll find a whole world of exciting photo accessories to help you transform everyday snapshots into exciting visual works of art. Here are just a few of the items you might consider.
     A tripod and cable release. Once the domain of diehard landscape photographers, today's tripods are often lightweight, collapsible for easy carrying (some fit right inside your camera bag), and relatively inexpensive. Mount your camera on one, attach a cable release to minimize camera movement at exposure time, and you're ready to move into the world of low-light photography. Before long, you'll be shooting lake loons by moonlight with shutter speeds as slow as 20 or 30 seconds. The results have to be seen to be believed.
     Special-effects filters. These come in a wide range of types to add zip and drama to everyday photos. A starburst filter turns simple points of light (like street lamps, stars, etc.) into dramatic starbursts. A multiple-image filter will give you from two to six identical subjects, depending upon the filter. Soft-focus filters will add just the right amount of softness-and allure!-to your portraits. For other ideas, check with our local retailer.
     Motor winders or drivers. Some cameras have them built in. Others don't. If yours doesn't, check to see if it will accept one. The advantages: you'll never have to lower the camera to cock the shutter again. that means you'll be ready to capture that "perfect moment" the second you see it. And you'll wonder how you ever got along without one. ( Camera bag. An absolute necessity for keeping your equipment safe and clean. Buy one that's lightweight and flexible enough to suit your needs, yet durable enough to offer your equipment the kind of protection it requires.
     ( Accessory lenses. If you have a single-lens reflex camera (SLR), consider adding a lens or two to your arsenal. A wide-angle lens (18-40 mm) is great for shooting indoor scenes or capturing landscapes, scenics, and large groups of people outdoors. A telephoto (80-200) is excellent for taking face-flattering people shots, birds at the window feeder, wildlife, and candid portraits. A macro (close-up) lens is ideal for taking nearly life-size shots of everything from wildflowers to exotic coins. A zoom lens (with variable focal length) is unsurpassed for shooting just about anything, since one zoom takes the place of numerous single-focal-length lenses-a great choice where economy and compactness are required.