Personal notes from photography classes given by Bryon Paul McCartney in Viewfinder Center - see class description.
- Focus on capturing the essence of the city.
- Do not only focus on obvious - look for details that reveals something unique or unusual.
- Get basic information about what you are shooting.
- Imagine you are taking pictures for a magazine assignment :-)
- Use weather for your advantage - adjust what you shot to that.
- Use manual white-balance.
- It is better for a "bad" weather that auto.
- "Cloudy" will expose shadows better when it is overacted.
- Use water reflection when it is raining.
- Plan for photography - research locations and best time.
- Prepare your camera before your shoot - set it accordingly to the weather and the ambience.
- Allow enough time for photography - observe, walk around a site before you start.
- Show your personal experience - get your own version of places you visited.
- When you climb up a tower take a picture of stairs going up/down.
- Take locator shots - a picture of the entrance with place name will help you to localize the picture later.
- Stay open to surprises and be ready to shoot.
- Always returning your camera to "auto" after you shot manually or in another mode is a good way to be always ready.