Suaad Al Suwaidi believes that photography is an important outlet for creativity.
Eid has always been particularly inspiring to the Emirati photographer, who has spent previous years capturing the spirit of the occasion. However, with people practising social distancing and celebrating the holiday at home this year, both Ramadan and Eid have been rather different.
However, the photographer has taken it in her stride, seeing it as a new challenge – to capture the spirit of the occasion while staying safe at home.
“Social distancing should by no means dampen the passion around photography and capturing celebrated moments and stunning images,” says Al Suwaidi. “Indoor photography, while presenting its own set of challenges, can be quickly aced with the adoption of a few tips and tricks, allowing you to document the season and tell a powerful visual story.”
Below, she shares some tips on how to capture powerful images from the comfort of your home.
Choose the best camera settings
It is important to understand how ISO settings – a camera setting that can brighten or darken a photo – affect the quality of images.
"In most cases, you should aim to have high ISO numbers indoors, as these will lead to sharper photographs, especially in low light conditions," says Al Suwaidi. "Indoor lighting adds to the complexity, especially when it is dark outside. For instance, you can set the Aperture at ƒ/2.5 in combination with a shutter speed of 1/20 and an ISO of 5000.
"Try these settings out, but it is also worth playing around with them until you get the image quality you prefer."
Use natural light to your advantage
The great thing about natural light is that it's not only limited to outdoor shoots.
"First, place the items you want to capture on a table next to a window or door with plenty of natural light. The more items you have, the more creative you can get, while fewer objects can be a little more challenging," says Al Suwaidi.
Keep in mind that shadows can be very distracting.
Soften shadows
To soften shadows, keep the window or curtains closed. But if it is still too strong, place a diffuser in front of the items you wish to photograph.
"Alternatively, you can also put a white board or large piece of paper opposite the sunlight to help soften the shadows," says the photographer.
Get creative with the composition
Play around with the placement of the items. Get creative with placement and angles to see how they turn out. Then add or remove items to see how that impacts the image.
Ensure you have the right tools
Essential camera accessories include a strong and sturdy tripod, while some great filters can come in handy for those not looking to spend too much time editing.
"To really see how good your photos are, it is better to transfer them to a computer to allow you to view them on a larger screen. That way, you can pick out finer details or get more ideas on composition," says Al Suwaidi.
"Use an editing programme to crop or manipulate your photographs with post-production effects, so they look their best. Free editing tools are easily available and are great with basic or complicated edits right from correcting colours to erasing blemishes and much more."
Always back up your photographs
Do not leave the storage of your photographs and data to chance. If you are filing your photographs locally, it is recommended that you have one dedicated storage drive in addition to your computer’s internal drive.
"One popular option is an external SSD card with enough space to save thousands of high-resolution raw files and hours of high-bitrate 4K video, like the SanDisk Extreme Pro portable SSD," recommends Al Suwaidi.
