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| © Robert Clark/National Geographic Society |
| Click photo for more images from The Camera Phone Book. |
No longer a novelty, the camera phone has become ubiquitous. More cellphones are sold these days with cameras than without, and the cellphone camera has "quietly become the most widely used kind of camera in the history of photography," according to the publishers of an informative new book: The Camera Phone Book (National Geographic, $11), by Aimee Baldridge.
As a former senior editor at cNet.com and a regular contributor to American Photo and Popular Photography and Imaging, Aimee Baldridge truly knows her way around the world of imaging equipment. She has put together a handy, pocket-size volume that offers tips on everything from shooting like a pro to printing and sending images to making purchasing decisions. (See Baldridge's up-to-date survey of the latest and greatest cellphone camera models, found in the July/August issue of American Photo.)
In clear, well-organized chapters, The Camera Phone Book details the advantages and challenges of using a device that puts (limited) photo technology at your fingertips. "In some ways, taking pictures with a camera phone is no different from using a dedicated digital camera or a camcorder," Baldridge explains. "General rules and shooting techniques apply to any image-capture device. However, camera phones have their own particular strengths and weaknesses too." Baldridge's book tells you how to make the most of the former and compensate for the latter. In the excerpt here, printed with permission from the National Geographic Society, Baldridge explains how best to operate in one of the most common cellphone-camera locations: out on the street. -- Jack Crager
Street Scenes and News Events
Whether you're interested in street photography for artistic reasons or want to make your images more suitable for news distribution, keeping these points in mind will help you capture the stories played out in public spaces.
Turn off camera sounds and the auto-focus assist lamp: If the sound of a shutter might startle your subject, switch it and the auto-focus assist lamp off and set the focus on infinity. The depth of field is large enough on most camera phones that your subject should be in focus unless you get very close.
Don't be shy: People usually notice when someone is photographing them, and they might get angry if you're being sneaky about it. Be upfront about who you are and why you're taking pictures. If you're in a foreign country, learn the polite way to address people and try to get information about local photography etiquette before you start snapping. Be prepared to take no for an answer occasionally. There will be other pictures.
Capture context: Remember the essential news questions -- who, what, when, where, why and how -- and try to answer as many as possible with your image. Try to make it clear what the subject is doing and with whom. When shooting a building or an object, try to include nearby elements that indicate its location or environment. Make sure the calendar and clock on your camera phone are set correctly so the images you capture will be tagged with accurate information.
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