In this video, I want to talk about capturing the moment. And what we're talking about is capturing these finite moments that maybe only last one or two seconds or even less in time. For example, at a wedding, this could be that first kiss that lasts for a second, well, maybe more depending on your couple. Of course, sometimes they just give a little Peck, it could be that sporting event where someone catches the game winning touchdown, it could be well a simple laugh that we're about to try and capture on our couples expressions want to get that beautiful candid moment, it could be really any one of these things and for all of these types of situations, we use the simple plan acronym. And what plants stands for is to prepare a lock in anticipate and then to wait for that now moment. So let's talk about each component of this plan acronym and starting with the top we have prepare and prepare all that means is basically bringing the right gear with you having the right tools for the job.

So from your camera, to your lenses to lighting gear, whatever you need to get the job done. Now I know this is something that happens all the time my friends will go out and they'll buy this amazing expensive $5,000 DSLR kit with their lenses and guess what? They leave it at home or they don't take it on their trip because it's not convenient. So always have the kind of camera that fits for whatever your use is if you like portability, get a small point shoot camera or an advanced point shoot that you can take along with you. A camera that you have with you is always going to be that much better than the camera that you don't. Okay, so that's preparing, have the right gear having everything you need to do the job.

Next we're going to talk about locking in your settings. What we want to do is dial in the settings to get our right exposure before the action starts happening. And in general, you know, to be honest, 99% of the time we can do this even when we're shooting in pure photojournalistic environments. There are those occasional times where basically we're shooting in, say shade at one woman and we're going outdoors into a bright moment the next and you need to use say in assisted mode just because you can't Dolly exposure in from those times basically moving from those different scenes. And that does happen if you're in these types of scenes where there's literally no time to change settings, then yes and assisted mode can really help you out. But in general again 99% of the time, we can be dialing in manually and just planning ahead basically getting all these shots, getting our settings locked in beforehand, doing so make sure that you have the right exposure, make sure that you don't have to lower shutter speed and so forth, you have everything set up for the right overall shot that you want to go for.

Next, we have anticipate now anticipate means be in the right area and have the right composition. We want to anticipate the action. So at a wedding, the action is going to occur well basically right down the middle aisle, where they're going to do their first kiss. Right now we're going to set the action to occur basically where they're going to walk along this path at a sporting event, you would basically follow the ball movement to anticipate the action. This is what anticipate means have the area in the composition set up. So when that now moment occurs, you're ready to go and then basically Well, that's the last component.

We're waiting for that now moment to fire our shot. So let's use this technique. We're going to go ahead and we're going to start from the top we have all the gear with us. Well I'm shooting this on a 50 millimeter 1.4. Actually, let's go around the 1.4 is a little bit nicer in terms of just overall focusing than the 1.8 although aesthetically at F They're really very, very similar. Now we're also on our rebel what I'm going to do is go ahead and down the right exposure on spot meter right now.

So I'm just going to walk in and I'm going to meet her for her skin. So I'm going to walk in, bring that meter right over her skin. And I want an aperture of f2 because well, that's going to be the look or the aesthetic that I want to have in the background. I really want them to pop off the background have a beautiful blur and bokeh look in the background. Okay, so we're going to go to f2 and that's perfect. And then what we're going to do is I'm just going to dial in the right shutter speed.

Now my shutter speed that I want is around one 500 of a second and this is because when they have that candid reaction that moment, I really want to freeze the action. Okay, so I have them a one 500 of a second and then what I need to do though is bring my shutters or my aperture, I'm sorry, my ISO up a little bit, because right now at one 500 and at 100 ISO, I'm about to stop underexposed, so I'm going to go up to 200. And let's check it out. And this is great. As they're walking out towards this area, it's going to get a little bit brighter too. So I'm kind of taking that into consider As well, we're backlit in the scene, we have a beautiful look there frontlet with this outside light in the sky, so it has a great flat lit look that's very flattering.

And now what we're going to do is pull Keith out for just a second to give them a little bit of advice on being smooth and feeling a little more confident, and a little more natural in front of the camera. So let's do that. Now. Keith, come over here, I'm gonna give you some tips on basically acting a little bit more natural. All right in front of camera cuz she's doing awesome. You need some work, brother.

Okay. So actually do this a lot. What I do is I pull the guy aside and I basically tell them, okay, what I want you to do is whisper something and Kristin can hear this right now. I want you to whisper something in your ear or do something that's going to get a rise out of her. It could be something like giving her a little pinch in them, but it could be whatever it is, something's gonna make her laugh. And then what we do is basically I say, remember Kiva we talked about, he goes, yes.

And I say, Okay, do it. Now. We're basically preparing for that moment. And so right when it happens, well, everything else in our plan equation falls into place. And that's our now moment when we capture images. Okay, so you got an idea what you're gonna do, okay, so I'm going to send them back now.

What Go back. Okay, Christine, we're good. He's all set up. Okay, and then when we are ready to queue it, we're gonna queue it basically. Okay? Remember we have to have everything else dialed in at this point otherwise we might not get the shot.

Okay, I've got them frame and what we're going to do guys is I want you guys to be walking and talking we're going to go at like quarter speed walking, okay? So walk very, very slowly in step with each other. Okay? And start walking now. And Keith, everyone I said, do that now. Perfect.

These moments could really be anything. It could be at a wedding, we can plan for that too. We can do everything the same way by basically preparing, locking in our settings being the right area and anticipating that And waiting for the Now moment, whatever it is, whenever you're shooting journalistically, so long as you keep these things in mind and keep that plan acronym in mind, you're going to always at least Well, you're gonna at least better your chances of nailing the shot that you want, especially when you're shooting in purely photojournalistic moments when we're shooting in purely photorealistic moments, you may not have well all the time in the world of do these things but if you can get in the right area if you can anticipate where the action is going to be happening, if you can wait for that now moment have all the settings down and locked in Well, it greatly increases your chance of nailing that shot part of it does come with a little bit of luck, especially when you're shooting in well pure photojournalist type environments as well.

Hopefully this helps you guys out what I want you guys to do is use the plan acronym go out shoot something journalistically and basically prepare lock in your settings, anticipate where the area and your composition what everything needs to be for the moment and then wait for that now moment and capture the shot. Once you've done that post, test our lounge and tell everybody about it. That's it for this video. Let's head on to the next one. Now.