Tips and tricks for photographing flags

By Rex Dolby

“Flags” is the competition theme for the Wassenberg Camera Club’s next meeting Thursday, May 12, at 7 p.m. at the Wassenberg Art Center, 643 S. Washington St., Van Wert, Ohio.

Although our national flag is probably the first one we think of, the list of other flags is pretty impressive.  Consider the flags of all the organizations and companies that exist, the flags of the schools, colleges & universities, the flags of professional sports teams, the specialized flags used at motor speedways and in other sports, the flags of military units, and the flags that naval craft may use to communicate to name a few.

Some of the situations listed above may be difficult for the average photographer to capture, but a lot of them are within our reach.  It takes about a 20 mph wind to stand an average sized flag out straight.  Try to position yourself where the direction of the wind and angle of the sun will give you a good shot.  Since the flag is to be displayed with the blue field at the top left, try to set up your shot so that the flag is waving in that direction.

Placing yourself where the sun is in back of the flag may result in an interesting picture, depending on the cloth and thickness of the flag.  Study the flag.  Sometime wind gusts, or the person waving the flag, will cause the flag to more open than at other times.  If a person is waving the flag in a left to right motion, try to catch them at the end of their wave before they start back the other way.  Their hand and  arm will be nearly still which will reduce the chance for a blurred picture.

National holidays and at times of national feelings such as the when the 3 firemen raised the flag at ground zero after the 9-11 attack will provide many opportunities to photograph our nation’s flag against a great sky at any hour of the day.