Photographing Road signs

Road signs are something we drive, walk or ride past everyday but there not something that's really looked at for more than a few seconds while we work out what they're telling us. But spend a little more time looking for them and you'll soon have a photography project that will keep you entertained even if it's only for a short while!


Gear
A zoom lens will get you closer to the signs without putting yourself in the path of oncoming cars. A tripod's not really needed but you may want to carry a lint free cloth to wipe away the dust and dirt traffic kicks up.

Technique
Signs aren't particularly difficult to photograph but they can be in places that make them difficult to reach. Don't put yourself in danger for the sake of a photograph and don't upset any workmen by getting in their way just because they have a particularly interesting road sign near them.

If you want to make a montage out of your sign images or you have a sign that's particularly interesting or funny, zoom right in and fill the frame with the sign. But most of the time try to shoot them within their context. This might be the famous 'man struggling with an umbrella' sign near some workmen or a sign warning of a round-a-bout with the round-a-bout in the distance. Make sure you can still see what's on the sign if you're going down this road as, after all, it's still our focus. To do this try using a small aperture to get front to back sharpness. Watch out for unwanted reflections and don't use your flash as the material modern signs are made of will just bounce it back at you and you may upset a few drivers with it.


You've read the article, now go take some fantastic images. You can then upload the pictures, plus any advice and suggestions you have into the dedicated Photo Month forum for everyone at ePHOTOzine to enjoy.