Spotting a wave of talent

Think you could document how climate change affects our lives? Then get snapping, writes Louise Holden

Last year Sustainable Energy Ireland asked students to find and photograph evidence of environmental change. Hundreds answered the call, and the winning photograph captured an unseasonal moment in the Co Louth village of Blackrock. Patrick Murphy, a 16-year-old from St Mary's College in Dundalk, spent an uncomfortable hour on a wet pier to get this dramatic image of Ireland's changing climate. For his trouble he won the overall prize in Sustainable Energy Ireland's cross-Border photography competition: a laptop and digital camera worth €1,500.

The purpose of the competition, according to Fiona Smith of Sustainable Energy Ireland, was to set students on the hunt for practical examples of how climate change affects our daily lives. "We wanted to encourage students to think about the negative impact that climate change is having, not only globally but locally. We asked them to consider actions that they could take to make a difference, including being more efficient in their use of energy."

Using too much energy releases harmful greenhouse gases, such as carbon dioxide and chlorofluorocarbons, into the atmosphere, raising global temperatures. The result in Ireland has been unseasonal storms and flooding of the type captured in Patrick's winning photograph.

This year's Life Through a Lens competition takes the hunt to another level. School photographers north and south have been asked to hunt out wasteful practices that lead to climate change and environmental damage. Friends and families of student photographers take note: your bad habits might end up pictured in Transition Times.

Aoife Cannon of Sustainable Energy Ireland explains the importance of getting young photographers to look out for examples of energy waste. "Young people are among the most environmentally aware people in Ireland. This competition, which is being run as part of SEI's energy-education programme, comes at a time when Irish homes are using up to 40 per cent more energy than they were in 1990. Irish homes are now responsible for a quarter of all energy used in the country, and energy use is responsible for a quarter of all Ireland's greenhouse-gas emissions."

So where is a roving lens likely to find daily examples of energy waste? You won't have far to look. When you see a queue of Jeeps waiting to get through traffic lights, that's waste. When you walk down a shopping street and have to wade through discarded fast-food packaging, that's waste. If you come home at night to an empty house with every light on in every room, that's waste.

Once you start looking you can see it's all around. Anywhere you can see large-scale consumption of fossil fuels such as coal, oil and gas, get your camera out. The burning of fossil fuels is one of the main causes of climate change.

All secondary schools have been sent details of Life Through a Lens, which is open to students in the Republic and Northern Ireland. For more information log on to www.sei.ie/ photocompetition and download an information pack or e-mail schools@ sei.ie. Alternatively, call 1850-376666. The closing date for registration is Friday, February 25th, 2005. The closing date for entries is Wednesday, March 16th, 2005

Aoife Cannon of Sustainable Energy Ireland has some advice for environmental photographers.

Get closer Take a photograph each time you spot a subject, then move in closer for a better shot. Having your subject almost fill the frame helps your viewer appreciate your photo. Also, details are often more interesting than an overall view.

Shoot quickly If your subject might move, fly away, stop smiling or get tired, take one photograph straight away. You can take more careful ones afterwards.

Compose with care Keep the horizon level, crop out elements you are uninterested in, place your subject where you think it most belongs in the photograph and play with perspective, so all lines show a pattern or lead the eye to the subject.

Be selective Decide what you're really interested in, then focus on getting the best photograph of it. Watch your borders for unattractive telephone wires, rubbish, distracting signs - and your fingers.

Focus on your subject Practise shooting with different apertures. A small depth of field (blurry background) is great for taking pictures of people. A greater depth of field (everything in focus) suits photographs of landscapes.

Experiment with time Use a slow shutter speed and a tripod to capture a river or stream. Use a fast shutter speed to capture an object in motion.

Look at the light Which way are the shadows falling? Unless you want a silhouette effect, it's best to shoot with the sun behind you.

Watch the weather If it's overcast, keep the sky out of your pictures as much as possible. Black-and-white photographs of an overcast day may be more pleasing than colour ones. Make the most of clear blue skies.

Keep it simple Instead of relying on a fully automatic camera mode, pick a simple, semi-automatic one, such as aperture priority, and master it. Then you'll be able to control certain basics without letting the other basics control you. If you want one accessory, bring a tripod, which can prevent shaking and help you get beautiful evening shots.

Be bold Don't be overcome by fears about whether you're using the right film or settings. And if you're afraid of upsetting someone by taking their photograph, ask first if it's OK. With wildlife, adopt a low-impact method when you go where few photographers have gone before.

Be wise . . . but be bold.