Photography – Finding The Right Light
Topics: Photography, camera, photographers, digital camera, landscape, pictures, image
Light – the primary source of energy for the universe – is the central image of many religions and the photographers chief resource. The word photography derives from the Greek and means, literally, light writing.
From the relentless power of full sun over water to the beam from a single candle, it is light photographers play with, light in its many moods and manifestations that we capture on film.
Digital cameras use a light-sensitive chip rather than film to capture an image. The camera is designed to let light through a hole (aperture) on to the chip for a limited amount of time (exposure). Digital cameras use auto exposure to take care of exposing the picture for you. But there are a few things about aperture and exposure that you should be aware of.
A digital camera will gather the same amount of light with a large aperture and a short exposure or with a small aperture and a long exposure, but the image will not look the same. A wider aperture will reduce the depth of field, so that only objects at the focal point are in sharp focus. This is great for isolating a person from a busy background, but not so great for landscape photos, which require that everything be in focus.
Cheap cameras have a fixed aperture, so only exposure is affected by light. More expensive cameras offer programmed exposure modes, such as Landscape (narrower aperture, greater depth of field, longer exposure), Portrait (wider aperture, reduced depth of field, shorter exposure) and Sport (shortest exposure to freeze motion), while high-end cameras also offer full manual controls.
Even with a fully automatic camera, you can modify the exposure. Point the camera at the object you want correctly exposed and half-press the shutter button. Move the camera to compose your shot, and then squeeze the button fully to take the picture.
Many landscape photos turn out too dark because the exposure is overly influence by a bright sky. The trick is to lower the camera so that the light meter exposes more for the foreground area and then press the shutter button part way in order to lock in the exposure. Then re-compose the shot as before and press the shutter completely.
Photography depends on light. Therefore, an understanding of light, what it is, how it behaves and how you can learn to use it, is essential to creating superlative photos.
Because the character and quality of a photograph can be altered by the character and quality of light, even the most-seasoned photographers puzzle over how a scene should be lit, what lighting angles to use for good results, and what exposure settings will bring out the best detail and tonal shading. When you are armed with the basic facts about light, you will find that such elementary questions become more easily-answered.
If you are taking an outside, daytime picture, keep the sun at YOUR back. Avoid shooting into the sun. If you do, it will cause a lens flare and you will have a light streak going across your picture or other un-wanted effects
The good news is that most digital cameras have fast lens apertures, which help them take good pictures in relatively low light. But no camera likes to take pictures in really low light without a flash. More good news: most digi-cams have a built-in flash, and some allow you to use an external flash, which is many times more effective than a cameras built-in flash and helps preserve the cameras battery.
Taking a picture at night can be a daunting proposition. Night-time photography can produce some of the most dramatic images that you can create, and it can also be one of the more difficult types of photography to learn and master.
Do not get too caught up in it, though. Play around with your cameras settings and know how you will be able to achieve the best pictures at night. If your camera has automatic settings only, you may face some real challenges in your attempts at photography in the dark. Whether photography is a hobby or just a casual interest, you will be well-served if you invest in a quality camera that allows for adjusting the basic settings.
Do not use the flash. Most on-camera flashes are not effective past five or six feet in front of the camera. So at night, it may overexpose anything that happens to be in the foreground while underexposing the primary subject of the picture.
If you are in doubt, set the shutter speed higher and then take care of brightening the exposure later during the editing process. While you might not have a lot of time to think about your lighting when taking candid photos, sometimes just using the flash – or not using the flash can help tremendously.
For several years now, Jason has been reviewing hundreds of online products and services. Many consider his reviews to be very insightful and reliable. Visit his website www.bestcamerabargains.com
Previous Articles Highlighter:
Business Traveler - Benefit From Sony Ultra-Portable Notebooks (1)
Some of these even weight as little as two pounds, and have a privacy screen which limits the view of personal information to the person sitting directly in front of the computer.
The Right Printer (2)
Remember, however, that setting the printer this way will use a lot of ink. In fact, one of the factors that people often overlook when choosing a printer is the type of paper and ink they will be using to print their photos and how the price of these supplies adds up in the long term.
Daily Dealings With The IPod - How To Avoid Those Cosmetic Problems (3)
Of course, you can always double the protection and do both. For several years now, Jason has been reviewing hundreds of online products and services. Many consider his reviews to be very insightful and reliable.
A Beginner Buyers Guide To Videoconferencing Equipment (4)
The videoconferencing software or hardware that makes the compression happen is referred to as a codec (or sometimes it is called a coder/decoder). The achievement for rates of compression is up to approximately 1:500.
Going Video With Your Apple IPod (5)
Now if you would like to play the movie, select the Videos and then the Movies option from your video iPod Main Menu. All available movies will be listed in alphabetical order.
Composition In Photography (6)
Be sure the viewpoint is pleasing. You can often change a picture dramatically by moving the camera up or down or, stepping to one side. One of the best ways to come up with a prize-winning photograph is to find an unusual point of view.
Belong To The Exchange Club For Website Links (7)
Also, do not ask many questions or attempt to flatter the recipient of your request. This may make them to delete your email inquiry immediately. Your request should only run between 2 and 6 sentences, not half a page.
Personal Uses For Videoconferencing (8)
Considering that video conferences are not limited to only two parties, it is obvious that as many groups as feasible could eventually participate in one conference, and virtual family reunions may not be a thing of the distant future anymore.
Attractive Bargains In Traveling Australia (9)
Some people book travel plans for short stays in Australia and select the Sapphire Coast as a portal to the grand adventure in Australia travel that people usually will experience only once in a lifetime.
How To Quickly And Easily Detail Your Car For A Car Show (10)
It will make no sense if you don't clean it the night before or morning of. Just remember to clean everything and make it shiny. Shiny is better and if the judges cannot see their faces on your car then your car is no where near clean.
Newer Articles Highlighter:
Free Up Some Space - Tips To Deleting Songs On Your IPod (1)
To do this, you need to connect the iPod to the computer. Open iTunes and select iPod in iTunes source list. Press the option button in far right bottom corner.
Medical Applications For Videoconferencing (2)
For years the medical field has been hindered by the fact that there are so few professionals in the areas where they are needed most. Because medical school is such an expensive, long, and difficult endeavor, few people choose to make that the profession of their desire.
Security Applications Of Videoconferencing (3)
Data shared during a videoconference is susceptible to monitoring by unauthorized personnel. Studies have shown that signals from a video monitor can be picked up as far as a half mile away.
ISP Issues - Do You Need To Change To Do Videoconferencing? (4)
Topics: ISP, Video conferencing, dialup Video conferencing enables corporate entities as well as individual citizens to interact with one another across the country and even across the globe simply and easily from the convenience of the corporate boardroom or the living room.
Be Correctly Equipped - The Tools For Videoconferencing (5)
Microphones: There is a very wide range in microphones used for a videoconference though usually a room-size videoconference requires an omni-directional microphone or several smaller directional microphones placed throughout. A common type of microphone used in a session is a lapel microphone.
Three Reasons Why Online Directories Could Work For You (6)
Therefore, online directories can help you develop or maintain the professionalism you seek. Choosing to post your information in an online directory should not be a difficult decision. As you can see, there are many reasons why online directories could work for you.
IPod Video - A General Overview (7)
iPod video supports two video formats. The first format, H.264 video, supports up to 768 kilobytes per second and a picture size of 320 pixels wide by 240 pixels high (the exact size of the iPod screen).
Flash Photography (8)
In order to take effective indoor flash photos there are some techniques you should keep in mind. When using the flash do not point it directly at a mirror or glass that will create a lens flare or just ruin the photo.
Manipulating Your Images (9)
There are also some fun effects that can be found in software programs to make your photos more interesting. To add some spark to your digital photos, you may want to consider adding a stylistic border or edge around the photo.
The DVD Goes IPod (10)
One of the most frequently used utilities is HandBrake. To use HandBrake first put the DVD into your D V D drive. Then launch the program. Once the program has launched it will scan the disk.