Photography… It’s all about light

Photography… It’s all about light

It doesn’t matter how many time we hear it, the truth is It’s all about light! When I ran across this article it sprang to mind immediately the images that capture everyone’s attention are the images that have amazing lighting. Read more

Challenge your photography

Challenge your photography

I ran across this great article from Jeff Wignall that really challenged the way I take photographs. In the article ‘Need a challenge? Illustrate a concept‘ it struck a chord with me about the shoot anything method with a digital camera.

I know when I pull out my DSLR, regardless of whether I am shooting with Nikon, Canon or whatever I have tended to just shoot so much and eventually be Read more

Getting started shooting portrait & candid photography

Getting started shooting portrait & candid photography

Getting started taking portrait and candid photographs can be a little intimidating at first. There always seems to be so much to remember, however in this short video by Erin Manning you will learn the very basics to get you started. Read more

Easy tips to shoot great group photos

Easy tips to shoot great group photos

We’ve all seen them, and we’ve all probably taken one or more of them — the group photograph that didn’t quite work.

The kids look great; all happy, smiling faces.

But Grannie looks as if her favourite pet just died, and Uncle Joe … well, he is in the shot, but the bottom of his face has become lost behind Aunty Flo’s healthy crop of hair. Read more

5 Tips for Better Portrait Photos

If we were all honest everyone would admit to wanting a flattering portrait photo of themselves, not from a vanity point of view, but simply from the same way our mind sees us when we look at ourselves in the mirror.

Getting that picture means that we must take control of the portrait photo session. It’s important to become a picture director, not just a picture taker. A picture director takes charge of portraits, they set the scene and mood to create the best portraits.
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Using Light – The Art of Seeing

A camera, no matter how automatic, is a lifeless piece of equipment until a person uses it. It then becomes a uniquely responsive tool, an expression of the photographers eye and creative mind.

Anyone can take amazingly beautiful photographs by simply taking a mental “walk” around a photo opportunity to view it from multiple perspectives. This will always result in important insights and fresh ideas.

Three of the most important factors as you begin to understand the ‘Art of Seeing’, are:

• Light
• Focus
• Composition

Understanding and using these to your advantage to take better photos helps to develop your ‘Art of Seeing’.

Light

The magic of photography lies in the light. Light to a photographer is what paint is to an artist. We can’t make much of a photograph without it.

When considered, objects are not photographed, only the light reflected by the object is photographed. There are very few subjects that emit their own light allowing us to photograph them.

With that in mind, when we talk about lighting we are talking about controlling the light on the subject. In the case of natural light it means selecting the type of light such as direct sunlight, open shade, overcast light and its direction which is determined by the time of day.

Seeing changes in the light on a subject is a key to taking a great photograph. By learning about light you can use it to say much about your subject in any photo. Read more