Category: Photography

Guide to Choosing Subjects and Compositions for Flower Photography

How does the budding flower photographer go about selecting subjects and choosing compositions? In this article, I will give a detailed answer to this question. First, I will discuss the different types of flower photography subjects. Then I will give guidelines for creating stunning compositions.

All throughout this article, I will emphasize producing clean, dynamic images.

Subjects

Choosing a subject in flower photography may seem easy – flower photographers shoot flowers, right?

While this is true, it’s important to consider several factors about any particular flower. Among these is the color of the flower, the condition of the flower (is it dying and/or dirty?), and the shape of the flower.

Color

Considering color is simple. The more colorful the flower, the more interesting the image is going to be (generally speaking, of course). I like to use bright colors, placed before a brightly colored background.

It can also be useful to think in terms of complementary colors. These are the red/green, blue/orange, and yellow/purple combinations. When they are placed together in the same frame, the results can be powerful.

Condition

Another important consideration is the condition of the flower. Before taking your photograph, you should inspect your potential subject carefully.

Ideal flowers are at peak bloom: petals spread wide, edges crisp and unblemished. I try to avoid photographing flowers that are on their way out because more often than not I’m disappointed with the resulting images.

The best flowers are also free of dirt. I often wipe dirt off carefully with my finger. If there are insects, I gently blow them away from the flower center. Another tactic is to obscure the blemishes or dirt by shooting soft-focus images or silhouettes.

This flower wasn’t in peak condition, so I chose to shoot a silhouette, emphasizing the shape over the condition.

Shape

This final aspect of flower photography is more difficult to explain, but it is important, so I’m going to give it a shot. Certain flower shapes are better than others for flower photography.

More specifically, the flowers that will get you the most pleasing images are often those with clear patterns and bold, dynamic shapes.

Consider the rose. It is one of my favorite flowers to photograph. Why? The petals are dynamic, flowing and changing. They also have a clear pattern, and therefore imbue your images with a sense of organization.

Another flower that I love to photograph is the tulip. Its structure is simple but bold, and it has large petals that curve slightly. It isn’t chaotic or messy. The viewer’s eye can easily trace its shape without getting lost.

The rose and tulip sit in contrast to flowers such as zinnias, which are rather chaotic and therefore difficult to pin down in an image. Which is not to say that a good zinnia image is impossible; it’s just a lot more difficult.

Compositions

When composing flower photographs, it is a good idea to keep a checklist in the back of your mind. In every flower photography image, try to incorporate at least a few of the guidelines provided below.

Simplify

My first tip is the most important – simplify!

Figure out what it is about the flower that you like, and focus on that, removing any extraneous elements, be they extra flowers, stems, petals, etc. Make sure that any distracting elements are not present.

Use Symmetry

While you shouldn’t always strive to use symmetry in your flower images, it can be a good starting point. Flower centers are often symmetrical or nearly symmetrical. This is something that you can use, composing with the flower smack-dab in the center of your image, anchored by its center point.

I used this flower’s symmetrical center to create a bold composition.

Have a Clear Point of Focus

Without a clear point of focus in your images, the viewer will be lost. Their eyes will wander from place to place without really being drawn into the image.

How do you create a point of focus? You ensure that at least one part of your image is sharper than the rest. You also compose with this point of focus in mind, making sure that the rest of your image merely complements this point of focus (rather than dominating it or detracting from it).

Here, the eye is drawn straight to the in-focus petals of this flower.

Use a Clean, Pleasing Background

Above, I discussed the importance of colorful subjects. But the subject isn’t the only thing that should be colorful. It’s also important to have a colorful background, or at least a pleasing one.

This can be a bit of a balancing act because you don’t want the background to overpower the subject. White and black backgrounds can work well, as can backgrounds that are a colorful but uniform wash.

I aimed for a uniform, calming background when taking this trout lily photograph.

Tilt the Camera

One last tip for creating dynamic compositions is to try tilting the camera.

Rather than having the flower sitting statically within the frame, by tilting the camera, you communicate a sense of movement. The flower seems to be emerging from the frame in a very pleasing way.

Notice how tilting the camera to shoot this Black-Eyed Susan resulted in a more energetic image.

Conclusion

When doing flower photography, it is important to carefully consider both the subject and your composition. By keeping your subjects colorful and clean, and by aiming for simple, clean compositions, your flower photography will instantly improve.

The post Guide to Choosing Subjects and Compositions for Flower Photography appeared first on Digital Photography School.

Digital Photography School

July 9, 2018
How to Survive Portrait Sessions with Difficult Children

In this article, you’ll get some tips on how to survive photo sessions with difficult children.

When you imagine photographing your client’s family session, you envision taking beautiful photographs in a pretty location and getting all of those great photos that will make your clients happy. However, you never imagine walking into a session only to find that the child, or children, are protesting, throwing tantrums, or simply not willing to cooperate.

Don’t freeze up and don’t give up, these helpful tips will keep you moving along during the session so that you can get those beautiful expressions and give your clients the best experience.

This little boy kept saying no the entire session. After exhausting all of my tips, I started playing hide and seek and exploring looking for treasure. He was all smiles afterward!

Set client expectations

Preparing your client for what to expect and giving them tips on how to help can make all the difference during their session.

One of the main tips you can give your clients to plan the session to coincide with the time of the day when their children are in the best mood. This means, if their child is the best right after a nap, schedule their session then. Children get tired quickly and you don’t want to have a sleepy cranky child at your session, which will be nearly impossible to bring back to the side of contentment.

Bringing toys and snacks can really help the children take a break and reset for a little bit. I photographed this little one playing with her favorite toys.

Have your client bring snacks for their children that can be used to help get the smiles and good behavior during the session. I would caution you not to bring candy unless you have already spoken to the parents ahead of time and they’ve approved it. Best to have them bring appropriate snacks their kids love.

Water or juice is also recommended. Even if you schedule the session after a mealtime, those snacks always come in handy.

Letting kids play keeps them busy and happy.

A very important tip that is also helpful is telling your client that the word “no” is off limits during the session. In other words, parents cannot say “no” to the children during the session.

Letting children play and explore is part of the fun and giving children a little bit of time to get a feel for their surroundings can make all the difference in their participation. The word “no” usually makes children shut down or protest, both behaviors you want to avoid.

Having mom or dad tickle and play with the children helps the kids to focus on them and not so much on the photographer.

Play, explore, and enjoy

Part of the session should allow for some playtime and exploration. Children are incredibly curious and playing to that curiosity is going to help you get those in-between moments. This is especially helpful when the child is protesting or doesn’t want to cooperate but just do their own thing. Go along with it.

Tell your clients to play and draw their child’s attention to a particular tree or place where you’d like to photograph them. Ask them to walk together hand in hand. Have your clients make silly faces or tell jokes, and singing their favorite nursery rhymes or songs also helps to relax the children.

Walking around and exploring the location can help smaller children to enjoy the session and find it interesting.

Their experience during the session is what they’ll remember. Make sure it is fun and that they enjoy themselves. With that, have your clients bring extra clothing for the children as well.

Playtime is very important during sessions and helps children to enjoy the process!

Crying and shutting down

Sometimes, you’ll come across children that are simply not willing to cooperate and participate. You’ve tried exploring, you’ve sung their favorite songs and nothing is working.

Sometimes giving them a break from the session and focusing your camera on the parents can make the kids come around. Focusing on the parents can often lead the children to want to get their attention and they usually end up walking into the frame. When that happens, tell your clients to go ahead and interact with their child.

We focused attention on the parents during this session and the boy ended up wanting to walk with his mom and dad and we were able to get these photographs.

Interactions between children and parents make for the most intimate and meaningful photographs of the entire session. Letting the children and the parents be themselves without too much direction helps to relieve some nerves. It also helps you to build rapport with the children as you explore and play with them as well.

Playing with the children during a session can lead to real emotions and interactions between all family members.

Be aware that children under the age of 10 are usually willing participants for about 45 minutes. After that, they either get bored, want to play, or are hungry.

Try and anticipate this time frame and get the full family portraits done quickly and early on if you can. Afterward, you can choose to take individual portraits or just capture the family being a family.

Acting out and being overly silly

This silly boy had so much fun jumping and making silly faces and playing along helped to get the portrait on the left. The right makes for a nice memory of his personality as well!

There will be times when one or more of the children are acting overly silly and makes it difficult to get a portrait of them where they are smiling nicely for the camera. When this occurs, don’t allow the parents to try and wrangle their children into doing what is expected. Instead, turn it into a game.

For example, tell the child(ren) that you love their silly faces and they are very good at making them. So you’re going to take two silly photos and one serious one. Change up the faces they are supposed to make and mix in the one you want by saying, “Okay, now I want you to smile like mommy wants and then we can make a funny face, deal?”

Once they agree, which they usually do, be quick to take the good photo and then continue with the game for a couple more photos. Then move on.

Being silly helps to let the children be children.

This helps the children enjoy the session and display their playful personalities while still getting the photos that mom and dad will want. It also helps to not force the children to do anything which can lead to crying or shutting down, both of which you want to avoid.

Tweens and teens

Tweens and teens are also important during a session and usually, because of their age, can be the least cooperative. Here, I would suggest asking the parents for a little information on what they like or what school they go to before the session. This can help start conversations and get them to open up and relax a little.

These brothers had a completely different vibe than my usual style but I went with it in order to get who they were at this stage in their lives.

Taking the individual portraits in a part of the location where the parents are not too close by helps teens to relax. Tweens and teens are very aware of themselves, often more than adults, especially now with social media, therefore, taking their portraits should be done quickly.

Showing them the photographs can also spark more interest and help to boost their confidence during the session.

Sometimes the awkward sibling hug can bring out real smiles. Let tweens and teens be themselves.

Tweens and teens are notorious for not wanting to smile. Ask another sibling to say something funny or ask their parents to remind them of an inside joke. If they aren’t willing to smile despite all of your attempts, it’s okay. Take some photos of them with serious expressions.

Sometimes, the serious photos are more striking than smiling ones. Reassure them that they don’t have to smile if they don’t want to. Letting them know that they have an option makes them active participants in the session and gives them the green light to also make suggestions.

Don’t be afraid to reschedule

If you feel like you are trying everything in your power to turn the session into a positive experience but it just isn’t happening, there is always the option of rescheduling the session. This can give both your clients and yourself a break so that you can attempt the session at a different location and perhaps at a different time when the children are feeling more awake and energized.

The left photo is at the beginning of the session and the younger girl didn’t want to participate. The right is at the end when I connected with her talking about her favorite show and she smiled.

It is very important during the session, however difficult, to keep calm and reassure the parents that their children are doing great. This helps to keep the stress levels down and even if you offer to reschedule, do it in a positive tone.

For example, “We got some great shots and everyone looks great, however, I think if we reschedule for a different time, we can get better photos.”

Sometimes grouping the older siblings first can help the younger children to go along with the photo session.

Always keep the photos from the original session, you might have taken some really great photos before a meltdown. Sending a preview to the family will keep their confidence up and not leave them feeling like they didn’t do a great job. Instead, they’ll be eager for the rescheduled session to get even more great photos.

Conclusion

Exploring and letting children get a little dirty or messy can help them stay in the moment of the session.

When you specialize in portraiture, having non-cooperative children at the sessions is inevitable. However, these tips will help you to smooth out tantrums and give your clients the best experience. That is what will keep them coming back to you.

Remember, you don’t have to force it and a quick reschedule can sometimes do the trick. Let me know if you’ve tried any of these tips or have found them useful.

The post How to Survive Portrait Sessions with Difficult Children appeared first on Digital Photography School.

Digital Photography School

July 8, 2018
Quick Beginner’s Guide to Processing RAW Files in Photoshop Adobe Camera Raw

Do you shoot RAW but then open it without processing? When you take a photo in RAW format, regardless of the name each brand gives to it, what you’re doing is saving a bunch of data without processing it inside your camera. This way you have more information to work with during your post-production stage.

But having too much of something can sometimes seem daunting when you don’t know how to approach it and as a result be a limiting factor instead of opening up your possibilities.

Adobe Camera Raw – Processing Raw Files in Photoshop

This quick introduction guide explores the basic tools of Adobe Camera Raw (ACR) so that you can step into post-processing this digital “negative” and understand its possibilities but also its limitations, as not all can be fixed.

Whenever you open a RAW file in Photoshop it won’t open in the interface that would normally go to when opening a JPG or a TIF file. It will open it in a window known as Above Camera Raw (ACR). Here you’ll see a lot of options that can look intimidating and give you the impulse to just click open and work directly on Photoshop.

However, if you do so then you’re missing out on a lot of opportunities, most importantly its non-destructive qualities. Please note, that I’m not going to explain the tools in the order you’ll find them in the ACR panel because some of them are related to each other and therefore it’s clearer to explain them together regardless of their position.

EXPOSURE

The first slider you will see is Exposure. This would be the equivalent of changing your shutter speed or f-stop settings up to five steps up or down. What this does influence the brightness of your entire image. Look at the example below to see how far you can push it in either direction.

CONTRAST AND CLARITY

The next slider you’ll find is Contrast, this refers to the relationship between the lighter and darkest areas of your photo. If you slide it to the right you will increase the contrast which is why a plus sign (+) will appear next to the amount. Moving it to the left will decrease contrast, therefore a minus (-) sign appears. This will flatten the image as there will be less tonal range in between dark and light tones in your image.

A few sliders below Contrast you’ll find Clarity. This is a tool I really like because it gives a nice punch to your photos but it’s easy to overdo it and having them look unnatural, so just be careful. I am mentioning it here because it also adds contrast but this is only to the mid-tones (technically it finds and enhances edges in the image), plus it gives a sharp/unsharp effect to the image.

Note: Clarity is not an actual sharpening tool.

Here’s an example pushing both tools to the limit in either direction so you can see that even if they are related, the result is not the same.

HIGHLIGHTS AND WHITES

Then there is the Highlights slider which I’ll explain together with another one, Whites. I’m doing this because they are closely related. The names are actually quite accurate but somehow their use is still difficult to grasp. Having said that, I’ll try to make it more clear.

The Highlights slider controls the tonal range from the lighter parts of your image, like this:

The Whites slider should have its name in the singular to make it more clear because what it does is set the white point of your image, in other words, the brightest pixels.

So if you move the white point of the image, it will have an effect on the range of the highlights. Let’s see them work together.

SHADOWS AND BLACKS

In between those sliders you’ll find one called Shadows which together with Blacks works the same way as Highlights and Whites, but in the other side of the light scale.

Therefore, the Blacks slider sets the black point of the image and affects a wider tonal range than the one affected by shadows that refers to the darkest parts. Check the example below to have an illustration of how they work.

SATURATION AND VIBRANCE

Saturation is the next slider on the list. It has an impact on all the colors of your image so keep an eye on the entire image while you are applying it and not just on a detail or a zoomed-in portion. If dragged completely to the left you’ll lose all color and leave your image black and white. Dragged all the way to the right, Saturation can reach very intense colors.

However, if you only want to affect the colors that are dull, to begin with instead of the entire image, then you should use the Vibrance slider. This one can also have a big effect, to the point of reaching unnatural colors so be careful. Look at the difference:

When you’re happy with your image, you can just save the changes and leave it as is or you can open the image in Photoshop to continue working on it.

However, if you’re choosing the latter I suggest that instead of just clicking Open Image, press the shift key so that the button changes to Open Object. This way you’ll open your image on Photoshop as a Smart Object and you can come back to these ACR options and make some more adjustments later if you need to.

To learn more about it I invite you to check my tutorial How to Create with a Good Workflow Using Smart Objects in Photoshop.

Conclusion

I hope this makes it more clear for you. Remember that ACR offers other menu possibilities and there are various menus and tools that were too much to cover in this quick, beginner’s guide. So use this as a base and then keep exploring!

The post Quick Beginner’s Guide to Processing RAW Files in Photoshop Adobe Camera Raw appeared first on Digital Photography School.

Digital Photography School

July 7, 2018
Weekly Photography Challenge – Peaceful

This week your photography challenge is one that can be difficult to find in today’s busy and hectic world – peace! Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to photograph something that represents what it means to be peaceful to you.

The perfect mirror image in the water says peaceful to me!

Does this look peaceful to you? Sure does to me.

First of all, think about what means to you to be peaceful, at rest. This could involve another human, or it could be a solitary scene in nature. Whatever it is for you, photograph that and share your image with us.

Weekly Photography Challenge – Peaceful

Simply upload your shot into the comment field (look for the little camera icon in the Disqus comments section) and they’ll get embedded for us all to see or if you’d prefer, upload them to your favorite photo-sharing site and leave the link to them. Show me your best images in this week’s challenge. Sometimes it takes a while for an image to appear so be patient and try not to post the same image twice.

Share in the dPS Facebook Group

You can also share your images in the dPS Facebook group as the challenge is posted there each week as well.

The post Weekly Photography Challenge – Peaceful appeared first on Digital Photography School.

Digital Photography School

July 7, 2018
Fit2Paddle Paddling Photography on Instagram

Every day I am posting pictures on Instagram. My Instagram feed is dominated by paddling, especially, SUP, but also includes images from other outdoor activities: mountain biking, hiking, inline skating and drone flying. Recent pictures were shot mostly with Sony […]
paddling with a camera

July 7, 2018
What are Watt Seconds and How Many Do You Need?
If you’ve ever used studio lights or been in the market to buy some you may have heard the term “watt seconds” (Ws) used in conjunction with strobes. But what the heck does it mean? How do you know if you should buy a 500Ws light or one with more?

In this video, Mark Wallace from Adorama TV explains an often confusing term – watt seconds – and answers the question, “How many watt seconds do I need?”

What are watt seconds?

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Now, once you’ve decided on how many watt seconds you need for your shooting environment and style, how will you put it to use? Here are some dPS articles that might help you out:
- 5 Tips How to Set Up a Home Studio for Dramatic Portraits
- Review: Interfit Honey Badger Studio Strobe and Universal Remote
- Studio Starter Kit: How to Design a Starter Portable Studio
- The Power of Shooting Simply with One Light and a Reflector
- Rim Light – A Simple Way to Create Powerful Images with a Single Flash
- Studio Starter Kit: How to Design a Starter Portable Studio
The post What are Watt Seconds and How Many Do You Need? appeared first on Digital Photography School.

Digital Photography School
July 6, 2018
Save 88% on 200 Photography Assignments that Inspire, Motivate and Teach
If you learn more efficiently (and have more fun with your photography) when you’re out shooting versus sitting somewhere reading about it, then this photography learning aid was designed for YOU.

One of the most popular photography training aids we’ve ever promoted were the Snap Cards from Photzy during our Christmas Sale last year. So when Brett from Photzy showed us their latest photography learning tool, we knew it was something we should tell you about.

The NEW Photzy Action Cards are 65 beautifully designed & printable project sheets that will give you over 200 photography assignments, covering everything you can imagine!

Brett’s idea for the Action Cards was sparked by a woman’s comment to him at a camera club meeting.

“I wish that I could have a workshop in a box. So that I could just open the box and participate when I felt like I had the time and the energy.”

So Photzy set out to create something that will educate and motivate you, provide you with direction, and help you to learn through actionable photography assignments.

The full set of Action Cards include:

34 composition Action Cards aimed toward assisting you in fully understanding the various rules, tools, and concepts of composition. Some example assignments:
- S and Z Curves
- Dynamic Angles
- Juxtaposition
- Spirals
- Visual Weight and Direction
Just as we all ‘see’ differently – we also all work differently. This is your chance to discover which composition tools fit your style.

31 genre Action Cards which allow you to test the waters for 31 different genres of photographic imaging – by completing specific tasks and photo assignments in each genre – and help you uncover your ‘place’ in the photographic world. Some example assignments:
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Perhaps you’ll discover your natural tendencies reveal themselves better through outstanding flower photography versus newborn portrait photography.

We believe this new training tool will be exactly what many of you need to motivate and guide you on an experience of personal photographic discovery all on your own. Armed with these cards you’re guaranteed to be on a fast path to ‘expanding’ your shooting skills and mastering photography in 2018.

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FAQs

We’ve already had a great deal of interest in Photzy’s Action Cards and naturally lots of questions. Photzy have helped us answer them for you.

Q: Are the Action Cards different to the SNAP Cards?

Yes! They are completely different.

The SNAP! Card line was developed to present small easily digestible photographic lessons that you could consume virtually anywhere. Like Cheat Sheets…

The ACTION! Card line is geared towards the individual that prefers to learn by engaging in self-assigned photographic activities. A learning element is included, but the primary purpose of the product is to motivate you to learn through an actionable assignment and review process.

Q: Is there any bonus included?

Yes! Two actually.

You will get a lesson plan – Designed to help you work through the content at a pace that suits you, and to help you choose what order you’ll tackle the projects and assignments.
And a video tutorial – Reflectors & Other Self-Made Lighting Gear: Kent DuFault will demonstrate how you can make a very easy to use home reflector along with a few other ideas for DIY lighting tools.
These have a combined value of $ 25 value, and you get it absolutely free.

Q: Is this a downloadable file, or will I receive the printed cards in the mail?

You will be receiving a downloadable PDF file of the cards, for you to print out at home. This means you can access them anytime anywhere, and you don’t have to worry about losing them.

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Q: Why should I print these out?

Be honest – How many times have you downloaded a guide and never actually read it?

We’ve found that printing materials ensures you actually go on to read the content. Simply put– if you print it out, you are far more likely to take ACTION, and get RESULTS. That’s important to us.

Q: Are these Action Cards for beginners?

These cards are designed to cater for photographers of all levels. If you’re a beginner, these cards are going to work wonders for you with a whole range of material to sink your teeth into. If you’re a professional looking to extend your range of skills – we’ve got you covered too.

Get your copy here now

Q: Will this work for my camera?

While some of the settings information on the genre cards will of course not be useful depending on your chosen camera. 95% of the information on the Action Cards are not camera specific. So whether you are shooting on a DSLR, Mirrorless, or even an iPhone, you will find these incredibly to improve your photography skills.

Q: Is there a guarantee?

Absolutely!

In fact, when you claim your copy of The Action Cards, you have a full 365 days to decide whether or not you want to keep it. Meaning – you get an entire year to try them out…

And if for ANY reason, you decide the cards don’t work for you, simply contact us for a full, prompt refund… No questions asked and no hassles.

Q. How do I buy the Action Cards?

For one week only we can offer dPS readers early access to this brand-new training tool for just $ 39USD. At $ 5 per card the full set is valued at $ 325USD, so that’s 88% off.

Here’s where you can take advantage of this risk-free trial of the cards:

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The post Save 88% on 200 Photography Assignments that Inspire, Motivate and Teach appeared first on Digital Photography School.

Digital Photography School
July 6, 2018
Beginner’s Guide to Natural Light in Landscape Photography

Photography is all about light. The same scene with the same composition can look completely boring under one set of lighting conditions and very dramatic under different conditions. Good light makes the difference.

But does that imply there is also such a thing as bad light? I don’t think there is such a thing. The key is to understand what kinds of images to make under the lighting conditions you are presented with when you are photographing.

An overcast sky creates a soft landscape with no shadows.

Understanding the three characteristics of natural light will help you use the light to your advantage and make images with an impact no matter what conditions you have to work with.

The Quality of Light

By quality of light, I am referring to how hard or soft the light is.

Hard light happens during midday when the sun is high in the sky and there are no clouds to filter the light. This kind of light is harsh and bright, but it can also create interesting shadows and contrast.

Harsh mid-afternoon light casts a dramatic shadow on this sand dune emphasizing its shape.

Soft light happens on a cloudy day when the clouds diffuse the light making it even with no shadows or bright spots. It also occurs in the shade.

Even on a day when there are no clouds, when the sun is lower in the sky the light passes through more atmosphere which softens the light. This is why golden light at the edges of the day is softer then midday light.

The Color of Light

The color of natural light from the sun changes during the course of the day. Before the sun rises, when the first light of the day appears in the sky, the light is a cool blue. During sunrise, the light is golden. As the sun gets higher in the sky, it is bright with little color tint at all.

During Golden Hour, the last of the day’s light casts a warm golden light on these cacti.

At the end of the day the opposite thing happens. When the sun is low on the horizon before sunset, you get the golden glow. After sunset is twilight when the light is a cool blue (blue hour).

Once the sun has set, the light becomes a cool blue and the landscape is soft with no shadows.

The Direction of Light

Front light is when the light comes from behind you and hits the front of your subject directly. Front light can be unforgiving, washing out colors and minimizing textures. So if you are going to use it, it’s best to do so when the sun is low in the sky when it is warmer and softer.

Front light hits the mountain, but it is a soft light since it is also at golden hour.

Backlight is when the sun is directly in front of you and behind your subject, lighting it from behind. I love backlight because the deep contrast between the highlights and shadows is so dramatic.

Backlighting is also perfect for making silhouettes when you have subjects with great shapes.

The cactus is lit from behind creating an interesting silhouette during sunset.

Sidelight is when the sun is beside you, lighting your subject from the side. This kind of light is excellent for emphasizing shape and texture.

The sidelight on this saguaro cactus emphasizes it’s shape and texture.

What to do when …

So how do you use this information to your benefit? When you are out photographing consider the characteristics of the light you are presented with and use that to decide what kinds of photographs to make.

Harsh mid-afternoon light

The light is high in the sky, extremely bright and harsh with only a little color. This is a good time to look for shadows or photograph in the shade.

Harsh mid-afternoon light can create interesting shadows.

An overcast day with dull light

This kind of midday light has little color, but it is soft with no shadows; think soft. This kind of light is perfect for making soft flower photos, close-ups with even light, or waterfall photos where direct light would cause unwelcome bright spots.

If there is any texture to the clouds in the sky, that is good. But if the sky is pure white, eliminate it from the frame.

Waterfalls are a perfect subject for an overcast day.

Golden Hour

The sun is low in the sky casting beautiful soft warm light at golden hour, so it’s hard to go wrong in this situation. Think about the direction of light. Front light will create a warm glow on buildings and mountains, sidelight will emphasize the shape of hills, backlight will create dramatic silhouettes and you could create a sunburst by using a small aperture.

The day’s last light casts a golden glow on the edge of the canyon.

Blue Hour

The sun is below the horizon giving you soft, even, cool light. The direction of light does not apply here. Combine this type of light with a long exposure to emphasize the soft feeling if you have any moving elements like water or clouds. Combine twilight with city lights for more drama.

There was barely any light in the sky at all during this 15-second exposure.

The best way to learn how different types of light affect your images is to photograph the same subject under various conditions. Pick something that is easily accessible to you and photograph it with front light, sidelight, and backlight. Photograph it at midday, during golden hour and at twilight. Photograph it under harsh mid-afternoon light and on a cloudy day when the light is soft.

Understanding these characteristics of natural light will ensure that you can make the most of the lighting conditions you have and create photos with impact at any time of day.

The post Beginner’s Guide to Natural Light in Landscape Photography appeared first on Digital Photography School.

Digital Photography School

July 6, 2018
6 Tips to Capture Wildlife Photography with Impact

Wildlife photography has become even more popular since the advent of digital cameras. Capturing wildlife can be a challenging undertaking whether your photographing animals for the first time or are well practiced. If you’re new to the subject and want to learn how to photograph animals, here are some tips to help you get started:

1. Use a telephoto lens

One of the most frequent questions I get asked about wildlife photography is, “Which lens should I use?” You may want to photograph birds in your garden, animals at the zoo, or even polar bears in the Arctic. Whichever is your preferred subject, I find that while a wide-angle lens is great for capturing the bigger picture, to really capture an animal from afar, you will need a telephoto lens.

A telephoto lens is the ideal solution to draw you nearer to the action where anything from 70-400mm will facilitate the ability to zoom in to photograph wildlife.

You will find photographing from a distance an advantage as getting too near to the creature could scare them away, particularly wild animals that are timid such as foxes. Animals living in urban environments are more likely to be used to people so you may be able to snap them from a closer vantage point.

2. Use a fast shutter speed to capture the action

Camera shake will be more apparent when using a telephoto lens rather than a standard lens due to its size and weight. The longer the lens, the more susceptible you are to camera shake. A shutter speed of at least a 1/100th of a second will help to photograph moving animals and minimize movement.

Clicking the shutter at faster speeds will enable you to freeze the action whether your subject is moving or motionless and will help you to capture sharper images. In addition, many modern lenses now have the option of image stabilization which can also be used to reduce vibration.

3. Focus on the details

Sometimes filling the frame with an animal’s features can make a wildlife photograph more appealing. The intent stare of a lion or the face of a monkey, for example, can be a captivating subject and even more interesting than the animal as a whole.

As you begin to photograph wildlife more, you will notice the details about an animal that could make an interesting picture. Be sure to photograph different features that you find compelling.

4. Make sure your battery is charged and your memory card has space

This may seem obvious, but it’s surprising how many times I have heard people say they have run out of battery power or that they don’t have enough space left on their camera card to take any more pictures. If you ensure your battery is fully charged and your memory card is empty, you will be prepared for any potential wildlife sighting.

During a wildlife safari drive or whilst out walking in the countryside, you never know when an animal encounter will happen. You could see wildlife at any given moment. With your camera charged and cards empty you will be ready for any photo opportunity as and when it arises.

5. Create pictures with interest

Many newbie photographers that capture images of wildlife tend to place the animal right in the center of the frame. This can work well with the right composition. Try to photograph the animal off center too, by positioning it to one side of the frame to make the image more interesting.

Placing your subject on a third of the frame can create impact.

You could include part of the animal’s habitat in the frame such as a bird in its nest. Woodlands and rivers are great natural havens for wildlife and can make for an appealing setting to frame your subject within.

6. Wait a while

As animals are difficult to predict and they often move, you will find it challenging to capture a good shot with the first image you take. Be prepared to wait a while and you may get to see and capture a more rewarding image.

For example, when I came across this serval cat during a game drive in Tanzania, I spotted the cat looking for prey in the long grass. After pulling the car over and waiting a few minutes, the serval cat turned for a split second after being alerted by the noise of the engine and I captured the moment.

Conclusion

Next time you are out with your camera to do wildlife photography, whether you’re out walking, observing in your garden, or watching wildlife from afar, remember these tips. Hang around for a while and be amazed at what you might discover.

What wildlife photographs have you taken that you would like to share?

The post 6 Tips to Capture Wildlife Photography with Impact appeared first on Digital Photography School.

Digital Photography School

July 5, 2018
How to Use Low Graphic Style as a Compositional Tool

In the never-ending search to improve photographic skills, it’s important to push the limits and try projects that push you outside your comfort zone. That’s why a project that involves studying and creating images using low graphic style is an important undertaking that can help to stretch the imagination and push your photography skills to another level.

Low graphic style is not often discussed, but it is worth exploring. The elements of low graphic style often contradict the formal rules of photography. The big question, however, begins with a definition for low graphic style or rather a discussion of the psyche behind creating this style of image.

Low graphic style evolved as a reaction to traditional composition rules and ideas found in photography.

This image presents a typical eye level view of a city street in Montreal.

Compare this image to the one above. Here the horizon is centered but the bold colors and the deep shadows of the silhouettes definitely add some bold graphic elements to the picture.

Low graphic style attempts to create an image that is free of manipulation. The goal is to create an image that shows the plain truth which could have been altered by the use of traditional compositional rules. Whether low graphic style achieves this goal is a philosophical discussion is not suited to this article, but the basic elements of low graphic style should be studied like any other style of photography and understood to push your photography skills to a higher level.

It’s impossible to attempt to photograph in a certain style without completely understanding the elements that make a photograph fall into the realm of low graphic style. So without wasting any more time let’s compare low graphic to the more common high graphic style.

1) Static Balance

Static balance is in contrast to the Rule of Thirds. The idea is that the photographer focuses on creating compositions that utilize symmetrical compositions. The photographer also avoids including dynamic elements like diagonals which might add energy to the image.

2) Square frames and centered horizon lines

The use of a square frame or placing the horizon on the midline instead of alone one of the 3^rd lines also helps to create an image that is far more in line with low graphic style.

3) A feeling of passivity

Images which fall into the realm of low graphic style often feel very soft or passive. You won’t find an image in this realm which depicts intense emotions. An image of a group of people running aggressively through the street will not fit into low graphic style.

With the exception of the diagonal shadow, the image fits well into low graphic style. The boy is centered in the frame and the focal length is 50mm. There’s no feeling of movement so a sense of passivity is present within the photo.

Consider the look and feel of this portrait in comparison to the one above. There are many differences and a huge contrast in the effect each image has on the viewer.

4) Normal focal lengths

Typically images that utilize low graphic style use normal focal lengths that mimic the normal range of the eye. Focal lengths like 15mm won’t be used when creating low graphic style photos.

5) Bland colors

Bold bright colors and high contrast are out when trying to achieve a low graphic look. Keep the colors bland and the contrast minimal. The goal is subtlety, not boldness.

In this image, there’s very little contrast. Also, the colors and lighting are flat. The idea is to plainly portray this hillside without attempting to add emotion or drama.

6) Monochrome

Focusing on black and white conversions will remove any of the emotional content that colour often provides to an image.

Monochromatic images help to remove any emotions that could be evoked by colors.

7) Repetition

Using repeated patterns helps to reduce the possibility of evoking emotion with an image. Also, images that utilize one uniform texture can be considered low graphic style.

In this image, we hit several elements of low graphic style. The image is monochrome, depicts a uniform pattern and texture throughout.

Conclusion

Low graphic style might not be for everyone. It suits the aesthetic taste of many, but there are those of us who love bold colors and bright emotional images. There are those of us who love constructed images that push the boundaries of reality.

Whatever style you prefer, trying something out of your comfort zone is never a bad thing. For those who love this look in their photography, by all means, share with us your tips of the trade. We want to hear all about the differences between high graphic style and low graphic style.

The simple flat view of a parking garage ticks off many of the compositional elements of low graphic style.

The post How to Use Low Graphic Style as a Compositional Tool appeared first on Digital Photography School.

Digital Photography School

July 5, 2018