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Why Every Photographer Should be a Teacher

12 Nov

The post Why Every Photographer Should be a Teacher appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Kevin Landwer-Johan.

I love teaching photography – it helps me to be a better photographer as well as those I teach. Every photographer should be a teacher at some point.

Many photographers, including myself, are largely self-taught. This does not mean learning new techniques and methods from someone more advanced than us is not welcome.

Modern life affords you endless resources to become self-taught in many subjects. Certain professions require an academic degree, photography does not. Becoming a doctor or engineer would be impossible without formal education. To learn photography all you need to do is get online and start reading and watching videos. Most of it you can even do for free.

Why-Every-Photographer-Should-be-a-Teacher

There’s no substitute for a competent teacher

Aspects of learning that require a teacher include: receiving clear instruction in person. Having the opportunity to ask and have your questions answered, and being challenged about specifics at your personal level of learning.

Everyone can become a competent teacher. You will always know at least a little more than someone else. Even if you’ve only learned what you believe is a little. You are capable of sharing what you know in a unique way. Your knowledge and experience will be appreciated by someone.

Finding the right students

Whatever level of photography you are at, you’ll always be able to find someone who knows less than you. Or someone who does things differently than you. Connecting with people who appreciate your willingness to share is important. It’s practically impossible to teach someone who does not want to learn.

Even complete novices can teach each other through practical experience. Going out with another photographer provides you opportunities to talk about the photos you’re taking. Because we all have a unique view of the world, we all see things differently. Sharing this with others can help us become more skilled with our cameras.

More advanced photographers are usually more capable of teaching those with less experience. Having a positive and encouraging attitude towards each other helps. I never tell people they are doing something wrong, instead, I prefer to teach them how to make improvements to what they are doing.

Making yourself available and reaching out to those with less experience is a good first step. Building a relationship of trust will encourage the learning process. Once your students know you’ll not lambast them for an incorrect exposure or out of focus subject, they’ll be more open to learning from you.

Start by asking and looking

Before I run a workshop, I like to see a selection of photos from people who will attend. This gives me a pretty good idea of how they like to use their cameras. It often provides me with a pretty good idea of how to teach them.

I like asking questions, and I love it when people ask me questions. This is a huge part of the learning process. Establishing how a person uses their camera, and what they prefer to photograph, helps me know where to start teaching.

Asking questions and looking at the photos of someone you are teaching makes the whole interaction more personal. It also makes the experience much more practical.

Don’t only look at the best photos someone has taken. Ask to see some recent pictures they’ve made that have disappointed them. Even if you cannot see any obvious reason for the lack of success, discuss the pictures. This will often bring new ideas to life, and you can both learn something new.

Asking a person questions about their photography shows you are interested in them. Most people will appreciate this. Once they know you are interested, they will be more receptive to what you have to teach.

Teaching is not only about what you know

You need to become aware of what your students do and do not know. This information is gained both by asking questions and looking at their photos. Once you have this understanding, you can focus on teaching them what will be practical.

Remember that when we hear something we’ve had no prior knowledge about, it’s more difficult to understand it. Building on what students already know and incrementally introducing new concepts is practical.

Understanding what you have to share is important. Albert Einstein said, “If you can’t explain it simply, you don’t understand it well enough.” Teaching what you understand well, you will be received more readily by your students.

When you think you have a good grasp of technique and the person you’re sharing it with is looking bored, this is a clear sign you are not hitting the mark. Do you really have such a good understanding of what you are teaching? How can you simplify your explanation to make it more acceptable? Or are you introducing a brand new idea too soon?

Teaching and doing is the best way to learn photography. Having their camera in hand, a student can put into practice what you are teaching them. If, for example, you’re teaching about depth of field, this is better understood when you can see the results different camera settings produce. When photographing the same subject that your student is, you can compare your photos. This way, you’ll see if they understand the teaching.

You will reap what you sow

Every photographer should be a teacher because as you teach, you will also learn. Giving out brings back to you many times more than what you contribute. I’ve always enjoyed sharing what I know about photography with others. It wasn’t until about six years ago that I started running regular photography workshops. Because I was teaching, my rate of learning increased incredibly.

Teaching can push you to learn more too. Questions from students or fellow photographers will challenge you to learn more. It feels good to give a clear and understandable answer to someone’s question. Regular interaction like this will inspire you to increase your knowledge, and as a result, your photography will improve.

You don’t need to wait until you believe you’re completely competent. Start now. Build relationships with other photographers who are at about the same level as you and find others who are beginners. Start to share your experiences together and encourage them to share with you what they know about photography. This way, you’ll all benefit from teaching, and you’ll grow together in your photography experience.

I hope you’ve enjoyed Why Every Photographer Should be a Teacher. If you have anything else you would like to add, please do so in the comments.

The post Why Every Photographer Should be a Teacher appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Kevin Landwer-Johan.

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5 Photo Editing Mistakes Every Beginner Must Avoid

12 Sep

The post 5 Photo Editing Mistakes Every Beginner Must Avoid appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Kunal Malhotra.

We are fortunate enough to be able to capture photos in digital format and edit them later using multiple software. You can adjust exposure, white balance and replace the background with only a few clicks. Being able to edit our photos as per our requirement is a great power – but we must not overuse it. In this article, I share 5 photo editing mistakes which I have made in my initial days as a photographer. I hope that some of you photography enthusiasts will benefit from my learning over the years.

1. Selective coloring

The image on the left looks more professional and is an ideal portrait, while the image in the right looks very unprofessional.

Sometimes we get so obsessed with a particular element in our frame that we desperately want to highlight it. One of the options that you might opt for is selective coloring, and it can easily go wrong. This is a technique where you keep a selective part of the image colored, making the remainder of the image black and white.

As a beginner, you might be super excited while working on your first few selective-colored images. And you should be.

However, if you wish to step up your photography game and make your images look more professional, avoid using selective coloring.

5-Photo-Editing-Mistakes

I would suggest you work on your perspective and composition if you wish to highlight a particular object or color in the frame. Try to frame that highlighting subject in a manner that it stands out in the frame.

If not, you can selectively boost the exposure or saturation in editing without applying the selective coloring method.

2. Overuse of HDR technique

Of the 5 photo editing mistakes I list, if there is an award for the most overused editing technique, it must go to the HDR effect. I must admit that during the first two years, I used to click multiple exposures of almost everything. Then later, I used to merge those exposures to get the HDR effect, thinking I was such a cool photographer.

You must understand the actual meaning of HDR, which is High Dynamic Range. Use it only when you feel that the camera is not able to capture the dynamic range of the scene the way you see it with your eyes. All you have to do is capture 3, 6, or 9 frames of different exposures and later merge them using apps such as Adobe Lightroom.

This is an over-processed HDR image.

There are few apps which allow you to get the HDR effect using a single photo, but that is simply a gimmick which you must use carefully.

3. Over-saturation

We all come across photos with vibrant and attractive colors, especially on photo-sharing apps such as Instagram. Trying to gain similar results, you might be boosting the saturation level way too far. Over-saturation in your photos can make a well-composed frame look average because you boosted the colors way too much.

The image on the right has way too much saturation, as can be clearly seen on the face.

While editing a photo for 3-5 minutes or more, it’s difficult to tell if the photo is well-saturated or over-saturated. Here is a quick tip that I follow that may help you as well: After your final edit is complete, take a 2-minute break from the screen. Now come back to your device and see if the saturation level works or is too much. Trust me; this practice is going to help you a lot if you edit a single photo for more than 4-5 minutes.

4. Converting to ‘Black & White’ when not required

Simply taking the saturation slider all the way to ‘-100’ does not make any image look good in monochrome. If I am converting any image black and white in editing, I check if the frame has contrast in it. If not, I try and avoid converting that image to monochrome.

Image: The colors in the image on the left are much more appealing as compared to the monochrome ima...

The colors in the image on the left are much more appealing as compared to the monochrome image on the right.

Even if a scene has good contrast, check if any prominent colors might complement the colored image. Your frame might have a beautiful and colorful sunset, but because you are used to converting any image into monochrome, you might make a wrong decision.

Be patient and analyze the image. If you feel the colors are not that appealing or the image has high contrast, go ahead and convert it to black and white.

5. Overuse of vignetting effect

The use of the vignetting effect in editing is a personal preference. I have seen many beginners use strong vignetting effects, especially in portraits. I love using a vignetting effect in photos where I want emphasis on a particular subject – but not in every image.

Try and avoid using this effect on photos such as landscapes, or try to keep it subtle so that the overall beauty of the frame does not get destroyed.

The image on the right does not look good because of the overuse of the vignetting effect.

Have you been making any of these 5 photo editing mistakes? Or if you wish to add any editing mistake to the list, feel free to comment below.

The post 5 Photo Editing Mistakes Every Beginner Must Avoid appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Kunal Malhotra.

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3 Lenses Every Beginner Photographer Needs [video]

14 Jun

The post 3 Lenses Every Beginner Photographer Needs appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Caz Nowaczyk.

In this video by MiketheMathMan, he outlines what he believes to be three lenses that every beginner photographer needs.

3 lenses every beginner photographer needs

In the video he lists the following:

1. Wide-Angle Lens

The “see everything lens” because of their ability to capture a wide field of view. These lenses are handy for shooting landscapes, interiors, cityscapes and anything where you need to capture a wide field of view.

2. Telephoto Zoom

They are great for capturing details from a distance for better detail.

3. Fast Prime Lens

A fast prime lens has a wide aperture. These are great for use in low-light and for creating beautiful bokeh with shallow depth of field. Prime lenses are fixed focal lengths, for example, 35mm, 50mm or 85mm. They are great for portraits/headshots, milky way photography/astophotography.

What lenses would you add to this list? Share with us in the comments below.

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The post 3 Lenses Every Beginner Photographer Needs appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Caz Nowaczyk.

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How to Make Well Exposed Photos Every Time – Part Three – Post-Processing for Exposure Optimization

26 Apr

The post How to Make Well Exposed Photos Every Time – Part Three – Post-Processing for Exposure Optimization appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Kevin Landwer-Johan.

Digital photography allows us an incredible scope to work on our computers to enhance and manipulate images. Optimizing your exposures during post-processing can make a dull, flat-looking photograph into a much more vibrant and interesting one.

How to Make Well Exposed Photos Every TimeMarket Guy

My approach to post-processing most of the time is to make my photos look as they did when I captured them or with some variation to the background tone. Because our eyes see more dynamic range than our cameras, this means I am working to balance my exposure and the way the light looks in the photo.

RAW or Jpg?

If your photos are saved only as jpg’s, your camera will have made certain tweaks to them already. It may have added some sharpening, color balance, contrast tweaks and possibly manipulated them in other ways. Jpg images as designed to look good straight out of your camera and may require little or no post-processing.

If you do decide to work on your jpg files, you will face limitations because of the file quality. As your camera saves jpg files, it compresses them and discards some of the information from the photos. Jpgs are technically lower quality which means they do not stand up to as much post-processing as RAW files do.

RAW files contain all the information your camera captured when you pressed the shutter release. They do not look great when you first see them because the camera has not altered them at all during the capturing and saving process.

To make a RAW file look good you must make some adjustments manually or use a preset or Action to make them for you. The technical quality of a RAW file is superior because there is no data lost from what your camera recorded. You have a greater capacity to be able to manipulate these files without losing quality.

How to Make Well Exposed Photos Every Time Temple and Big Sky

Choose your best photos

From each series of photographs you make I hope that you will have a number of exposure options to choose from when you sit down at your computer. Picking the best images to work on is the first part of post-processing.

Naturally, you’ll be wanting to pay most attention to the main subject in your photo. Is it exposed the way you want it to be? Can you see that there’s sufficient detail in those areas of your composition?

In some cases, such as when you’ve made a silhouette or are using low-key lighting and high contrast, you may have little or no detail in your subject. This is okay if that’s what you want.

However, if exposing for detail was your intention, and there’s not enough in your photo, look at the pictures where you used different exposure settings.

Your background exposure is also important. Does it enhance and support your main subject? Is it too bright or too dark? Again, look to see if there is detail. When there’s no detail, because of overexposure or underexposure, it will be more difficult to manipulate these areas.

How to Make Well Exposed Photos Every Time Attractive Young Photographer

Make use of the histogram

Your histogram gives you information about the tonal values in your images. It shows you where the most detail is and if you have lost detail in the bright or dark parts of your compositions.

If your histogram is bunched up to the left or the right of the chart, with the graphic touching the top, this means there will be no detail recorded in those areas.

If you can see a histogram bunched to the right and hitting the top, you will have lost detail in the highlights. If it’s bunched to the left and hitting the top, you have lost detail in the dark areas.

If your main subject is within this range and you wanted it to contain detail, you will need to choose a photo with a different exposure setting to work on.

How to Make Well Exposed Photos Every Time Hill Tribe Girl

Using presets or manual manipulation

Lightroom and Photoshop come with presets and Actions. These can be used to help balance your exposure. You can also download many more or make and save your own. These tools can enhance and speed up your post-processing workflow.

I often chose one of a variety of presets as I begin to post process a photograph. Rarely do I apply a preset without then tweaking it further. Every exposure you make is different, so to get your photos looking their best some manual manipulation is usually best.

Working your highlights and shadows

Having been careful to expose your main subject well, you may already be happy with its tone value. However, some parts of your composition may still need tweaking to get them looking the way you want.

How to Make Well Exposed Photos Every Time Happy Hat Wearer

Your intention is the most important. How do you want your photograph to look?

Here are two examples of different manipulations made to the same RAW file.

Example one: Dark background

I wanted to make the background darker so the roses would stand out. Using a preset I made in Lightroom, I then made further manual adjustments. I controlled the Blacks, Dehaze, Contrast, and Shadows sliders.

When making this kind of adjustment to manipulate the background of your image, pay attention to your main subject also. These sliders make universal changes to your photos so affect your main subject as well.

With a light-toned main subject and a predominantly dark background, the changes I made did not have much effect on the roses.

How to Make Well Exposed Photos Every Time Lightroom Dark

I then opened the photo, with the Lightroom adjustments, in Photoshop. At this stage, I darkened the lightest part of the photo to lower the overall tone range.

There are many techniques you can darken or lighten specific areas of a photo. I prefer to use the Dodge and Burn tools set to a low exposure to do this. I also used the Patch tool to remove a few of the brighter areas in the background.

As a result, the background is darker, and the highlights on the rose are not so bright.

How to Make Well Exposed Photos Every Time

Example Two: Light Background

To render a lighter, softer look, I took the Dehaze slider towards the left, and the Shadows towards the right. I added a little more Black and some Contrast, otherwise the image looked too flat.

Next, using Photoshop, I tweaked the highlights a little so they were not so bright.

How to Make Well Exposed Photos Every Time Roses

In both of these examples, my main objective was to enhance the roses because they are my main subject.

The background tone is also important. Between the two examples, there is the most difference in the tone of the background. This has a large impact on the overall feel of the photo.

Conclusion

As with all post-processing, there are a variety of methods you can use to gain similar results. Here I have demonstrated a few techniques I am comfortable using.

Concentrating primarily on the tone of your main subject in relation to the background is a good place to start when post-processing. Once you have made adjustments you are satisfied with, you can then move on and make other changes to your photos if you wish.

Aim to expose your main subject the way you want at the time of making your photos. Doing so allows you more flexibility to make changes in post-production and not lose quality. If you are stuck working with a main subject that’s either underexposed or overexposed, you will be limited in how much you can achieve.

Experimentation is the best way to discover how you like to work with photo manipulation software. There is no right or wrong way to work with your photos so long as you achieve the result you want.

How to Make Well Exposed Photos Every Time. Part Two: Managing Your Exposure

11 Apr

The post How to Make Well Exposed Photos Every Time. Part Two: Managing Your Exposure appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Kevin Landwer-Johan.

Part Two – Managing Your Exposure

This is the second article in a series of three discussing how to make well-exposed photographs. The first article covers subject choice, some common misconceptions about exposure and the photographer’s intention.

How to Make Well Exposed Photos Every Time Thai Dancer

Having identified your subject, managing your exposure then matters most. These things will influence how your photograph is exposed:

Point of view
Lens choice
Timing
Reading the light
Exposure settings

You’ll notice that I’ve placed ‘Exposure settings’ at the bottom of this list. This is because it’s the most obvious aspect of managing your exposure. I want you to consider how the other items on the list affect your exposure setting choices.

Point of view

Where you choose to take your photo from can significantly affect your exposure. Is the light behind you? Behind your subject? To one side?

By changing your position you can manage what you see in the background and how it impacts the amount of light entering your lens.

How to Make Well Exposed Photos Every Time Giant Soap Bubbles

In this photo, the reflection off the water makes up a large portion of the background. Had I not been careful with my exposure my subject may have been underexposed. In this photo, I compensated for the bright background by adding some fill flash.

Changing my point of view so I no longer included the lake in the background meant I could expose my subject well. The reflected light off the water surface no longer affected my exposure. In this photo, I did not need to use my flash as there was no strong backlight to compensate for.

Lens choice

Composition is partly governed by your choice of lens. Using a telephoto lens will include less background. In doing this, you can restrict light sources and bright areas of your composition more easily. With a wider lens, you are more likely to include more sky or other bright areas which can have some effect on your exposure.

How to Make Well Exposed Photos Every Time Rice Fields

Had I used a wider lens for my photo of these rice fields I would have included the setting sun in my composition. This would definitely have a strong impact on my exposure and the whole look and feel of my photo.

I could have eliminated the effect of the sun altogether by using a lens focal length that was slightly longer. I could have also tilted my camera down slightly, but the foreground was unattractive, and I like the sunburst.

Timing

The time you choose to make your photograph can also influence your exposure. It may mean waiting until the sun is in a different place in the sky for a landscape photo. Or you may have to calculate when to press your shutter release to avoid bright headlights of a passing car. This was the case when I photographed the image below.

How to Make Well Exposed Photos Every Time On the Iron Bridge

The timing for blue hour photos is particularly important. You must wait for the ambient light to balance with any other light source you have in your frame. This amount of time will vary depending on your proximity to the equator.

In Chiang Mai, Thailand, we have about ten minutes each evening to capture a rich blue sky with the electric lights included in the composition.

How to Make Well Exposed Photos Every Time Chiang Mai Iron Bridge

Reading the light

To be able to set your exposure you must use an exposure meter or let your camera make the calculations and settings for you.

Leaving this choice completely up to your camera is rarely best as your camera does not know what you are photographing. Your photos will potentially lack creativity.

Your camera has amazing artificial intelligence built into it, but it cannot see the way you see and discern what your main subject is. By leaving your camera settings so the meter is set to take an averaged reading and is on any auto or semi-auto mode, your camera is in control. You can use exposure compensation or set your camera manually to take control of your exposure.

One of the easiest ways to read the light is by using live view and looking at your monitor. Some cameras do not have this capability, so you need to consult your manual and do some testing to discover if you can use this method.

Checking your exposure with live view works when you have your camera set to manual mode. It’s easy to watch the light values on your monitor changes as you alter your aperture, shutter speed, and ISO. Using this method in conjunction with your histogram is recommended so you can check if there’s any clipping happening.

Using your exposure meter set so it takes a reading from the entire frame and then calculates an average exposure is okay when the light and tone is even.

When there’s any amount of contrast in the scene it’s good to take a spot meter reading directly from your subject. This will provide you with the specific information about the light reflecting off the most important part of your composition.

How to Make Well Exposed Photos Every Time Opening the Windows

For this photograph, I took a spot meter reading from the Buddhist nun, as I wanted her exposed well. Had I left my meter on the averaging mode it would have included the bright light outside and the dark interior into its calculations. This would most likely indicate a setting which would have rendered my main subject underexposed.

Exposure settings

Once you have made your exposure reading and ascertained how the light is affecting your composition, you need to set your exposure.

You may decide your subject will be well exposed by setting your aperture, shutter speed, and ISO so the meter reads zero. You may prefer to have it read overexposed or underexposed, depending on the tone value of your subject and your creative expression.

When your subject is very dark or very light, you may want to alter your exposure settings to compensate. When you take a spot meter reading the camera is calibrated to see the thing as being middle gray. This means a black or a white subject will both appear gray in your photo if your meter is reading zero.

You must decide the tone you want your main subject to be. Do you want a clearly exposed subject? Will it look better if it appears brighter than it really is? Do you want a silhouette?

For this photo of pink orchid flowers, I chose to overexpose from the reading my spot meter was giving me. I did this to produce a softer feeling in the image.

How to Make Well Exposed Photos Every Time Pink Flowers

Had I been making the photograph to document the flower and its color accurately, I would not have overexposed it. My intent was not to make a technically accurate representation of the flower.

If technical accuracy is what I wanted I would have changed my point of view to avoid the backlighting. I would have set my exposure so the color and tone rendered correctly to how the flower looked to my eyes.

Try it out and see for yourself

Find a white or black subject to photograph. Make a spot meter reading and set your exposure so that the meter is at zero. Take a photo.

Now, for a black subject, change your setting so the spot metering indicates it is two stops underexposed. For a white subject make your settings so it’s two stops overexposed.

Which photograph is most appealing? The ‘correctly’ exposed photo, or the under or overexposed photo?

How to Make Well Exposed Photos Every Time Laughing Lady

Conclusion

Experimentation is always good when lighting and subject material are challenging. If you’re not 100% certain you have a perfect exposure, (I never am,) make a series of photos whenever you can.

Tweak your aperture and/or shutter speed settings between each exposure. Don’t make huge shifts in these settings, but just enough so you have a few options to look at when it comes to post-process them.

I’d love you to leave your comments below letting me know if this article has helped you understand exposure better.

The next article in this series will cover post-processing techniques which will enhance your exposure choices.

The post How to Make Well Exposed Photos Every Time. Part Two: Managing Your Exposure appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Kevin Landwer-Johan.

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How to Make Well Exposed Photos Every Time. Part 1 – Seeing the Light

03 Apr

The post How to Make Well Exposed Photos Every Time. Part 1 – Seeing the Light appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Kevin Landwer-Johan.

Part One – Seeing the Light

Opinions about what a correctly exposed photograph is must be about as numerous as what people choose to take pictures of. Some opinions are more common than others.

‘Every photograph must contain an even range of tone with no details lost in the highlight or shadow areas.’ This is the one I encounter most frequently. It’s probably been learned from technical books and academics.

Durian How to Make Well Exposed Photos Every Time

Performing a quick Google search on this topic brings up the Canon Australia website with this:

“The act of having ‘correct’ exposure means your combination of settings between aperture, shutter speed, and ISO speed have produced a perfectly exposed image. When nothing is blown out (highlights) or lost in shadow in an image, it has achieved correct exposure.”

I’m not including this quote to get at Canon users or Aussies, (even though I am a Nikon user and a Kiwi,) but because it represents a purely technical approach to exposure choice.

How to Make Well Exposed Photos Every Time Flower and Moss

How can creative expression be judged as correct?

Photography, at its best, is a creative expression of how we perceive what we see. Our world view is unique. Each of us has the ability to interpret and convey our experience through the photographs we capture.

Freedom to expose our photos so some parts of our compositions have no recorded detail is a natural part of this art form. If our minds are boxed in by technical restraints such as are expressed on the Canon Australia website, our expression is inhibited.

I’m not suggesting we disregard technical quality – this would be like throwing the baby out with the bathwater. I am recommending you reach beyond purely technical restraints to expose your photos so that they are more expressive of what they are about, not just what they are of.

Conforming to the opinion that photographs are best when no details get lost due to exposure choice can provide documentation of what you are photographing. This approach to taking pictures will not often infuse your photographs with much life, emotion, or energy, apart from what your subject may naturally provide.

Histogram bells taste like Vanilla ice cream

Vanilla ice cream – enjoyable sometimes – but plain nonetheless. You are likely to get bored with it if that’s all you eat. It’s not the most exciting flavor at the ice cream parlor.

A bell-shaped histogram indicates your camera has recorded a lot of mid-range tones and little or no extreme dark or light ones.

Striving for a bell-shaped histogram is not going to produce the most flavorsome photographs. At times you’ll make a great image that’s got a bell-shaped histogram, but not often.

I believe it’s a common myth that the ideal histogram is bell-shaped.

Even Exposure Buddha Statue How to Make Well Exposed Photos Every Time

You can see that the histogram for this image is reasonably balanced. There are no spikes to the left or right. This indicates we will see detail in the darkest and brightest parts of the composition.

I took the photo mid-afternoon on an overcast day. Because the light was soft and even, and the tones in my composition are all fairly neutral, I have obtained a ‘correct’ exposure.

How to Make Well Exposed Photos Every Time Contrast-Buddha-Statue

Subscribing to the ideal of the bell shape, you might look at this histogram and think the photo is extremely underexposed. You might even consider deleting such an image based on this information alone.

It is the same statue photographed on a sunny day in the mid-afternoon. It’s a much more appealing photograph than the one made on the overcast afternoon.

It was my intention to lose shadow detail. I wanted to isolate the statue from the dull background and add some drama.

Exposure choices are as personal as ice cream preferences

How to Make Well Exposed Photos Every Time Chocolate Ice Cream

Seeking to only create photos with an even exposure throughout the tone range is like choosing to eat just vanilla ice cream and always ignoring all the other flavors.

Great photographs express what the photographer sees and experiences. Sometimes they are technically correct, many times they aren’t. It all comes back to the intent of the photographer.

Choosing to let most of your composition fall into darkness is your choice. If you want to use the shadow areas to enhance your subject, then do it. If light streaming into your lens from behind your subject creates softness and depth of feeling, let it happen.

Don’t just focus on the technical details. You will usually end up with photos containing little or no feeling.

Before you bring your camera up to your eye, you need to see the light. Consider the brightest parts of a scene. Are they important? Do you need to show detail in them to convey what you want to with your photo?

Likewise for the dark areas of your photo – if there are a lot of distracting elements in the shadow areas – let them be buried in the darkness.

How to Make Well Exposed Photos Every Time Woman Tourist with an Elephant

Behind the woman and elephant was a large, open building casting a helpful shadow over its messy interior. By positioning myself so I could only see the shaded area behind my subjects, I knew I could isolate them. I set my exposure for the woman’s face, as it’s the most important part of my composition.

The fact that the background is dark and contains no detail helps make my photo stronger.

Understanding light and tone will help you make more interesting exposures. Knowing how your camera evaluates and records light and tone is equally as important. How to manage your exposure is the topic of the next article in this series.

What’s the most important element in your composition?

Recognizing your key subject is an important early decision in taking a photo. Most often it will be your first.

This will be what you focus on and what you want to expose well, (usually). If your subject has a wide tonal range – say a bride in a white dress and a groom in a black suit – be careful. Your camera will not be able to render detail both in the dress and the suit because the tones are extremely different.

Likewise, if part of your subject is in bright sun and part is in the shade, you will need to choose your exposure carefully. The contrast created by sunlight and shade is also extreme.

Discerning your primary subject helps you compose everything in your frame around it. Exposing it well helps make it the center of attention in your photograph.

How to Make Well Exposed Photos Every Time Fancy Kaftan

What mood do you want to capture or create?

To me, the answer to this question is more important to focus on than trying to obtain a full tonal range in my photographs.

The type of light you’re photographing in will influence the feeling in your photographs. So will your exposure choice. Is the light bright and hard, or soft and gentle? Should you set your exposure so you can see all the detail in the shadows or chose to let them become very dark and contain little or no detail?

Letting your camera make these choices for you, by not controlling your exposure, your photos may become flat and somewhat lifeless. By taking control and exposing your main subject well you can infuse story, drama, and imagination.

How to Make Well Exposed Photos Every Time Karen Grandpa

I have a mantra of sorts. Look. Think. Click.

Look at what you want to photograph. See what is before you. Your subject, it’s surroundings and the background. The light.

Think about how you want to portray your subject. What is your intention?

How much or how little do you want to include? What will fill your frame?

What quality is the light and how will it affect your photo?

Where will you stand or position yourself?

When will be the best time to take your photo?

Which exposure settings will you choose to best suit your intention?

Click. This should only happen once you have thought these things through.

How to Make Well Exposed Photos Every Time Chedi

It may seem a whole lot to do before taking a photograph, but this is what makes the difference between a snapshot and an image you may want to have framed and hang on your wall.

In the next article in this series, I will cover how to manage your camera settings to match your intent.

The post How to Make Well Exposed Photos Every Time. Part 1 – Seeing the Light appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Kevin Landwer-Johan.

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3 Creative Ingredients for Every Photo You Take

25 Mar

The post 3 Creative Ingredients for Every Photo You Take appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Mat Coker.

We all look at our photos at times and think, “these just aren’t that great.” New photographers who aren’t sure what to do feel this way all the time. But so do seasoned photographers.

Sometimes, looking at the most basic elements of your photo can help you a lot.

I have a mental checklist that I use to help me take the best photo I can. When I review my photos I use this checklist to ask what I could have done better.

Whether you’re a new photographer trying to develop your style or a seasoned photographer wanting to revive a stagnant style, you can use these 3 ingredients to make dramatic changes to your photos.

Moment
Composition
Light

All three of these ingredients are present in every photo you take, it’s just a question of what you do with them. Begin by understanding the moment you’re photographing and then build your composition and play with light.

We’ll look at moment, composition and light separately, but I’ll identify all three in each photo as we move along.

Moment: candid, action
Composition: high angle
Light: soft, backlight
When I first began using an old iPhone to take pictures I knew I couldn’t rely on camera settings to make my photos look good. Instead, I would have to focus on other elements such as gesture, angles, and light.

Moment

Most people would agree that the moment is the most important part of any photo. We won’t even notice the shortcomings in your photo if the moment is strong enough.

First, begin by considering what sort of moment you’re about to photograph. The first question to ask is whether the moment is one that you’ve set up (still life, food photography or posed portraits) or is it happening naturally (candid moments, photojournalism, lifestyle or street photography)?

Moment: posed
Composition: face to face angle
Light: soft, side light

Moment: candid
Composition: high angle
Light: soft side light
After photographing thousands of the same pose over and over, this candid moment was a breath of fresh air.

Whether it’s a natural or posed moment, there are further questions to ask. That moment may be packed with action (sports), or emotion (events) or mystery (portraits).

Moment: action
Composition: slightly higher angle
Light: soft, side light

Moment: candid moment combing two emotions; a loving embrace and a crying infant
Composition: face to face
Light: backlight

You can go even deeper into the moment. When the environment or background plays a role, the moment may be a season, a time of day, or a sudden storm.

Moment: a childhood moment at golden hour
Composition: face to face
Light: warm, soft, backlight

Types of moments to look for:

Natural
Posed
Action
Emotion
Mystery
Stage of life
Time of day
Season
Weather

The type of moment that you’re photographing will influence your decision about composition and light too.

Composition – especially angles

Composition refers to everything your photo is composed of. Which means no matter what part of the photo you’re discussing, it’s all composition. However, photographers often use the term composition to refer to a specific type of element such as angle, background, framing, symmetry, lines, centering, rule of thirds, etc. So even though moment and light are technically part of the photo’s composition, they often stand on their own.

We’ll take a close look at angles because you must use an angle in every photo, whereas other elements such as lines, symmetry, or rule of thirds may not be possible or desirable in every photo.

Angles are easy to learn and fun to use. To change the angle you simply need to get your camera higher or lower or rotate horizontally from left to right.

There are five vertical angles to choose from, and each one changes the look and feel of the photo. You should choose your angle based on the type of moment you’re photographing.

Bird’s eye view – when you get up high and look straight down (candid and still life moments).
High angle – like a grown-up looking down at their kids (posed or emotional moments).
Eye level – at the same level as the thing you’re photographing (emotional or action moments).
Low angle – like a child looking up at the world of grown-ups (action moments).
Bug’s eye view – looking straight up from down on the ground. (dramatic moments).

Experiment with angles and you will soon learn what works best for you.

Moment: setup, “posed”
Composition: bird’s eye view. Great for food photography because it mimics the angle that you use to look down at your food.
Light: soft, side light

Moment: posed
Composition: low angle
Light: soft, side light
Climbing a mound of dirt with your Tonka trucks is pretty epic for a little kid. So photographing it from a lower angle helps to exaggerate the size and how the moment feels.

Use angles and the other elements of composition to bring out the nature or essence of your moment.

Choose your angle well and then fill out your composition with other elements to draw the eye. Try negative space (also with portraits), centering, black and white, silhouettes, lines, framing and other unique approaches.

“One doesn’t stop seeing. One doesn’t stop framing. It doesn’t turn off and turn on. It’s on all the time.” – Annie Leibovitz

Light

There will be all sorts of moments that you have either orchestrated (posed) or discovered (candid). You respond to that moment with your composition, bringing out the meaning of the moment. Finally, you do your best with light to make the moment look better.

Sometimes you can control the light (strobes, off camera flash, or window light). In most other cases you can’t control the light. But no matter what light you’re given, you can always modify it with scrims and reflectors.

There are a few aspects of light to keep in mind since they dramatically affect your photo.

Color

Most light has a color to it. Perhaps it’s clean white light, or maybe it’s being reflected off a colored surface. Consider the temperature of the light. Is it warm or cool?

Moment: season, night
Composition: lower angle
Light: cool, backlight

Moment: posed
Composition: face to face angle, framed by the branches
Light: warm, backlight

Quality

When it comes to the quality of light, remember that a larger light source will produce softer light while a smaller light source produces harsh light.

So a large window is a source of soft light, while a bare light bulb produces harsh light. Photographers use umbrellas and softboxes to make the light source larger and produce a softer light.

An overcast sky is a source of soft light, while the sun is a source of harsh light.

Moment: posed
Angle: face to face
Light: harsh, side light

Moment: perfectly still, but not posed
Composition: bird’s eye view angle
Light: soft, side light produced by a window

Moment: posed
Composition: face-to-face angle, symmetrical composition
Light: soft light was produced by an overcast sky.
The orderliness of the photo is broken by the silly expression on her face.

Direction

Whatever the color and quality of light, it will always be coming from a particular direction. The direction of light changes the feel of your photo.

Moment: candid
Composition: low angle
Light: green, harsh, front light

Moment:action
Composition: high angle, centered
Light: harsh, side light

Moment: action
Angle: low angle
Light: backlight from the setting sun, producing texture in the sand

There is a lot to learn about light, but keep in mind these three big elements:

Temperature, color
Quality (large and soft, or small and harsh)
Direction

Every creator uses ingredients

Photographers are no different.

None of the three main ingredients are optional, they’re going to be in every photo. The question is what you do with them and how they affect your photo.

There is going to be a moment, but did you think it through and capture it the way you hoped?

There will always be an angle (and many other elements of composition), but did you choose one that made the moment stand out better?

And, there will always be light, but did you use it in such a way as to make the moment look it’s best?

The post 3 Creative Ingredients for Every Photo You Take appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Mat Coker.

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Lightroom Shortcuts Every Photographer Needs to Know [video]

15 Mar

The post Lightroom Shortcuts Every Photographer Needs to Know appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Caz Nowaczyk.

In this awesome video by Lucy Martin, you’ll learn Lightroom shortcuts every photographer needs to know to make their editing workflow faster and more efficient.

The Lightroom shortcuts every photographer needs to know

Help make your editing process be more efficient and fast-paced so you can deliver your photos much quicker by knowing these shortcuts:

G – Grid view
E – Loupeview
L – Lights Out – (isolates your image against a black background for previewing)
P – Pick (Flag)
x – Reject
Caps Lock – auto next
Cmd+Delete – delete rejected
D – Go to Develop
\ – Before/After
Y – Before/After Side by Side Comparison
V – Black and White
R – Resize and Rotate
Q – Spot Removal Tool
H – Hide adjustment Pins
Cmd+Z – Undo last action
Cmd+C – Copy Settings
Cmd+P – Paste Settings
Cmd+/ – Show all shortcuts

You may also find the following helpful:

Lightroom CC and Photoshop CC Keyboard Shortcut Cheat Sheets

How to Use Lightroom Star Ratings to Improve Your Editing Workflow

How to Customize Your Lightroom Workspace for Better Workflow

10 Tips to Make Lightroom Classic CC Run Faster

5 Adobe Lightroom Plugins That Will Make Your Life Easier

How to Find Your Photos in the Lightroom Catalog Using Filters

The post Lightroom Shortcuts Every Photographer Needs to Know appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Caz Nowaczyk.

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10 Common Photography Mistakes Every Beginner Should Avoid

11 Mar

The post 10 Common Photography Mistakes Every Beginner Should Avoid appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Jaymes Dempsey.

You can capture incredible photos.

But there are a few common photography mistakes (often made by beginners).

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And these mistakes might be holding you back.

Fortunately, they’re easy to fix.

And guess what?

Once you’ve fixed these mistakes, your photography will be better than ever.

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So read on to discover the 10 common photography mistakes every beginner should avoid.

Starting with:

1. You’re not resetting your camera dials at the end of each shoot

Tell me if this sounds familiar:

You’re doing an end-of-day photo shoot.

You crank your ISO up to 1600 (to deal with the low light).

Your shoot ends. You go to put away your camera.

And…

…In all the excitement, you forget to drop your ISO back to 100.

This is such an easy mistake to make. Especially since it’s something you must remember at the end of each photo shoot –when you’re exhausted.

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But…

It’s something you can’t forget.

Why?

If you do, you’re jeopardizing your next photo shoot.

Because then you’re bound to shoot with your 1600 ISO.

And then you’ll get frustratingly grainy shots.

Which is exactly what you don’t want.

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So here’s what you do:

At the end of each shoot, shift all settings back to a standard value. The particular number depends on your camera and your style of photography. But make sure you choose a median value – one that will serve you in a variety of situations.

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Here’s what I do:

I dial my ISO down to 100.

I dial the aperture to f/5.6.

I dial the shutter speed to 1/500.

Doing this has saved me countless times.

It’ll save you, too.

2. You’re shooting JPEG photos (instead of RAW)

This mistake is a frustrating one.

Because there’s literally nothing you can do to fix it – after the fact.

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Here’s the mistake:

You’re shooting JPEGs.

But you should be shooting in RAW.

Let me explain:

Cameras can shoot images using several file formats.

JPEG is a common file format and it’s the default format on a lot of cameras.

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But here’s the issue with JPEGs:

They’re compressed files. That means that they lose information.

And a loss of information? That makes for lower-quality photos.

Not to mention another issue:

Each time you edit and resave a JPEG, you’re reducing the image quality.

Fortunately, you have another option:

You can shoot in RAW.

RAW is another file format – and it’s offered by most modern cameras.

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It’s a lossless file format, which means that you can edit RAW files repeatedly without reducing the image quality.

And here’s a RAW bonus:

RAW files allow for you to do more substantial editing. Because the RAW format saves more information, you’re able to recover highlights, boost shadows, and alter colors – far more than what you can do with a JPEG file.

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Bottom line?

Switch to RAW.

You’ll be thankful that you did.

3. You’re shooting during the harsh midday hours

One of the things that separates great photos from mediocre photos…

…is the quality of the light.

Good light can take a photo to the next level.

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Bad light can hold back an otherwise strong image.

Which brings me to mistake number three:

Shooting during the harsh midday hours.

Around midday, the sun is harsh. It causes contrasty shadows.

It’s just all-around bad for photography.

Instead of shooting during midday, try shooting during the early morning or evening hours.

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That’s when the light is soft and golden.

(In fact, these times are known as the golden hours.)

Shooting during the golden hours will give your subjects a wonderful glow.

It’ll give them some soft illumination.

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And it’ll give your photos a huge boost.

4. You’re using Auto mode all the time

When you first start shooting, it can be tempting to put your camera in Auto mode.

But here’s the problem:

When you shoot in Auto mode, the camera chooses all the settings for you.

And the camera does a good job 80 percent of the time.

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But the other 20 percent?

That’s when your camera will mess up.

And you’ve got to be able to correct it.

Otherwise, your images will suffer.

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So here’s what I’d suggest:

Start by learning the ins and outs of Aperture Priority mode.

(That’s the mode where you select the aperture and your camera will select the shutter speed.)

Then, when you’re in a non-stressful shooting situation, switch it on.

Try to use it more and more.

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Eventually, you’ll be shooting in Aperture Priority all the time. You’ll love the control it gives you.

And then?

If you want even more control over your camera, you can transition to Manual mode. But this isn’t a requirement – you can do a great job with just Aperture Priority.

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So that’s your call.

Just make sure you move away from Auto mode.

5. You’re forgetting about the direction of the light

You already know about the importance of good-quality lighting.

But did you know that the direction of the light matters, too?

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Depending on the direction of the light, your photos can be soft, dramatic, or striking. And it’s important that you carefully choose the direction of the light.

(Because different types of light suite different subjects and styles.)

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Here’s a quick guide to light:

If the light comes from in front of your subject (i.e., frontlight), you’ll get an evenly illuminated photo.

If the light comes from behind your subject (i.e., backlight), you’ll get a striking photo. The light will create a golden halo around your subject.

And if the light comes from beside your subject (i.e., sidelight), you’ll get a dramatic photo. The subject will be only partially illuminated – and partially shrouded in shadow.

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Now, all these types of light have a time and place.

But frontlight is generally a very safe option.

(When in doubt, use frontlight.)

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Here’s the important thing:

Each time you go out to shoot…

…look for the light.

Taken note of the light.

And position yourself so that you get the shot that you want.

6. You’re not composing deliberately

If light is the number one most important part of photography…

…then composition is number two.

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Because in order to capture great shots, you’ve got to create great compositions.

That is, you’ve got to arrange the elements of your photo in a pleasing way.

It’s so easy to forget about this.

But you should deliberately compose every photo you take.

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Now, composing deliberately doesn’t have to be an ordeal.

Not every photo has to be a masterpiece.

Just think about each photo you take, if only for a second.

Here’s a tip:

Try positioning your main subject in a way that emphasizes its beauty.

You could put it a third of the way into the frame…

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(Following the rule of thirds.)

Over time, your composition skills will improve. You just have to practice!

7. You’re not considering the background

When you’re doing photography, it’s easy to think about your subject.

But you’ve got to think about the background, too!

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The background is what frames the subject.

It’s what makes the subject stand out.

Here’s a bit tip for a stunning background:

Simplify, simplify, simplify.

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The simpler the background, the better.

Try finding a uniform background. A bright sky is a great choice. So is a dark wall.

(A uniform background really does make for a gorgeous photo.)

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It’s okay to settle for a less-than-uniform backdrop.

But make sure that it enhances the subject. Make sure it doesn’t detract from the overall image.

8. You’re not practicing very often

Photography is a skill.

And to improve a skill, you’ve got to practice.

Which means that you should get out and shoot as often as you can.

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I know that it’s hard.

But if you shoot for fifteen minutes every day, your photography will grow by leaps and bounds.

And if you shoot for an hour a day?

You’ll be astonished by how quickly you improve.

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It’s important to note:

Practicing photography isn’t just about taking photos.

You should also make sure to review your images. Consider what you like about them. Consider what you can improve.

And apply these findings the next time you go out.

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If you’re really serious about photography, you should also try reviewing other people’s images.

There are tons of great photography sites out there (including this one!). Try perusing them for fifteen minutes every day.

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You’ll soon develop an enhanced sense of composition and color. And this, in turn, will enhance your photography.

9. You’re shooting from standing height

When you’re doing photography, do you shoot from a standing height?

That is, do you generally take the standard shot?

Or do you move around and look for a unique perspective?

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The thing is, it’s easy to just shoot from a standing height.

But if you do this, your images will never be unique.

And they won’t be very original.

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You want to show the viewer something they’ve never seen before. That’s how you’ll create a stunning photo.

So what do you do?

Instead of shooting from standing height…

Change your angle.

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Start by getting down low. Crouch on your knees. Get your pants dirty.

Then try moving to the side. Get a shot that nobody would ever think to take.

Next, find a nice vantage point – one that lets you capture your subject from above. Take a few shots from that angle.

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Do you see what I mean?

By changing up your position, you’ll capture unexpected, original, and compelling photos.

And that’s exactly what you want.

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10. You’re not processing your photos

Let’s talk about one last common photography mistake:

Taking photos.

But not processing them.

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Processing is a hugely important part of photography.

Why?

Because modern cameras account for processing.

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In other words, if you’re shooting in RAW, it’s expected that you’ll process your photos.

So the camera gives you unprocessed photos – photos that need processing to look good.

The photos are under-sharpened.

The photos are undersaturated.

They’re just all-around in need of some editing.

Which is what you must do.

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If you’re not a fan of post-processing, that’s okay. You can take a minimalist approach to your processing.

But you should process your photos, if only a little bit.

Because processing will give them that final touch…

…that will make the viewer say “Wow.”

Common photography mistakes: What do you do now?

Now you know 10 common photography mistakes.

And if you’re making any of these mistakes, you might feel discouraged.

Don’t be.

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Everyone is going to make mistakes. Especially when starting out.

The real question is…

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What are you going to do about it?

If you follow the advice I’ve given you, you’re going to be in great shape.

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You’ll improve at lightning speed.

And you’ll be so proud of the photos you take.

Have any other common photography mistakes that I didn’t cover? Let me know in the comments!

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You may also find the following articles helpful:

12 Common Newbie Photography Mistakes to Avoid

Common Photography Mistakes Newbies Make and How to Avoid Them

10 Common Photography Mistakes and How to Overcome Them

The post 10 Common Photography Mistakes Every Beginner Should Avoid appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Jaymes Dempsey.

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Photo Finishing – Challenge Yourself to Reveal the Personality in Every Image You Capture

21 Feb

The post Photo Finishing – Challenge Yourself to Reveal the Personality in Every Image You Capture appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Herb Paynter.

Many folks think that photography takes place in the camera, but that’s not the whole truth. Photography is a two-part process that involves 1) capturing the light from a scene, and 2) shaping that captured light into a form that matches what your mind saw when you took the picture. The capture process does happen inside the camera, but the shaping part happens on your computer.

The Capture, or Photo Process

We give the camera credit for things that it doesn’t actually do. Don’t get me wrong, capturing all the light in a scene is a monumental undertaking. Keeping track of millions of points of light is a very critical and specialized responsibility. However, the camera is not so much an artistic tool as it is a capture device with a single purpose – to accurately record the light from the surfaces of objects in a scene. While that purpose can get complicated with lighting challenges, the camera is still just box with a round glass eye and a single function: to record light.

When the light of a scene enters the camera lens, it gets dispersed over the surface of the camera’s image sensor, a postage-size electrical circuit containing millions of individual light receptors. Each receptor measures the strength of the light striking it in a metric called “lumens.” Each receptor on this sensor records its light value as a color pixel.

The camera’s image processor reads the color and intensity of the light striking each photoreceptor and maps each image from those initial values, producing a reasonable facsimile of the original scene. When this bitmap of pixels gets viewed from a distance, the eye perceives the composite as a digital image.

The real magic happens after the storing of light on the memory card. The image that first appears when you open the file is the image processor’s initial attempt at interpreting the data recorded by the camera’s image processor. Most times, the initial (JPEG) image interpretation of this data is an acceptable record of the original scene, though not always.

Presets

Your camera provides several pre-set programs that adjust the three settings in the camera that affect exposure: aperture, shutter speed, and ISO.

Three main controls determine your exposure: the shutter speed, the aperture, and the ISO. The camera presets (A, S, and M) allow you to determine the depth of field and/or speed with which the camera captures the light.

The A (aperture priority) mode allows you to set the size of the lens opening (f-stop) while the camera automatically sets the shutter speed. The S (shutter priority) mode lets you set the duration of the lens opening (shutter speed) while the camera adjusts the size of the lens opening. The letter P (program mode) allows you to determine the best mix of aperture and shutter speed while your camera retains the correct balance of light for the exposure. The letter M (manual mode) gives you complete control over all settings but requires to balance the overall exposure.

Your camera’s variable ISO (International Standards Organization) setting adjusts the light sensitivity of the camera’s image sensor, allowing you to capture scenes in dim or bright light; the higher the number, the more sensitive the light receptors become, allowing you to capture images in lower levels of light.

The Histogram

Your camera provides a small graph that roughly indicates how well the camera is set to correctly capture the light in the current scene.

This graph displays the range of light coming through the lens and approximates the current light distribution that captured under the current settings. By adjusting the three settings mentioned above, you can shift and somewhat distribute this range of light to best record the full range of light.

Color balancing the light

Every scene’s color cast is influenced by the temperature of the light illuminating that scene. When the scene is captured outside, the Sun’s position in the sky and the influence of cloud cover alters the color of the light. Your camera offers at least two ways to compensate for the differences in color temperature (Auto White Balance and Pre-set Color Balance).

Auto White Balance

The Auto White Balance (AWB) sensor in your camera seeks any prominent white or neutral subject in the scene and shifts the entire color balance of the scene in an effort to neutralize that element. But there is an assumption with AWB that you desire the current lighting to be perfectly neutral in color.

Any clouds interfering with the sunlight will have a slight influence on the neutrality of 6500° (natural sunlight) lighting. AWB takes that slight shift out of the equation. Most of the time, this is a great idea. However, to record early morning or late afternoon (golden hour) lighting accurately, AWB will neutralize those warm colors and completely lose that “warm” mood.

Pre-Set White Balance Settings

Your camera offers several pre-sets to offset any known color casts caused by specific lighting situations. These settings appear in every digital camera “Settings” display and may appear in a slightly different order or wording. Daylight sets the camera to record scenes under typical mid-day outdoor lighting. Cloudy/Overcast shifts the colors toward orange to compensate for the bluish cast caused by light filtering through nominal cloud cover.

Shade offers a stronger orange shift to compensate for completely overcast (stormy) skies. Flash provides a very similar color temperature lighting as Daylight and is intended to prepare the image sensor for artificial daylight or “Speed light” type flash devices.

Tungsten/Incandescent shifts the colors toward the blue end of the color range to compensate for the warmer shift of incandescent lights. Fluorescent attempts to compensate for the greenish cast of gas-charged fluorescent lights.

Kelvin/Custom permits the user to set a custom color balance setting, essentially teaching the camera what “neutral” gray color looks like. All of these pre-sets attempt to correct non-neutral lighting conditions.

The Sculpting, or Finishing Process

While the camera does capture the full range of reflected light in a scene, it has no way of knowing the best tonal curve to apply to each image. Many times the five tonal ranges (highlight, quarter, middle, three-quarter, and shadow) need to be reshaped to best interpret the light captured at the scene. This tonal contouring process is the magic of sculpting the light into a meaningful visual image.

This little fella perched outside my front door and caught me off guard. I didn’t have time to fiddle with the controls to optimize the lighting situation. My first click got his attention and the second got this expression. Fortunately, I capture my images in both jpg and RAW formats simultaneously. Doing so allowed me to post-process the tones and display to you what I actually saw that morning.

I use the term “sculpting” when talking about image editing because it best describes the rearranging of tones in a digital image. Only ideal lighting balance looks great when rendered as a “stock” JPEG camera image.

This sculpting or finishing process amounts to the clarification of tones and colors in a digital image; making the image appear in final form the way the human mind perceived it in the original scene. While the color balancing aspect of this process is a bit more obvious, the tonal recovery is actually more critical to the final presentation.

The digital camera cannot capture all of the dynamics of the visible spectrum on a sunny day, nor can it determine the best balance of those tones. The camera’s image sensor simply captures all the light possible and presents the data to the camera’s image processor to sort out. Under perfectly balanced lighting, this works out just fine, but occasionally detail hides in the shadows and gets lost in the highlights, requiring help from the photographer/editor to balance out the tones.

This is where the individual tone-zones come into play, and the sliders available in RAW processing software (Camera Raw, Lightroom, On1 Camera Raw, Exposure X4) are invaluable. The internal contrast of every image (Whites, Highlights, Middle tones, Shadows, Blacks) can be pushed around and adjusted in a very non-linear manner (in no particular order) to reveal detail that otherwise remains hidden.

Conclusion

Photo finishing isn’t complete until both color and tones are correctly adjusted for maximum effect, matching the emotion of the original scene. Only then is your image ready for viewing. Challenge yourself to squeeze the detail and reveal the potential personality out of every image you capture. It’s well worth the extra effort.

The post Photo Finishing – Challenge Yourself to Reveal the Personality in Every Image You Capture appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Herb Paynter.

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Posts Tagged ‘Every’

There’s no substitute for a competent teacher

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Start by asking and looking

Teaching is not only about what you know

You will reap what you sow

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2. Overuse of HDR technique

3. Over-saturation

4. Converting to ‘Black & White’ when not required

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3 lenses every beginner photographer needs

1. Wide-Angle Lens

2. Telephoto Zoom

3. Fast Prime Lens

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Make use of the histogram

Using presets or manual manipulation

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Example one: Dark background

Example Two: Light Background

Conclusion

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Timing

Reading the light

Exposure settings

Try it out and see for yourself

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Exposure choices are as personal as ice cream preferences

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What mood do you want to capture or create?

Moment

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Composition – especially angles

Light

Color

Quality

Direction

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You may also find the following helpful:

1. You’re not resetting your camera dials at the end of each shoot

2. You’re shooting JPEG photos (instead of RAW)

3. You’re shooting during the harsh midday hours

4. You’re using Auto mode all the time

5. You’re forgetting about the direction of the light

6. You’re not composing deliberately

7. You’re not considering the background

8. You’re not practicing very often

9. You’re shooting from standing height

10. You’re not processing your photos

Common photography mistakes: What do you do now?

You may also find the following articles helpful:

The Capture, or Photo Process

Presets

The Histogram

Color balancing the light

Auto White Balance

Pre-Set White Balance Settings

The Sculpting, or Finishing Process

Conclusion