To Flash or Not to Flash – 5 Flash Photography Tips

Today’s blog will provide you with several tips on using flash while taking your photographs.  Considering that I am still learning the art of taking photos, the capabilities of the flash was of interest to me.  I feel the following tips will help any camera user understand how to use the camera’s flash whether shooting with a DSLR camera (with or without an external flash) or if shooting with a small compact camera or phone.  So here are my tips:

#1 – Fill Flash

Fill flash occurs when you tell your camera that you want to use the flash when there is daylight.  So take your flash off the auto setting and change it to “flash on”.  Having the camera set to auto flash in daylight will keep your flash off because the camera reads that there is enough light for the picture already. 

So if there is enough light, then why would we want more light?  Well this would be because the extra light will “fill-in” or eliminate the shadows on the people you are photographing.  Shadows can generally occur if you are taking a photo where the sunlight is behind the subject. 

#2 – Night Photography

When you are taking photos at night, you will want to set your camera setting to either “night portrait” or “slow sync” depending on the type of camera you have.  This will help coordinate your flash with the shutter in order to get a good exposure for your photo.  It’s basically going to slow your shutter which will allow for more light in the exposure. 

#3 – Pay Attention to the Background Area of Your Subject

Prior to taking your photograph you want to take note of the area behind your subject when using your flash.  This is because the light can bounce right back towards you and the camera which can cause the flash to be visible in your photo.  I have made this mistake in the past when shooting a subject in front of a glass window or a mirror so you will want to avoid any surface areas that can be reflective.

#4 – Diffuse the Light

Sometimes the flash can be too bright so it is a good idea to diffuse the light.  You can purchase an inexpensive diffuser for your flash or you can create your own with a simple piece of paper.  By covering your flash with either of the two you will soften the light which should eliminate any excessive brightness in your photo. 

#5 – Bounce the Light

Using this technique you will be able to lighten a larger area and provide a more subtle light source on your subject.  Try tilting your flash to the ceiling or maybe even a wall while taking your photograph.

These are just a sample of flash photography tips.  I would love to hear about any additional tips from you!

7 Composition Techniques for Taking Great Photos

Good composition is a significant factor to taking great photos!  So this week my blog post is about different composition techniques that can help you create artistic and interesting photographs.  I want to thank my good friend and awesome photographer, Angela Oberly, for providing me with some wonderful pictures to use for examples in this weblog. To see more of Angela’s work, please visit her Facebook Fan Page at https://www.facebook.com/AngelaOberlyPhotography.  So now let’s talk about the seven composition techniques for taking great photographs.

#1 – Rule of Thirds

The rule of thirds is based on the theory that the human eye is drawn to a point about two-thirds up a page or image. It is a composition technique that should be used in most of your photos.  Essentially, you want to envision a grid on your image that is divided into 9 equal parts by having 2 vertical and 2 horizontal lines.  Your focal point or the most important object of your photo should be positioned along these lines or at the points where they intersect.  This gives balance and attention to your photo. If you are shooting a close-up of an individual it is best if you place the subject’s head along the first horizontal line.

 

Source:  Graphicssoft.about.com

 

 

Source:  Angela Oberly Photography

#2 –Texture and Contrast

Texture can be used to create drama in your photographs. Consider taking a photograph with an old fence or a textured wall in the background.  The key is to use the texture to enhance your photo and not overload it.  Keep away from too many textures that will make your photo overwhelming.  Adding texture to your photographs will create contrast.  For example, a light subject will be more dramatic if you place them against a dark background. 

Source:  Angela Oberly Photography

 

Source:  Angela Oberly Photography

 

 

 

 

#3 –Patterns

It’s important to become aware of the patterns that are all around us so that we can take advantage of them in the photographs we take.  A pattern is a repetitive object or design in your photo such as a field of flowers, crowds of faces or designs in architecture. The secret to discovering patterns is to try shooting your photographs from different angles. 

Source:  Angela Oberly Photography

 



Source:  Angela Oberly Photography

 

 

 

#4 –Perspective or Angles

This one is a favorite of mine.  Your feelings for a photograph can change dramatically by taking the photo from different angles rather than taking the photo straight on. Some ideas to try are 1) squat down on your subject’s level; 2) Shoot upwards on your subject in order to create a dominant effect; 3) shoot from a different angle (left or right) or 4) get up on a chair and shoot downward on your subject.  Shooting the same subject at different angles can create a different story in your photo.

 

 

 

 

Source:  Angela Oberly Photography



#5 –Framing

There is an assortment of options available for framing your subjects such as doorways, bushes, tree branches, windows, arches, etc…  There are several benefits to framing such as it can draw attention to your subject and can also add depth, interest and layers to your photo.  A frame can also lead the viewer to the main focal point of the photo. 

 

Source: Patrick Studios

 

Source:  Angela Oberly Photography

 

 

#6 –Lines

Another composition technique is leading lines which are lines within an image that will lead your eye to a different part of the image.  There are many objects that can qualify as a leading line such as a fence, lines in a wall, trees, people, body position and the list can go on.  Keep in mind that the lines do not need to be straight.  Leading line photographs could be a subject walking down a roadway or it could be a background with lines like the photo below.

 

Source: Patrick Studios

 

Source:  Angela Oberly Photography

#7 –Symmetry & Balance

The last technique I will discuss is balance and symmetry. Symmetry for photography is when an image can be split down the middle and the left and right sides of the photo are mirror images of each other.  However, the rule of thirds conveys that an image is more appealing if it is asymmetrical.  There is no right or wrong but the type of photograph you decide to take should depend on the story you want to tell.

 

 

Source:  www.kuna-foto.de

Source:  Angela Oberly Photography

 

 

So what is your favorite technique?  I would love to hear from you! 

 

 

White Balance 101

So what exactly is white balance and what is it for?  Well each DSLR camera has a white balance setting which is used to make white objects appear “white” in your photographs.  When you take your photos, keep in mind that all light has some color to it. For example, if you are taking pictures in a gym you may have some halogen bulb lighting which will give off a red/orange color in your photos.  While taking the photographs you will not notice the red/orange color because our brain adjusts the colors that we see.  So adjusting your white balance setting will help make the white objects in your photos appear white.

The color of light (aka temperature) is measured in degrees Kelvin ranging from 1000 K to over 10,000 K.  Below is a chart I found on www.bloglovin.com that will help as a reference for color temperature and white balance settings.

White Balance Options

Your DSLR camera should have 3 options for your white balance selection.  They are 1) Automatic White Balance, 2) Presets for White Balance and lastly 3) Custom White Balance.  I will explain each option below.

Automatic White Balance

This setting allows the camera to attempt the correct temperature of light for your photo.  This option works very well most of the time until you come across a difficult lighting situation such as a gym with poor lighting or when you want the colors to be match exactly perfect.

Presets for White Balance

Your camera should have a variety of white balance presets for you to choose from.  These settings will compensate and make adjustments to your photos.  The presets that I have on my camera which should be similar in most cameras are:

·         Daylight – This preset would be used when it is sunny or general daylight conditions.

·         Shade – This preset should be selected if it is sunny out but you are shooting in the shade. 

·         Cloudy – This preset should be selected if it’s a rainy day or there is an overcast

·         Tungsten – This preset works best under photos with a normal light bulb or incandescent lighting

·         White Florescent – This preset works best for photos taken under florescent lighting

·         Flash – This preset should be used when utilizing the flash

So this is how the presets work - say I am taking a picture outside in the shade (which will have a blue temperature), I would want to select the shade preset in order to balance the color.  The camera will then add some warmth to the photo by adding some orange, red or yellows. 

Below are two photos I took.  One was with the auto white balance and the other was set to Shade notice the difference in warmth in the second photo.

Auto White Balance

 

Shade White Balance

Custom White Balance

If none of your presets or if the automatic white balance setting does not work well for your photos then you have the option of custom white balance.  I sometimes use this feature when I am shooting in a gym with terrible lighting.  What I usually do in order to create my custom white balance is I will take a picture of a white or gray object in the area I am shooting.  Then I set the image as my custom white balance for my future shots.  Each camera may be different so you will need to consult your manual for directions.  Another option, which I have not used, would be to select your color temperature from the set of values in your camera.  Below is a YouTube Video from www.mahalo.com on how to select your custom white balance in a Canon DSLR camera.

The best way to learn about white balance is to take several photos and for each photo select a different preset so that you can see the difference of color in the photographs.

Have you experimented with white balance?  I would love to hear your thoughts.