Category: Tips
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Sunsets and Vibrant Color
Sunsets and color seem to go together. It’s hard to show the character of a sunset in black & white. The sun isn’t always yellow. The Earth’s atmosphere affects the color of the sun, and the colors reflected in the sky. The photo above was taken on the Oregon coast looking out over the Pacific […]
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Remember the Sky
The sky is an important composition element. When included in the photograph, it can be a solid blue or grey, have texture from clouds, or have importance (depending on how much is included). Each of these composition choices affects the “feeling” of the photograph. In the image above, the clouds are an important part of […]
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Architecture & Gardens. . .
Architecture lends itself to both color and black & white photographic images. Often times, it becomes a composition of lines, shapes, and color / tone. The photograph above shows a modern building with the reflection of historic architecture. The old and the new sit across the street from each other. This is the story of […]
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Story Telling in Black & White
The photo above is one of my favorite story-telling black & white images. This was taken at the zoo, and I loved the wise look on the gorilla. The bonus was the child looking through the glass. A successful story-telling image gives the viewer an engaging subject with just enough details. Black & white photography […]
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Digital Photography Basics Excerpt. . .
“Ambient light is the naturally available light. Sources would be the sun, moon, or reflected light. Sunlight is the light source even on cloudy days or in the shade. Cloud cover offers soft, diffused light without harsh shadows or contrast. Ambient light can be dramatic like the previous photo, or soft like the photo to […]
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The Spirit Of Place
The Spirit of Place is one of my ideas or personal concepts about photography. At its core is the idea that photographs are created by the photographer through use of light, exposure, and composition. It is our personal view-point or way we translate the scene in a visual way. This photo uses shadow and light, […]
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Light & Composition In The City
I seldom get the opportunity to stay in the city, and photograph all the different types of light. Composing in the city is similar to Landscape photography, but the lines are more linear and defined. I find that it give me a different perspective to take back to the natural world I love to document. […]
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Photography is Painting with Light
Light is everything when it comes to photography. These three photographs were taken on the same evening. To the east towards the coastal mountain range, the weather was thunder and lightning. Along the coast, the clouds created a dramatic sky for the coming sunset. The top photo shows the warmth of the late […]
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Tips on Shooting Subjects at Night
Generally speaking, photography is the use of light to create an image. Night is without the sun, so light sources are created by humankind. The photographer uses these sources of light to create artist renditions of night scenes, fireworks, the moon, or portraits. In the exposure equation, the photographer needs to manipulate either or all […]
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Making Artistic Choices. . .
Photography is the art of taking light waves, controlling their intensity, and creating a visual image. Though this process, there are several decisions or choices make regarding exposure, composition, and subject. During my workshop at Sitka, we spent one day hiking through the forest. I usually spend my time working with students individually, and pointing […]
Karen Ulvestad Photography 