Tag: exposure

Quality of Light

by karenulvestad, posted in Instruction
copyright Karen Ulvestad
This photo was shot indoors under tungsten/incandescent light. The background was a window, backlight with daylight. I shot this with my camera set on incandescent WB.

The quality of light will affect the colors in a photograph.  Our eyes adapt to the light without us knowing it.  We see sunlight and artificial light as similar, when they are very different on the color spectrum.

Our cameras are programmed to see light as daylight.  In the film world, we needed to purchase daylight film or tungsten film.  It depended on our needs.  So, what is the difference?

Put simply, tungsten/incandescent film or setting on the camera color correct the photograph for this artificial light.  Used in daylight, it turns the photograph a beautiful blue.  Under tungsten/incandescent light, it color correct the photograph to the colors our eyes see.  By the same idea, daylight film or setting on the camera sees tungsten/incandescent light with a yellow-orange cast.

Our digital cameras allow us to shoot on AUTO or select a White Balance (WB).  By knowing how the settings will affect the photograph, the photographer can enhance the colors in their images.

More later. . .Karen

Close-up Photography

by karenulvestad, posted in Instruction

What is close-up photography?  It is also called Macro photography.  It is the minute details of a subject, that is composed in the camera.  It is usually shot with a macro lens or extension tubes.

copyright Karen Ulvestad
This is a macro photo of a cat's eye.

The photograph above was taken with a Canon 100mm macro lens.  I managed to take three or four photos, before my cat decided to move somewhere else.  The aperture is set at F14, and the shutter is 1/60th of a second.  I used studio lighting.

Many times, we think of macro as a way to photograph flowers.  Macro can be used for many subjects.  It is only limited to the imagination and creativity of the photographer.  Below, I am showing a macro of a flower.

copyright Karen Ulvestad
Orchid

The photograph above was also shot with my 100mm macro lens.  On this one, my aperture was F5.6, and the shutter speed was 1/60th of a second. 

The difference in the aperture is due to the shape of the subject.  The orchid is relatively flat, thus the depth of field can be smaller.  The cat’s eye is rounded, and it requires a larger depth of field (or aperture).

Tip:  With macro photography, I would recommend a tri-pod for stability.  If your lens has image stabilizer, shoot without it on, when using a tri-pod.

More later. . .Karen