Tag: lighting

Small Things in a Big Way. . .

by karenulvestad, posted in Instruction

copyright Karen UlvestadMacro is taking something very tiny, and composing a complete photographic image from the subject.  I love macro.  It helps change my perspective of all the “big” things that I photograph, such as birds, people, landscapes and. . .

Macros are mini landscapes.  The composition comes from the lines, shapes, colors and textures.  It becomes a focus on the minute.

The idea of exposure changes.  The photograph shown here has a large depth of field (DOF).  I used F32.  The reason for the large DOF is that the closeness of the lens to the subject.

The most important tool for macro is a good tripod to hold the camera steady.  This shot at a long shutter speed, and could not be hand-held.  Also, a slight blur is more noticeable in macro due to the magnification of the subject.

More later. . .Karen

 

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

Using Light in Composition

by karenulvestad, posted in Instruction
copyright Karen Ulvestad
A storm over the Del Sal Mountains viewed from Arches NP in 1997.

Light. . .without light, there is not a photograph.  With light, there is a photograph.  Using light within you composition can create a breath taking photographic image.

Sometimes, it’s simply luck.  This photo was taken from Arches NP on one of the roads.  It was late afternoon, and the storm over the mountains with the rainbow added to the composition of the image.  It’s one of my all time favorite images, and the first time published.

Sometimes, it takes research, patience and timing.  I didn’t know that the storm was going to happen.  It was truly a serendipitous moment.  It’s also one that not everyone would see.  My travel companions on this trip didn’t want to stop, and one of them was a photographer.

I think it comes down to being aware of the surroundings, and seeing/predicting what will happen next.

More Later. . .Karen

It’s All About the Light

by karenulvestad, posted in Instruction
This photograph was taken during a winter storm.

The light makes or breaks a photograph, along with good composition.  You can have the greatest composition, but if the light is wrong the photograph doesn’t turn out well.

This photo was taken on a sunny spring day.

The top photo is taken during a winter storm.  The light or lack of light turns the color of the water to a gray, and the greens are muted.  Overall, the photo is dark, and lacks shadows.  This contributes to the lack of depth in the photograph.

The bottom photo is taken on a sunny spring day.  The sunlight brings out the color in the water, cliffs and vegetation.  The sunlight cast shadows, giving the photo a feeling of depth.
The light in the photos casts a mood for the image.
Time of day is another variable in photography, which will be the topic of the next entry.
Best to All & Happy Shooting. . .Karen