Photography Tips (Part 2)

In part 2 of the photography tips article we will address color and exposure. Digital cameras and even your basic film cameras have traditionally controlled both of these functions. By learning how to control these functions and the impact they can have on your images will help you improve the final photograph. The better your images look the more likely they will sell on Fotolia.com

In the case of film cameras photographers can spend hours evaluating what film will give the most powerful color saturation, or natural looking skin tones knowing that not all film is alike. But taking a good color photograph goes beyond the film choice or digital camera used.

Exposure is often forgotten today with automatic cameras. We “point and click” allowing the camera to decide what the aperture and shutter speed should. In most cases these cameras make decisions based on a preprogrammed reference called “middle gray” set by the camera company. If the subject is darker or lighter than the reference then the camera adjusts accordingly. That means if you try to photograph white snow on the automatic setting you will get a dark gray looking picture. The reverse is true as well. If you photograph a black car the final image may look more gray than black.

PART 2

To improve your images I suggest the following tips

Color

Consider Color – Color is more than shooting color film or boasting the color in Adobe Photoshop. Consider how your colors interact in an image. Are the colors warm (red, yellow) or cold (blues, purples,)? Do you have one dominant color? To create bold emotions consider using contrasting colors like a yellow shirt against a blue wall. Or you can choose to have a monotone calm image by capturing the predawn blue light of a field. Thinking about the use of color in all your images will improve your photographs.

Black and White – Black and White images convey a fine art quality or even a more historical look. Most digital cameras and even software programs will allow you to change your images to a black and white image. If an image doesn’t work as a color image try a black and white or sepia color (slight brownish tone). Without the wow factor and sometimes distracting elements of color, the subject, lighting, and contrast become even more important to your image.

Exposure

A for Auto – With the technology of digital cameras improving we all fall victim (myself included) to the Auto exposure feature on the camera. Auto exposures do make great pictures but we turn all mechanical control over to the computer. It will make decisions about what should be in focus, what should be dark and what should be light. If we move away from Auto we take back the control. I suggest that you try a few shots either in manual if your camera has this feature or at least try the other 20 exposure features offered by your camera.

Fill Flash – Fill flash is normally discussed within a section on lighting but I suggest it here to also improve your Exposure. Many digital cameras and some film cameras have a fill flash function. It is usually different than your standard flash feature. Fill flash emits out just enough light to fill in the shadows of a properly lit scene. I find it helpful with outdoor pictures. Often outdoor pictures under bright sunshine create distracting shadows under a person’s eyes. With fill flash on those shadows are minimized and the image becomes more pleasing to the viewer.

I hope these suggestions help you improve your photographs. The last and final part of this article Part 3 will discuss Focus, Depth of Field, and Lighting. Please refer to Part 1 of this article to learn about Composition. For more information on selling you work on Fotolia.com please click here.

Technorati Tags : Photography Tips | Color Exposure |

Posted by chad on 16:58, February 22 2005

Photography Techniques Email to a friend Print Version

Trackback Pings

TrackBack URL for this entry:
http://blog.fotolia.com/mt-tb.cgi/21

Listed below are links to weblogs that reference Photography Tips (Part 2):

» Photographic Lighting de Photographic Lighting
1999 - 2006 BLRIS INC., View our Black Scarf--What I Use for what it's Worth...go to photo tip (book review) Olympus ... [Read more]

Tracked on February 21, 2006 10:07 PM

» 1997 ford expedition accessory de 1997 ford expedition accessory
[Read more]

Tracked on December 5, 2006 01:15 AM

» cingular deal phone de cingular deal phone
[Read more]

Tracked on December 6, 2006 02:02 AM

» 3588i cover nokia phone de 3588i cover nokia phone
[Read more]

Tracked on December 7, 2006 03:01 AM

» armored car service de armored car service
[Read more]

Tracked on December 7, 2006 04:24 AM

» cheapest fioricet de cheapest fioricet
[Read more]

Tracked on December 17, 2006 11:26 AM

» ordering xenical online de ordering xenical online
[Read more]

Tracked on December 17, 2006 05:35 PM

» more than pet insurance de more than pet insurance
[Read more]

Tracked on January 21, 2007 03:04 PM

» oxycontin abuse sign de oxycontin abuse sign
[Read more]

Tracked on January 21, 2007 06:29 PM

» 2004 filing state tax de 2004 filing state tax
[Read more]

Tracked on January 21, 2007 09:44 PM

» aberdeen idaho real estate de aberdeen idaho real estate
[Read more]

Tracked on January 22, 2007 03:48 PM

» abbigliamento auto de abbigliamento auto
abbigliamento auto [Read more]

Tracked on February 2, 2007 04:42 AM

» Automotive Paint Codes de Automotive Paint Codes
Paint According to Carlist.com, DuPont Automotive Systems, the largest global manuf [Read more]

Tracked on February 23, 2007 09:30 PM

» Moving Tip 48 de Moving Tip 48
Moving Tip # 48 More Moving Sites Here are some pet moving tips and guides f [Read more]

Tracked on March 27, 2007 02:18 PM

» Automotive Paint Codes de Automotive Paint Codes
Search for Paint Codes and Colors. If you know your color code, as we ca [Read more]

Tracked on April 5, 2007 03:26 AM

» Nude Photography de Nude Photography
Tasteful Nude Photography Network- Sensual Nude Photography- Finest Nude Mod [Read more]

Tracked on May 11, 2007 09:14 AM

» Paint Color Samples de Paint Color Samples
The color on the screen is just an example and may not be exa [Read more]

Tracked on July 26, 2007 08:41 PM

» online car insurance quotes de online car insurance quotes
It is legitimate that locating confirmed information on this topic can be troublesome. [Read more]

Tracked on August 11, 2007 10:35 PM

» Prom Limo Service de Prom Limo Service
Travel in style in a stretch Town Car and Limousine transportation serv [Read more]

Tracked on August 17, 2007 07:51 AM

» Limousine Service de Limousine Service
We are a family owned operated Limo service specializing in wed [Read more]

Tracked on September 5, 2007 12:53 PM

» Insurance Car Quote de Insurance Car Quote
affordable car insurance ROVER best car insurance rate car cheap i [Read more]

Tracked on September 12, 2007 04:45 PM

» Insurance Quotes de Insurance Quotes
As cyber space continues to mass insurance claims webpages, we will work to show them to you. [Read more]

Tracked on September 28, 2007 02:51 PM

» find nikon d50s at http://nikoncameracentral.info de find nikon d50s at http://nikoncameracentral.info
Much of the websites that you will learn of dealing with this theme are very knowledgeable, while many are not. [Read more]

Tracked on October 7, 2007 02:34 PM

» Aging de Aging
When you\'re surfing for Humanities material and pages, be certain to tap into all of the resources at your disposal. [Read more]

Tracked on October 22, 2007 04:09 PM

» Auto Insurance Ontario de Auto Insurance Ontario
Occasionally, you\'ll get surprised by the mountainous sum of Auto Insurance Rate data accessible. [Read more]

Tracked on October 25, 2007 04:04 AM

» Discount Auto Insurance Business de Discount Auto Insurance Business
Every individual desires to have a pathway to the www. [Read more]

Tracked on October 25, 2007 08:38 AM

» Alberta Auto Insurance Quotes de Alberta Auto Insurance Quotes
Web sites dealing with Cheap Auto Insurance related information are ample. [Read more]

Tracked on October 25, 2007 10:08 AM

» UK Free Auto Insurance Quote de UK Free Auto Insurance Quote
It can periodically become difficile to set apart the good Auto Insurance Car Insurance facts from the imperfect. [Read more]

Tracked on October 25, 2007 01:33 PM

» Instant Auto Insurance Quote Free de Instant Auto Insurance Quote Free
It is vital that you dig up the leading websites. [Read more]

Tracked on October 25, 2007 03:11 PM

» Auto Insurance Rates Dwi de Auto Insurance Rates Dwi
We have utilized the web to bring you Geico Auto Insurance news. [Read more]

Tracked on October 25, 2007 07:01 PM

» Auto Insurance Fraud de Auto Insurance Fraud
The normal individual would might feel that investing the time to complete knowledge on this topic of thought is a waste of time. [Read more]

Tracked on October 25, 2007 11:41 PM

» New Jersey Auto Insurance Quotes de New Jersey Auto Insurance Quotes
As the web continues to mass Auto Insurance Ratings web pages, we will try to bring them to you. [Read more]

Tracked on October 26, 2007 07:13 PM

» Click Here For Information de Click Here For Information
It is right on that uncovering confirmed documentation on this matter can be time consuming. [Read more]

Tracked on October 26, 2007 09:05 PM

» Click Here de Click Here
The normal fellow would believe investing the time to complete web pages on this affair is a waste of money. [Read more]

Tracked on October 26, 2007 11:26 PM

» Click Here For Further Information de Click Here For Further Information
While the WWW continues to heap together Online Auto Insurance Quotes sources, we will attempt to organize them to you. [Read more]

Tracked on November 17, 2007 07:31 AM

» check this out de check this out
Tracking down the best car insurance websites isn\'t always simple. [Read more]

Tracked on November 23, 2007 12:07 PM

» Car Insurance Secrets de Car Insurance Secrets
323 North Delaware Street, Indianapolis IN 46204 Tel or 866. [Read more]

Tracked on December 6, 2007 01:03 AM