I am a big fan of photography. I don't consider myself a professional photographer, but I really enjoy capturing nice moments on my camera. This article will present you some of the lighting tips that I've been learning during the years. It doesn't really matter if you have a digital camera or an old one, if you photograph people or landscape, these tips will definitely be useful and help you learn how to take good photos.
The most important aspect of each photo is the light. As a beginner, learning how to use the light in order to take good photos is the first thing you need to do. The easiest way to begin is to pick a subject near your house like a tree or a building and to photograph the subject in different moments of the day (early morning, midday, evening) and in different seasons. You will see that every season has a different light. Winter has soft light and uniform colors, which are excellent for creating contrasting effects, whereas summer can help you create interesting shadows. At the end of the year, you can compare the photos and decide which moment of the day and which season are best for your purpose. A holiday can also be a good moment to perform this type of exercise. However, there are no strict lighting tips, because this depends very much on your subject and on your personal preferences. A small subject can be photographed in a studio where you can change the light using flashes and other light generators, while landscape photos can only be taken in the right light. The overcast frontlight usually ensures natural colors and eliminates the contrast problems that a sunny day usually creates. Soft, cloudy days, with low sun, generally offer overcast frontlight.
When taking photos of people, the soft light on overcast days is very good. It produces the best skin hues. Interesting effects can be created by side or cross lighting your subject. Zooming might help you in getting the background out of focus. Soft light ensures good landscape photos, as well. The texture of the subjects can be brought out by the side or cross lighting at dawn or dusk. The subjects receive a certain depth and enhanced forms if you use natural shadows. Taking pictures during the sunset is also great and do not be afraid to point your camera at a setting sun, but avoid looking directly at the sun.
The use of flash is one tricky aspect of photography. Using the flash requires a lot of practice and patience because the flash can ruin even the most promising pictures. Keep in mind that, in order to create a good photo, you have to balance the available light with the flash. Most cameras have a setting called "slow flash" or synchro flash" that ensures this balance. If you take photos of people, I would suggest you also use the red-eye reduction setting. If your camera doesn't have such a setting, try to provide more light in the room. Always point the flash to a white or reflective surface and not directly to your subject. This will soften the light and allow you to create better photos.
Photography is not easy. It takes a lot of time and practicing. However, if you use your camera on a daily basis, you might discover after some time that you already know which light is the best for what type of picture. I hope you find my photography lighting tips useful and you'll take them into account when necessary.
The most important aspect of each photo is the light. As a beginner, learning how to use the light in order to take good photos is the first thing you need to do. The easiest way to begin is to pick a subject near your house like a tree or a building and to photograph the subject in different moments of the day (early morning, midday, evening) and in different seasons. You will see that every season has a different light. Winter has soft light and uniform colors, which are excellent for creating contrasting effects, whereas summer can help you create interesting shadows. At the end of the year, you can compare the photos and decide which moment of the day and which season are best for your purpose. A holiday can also be a good moment to perform this type of exercise. However, there are no strict lighting tips, because this depends very much on your subject and on your personal preferences. A small subject can be photographed in a studio where you can change the light using flashes and other light generators, while landscape photos can only be taken in the right light. The overcast frontlight usually ensures natural colors and eliminates the contrast problems that a sunny day usually creates. Soft, cloudy days, with low sun, generally offer overcast frontlight.
When taking photos of people, the soft light on overcast days is very good. It produces the best skin hues. Interesting effects can be created by side or cross lighting your subject. Zooming might help you in getting the background out of focus. Soft light ensures good landscape photos, as well. The texture of the subjects can be brought out by the side or cross lighting at dawn or dusk. The subjects receive a certain depth and enhanced forms if you use natural shadows. Taking pictures during the sunset is also great and do not be afraid to point your camera at a setting sun, but avoid looking directly at the sun.
The use of flash is one tricky aspect of photography. Using the flash requires a lot of practice and patience because the flash can ruin even the most promising pictures. Keep in mind that, in order to create a good photo, you have to balance the available light with the flash. Most cameras have a setting called "slow flash" or synchro flash" that ensures this balance. If you take photos of people, I would suggest you also use the red-eye reduction setting. If your camera doesn't have such a setting, try to provide more light in the room. Always point the flash to a white or reflective surface and not directly to your subject. This will soften the light and allow you to create better photos.
Photography is not easy. It takes a lot of time and practicing. However, if you use your camera on a daily basis, you might discover after some time that you already know which light is the best for what type of picture. I hope you find my photography lighting tips useful and you'll take them into account when necessary.
About the Author:
Find out more about Canon T3i, the camera that allows me to take amazing pictures and read more photography lighting tips!
No comments:
Post a Comment