Browsing all posts in "exposure".

Lock in the Light

I was standing at the top of a mountain when I took this picture (click to enlarge). The wind was blowing, my hands were freezing (even in Arizona, it’s cold at an elevation of 7600 feet in January), it was about 4:30 in the afternoon, and I was completely blown away by this LIGHT. This [...]

Ten Attributes of a Good Photograph

All of the attributes I’m going to discuss in this article have been discussed at one time or another in an article, or in multiple articles, on Beyond Megapixels. Aside from reminders being a good thing, we thought it would be helpful to have all of the attributes in one article in case some of [...]

Understanding Light in Photography – Beginner Level

The word “photography” comes from the Greek, photos – light – and graphos – writing, delineation, or painting. In other words, photography is light painting. As humans, we don’t see color, we see light. The retina of our eyes contains two types of photoreceptors (light receptors) called rods and cones. The rods are more sensitive [...]

Photography 101 – Exposure Bracketing

The term “exposure bracketing” refers to taking a photograph at a baseline exposure, then “bracketing” that shot with one that is slightly under-exposed, and one that is slightly over-exposed. This method is used to increase the odds that you have captured the shot with the best exposure, which is especially helpful in tricky lighting situations [...]

Review – Light It, Shoot It, Retouch It

A couple of weeks ago I attended a Scott Kelby Training seminar called Light It Shoot It Retouch It Live. It was almost eight hours of very interesting, well presented information and demonstration about studio photography. Whether or not you’re interested in studio photography I highly recommend you attend this seminar if you possibly can. [...]

Balancing Ambient Light with a Speedlite

Sometimes it is necessary to compensate for a background that is over-exposed, especially when shooting in bright light (as in outdoor photography). When using a speedlite as a fill flash, this is very easy to do. Different camera brands achieve this in different ways, so here is how to balance ambient light with light from [...]

Beach Photography Exposure

One of the great things about photography in the summer is there are so many mid-tones – greens, blues, reds, etc. – that getting the right exposure becomes less of a challenge. Just point the camera at something that is mid-tone with the light falling on it the same way it’s falling on your subject, [...]

Back to Basics: Fill Light Two Ways

Fill light is used when the subject of the photograph is darker than the background. It is intended to lighten shadows and reveal detail. When you observe a photographer using a flash in the outdoors, during the daytime, often they are using the flash as a fill light. There is also a way to increase [...]

Back to Basics: Exposure Explained

Exposure is one of the first, and one of the most confusing, concepts that a budding photographer learns. All of the numbers, abbreviations, settings and relationships can be overwhelming at first. Here is a simple guide to help clarify things. The Exposure Triangle: The three elements of exposure – commonly referred to as “The Exposure [...]

Review: Renting A Studio (Roharik Productions)

It’s a safe bet that for every photographer with their own studio, there are four or five that wish they had one. While it’s a great convenience to have a studio and even a little ego boosting because a studio is somewhat of a validation that you’re a “real” photographer, studios require space and a [...]