goodmama

Photo Tip of the Week: Light

Light

I've seen lots of discussion lately about using flash. Some say a good picture never uses flash -- you just can't capture true color with flash. Other say you can use flash -- if the room is dark, you'd rather have some picture than no picture, right? What's a girl to do? To flash or not to flash? If no flash, how do I get that perfect light in my pictures?

Light is one of the photographer's most useful tools. In the past you probably haven't thought too much about lighting in your pictures. If the picture is dark, the flash automatically fires. Easy, right? Unfortunately, it's not that simple.

Light will act in one of three ways -- it will either refract, be absorbed, or reflect. Knowing how your light will behave and how to make it work for you is one of the biggest steps you can take towards taking the perfect picture.

Reflected Light

Using reflected light, light that is bouncing off of something else -- can be one of the simplest and most effective ways to take a picture that will have perfect lighting.

My grandfather, photographer extraordinaire, loaned me a DVD when I was first starting to learn about photography that forever changed the way I set up portraits. It was all about using light that reflects off white surfaces to put a natural, glowing light on the face of the person you are trying to photograph.

If you feel like learning something new, try this:

   1. At around 2:00 or 3:00 in the afternoon when light is soft and warm (do not try this in full sun at noon), find a shady spot directly opposite a large white surface.
   2. Position your subject so that the light reflecting off of the white surface is bouncing right onto your subject's face. Even when it is overcast, you'll be surprised at the amount of light reflecting off the white surface.
   3. Press the shutter!

It really is that easy!

You won't believe the beautiful lighting that this creates. It's like using one of those expensive reflectors that photographers use. After a few weeks of shooting like this, I found myself driving around on errands and looking for buildings that would reflect the perfect light -- and, yes, we pulled over and took some pictures!

Skeptical?

This was taken outside at 2:30 p.m. on a dark winter day. Notice how dark the picture is? Also, because it was so dark, the shutter speed slowed down to allow more light to enter the picture. This made it slightly blurry.


When she was placed directly opposite this fence:

This was the result!

Amazing.  Same time of day, same camera settings, same colors, etc.  The difference is the reflected light coming off of that fence.

So What About The Flash?

The truth is that sometimes you need to use the flash. Here are two surefire tips to help you use your flash effectively:

   1. When you place your subject too close to a wall or other object, the flash light casts a shadow. This is the biggest hinderance in flash photography. Try moving your subject at least 5 to 10 feet in front of your background.
   2. Light may also be reflected on the forehead, nose, cheeks and chin which can make the face appear flat. Try diffusing your flash with a piece of white tissue paper which will allow for a softer light.

Have fun experimenting with light!

As always, I am here for questions or any help you might need.

Jessica,
photos@thegoodmama.com

Jessica's Photo Tip of the Week: Composition

One way to make your pictures interesting, aesthetically pleasing, and of the ordinary is to consider the composition of each shot. Composition is the plan or placement of all things in your photograph. Here are some suggestions to help you with the composition of your photographs:

1. One thing to consider is the Rule of Thirds. The Rule of Thirds states that a composition can be divided into 9 equal parts with 2 equally spaced horizontal lines and 2 equally spaced vertical lines. The points that the intersection of these lines create can then be used to place objects of focus in your photograph. The Rule of Third states that when objects are aligned in this way, the result is a composition that is more interesting and aesthetically pleasing.

Take a look at the picture below. Each child was placed at one of the intersecting points. The result is a placement that is aesthetically pleasing and even professional looking, even though it was taken at a moment's notice outside on the front lawn.

 

2. Consider framing your shots. Doorways, tree branches, window frames . . . these can all act as natural "frames" for your subject.

3. Another composition tip -- and my personal favorite -- is to get closer. Robert Capa, an acclaimed 20th century combat photographer who covered five different wars, said "If your pictures aren’t good enough, then you aren’t close enough."

Next time you set up a shot and think you are ready to press the shutter button, take 5 steps forward. You'll find that this enables you to focus on one singular part of your subject, and the result are fantastic. Your perspective will be different, and you'll find some detail about your subject that will become the focal point of your shoot. It changes things entirely.

In this picture below (a favorite of my son), I was aiming to capture his attempts at crawling. After a few shots of his entire body, I took about 4 steps forward and snapped this. The result? A picture with leftover food on his face, a common misshap here with three children running around. Truly, this is how he looks. Had I not stepped forward, I would have missed the opportunity to capture this moment and remember always his dirty little face.

4. Think about your background. Sometimes we get so interested by the foreground of our picture that we fail to see problematic things in the background. Take a glance past your subject . . . make sure no tree branches are coming out from behind the subject's head . . . if you see something problematic, don't worry! Take a step left or right, and this will change your perspective and the view of your background.

5. My last composition tip for the week is to not be afraid to utilize negative space. Negative space is all the space that is not your subject. Don't be afraid to use it now and again -- and lots of it when you do! Note the use of negative space in the photo below.

As always, I am always available for questions, tips, suggestions, or help at photos@thegoodmama.com. Have fun shooting this week -- I know I will!

Photo Tip of the Week: Post Processing

One of the best things about digital photography is that even after you press that shutter button, you have the option of using software to change your shot. Is the picture slightly blurry? Is there a leaf that blew by right at the wrong moment? Does the color look a little drab? You can change all of this! Changing the picture after you have taken it is called post processing. Here are a few simple post processing tips that will have your pictures look like they were shot like a pro!

There are many different programs that you can use for post processing, ranging from free downloads on the internet to pricier versions that the pros use. One of my favorite free versions is Picasa from google. It's available for download at www.picasa.com Here are a few of my favorite, easy to use tools that can save almost any shot.

Crop it! Is there something in your picture that just doesn't belong? Is there too much business in the periphery? Do you want to focus in on the subject of your shot and get rid of all the extras? Does your husband hate the way his stomach looks in the picture? (yes, of course you were holding your stomach out like that . . . no, it doesn't look like that in real life). Crop it!

The two pictures below are the same shot . . . the first one before cropping, the second one post cropping.

               

Sharpen it! Once you turn that flash off, your shutter will try to compensate for the lack of light by staying open longer (and thereby letting more light in). Because our little babies and toddlers don't know to stay perfectly still, you may notice a bit of blur. This is easily remedied! Sharpen your images with the "sharpen" tool.

The first picture below is before sharpening, the second one is with only sharpening applied.

             

Straighten it! Do you ever have the perfect shot set up, and then your little one moves? Does it look off center and crooked? Easy fix! Straighten it with the "straighten" tool.

Before and after straigtening:
    

Try some post processing this week.  You can make any shot a perfect shot!