Photographer, writer, teacher :: Live honestly. Progress through knowledge. Achieve by teaching. Communicate in writing. Speak in pictures. Every day, improve the world a little...
@maggiemae - If you read the article you will see that the shot is optimised to minimise the bright spots so they will not be a distraction to the eye. At the same time the technique gives depth to the picture. Hope that helps.
This is a fabulous shot and glad no one was seriously injured. I will check out your link as I could send you so many photos that I have taken, ruined by the sun. I just do not get it but am determined to, along with the shade. Both make me crazy taking photos. I have wished many times that I had someone like you by my side to explain to me how to take a shot and so glad that I will learn from you via your links. So grateful for that.
@darsphotos - as with all progress, you will not learn it all in a day. Read, reflect, practice, read more. It is a cycle of learn, test, feedback. If you have questions or issues you would like some help with - please ask. Leave a question here or as a comment on the website and I will do my best to answer it. There are more than 600 pages on the site. Some of the pages may help now. Some later. Read, reflect and practice. I am happy to help. Our passion - photography - benefits from sharing.
@netkonnexion I realize that I will not learn it all in a day and some days are just better than others. Love the days that are not sunny so my photos come out better but that is not realistic. This year I have seen so many babies at the park and that eludes me also. I have gotten a few clear shots but a lot of blur, especially when there are many babies moving everywhere. I will do as you say and check out your site for more information. I only get out once a week to the park so will have to figure out a way to practice here at home. I will ask and thank you for that. It is also interesting here how diverse we are as so many have a variety of likes in what they photograph and I think that is where a good photo comes in as many will like it even if it is not something they are interested in. It is like this photo that you took, it is done so well, how can one not comment on it even if it is not interesting to them. It is perfectly done. I hope that came out sounding right.
Nice shot, Net! I'm glad nobody was seriously hurt. Was it a drill? I have checked your links in the past. I will have to check this one as well. I will never be as good as so many on here but I can try. You give great tips.
@netkonnexion That is an excellent article! I have had the time to read it now and realise I had this problem with my lit cabinet that I posted on Monday. I tried to focus on the darker side to bring out the details but still got that light flare. Thank you!
@darsphotos - Thanks for the nice comments. Positive feedback always helps when I am writing.
I spent some time reviewing your photos. You have done some lovely shots. Certainly the exposures are good and the pictures sharp. I do wonder however, if you are relying on auto-modes are taking manual. As you have a background from film I am assuming you know manual. If you are getting blur with movement I suggest you rely more on manual settings to set the type of shot you want. To freeze the picture you will need to work with a high ISO and fast shutter speed. Either that or work on your panning (which can be a nightmare with kids - LOL). Anyway, if you are able to give me more detail about the problem you are having maybe we can talk it through.
@prttblues - thanks for the nice comments. Positive and critical opinions are always welcome. You should believe in yourself more. You don't have to prove anything to anyone. You just have to enjoy yourself. Photography is about self expression. That is why your light series were so good. They were you expressing yourself. That is both fulfilling and fun.
@maggiemae - Your problem with the bright spots in the cabinet is over-exposure. They are very bright so that they burn out the detail leaving strong, distracting white spots. That is relatively OK if you can make it a specular highlight (tiny point source of brightness - see the spot flare on the helicopter window above). As they are quite large in proportion to the rest of the shot the bright whiteness acts as a distraction.
For your picture the problem is one of not enough light below and too much at the top. As I said in my article today the camera does not work well with extremes of light. What you need to do is lower the dynamic range of light. So in the case of the cabinet it would be difficult to reduce the power of the lights in the top. So the trick is to balance that by increasing the light below. I would look for a white, diffused light source to increase the light in the bottom part of the room. Then with a more even light distribution across the shot the top lights will be within the cameras dynamic range. You could then control the burn because the lower level would not be so dark.
I would solve your problem by pointing a soft box at the lower part of the cabinet. However, an off-camera flash pointed at a white card which would reflect bright light at the bottom of the shot would do the same job.
Getting the best out of a sunny environment is more difficult than people realise. Everyone can take a shot. But getting that that looks verdant and not washed out is more of a skill than some appreciate. It is mostly about knowing what angle to place yourself to the sun and how to make the colours work without getting washed. out. Looks like you are enjoying your sunny shots. Enjoy more! Photography is fun.
@netkonnexion Thank you very much! It is so helpful to realise that some difficult areas can be resolved. I don't have a white box - only a makeshift one but I'm full of ideas - necessity is the mother of invention!
@maggiemae - A softbox is different to a white box. See softbox here: http://www.photokonnexion.com/?page_id=3974. A white box is where you take pictures inside a bright white tent or box and illuminate it from the outside. It gives a bright wrap around illumination for whatever you are photographing inside the box.
What I am suggesting to sort out your problem is a low intensity very diffused light. An A1 sized white card with the white side facing your cabinet and a flash or bright light onto the card will reflect a very diffused white light back to the cabinet at floor level. That will raise the lower brightness and even out the dynamic range. Then you will be able to control the burn in the lighted cupboard.
Thank you very much, @netkonnexion . I've just read your comment on my photo. :)
I absolutely agree with you. I was quite frustrating before since I've taken so many pictures in the sunny day but didn't know how to solve the problem where the upper and lower part of the image is correctly exposed.
Now I'm challenging myself to practice more and more especially after reading your article and others. At least now I know what to do in that kind of situation. :)
@godsloverphotography - I commented on your high key shot and really enjoyed it. Nice job. However, when you are taking a shot where the sky is very bright and the ground is not you have a different problem. The sky usually burns out and the ground looks very dark. There are three basic techniques for overcoming the sky-burn situation...
1. Bracketing (take one picture exposing for the sky to get the blue or cloud detail. Then take another picture for the ground), Then combine in post processing so the sky and ground are both brighter. This is not cheating because this is how you would see it - the camera is not as good as your eyes.
2. Use an ND grad. This is a filter that is darker at the top and clear at the bottom. The graduated neutral density filter is used on the front of your lens and the break between clear and dark is placed on the horizon. Then the photograph will have the sky darkened down a bit. Bringing it back into the same dynamic range as the ground. Here is an article on ND filters... http://www.photokonnexion.com/?page_id=11296
3. There are a couple of post processing techniques for brightening the ground after you have exposed for the sky. These are more complicated than I can explain here.
Thank you for sharing this information. It is extremely helpful. I have been struggling with the summer lighting so this is just what I needed. Very nice shot to share your techniques.
That looks very like helimed 999/8, good to know all was well in the end
The article was very informative and hopefully will be put into practice on my next Spain visit, although I often do not take the camera to the beach!
This bright light has seriously affected my shots but I do try to focus on shade when I remember. Thanks for the info
I spent some time reviewing your photos. You have done some lovely shots. Certainly the exposures are good and the pictures sharp. I do wonder however, if you are relying on auto-modes are taking manual. As you have a background from film I am assuming you know manual. If you are getting blur with movement I suggest you rely more on manual settings to set the type of shot you want. To freeze the picture you will need to work with a high ISO and fast shutter speed. Either that or work on your panning (which can be a nightmare with kids - LOL). Anyway, if you are able to give me more detail about the problem you are having maybe we can talk it through.
Thanks again for the nice comments.
Glad you enjoy my tips. It makes if worthwhile.
And here my best shot so far:
http://365project.org/godsloverphotography/365/2013-06-02
By the way glad that no one seriously injured in that shot. :)
For your picture the problem is one of not enough light below and too much at the top. As I said in my article today the camera does not work well with extremes of light. What you need to do is lower the dynamic range of light. So in the case of the cabinet it would be difficult to reduce the power of the lights in the top. So the trick is to balance that by increasing the light below. I would look for a white, diffused light source to increase the light in the bottom part of the room. Then with a more even light distribution across the shot the top lights will be within the cameras dynamic range. You could then control the burn because the lower level would not be so dark.
I would solve your problem by pointing a soft box at the lower part of the cabinet. However, an off-camera flash pointed at a white card which would reflect bright light at the bottom of the shot would do the same job.
I hope that helps.
Getting the best out of a sunny environment is more difficult than people realise. Everyone can take a shot. But getting that that looks verdant and not washed out is more of a skill than some appreciate. It is mostly about knowing what angle to place yourself to the sun and how to make the colours work without getting washed. out. Looks like you are enjoying your sunny shots. Enjoy more! Photography is fun.
What I am suggesting to sort out your problem is a low intensity very diffused light. An A1 sized white card with the white side facing your cabinet and a flash or bright light onto the card will reflect a very diffused white light back to the cabinet at floor level. That will raise the lower brightness and even out the dynamic range. Then you will be able to control the burn in the lighted cupboard.
I hope that helps.
I absolutely agree with you. I was quite frustrating before since I've taken so many pictures in the sunny day but didn't know how to solve the problem where the upper and lower part of the image is correctly exposed.
Now I'm challenging myself to practice more and more especially after reading your article and others. At least now I know what to do in that kind of situation. :)
Hope you don't mind me sharing another photo of mine as here:
http://365project.org/godsloverphotography/365/2013-03-02
I shot that with the object against the sun and positioned it right in the middle and using my flash built-in.
Thank you very much for your encouragement! Really appreciated. :)
1. Bracketing (take one picture exposing for the sky to get the blue or cloud detail. Then take another picture for the ground), Then combine in post processing so the sky and ground are both brighter. This is not cheating because this is how you would see it - the camera is not as good as your eyes.
2. Use an ND grad. This is a filter that is darker at the top and clear at the bottom. The graduated neutral density filter is used on the front of your lens and the break between clear and dark is placed on the horizon. Then the photograph will have the sky darkened down a bit. Bringing it back into the same dynamic range as the ground. Here is an article on ND filters... http://www.photokonnexion.com/?page_id=11296
3. There are a couple of post processing techniques for brightening the ground after you have exposed for the sky. These are more complicated than I can explain here.
Hope that helps.
Thanks for the link as well. It's very helpful. :)
The article was very informative and hopefully will be put into practice on my next Spain visit, although I often do not take the camera to the beach!
This bright light has seriously affected my shots but I do try to focus on shade when I remember. Thanks for the info