Tips For Night Photography

When you are taking pictures, you may feel like you are restricted to daytime photography to accurately capture the lighting in your images. However, nighttime can present a number of wonderful photo opportunities, such as family pictures under Christmas lights and even casual shots of groups of friends going out at night.

Luckily, there are a number of adjustments that you can make to your camera to help you make your night pictures either as true to life as possible or as stylistic as you want.

First, let's take a look at how cameras actually capture images. Whether you have a digital camera or a film device, the most important thing is the light that comes into the machine. Light activates a photosensitive object inside the camera, basically burning the image into it.

With film cameras, the photosensitive object is the film itself. In digitals, there is a charge-coupled device, or a CCD, that basically translates the amount of light received into an electronic image with pixels.

There are three very important things in adjusting the amount of light that comes into a camera. First, you have the aperture, or the diameter of the lens opening. This is important because a wider diameter lets in more light. This can be very helpful if you are taking pictures at night so that you can fully capture all the light that is present, brightening up your entire image.

Second, the shutter speed is key as well. The longer the shutter is open, the more light hits your photosensitive substance. While this can make for streaky images, it can also allow the light to be more strongly burned into your picture.

Lastly, you can change your ISO settings. ISO refers the sensitivity level of the film or CCD. If you have a film camera, you can buy film with different light sensitivity levels. If you have an adjustable digital camera, you may be able to change your ISO setting manually.

For night photography, making your ISO more sensitive can be helpful, although you walk a fine line between making something too sensitive and not sensitive enough. This is because the higher your ISO, the more "noise" or graininess you have in the picture.

A good rule of thumb for night photography is to make the most of the light you have. This can mean lengthening your shutter speed, widening your aperture, and making your ISO a little more photosensitive.

However, you may have to experiment a little to find the perfect balance between these three adjustments. Making your camera more reactive to light can help you take a sharper, more realistic photo.

If you want to experiment with more stylistic night photos, consider lengthening your shutter speed as much as possible as lights pass by. This will make them all blur together in one big streak. This style is popular with taking pictures of highways and even pointing your camera up at the stars.

Joseph Devine

Once you know how to successfully adjust your camera, you can come closer and closer to taking the picture that you are looking for. When you get the perfect shot, you don't want to let it hide away in a small picture frame. To fully display your photo, consider having it made into a canvas. For more information, check out YourCanvasPhotos today.

Make Your Photos Glow by Using White Balance

Every source of light has a specific color temperature that determines its actual color. Color temperature is measured in degrees Kelvin. Your eye compensates for the different colors of radiation and converts as much as possible to its assigned color without you even knowing it. Using the White Balance requires an understanding of how digital cameras record light.

Cameras operate differently than our eyes. You must instruct the digital camera to record in a specific visible spectrum of light. Whatever light doesn't share that same wavelength shows up as a different color.

For example, daylight is measured at 5500 to 5800 degrees Kelvin. That's high up on the scale and indicates the radiation frequency is in the bluer part of the visible spectrum. If you think about it, there are times when sunlight does appear more blue than white.

Artificial or incandescent light is measured at 3000 to 3400 degrees Kelvin and falls within the reddish-orange section of the visible light spectrum. This is what accounts for the soft, warm glow of most house lamps.

So what does all of this have to do with digital photography? Plenty. The camera will only shoot a specific degree Kelvin and therefore, if you set the camera at 5500 degrees (daylight) as the White Point, all daylight will photograph as white light.

Tungsten lamps will appear quite orange with this setting. If you set the camera to 3200, then daylight appears blue and the artificial lamp light appears white. All digital cameras have at least three settings for White Balance - Daylight, Tungsten and a manual Sample.

The manual sample allows you to tweak the White Point depending on how many mixed light sources there might be or if you're not getting the exact color of daylight or tungsten that you desire. Some lamps are warmer than others and at different times of the day, sunlight has a different quality to it as well.

What you do if you are in any mixed light or rare light, is find something that you know is white, like a sheet of paper or a T-shirt. Hold the white object underneath the light source and fill the frame with that object.

Then select the manual Sample and engage it. The camera will adjust the White Point so that the paper or T-shirt is now your reference "White Point." Then you can photograph your scene with more accurate colors.

Many photographers like color imbalance though. Who hasn't seen that photo of the restaurant at night with its warm romantic glow? That's because the camera's WB was set for daylight, yet shot under tungsten lamps.

You'll want to experiment with this quite a bit because understanding the White Balance and how to set the White Point gives you another great tool for your digital photo tool box. Make your photos glow by experimenting with White Balance!

Kurt Hansen

Find out more at: High FX Photo.net

Learn Digital Photography - A Good Photo is Knowing Where to Stand

Ansel Adams, one of the world's greatest photographers, said, "A good photo is knowing where to stand." This sums up photography as half the battle is won when you know the best viewpoint for a great photo. Finding that viewpoint is key to taking your photos from average to great. Let's see why.

Understanding this fundamental of photography will dramatically increase the quality and composition of your images. When you think about it the idea is so simple. Once you know where to stand or which are the best positions in relation to your subject, the rest is so much easier.

So what is the best position when photographing a subject? I don't know. Because, I don't know what or where your subject is. I cannot give you an answer as each scene is unique. What I can give you are some keys to finding that best position.

1. Explore your options

Don't just stand at the scene or in front of your subject. Explore a variety of viewpoints by walking around and looking at the subject from as many positions as possible. Don't take any photos at this point as it will distract you from your task. You want to allow yourself to become a part of the environment and see all the elements that are potentially part of your final image.

2. Take your time

Key to deciding what your final vantage point will be is taking your time. We are so quick to point and shoot in our new digital world that the element of time is often excluded from photography. Time is your best friend on any photo shoot.

It takes time to walk around and make the decision. Coupled with this is thinking. Carefully think about how your final image will look as you will need to work towards this before pressing the shutter.

3. Explore the alternatives

Most of us will start with the normal or traditional viewpoint, standing right in front of the subject and shooting. Now, I am not saying that the traditional perspective will not be the best. What I am saying is that before going this route try out the more radical perspectives like, getting high up or lying down low to find a completely different viewpoint.

Get in really close, hold the camera above your head, at a crazy angle or hold it down by your ankles. This may sound crazy but you stand more chance of finding the best possible viewpoint.

4. The elements

A subject doesn't stand isolated from its environment against a white backdrop, or at least very seldom. It stands in relation to all the other elements in the scene and you need to consider each one when finding the perfect position for your image. As you move around the subject the elements change in relation to subject.

The background moves and the subject contrasts differently to the new background. All of sudden there are distractions and clutter. Move the other way and the clutter lessons and potential for a great image increases. Using your feet is key to finding the best position.

Continually challenging yourself to find a better viewpoint should be key to all of your photo taking. Every single scene or situation is different from the rest and you will need to find the best position each time.

There is no formula or standard when trying to find the best viewpoint and there isn't always time. What you need to cement in your mind is that each time you take an image be aware, take your time and think. And above all, be prepared to experiment and practise.

Do you want to learn more about photography in a digital world? I've just completed a brand new e-course delivered by e-mail. Download it here for free: http://www.21steps2perfectphotos.com/ To learn how you can take your photography from ordinary to outstanding visit http://www.21steps2perfectphotos.com/21steps.htm

Wayne Turner has been teaching photography for 25 years and has written three books on photography.

Learn Digital Photography - Lines Bring Life to Your Photos

One the most important elements in photography is lines. Our world is full of lines, angles, triangles, squares and diagonals and again, our brains attempt to bring order to confusion. Lines are pleasing to the eye, which means they have to be ordered, making them important. So how do you bring this element into your photography?

Let's start by looking at lines in a simplistic way. Take a look at the humble railway line and use it to remember this point. What does a railway line do? It takes you somewhere. When searching for lines in an image, look for a line that draws the eye and carries it to a point in the image.

Some of the most striking images use a strong line such as a river, road or fence to lead the eye to a focal point. Before you shout me down and say that's not the only way we look at lines in a photo, understand what I am trying to do.

In all our articles you are learning step by step. The same here. I want you to be able to go out without much guidance and look for lines and shoot images of lines that do something for you, and perhaps bring in the WOW factor.

Before starting on your shooting here are a few guidelines to help you. These are the types of lines to look for:

1. Verticals.

This should be self-explanatory. Remember to use the vertical format. It brings height and volume to your images and can be quite striking especially when shooting from a low angle. So if the lines in your scene are vertical you need to turn your camera vertically.

2. Horizontals

This should also be self-explanatory. This time use the horizontal format. Look for horizons but get them perfectly straight. There's nothing worse than a crooked horizon.

3. Converging

These are lines that start apart like railway tracks and then, as they disappear, they appear to join in the distance. A very effective way of using two verticals. It doesn't really work with horizontals.

4. Diagonals

When composing, place diagonals from corner to corner in your image. By turning your camera by forty five degrees you can take a horizontal or vertical line and turn it into a diagonal.

You're going to find many more examples of lines in urban areas than in nature, because man likes things that are straight and angled. But, don't ignore nature, as you're going to find many striking examples there. For example, tall redwood trees or the horizon of a seascape. When getting in closer you'll find some great lines in nature.

The key to using lines in your photography is to find them where least expected. You don't have to shoot the same lines as everyone else. Find a unique viewpoint. As I said earlier by getting down very low and shooting up you'll increase you chances of getting a really good image.

My mantra throughout my photography is always to experiment and then practise, practise, practise. It takes time to develop and eye for lines but with practise it will soon become second nature and you'll find them popping up everywhere. Happy shooting!

Do you want to learn more about photography in a digital world? I've just completed a brand new e-course delivered by e-mail. Download it here for free: http://www.21steps2perfectphotos.com/

To learn how you can take your photography from ordinary to outstanding visit http://www.21steps2perfectphotos.com/21steps.htm

Wayne Turner has been teaching photography for 25 years and has written three books on photography.

For Success in the Glamour Fashion Photography

Fashion photography concentrates on taking photographs of models draped in the latest fashion products and related accessories to be published in advertisements, fashion magazines or for circulation among designers and various industry players.

That is the definition most Toronto photography experts proffer. It all goes back to Baron Adolphe, the man considered as a pioneer in the industry, his work has appeared in Vogue magazine.

This was back in 1913, when he was on the Conde Nast's payroll. In contemporary times, an aesthetic or commercial twist is the norm. Exotic locals, the world's top models, dramatic lighting and state of the art cameras are other components synonymous with the industry.

Names like Herb Ritts, Helmut Newton and Phillipe Halsman are world leaders all under the auspices of fashion photography. It is a powerful watermark capturing beauty ideals pervading any given era. It is also an indicator of global social and political climate.

Fashion photography, taking into account its extensive historical scope, incorporates and possess elements of modernism as well as post modernism. Fashion is primarily about individual expression and the perpetuation of conformity, obsolescence and timelessness, function and form.

It is a social force that keeps the world attentive to all that happens primarily through novelty. Toronto photographers have learnt the expressive avenue this aspect of photography offers, leaving the competition buried in the dust they raise on their way to the top.

For success in the fashion photography, it is vital first to understand the subject. Reading as many magazines as possible keeps, the creative juices flowing and gives enthusiasts the creativity the industry feeds on.

If it means annual subscriptions or online purchases, then so be it. Look at it as an investment. The huge profits successful firms rake in are testament to this. As stated earlier, a good camera is mandatory. If the phrase 'quality over quantity' was ever meant for a particular field, this field of photography is possibly it.

Another useful tip is to keep a comprehensive portfolio. Fashion houses are constantly on the look out for raw talent that will increase the saleability of their products. This branch of photography is very expressive, demanding an expression of the photographer's personality in the work done.

Portfolio images must be sharp and vibrant, preferably on 4 x 5" transparency. A minimum of twenty photographs, showcasing various styles is sufficient. Take advantage of the Internet. The wide reach of this mode is invaluable, with the option of instant feedback.

The Toronto public use this to its full advantage, hence the high quality guaranteed by its thriving photography industry. In these parts, a picture is worth far more than a thousand words.

Attitude, passion, creativity and an eye for detail are the main elements of fashion photography. There are many prestigious schools dotting the wider Toronto area, ready to impart the skills and knowledge necessary for success in the glamorous field discussed.

Those with the ambition and the drive to keep it going, the world is just a slightly bigger stage than the more conventional studio. It is waiting.

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Photography Is EASI: Basic Photography Tips

I haven't always been a professional photographer and even that should be taken with a grain of salt. While I do sell images, technically making me a "professional," I'm always learning new tips, tricks, and techniques typically from those who have been at this a lot longer than I, but sometimes, new photographers as well.

In my learning and studying from others, I, and many, many others have examined a fantastic shot, wondering how it was accomplished. In trying to reproduce the shot, we look upon our own image with a "what the heck did I do wrong" proclamation ending in frustration and disappointment. I say, "Take Heart!"

Those people didn't get there overnight. They did what I and we are doing now: reading, studying, and of course, shooting, shooting, and more shooting.

While the basic premise of photography is light: quality and quantity, there are many other lessons to be learned to harness and see that light the way the expert photographers see it, and ultimately, capture it.

Sometimes I do think the experts tend to overlook some very basic things, maybe even taking them for granted, or simply being tired of answering the same basic questions over and over again. When first starting out, the technical aspects of taking a good shot, the first baby steps, cannot be neglected.

Employing the K.I.S.S, "Keep it simple stupid", principle, remembering some simple, basic items each and every time when shooting can go a long way towards taking good solid photos. Those four simple items are: equipment, aperture, shutter speed, and ISO, or EASI.

Over the next few articles, each item will be discussed in length showcasing their importance and necessity in basic photography principles. Stay tuned for the first item: Equipment.

Article is taken from Examiner.com