Lighting tips

-           When outdoors if possible try to find lightly shaded areas when possible.  If you have to be in the direct sun, try to position the subject and/or yourself so the sun is to the side or just slightly behind you (the photographer). 

-          If  the sun has to be directly behind you and in the eyes of a subject…

• Compose the picture so the subject is looking away from you.  Maybe having them point to something either left or right.  Maybe looking at something in their hands.  Or just “Strike a pose” looking off into the distance at anything at all.  Great picture don’t have to have the subject looking at the camera.
• Use a flash to fill in harsh shadows.  Yes, a flash works nicely in daylight to smooth out the light.  This helps get rid of shadows under the eyes, nose and chin.

-          Backlighting can be friend or foe.  If you want the effect of a silhouette, backlighting is essential.  Sunrise or sunsets make wonderful silhouettes.  If your camera allows you to adjust the aperture, step it up or down a couple of settings to get the right amount of subject lighting.  Many point and shoot cameras have a back light setting… see if that helps get the effect you want.

-          To reduce the effects of backlighting, use a flash. 

• If your camera or flash has the option to adjust flash output, try different settings to get the best result.  
• If indoors (like in front of a window) turn on all room lights to help with the flash.  This will help to even out the light.

-          For indoor shots, try shooting without a flash.  Todays cameras have good ability to shoot in low light situations.  Check to see if your camera allows you to turn the flash off, then check to see if you can adjust the “ISO” setting.  If you can change the ISO, set it to 400 or higher.  But keep the ISO below 1000 if you intend to enlarge the photo to larger than 5”x7”.  Also, see the comments about “color” below.

-          What kind of light is around you?  It makes a difference for camera settings. (Remember the instruction manual?) Settings generally include: Automatic, daylight, tungsten (standard light bulbs), and fluorescent lights.  The wrong setting changes the “color” of the picture.  Keep your camera on automatic for those quick shots you need to take, but change it to the type of lighting around you when you can.  Play and practice with this setting a bit and you will quickly learn how best to manage it.

 Photography Tips

Composition Tips

Motion Tips