basic composition - the rule of thirds (revisited)

My husband's aunt is an artist - a painter primarily, but she dabbles in several forms of artistic expression. In fact, we have a painting of hers hanging in our home - click here to see it (it's on her home page).

One time we were talking about what makes good art, or specifically good photography, and she said "It's the eye of the artist - you either have it or you don't." Similar to what Supreme Court Justice Potter Stewart wrote in an opinion in 1964, in reference to hard core pornography: "I know it when I see it." Touche, Justice Potter.

But I digress - Aunt Michele and Justice Potter have a point. You can ace every technical aspect of photography and still take a boring picture. That intangible factor, the je ne sais quoi if you will, is composition. And the most basic rule of composition is the rule of thirds.

I wrote about this way back when I was a newbie blogger, so I figured it's time to revisit the concept. What's great about this week's lesson is that anyone can benefit from understanding the rule of thirds - whether you use your camera phone, a point and shoot, or a fancy-schmancy SLR.

The rule itself is pretty basic - imagine dividing your image into a tic tac toe grid, like so:

(photo courtesy of Digital Photography School)

The idea is the more interesting parts of your shot should line up to the intersecting points of the tic tac toe grid (take a look at the bee's eye, for example). Also, you can break your image into three columns (vertically or horizontally, and concentrate the interesting parts of your shot in one or more of the columns (see how the bee and the flower are only in two-thirds of the frame?)

And there you have it - a nice simple rule to practice anytime you whip out your camera. Do off-centered shots drive you crazy? You do know that rules were meant to be broken...but I thought you should know the golden rule of photography before you decide to break it.

Happy composing!

what is ISO?

In looking back at some of my previous posts, I realized I never did a proper post on ISO. And since ISO is part three of the light trifecta if you will, it's time to give ISO its due.

When referring to film photography, ISO (also called ASA) refers to the film's sensitivity to light. When referring to digital photography, however, ISO refers to the image sensor's sensitivity to light. Many of you may not realize that your digital camera has a function that allows you to adjust your ISO settings. That includes both SLR and point and shoot cameras.

Adjusting ISO can make a big difference in your photos, depending on your lighting conditions. For those of you that hate noise or grain in your photos, or your are shooting in broad daylight, you will want the lowest number ISO settings, such as ISO 100 or 200. If you are shooting in low light conditions or indoors, you will have to bump up your ISO setting to 800 or beyond (unless you are using a tripod).

So why can't you just leave your ISO on auto setting? You can, but you will surely run into lighting conditions that will not be properly exposed unless you change your ISO setting. Remember the exposure triangle concept? (Sorry, I'm about to get all geometric on you...) Picture a triangle with aperture, shutter speed, and ISO at each angle. The goal is to get the correct exposure (a "triangle") every time. But triangles come in all shapes and sizes - the trick is to know how to change the "angles" to make the triangle the size and shape you want. So if your shooting in broad daylight, you can set a higher aperture setting (f/11 and above, let's say), shoot at a fast shutter speed, and use a lower ISO for a super sharp photo. If you are shooting in candlelight indoors, you will have to change your settings: low aperture (f/4 and lower), long shutter speed (below 1/30 of a second), and unless you have a tripod, you will HAVE to increase your ISO setting (ISO 800 or above).

Think of ISO as another play in your exposure playbook. Here's a guide from Bacon Lettuce Photo on the various ISO settings:

Auto ISO - Ok, you don’t want to mess with it. Let the camera figure it out. BUT, you are not in control. That is NOT how you’re going to become a better photographer.

ISO 100 - Bright light situation. Most times the lowest ISO setting a digital camera offers.

ISO 200 - Cloudy day, overcast. Noise may start showing.

ISO 400 - Indoor photography, maybe sports stop action photos. Most cameras will start showing noise at this point which results in reduced image quality.

ISO 800 and up - Who coughed on the photo and… oh wait. It just looks horrible. No, I’m just kidding. But most digital cameras will spit out horribly noisy images at this point but some of the more expensive cameras may not.

I have to admit - I shoot with an ISO 800 and over all the time and I've never noticed a huge problem with grainy photos. But then again, I don't mind noise in my photos... Maybe that's why I've never noticed a huge problem with that?

The beauty of digital is there are several programs out there that can remove noise from your digital photos. So give it a shot - change the ISO and see if it helps.

what is aperture? (revisited)

So it's summer school around these parts - not a bad time to revisit some of the basic concepts we reviewed earlier this year (for those of you just starting with LF I started this blog as a one-year DIY photography lesson, so we covered the basics back in Jan/Feb).

I have come across some additional blog posts on the subject of aperture - posts that were amazingly clear on the subject and inspired me to essentially rewrite this lesson. So here goes...

I learned over at Pioneer Woman Photography that "photo" is the Greek word for light. So it follows that photography has everything to do with light, right? How much or how little light enters your camera determines what your photo will look like. Do any of your photos look washed out or too bright? Too much light entering your camera (overexposed photo). Any photos of yours too dark or almost black in parts? Too little light entering your camera (underexposed photo). How do you control the amount of light coming into your camera?

1. aperture
2. shutter speed
3. ISO setting (i.e. film speed)
   

Aperture is the mechanism in your camera that determines how much light enters and hits the film or digital sensor. It can open large or small to let more or less light in, depending on your circumstances.

Here are some diagrams I saw over at Bacon Lettuce Photo:

You can see from the diagrams that if you want MORE light to come into the camera, you need to select a LOWER aperture or f-stop setting, such as f2.8. Conversely, if you want LESS light to come into the camera, you need to select a HIGHER aperture setting, such as f/16 or f/22.

Still with me? This concept is really important, so go back and read it again if it doesn't make sense. Seriously. Read it again.

So, now that you know more about camera modes, and you're feeling adventurous and want to try aperture priority mode, what setting should you select? Depends on what look you want. Aperture determines, to a large extent, the depth of field for your photo - the distance between the nearest and farthest objects in your photo that will be in focus.

• If you want most or all of your photo to be in focus (i.e. a beautiful landscape), select a HIGHER aperture setting.

(aperture = f/14)

• If you want a shallow depth of field, meaning you want your subject to be in focus but all of the background blurry, select a LOWER aperture setting.
  

(aperture = f/1.8)

Obviously there are other factors that will impact your photo's exposure - let's save those for the next few weeks. Until then, break out the camera, move that camera mode dial to aperture priority and start shooting!

Yo

camera modes 101

(image courtesy of information addicts)

It's summer time readers - time for BBQs, beach bonfires, lazy days, and road trips. And, for some unlucky souls, summer school. No rest for the weary here at Lens Flare HQ - I plan on continuing to post lessons through the summer. But since it is summer, and you may not have your "A" game when it comes to concentration due to sun exposure, food & drink consumption, lack of sleep, etc. I want to keep the Thursday lessons nice and easy. So I think it's a good time to kick it old school and review the basics. I'll be revamping the side bar as well, so those of you reading up for the first time can visit the archives more easily.

This is a question I get a lot, although I suspect many of you don't want to ask it via email/comments: how do I use the other camera modes? And when I say "other" I mean any mode other than AUTO. Don't get me wrong - the AUTO mode on your camera is pretty genius. It sets the shutter speed, aperture, ISO, white balance, and determines flash or no flash. That's pretty awesome. But as you push your photography further, you will find many instance where AUTO doesn't get it right. Oftentimes the lighting conditions are tricky, or you want to do something beyond the basic photo AUTO will produce. These are the times, my readers, that you will actually need to move that dial.

As you can see in the photo above, there are several modes (most likely) on your SLR. For purposes of keeping this post light & polite, I won't review the other automatic settings now. (Click here for a good summary at Digital Photography School). Most of those modes are self explanatory - for example, if you are shooting at night, perhaps the man with the star next to his head is a good mode for you to try...

No, I'm talking about the semi-automatic modes: aperture priority, shutter priority, and program mode. And, of course, manual mode.

Aperture Priority (A or AV)
Aperture Priority is a semi-automatic mode (or semi-manual, depending on how you want to look at it). Simply put, in Aperture Priority mode you select the aperture setting you want to use, and your camera selects the corresponding shutter speed and white balance that it determines is appropriate. Aperture Priority is best for instances where you need to control the amount of light coming into your camera (such as a low light situation) or where you want to control the depth of field.

For example, if you are shooting a landscape photo and you want a super-sharp depth of field, you could set the mode to Aperture Priority and then select a higher aperture setting such as f/16 or f/22. Your camera would then select the coordinating shutter speed for the shot. Remember with a smaller aperture number less light is coming into your camera, so your camera will probably set a slow shutter speed to create the right balance of light for your photo. That being said, you will need to stand very still to get a clear photo.

Shutter Priority (S or TV)
This should be no surprise if you read the above paragraph - Shutter Priority allows you to set the shutter speed, and the camera sets the coordination aperture and white balance. You might choose Shutter Priority when you are photographing moving subjects or you want to blur moving subjects, such as a running waterfall.

Program (P)
Program mode varies from camera to camera, so check your owner's manual to get the skinny on the specifics. Generally speaking, if your camera has a Program mode, it allows you to have control over 2 or more settings. For example, my camera's program mode is essentially a toggle between Aperture Priority and Shutter Priority - I can change either aperture or shutter speed, and the camera will set whichever I don't (does that make sense?).

Manual (M)
Manual mode allows you full control over the camera's settings. I know it sounds daunting, but believe me, manual mode can really come in handy. I actually shoot mostly in manual, and occasionally in Aperture Priority - I like having full control over how the photo will come out.


(photo courtesy of ManMode)

Proper Exposure for Any Mode:

The photo above is a picture of my control panel on my camera in Manual Mode - hence the M in the blue square above. The green and yellow squares show shutter speed and aperture respectively. But what I want readers to focus on is the exposure meter on the control panel - this the camera's way of telling you if the photo you are composing is exposed correctly. Ideally, after choosing your settings, the reader should be dead center (where the yellow arrow is pointing). If your meter "leans" to the left, the image is overexposed, and to the right, underexposed. To use any mode other than AUTO you must become familiar with this meter - check it before your shot to see if your choices render an evenly exposed photo, or if you need to make adjustments.

The best way to learn about modes and the exposure meter? PRACTICE PRACTICE PRACTICE. If you want ideas for how to practice in different modes, leave a comment or drop me an email.

tips for a better background in your photos

When I saw this article at Digital Photography School, I thought it was TOO basic. I mean how hard can it be to find a nice place to take a photo? But then I thought about all the times I've shot a really fantastic photo, only to find a trash can or a random guy in the background. A cluttered or otherwise unintended item in your photo's background can really ruin a shot.

Case in point:


This is one of my favorite pictures from Spain - this is the La Alpujarra region, with these pristine white villages nestled into the mountains. These are blankets that the region is known for - I love the colors and patterns, and how the blankets are all lined up for the eager tourists to check out. But look closely in the bottom left area of the photo - that's right, it's a trash can. UGH.

Sometimes the issue in a background is objects/people that shouldn't be there. Other times, the problem is that there is just so much going on (colors, objects, people, etc.) it takes away from the main subject of the photo. I've also seen lovely photos where trees or poles are protruding from someone's head...

Here is a summary of what you can do to improve the backgrounds in your photos (for the full article click here):

• Check the background before hitting the shutter button - seems pretty basic, right? It's amazing how often we don't do this. Really look behind your subject to see if there are any distractions - colors, vehicles, random people, trash cans, etc. If you find something distracting in the background, ask your subject to move, or change your shooting angle (lower, higher, etc.) to see if that eliminates the problem area.
• Work with aperture and focal length - for those of you using a SLR camera, adjusting the aperture and focal length can work to blur the background, thereby minimizing any distractions. Remember that the wider or bigger the aperture (starting around f4 and below), the more fuzzy or blurry the background. Also, the longer the focal length (think zooming out on your lens) the more shallow the depth of field which will result in more of the background being blurred.
• Place your subject in front of an open area - the open space behind your subject will be blurred by depth of field - if your subject is in the depth of field "sweet spot" if you will, the stretch of open area behind him/her will be out of focus or blurry.
  
• Fill the frame with your subject - if your photo consists mostly of your subject, there is less background to contend with. Simple enough.

This lesson might seem too basic, I know, but I equate it to the fundamentals of photography. You can have a fancy pants camera and all the lenses and equipment you like, and none of it will make any difference if you can't compose a decent shot.

So go forth and photograph your children, pets, cars, and so on, with a more simple and less distracting background. I can guarantee you'll be much happier with the results - just as I would have been a LOT happier had that trash can not appeared in my photo...

Any questions - email or leave a comment.

editing 101 - fixing color

I've been asked recently about how to improve color in a photograph, so today's lesson focuses on using digital editing tools to improve color via saturation and color temperature.

With respect to photography, saturation refers to the vibrancy or purity of color in your photos. In a nutshell, your photo is oversaturated if the colors are too intense, and undersaturated if the colors are dull. Color temperature in photography refers to the amount of "heat" or "light" the colors in your photograph give off - essentially the white balance setting on your camera.

Here's an example of a photo that is oversaturated and with a too "warm" color temperature.

Take this picture of my little one playing with (or attempting to eat?) my older daughter's "fuzzy baby." You can tell by looking at her skin tone and by looking at the white of her shirt that something is amiss in this photo. Never fear - Picnik is here!

In Picnik, under the edit button click on the colors tab - there you have the option of adjusting both saturation and color. Adjustment are intuitive - for an oversaturated image, move the lever to the left (like negative numbers), and for undersaturated or dull photos, move it to the right (positive numbers).

Here's an adjustment to saturation only:

And here is an adjustment to both saturation and temperature:

Voila! The purpose of adjusting saturation and temperature is to render the photograph to be as close (color-wise) to what you see with your own eyes. Play around with the adjustments to see how much more color-accurate your photographs can be, but also to see which photos are more pleasing to your eye. For example, even though the last image is the most accurate, I kind of like the tone and colors in the photo where I adjusted only saturation. You decide how much editing you need to get the colors that are best representative of the image. Remember, saturation and temperature adjustment can be made in any photo editing software you choose, not just Picnik.

Any questions? Leave a comment or email me.

How to Photograph a Sunset (or Sunrise)

This gorgeous sunset photo from Carrie was the inspiration for this week's lesson (which I realize is late - I apologize). Believe it or not, there is more to photographing a sunset than simply finding a nice spot to wait for the sun to set. There are many articles on the topic, but I found this one the most descriptive:

Composing your shot is probably more important than the sunset itself. If I'm honest, I have hundreds of sunset photos that are just ho-hum. Here's an example:


Bor-ing, if I say so myself. Before you decide to take a sunset photograph, you actually need to do some homework:

• check the weather report
• investigate where you will be taking your sunset shot
• know when the sun is actually setting that day
• look at the sky 20-30 minutes beforehand
• consider photographing AFTER the sun has set, for more intense colors
  

In my opinion, the biggest problem with my sunset shot is that the composition is boring - no clouds in the sky, nothing in the shot is interesting (no silouettes of a sailboat or a pier). By doing a little thinking beforehand, your sunset photo will be much more interesting.

You also want to decide the focal length of your lens (for those of you using a SLR) - a long focal length (read: telephoto) will produce an image that highlights the sun:

A shorter focal length (read: wide angle) highlights the colors in the sky, and the sun itself is very small (or not even there):

Photo credits: Roie Galitz

Now for some logistics:

1. Don't forget the rule of thirds (click here for my previous lesson) - what makes Carrie's sunset photograph so interesting (among other reasons) is that the sky is the focal point, and is not centered in the photograph (the horizon line is in the lower third of the photo). Whether you want to highlight the sky or the sea/land below it, make sure you use the rule of thirds to create an interesting look.
   
2. Make sure you are in focus: it is difficult for your autofocus to focus on the sky (lack of contrast) - set your camera to manual focus and set the focus distance to infinity.
3. If you're using a SLR, use manual or aperture priority setting to set the lowest number, to ensure the greatest depth of field (the portion of the scene in your photograph that appears sharp - don't worry this is an upcoming lesson).
   
4. Again, for the more experienced SLR users, adjust your exposure meter to purposefully underexpose your photograph, which will result in even more vivid colors. On my camera, the exposure reading is right on top, and it acts like a level - the photo is exposed properly if there are no bars showing, and it's underexposed if there are bars to the right of middle. If this doesn't make sense, leave me a comment and I'll post a picture of my exposure meter.
   

Now go out and enjoy a beautiful sunset! Wintertime sunsets at the beach are some of the most beautiful...