 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
The majority of people who own consumer digital cameras are perfectly happy to set the camera's exposure mode on Auto or Program and let the internal software determine which settings to use in their photographs. But those photo enthusiasts who have advanced beyond the Auto stage are ready to start experimenting with the camera's various exposure options. These five tips will help you create photos with special visual effects that set them apart from the everyday point-and-shoot photographs:
|
|
 |
Set the mood with White Balance.
One of the biggest benefits of digital photography is the camera’s ability to measure and correct color temperature (white balance) in a scene. Most digital cameras have an automatic White Balance setting, but many also give you the option of selecting a white balance to match your light source (Sunlight, Cloudy, Incandescent, Fluorescent, etc.). You can use this White Balance control to creatively change the mood of a photograph, much like you use colored filters to change the color balance of film. When shooting outdoors in bright sunlight, set the White Balance to Fluorescent to give your pictures a cool-blue feeling, or set it on Incandescent to warm up the scene. If your camera offers exposure compensation for white balance, select Auto White Balance and then set the exposure compensation to take three pictures—one at normal, one at +1 stop, and one at –1 stop—to produce more subtle color shifts.
|
|
 |
Shutter speeds and special effects.
In most outdoor situations, you strive for sharply focused images. But in some cases, capturing the blur of a moving object creates more interesting effects. For example, if you photograph a waterfall using a slow shutter speed (1/30 second or longer), you’ll record its journey down the mountainside with a blur of motion. The slower the shutter speed, the softer the rushing water appears (i.e.: a shutter speed of 1/30 – 1/15 second creates a slight blur, while a speed of 1/4 second or longer makes the water look like satin). Be sure to mount the camera on a tripod to keep it steady during the long exposures and try several different settings so you can choose the effect you like best. If you’re using Manual mode, remember that slow shutter speeds let in more light, so you have to use a smaller lens opening (aperture or f/stop) to prevent overexposure.
|
|
 |
Focus on the creative.
Selective focus is an important creative tool, especially in close-up photography. By controlling depth of field (the area in front of and behind your subject that is in sharp focus), you can isolate key object(s) in a picture and reduce many of the distracting elements that surround it. There are three basic rules you should know about selective focus:
- F/stop: A large lens aperture (f/4, f/2, etc.) reduces your depth of field, causing more of the surrounding area to be out of focus. A small aperture (f/11, f/16, f/22) increases depth of field, so that most of the picture (including objects in front of and behind the subject) is in focus.
- Focal length: Short or wide-angle lenses (28mm to 35mm equivalent) provide greater depth of field than long or telephoto lenses (100mm +). The same holds true for zoom lenses — they provide maximum depth of field in their wide-angle position and minimum depth of field when fully extended.
- Distance from subject. The closer you are to a subject, the shorter the depth of field. Conversely, the further away you are, the greater the depth of field (as long as you don’t change the focal length of the lens). By applying one or more of these rules to your photo session, you can have greater control over selective focus in your photographs.
|
|
 |
Stretching the boundaries of exposure.
All of the techniques above are helpful in expanding your creativity beyond the “Program” and “Auto” modes of your camera. But how do you compensate for an extreme situation, when you’ve tried every possible combination of f/stop, shutter speed, and exposure compensation, and the direct sunlight still sends your meter into a light overload? One low-tech method popular in film photography, but nearly forgotten in digital, is the use of high-density filters to block some of the light entering the lens. Light-blocking or neutral density (ND) filters provide no color correction or optical effect, but they come in different densities to block one, two, or more stops of unwanted light. Polarizing filters may reduce incoming light by only one stop, but they can also be used to eliminate reflections off water and glass—a benefit that not only cuts unwanted light but also increases detail in reflective areas. (If you can’t find a filter to fit your camera, try holding one in front of the camera lens while the camera is mounted on a tripod.)
|
|
 |
Create a digital masterpiece.
As you experiment with different creative options, you’re bound to start a collection of really great pictures that suffer from minor technical flaws. Like the beautiful close-ups of your family pet, taken when you attempted to selectively focus on the eyes, but ended up with a sharp nose instead. Don’t throw them away! Most image-editing software offers special effects filters that can change your soft portrait into a beautiful digital masterpiece. Try different art effects, like dry brush or watercolor, and when you find the one that works, order a print from Ofoto. You’ll be amazed at how good it looks!
For more tips on digital photography, visit www.imaging-resource.com.
|
|
|
|
< Reference Desk
Site Tour
Help
OfotoFocus
Photo Tips
|
![[ OfotoNow 3.0 ]](http://www.ofoto.com/images/footer_ofotonow.gif){kind=small}