Photography Blog

Unlike the natural light photography ,flash photography is probably the most disappointing photography techniques for beginners than any other techniques. for beginners the learning process occurs over time with trial and error. becoming an expert in using flash requires persistence and observation. Generally, poor lighting conditions results in poor pictures. Usually you don’t need flash for normal daytime outdoor shots unless it’s very gloomy.and it can only be used when the subject is close because of its limited range.Using flash indoor is not advisable,unless if its absolutely necessary,it always create harsh shadows and burn out the subject an option to use instead of using flash is to let much daylight in as possible and turn on all the light in the room you can use the fill flash if your subject is not well litIf you intend to deal with the low light condition by increasing the exposure of your camera,though it wont work in dim condition but it will give better results than flash.If you want your flash to be effective indoor there are some techniques that you must adhere toDo not point the flash directly to a mirror or glass this might ruin the picture.Stand close to your subject so the flash can be effective.There is a commonly sought after light used by some photographer for portrait to diffused the harsh flash light from the camera .many photographer choose to bounce the flash off a wall or ceiling to get the softer light. This kind of flash technique requires a flash that can be aimed in a direction that the camera is not aimed.When you practice using flash in your photos often, you get to understand when and how to use it. and you will be able to analyze your photos .

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Many photographers are aware of the effects created by the use of an “on board” flash or a flash “gun” set up somewhere in a room or mounted to a “shoe” on the body of the camera. Not all amateur photographers however, realize that some images may benefit from the elimination of a flash. Alternately, some people don’t realize that “bouncing” a flash will better illuminate a scene without the dark shadows and over-lighting of a direct flash.How does a photographer, amateur or professional, know when and where to use their flash equipment? Since most of today’s cameras are fully automated, the sensor within the camera itself will usually cue the flash. Such settings however, can also be easily disabled or changed to suit the situation. For example, many cameras have a red-eye reduction flash that helps to make photographs without the reflection of the flash in the eyes of the people or animals in the picture. While a great deal of indoor photography will require the use of a flash to capture the scene accurately, many outdoor settings can benefit from a flash as well. For example, there is a technique referred to as “flash fill” which basically balances an all ready well-lit shot with the addition of a flash bulb. This means that an outdoor image, which may have some slight shadows or shading, can be entirely “filled” with light by the use of a flash.Additionally, indoor photography should be examined for the amount of flash the picture may, or may not require. For example, a photographer should make an examination of the ambient lighting in a scene or setting, such as a wedding or special event, to be sure that the flash is necessary. If the brilliant light of the flash may diminish the effects of the existing lighting, the photographer usually has two choices – adjust the manual camera settings to let in the most light possible without resorting to a flash, or alternately, bouncing the flash to fill the entire room and not just light the subject.Using adjusted settings requires a camera that allows for a fully manual mode. The photographer could then make their shutter speed faster and their “f-stop” or lens aperture a lower setting, which actually allows more light into the sensor. If “bouncing” the light is preferred, the photographer would need a flash bulb unit that is not “on board” the camera, usually a handheld of cable triggered flash that lights the entire space evenly. Bouncing eliminates deep shadows around the subject, and gives the scene warmth.Like all photographic techniques, it really pays to experiment with settings and results before using them to capture important or professional images.

With careful use of flash, you can make your photo looks natural as though no flash had been used, instate it will enhance the photo further reducing contrast and yet looking very natural.

It has been a dream of all photographers to look for the balance in lighting whenever they photograph a subject and most of the time the quality of available light isn’t always perfect. I will share my experience in making use of flash wisely I am able to enhance my photo rather than by just using the available ambient light.

Before we get started let me clarify a few things with regards to my flash photography techniques that I will be sharing with you.

 

 

 

Ambient Light plus Flash



I use flash most of the time but using flash does not mean you will spoil the ambient light thus making the photo looking unnatural. Why just use available light alone if your photograph turns out to be horrible. I will show you by understanding some essential techniques, mixing ambient light with flash you can make a better image.

By using the flash I will be able to highlight the shadow areas and avoid shadows under the subject’s eyebrows thus making it a better photo than it would have been without flash. But this does not mean that the image will turn up flat. Make sure you get your reading right.

Let’s try two examples:

1. A wedding couple on a beach and under a tent as the sun is going down:-

 

 

Flash was turn off. I took the reading of the ambient light and took a test shoot. Satisfied with the overall exposure and then on my flash light and took the photograph below with my flash light firring direct and dial up the my flash up to +1.7 EV. See the photographt below for comparison.

2. Portrait of a couple against a wall

 

 

 

- Notice with a fill flash I manage to eliminate shadows under the couple eyebrows without overexposing the wall and the couples’ clothing’s.

Photograph 2 – Shoot using flash

The above two examples clearly tells you by just adding flash with the correct exposure set by reading the ambient light together with the right amount of flash value to be fired you will have a perfect and balance natural looking image. Who says by using flash it will look unnatural and spoil the ambient light?

I will be following up with an article entitle Flash Photography Techniques – Bouncing the Flash next to share my photography experience with you. By bouncing the flash you are able to soften the light and reduce or eliminating flash shadow.

For more photography techniques and tips visit my photography blog: Langkawi Photographer Blog

To view my photography portfolio visit: AFFENDY.COM

How would you like to substantially reduce your post processing time, in the area of color correction? The softest light, of course, is achieved by bouncing it off a much larger object, such as a ceiling or wall. The most natural direction for light is from above, bounced off a ceiling. It is also the most convenient surface off which to bounce light. However, when confronted with a ceiling that is other than white in color, like orange or blue, use of the ceiling may seem out of the question. This article will give you a different perspective on the situation.

The secret is this: The real problem is not actually the color of the ceiling. The real problem is the mixture of colors that is created as a result of bouncing light off a colored ceiling, using a diffuser that in effect contributes a different color.

Let me explain. Generally, the ceiling color (white) matches the diffuser color (white). Under this ideal condition, the two light paths striking the subject are similar in terms of color temperature, which is vital to producing an image that is color matched and easily adjusted to perfection. You don’t want your subject’s face or the bride’s wedding dress to be duo-toned, do you? This is what happens when the light bounced from a colored ceiling is mixed with the white diffuser providing forward fill light. So how can you fix this? Think in terms of the expression, “If you can’t beat ‘em, join ‘em.”

That’s right. You can’t practically change the color of the ceiling, so change the color of the diffuser! Once this color matching is attended to, you can set your camera’s white balance to this light, or just leave the camera’s white balance setting to auto and then later adjust the white balance in your favorite image processing software. I recommend shooting in RAW and using the “eyedropper” tool to adjust the white balance with a couple of mouse clicks.

There is a little pre-planning and leg work called for to color match the diffuser to the ceiling. This extra effort is very worthwhile, as your post processing time devoted to color balancing will be dramatically reduced. Your clients will be very happy with your quality work and quick turnaround time, too!

Here’s how to color match the ceiling:

 

You may also add a gel to compliment ambient lighting, though the gel is entirely optional and has nothing to do with color matching the ceiling.

Now you are ready to shoot.

Don’t be alarmed when you chimp through the images on your 3″ LCD and they all look bluish. That’s exactly what you want to see. The blue ceiling and blue diffuser will produce bluish light, which will be easily corrected in post processing (we recommend shooting in RAW). Of course, if you had white balanced your camera to this bluish light beforehand, then the images would look perfect on your 3″ LCD without post processing. Either way, the final results will be superb.

This article has described an advanced flash photography technique to substantially reduce your post processing time, in the area of color correction. Utilizing this new color matching method should help you as a professional photographer to both save time and please clients.

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The main problem that most digital camera users complain about is the impossibility of taking pictures in low light conditions. It might seem like the easiest thing. If it’s dark, the camera automatically pops the flash out and boom! the room lights up and everybody is blinking the white spot out of their eyes. But still, grandma looks like a zombie and your best friend looks like he’s been bitten by a vampire.

So what are you doing wrong? First of all you use the camera’s built in flash. A big no no. If you have a point and shooter, you don’t really have a choice. Best thing you can do is take a good look at your surroundings and never put your objects in front of a mirror or any reflective object when you are planning to flash.

If you got a better, bigger camera with a hot-shoe, you should get an external flash and get it fast. Using an external flash can change your photos dramatically. First of all, it will help reduce the annoying red eyes which frankly, most point-and-shoots can’t do. External flash lets you change the direction and angle of the light so it doesn’t bounce back from the subject’s eyes.

External flash also works wonders eliminating shadows form the photos and can give a nice depth to grandma instead of making her look like a flat cardboard. But best thing about this kind of flash photography is the powerful illumination these devices deliver. When using a built-in flash, most of the times you’ll notice dark spots in the margins of the photo due to low illumination. External flash throws a stronger light and ends the flash “fall off” at the corners of the photo.

If you’re new to flash photography, notice that your camera has a few basic settings, each will give you a different looking photo. Notice there’s a “P”, a “Tv”, “Av” and one “M”

There are many external flash units available in the market. There are entry level flash units and pro level flash units and prices vary accordingly. External flash units can get quite expensive so we suggest you to start from the cheaper ones until you get your flash photography skills together, and only then start climbing up the model list.

Want to get that perfect photo? Looking for the right light and the right speed? Visit www.photo4less.com for all of your photography needs. If it’s a new camera, bigger lens, flashes, filters, and even dark room equipment – www.photo4less.com is fully stocked and ready to deliver your purchase. Even in low light settings.

www.photo4less.com can answer all of your photography needs, if it’s a new camera, bigger lens, flashes, filters, and even dark room equipment – we are fully stocked and ready to deliver your purchase.

Did you ever put your flash unit in manual mode? Did you ever manually turn on the flash when taking a day time outdoor photo? For many the answer to both questions is “no”. For most amateur photographers flash is just a solution for taking photos when there is not enough natural light. Although a legitimate use of flash photography there is much more ways to efficiently use flash. In this article we will cover the various types of flash units available, the different scenarios under which they can be used, the advantages of using flash to achieve better photos and the common mistakes people do when using flash photography.

As with any other technology knowing how it works behind the scenes and what your options are can help in better utilizing it for your advantage. Flash photography has been around for more than a hundred years. It started with a dangerous and manually controlled technology that used a powder that was lit by either fire or electrical current. These flash solutions were both dangerous and hard to use since the flash was not automatically synchronized to the camera’s shutter. Modern flash units use an electronic flash tube that is synchronized with the camera’s shutter. When turning the flash on the photographer does not need to worry about flash timing – the camera takes care of it automatically.

There are two types of flash units: Internal and External. The internal flash unit is built-in to your camera. It can be controlled through the camera’s menus. Some low end cameras only allow the use of their built-in units. Some low end cameras and all high end cameras also allow the attachment of an external flash unit. External flash units are either attached to the camera’s body through a dedicated slide-in slot or are connected to the camera using a cable. They vary in strength – how much light can they generate for how long – and in mechanical characteristics – can they be tilted or skewed or are they fixed in relation to the camera’s body. Regardless of the connection type external flash units are electronically connected to the camera and are synchronized with the shutter.

When setting your flash unit to automatic mode the camera fires the flash in scenarios where not enough light is available. Many times the camera will make a wrong judgment and will either fire or not fire the flash when the opposite was needed. Also in some scenarios the camera will not be able to tell that firing the flash will actually result in a better photo. One problem when using a flash is washed out photos. When the flash is too strong or the object is too close to the camera the result is a washed out photo there are not enough details and the object appears to be too white or too bright. Another problem is a photo with too many details: in some scenarios the flash can create artificial shadows and lights which result in a photo that includes details that are exaggerated relative to their appearance in real life. For example when taking a photo of an older person skin wrinkles and imperfections can look much worse than they really are in real life.

It is important to know the limitations of the flash unit. Any flash unit has a certain amount of light that it can generate. Usually this amount can be translated to an effective range for using the flash. When trying to take a photo with the object too far – more than the flash unit range – the object will appear dark. When trying to take a photo with the object too close to the camera the object will be washed out or too white. It is important to know your flash range and make sure that your object is within that range.

If you need to take a photo with your objects not within your flash unit range it is better to turn off the flash completely and use a tripod with long exposure. Using the flash in such scenarios can fool the camera into setting a high shutter speed which results in a photo darker than a photo taken without using the flash at all.

In some scenarios the camera will not automatically fire the flash although using the flash would have resulted in a much better photo. One such scenario is taking a photo during day time when the object is shadowed. For example if the object is wearing a hat the hat can block the light from the object’s face or when the object is lit from the side the object’s nose can block the light creating a shadow. In such scenarios the flash unit can be set to “fill in” mode. The flash will be fired to fill-in those shadowed areas but it will not be fired strong enough to wash out the photo.

Another scenario is when the sun is behind the object. One example is taking a photo on the beach against a sunset. If taken without a fill-in flash the result will most likely be a silhouette of the object. If taken with a fill-in flash and the object in range the result will be a clear photo of the object against a sunset.

In conclusion your flash unit can be a great tool. Although for many using the flash in automatic mode is enough for the more sophisticated photographer who wants to achieve higher quality photos understanding and experimenting with the flash unit can yield great results. Following some simple rules such as making sure objects are within the flash unit range and using fill-in flash when shadows can appear on the objects is easy and significantly improves your photos.

These days, everything is very systematic and computerized. The introduction of computer system has made the lives of people very easy and comfortable. However, this digital technology is well known for its accuracy, speed and collection of information. Moreover, with the ease of internet technology, now it becomes quite easy to stay connected to each other. This is all about its internal functions but it is necessary to make the external appearance of computer screen well attractive. Isn’t it? That is why we see people downloading multiple wallpapers, themes or even screen savers for their PC to make it physically appealing. With the increasing craze for making the computer screen beautiful and attractive, everyone is trying to get more and more new innovative ways. The rapid growth of latest technologies allows user to fulfill their desire and need at any point of time with the ease of internet facility. In order to change the overall look of your laptop or computer, pictures play an important role. There is a wide variety of pictures available on internet through which the user can easily download photos of his choice. The photos can range from wildlife to nature, celebrities to history, cartoons to animated pictures. Well, it is quite easy to download images from internet but these days, the popularity of flash photos are increasing with the phase of time. Now people like to download flash images. This is the latest technology of photographs which can be downloaded from internet with the help of flash software. For instance, if the user wish to flash photoson his computer then he needs to download flash software. Only flash software is capable of downloading flash pictures. The best part is internet provides this software for free of cost. These days, more and more websites are offering flash images. The best part is that these pictures quality is excellent as compared to normal photograph. Moreover, many websites are offering the opportunity of free photo upload through which the user can upload multiple photos on his computer at free of cost. Flash photos have high resolution power which make it more attractive and different from the normal ones. Moreover, the user can also upload his photos on various social networking sites like Twittter, Facebook, Orkut using flash technology. Nowadays, the scope of flash photography is increasing very rapidly. As it is one of the time consuming method of uploading pictures, so people generally use flash technology to change the overall look of their system.

Although photo editing programs nowadays seem to have all the basic (and advance!) editing tools a man needs, you have to keep in mind that not all the tools you see on the interface are beneficial. One of which is the cropping tool.
Before you start cropping all your images, you have to ask yourself, “Will the photo look better if I crop it?” If you answered no, then don’t. Sometimes, cropping results to a “cramped” photo. You have to keep in mind the nature of the photo’s subject. Sports photographers, for example, seldom use this tool because they feel the need of their photos to “breathe”. The action is not focused on the ball (in basketball for example) only but all the players surrounding the offensive player are vital.
Perfection is almost impossible. There are always some flaws, destructions, and obstacles along the way. Development, being manifested almost everywhere, whether it is economical or technological, signifies changes. These innovations can either be advantageous or disadvantageous. They can either aggravate or resolve problems.
One field that can be said to be experiencing fantastic developments is digital photography. It can be said that it is more convenient than the traditional photography that uses analogue apparatus. Today, everything can be done. Initially, it can be perceived to be very useful but as people becomes more informed about digital photography, we have the tendency to abuse this knowledge. Today, your face can now be cropped and can serve as a dog’s face. How “advanced” can things be?
Do think analogue photography also has advantages compared to digital photography? No? Then perhaps you should be enlightened about the pros and cons of both kinds of photography.
Digital photography allows the user to transfer files immediately after the shot was taken. No more films to develop, no more hassle of taking the films to the developer, no more fears of exposing your precious shots and no more unnecessary expenditures (like finishing the whole film before you can see the result). You can even edit the photo after!
Analogue photography however is much different than digital in a number of ways. Analogue photography requires your expertise in the shooting pictures since you cannot edit it after. From lighting to other background and foreground blurring, everything must be done manually.
If you are a new in photo editing and ask any professional what program to use, perhaps he or she will recommend you to use Ulead. Ulead is a very powerful tool, minus the complexity of the interface. Its latest program is the Ulead PhotoImpact and has received a lot of praises from photo editing gurus. The program has two editing modes: ExpressFix and Full Edit. ExpressFix is the tool for starters. With just a few clicks, you can edit a photo to your desired outcome. The Full Edit feature has three categories, namely enhancements, portrait touch-ups and effects. Ulead PhotoImpact interface is so easy to follow that you can edit like a pro in just a few minutes of familiarizing with the buttons.