FRONT LIGHTING

Dear reader, if this entry or my other blog entries don't answer your specific photography questions, you can call me on the phone anytime for advice by clicking here.

I am a great fan of back lighting, and I seem to use the technique on most photo shoots. Front lighting, however, is very necessary and effective for certain subjects.

One of the most dramatic uses of front lighting (when a light source illuminates the front of a subject) is when you are photographing flowers on a cloud-less day. As in the attached sample photo of the sunflower that I photographed last week, the early morning sun was creating a far brighter subject (flower), than the background (blue sky). As I reduced my exposure of the sunflower the results were a continually deeper and richer blue sky.

Front lighting has the effect of making backgrounds darker. This is especially true if the background is at a great distance from the subject. Regardless what the subject is, because it is closer to the light source it will receive a majority of the light, and only a small percentage will reach the background. Use this to your advantage by choosing backgrounds that will compliment the subject matter. In this case the dark blue background works very well with the yellow flower, as the two colors are opposite on the color wheel, and the darker tones of the background sky accentuate the flower’s details.

Mark's photographic prints for your wall can be purchased at www.markhemmings.com

Mark can be hired as a photographer or filmmaker via www.hemmingshouse.com

COLOR WASH

Dear reader, if this entry or my other blog entries don't answer your specific photography questions, you can call me on the phone anytime for advice by clicking here.

If you have ever wondered how nature photographers get that nice 'color wash' in their nature photos, here is how it is done:

Make sure your f-number (aperture) is the lowest possible for your particular lens. Then crawl around in the grass until you find the right scene, and then place foreground flowers DIRECTLY ON YOUR LENS. Don't be afraid if the flowers actually touch the glass.

Experimentation is very important; sometimes the technique works, and other times it doesn't. The soft color cast is dependent on how much of the grass or flowers touch the lens, and what color the flowers are. Try a few different positions, and eventually you will get a shot similar to the above sample photo.

Mark's photographic prints for your wall can be purchased at www.markhemmings.com

Mark can be hired as a photographer or filmmaker via www.hemmingshouse.com

WINTER PHOTOGRAPHY

Dear reader, if this entry or my other blog entries don't answer your specific photography questions, you can call me on the phone anytime for advice by clicking here.

Don't be mad at me for mentioning winter in the middle of August! Today's blog entry should probably be a beach scene instead, but I have a great fondness for winter photography, so hear it is: the best time to get great winter shots is very early morning after a snowstorm of the previous evening. The conditions are usually excellent; the wind has died down overnight, and the fresh snow stays on the trees. There will also be a cool blue color cast to the sky and ground, which visually benefits the image.

The best tip I can give you for doing early morning winter photography is this: if the atmosphere does not have enough 'blue' color cast, use a light blue filter, or place your digital camera's white balance dial on the "indoor light bulb" setting. Both of these options will punch up the blue color cast, and give you a far more dramatic image. Why? Because color in landscapes is usually more visually dynamic than overcast gray (assuming your intentions are for a color image, not black and white).

Mark's photographic prints for your wall can be purchased at www.markhemmings.com

Mark can be hired as a photographer or filmmaker via www.hemmingshouse.com

TRAVEL PHOTOGRAPHY TIPS

Dear reader, if this entry or my other blog entries don't answer your specific photography questions, you can call me on the phone anytime for advice by clicking here.

This photo, taken at Hanguk Minsokchon, in South Korea, always makes me smile. It was a very hot day; 40 degrees celcius, and one woman was fanning the other. The whole time I was there they were laughing, talking, and having a great time with each other. I decided to just sit and take in the surroundings, and only when I got up to leave did I snap a quick shot, more for the sake of remembering the lovely scene.

When in another country, try to follow these guidelines and you will enjoy your trip much more:

1. During your pre-trip planning, never give yourself a quota of photos that you need to accomplish. If you do, you will be met with unnecessary frustration.

2. A slower pace yields greater results than a faster pace.

3. Do not be a "taker". Give back to your host country in any manner, and you will have contributed to your own learning.

4. Photographers who continually look for the ill in different cultures have nothing to contribute to the world. For your own sake (and everyone else's), do not be one of these parasites.

5. Food is one of the world's foremost forms of communion. When invited to share a meal, whenever possible, eat whatever is given to you. This will be your way of recognizing and celebrating the intrinsic value of the other person.

6. Go out of your way to make friends. Even if your time is limited, you will enjoy the exchange for many years after the actual event.

7. Finally, it is a sign of respect to be able to say a few words in the host country's language. Even if they understand English, saying , 'hello', 'goodbye', and 'thank you' in their own language will be a sign that you value them.

Finally, flexible people have a great advantage over uptight people. Flexible people can bend and twist around adversity. If you have trouble dealing with change, and the unknown, it may be best for you to start your travel photography closer to home. However, each time out you will have more experience dealing with unfamiliar locations.

Mark's photographic prints for your wall can be purchased at www.markhemmings.com

Mark can be hired as a photographer or filmmaker via www.hemmingshouse.com