CONTROLLING LENS FLARE

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.

One of my favorite non-photoshop techniques is lens-flare. This photo was a painful procedure for me, as it was extremely cold outside. It was no doubt enjoyable for the models however, relaxing in the nice warm outdoor hot tub! I love the result however, as the steam and snow accurately give the viewer a sense of the cold air, and warm water.



It is the lens flare however that makes the photograph for me. This technique is easily done, and the results will always be unique:
1. Overexpose the photograph.
2. Do not have the sun in the composition, but place it just millimeters outside of the frame.
3. You can control (to a certain extent) how the flare will behave by moving your own physical position.
4. Take the picture! If the image is too dark, overexpose more.

This technique is easy to do, and is especially helpful for winter scenes. Make sure you do not look at sun through your viewfinder. For those of you with newer D-SLR cameras with LiveView, you can compose via the screen. Good luck!

Email this Blog to a friend.

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

BLUE/YELLOW POLARIZER

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 tip will be old news to many of my readers, but for those who have never heard of this filter, it is worthy of a post. The Blue/Yellow polarizing filter goes by a few different names, depending on the manufacturer. They all do a similar trick however, and create either a blue tone to reflective surfaces, or a yellow tone on the same surfaces, depending on how much you rotate the lens filter. I included one of my photos to illustrate, rotated to the Yellow side of the filter:



The reflective surface in this photo is the flowing stream. The polarizing filter gave it a warm, dreamlike hue, which can save a potentially boring nature photograph. The blue version of the stream looked equally intriguing, but for my purposes I stayed with the warmer version (it was photographed for a real estate company promoting their natural surroundings).

While these filters are hyper-realistic, they are very fun to work with, and can often perform miracles on dreary days. Most filter companies offer this polarizer, and they can be purchased at any professional camera store.

Email this Blog to a friend.

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

EARLY MORNING SNOWFALL

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.

Although we haven't had our first snowfall in my city yet, hopefully this post will encourage you to prepare for great photo opportunities in the months ahead.



The best time to capture exterior winter photographs is the morning after a snowfall. Here are some tips:
1. You only have a 20 minute window when the outdoor ambient light levels equal the light levels of the building(s) you are photographing. Thus, you should be outside and ready to photograph even when it is dark.
2. Auto exposure should be fine. The blue of the snow, and the orange of the artificial lights should evenly mix what your camera's white balance computer suggests as an appropriate color temperature.
3. Use a tripod and a remote shutter release of some sort, and set your camera to f8, in Aperture Priority mode. You may then have to adjust the +/- exposure compensation buttons to fine tune the exposure after a test shot.
4. As soon as there is a small amount of sky light, you should start shooting. At first, the building's artificial lights will be much brighter than the snow. Then a few minutes later, the photo will be balanced perfectly. Five to ten minutes after your well-balanced photo, you will find that the conditions are no longer adequate for a balanced picture. The snow will be far brighter than the building's lights, and the romantic scene will be greatly lessened due to (relatively) darker artificial exterior lights.
5. While I do not tend to use them, sometimes a softening filter can be useful to make the photo even more dreamy.
6. The only downside to this technique is the pain of waking up early on a snowy cold morning. This laborious aspect of the photo shoot wanes after you start to see the fantastic scene through your viewfinder! It is a great joy to make a photograph during a time of day that almost no one else gets to witness.

I took this photo in the picturesque village of Mt. Tremblant, in Quebec.
Email this Blog to a friend.

 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

FREEZING WATER

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.

Today's post is very simple and short, but might not be readily known by many photographers. When you are required to photograph moving water within a steel environment such as a sink, always use a flash.



The strobe of light will stop all motion, and will dramatically enhance the stainless steel background. Normal house interior lighting is often not adequate to get a bold, sharp photo with a neutral color cast. Make sure, however, not to simply point your camera flash at the water. It should be diffused or reflected off of a very large surface. One idea is to shoot your flash into a large piece of white bristol board that is angled for the water, or another option is to shoot the flash through large diffusion material such as a bedsheet.

As always, I try to make these posts accessible to those who cannot afford professional gear. When the time comes to buy your first light kit, spend the money to get the largest softbox you can afford. The larger the softbox, the better the picture (in most cases!)

Email this Blog to a friend.

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