Using Flash Tip #1

Posted on September 29, 2009 by Arnie Lee

Most cameras have a built-in flash for shooting indoors or in low-light areas. Sometimes photos taken with flash may look overly contrasty or harsh since you’re using a tiny, single light source. To soften the light, you can cover the flash with a handkerchief or facial tissue. The result is a more rounded look, especially on faces.

Soften The Light

This photo was taken with flash. Notice that the right side of the face shows a lot of contrast the photo appear harsh.

For this shot, I covered the flash with a facial tissue. I wrapped the tissue around the flash with a rubber band. The result is a softer light.

the facial tissue acts as simple flash diffuser
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Shooting Stills Tip #1

Posted on August 17, 2009 by Arnie Lee

Many of us have a craving for food and drink. Sometimes I like to photograph a memorable dinner. Here’s a simple tip that can help make your food shots shine.

Lighten Up

When photographing food, the texture and details may become obscured when the lighting isn’t perfect. Here the light was coming from the back (backlit) which makes the meat appear quite dark.

Here, I’ve popped up the camera’s flash to bring out the food details. When using the flash to provide fill light, you may want to adjust the camera exposure so that the flash does not overexpose the food.
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Landscape Tip #5

Posted on August 11, 2009 by Arnie Lee

When the fluffy clouds appear overhead I often think it’s time to grab the camera. There’s something magical about capturing these soft tufts of cotton. It’s easy to capture those puff balls.

Dial Back

Here I framed the large cloud formation using the lovely hanging willow branches. Although the clouds show up with lots of detail, I’d like to see a more dramatic effect.

To add impact, I simply decreased the exposure slightly. You can do this easily by adjusting the camera’s exposure compensation by -1 stop. For an even more dramatic effect, you can reduce the exposure by – 2 stops.
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