a1 Photo Tips

Sunsets (and for that matter, sunRISES; if you happen to be awake then) entertain us with a daily display of ever-changing colors.

The purists (you know, those whose idea of a great image is something like an un-identifiable black shape on a black background) may consider sunsets “trivial” - but the rest of us are still un-spoilt enough to appreciate their beauty.

Sure, since sunsets/sunrises are such popular subjects, the very fact that they are so frequently portrayed may induce a sense of boredom in some people.

And therein lies the challenge: if you want to capture a sunset/sunrise that really gets the attention of someone who has already seen hundreds of such pictures - then YOUR interpretation needs to be something extra!

Tip #1: Include Something In the Foreground!

Look at the photo above, by “nattu“. It is a picture of a sunset - but what else? It is ALSO a great shot of some kids playing, silhouetted as black shapes against the fiery sky! This adds tremendous extra interest to the shot, which otherwise would be just a display of (pretty) colors and nothing more.

Tip #2: Use Reflections in Water!

Another great method for enhancing the effect of a sunset/sunrise picture is to utilize the surface of the ocean, or a lake, as a great mirror. One fine example of this method is the image here, made by “suchitraprints“. (I happen to have a similar picture somewhere but alas it is analog, made with an old-style camera; and I’ve never bothered to convert it to the digital format.)

This sunset in Chennai, India, is a superb shot. Note how not only the city skyline, but also the elongated cloud above the sun, are mirrored on the surface of the water.

Tip #3: Practical Stuff!

OK, there are also some more mundane things you may need to keep in mind. Such as:

- Bracket your exposures. The sky and sun are very bright, and to make them appear that way in the image you need to over-expose them a bit. If the camera is set on automatic exposure, it will try to get them “correctly” exposed - which to our human eyes means “too dark”. On the other hand, if the highlights are all washed out there’s no way you can get them back in there. Therefore, try different exposures.

- Plan ahead. Scout a good location in advance, and make sure you have your equipment in order. Once the sunset/sunrise begins to unfold, things happen fast. If unprepared, you may miss the show!

- Use a tripod. Without a tripod, it would be impossible to make such images as the sunRISE, by “Chris Gin“, shown here. The photographer achieved this dream-like effect on the moving water of the surface of the ocean by exposing the shot for 30 seconds! Naturally, he also needed to use a neutral-density filter to block out much of the light entering the camera, to avoid over-exposure.

- AND be careful. Avoid looking directly into the sun! Especially so in case you are using a telephoto setting, which magnifies the sun - even more dangerous to your eyes.

So, now go out and get those sunsets (or sunrises if you happen to be an Early Bird). Get some fresh air, and have fun!

Photoshop Digital Photography Essential-Beginner -
The most popular videos are here

Just a quick note for those of you who get frustrated when for instance trying to email your nice digital pictures to friends and family. Those original image files may be so large that it takes forever to send and recieve them! This video, which I happened to come across while browsing the web, shows you how to deal with such problems, using image editing software.

- I hope it will prove helpful to some of you, although the video quality is a bit fuzzy. The puppy dog is cute, though.

Briefly, this video shows you how to make an image file much smaller so that you can for instance email it without problems. The same principle applies also if you want to publish an image on the Web: it has to be downsized and compressed, or else it won’t work well for those who try to look at it.

Note that in the video, they also downsize the example file a bit for printing purposes. This is not needed at all - you only need to play with the resolution of the file (ie. how many DPI you want) when adjusting the file for printing - the higher DPI number you choose; the smaller, but sharper, it will come out on paper.

Everybody likes flowers. And I think flowers are probably one of the most popular subjects for making pictures. Actually, I must confess I am one of those people myself.

Well, when I was young and hellbent on becoming a great Artist, I went to great lengths to avoid such “trivial” subjects as flowers! Nay, I took photographs of rotting logs and storm drains, all in black-and-white, and made really dark and gloomy prints from those shots. The gloomier, the more “artistic”!

Nowadays, at a more mature age, I am a bit easier on myself and simply snap pictures of stuff that I find interesting and uplifting. Like the roses in the picture above, which I made while visiting my favorite public garden, in the medieval town of Visby, Sweden.

So - how do you make pictures of flowers? OK, I can only speak for myself but here are some of my personal rules:

1. Avoid Direct Sunlight Like the Plague!

A somewhat provocative statement, right? Yet I find it is true in the vast majority of cases. For instance, the rose picture above was snapped just before sunset, when the sun was so low that it didn’t reach those roses. And about 99% of all successful flower shots I’ve ever made were done in a similar fashion: either near sunset and in the shade, or during overcast (cloudy) days.

2. Find a Neutral and Unobtrusive Background!

When I make pictures of such flowers as roses and peonies, I usually use the green leaves of the plant as background. Done right, this results in a nice neutral and subdued backdrop for those showy flowers.

Now, some flowers are not of the large showy type, but more small and gentle, and may need some company for best effect. Also, they might need a different angle - you may have to get down on your knees to make friends with them!
One modest example of the latter type is these Fritillarias, which grow in a meadow by a river, close to where I live. On that particular day in May, the weather was slightly overcast - perfect for flower pictures!

OK, note how I did this: I picked out a small group of these flowers and made sure I had a fairly neutral, uncluttered, backdrop for them. And to get a shallow depth of field I used the largest aperture my digicam could offer - this served to further minimize any distractions in the background by blurring it. Only one of the flowers is in focus, the remaining two serve a supportive role in the composition.

You can also use the sky as background for your flower shots - as in the nice example here, by “blhphotography“. It is one of the more creative flower pictures I have seen, shot with an extreme wide-angle lens.

Another method, which I don’t recommend, is to put a piece of cardboard with a neutral color behind your flowery subject! The problem with this is, in my opinion, that it gives an un-natural result. If you need total control like that, then pick the flowers and put them in a vase, in a studio!

3. Get Uncomfortable!

As I said earlier, flowers are a much loved subject for picture-making. I’d say they are almost loved to death! One problem with making flower images that are more than just boring snapshots is that these creatures often are fairly small, and tend to grow in the company of various other plants. Therefore, you often have to make some effort, by contorting your body in various ways, to get the camera into an optimal position. This does take a bit of dedication - suffering for the sake of a great result!