Interesting Light makes Interesting Photos

This is so easy! Photo = light. Graph = writing. Photography = writing with light. Thus Interesting Light makes Interesting Photos. Easy!

Remember the best tip about using flash is DON’T USE IT? This page tells you why.

Without flash, you preserve the ambience and record the environment better.

Some subjects may be better presented if the colour/hue from articial light is more neutral. Your digicam can be set to do this.

In my Kodak C360, it’s set through “Menu” - “White Balance” - then choose either “Tungsten” or “Fluorescent” depending on your light source.

Fluorescent light source casts a greenish/bluish hue lighting. Not that visible to naked eye but the camera captures it. This looks eerie on human subjects! (But there may be times you want to create this effect). So you may want to tell the camera to compensate for this.

Photos on the left show Tungsten Lighting. Tungsten lighting imbues a reddish hue. Some folks call this “warm”. If you shoot during sunset, you get a warm tone as well. If you don’t want this effect, or your subject matter does not allow this, then tell your camera to compensate it.

Aha! The human silhouette gives you the sense of scale of the building. When shooting large objects, having a reference for scale makes more interesting photos!

Interior designers know that lighting is a critical part of the presentation. They work hard, placing light sources strategically to create that certain look and feel to the atmosphere. Don’t screw up their work with your flash gun! Let their lighting come through. They have done the hard work for you, so now all you have to do is just shoot.

It’s all about lights and shadows.