Ezi Pix Blog

Light is the most important part of any photo. Even if the composition and focus are out, the image will still be pleasing to look at if the lighting is good. You see, photography is all about light and colour and tonality and you need to get to know the colour of the light, the quality of the light and the angle of the light. Are there any blotchy shadows? Is the light falling at the right time of day and at the right angles? This gives the image it’s artistic elements.

Bright, midday sun makes a scene very high-contrast, and can add sparkle and great colour, but will deepen shadows. Early morning or late afternoon sunlight gives much lower contrast resulting in, softer and varying hues. On cloudy days, the sun's rays are peeking through the clouds and this creates either a dark or light "soft box" effect, depending on the clouds' brightness and luminosity. Remember these lighting tips and use them to make the most out of any lighting conditions by matching the subject to the light source

Midday sun is the worst possible setting for photographing people. The sunlight being directly above the subject's face will be casting deep shadows around the eyes and every wrinkle in the face will be well defined. You may not be asked back! Look for shaded areas and use fill-in flash if needed to lighten the shadows and even out the exposure.

It is always ideal to try and keep the sun at your back to reduce lens flare and prevent an incorrect light meter reading. If you cannot avoid your subject being backlit by strong sunlight you do have some options. If your camera has an Exposure Lock (AEL) button, move in close to your subject and fill the viewfinder with their face. Take the meter reading and press the button to lock the exposure. Then when you move back to your original position to take the shot you require, the camera will not be fooled by the backlight. This will achieve the correct exposure.

Another option is to use the Spot Metering mode which allows you to take a reading from only the very centre of the frame, and not the entire area covered in the viewfinder. You can meter your subject in the centre of the frame, lock the exposure and take the picture, reframing the subject if necessary.

I hope this helps and if anyone has any questions or further information to add to this blog post, I would love to hear from you. Cheers Julie