“The camera is an instrument that teaches people how to see without a camera.” – Dorothea Lange

I always have a camera with me so that I never miss a photo opportunity. Photography is all about light and composition so that no matter what camera you use – phone camera, point-and-shoot or DSLR, some basic photography tips apply across the board. Today we will discuss lighting and other tips will be discussed in future blogs.

Light

Window Light

With indoor portraits you don’t need expensive lighting equipment if there is a window nearby. Sitting your subject in diffused window light is one of the most flattering ways to light a portrait.

Also when shooting directly into the sun use Fill-in Flash to brighten your subject. This technique works well any time the background is significantly brighter than the subject you are photographing.

Golden Hour

Shooting in the ‘Golden Hours’ of dawn and dusk makes for the best landscape photographs, but it also makes for great portraits.

Exposure Compensation

Try and avoid the harsh light of the midday sun. Overcast and stormy skies produce dramatic landscapes but you might need to use Exposure Compensation to compensate for the lack of light. All cameras have Exposure Compensation, even your phone camera, and learning how to use this is probably one of the best ways to improve your photographs. You use this to increase the exposure (in dark situations) or decrease the exposure (in bright situations) The Exposure Compensation slider on a phone camera is usually found by pressing and holding the screen till a small sun symbol and a slider appears. On a DSLR or compact camera there is usually a dedicated button or dial with the +/- symbols next to it.