The photography journal
Photography, from light to paper.
Photographing, equipment, editing and ways to organise and present images.
Light & exposure
Window portraits without a flash
Position a person, camera and background around one window, then use the face to judge exposure and shadow depth.
Read the article ↗Six ways into photography
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Articles and methods
Photographing outside
Photograph reflections after rain
A small puddle can hold an entire façade. Camera height, focus and a clear edge determine whether the reflection becomes a subject or just a bright patch.
Cameras & accessories
Choose a first lens around the photographs you make
Choose a first additional lens by identifying the photographs your current equipment cannot make comfortably.
Organise & protect
Build a photo folder structure you can explain
A folder structure should answer where an original belongs and how to find it again without requiring the memory of its creator.
Editing & colour
Set a neutral starting point for white balance
Use a neutral reference to establish a starting point, then judge whether the scene needs to retain the colour of its light.
Paper & presentation
Choose a paper surface for a photographic print
Compare paper surfaces using the same photograph and the light in which the finished print will actually be viewed.
Paper & presentation
Select a compact portfolio from a large collection
Select a portfolio by defining what it should demonstrate, then remove images that repeat a role already performed more clearly elsewhere.
Organising, editing and printing.
Alongside light and composition, the journal follows images through organising, editing and printing. Each article starts with a particular decision: what belongs in the frame, how a file can be found again and where the finished image will be viewed.