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.
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Light & exposure
Search the journal and explore individual questions about photography.
30 articles
Light & exposure
Choose a shutter speed for walking people
Use the direction of travel, distance and intended blur to choose a starting shutter speed for people on foot.
Light & exposure
Photograph moving water with intention
Match the exposure time to the structure you want to retain in a stream, fountain or breaking wave.
Light & exposure
Keep detail in a bright sky
Decide which sky detail matters, then balance exposure, timing and composition around the scene's contrast.
Light & exposure
Use open shade for an outdoor portrait
Find shade that still receives open-sky light, then check the face for colour casts and distracting background brightness.
Light & exposure
Understand depth of field with a tabletop subject
Use three small objects to see how aperture, focus distance and viewing size affect apparent sharpness.
Light & exposure
Focus on an eye through foreground objects
Keep an eye sharp when foliage, a doorway or other foreground detail competes for autofocus attention.
Light & exposure
Expose a dark subject without turning it grey
Preserve the character of a dark coat, ceramic object or fabric without letting the meter turn it into a midtone.
Light & exposure
Photograph white objects without losing texture
Make white fabric or paper look light while preserving the small tonal differences that describe its surface.
Light & exposure
Use reflected light beside a window
Use a white board to lift window-side shadows while keeping the direction and shape of the original light.
Light & exposure
Read a histogram before changing exposure
Interpret a histogram in relation to the subject instead of trying to force every photograph into a central mound.
Light & exposure
Make a silhouette at sunset
Use a readable outline and a bright background to make a sunset silhouette deliberate rather than merely underexposed.
Light & exposure
Keep indoor colour consistent under mixed light
Reduce competing light colours before using white balance to make an indoor sequence consistent.
Light & exposure
Choose an aperture for a group portrait
Arrange faces at similar distances before choosing an aperture to cover the depth of a group.
Light & exposure
Separate camera shake from missed focus
Use the pattern of softness to distinguish camera movement, subject movement and focus placed at the wrong distance.
Light & exposure
Use manual exposure for a changing background
Keep a subject consistently exposed as it moves in front of backgrounds with different brightness.
Light & exposure
Photograph a candlelit table
Retain the warmth of candles while giving the table enough visible detail and keeping flames from dominating the exposure.
Light & exposure
Place a horizon with a purpose
Choose the horizon position by deciding whether the land, sky or their balance carries the photograph.
Light & exposure
Use foreground layers in a landscape
Use a near object to establish depth without letting it block the landscape you came to photograph.
Light & exposure
Photograph glass with controlled reflections
Shape what a glass object reflects instead of trying to remove every reflection from its surface.
Light & exposure
Capture a person moving across the frame
Plan focus, background and timing when a moving person travels sideways through your composition.
Light & exposure
Make a backlit leaf photograph
Reveal a leaf's veins with light behind it while controlling flare, background and small movements.
Light & exposure
Balance a subject and its negative space
Give a small subject room without filling the surrounding space with accidental distractions.
Light & exposure
Try a low viewpoint without losing the subject
Lower the camera to change relationships in the scene while keeping the main subject distinct from the foreground.
Light & exposure
Photograph a room with bright windows
Plan a room photograph around the contrast between interior surfaces and the view through its windows.
Light & exposure
Use a reflector for a small still life
Place a reflector around a small object by watching the shadow and reflection it actually changes.
Light & exposure
Keep a close-up flower sharp where it matters
Choose the flower detail that needs to be sharp, then align the camera and manage movement around that choice.
Light & exposure
Use a single light for a textured object
Move one light around wood, stone or fabric to reveal surface relief without making every shadow harsh.
Light & exposure
Build a deliberate motion-blur photograph
Give motion blur a clear role by choosing what moves, what stays recognisable and how the movement crosses the frame.
Light & exposure
Evaluate sharpness at the intended output size
Judge useful detail in the size and medium where the photograph will actually be viewed, then investigate specific weaknesses.
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