HDR Photography Tips

HDR is the acronym for High Dynamic Range and is the technique used by photographers to capture scenes which has extremes of contrast in them. Due to the limitations of our cameras they are not capable to capture images as our eye sees them. Our eyes have far more dynamic range than our digital cameras. HDR solves this issue by taking multiple shots of the same scene with different exposures (to capture details in both the highlights and shadows) and then combining them all together to create a single image in post processing using various image editing programs.Photo By BartkuWithout HDR it

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Creating Panoramic Landscapes

Many a times it so happens that you are in a beautiful location with dramatic lighting and the elements are just so perfect that you decide to capture it in your digital camera. But it is when you actually look through your camera’s viewfinder that you realize your lens can only see a small portion of the entire landscape (missing the bigger picture), resulting in an ordinary looking picture that’s nowhere near as beautiful as you had envisioned. The subject matter for a panoramic shot could be anything from a natural scene, a cityscape, or just your immediate neighborhood.Photo By Sinu S Kum

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High Key Photography

In the previous post, we discussed Low Key Photography where in shadows were one of the prime elements in the composition and high contrast was the name of the game. Low key photographs are often very dramatic and do convey a lot of atmosphere and tension. Now let us take a look at the alternative, or the opposite technique to low key photography.Photo By Jo_vhHigh key photography has its origins rooted in the technological limitations of film and television in their earlier stages of development. Early film and television sets had trouble dealing with high contrast situations and in order to

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Low Key Photography

Photographic lighting is broadly classified into two High Key lighting and Low Key lighting. The classification is made based on the amount of contrast in an image i.e. the difference in light levels between the shadows areas and highlights. This is achieved by varying the power of the key light and the fill light; otherwise known as the light ratio. Low key lighting has a higher lighting ratio, e.g. 8:1, than high-key lighting, which could even be 1:1.Low Key PhotographyIn low key lighting setup the shape and contours of the subject appears more pronounced. Due to the presence of shadows, Lo

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Photography Zoom Effect

Zoom effect is used in photography to add drama or tension to an image. When zoomed; the subject appears to be either moving towards or away from you.Photo By MaistoraThe zoom effect is also known as Racking the Lens technique and is a fairly simple process of zooming the lens in the middle of an exposure. In order to be able to zoom the exposure times used will be longer, often a few seconds.Although it sounds simple it actually takes some practice to master this technique. As the co-ordination between the clicking and zooming is a bit hard to master and could be perfected only with practice

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Panning

Panning is a technique used in photography to suggest motion. It makes the main subject stand out from the rest of the scene emphasizing movement.Photo By Chaval BrasilIn panning the main subject will appear frozen but the background will be streaked in the opposite direction of the subject’s movement.Photo By Contrasto_gpTips, Tricks and Techniques to Master PanningPhoto By Sinu S KumarAlthough it is possible to take panning shots with a point and shoot it is a lot of hassle. So it is recommended that you use a DSLR to take panning shots.Set your camera to Shutter Priority Mode (TV).The shut

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Bokeh

Bokeh refers to the quality of out of focus areas or how aesthetically pleasing the blur in the out of focus areas in an image are. A good bokeh is very important for large aperture lenses which are often used for shallow depth of field images. The word bokeh is derived from the Japanese word ‘boke’ meaning fuzzy.Bokeh PhotographyIt was made popular in the photography world in 1997 by Mike Johnston the editor of the Photo Techniques magazine through a series of articles which appeared in the March/April 1997 issue.Bokeh PhotographyAlthough a good bokeh is important for most shots using shallo

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Group Photography - Ideas, Tips and Techniques

Taking photos of groups of people is something that we have all done right from our school days, during excursions, family get-tog ethers etc. Most shots come out ordinary, they don’t look just as good as the ones you see made by professionals.Photo By FensterbmeGroup photography offers many challenges to the photographer. It is more of an advanced skill in photography as the complexities of every element such as lighting, posing, framing etc are all increased multi fold than when photographing individuals. In this article we will discuss some tips and tricks to improve your group photography

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Depth of Field in Portrait Photography

How to Control Depth of Field in CameraCreative use of depth of field is one of the critical elements that could make or break a good portrait. How much of the subject or the surroundings should be in focus is determined by what the photographer aims to convey through the image. If the shot is just a picture of a person then using shallow depth of field will help blur the background and make the subject stand out; but if you are planning to do an environmental portrait then using a narrow aperture is recommended to get most of the elements in the surroundings to be in focus. A good knowledge

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