Bill Raymond
Last month I provided a couple of tips for taking better pictures that had to do with choosing the best light for good photos. Often we don’t have control over when we take pictures; we just want to capture a moment when we have the opportunity. Today we will talk about getting the better exposure and sharp pictures under a variety of lighting situations.
Modern digital cameras are capable of taking great pictures, if the camera knows what it is you’d like to accomplish. The manufacturers provide an “automatic” mode to address the millions of users that don’t want to learn any of the technical stuff. In doing so, they make several assumptions that work well much of the time and not so well other times.
One of these assumptions is that your main subject is in the center of the viewfinder (or the rear lcd display). In “automatic,” the camera will focus and set the exposure in that vicinity. If you are trying to be a little creative (like positioning your subject out of this central area), the focusing and metering devices in the camera may either focus on the wrong thing or reduce exposure based upon seeing bright light in the background. This problem shows up as images in which the subject is either out of focus or too dark.
Photo Tip Number Three
A simple way to avoid this problem on many cameras is to aim your camera at the subject (in the center of the viewfinder), partially depress the shutter button and then reposition the camera to your liking. Many cameras will lock-in focus and exposure on the subject you are aiming at when you partially depress the shutter button. As long as you keep the shutter button partially depressed it will hold those settings, even though you reposition the subject in the frame. When the camera is repositioned, press the shutter button all the way down. While this won’t work for all cameras, it will work for many. This gives you the ability to control focus and exposure without venturing off the “automatic” mode.
The beauty of digital photography is that you will be able to instantly see if this works for your camera.
Bill teaches Photography Basic and Intermediate Workshops as part of the Art Club offering of courses. Photography Intermediate November 4 and 11; Photography Basic January 8 and 15. For more information look at the signup folders in the Expressions Gallery of the Arts and Crafts Building. The signups for the January 8 and 15 Basic program will not be posted until early November.