If you put your work on the internet, eventually, one of your images will get stolen. When that happens you will likely feel a flurry of emotions -- shock, anger, frustration, and maybe even a little excitement (it is nice to be wanted). But, eventually, you will likely settle on anger and want justice.
Let me be clear, if you download an image off the internet without the author's permission, you are stealing. If you happen to "borrow" a site design or vector from another website, you are stealing. Unless the artistic creator explicitly states that you have a right to use their intellectual property for FREE, you do NOT have the right to download, use, or borrow anyone else's work (even for personal use). Besides, it is bad karma so just avoid it.
Recently, I wrote a post on understanding light, which touched upon different types of light and the color of light. While I briefly referenced white balance and metering in my previous post, I thought it would be best to explore these settings in greater depth because you must understand metering, exposure compensation and white balance in order to properly account for light. Therefore, below you will find an explanation of the metering, exposure compensation and white balance settings on your camera and how to use each setting.
Metering
Metering is how your camera determines what the correct shutter speed and/or aperture should be depending upon the amount of light that enters the camera. Every camera usually has three different metering options, generally referred to as "center-weighted," "spot/partial," or "matrix (Nikon)/evaluative (Canon)." Each option works by assigning a relative weighting to the light in your scene.
One of my favorite photography books is How to Photograph Everything: Simple Techniques for Shooting Spectacular Images from the editors of Popular Photography. I enjoy this book because it combines beautiful photographs with simple tips on how to photograph over 40 different subjects. Specifically, the book offers suggestions on how to photograph fireworks, the night sky, food, abandoned spaces, concerts, and museums and aquariums. It also contains a brief introductory section on the basics of composition, color, exposure and lighting. If you are new to photography (or just do not use your camera frequently), you might consider investing in this book as it is certain to help you improve and expand your photography skills.
Greetings
world. Sorry for the posting hiatus, I've had the craziest couple of weeks --
moving + unpacking + trying to sell all of the extra stuff that would not fit
into my new place has occupied most of my time. However, now that things are
organized in a way that suits my OCD, I am ready to get back to writing!
In light of some of the articles in the news this week, I thought it would be good to write a post on what you can (and cannot) photograph. Knowing what you are and are not allowed to photograph is extremely important for every photographer, however, you should always remember that just because you are allowed to take a photo does not necessarily mean that you should.
When it comes to photography, you need to understand light. Light is the difference between a good picture and a great picture. As a photographer, you should always be aware of the type and quality of light and you should use it to your advantage. Learning how to use light and produce your best photography in any light is not the easiest thing, but with a little time and practice you can learn how to use light best.
Natural Light vs Artificial Light
There are basically two types of light -- natural and artificial. Natural light is any light that occurs naturally such as sunlight or candlelight. Artificial light is any light created by humans. Artificial light has a different color than natural light.
Hard Light and Soft Light
You may have heard the terms "hard light" and "soft light" before. Hard light is caused by a small directional light focused on the subject. Soft light, however, comes from a large or filtered light source. Hard light creates harsh shadows and accentuates textures whereas soft light creates soft shadows and creates a range of tones bringing more detail to shadows. On a cloudy day, the harsh light of the sun is diffused by the clouds creating soft light. Reflected light is usually considered soft light as long as it is reflected from a large source.
As I have mentioned in previous posts, if you intend to start a photography business, you should always enter into a contract with your client. Contracts protect both you and your client by ensuring both parties understand their rights and obligations. However, unless you were an attorney or regularly reviewed contracts prior to starting your photography business, you probably do not know the type of information that should be in your contract. Generally, every contract contains the same basic information and your standard contract should incorporate this basic information, as well as, a few additional provisions that ensure adequate protection of your intellectual property.
Sorry for the hiatus in posting -- I've been super sick the past week so I have not felt like writing anything. Now, however, I feel relatively better so get ready because new content is coming your way!
As Hurricane Joaquin moved along the eastern seaboard several weeks ago, and I hunkered down for a few days, I thought it would be a good time to prepare a post on how to protect your gear from the elements. I cannot tell you the number of times I have seen people carrying cameras in the rain or snow without any protection. You will often hear people say things like "oh, well these cameras are built tough so a little rain won't hurt it." Maybe a little rain will not hurt your camera today, but a little rain over a relatively long time will destroy your camera.
If you put your work on the internet, eventually, one of your images will get stolen. When that happens you will likely feel a flurry of emotions -- shock, anger, frustration, and maybe even a little excitement (it is nice to be wanted). But, eventually, you will likely settle on anger and want justice.
