It's a stormy day, kids still on Christmas break, Legos, play ponies, swimming Barbies scattered all throughout the house. I could clean and organize.....nah, I'll practice some photography skills instead. Much more fun.
In the past six months, I've learned that it's best to take photos, most all photos, without flash. Especially when your subject is food. The flash just washes the food out and makes things look harsh and ugly. So, I wanted to get to know my Rebel digital camera a little better and yesterday was the day.
This first photo was taken in my kitchen with a flash and a bright window behind the subject. A little washed out.
I normally take all my photos on the manual setting of "P" - no flash but with the bright window behind and on a stormy, dark day, the subject also came out very dark. Normally I would have a "daylight" fluorescent light bulb pointed at the subject for more lighting, but I wanted to show the true lighting of the room in these photos.....
Still on manual, but this time on the "Tv" setting, I set my shutter speed to 15" and adjusted my "white balance" to "daylight" and my camera is on a tripod. Much better.
Here's another example without the bright window behind. With flash......
On manual "P" setting, no flash.............
On manual "Tv" setting, no flash, with shutter speed at 6", on a tripod, much better.......
Here's one that's a little over exposed on the "Tv" setting with shutter speed of 10" on a tripod ........
When all else fails, I have my camera on the manual "P" setting so I don't have to think about exposure. And I'll do anything to get away from using a flash.
I'm just beginning to really learn how to use my camera properly, it only took me 4 years, there's a lot to learn!
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That an excellent tip! My photogrpahy mentor also taught me to rarely use a flash unless you are needing some fill on a face. Now that I know my camera I enjoy taking pictures so much more!
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Ain't the Rebel the best???
ReplyDeleteI JUST got a new camera. It will take me a long time to get to know it. I took 3 semesters of "old school" photography in college on a Rebel with film but now have a new digital Rebel. I can't wait! Thanks for the tips.
ReplyDelete@Katie, I think you're going to LOVE your new digital....it's so much fun! Like you, I also have an old school Rebel film camera...it's been sitting in my closet for four years.
ReplyDeleteGreat post! I love photography and playing around with my camera.
ReplyDeleteI absolutely hate the flash too. But I have found that it comes in handy on a cloudy day. I use it for fill light when I'm taking pictures outside. I keep my Canon on AV. I'm always messing with my aperture. Go Rebels!
ReplyDelete@The Wife, I think your photos are fabulous!
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