World Image issue 11 October 2014

Apart from the reasons stated, it also puts the
light on the subject where it is required.
Be aware that light areas will burn out and dark
areas will be black depending if you expose for
the light or dark parts of the picture. Auto
exposure can not always compensate for the
variation.
This is a greater problem in full sun as the
shadow areas are more defined.
It is actually better to take pictures on overcast
days when the shadows are not so dark and the
light areas not so bright.
Also cloud serves to break up the plain blue
sky. Interestingly the temperature of a blue sky
is about 5000k a bright overcast day can be as
much as 20,000k.
Try and avoid the high contrasts in pictures, if
you can’t and you want the detail, use a tripod
and take three identical pictures, one exposed
for the highlights, one for the shadows and one
for the mid-range. Do not move the camera.
Then when you post process you can merge the
three images into one. This is called a triple
exposure.
Most of the other failings that beginners, and
even some experts, fall foul of are in ‘seeing’
the picture and what is really there. So here we
are on a photo shoot with the most stunning
model you have ever seen.
You have only a few minutes to take the
pictures so you raise the camera, frame the face
and press the shutter release.
Having taken the 200 pictures because you
forgot to lift your finger you go home to review
the pictures.
Every shot is a masterpiece except for the lamp
post coming from their head or the fence post
leaving their ear, or more likely the half face
peering from behind the models head.
And it is not just the portraits that suffer,
landscapes are spoiled by the power lines and
street signs that the powers that be always try to
put in front of otherwise beautiful scenes.
Lastly, for this post at least, you will hear of the
rule of thirds. This is a rule that was established
long before photography was invented and was
developed over many centuries. It is a rule that
is governed by how the eye views a scene and
is to do with aesthetics.
The last time I tried to count them I discovered
23 variations on the basic rule and every one
was valid. Interestingly even a centered image
can comply to the rule of thirds.
Add to this the Golden Spiral, the Golden
Pyramid, and a few others, we come down to
the fact that anything goes but with one
important proviso, it must be aesthetically
pleasing to the eye of the beholder, and that
means you the photographer.
You will never please everyone so your
pictures MUST please yourself.
Gordon
Grossglocknerstrasse
Website = photosociety.net Page 10 email = magazine@photosociety.net