Digital Photography Cameras

You might think that light is light, right? Not so, when it comes to photography. Although digital photography lighting makes use of the same source of light as the various film cameras, there are vast differences in a digital model’s dealings with and interpretation of light. Digital photography lighting technique refers to both natural and studio light set-ups, so you have to make sure that you are proficient in both areas.

A number of challenges await the amateur photographer. So, let’s see if we can shed some light on the subject!

Many of the camera models on the market comes with a whole range of preset digital photography lighting modes, also known as ’scenes’. These have been designed to enable you to cope with any lighting scenario you might come across. For example, the Olympus SP500 Ultra Zoom camera sports a nice collection featuring 21 preset scenes. You simply make a selection to suit the circumstances, ensuring a perfect shot.

Browse through the possibilities, and you will soon see why this versatile feature is bound to come in handy. If you are in an art gallery or a museum where you need to work without a flash or sound, simply opt for the ‘museum’ scene. This is also a useful option if your kids are asleep, for example. The ‘night and portrait’ mode makes use of a sub-normal shutter speed. Use it to capture your subject and an illuminated background.

Some CCD sensors come without the broad exposure latitude of color films. The result is that, if you are operating in strong light conditions, you may discover things like blown out highlights or empty shadows. Luckily, this is exactly where the benefit of digital technology becomes apparent. You can identify problems immediately and easily correct mistakes. Experimentation is the name of the game.

You will get acquainted with the term ‘white balancing’. This refers to determining the baseline white in your image. The other shades are rendered relative to this. In most cases, this setting will be automatic, so you don’t have to concern yourself too much with the technicalities. Daylight, clouds and shades are all taken into consideration. This is also where the digital camera histogram comes in, helping to judge exposure in the various lighting set-ups. This will take you from under exposure to overexposure.

Luckily the beginner who starts out with informal portrait photography, doesn’t need to equip himself with expensive equipment. Why not take a look at a Screwfix double 500W site light set as a first step? This includes a telescopic tripod. It is a good idea to study the experts, before you invest in one of the snazzy photo printers on the market. If you don’t, you will probably just be wasting paper.

The Scoop On Books That May Just Turn You Into A Super-Shot

As with portrait photography, the experts share their knowledge generously when it comes to digital photography lighting technique. ‘Digital Photography Expert: Light & Lighting: The Definitive Guide For Serious Digital Photographers‘, written by Michael Freeman, focuses on both the creative and technical issues. He covers the full light spectrum, color accuracy and the way your camera measures light. You can browse through 350 photos to fine-tune your technique.

Barry Huggins brings you ‘Creative Photoshop Lighting Techniques, Revised and Updated‘. This is all about using Photoshop post-processing to get a diverse range of results. Discover how you can experiment with different sources of light, from neon to candlelight. Did you know that you can add a touch of sunlight to a cloudy day? Even underwater scenes get their share of the attention.

‘Digital Portrait Photography and Lighting: Take Memorable Shots Every Time‘ (Wiley 2006) is another popular resource. This volume has been written by the well-known commercial and portrait photographer, Catherine Jamieson and Sean McCormick, landscape and portrait photographer. If you want to shift from the amateur to the pro scene, this book can give you a nudge in the right direction.

On the one hand, ‘Digital Portrait Photography and Lighting: Take Memorable Shots Every Time‘ equips you with the finer skills behind portrait photography, including working with groups, children and pets. Both location and studio work are covered. At the same time, the book takes you through the different digital photography lighting scenarios, teaching you how to use both natural light and mixed light. You will also discover the image-editing methods and final-touch processes used by the pro’s.

A number of other books can also be helpful. You may want to check out ‘Lighting Techniques for High Key Portrait Photography‘ by Norman Phillips. This books takes a look at the light ratio’s used in high key lighting. Light set-up is explained, as well as the various backgrounds you can use, and the placement of your subjects.

If you are concentrating on studio work, you may find JJ Allen’s ‘Posing and Lighting Techniques for Studio Portrait Photography‘ useful.

Who knows, by studying all these digital photography lighting techniques, you might just be writing your own best-seller down the line…

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