This is the first edition of photography Tips on Tuesdays! I believe this is going to be exciting and interactive...
I am by no means a photography know it all, but I can share what I have learnt over the years. These blog posts will be aimed at anybody longing for better photographs, starting at a basic or entry level and progressing. I do not want to bore you by getting too technical! You are invited to e-mail me or comment with any questions you would like to see answered. Also, feel free to post your comments and tips at the comments section of the blog. I would love to hear if this has been of any value to you! I intend to make a post in this series every second Tuesday.
In 2006 I started my digital journey. I had been photographing on film all my life. I cannot remember a time that I did not own some or other form of camera. When I got my first digital SLR there was a whole new world to explore. An SLR is a single lens reflex camera; in simple terms, it is a camera where you can change lenses. (There are many other technicalities on the different types of cameras, but I will not go into those details now.)
What I want to share today was the shock I encountered when I first saw my digital photographs straight out of camera (or SOC). I started using the camera in the programmed modes that it offered. Film is usually “edited” by your photo shop where you have it developed. When you shoot digital, you need to do most of the editing yourself. If the picture you took does not look quite how you pictured it, do not despair. There is still much you can do.
So, here is photography tip #1. If you are like me, and do not want to spend hours in the digital darkroom developing your photographs, the following two adjustments can bring you far.
- Auto levels
- Auto contrast
Use the editing software that comes supplied with your camera or search online for a popular program. I used the program that came with my Canon SLR in the following example. I took this picture in JPG on 28 October 2006. This is a noteworthy date for me, as it was the first wedding I photographed.
Here is the photograph SOC:
The first adjustment I made was auto levels:
Looking much better!
Secondly I adjusted the contrast. The program does not have an auto contrast, so I bumped it up a little until I liked what I saw:
Can you believe it is the same photograph?
Hope you enjoyed the first edition of Tips on Tuesdays! Keep me posted on your efforts and enjoy your photography!
S.
This is actually very cool...I am by no means a photographer, and my snap shots are done by my cell phone (DON"T LAUGH!!!, its nothing other than using a microwave to cook; I am not chef... nothing fancy, just a little bit smancy; quick and easy!). I am sure this will enhance my photos too. I will definitely try it. Which software programs do you recommend to download?
ReplyDeleteHey Corrie, there is no shame in using your cell phone camera. I also do it occasionally... but I have to confess that I have never downloaded the images and/or edited it. As I mentioned in the blog post, I used the software supplied with the camera I purchased. Cell phones usually do not supply such software. Some free software which are popular is Picasa (http://picasa.google.com) which is a Google application. I have also heard some good things about Picnik (http://www.picnik.com/) but have not used it myself. Hope this helps! Keep on snapping, and maybe consider upgrading to a camera ;-)
ReplyDelete