So, it's been a while since I have posted a lesson, but I thought I would cover a quick and fun one before getting to the nitty gritty world of location shooting and lighting techniques.
This lesson is going to look at exposure times again and different techniques you can apply to create a nice image effect. Getting to grips with learning more about your apertures and exposure times will help with future use of lighting and flash, so every little helps!
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| Light Trail on the Las Vegas Strip. Taken April 2012 by Suzi Taylor |
I'm going to show you how I would set up for a creating one of these images. Not everyone will use the same technique, some of you may be lucky enought to have a light meter, but for those without, here is how it is done.
What you will need:
- Digital Camera + all the usual
- A tripod (Major part in creating this image.) - If you don't have one, set your camera on a solid surface so it will not move
Ok, time for the method.....
STEP 1
This is best done either at night with moving traffic, or, during the day with flowing water such as a waterfall or fountain.
Set up your camera with the moving subject in your frame along with what else you want in the image. Should it be buildings, sky, plants, etc.
STEP 2
Set you camera to AUTO with NO FLASH.
Take a picture......
(This picture will act as your light meter of how to set up for the shot)
STEP 3
Take a look at your image and chose to view the setting that your camera chose to take it.
Take note of these three factors:
- The image's ISO
- The image's shutter speed
- The image's aperture
STEP 4
Remember the numbers and put your camera onto MANUAL mode.
Adjust the settings to what numbers you have taken down so that your camera is essentially going to take the same image it did on AUTO, except this time, you have programmed it yourself in MANUAL mode.
Take a picture. Make sure it seems the same.
STEP 5
Now that you have a rough idea of what you are working with, take a look at the subject you want to capture.
If it is traffic, is it moving fast or slow? How long would it take for that cars light trail to get from point A to point B on your image?
Once you have a rough idea of this, then adjust your SHUTTER SPEED to stay open long enough to capture the movement or action you want.
Take a picture.......
(yes, you will realize there is something wrong, but don't panic.....step 6 awaits :)
STEP 6
You image may be very bright or very white. In somecases, you may have a white screen!
This is nothing to worry about.
Remember my lesson on aperture? That's what is going to stop this from happening.
Since your shutter speed is now open longer, the more light is getting in over the period of time. Therefore, leaving you image overexposed.
To counteract this, adjust your aperture to a smaller size, therefore, letting less light in as the hole is smaller. Simple!
It may take a bit of time to get it right, but once you get close enough to the image you want to create, then the adjustments will be small from there.
Either with shutter speed or aperture
STEP 7
Take photographs! The great thing about digital photography is you can see what is going on. Not only does it give you a better understanding of what the camera is doing, it save you wasting film trying out this technique.
So the more you take, the better you will understand what your input settings are controlling.
It's a method that is easy to learn and can be applied to lots of situations and scenes to create an atmosphere to your images.
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| Traffic in Vegas - April 2012 by Suzi Taylor |
LAST BUT NOT LEAST
If you are having trouble getting your balance right and you find you are over or under exposed, don't forget about the use of your ISO and how fast your sensor will react to light.
Check out my Lesson 4 in my blog; ""What Do All The Numbers Mean?" to help gain an understanding of how this could help with your long exposure images.
Remember, you can only read so much, so get out there and give it a go!
Have fun & any question, just ask :)
Peace!
