Raymond Photography » Tips

365 Photo #27 :: Reading Between

ray — Fri, 28 Jan 2011 04:59:31 +0000

The lesson of the day is to use converging lines in your images to keep the eye focused within the frame. What better way to keep the mouse in the maze than to make sure there is no exit. The eye is the mouse, the maze is your image!

365 Photo #26 :: In the Black

ray — Thu, 27 Jan 2011 00:47:00 +0000

Shot in the darkness of a warehouse. Often it is what you don’t see that makes images most intriguing. This shot only shows a few details but many shapes and it is the mind’s eye that fills in the details thus making the image more interesting.

365 Photo #21 :: Blazing

ray — Sat, 22 Jan 2011 04:46:18 +0000

Red red ruby… Although it isn’t truly red but my camera sure thinks it is! This ring is in fact blue, but when you change the color of light that illuminates the scene then you can change the color that the camera sees. A camera merely records the presence and absence of light.

365 Photo #19 :: Shh…

ray — Thu, 20 Jan 2011 04:58:07 +0000

I know this post is a little close to the deadline, but it is so worth it. Here I am (both of me) on my staircase and the meaning of this image is for you to decide.

As for technical details, this was shot with one off-camera speedlite shot through an umbrella and a speedlite mounted on camera for bouncing.

365 Photo #17 :: This is Not an Ad

ray — Tue, 18 Jan 2011 02:20:40 +0000

I was itching to demonstrate a super cool technique using two lenses to do macro photography. I took my trusty wrist watch, laid it on my desk, attached my flash and shot away.

The first image was made using my 100mm f/2.8L Macro lens set to manual focus and 1:1 and then I held my 50mm f/1.8 backwards in front of the macro lens to get this shot.

The second image was made using my 85mm f/1.8 lens set to manual focus and then my 50mm f/1.8 held backwards to get this shot.

So try it out sometime because this is a cool technique to have in your bag and is a cool thing to try when you don’t own a macro lens.

365 Photo #13 :: Bottle Art

ray — Fri, 14 Jan 2011 04:47:55 +0000

One thing perfume manufacturers know how to do, even if they can’t make a nice fragrance, is create attractive bottles. These bottles scream curves and the feminine form. Even in taking portraits, capturing curves and lines of the human form can help create some very attractive compositions!

365 Photo #11 :: Peering Out

ray — Wed, 12 Jan 2011 02:10:25 +0000

It looks like the snow is flying again in Toronto and tomorrow’s commute is going to be fun. If I wasn’t inside editing, I’d be venturing out there to create some Winter images.

The main lesson I’m trying to demonstrate in this image is the use of framing and not always showing every detail. Some things are best left unseen to give a bit of mystery to an image and to spur imagination.

365 Photo(s) #7 :: Light Got You Down Part 3

ray — Sat, 08 Jan 2011 04:37:07 +0000

I know I’m cutting it a little close, but a photo a day is a photo a day. For the first image you see above, I’m trying to show what is possible with shooting with natural light and a tripod. The amazing thing about shooting natural light is that it comes in many qualities. Sometimes it’s harsh with high contrast (direct sunlight) and other times it can be so soft/diffuse and will wrap around anything (cloudy day). In this case it was diffused by window and blinds which gives the soft look.

This second image you see may look like it was naturally lit like the first image, but in fact this photo was made using two strobes. One strobe nuked the background into an almost complete white and the second strobe mounted on the camera fired directly at the orchid. Using various combinations of shutter speed and aperture, I was able to find a balance that made the image look like it was natural light.

Remember, light is all the same no matter what source it comes from but it can come in different qualities and colors depending on what it encounters on its way to the subject.

Below are two more images from this orchid that you might like…

365 Photo #6 :: Light Got You Down Part 2

ray — Fri, 07 Jan 2011 01:22:42 +0000

As promised, here is the same photo from yesterday, but this one was shot with artificial light (small strobe) being triggered wirelessly. As you can see with flash, I can control the exposure of the background independently from the foreground. This helps to isolate and provide focus on the main subject.

Tomorrow I will show you some more images of this orchid shot with both natural and artificial light with descriptions of each.

Cheers.

365 Photo #5 :: Light Got You Down?

ray — Thu, 06 Jan 2011 00:46:49 +0000

These days there is a big divide of photographers who have become addicted to the strobist movement and then the purely natural light photographers. I am part of the in-between group. As you can see in this photo, flowers look great in natural light (whether they’re withered or lively) and maybe tomorrow I’ll show you what they look like when lit by artificial light.

In the end, light is light no matter where it comes from and can be shaped, reflected, and directed anyway you choose. When you take a photo that looks a little dull, try to see the available light and how you can change your perspective to make the best of what you have.

For example, when you shoot with backlighting (light behind subject), often the background will be overexposed which gives a very contrasty and unique look; whereas if you shot your subject with the light behind you, there will not be as much contrast and the image would come out looking a little flat.

Hope that helps and stay tuned until tomorrow!