I am often asked by people how they can improve their photography or which camera they should buy to take better photographs. My advice is always the same, if you already have a dslr then you don't need a "better" camera or lens. There are many skills you can learn to improve your photography, some complicated, but most as simple as riding a bicycle.
One of the simplest ways to improve a photograph is to learn how to use light properly and there are several simple techniques with an on camera flash that will step up your game and produce much better quality photos. For instance, I am always amazed by how something as simple as bouncing a flash off a wall can improve a photograph by 100%.
The photograph at the top of this post is an example of bounced flash used to enlarge a small light source and make it appear much larger and softer than what it actually is. Now I will show the kind of quality you get from direct flash.
Harsh unflattering light and a big ugly shadow behind the subject. But by simply aiming the flash towards the wall to my left I was able to get a much better result with no shadow, much more flattering light and better colour. Here it is again.
The bottle of wine was a Entre Deux Mers from 1989... and it tasted terrible!
Bounced flash gives you warmer colours... much more appealing indeed that this harsh whitish flash when such light is almost never found inside a home.
ReplyDeleteOf course, a coloured wall of ceiling will give a ting to your photos, that is to be expected.
Well explained. BTW this Entre-Deux-Mers is not my preferred Bordeaux. Am I being snobbish of what? :-)))