Using flash in the office

It's a good idea to get used to changing your shutter

 speeds and aperture settings and not just shoot 

on automatic mode.

In the first picture, the subjects look bright and 

the background is darker because I chose to use

 an exposure that kept it that way.

An aperture of f 8 gives me lots of light and a 

shutter speed of 1/60 second is slow enough to 

show some light outside the window.  My ISO

 setting was 100.

In the second picture I used a slower shutter 

speed of 1/30 to allow the outside view to be

 lighter and the office to show better, instead 

of going darkas in the first picture. My ISO setting 

was still 100.

Next I took some candid shots which show more

 background light and more accurately reflect the 

look of the whole scene in the office. I bounced

my flash off the ceiling, and used a high ISO setting

 of 400 and an aperture opened to f 5.6.  The flash

 carries a longer distance when you need less of its 

power to make the exposure. So you can shoot across 

the room and still have enough flash power if you put

 the ISO up and open the aperture.  And you get a 

more natural, brighter picture.

shooting in the fog and snow

Get outside early with your camera in winter in Vancouver and get some shots in the fog or snow.

Here's a tip.  Light meters think everything is just average grey so when the camera sees snow 

or fog, it sets an exposure for an average grey snow or fog.  If you want some lightness to that fog or if you want white snow, then play with your exposure compensation dial. Dial in about +1 to give more exposure to the image. You'll be happier with the result.

Douglas Williams Photography

Photographs of Vancouver and some photography tips from a professional photographer with many years of teaching experience.