More recently, she has started to shoot social photography and has opened Abigail’s Studio, specialising in contemporary weddings and family portraiture. Based in Buckinghamshire, UK, the studio is proving extremely popular. I caught up with Abigail to discuss her fascinating career.

What made you decide to become a photographer? How did you start out in the industry?

I picked up a camera as a child and fell in love with the moment when the shutter comes down and you can’t see the picture. What always amazed me was developing this missing moment in the darkroom. I started assisting reportage photographer Jez Coulson when I was still at college. He was based in his London studio and we covered news and celebrity events. The most memorable shoot was undoubtedly being asked to take private portraits of Diana, Princess of Wales.

What kit do you shoot with? How important is your choice of kit for the work you do?

I shoot pro Nikon with a range of lenses divided into primes and zooms. The choice of lens is always imperative to any shoot, as you will get very different effects depending on the lens.

You’ve shot a lot of commercial work over the years. What made you change focus to weddings and family portraiture?

I was very lucky during my twenties and early thirties to work all over the globe with my photography. I shot luxury apartments in Europe, holiday destinations in the Americas through to Andy Murray on Centre Court at Wimbledon. Having married in 2015 and with the birth of my son last year, I wanted to focus my attention closer to home and appreciate the real wonder of weddings and families. I have thoroughly enjoyed transferring my skill set and creating and capturing these magical moments. Redefining the norm, both in the studio and on location, has really helped me to push the boundaries of conventional social photography whilst photographing what are the most momentous occasions in our lives.

How important is lighting to your work?

Photography means drawing with light. When I work I use light to create my image rather than just snapping what’s in front of me. I love the colour processor in my Nikons, and the way they capture the light — illuminating both what is seen and unseen by the human eye. It has had a huge impact on my work.

How would you define your style?

Unobtrusive! I like to match my style to the type of shoot I’m on, be it reportage, romantic, contemporary or traditional. This allows me to get the best from my subjects and create the perfect image.

What’s been your favourite thing / person to shoot?

People always ask this and I always reply palm trees — preferably on beaches!

And what would you like to shoot in the future?

Destination weddings — I love to combine my passion for travel and the thrill of weddings. It’s a great combination of reportage mixed with a touch of fashion and a large dose of portrait photography. It tests me skill set and constantly pushed me to capture that ‘decisive moment’.

Finally, do you have any advice for aspiring photographers?

Don’t do anything for free. It’s very hard to start charging afterwards. People will always want you to work for ‘exposure’ or to ‘increase your portfolio’. Your time and kit has a value and needs to be appreciated as such.

Many thanks to Abigail for chatting with us. If you’d like to view some of her lovely work, please visit her website.

Interview with Pro Photographer Abigail Murphy was originally published in Contrastly on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

And some types of lighting are more challenging than others. In this article, we’re going to take a look at how to deal with these types successfully.

1. Midday Sun

Undoubtedly one of the most challenging types of light to shoot with, midday sun is when the sun is at its highest position, sitting directly overhead. The resulting light creates very hard shadows, which are almost impossible for your camera to penetrate. Most of the time, photographers will try and avoid shooting at this time of day but sometimes it may be inevitable.

The easiest way to work with this type of light is to use fill-flash — a short burst of flash from your flashgun or, if your camera has one, by firing its pop-up flash. This will help to fill in the shadows. You can also use a reflector to help fill in the shadows, although this won’t be as effective as the flash.

2. Bright Overcast Skies

Whilst this sort of light can produce dramatic images if handled correctly, it can be tricky to master. The main problem is that the sky can be hard to meter, as the contrast between brightness and overcast can fool the camera into underexposing the image. Alternatively you can end up with blown-out parts of the sky when the camera has metered for the scene as a whole.

The simplest way to deal with this problem is to invest in a graduated neutral density (ND) filter. By positioning the dark half of the filter over the sky you’ll let less light into the lens on this half of the image. This means that you can meter correctly for the land, whilst also keeping the sky correctly exposed. ND filters come in different aperture strengths (e.g. 2, 4, 6), allowing you to choose the one most suitable for the lighting requirements.

3. Backlight

When you position your subject in front of the light, you create backlighting. And if you don’t meter properly for this situation, you’ll end up with a silhouette or an under-exposed subject. This is due to your camera trying to compensate for the bright light in the background.

You’ve got two options to solve this problem. One is to switch to centre-weighted or spot metering mode, allowing you to meter specifically for your subject. Alternatively you can use a flashgun to put light onto your subject and balance out the light with the background.

4. Low light

Low light presents its own unique challenges, especially when shooting landscapes. Obviously, a landscape requires a large depth of field but this means a small aperture. The usual solution to this problem is to use a long exposure and put your camera on a tripod. The problem is, of course, if you’re out and about without a tripod and spot a great shot. A way around this is to push your ISO to a higher sensitivity.

Modern cameras allow you to push your ISO further, meaning that you can get acceptable results up to ISO 3200 / 6400. The important thing here is to know how far you can push your own camera, as each model’s limitations are different.

5. The Golden Hour

Most of us know that the hours just before sunrise and just after sunset (the Golden Hour) produce beautiful light. It’s the preferred time for landscape photographers to shoot at because of the stunning results it can produce. However, even this type of light needs a little careful consideration.

Getting the correct exposure can be tricky, as the sky is often far brighter than the ground. This often leads to silhouettes in the foreground, which can give a very dramatic effect. However, sometimes this can lead to images looking a little unnatural and lacking in context. As with shooting bright overcast skies, the simplest solution is to use a graduated ND filter to balance out the difference in exposure between the sky and the land.

Hopefully these tips will make it easier for you as a photographer to cope with more challenging types of light. Have fun experimenting!

How to Photograph 5 Challenging Types of Light was originally published in Contrastly on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

Getting the foreground right can help to transform your images into a beautiful works of art. Take, for example, those photos that you find in photography magazines; most make great use of foregrounds. Images with a strong foreground will make you feel as though you’ve stepped into the scene, and are there in-person.

But while foregrounds play an important role in landscapes, all too often they’re overlooked. It’s easy to forget about the foreground when there’s a beautiful sunset unfolding before your eyes, or when you’re trying to capture a stunning mountain peak. But it’s worth taking a few extra seconds to look for some interesting foreground elements for your photo. Doing so will set the stage for the composition and help you to capture images with more depth and dimension.

If you’d like to take your photos to a whole new level, here are some tips to help you improve your foregrounds, and, in turn — your photos.

Look for Leading Lines

When strategically placed in a composition, leading lines are an excellent way to direct attention on towards the focal point. Leading lines don’t have to be straight; diagonal or curved lines work too — as long as they lead the eye through the image or on towards the main focal point. Lines don’t even have to be literal lines, eye-catching elements and points of interest that help to guide your eye through the image will work as well.

Look to Include Some Context

Foreground is a great way to add some context to your image, and provide visual cues that will give the viewer more information on the setting, or story. While it may be tempting to fill the frame with that spectacular scenic vista, adding some more of the surroundings can enhance the composition, taking it from flat, and one-dimensional, to spectacular.

Consider a Wide Angle Lens

A wide angle is a great lens for creating dramatic landscape images. Wide angles tend to increase the sense of depth and distance in a composition, and cause elements in the foreground to appear more prominent, making them perfect for landscapes. To get the most out of your wide angle, look to include plenty of great foreground in your compositions.

Get the Exposure Right

A common issues with landscapes, is getting the exposure right. This is especially the case when one part of the image has less light than the other. When including foregrounds, this is often the case.

The sky or distant background may require one exposure, but the foreground is often very different and often ends up looking darker. While you could take two different images at different exposures and merge them together later, post processing isn’t the only option. You could also use a graduated neutral density filter to balance the exposures, helping to keep the sky and the ground both exposed properly. If you do plan to do post processing though, be sure to shoot in RAW so you’ll have more flexibility when editing the images later on.

Shift Your Angle

Can’t find any foreground for your images? Start moving. Often, you’ll find a drastically better perspective just a few feet away. You may also want to consider getting lower, or angling the camera to include more, or less of the sky in the photo. Don’t forget to look for trees, fallen branches, or driftwood to feature in the foreground your images. Don’t assume your location is the best spot; often a simple shift can give you a much better angle.

Change Your Focus

While many landscape compositions benefit most when the entire image is clear and in-focus, sometimes you may want to have the foreground blurred out, and the background in focus. Or the foreground sharp and clear, and a background that fades into the distance. Here’s how adjusting your focus can change the resulting image.

• Sharp Foreground
  Having a sharp and in-focus foreground and blurry background can make for an artful, interesting composition — and can even add a sense of mystery to an image. For a sharp foreground, use a wide aperture to throw the background out of focus and manually focus on an element in the foreground.
• Sharp Background
  A sharp background, on the other hand can help to direct attention on towards the main focal point in the distance. This is an especially good idea if you want all of the attention on the main point of interest, with no distractions in the foreground. To focus on the background, you’ll want to use manual focus, and ensure that there’s plenty of distance between your main subject and the background.
• Entire Image In Focus
  Finally, the most popular option — trying to keep the entire image sharp and in-focus. This can be a challenge when photographing foregrounds and distant backgrounds since the camera will want to focus on either the nearby objects or the distant ones. The best way to keep both relatively sharp is to try to find your hyper-focal distance. Focusing on this point will allow you to keep most of your scene sharp and clear. Finding the hyper-focal distance involves some math, or you could use an app like Field Tools to make things easy. Alternatively, you could get relatively sharp images by focusing on the farthest object, then adjusting the focal distance as near as possible, while keeping the elements in the background sharp.

While it’s fairly common to see photos without foregrounds, you can make your images stand out by taking the extra step and looking to include foreground interest in your photos. Keep your eyes open for elements that you can feature in the foreground, and have fun creating breathtaking images with extra depth and dimension.

Do you use foregrounds in your landscape images? Please share your own tips & tricks on Twitter or Facebook!

Shooting Epic Landscapes: Improve The Foreground was originally published in Contrastly on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

Can you believe that some folks are actually paid good money to photograph sharks up close and personal while it’s just a hobby for others? While you may not yet muster up the courage to actually go and add shark photography to your list of photography projects, here are some pointers on how the fearless do it.

Get Rid of the View Finder

One of the most important rules to follow in shark photography is that you don’t need your camera’s view finder. This means you’ll have to start snapping your shark images by instinct alone, but it’s really for your own good (and safety).

After you’ve dealt with pre-setting your focus, you’re good to go. The more you get comfortable with working underwater and also with the view of different lenses (wide-angle, fisheye, etc.), the more naturally you’ll frame your shots underwater just by pointing your camera at the sharks.

Not having to deal with the view finder also leaves you free to be more aware of your surroundings — which is always helpful when you’re surrounded by potentially dangerous sharks.

The Perfect Lenses for the Job

Shark photography works best when you have the correct lenses. Ideally, you’ll want to use a wide-angle lens, and this is a general rule of thumb that applies to most cases of shark photography. If you want to go in closer still, you can use a macro lens, which is perfect for getting specific, interesting features of sharks up close and personal (such as neat markings or their eyes).

Then, there are also fisheye lenses that are meant for very wide shots if the shark is that close to you. The fisheye is your go-to lens if you want to capture numerous sharks together in the same shot. A 10–17mm fisheye works best in this situation, but at other times, it’ll be too wide.

When you want to shoot sharks that are unpredictable in their swimming patterns, go with the 12–24mm rectilinear option. If you’re in full frame, use anything in the 17–70mm range.

As for aperture, a maximum aperture of f/2.8 gives good results if you’re utilizing a fast lens. Alternately, f/4 with a constant aperture across the range also gives good outcomes.

Find the Sharks in the Best Places

Some parts of the world are just better suited for shark photography because of the plethora of sharks and the ease of access of the location. If you think you can just go into any saltwater area (read: any ocean) and have great opportunities, you’ll find a different story altogether.

In reality, there are really only a handful of locales across the world for getting the best shots of sharks. They include:

• Off the coast of Mexico by the Socorro Islands
• The Guadalupe Islands in Mexico (if you’re looking to snap some great white sharks)
• Tiger Beach in the Bahamas in the Caribbean
• The Galapagos Islands, in particular Darwin and Wolf Islands
• Fiji’s Beqa Lagoon
• The Tiputa pass in Rangiroa, Tahiti
• Malpelo Island and the Cocos Islands
• Donsol, La Paz, or Hanifaru Bay (for those looking for whale sharks)

Your Use of Strobes

Get better shark images by keeping the strobe arms relatively wide and utilizing a strobe that has power that you can control and reduce, if necessary.

Essentially, you’ll want to throw more light onto sharks simply because of their swimming behavior. Some sharks, like hammerheads, won’t come close to divers out in the open circuit, which means that you’ll have to illuminate them from a greater distance with stronger underwater strobes.

On the other hand, definitely turn off the strobes if the shark is too far away, as in more than five feet away. Be on the lookout for backscatter as well as blowing out any highlights of the shark’s ventral side, when using your strobes. In some situations, using a lower strobe setting can be an advantage to the quality of the final image.

Getting a Grip on Exposure

Exposure matters when dealing with sharks. To be sure, there’s always going to be the challenge of balancing the ambient light with your foreground, which is the crucial factor in successful underwater photography with a wide-angle lens.

This applies double to shark photography because they’re more complicated than your ordinary underwater subjects. By nature, sharks are fast-moving predators that bring a lot of motion to your frame. That’s why you should go for freezing this motion.

Ideally, strive to choose the fastest shutter speed that your strobes will still properly sync with. This allows you to capture that high detail while freezing the shark’s quick motion.

Lock the Focus

Sometimes, it’s pretty easy to predict how sharks will swim or where they’ll pass. This is absolutely true when they’re feeding and are 100% concentrating on their food.

In this scenario, simply pre-set and then lock the focus on a static subject or even your own fin. This is to guard against what happens when the movement of sharks in a feeding frenzy gets even more frenetic, as it often does. The worst case scenario is that your autofocus takes over and desperately tries to lock on a moving target, ruining your shot.

One last tip: Just make sure to immediately update the focus when the usual distance between your subject and the camera changes.

Get in the Water!

Shark photography is likely a genre within photography that you won’t and can’t just experiment with on a weekend where things are a bit slow. It’s not just potentially dangerous, but it’s also a time- and equipment-intensive activity that you’ll have to commit to.

This genre of photography is clearly not for everyone, but it’s definitely a way to express your artistic side…while also doing something very adventurous and unforgettable.

Shark Photography: Up Close and Personal With Jaws was originally published in Contrastly on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

But in today’s camera phone heavy world, people are far more camera savvy than in days of old. So you need to know how to get good candid shots without people noticing. Here are ten tips to help make that task easier for you.

1. Always Be Ready
   The first and most important rule of candid photography is to always have your camera ready. Your camera needs to be in your hand and ready to shoot at all times. Make sure you’ve got your ISO, shutter speed and aperture set to suitable for the environment (I’d recommend a f-stop of around f5.6 to f8, so that you still get some depth of field in the shot) and keep extra memory cards in your pocket.
2. Use The Right Equipment
   Whilst having pro DSLRs is helpful for the majority of shots, it can be very useful to have a smaller camera along in addition to help with candid shots. Some of the newer mirrorless cameras, such as the Fuji X range, provide high quality shots in a far more compact body, helping to make you more unobtrusive.
3. Use A Longer Lens
   It’s easier to get candid shots if you’re not standing right in front of people. So it’s worth investing in a zoom lens so that you can take pictures from a distance. That way, people are less likely to realise that you’re pointing a camera in their direction. It also helps to keep the intimacy of the shot, which is really important in wedding photography.
4. Flash Free Zone
   The quickest way to get people to notice that you’re taking photos is to fire off a flash. Plus flashlight can be harsh and unflattering. Find other ways to let light into your image by opening up your aperture, slowing your shutter speed or upping your ISO. You might introduce a bit more noise into your images, but the idea is to capture the moment. And noise might actually be a good thing.
5. Plan Ahead
   If you can, it’s a great idea to visit the venue before the wedding so that you can scope out good locations for shots. If you can’t get there ahead of time, try and take out a few minutes when you first arrive to scope out the main rooms that will be used for the reception, and what they will be used for.
6. Take Lots Of Photos
   This may seem obvious, but the more shots you take, the better chance you have a capturing the spontaneous interactions of the day. A good tip is to put your camera on continuous and fire off a burst of shots. That way you can capture a range of expressions. Candid photography at a wedding is one of those rare occasions where more is more!
7. Photograph People In Groups
   This has a two-fold advantage. People interacting with each other often makes for a more interesting shot. But more importantly, once people are talking in groups they become involved in the conversation and less aware of what is going on around them. And this makes life far easier for a photographer trying to capture candid shots.
8. Frame Images
   A good way of capturing candid shots is to use a doorway or people to hide behind, so that your subjects are unaware you’re photographing them. However, this can also be a simple way of framing your subjects — the old ‘frame within a frame’ trick.
9. Follow The Laughter
   Again, this may sound simplistic, but follow the laughter at a wedding. You want to be where people are having fun and enjoying themselves, as this will lead to the most natural shots.
10. Pay Attention
    Lastly, and certainly not least, you need to keep paying attention if you want to get good candid shots at a wedding. Glances and looks can happen in the blink of an eye, so you need to keep an eye on what’s happening around you. It takes practice, but the more candid photography you do, the more you’ll start to anticipate the shots that are about to happen.

I hope you found those tips useful. Please take a moment to chime in and share your own experiences and thoughts via Twitter or Facebook!

10 Tips For Candid Wedding Photography was originally published in Contrastly on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

It is visually appealing, engaging and can be thought provoking. Photos appeal to consumers of any age. Before anything else, however, it is important for you to understand what branding is and why it is essential to the success of your product or company.

What is Branding?

A brand refers to the image of a product or company. It acts as the identification of whatever product you are trying to promote or sell. A brand is the first and last thing that consumers take note of and remember. For example, a well-made logo can help consumers easily identify a company. Product slogans have the same effect, too. Aside from logos and slogans, brands can also be names, symbols, designs or any unique identifying feature of a product.

When you use your brand and market it to consumers to help create awareness, what you are doing is branding. This is used not only for the buying public to recognize or familiarize the product, but also to establish a standard and reputation that will become synonymous with the company. In today’s Internet-crazy world, branding is as important as the food we eat every day.

So if you want your product or company to soar high in the marketplace — both online and offline — you need to have good branding strategies. And, as previously mentioned, one of the best ways to do this is by hiring the services of a professional photographer.

Professional Photos Help Build Brands

Many business owners tend to think twice before spending money on professional photographers. Some prefer to simply use stock photos or ask one of their employees to take the photos of their products. While it is understandable for businesses to closely follow financial spending, it is also important to emphasize that getting help from a professional photographer is an essential branding investment. Your company will benefit a lot, especially in terms of product/service awareness and consumer engagement.

There are several reasons why stock photos and point-and-shoot cameras will not be able to deliver the message you want your consumers to understand.

1. The Quality Of Professional Images Is Incomparable.

No matter how high end your smartphone or point-and-shoot camera is, nothing can compare with the quality produced by professional photographers. Their technical knowledge, creativity and professionalism, coupled with the high-technology cameras and gear they use, assure you of high quality images that carry a distinct style, composition, visual literature and appeal.

Therefore, the images produced by professional photographers are the ones you need if your purpose is to show consumers the quality and uniqueness of your product or brand.

2. An Authentic Visual Representations Of Your Brand.

Everyone likes looking at visually appealing images. This is one of the biggest reasons that photographs are used for marketing products. Once we see a photo we like, we immediately try to process that information it is trying to give us. But these images become more effective if they have the authenticity that people are looking for.

The images you use to promote and market your brand should have a visual style that’s unique but easy to identify. This style should be consistent across all the marketing platforms you use, and from the very first day you start the branding campaign. Yes, you can use stock photos, but they won’t be authentic because they do not show your actual product. They do not have a unique visual style.

For example, your product is a cheeseburger sandwich. You don’t have time to hire a professional photographer, so what you do is get a photo of a burger from a stock photography website and use it to market your product. As there are a lot of good quality stock photos, your consumers will be visually attracted to it. But since it is not a photo of your actual product, what you are selling is not yours. It is not an authentic representation of your product. Therefore, your consumers will feel that they’ve been played on.

A professional photographer produces high-quality photos of your products and will establish the visual style you want right from the very first shot. The images will have one style and quality across media and marketing platforms, thereby establishing a strong identity for your product.

3. A Professional Shoot Creates The Images You Want

There is no better way to come up with the product images you want than to hire a professional photographer for a photo shoot. You and the photographer can sit down and discuss your goals and visions for the shoot. The photographer will then come up with a concept that answers your needs. In the end, you’ll see the images you want translated by the professional photographer and his camera.

While stock photography has its own advantages, you cannot expect to find the exact photo or image that you want to use for your branding campaign.

Likewise, shooting with a smartphone or a point-and-shoot camera can be easier, especially in terms of finances, but there are limits to the kind of images you can create.

A professional photo shoot can be expensive, but it is the best way — the necessary way — to get images that are guaranteed to have the creative, artistic, visual and financial benefits that you are aiming for. In the long run, when your campaign has spread to various platforms, you’ll get the value — more than double sometimes — of your investment!

If you value your product, brand and company; if you care about your consumers, you should hire a professional photographer to help you launch your branding campaign. It is the most ideal, creative and practical way to achieve the look and feel of the brand you are building. Hiring a professional photographer is the best way to taking your brand to the highest level by attracting the right market and delivering a powerful message.

The Power of Professional Photos in Building Your Brand was originally published in Contrastly on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

This is especially true when it comes to landscape photography, where quickly changing lighting conditions — and compositions that include both dark and light areas can often result in images that are too light or dark — or, where part of the scene is underexposed while the sky is blown out.

In tricky lighting situations, it’s easy for your camera’s light meter to get confused resulting in an over or underexposed image. In other cases, where you may want to intentionally overexpose to draw out certain details, or underexpose to create a certain mood, leaving the settings up to your camera isn’t a good way to get the results that you’re after.

No matter what type of images you’re going for, or what effect you’re looking to create, having a clear understanding of exposure and knowing how to adjust your camera’s settings can help you to get the results that you’re after, each and every time.

With this in mind, let’s take a look at how you can adjust your exposures for different situations, and make use of tools that can help you to capture those excellent shots.

Understanding the Exposure Triangle

First, let’s take a look at exposure itself. Exposure is based on three main components: aperture, shutter speed, and ISO. Each of these variables works together to allow light to reach the camera’s sensor; influencing the resulting image. Understanding these three components will give you to better control your images’ exposure.

1. Aperture: Aperture is the size of the opening that allows the light in to hit the sensor.
2. Shutter Speed: Shutter speed is the length of time that light is allowed through the aperture for.
3. ISO: ISO is the camera’s sensitivity to the light. The higher the ISO, the higher the camera’s sensitivity.

All three of these components work together to create what’s known as the exposure triangle. When you adjust one, you must adjust another in order compensate.

The Metering Scale

Most cameras today use a process known as TTL metering, or, through the lens metering, which means that the camera examines the light coming through the lens and adjusts the settings accordingly.

You can see your camera’s meter readings, by switching to manual mode and looking through the viewfinder. The meter is usually found on the bottom or side and often appears as a number scale with a tiny triangle pointer above the numbers that indicates whether an image is properly exposed. The scale will have a 0 at the center, with numbers on the right to indicate overexposure, and on the left for underexposure. Getting the pointer as close to 0 as possible is usually ideal as this indicates proper exposure.

If you depress the shutter halfway, you will engage the meter and as you move the camera around you’ll notice the meter readings change, depending on where you’re focusing. This is because different objects are lighter or darker.

While the metering scale is great, it really only gives you a partial story. It tells you how much light you are getting, but it doesn’t show you where in the frame it is coming from or how much is coming from where. This is where metering modes come in.

Measuring the light or brightness of a scene is crucial for finding the ideal exposure for your image. Your camera should have a number of different ways that it can measure incoming light, here’s a quick look at how they work.

• Matrix or Evaluative Metering
  Matrix or Evaluative Metering is your default camera setting. With this setting, your camera will look at the light in the entire scene and average it, giving it what it considers to be the best lighting. This is a great mode for scenes that are evenly lit or, for those times where you’re not sure what exposure to use.
• Spot Metering or Partial Metering
  With Spot Metering, your camera focuses on a small area at the center of the frame and measures only the light in that specific space. Spot Metering is helpful for situations where the subject you are trying to capture is much brighter than the background, and is especially ideal for photographing backlit subjects as well as for situations where you have a specific area you would like to have the exposure based off of.
• Center-Weighted Average Metering
  With Center-Weighted Average Metering, your camera looks at light from the entire scene and averages it while emphasizing the center of the frame. This method is ideal for portraits since most subjects tend to be in the center of the frame, and often proves to be the most effective way to get the right exposure.

The mode that you chose will depend greatly on your desired focal point, available lighting, and of course, the type of image that you’re looking to create. Be sure to check your camera’s owner manual to find out how to change these settings on your camera.

Use Exposure Bracketing

Using exposure bracketing to take a series of different exposures is a great way to increase your chances of capturing an image with the right exposure. With bracketing, you can capture a sequence of images with different exposures, resulting in a series of images that are slightly lighter and darker than normal. If you’d like to, you can also use the resulting images to create an HDR composite in post processing later.

Check Your Histogram

Your histogram can be a useful tool for determining if your photo is over or underexposed. Take a shot then check your camera’s histogram. A well-exposed landscape that includes a lot of color will give you a nice curve, rising in the middle, and going back down toward the right. If most of your pixels are on the left chances are your image is underexposed; too many on the right and it’s overexposed. However, in many cases you might prefer an image that is slightly underexposed since the colors that you see will be deeper and richer so keep this in mind when reading your histogram.

Use an ND Filter

Using a graduated neutral density (ND) filter is a simple way to capture landscapes that are properly exposed. ND filters reduce some of the light going into the lens, making them especially ideal for photographing images that include both a bright sky and a darker foreground.

While getting your exposures right takes a lot of practice, it’s worth spending some time brushing up on your knowledge of the exposure triangle and the different metering modes that your camera is capable of. Once you’ve mastered the basics, you’ll be able to capture images that are well-balanced and more in line with your creative vision and won’t be caught out by tricky lighting situations again!

How do you ensure that your landscapes are exposed properly? Let us know on Twitter or Facebook!

The Guide To Improving Your Exposures in Landscape Photography was originally published in Contrastly on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

Yes, I use one lens only. I have been doing so for quite some time now and it does not matter whether I shoot people (portrait and situational), food, homes and buildings (interior and exterior), events, or products. There are several significant advantages to using only one lens for professional photography.

The Power of Photography

Photography is powerful, it allows us to capture everything that is happening around us. It allows us to capture life as it unfolds. This is why I bring my camera with me wherever I go (as much as possible). This is also the reason why I love photography.

Through the photos that we photographers create, we’re able to reach out to different audience. We are able to deliver important messages in the most visually appealing ways. Through the photos we took, we interact with, influence, transform, and inspire people.

As such, it is our responsibility as photographers to make sure that the images we produce are striking, thought provoking, visually attractive, and unforgettable. To do this, we need to have the right equipment and know how to use them to our advantage.

A Professional Photographer’s Tools

A photographer’s most important tools or equipment are his camera and lenses. You can forget everything else except the two. All other tools — such as tripod, flash, filters, and light meter, among others — are secondary tools.

So when a photographer goes out to shoot, the first things he puts inside the bag are his camera and lenses. These lenses vary according to need or purpose. For example, there are lenses used specifically for architectural photography and there are those that are perfect for product shoots. Thus, most photographers bring more than one lens with them.

Lately, however, a lot of professional photographers have embraced the one lens practice. So instead of bringing a bag filled with varying lenses, they bring only one. In my case, as previously mentioned, I use my ever-reliable Sigma 20mm f1.4 Art Lens, no matter what the occasion or type of shoot may be.

There are several reasons why this practice has become quite widespread. First off, though, let’s talk about the one camera, one lens philosophy.

One Camera, One Lens Philosophy

The idea of using one camera and one lens for professional photography started with Henri Cartier-Bresson, a legend in the field of photography. The well-respected and highly admired French photographer was known for his works that cemented the quality of photojournalism and catapulted it into a form of art.

For the most part of his life as a photographer, even as he roamed around the world, Cartier-Bresson brought with him only his 50mm lens. With just one lens, he had more time and intention to focus on what he was doing. His style was usually to walk around the streets and when he sees something, he brings the camera to his eye and shoots. Nothing more, nothing less.

Of course, cameras then were way different from our cameras today. Nevertheless, the one camera, one lens philosophy still attracts quite a significant following.

Advantages of Using Only One Lens

A lot of photographers have benefitted from using just one lens for most of their work. Here are the most important advantages:

1. Using one lens allows photographers to familiarize one focal length.
   If you constantly shift to and use different equipment, mastering your camera and lens will prove to be difficult because you won’t have time to familiarize yourself with what your tools can do. If you use just one camera and one lens, you’ll have time to master the focal length. For example, I prefer to use my 20mm for all my photography assignments or projects. Since I have been using it long enough, I have mastered its capabilities and can therefore easily adjust to situations like the distance of the subject or the amount of ambient light available. Additionally, since I know my lens quite well, I already have an idea of how the image will come out even before I start shooting. In other words, I can pre-frame a scene and visualize it way ahead of time. Discovering and mastering a lens is not easy. It can take weeks, months, or even years. If you use just one lens, you need to master only one focal length, and your work becomes easier.
2. Using only one lens allows photographers to explore their creativity.
   Using just one lens for all photography projects will teach you to rely a lot on your creative juices. For example, how will you position your subject in a 20mm frame? Likewise, if you are shooting with a wide angle lens and you want to capture the emotions on your subject’s face, you’ll have to find a way to move closer to your subject without compromising the creative aspect of the scene or distorting its angle. With just one lens, and the same preset regardless of project type, you will learn how to come up with creative, innovative solutions to make sure that the images you want to produce will come out well.
3. Using only one lens will help you save time.
   Yes, there is such a thing as wasting time in photography. There is this thing called G.A.S. or gear acquisition syndrome. It pertains to what photographers do — how everyone gets overly excited — when a new gear comes out. Well, it’s all right to get excited about new cameras and lenses, but it’s a different thing when you obsess about them to the point that you’re not able to do your job well anymore. (Yes, this happens in real life!) Anyway, with one camera and one lens only, you won’t have to worry about which camera or which lens to use. Sometimes, even when you’re about to step out of the house or office, you still haven’t made up your mind. With one option only, this won’t be a problem anymore.
4. Using one lens is easier on the pocket and on your shoulders.
   If you use only one lens, choose one that is the best for you; invest on it, and save your money for other important needs. It’s definitely more practical and easier on the pocket. In addition to this, since you don’t have to bring a lot of lenses with you, there’s no need to worry about carrying too many things wherever you need to go. As such, you won’t be subjecting your shoulders and back to a lot of stress. Moving around will be easier, too.
5. Using only one lens will result to more consistent and cohesive narrative photos.
   Because you are using just one lens, the images you capture will be more consistent and cohesive, particularly when you are taking landscape shots or portraits. This consistency and cohesiveness in photographic composition will make your images more effective in terms of creating a narrative for viewers. The consistency will also work well for your brand.

These are just some of the advantages of using one lens for professional photography. Of course, as in everything else, there are disadvantages, particularly since you’ll be forced to adjust to a variety of shoot situations using only one lens. What will you do if you need to shoot wide and the lens you’re using is not enough for what you want to achieve? There are limitations, yes; but then again, this is where the creativity of a professional photographer comes in.

In the end, however, it all depends on you. I am comfortable and satisfied with just one lens — my Sigma 20mm f1.4 Art. I use it for my architectural, interior design, real estate, portrait, situational, macro, food, event, couple engagement, and product photography.

You can try using only one lens and if it doesn’t suit you well, you can always go back to your regular practice. But at least give it a shot — it can help you see things quite differently and simplify your setup greatly!

The Advantages of Using A Single Lens for Professional Photography was originally published in Contrastly on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

However, in some cases, color can negatively impact an image as well, causing it to swim with details and appear distracting, or even unrealistic. While it may be a thin line to walk, being able to use color effectively can help you to take your photographs up a notch, allowing you to create compositions that are eye-catching and exciting.

Developing an eye for color can take time, but it is something that’s worth pursuing with your photography. With this in mind, let’s take a look at color theory as well as some different ways that you can use color to bring out the best in your images.

Understanding Color Theory

There is a lot to explore when it comes to color theory, and how it affects our images, but understanding the color wheel and how the different colors work together and complement each other is a great place to start. Different color combinations provoke different feelings and responses; with some color schemes working together much better than others.

By understanding how different colors work together, you’ll be able to see things differently, and get the most from the colors around you. Here’s a basic look at some different color combinations.

Analogous Colors

First, let’s look at analogous colors. These are the colors that are next to each other on the color wheel. An analogous color scheme can consist of anything from two colors on up to half the wheel. These colors — think blue and green — can often make for a pleasing and harmonious color combination.

Complementary Colors

Complementary colors are shades that are located directly across from each other on the wheel. Think: blue and yellow or orange and green. These colors are complementary because they are said to work well together. Complementary combinations can create a high-contrast and vibrant look especially when used at full saturation.

Split Complementary Colors

A split complementary color scheme takes two colors that are directly opposite, and another color that’s one of the complementary colors’ analogous color. This type of combination often works extremely well, helping to balance out an otherwise high-contrast color combination.

Triadic Colors

Triadic colors are three colors are equally spaced out from each other on the color wheel. This color scheme is very similar to split complementary colors.

Quadratic Colors

A quadratic color scheme is a combination of two complementary color harmonies on the color wheel. This grouping can also be called a double complementary scheme, because it is the combination of two complementary colors.

Of course, there are many more combinations that you can use as well including monochrome colors, such as a black and white color scheme. Depending on the type of photography you are working with, the harmony of colors you choose to work with will vary. For instance, in most types of landscape photography it can be difficult to influence the resulting colors in a composition — although you do have some control over foreground elements that you may choose to include, such as brightly colored flowers — or the results of your image in post processing. In portrait photography, though, or when capturing macros, it can be easier to create specific color combinations.

Your best use of color isn’t about adhering strictly to the color wheel, rather, it’s about being aware of the colors that you’re using — and their resulting impact, and using this knowledge to help guide your decisions — especially if you’re faced with a composition that you feel is a bit overwhelming, or, conversely somewhat lackluster.

Brightness and Saturation

When working with different color combinations, keep in mind that the brightness and saturation of different colors will impact the harmony of the resulting image. In most cases, you’ll want to pay close attention to the colors in the image that are bold or saturated as these are the ones that will generally attract the viewer’s attention. These colors work well for the subject or main focal point in an image.

Different Colors, Different Moods

As you probably already know, different colors tend to convey very different moods in an image. Colors that are on the warm side of the wheel — such as red, orange, and yellow — often result in an image that feels in bold or energetic, while colors that are cooler — think: blues and greens — tend to convey feelings of calm and tranquility.

Enhancing Color in Your Compositions

Now that you know a bit about different color combinations and how they work together, let’s take a look at some other ways that you use colors to enhance your images:

• Use a Polarizing Filter: Using a polarizing filter is a great way to draw out colors especially when used at the right angle to the sun. These filters are often used to enhance the vivid blue of the sky, or to cut through reflections and glare causing leaves, water, or even skin to appear more saturated.
• Get the Exposure Right: In many cases, adjusting your camera’s exposure can help the colors to appear more rich and vivid. Since your camera’s built-in metering system often chooses to use a lighter exposure, if you underexpose your images, just a little you’ll often be rewarded with a deeper color.
• Work With the Light: The right lighting will help to naturally boost the colors in your images. For instance, if you shoot on a bright, overcast day, the colors will be more saturated resulting in stronger, bolder images. Shooting on a sunny day, on the other hand, will run the risk of harsh shadows, and potentially washed out images.
• Watch the Background and Foreground: Always check your backgrounds! Your background always plays an important role in your images and can either enhance or distract from the focal point. Similarly, keep an eye out for foregrounds that you could use to add complementary or pleasing colors to your compositions.
• Adjust Your Colors in Post Processing: Shooting in RAW will give you tremendous flexibility in terms of drawing out the colors more effectively in post-processing. Just remember to keep the context of the image in mind. In most cases, you’ll want to avoid over processing especially when it comes to nature shots, where you’ll usually want to steer clear of unrealistic color combinations. A good approach is applying brightness and color saturation to enhance the colors in isolated areas in a scene. For example, elements that are receiving direct light, such as colorful flowers or illuminated clouds can often stand to have their brightness and saturation enhanced ever so slightly.

There’s much to learn about color theory and taking the time to delve into the subject can be a fun study that will prove to be rewarding. Keep in mind, though, that at the end of the day, developing your photographic eye, and discovering what works well and what doesn’t is often a matter of trial and error as much as it is about learning theory. With a combination of knowledge and practice, you’ll soon become adept at telling which colors work well together, and which ones don’t and will be able to create pleasing color combinations without a second thought!

How do you enhance the colors in your images? Let us know on Twitter or Facebook!

Color wheel vector art via Vecteezy

The Ultimate Guide To Color Theory For Photographers was originally published in Contrastly on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

Today, we’ll go through the steps to create an HDR photograph from multiple exposures. I hope you like this video tutorial.

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Creating an HDR Aerial Panorama in Lightroom was originally published in Contrastly on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.