Tuesday, May 5, 2015

Tech Talk Tuesday - Salt Lake Temple & Daffodils



Salt Lake Temple & Daffodils

I haven't done a Tech Talk Tuesday for a long time, so today is just a mini chat..... really, just a couple of ideas for you to consider that might help improve your photography:

For those of us who are not fortunate enough to travel to far away places and photograph majestic wonders around the world, we need to concentrate on making great photos of what we see in our own backyard, neighborhood, city, etc.  But because we see these familiar landscapes, objects, flora & fauna, buildings, all the time, we need to be creative and look for ways to make these familiar objects more interesting.  There are numerous ways to do this, but the above photos demonstrate two of my favorite ways:

Lighting - Lighting can have a dramatic effect in creating interesting photos of familiar scenes.  Soft light, harsh shadows, directional light, bad weather, sun flare, back lighting, are a few ways to make your photos stand out.  I have taken many photos of the Salt Lake Temple in spring time, but I try to make each one unique.  This day, I purposefully found an angle where I could use the setting sun to back light the daffodils and create an interesting sun flare.

Background Interest -  This time of year, many of us love to photograph the never ending array of colorful spring flowers.  Sometimes I like to get up close to capture the beauty of a single bloom or petal,  but that often includes a dark, boring background.  I always look at my composition to see if the background is adding to the image, detracting from the image or doing nothing for the image.  Once in a while a solid black or white background is dramatic and adds to the image, and often a softly blurred background of supporting flowers makes the image more interesting.  But my favorite background is one that is unique, not easily recognizable and causes the viewer to take a second look.

  

9 comments:

MadSnapper said...

thanks, Karen and I love that first shot. sun shining through flowers like that is a magnificent sight

Montanagirl said...

Hi Karen. That first photo wins the Blue Ribbon - it's absolutely stunning!! Very nicely done.

Author R. Mac Wheeler said...

you picked a great shot to demonstrate lighting and background :)

Barb said...

Always love your tech talks! That backlighting and the inclusion of the temple with the daffodils is stunning. Food for thought...

Stephanie said...

Thanks for the great tips! Awesome shots!

Unknown said...

Karen, excellent advice! I really love the way the sun's rays look like they are specifically shining on those flowers!

Scott Law said...

Great reminders, Karen. Thanks!

Gwen said...

Hi Karen! New follower here. I love the sunlight photo. I was able to catch sunlight also a couple of weekends ago on my own patio. Excellent work! And thanks for the tips!

Mersad said...

Amazing tips and examples to prove their worth!

Mersad
Mersad Donko Photography