December Tutorial – Cropping

It’s the most wonderful time of the year!!

And because of that, this month’s tutorial is an easy one!  We’re going to be talking about CROPPING.

Nowadays, in these digital times, when one mentions cropping a photo, it leads you to think of post-production photo editing.  Almost all of us have cropped our digital photos; whether it is done to remove the unsightly load of laundry on the floor next to your toddler, or to add visual interest to an image, it is based on the editor’s personal preferences.

However, cropping can also refer to a composition guideline that you have probably often heard:  “Fill your frame!”

The easiest way to add instant impact to an image is to fill your frame with your subject.  Consider the following photo:

Taken with Nikon D70 at f7.1, 1/200 sec., ISO 200

Adorable in itself, just for the cuteness factor alone, but I find the ‘helicopters’ on the grass in the background distracting.  Notice how much more striking it becomes when I crop it, in post-production:

Of course, we can save ourselves a whole lot of post-production time by zooming in and filling your frame with your subject.  It’s a perfect way to reduce background noise.  As well, it also preserves image quality, as you are not reducing the size of your final image, and as such, the number of pixels.

So it’s time to go back to the basics – use photography guidelines (like the Rule of Thirds, framing, perspective, etc.) and crop “in-camera” while taking your photos!

December 2010 photography assignment:

Using the December tutorial as a guide, photograph a subject or object and fill your frame.  Don’t be afraid to get in close and get the details!  As always, if you have any questions, please leave me a comment on this post, or email me at sue {AT} canadianscrapbooker {DOT} ca.

Deadline:  11:59 pm EST, January 2nd, 2011

PLEASE NOTE:  Because the whole purpose of the tutorial is to get you to experiment with your camera, submitted photos must have been taken between December 9th and January 2nd, 2010, inclusive.  Please send original-sized photos – I will size them for our blog.  And PLEASE don’t forget to  include your camera settings, including camera used, f/stop, aperture and ISO settings for your image in the Comments section of the submisson form!  Submissions that do not include this info may not be posted on the blog  or included in the prize drawing.

Please submit your photo, using only our submission form (no emails, please!), for a chance to be entered into our draw to win an awesome prize.   A randomly chosen entry will be drawn after the deadline.  Please note – submissions that are not relative to the tutorial and/or do not abide by these rules will not be posted on the blog, or entered into the draw.  Please click HERE to review the rules regarding this draw BEFORE submitting.

This month’s sponsor is Canadian Scrapbooker!   This month, our winner will receive a complete set of Canadian Scrapbooker Basics technique books:

December 2010 Prize Sponsor: Canadian Scrapbooker

Enjoy your holidays – can’t wait to see your submissions!

Cheers,

November Submissions

Well, let me apologize to all of our submitters this month!  I’m sorry that I’m just getting around to posting all of your submissions today – it’s been a crazy month!

Without further ado, let me share some fantastic submissions by our readers!

Bev Beaudette, of ON, sent me this photo that was taken of her view across the street:

Taken Nov 9th, 2010 with Canon Rebel T1i at f/4, 1/60 sec., ISO 400

I love how the windows frame the cars – thanks for sharing, Bev!

Lori Ann Frey, of SK, sent me this photo taken at Manitou Lake, while out quadding:

Taken Nov 7th, 2010 with Nikon D5000 at f/9, 1/320 sec., ISO 200

I love how she’s framed – thanks for sharing, Lori!

Conni Frankl, of SK, took this photo of their new house, using the trees to frame it:

Taken on Nov 23rd, 2010 with Nikon D5000 at f/10, 1/400 sec., ISO 200

Beautiful shot, Conni – thanks for your submission!

Next, we have two photos from Lee-Anne Thorton, of AB:

Taken on Nov 17th, 2010 with Canon EOS 30D at f/4, 1/1250 sec., ISO 100

Taken on Nov 23rd, 2010 with Canon EOS 30D at f/6.3, 1/15 sec., ISO 100

Fantastic use of framing, Lee-Anne – thanks for sharing!

Another two photos to share come from Nathalie Cormier, of QC, of her children:

Taken on Nov. 26th, 2010 at Canon EOS XSi at f/4, 1/60 sec., ISO 400

Taken on Nov. 27th, 2010 with Canon EOS XSi at f/8, 1/60 sec., ISO 800

Very, very cute!  Thanks for sharing, Nathalie!

Our last two photos come from Sharon Peters, of AB:

Taken on Nov 29th, 2010 with Nikon D90 at /f5.6, 1/125 sec., ISO 250

Taken on Nov 12th, 2010 with Nikon D90 at f/8, 1/320 sec., ISO 200

Gorgeous!  Thanks for sharing, Sharon!

Thanks again to everyone for submitting your photos!  I will announce a winner of the Harmonie Prize pack soon!  And watch for my December tutorial to be posted on or around December 7th!

Cheers,

November tutorial: Framing

This month, we’re going to take it easy and learn about using framing in your composition.

Framing is a photography guideline that, when used, results in a pleasing composition.  It is also one of the easier to both explain and use!

All around you, there are objects that provide natural frames for your subject(s).  Examples include archways, window frames, tunnels or even wheel rims!

Taken with Nikon D70 at f/3.5, 1/160 sec., ISO 200

The trick is to use these items to frame your subject and isolate it from the rest of the image, so that the viewer’s eye is drawn to it.  Here, the portal on the playground equipment frames the subject and leads your eye to it.  The bright yellow colour helps to separate the opening, too!

Taken with Nikon D70 at f/9, 1/640 sec., ISO 400

Similarly, the round rings on this inner tube draw the eye towards the center of it, in which sits the subject:

Taken with Nikon D70 at f/7.1, 1/2500 sec., ISO 640

You can also use natural foliage to frame your subject, such as the branches provide a natural frame for the view in this image and draw your eye across the landscape:

Taken with Nikon Coolpix S560 at f/3.5, 1/150 sec., ISO 64

The premise of this guideline is simple – use natural or man made objects to frame your subject.  The difficulty lies in training your eye to find these items and use them to highlight your subject!  So, are you ready to try??

November 2010 photography assignment:

Using the November tutorial as a guide, photograph a subject or object using a natural or man-made object to frame your subject.  Open your mind to possibilities and look at everything to see what can be used to  frame your subject..  As always, if you have any questions, please leave me a comment on this post, or email me at sue {AT} canadianscrapbooker {DOT} ca.

Deadline:  11:59 pm EST, November 30th, 2010

PLEASE NOTE:  Because the whole purpose of the tutorial is to get you to experiment with your camera, submitted photos must have been taken between November 7th and November 30th, 2010, inclusive.  Please send original-sized photos – I will size them for our blog.  And PLEASE don’t forget to  include your camera settings, including camera used, f/stop, aperture and ISO settings for your image in the Comments section of the submisson form!  Submissions that do not include this info may not be posted on the blog  or included in the prize drawing.

Please submit your photo, using only our submission form (no emails, please!), for a chance to be entered into our draw to win an awesome prize.   A randomly chosen entry will be drawn after the deadline.  Please note – submissions that are not relative to the tutorial and/or do not abide by these rules will not be posted on the blog, or entered into the draw.  Please click HERE to review the rules regarding this draw BEFORE submitting.

This month’s sponsor is Harmonie!  Check out this great prize pack!

November 2010 Prize Sponsor: Harmonie

Can’t wait to see your submissions!

Cheers,

October tutorial: Perspective

In the english language, the word perspective has many connotations.  According to www.dictionary.com,

perspective  (pəˈspɛktɪv)
— n

1.  a way of regarding situations, facts, etc, and judging their relative importance.
2.  the proper or accurate point of view or the ability to see it; objectivity: try to get some perspective on your troubles.
3. the theory or art of suggesting three dimensions on a two-dimensional surface, in order to recreate the appearance and spatial relationships that objects or a scene in recession present to the eye.
4. the appearance of objects, buildings, etc, relative to each other, as determined by their distance from the viewer, or the effects of this distance on their appearance.
5. a picture showing perspective.

Similarly, the word can be used in different ways in photography.  From a technical point of view, it refers to the way all subjects in a photograph relate to one another, as described in the third definition above.  That is to say, it can put objects into perspective in relation to other objects within the photo.  In this context, using perspective in the composition of your photograph can change the perception of space and distance for the viewer.  Note how my daughter’s small size emphasizes the tree’s large size by putting it into perspective:

Photo by Gary Sykes. Taken with Nikon Coolpix S560 at f/3.5, 1/750 sec., ISO 64

(For the record, this mama almost had a heart attack when her hubby came home from a trip to the park with these photos and she saw her baby high in a tree by herself… he assured me that my son was nearby, just out of frame, just in case! )

There are several types of perspective of this meaning:  linear, vanishing point, etc.  However,  for this tutorial, I’d like to discuss perspective in a different manner, similar to the first definition - from the photographer’s shooting point of view.

Changing your perspective, when composing your photographs can dramatically change the “feel” of your images.  To change your perspective , you need to move your feet!  Instead of composing every photo while standing in front of your subject, change your viewpoint!  You can:

Lay on the ground and bring yourself to your subject’s eye level when photographing.

Photo by Sue Sykes. Taken with Nikon D70 at f/4.5, 1/60 sec., ISO 400

Stand on a chair and photograph from directly above.

Photo by Sue Sykes. Taken with Nikon D70 at f/4.5, 1/320 sec., ISO 400

Lay on the ground and point your camera upward.

Photo by Sue Sykes. Taken with Nikon D70 at f/2.8, 1/8000 sec., ISO 1600

Place your subject above you (in a tree, on a table, on a staircase…) and point your camera up.

Photo by Gary Sykes. Taken with Nikon Coolpix S560 at f/3.5, 1/350 sec., ISO 64

When photographing tall structures or impressive architecture, you can create an impression by standing close to the structure and point your camera upward.

Photo by Sue Sykes. Taken with Nikon D300s at f/3.5, 1/ 200 sec., ISO 200

By changing your viewpoint when photographing, you can instantly change the look of your photos and create some incredible results.  So are you ready to try??

October 2010 photography assignment:

Using the October tutorial as a guide, photograph a subject or object using a unique point of view.  Experiment with all different viewpoints and subjects to see how changing your perspective can change the look of your image.  As always, if you have any questions, please leave me a comment on this post, or email me at sue {AT} canadianscrapbooker {DOT} ca.

Deadline:  11:59 pm EST, November 1st, 2010

PLEASE NOTE:  Because the whole purpose of the tutorial is to get you to experiment with your camera, submitted photos must have been taken between October 7th and November 1st, 2010.  Please send original-sized photos – I will size them for our blog.  And PLEASE don’t forget to  include your camera settings, including camera used, f/stop, aperture and ISO for your image in the Comments section of the submisson form!  Submissions that do not include this info may not be posted on the blog  or included in the prize drawing.

Please submit your photo, using only our submission form (no emails, please!), for a chance to be entered into our draw to win an awesome prize.   A randomly chosen entry will be drawn after the deadline.  Please note – submissions that are not relative to the tutorial and/or do not abide by these rules will not be posted on the blog, or entered into the draw.  Please click HERE to review the rules regarding this draw BEFORE submitting.

This month’s sponsor is Upsy Daisy Designs!  Check out this great prize pack from their Man About Town lines!

October 2010 Prize Sponsor: Upsy Daisy Designs

And don’t forget – our deadline for submitting your layouts for our 1st Blog-iversary contest has been extended to October 11th, 2010!  More details here…

Cheers,

September Tutorial: Rule of Thirds

Many of the visual arts, such as painting and graphic design use the rule of thirds as a general rule of thumb – even scrapbooking!  (see Christy Riopel‘s article on page 132 in our Fall 2010 issue of Canadian Scrapbooker magazine)  The same holds true for photography.

The rule of thirds (or principle of thirds) states ”that an image should be imagined as divided into nine equal parts by two equally-spaced horizontal lines and two equally-spaced vertical lines, and that important compositional elements should be placed along these lines or their intersections.” (Wikipedia)

Huh?

Well, in layman’s terms, it simply means that if you mentally divide your image into a 3×3 grid, your points of interest should be placed at either the intersection points or along the horizontal or vertical lines.  This will created a balanced photo, allowing the reader to view it in a natural way – studies have shown that the eyes have a tendency to start at these intersection points, rather than the centre so using the rule of thirds creates an image that is pleasing to the viewer and will easily engage them.

For example:

Taken with Nikon D70 at f/4, 1/1250 sec., ISO 200

This photo engages the viewer, not only because of its’ adorable subject (love those little pigtails!), but because the focal point and points of interest are placed at an intersection point (subject’s eyes) or along the lines (subject, horizon, grass) as illustrated below:

Rule of thirds, illustrated.

Take the following photo, as another example:

Taken with Nikon D70 at f/11, 1/400 sec., ISO 200

While the monochromatic colour scheme and the starkness of the black on white are effective, the photo is static and uninspiring.  But look what happens when I reframed the image, using the rule of thirds:

Taken with Nikon D70 at f/11, 1/400 sec., ISO 200

By zooming in on the image and shifting it to the left side, the tree is accentuated and the branches lead the eye across the image.  It also eliminates any distracting background elements in the background.

As a side note, I could have made my aperture (f/stop) wider (i.e. smaller number, like f/2) to achieve a short depth of field.  To do so, I would have had to increase my shutter speed (i.e. 1/8000th of a second) to achieve the same exposure.  You can review the tutorial on Depth of Field here.

Here are a few more examples:

Taken with Nikon D300s at f/8, 1/500 sec., ISO 200

Some cameras offer a setting that displays a grid in the viewfinder to help the photographer line up their elements according to the rule of thirds.

So grab your camera, check your manual for a grid display setting and start viewing things in a different way today!

September 2010 photography assignment:

Using the September tutorial as a guide, photograph a subject or object using the rule of thirds.  Line up your subject in various ways to get the most effective composition.  As always, if you have any questions, please leave me a comment on this post, or email me.

Deadline:  11:59 pm EST, September 30th, 2010

Please submit your photo, using our submission form only, for a chance to be entered into our draw to win an awesome prize.   Photos must have been taken between Sept. 7th and 30th, 2010.  A randomly chosen entry will be drawn after the deadline.  Please click HERE to review the rules regarding this draw BEFORE submitting.  Please note – submissions that are not relative to the tutorial and/or do not abide by these rules will not be posted on the blog, or entered into the draw.  PLEASE remember that your submitted photos should be sized to 72dpi, and at least 500 pixels wide.  Don’t forget to  include your camera settings, including camera used, f/stop, aperture and ISO for your image in the Comments section of the submisson form!  Submissions that do not include this info may not be posted on the blog.

This month’s sponsor is Bo Bunny!  Check out this sweet prize pack from their Gypsy line!

September Prize Sponsor: Bo Bunny

But that’s not all you could win… stay tuned for details (to follow shortly!) on our big one-year blog-iversary contest for a chance to be published in Canadian Scrapbooker and to win a Cinch!!

Cheers,

Last day for submissions!

Tonight’s the deadline for the August tutorial on natural lighting… You can submit your photo before 12:59pm EST to be eligible for the random drawing for the SEI prize pack.

And don’t forget to check back tomorrow for the announcement of the winner, as well as the start of our Blog Hop!

Aug Tutorial question:

Erin Aumack posted this question in our comments and I thought I’d share it, along with my answer, in case any of our readers missed it and may have the same question:

Can natural light also be outdoors? Or is this a challenge for indoor photos?

Here’s my answer:

I would consider natural light outdoors as daylight (not direct sunlight) as discussed in the June tutorial.  For this tutorial, I’d like to see you work on using indoor natural lighting. 

Thanks for your queston, Erin – can’t wait to see your results!  I’ll be back with our first August submission soon!

Cheers!

August Tutorial – Natural/Available Light

We’ve looked at both daylight/sunlight and artificial light.  This month, I’d like to discuss natural light.

Natural light  is sometime referred to as available light.  When I mention available light, I am referring to all types of lighting that occur naturally in a scene (with the exception of direct sunlight).  Preferred by many photographers, it is free and produces near true-to-life colour and excellent detail. 

When one mentions natural light, most people will generally think of light from a large window, such as in the following photos.

Taken with Nikon D70 at f/4.5, 1/40 sec., ISO 200

Taken with Nikon D90 at f/1.8, 1/60 sec., ISO 200

However, it is not always necessary to have a large window, although it certainly helps!  Consider the following photo:

Taken with Nikon D90 at f/1.8, 1/60 sec., ISO 200

The only available light was from an average sized kitchen window.  Fortunately, directly across from the window was a stainless steel refridgerator, which acted as a natural reflector!

Of course, this is not always the case.   You may have to use your own reflector, either purchased or handmade, and position it opposite your light source to reflect onto your subject.

Sometimes, it is necessary to move closer to the light source, as I have below.  (Granted, this handsome little fellow graces my kitchen window all the time…)  You’ll notice that I’ve opened my aperture wide to f/1.8 to overcompensate from the backlighting from the window light.

Taken with Nikon D90 at f/1.8, 1/640 sec., ISO 200.

 Sometimes, your available light will not come from a window, but a door!  Our french doors leading out to our deck provide perfect lighting for photographing my layouts, cards and projects.  You could also use patio doors, garage doors, etc…

Taken with Nikon D300s at f/1.8, 1/2500 sec., ISO 500

You may have noticed that almost all of the photos shown here, with the exception of the first one, were shot with an aperture of f/1.8.  Because using existing light sometimes results in low-light situations, your best bet for capturing a properly exposed photo is to use a faster lens, such as a f/1.8 or f/1.4.  If you don’t have a fast lens, don’t despair!  You can see that it is possible to achieve a properly exposed image using a smaller aperture (remember:  larger f/stop number (i.e. f/4.5) = small aperture…).  However, prepare to adjust your ISO and shutter speeds to allow more light into your camera.  If your shutter speeds are too slow, use a tripod to avoid camera shake.

Having said that, you’ll notice that in the last photo, my shutter speed is very fast to counter balance the wide-open aperture.  I could have slowed the shutter speed down and used a smaller aperture, without having to use a tripod, but I wanted a very shallow depth of field for this image.  Notice that the leaf and one petal is in focus, but the remainder of the image is blurred?  This is the beauty of shooting in manual mode - you can manipulate your results to suit your needs!

So grab your camera, find a subject (preferably willing!) and hunt down some available light for this assignment!

Your August assignment:

Using the August tutorial as a guide, photograph a subject or object in natural/available light.  Remember to play with reflectors to see the effect they have on your lighting.  Have fun and experiment!!  As always, if you have any questions, please leave me a comment on this post, or email me.

Deadline:  11:59 pm EST, August 31st, 2010

Please submit your photo, using our submission form only, for a chance to be entered into our draw to win an awesome prize.  A randomly chosen entry will be drawn after the deadline.  Please click HERE to review the rules regarding this draw BEFORE submitting.  Please note – submissions that are not relative to the tutorial and/or do not abide by these rules will not be posted on the blog, or entered into the draw.  PLEASE remember that your photos should be sized to 72dpi, and at least 500 pixels wide.  Don’t forget to  include your camera settings, including camera used, f/stop, aperture and ISO for your image in the Comments section of the submisson form!  Submissions that do not include this info may not be posted on the blog.

This month’s sponsor is  SEI!  Check out this sweet prize pack from their Moravia line!

August 2010 Prize Pack by SEI

Thanks for playing along this month – Happy Clicking!

July Tutorial – Artificial Light

 Artificial light refers to any light source that is not naturally occuring in your shooting environment.  It includes a built-in or on-camera flash, external flash unit, studio lighting or even a do-it-yourself lighting set up.  It can also include other creative light sources, such as spotlights and even headlights, like Kathryn Hore of Australia did in these photos.

On Camera Flash

On-camera flashes will fire automatically when in AUTO mode, but may need to be activated when in exposure or creative modes by popping up your flash.  This type of flash often causes unsightly red-eye effects in your subjects:

Source: www.wikipedia.com

 Red eye is caused when the flash is close to the lens in low light situations.  Because the flash occurs quickly, the pupil cannot constrict fast enough and the light reflects off the fundus at the back of the eyeball and out through the pupil.   The red colour comes from the large amount of blood found in the choroid at the back of the eye, behind the retina. (source: www.wikipedia.com)

There are several ways to prevent red eye.  You can use an external flash, directly or indirectly.  If you do not have an external flash unit, try to turn on as many lights as possible and have your subject avoid looking directly at the lens.  If all else fails, you can use photo editing software in post-production to correct it.

External Flash Unit

An external flash is a separate unit that can be purchased and attached to your camera using a “hot shoe“, usually located on the top of your camera. 

There are two ways to employ an external light.  Direct flash is when your flash is pointed directly at your subject.  If you remember from our May 2010 tutorial, you can use direct flash to fill-in your subject when using backlighting. 

Taken with Nikon D70 at f/4.5, 1/320 sec., ISO 200. Flash fired.

It is not without fault, though – direct flash can leave harsh shadows behind your subject or leave a glare on any reflective surface, such as a mirror, window, high-gloss painted wall or eyeglasses.  Depending on your proximity to your subject, it can also wash out colours and overexpose the foreground.  Notice the difference in lighting in the following photos:

Taken with Nikon D90 at f/4, 1/60 sec., ISO 640. Direct flash fired.

Taken with Nikon D90 at f/4, 1/60 sec., ISO 640. Bounced flash fired.

The lighting is much softer in the bounced flash photo, and the glare from my dad’s eyeglasses is eliminated.  He looked down (he’s camera shy!) which may have contributed to the elimination of glare – I always ask my bespectacled subjects  to tilt their heads down a notch to avoid this.   In addition, the harsh shadows behind his head in the first photo are softened in the second.

Indirect flash is a better option.  One method is to bounce your light.  To do so, you need to have a flat white or light coloured surface, such as a ceiling, wall or reflector that will reflect the light, or you can use a bounce card, like this 15 second do-it-yourself version. 

Remember that the angle of incidence will equal the angle of reflection when bouncing your flash, as discussed in the Summer 2010 Hands On! Photography article.  As a general rule of thumb, aim your flash at a point that is midway between your flash and subject.  Also remember that by bouncing the light, you are doubling the distance that it has to travel so adjust your exposure settings accordingly.

Another method of indirect flash is to use a diffuser. It softens the impact of a powerful external flash unit and minimizes shadows.  There are several commercial products on the market, but if you are budget conscious, search online for “do it yourself flash diffuser” for a range of ideas.

Studio Lighting

Studio lighting can be very cost prohibitive, especially for amateur photographers who are trying to turn their hobby into a profession.  When determining studio set up, you will have to consider both space and cost of both categories of lighting:  continuous and flash.  Continuous lighting is inexpensive so it’s a good choice for an initial set up.  It also allows you to view the lighting before the image is taken, revealing shadows and highlights.  However, it can be very hot and uncomfortable for both you and your subject.  It also causes your subject’s irises to dilate, which is generally not desired in portraits.

There are so many considerations when choosing flash lighting such as power, reliability, features and of course, cost.  Several retailers will set lighting kits, which are ideal for an initial investment, such as this one or this one.  As with any large investment, it is wise to research and determine your needs prior to purchasing. 

Do It Yourself Lighting

If you are still experimenting, or are on a tight budget, there are several places online that offer ideas and tips for a build-your-own studio.   Here are a few that I found interesting:

ProPhotoLIfe.com – DIY Studio Product Photography – Ep. 1
ProPhotoLIfe.com – DIY Studio Product Photography – Ep. 4
Putting Together a Budget DIY Lighting System
PVC Backdrop/Light stand
Homemade Cheap DIY Backdrop Stand (lighting options offered further down in article)

I’m sure there are more out there – just use your search feature on your browser.

Now it’s time to try out what we’ve learned!

Your July assignment: 

Using the July tutorial as a guide, photograph a subject using artificial light.  Use your on-camera flash, an external flash unit or get creative and try to find unique artificial light to complement your image.  Try bouncing your flash off the ceiling or a wall.  Dig out a piece of white foam core and use it as a reflector.  Go out and PLAY!!  As always, if you have any questions, please leave me a comment on this post, or email me. 

Deadline:  11:59 pm EST, July 31st, 2010 

Please submit your photo, using our submission form only, for a chance to be entered into our draw to win an awesome prize.  A randomly chosen entry will be drawn after the deadline.  Please click HERE to review the rules regarding this draw BEFORE submitting.  Please note – submissions that are not relative to the tutorial and/or do not abide by these rules will not be posted on the blog, or entered into the draw.  PLEASE remember that your photos should be sized to 72dpi, and at least 500 pixels wide.  Don’t forget to  include your camera settings, including camera used, f/stop, aperture and ISO for your image in the Comments section of the submisson form!  Submissions that do not include this info may not be posted on the blog.

This month’s sponsor is Stampin’ Up – Check out July’s prize pack!

Thanks for playing along this month… Happy Clicking!

June Tutorial – Daylight/Sunlight

As dicussed in the Summer 2010 issue of Canadian Scrapbooker, there is a distinct difference between daylight and sunlight.  When we talk about sunlight, we refer to the actual rays that light your subject.  For example, I captured our golden retriever, Simon, one wintry day, as he basked in the sun:

Taken with Nikon D70 at f/5.6, 1/2000 sec., ISO 200

Daylight, on the other hand, may be available even in the absence of sunlight.  Consider an overcast day - there is often still enough illumination that lights our subject without direct streams of sunlight.  It can also found in the shade of a tree on a sunny day, or on a covered porch, such as this photo of my son, Connor – taken on our covered porch, with a white reflector.

Taken with Nikon D70 at f/2, 1/160 sec., ISO 200

There are a few things to remember when shooting in direct sunlight.

1. Avoid strong, direct sunlight, if possible, for portraitures.  If it is unavoidable, try to make your own shade by using your body.  You could also use your reflector or a piece of posterboard to block the sun.  If nothing is available to create shade, position your subject with the sunlight behind them.  If you remember from last month’s tutorial on backlighting, your camera will be fooled by the bright background so you will need to increase your exposure to correctly light their face(s).

2.  Instead of using your reflector to create shade, you can use it to fill in the shadows.  Prop it up so that the sunlight is bouncing onto the dark areas of your photo – you should be able to see this with your naked eye, as you move it around.  (here’s a great video on how to use a reflector) You can purchase reflectors in a variety of colours and sizes.  You could also use white foam core, a white bedsheet, a silver windshield shade or even just cardboard, covered in tin foil or gold metallic foil, depending on your lighting preferences.

3.  Try using a lens hood to avoid flares, if desired.

Sunlight and daylight have both advantages and disadvantages.  On one hand, they both come in varying degrees of brightness, one is usually available at any outdoor shoot, and it’s free of charge!  However, there are also disadvantages – daylight and sunlight are not a constant source of lighting as it changes in both colour and direction, depending onthe time, weather and location.

Are you ready?  You’ll need to get outdoors for this assignment!

Your June assignment: 

Using the June tutorial as a guide, photograph a subject or object using daylight or sunlight.  Remember to use a reflector to fill in any shadows.  Go outside and PLAY!!  As always, if you have any questions, please leave me a comment on this post, or email me. 

Deadline:  11:59 pm EST, June 30th, 2010 

Please submit your photo, using our submission form only, for a chance to be entered into our draw to win an awesome prize.  A randomly chosen entry will be drawn after the deadline.  Please click HERE to review the rules regarding this draw BEFORE submitting.  Please note – submissions that are not relative to the tutorial and/or do not abide by these rules will not be posted on the blog, or entered into the draw.  PLEASE remember that your photos should be sized to 72dpi, and at least 500 pixels wide.  Don’t forget to  include your camera settings, including camera used, f/stop, aperture and ISO for your image in the Comments section of the submisson form!  Submissions that do not include this info may not be posted on the blog.

This month’s sponsor is Glitz Design – Check out June’s prize pack!

June 2010 Prize Pack - Glitz Designs

Thanks for playing along this month… Happy Clicking!