Photo Tips
for digital and other forms of photography

Lighting

• Use a flash for people pictures.
• Front lighting - directly on the subject. Good light, but try to avoid people squinting into the sun. May also make the colors look less intense by giving a washed-out appearance.
• Side lighting - light casts shadows on half of the subject
• Back lighting - not much detail in the subject but can be very dramatic. (Like a silhouette in front of a window.)
• Flat (diffused) lighting - shadows are fuzzy (or not at all). This is the time to take close-up pictures of faces.
• At the beginning or end of the day the light is less harsh.
• Cloudy days bring out colors and tones without being drowned out by the sun.
• On a bright, sunny day you can diffuse lighting by positioning yourself so a tree, building or other objective shades your subject. You can also hold with camera with your right hand and try to shade the lens with your left hand.

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