PERC Photo Tips Volume 1
- SHOOT IN THE SHADE: Shade works especially well for people and flowers. If a subject is not in the shade, move it into the shade or shade the subject by having someone hold a diffuser or reflector to create shade. Set your white balance to shade as shade contains a lot of blue light. The shade setting removes that blue.
- NATURAL LIGHT PORTRAITS: Getting a good portrait is highly dependent on the quality and quantity of light used. You can get soft, evenly diffused light by having the subject stand or sit in front of a window. Shoot when the light comes from the sky, not directly from the sun, or diffuse direct sun with a white sheer drape or diffuser. Change direction of the light by moving the camera and subject at different angles to the window for everything from dramatic sidelight to open front light.
- THE BEST METERING MODES: For most scenes use Evaluative or Matrix metering mode. For backlit scenes use Spot metering with fill flash to light your subject.
- POOR MAN’S MANUAL: If you use Program Mode, you can mimic Manual Mode techniques when faced by very bright backgrounds or backlit scenes. Use exposure compensation to reduce the overall exposure (try 1 to 2 stops first), then use fill flash to light the subject.
- USE YOUR HIGHLIGHT ALERT: To more easily avoid blown-out highlights, turn on your highlight alert. Most cameras with a histogram also have an alert, a feature that shows blinking patches on bright white areas in the photo. However it is usually not turned on when you receive the camera.
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