A photo histogram is basically a graphical representation of the light distribution in a photograph. In its simplest form, it’s is an evaluation of light vs. dark areas within the drawing. There are more complex histograms that also analyze the distribution across a given color channel, but we won’t get into those today. Histograms are commonly misunderstood or even ignored among amateur photographers. For that matter, histograms weren’t available as a consumer tool until digital photography came onto the scene. Now, many cameras can generate an instant histogram from photos you’re taking in the field. This has helped many photographers make quick adjustments on site or in the studio. In this article, I will give a brief introduction to Histograms, and I will explain how they can help you improve your own photography.
I have seen many people use the subjectiveness of art, in all forms, as an excuse for dismissing allegedly bad criticism, touting phrases like “they don’t really know what they’re looking at…”. Usually, this is followed by some sort of claim that the person has been doing said art for many years, or they studied under a certain person. At least the more modest will state that their work isn’t for everyone. But even then, you are still making excuses.
Criticism is a difficult thing for us humans to accept. It is our goal as artists to please the general public, so it is very difficult to accept that someone doesn’t like our work. Especially considering the amount of time we all know we spend on our art, and photography is no exception. But all criticism, regardless of how skilled the source, should be taken into consideration. We can separate our sources into two types: Skilled and Unskilled. Below I will discuss why each is important and how you can utilize it.
Photography is the documentation of light. Documentation of light requires proper exposure of your shot. To achieve the proper exposure, one needs to meter the subject effectively. Thanks to technology, long gone are the days where a photographer is required to use an external light meter, apply some math and possibly some guesswork. The advent of in-camera metering and the improvement of lens technology has made the world of photography much easier for the hobby photographer.
Understanding how your camera’s metering system works will make a dramatic difference in you photography. There are generally three types of metering methods: Average Metering, Center Weighted Metering and Spot Metering. Knowing the advantages and disadvantages of each is important as a photographer. It will help you set up your shot properly and get the best exposure. Below is a break-down of each.
Sapping the shutter is, in my view, only about 25% of the entire photographic process. The other 75% is handled in the proofing and post-processing stages. With film, this was an incredible setback as many of us do not have the space or resources to build a dark room. Those without access to a dark room were therefore missing out on three-quarters of the entire experience. Working with professional shops was a step in the right direction, but you still had to give up ultimate control. Color corrections, at the very least, were adjusted to yield what they felt was the ideal range. But they were not the creator of your work, and they did not have full comprehension of your vision. In a real-life example, I spent a great deal of time and effort antiquing a photograph in Photoshop only to have it readjusted by the technician. What a waste of time and energy.
The advent of digital cameras have done a great deal to make Photography a legitimate hobby for many people throughout the world. Not only is photography more readily shared across the internet, but all aspects of photography are now easy to attain for a relatively low cost. With film, hobbyists literally had to dedicate a room to their art. And while a can of black paint may give you a strong basis for a dark room, the cost of equipment necessary added up quickly. Now, a digital photographer only needs to dedicate some space on their hard drive.
In this article, I intend to introduce you to the Digital Darkroom by introducing some of the important software that you will need. I will focus on what you need in order to get your work done. As you know, there are often a number of different applications available to perform the same or similar tasks, so it usually comes down to preference. But I will try to outline some of the more common scenarios.
One of the things you hear all the time is that cloudy skies are great for photography. The first question a beginning photographer might ask is: Is this true? Which would then be followed by the obvious question: Why? In this short article, I plan to answer both of those questions. But the answer to each depends on the type of photographs you’re taking.
Cloudy Skies and Portraits
Cloudy days are, in fact, quite good for portrait photography. Bright sunlight causes hard-lined shadows. The last thing you want in a portrait is a hard shadow. Soft lines are ideal for portraits. It gives a softer touch to your subject. In a studio, where we can control the light, we use diffusers to prevent harsh shadows. Outside, we don’t have such luxuries. Clouds, on the other hand, act as a natural diffuser. So pray for cloudy skies.
Cloudy Skies With Other Types of Photography
With Landscape Photography, shadows can may be part of your photograph. Depending on your goals, you may want harsh shadows, which means you want bright sun and blue skies. Hard-lines upon the leaves of a tree helps to give it depth. For that matter, cloudy skies won’t appear very interesting if they happen to become a part of your photo. In cases where architecture is your subject, hard-lined shadows will accentuate the lines you’re trying to capture on film, but diffused light might help in cases where shadows from other structures or plants might create distracting lines. Sunny skies or cloudy days may benefit equally.
Conclusion
Generally, the concept of cloudy skies being great for photography is a generalization that is limited to portrait photography. In most other cases, it depends on the effect that you desire. But unless you’re capturing portraits, when outside, you usually want sunny skies.
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