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.

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Sometimes, you want to take a photo of something, but the lighting is poor and you’re without a good tripod. Say, for example, your tripod is in the car, and you would miss an opportunity if you left to grab it. If your camera is small enough, you can prop it on almost anything and set a timer and you’re set. A tripod would be ideal, of course, but there’s no reason to miss a shot because you don’t have your tripod with you. Use whatever is available. I’ve used plates, books, shot glasses, my camera bag, and the list goes on. If you have a heavy lens on the front of your camera, you will need a spacer of some sort. Use your lens cap or a filter case as a spacer.

Again, the idea is not to replace the tripod. But in a pinch, there’s always something you can use.

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.

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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.

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In one of my previous posts, I talked about the new Adobe Photoshop Express.  If you remember, one of my concerns was that using the service gave Adobe the rights to reuse any of your photos, and I cautioned that you may want to reconsider using the service.

Well, apparently I wasn’t the only person who was concerned.  In an article on DPReview.com, I read that Adobe has changed their rights agreement.

Read the full article here.