Today's Photo Skill: Find the Light

Everyday Photography from a Professional Photographer's Point of View

Photographs preserve a moment in time, ensuring that the moment will live on in memory. And in this era where every phone is a camera and every camera is a technological wonder, we capture more and more moments. As a professional, I see my role as the punctuation to your daily moments and memories. I serve you at those milestone moments when you need to be in the image or you want what my creative vision can provide.

Social media is wonderful for sharing our lives, yet I see silhouette cartoons representing people rather than a nice photo of them. You've probably seen posts with pictures that resemble nothing so much as a muddy mess where the text coos about the adorable kitten that's supposed to be in the image. I'd like to share my knowledge and experience with you so that your photographs are the creative expression of your moments that you want them to be. Whether you post to social media, photograph for fun or run a business and need images for marketing, there are skills and techniques that you can master, even with your cell phone camera, to make the image pop!

Today's Skill - Find the light! Photographs are paintings made with light. Low light and dark photography are difficult skills, something to work toward. Start with light! One way is to use what's available - sun, or the lighting in the room. If it's dark, get relatively close and use flash. And if you can't light it, and the image is dark, either edit in a photo editor or delete. Yes, pros hit the delete button too! Look for the light in every photo op and make the best use of it.

I have ideas for upcoming posts that will include managing exposure, stopping action, isolating the subject and more. What would you like to know about making photos? I'd love to use your questions and trouble spots to help everyone capture memories better!