[tweetmeme]Histograms are a graphic representation of the levels of light in your photo. They’re a great tool for understanding just how the light in your photo is balanced and can help you to create the perfectly exposed and balanced photograph.

To see just how histograms display colour and light information we will dissect the histogram below which represents the light tones of the image above.

The most common type of histogram illustrates black and white tones, but it is not uncommon to see a histogram that separates an image into it’s core colours as well. To understand the black and white histogram above we must first imagine that the image at the top is desaturated and presented in black and white.

The horizontal axis represents the dark and light tones and the vertical axes shows what portion of the image holds that particular tone. The photograph above is evidently dark and the top and bottom of the image hold a lot of black shadows. On the histogram we can see that there is a peak on the far left which indicates that those dark shadows are the most prominent tones in the image. Contrastingly, on the far right of the histogram we can see that there are minimal highlights. This again can be seen in the photograph as there are no significant white points.

Due to it’s significant shadows this photograph would be regarded as underexposed. A correctly exposed photo will have the majority of the histogram in the ‘Midtones’ section and be evenly spread throughout the graph.

Histograms can be a very handy tool when you’re trying to balance the exposure of your photo. Just remember that it should only be used as a guide and sometimes the eye serves as a better judge.

The Triangle by Thackman

[tweetmeme]Imagine you’ve just put a pie in the oven. Now, the back of the packet said it needed 20 minutes at 120 degrees, but you haven’t defrosted your pie yet and the guide on the pack is for a fully thawed out pie. How hot do you want it? How long should you leave it in for and at what temperature? Welcome everyone to the world of photography.

Confused? This is where The Exposure Triangle can help. Imagine that the time you leave your pie in the oven for is your cameras Shutter Speed, the temperature of the oven is the ISO, and the state of your pie (frozen or thawed) is your cameras aperture. These three aspects of photography help to make up what is called ‘The Exposure Triangle’. Each one is directly related to the other, and a change in one will require an adjustment in the other two to ensure a properly exposed photo.

This analogy may seem strange, but I find this is one of the clearest ways to understand the relationship between Shutter Speed, Aperture and ISO. In order to understand the relationship though, you first need to know what each one is, and how it affects your photo.

Shutter Speed: The Shutter Speed is a fairly simple concept. It basically defines how long the shutter is open for. A longer shutter speed, such as two seconds (2″), means that your camera’s sensor (the CCD) is exposed to the light for longer, and this subsequently results in a brighter photo. Likewise, if you use a shorter shutter speed, such as one two hundredth of a second (1/200), then the camera’s sensor is exposed to the light for less time resulting in a darker photo. In the pie analogy, the shutter speed relates to the time your pie is in the oven. If you leave it in the oven for 30 minutes, it will be much hotter compared to leaving it in the oven for 10 minutes.

If you want to leave it in the oven for at least 30 minutes however, but don’t wish for it to get burnt, then the easiest way to avoid this is to turn down the temperature of the oven…

ISO: The ISO is the temperature in our pie analogy. ISO refers to your camera’s sensitivity to light and usually ranges from ISO 80 to ISO 1600. When light passes through the lens it is detected by the camera’s CCD (the camera’s sensor). If you have a higher ISO, such as ISO 800, then your photo will appear very bright. If however you choose a lower sensitivity such as ISO 100, then the image will appear darker. In photography it is best to leave the ISO at a lower level, around the 200 mark. Higher ISO’s will result in a noisier image, a bit like how having an oven at 400 degrees will burn the edges of your pie, even if you leave it in the oven for a very short time.

So you’ve got a low ISO, and you’re compensating for this low sensitivity with a slightly longer shutter speed. The additional light let in by exposing the sensor for longer should help you to properly expose your photo. But what about the frozen pie? After all, if the pie is frozen then you might need to leave it in the oven for longer, or perhaps turn the temperature up…

Aperture: The aperture refers to the size of the opening within your lens. Aperture is measured in F-Stops, where a smaller F stop such as F3.2 means a large opening, and a larger F-Stop such as F22 means a much smaller opening. If you increase the size of your aperture to around F3.2 then there is more space for light to enter, which subsequently causes your photo to be brighter. If however you choose a smaller aperture of F22, then there is very little room for light to enter, and less light enters resulting in a darker photo. In the pie analogy, a smaller aperture means a frozen pie, whereas a larger aperture means a well thawed pie. If your pie is frozen, you will need to leave it in the oven for longer or turn the temperature up. Thaw it out however, and it will be ready much faster.

A well exposed photo is a result of the correct shutter speed, the correct ISO and the correct Aperture. A nice warm pie is similarly the result of the correct time, the correct temperature, and a pie in the correct state.

The Exposure Triangle defines the relationship between all three of these photographic aspects. Hopefully this pie analogy will help to explain just how they all affect each other. There is no right or wrong setting for taking a photo. Sometimes you may want a longer shutter speed to capture the flow of a waterfall, in which case you will need a smaller aperture and a less sensitive ISO to compensate for this extra light. Sometimes you may be photographing at night in which case you’ll want to increase the sensitivity, increase the shutter speed and use a wide aperture to capture all the light you need.

The best way to fully understand The Exposure Triangle though is to get out there and take photos. Move the dial to M and shoot on full manual, and proceed to adjust each setting to see how they change your photo. Even the pro’s get it wrong the first time, but having the understanding of how they work together will allow you to end up with a nice tasty photo.

Two sunsets are never the same at Paynesville. The colours in this one are the most beautiful i’ve ever witnessed.

You’d think we’d all get bored of the suns cycle. It rises and sets every single day at the same times and in the same places. But for some reason, this repetitious event has never been seen as part of the ‘daily routine’. For billions of years the sun has been following its cycle, but today we still see a rise or a set as a special occasion that holds a unique, romantic beauty. Why is this?

It’s simple. Every sunrise and sunset really is unique. In photography, capturing the sun can profess so many different moods and emotions, depending on the time, the weather and the location. So how do you get the best out of sunset photography? There are a few things you’ll need to look out for.

In this tutorial I’ll be focusing mainly on sunset photography. If it’s sunrises you’re interested in, the same still applies.

The Timing

The problem most people have with sunset photography is that their timing and mindset is all wrong. They think that the nicest sunsets occur while the sun is still present and lighting up the sky. However, you’ll tend to capture the best photo with the most unique colours around 10 minutes after the sun has set, when it is below the horizon.

The science behind this is very simple, but remember, it doesn’t always apply. If you take your photograph while the sun is edging over the horizon, you’ll find it to be overpowering and wash out most of the colour in your photograph. Once it’s below the horizon though, the colours will still be projected up into the sky and you’ll be able to capture a well balanced photo without an overpowering sun in it.

Beautiful sunset photos can still be taken with the sun present, but they require a little bit more luck or imagination. You could always try positioning the sun behind an object to create a silhouette, or you might even like to experiment with Starburst.

Capturing a sunset at its best takes time and a bit of dedication. If you’re serious, you should allow yourself around half an hour to take your photo. Get out there and be set up 15 minutes before it sets, and allow for 15 minutes afterwards. Giving yourself this wide time span is a step I cannot stress enough. Throughout this half an hour you’ll find the sky will change numerous times, presenting many different photographic opportunities.

Think it’s time to pack up? Mmmm, give it another few minutes. I find it’s best to wait until it’s properly dark. As the sun gets lower and lower, the colors become darker and more mysterious. Only pack up when you’re sure the sun’s got nothing more to give.

The Camera

Most cameras these days have the ability to capture the sun at its best. As a result, it doesn’t matter if you have a basic point and shoot or a professional SLR. You will however benefit greatly from having the ability to manipulate your exposure and your white balance.

The Settings

As I stated above, it’s nice to be able to manipulate your exposure and white balance. Giving yourself a good half an hour to photograph your sunset will allow you to experiment with the cameras settings to give you the best lighting and feel.
Shoot your photo using a variety of exposures. A well lit shot may be nice, but you’d be amazed at the different feels you can create using a darker exposure.
Be creative with your white balance. Use it to manipulate the colours of the scene and generate a completely different aura.

The Equipment

Make sure you’ve got yourself a tripod or another method to steady your camera. As you will be photographing while the sun is out of the frame and it’s dark, using a tripod is essential to keep your camera steady for that long exposure shot.

~

That’s all there really is to it. All it takes is an imagination and time. Annoyingly, I tend to find that even after a half hour shoot, there is only one or two main photographs at best that I’m actually happy with. Sometimes the shoot can be a dud and you won’t end up with a stand-out photograph at all. Just remember that in 12 hours, there will be another opportunity, and likewise another in 12 hours again.
The great thing is though, every stand-out photo I’ve captured from my sunset shoots possesses a unique quality that differentiates itself from every other sunset shoot I’ve taken, which really makes the shoot worthwhile.

Below are a few of my favorite sunrise and sunset shots which possess their own unique qualities.
Good luck!