12 Weeks to Better Photos, Week 4: Flash

All 12 lessons can be viewed here
Week Four is Flash.

Most of the time we all think the onboard flash is the devil incarnate. Pinlights, red eye, blown out skin and flat backgrounds. But what is interesting to discover, is with the right knowledge, you can even get the devil to work for you!
This week's lesson was all about how to utilize "fill flash" to help you on super sunny days, cloudy days and indoors.
We just went through a heat wave here, so I chose to demonstrate fill flash on a sunny day.
no flash:

fill flash:

Notice how in the first one, her face is underexposed. Since the sun is coming directly down, it can create harsh shadows in lines and crevasses. But in the second one, her face and body are more clearly exposed.

Gerber Daisies

The Photoboard picture of the week challenge this week was Pink. I got what I thought was a really fun picture of Keira with a gerber daisy to submit. I also decided to shoot the daisy itself and practice my close-up / focus work. I cropped slightly, adjusted levels and ran an unsharp mask for viewing.
Photo Stats:

Exposure Time:	0.0062s (1/160)
Aperture:	f/2.8
ISO:	200
Focal Length:	50mm (75mm in 35mm)

and for fun, when editing in GIMP, I tried an auto white balance to see what happened. I think Andy Warhol called and wants his flower back.

Extreme Makeover, Photo Edition

There are some uber talented ladies on the photo message board I frequent. We often take a stab at editing each other's stuff, when someone is bored, stumped or in my case, clueless.

I was really excited by a series of shots I got last night with K and a pink gerber. I grapple with editing because I have gotten to the point where I notice when something is SOOC, and I want to give it that extra oomph. But let's face it, I have no leet skillz in that area yet. I am still trying to learn the adage, "less is more". I also don't want to rely on editing to save crappy photos, but merely to make great photos amazing. So I never know how to handle my own stuff. Not to mention I don't have access to all the fun photoshop "actions' available out there (a pre-set group of settings you can instantly apply to photos for a desired affect).

When a few people requested some shots to work on today, I jumped at the chance to see what they would do.

First up was Kari of Kari Merkel Photography. She is the master of B&W conversions, and also has a clean, crisp style in her day to day shooting I really envy. For her blog and full rundown of her steps, go here

I love it! I never know if I can pull off the faded look, but here, I really like the vintage ethos it brings, and how it brings more attention to her little hands because the colour of the flower isn't so overpowering.

Next up we have Ashley of Ramblings and Photos. She is a resident editing expert. Her edits bring clarity and sophistication to the shots. She also tolerates all of us kid-crazy MWACs (moms with a camera) when we post about our kids 90% of the time.
For her blog and full rundown of her steps, go here

::dies:: Look at K's eyes! Again, she used a slightly faded action which helps to tone down the colour of the flower and return some of the focus to my baby. And who doesn't love all the attention to be on their baby?

thank you ladies. I feel like an aging starlet who stumbled across the right makeup artist to help transform me to my former glory just in time for the Oscars :)

Day 032: ocean wise

Took a walk to Kits beach today:

 

desaturated (I seem to be on that kind of kick don't I?), brightened with curves, upped blacks a bit.

Photo Stats:
SS 1/200
Aperture f/5
ISO 200
Focal Length 55mm

Day 022

SOOC

secret garden Redux

In my post here, a viewer said they would prefer to see what was through the hole, rather then focused on the wood. So, here you go!

 

Curves and brightness/saturation adjusted in GIMP.

Photo Stats:

Shutter Speed 1/60

Aperture f5.0

ISO 200

Focal Length: 42mm

Day 021

SOOC

edited: just pumped up the contrast and brightness a bit in GIMP

This is a cherry blossom tree getting its first blooms. In January. 3 weeks before the city is supposed to host the Olympics. Not exactly a winter wonderland here, now is it?

Photo Stats:

Shutter Speed: 1/800
Aperture: f3.8
ISO: 800
Focal Length: 18mm

Day 015

 SOOC

 In the middle of a very dreary rain forecast, the sun made a miraculous 3 hour appearance. I hopped down to Granville Island on my lunch break and snapped some shots. The angle is a bit off; but otherwise I am pretty happy with this one.

 

Just upped the saturation and contrast a bit in GIMP.

Anyone notice my mad photoshopping skillz?

Photo Stats:

Exposure 1/250

Aperture f10

ISO 125

Focal Length 42mm

Day 012

View into a Secret Garden

Photo Stats:

Exposure: 1/60

Aperture: f5.6

ISO: 400

Focal Length: 125mm

auto colour enhanced in GIMP

Day 011

In the interest of full disclosure, I missed taking a photo on Monday January 11. Technically this photo is from Tuesday. But hey, history is written by the victors right? :)
Blooms on a walk near my office:

Photo Stats:
Exposure: 1/125
Aperture: f5.6
ISO 400
Focal Length: 125mm

Day 008

Photo stats:
Exposure: 1/20
Aperture: f5.3
ISO: 400
Focal Length: 70mm

cropped, white balanced and blacks upped a bit in GIMP.