PhotoPlus_Issue_128_July_2017

seasonalphotoskills
4
Use the
whole day
There’s more to shooting in the summer
than getting up early and staying out late
The great thing about shooting in the summer
months is the long days and amount of daylight
available for you to take advantage of. During the day,
however, metering can become tricky. Have you ever
looked onto a glimmering ocean view, gone to capture
it with your camera, and been disappointed by the
result? This is because the human eye can see the
equivalent of about 14 f-stops of dynamic range, while
Canon DSLRs are limited to around eight. Don’t be
disheartened though. As long as you choose the right
subject to photograph (under the right conditions), the
season can be just as rewarding as any other. Here,
we’ll encourage you to use the whole of the day
– including in the harsh, high and bright midday light.
You could try to shake up your composition to avoid
contrast completely, or use shade to your advantage.
It’s time to make friends with midday…
Shooting summer scenes
with a longer focal length
simplifies the composition.
Excluding a bright sky can
make exposure easier, too
Sunrise Midday Sunset
Early-morning light tends to be cooler. Arrive at
least 30 minutes before actual sunrise to set up
Light in the middle of the day often makes
landscapes look a bit flat and two-dimensional
Late evening light leans toward pleasingly
warm colour casts of orange and red
TOP
TIP
How to shoot a sunrise
The reward of capturing the sun rising over the
horizon almost always makes up for the lack of sleep.
Research carefully to check the direction of sunrise,
and scout your location beforehand so you can set up
a good composition without faff. Arrive in plenty of
time, and mount your camera onto a tripod. Opt for
a low ISO, an aperture of around f/8-f/11 and a longer
shutter speed to compensate.
32
Morning light is cooler
in tone, so you might
want to set the white
balance to Shade
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