Cambridge in Colour

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Sean McHugh — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 06:08:36 +0000

CAMERA SHUTTER SPEED A camera's shutter speed can control exposure, but it's also one of the most powerful creative tools in photography. It can convey motion, freeze action, isolate subjects and smooth water, amongst other abilities. This tutorial describes how to achieve these various effects, in addition to hopefully stimulating other creative ideas for using [...]

Using Lens Corrections to Improve Image Quality

Sean McHugh — Fri, 18 Nov 2011 18:00:00 +0000

Lens corrections help offset imperfections present in nearly every camera image. These might include darkening near the corners of the frame, otherwise straight lines appearing curved, or color fringes near edge detail. Even though these often aren't obvious in the original photo, the benefits of their removal almost always are. However, lens corrections also have the potential to make images worse if not carefully performed, and depending on the subject, some imperfections can actually be beneficial.

Moon & Night Calculator for Photography

Sean McHugh — Mon, 24 Oct 2011 21:00:16 +0000

Planning is more important than ever with moon, night and astrophotography, in part because the desired conditions may only arise a few times a year. The following calculator can be used for guidance.

Sunrise & Sunset Calculator for Photography

Sean McHugh — Mon, 26 Sep 2011 22:04:29 +0000

Planning when to be on location for the right light can make a tremendous difference in your photography. Use this tool to understand when twilight starts and ends, along with where and when the sun will rise and set.

Making the Most of Natural Light in Photography

Sean McHugh — Mon, 12 Sep 2011 19:18:51 +0000

Paying more attention to light is perhaps the single most important step you can take to improve your photography. With many landscapes, having good natural lighting can even be more important than the choice of subject itself. Different types of natural light can also produce a wide variety of subject appearances — even though these all have the same light source. Learn how to achieve the right light for your subject by utilizing the unique qualities of your particular time of day and weather.

Cameras vs. The Human Eye

Sean McHugh — Mon, 18 Jul 2011 18:55:42 +0000

Why can't I just point my camera at what I'm seeing and record that? It's a seemingly simple question. It's also one of the most complicated to answer, and requires delving into not only how a camera records light, but also how and why our eyes work the way they do. Tackling such questions can reveal surprising insights about our everyday perception of the world around us — in addition to making one a better photographer.

Tips on Digital Photo Restoration

Sean McHugh — Mon, 20 Jun 2011 12:30:50 +0000

Digital photo restoration can work miracles by turning a faded old family portrait into an image of seemingly modern quality. Alternatively, this process can work in reverse to give a photograph a timeless feel. Performing either of these transformations yourself is not as difficult as it may seem — you just need to know which restoration tools to use.

Digital Photo Editing Workflow

Sean McHugh — Wed, 11 May 2011 18:00:49 +0000

This article summarizes the most important steps to incorporate into your digital photo editing workflow (aka "post-processing workflow"). It isn't necessarily a procedure that you'll want to implement with all of your photos, but whenever you want to get that "keeper" looking just right, these steps can make all the difference.

Using Neutral Density Filters

Sean McHugh — Wed, 20 Apr 2011 18:00:51 +0000

Neutral density (ND) filters reduce the amount of light entering the camera, enabling a longer exposure time than otherwise possible. This can emphasize motion, or make an otherwise tumultuous scene appear surreal and quiescent. Alternatively, an ND filter also enables larger apertures, which can produce a shallower depth of field, or achieve a sharper photo. Either way, this is a useful and often under-appreciated filter that deserves a deeper look. ND filters are also one of the easiest filters to use, and their effect cannot be replicated digitally — at least not with a single shot.

Portraits with Two Lights: Adding a Fill Light

Sean McHugh — Wed, 06 Apr 2011 15:00:51 +0000

A second light source — usually called a fill light or fill flash — can greatly improve portrait lighting. It reduces the depth of shadows and softens the appearance of facial features, amongst other traits. Best of all, a fill light is easy to create: either a simple on-camera flash or a reflector is often sufficient. However, a second light source can just as easily harm portraits. This tutorial therefore focuses on how to control the location and intensity of the fill light in order to produce a desired portrait appearance.