As you can see in the pictures above, lighting can make all the difference when using your digital camera. In the first shot, the swan looks very dingy and the atmosphere of the photo is very dark. In the second shot, the swan looks very white and the overal feeling evoked from the picture is a happy one, brought about by the amount of light. We take photographs to remember events, people, nature and the feelings that we experience when we see them. If your lighting is all wrong, it can destroy the shot and the enjoyment you get from looking at your finished product.

Most digital cameras will automatically decide for you which exposure to use, and how best to process the picture. However, circumstances can trick even digital cameras and the output is less than you would expect. That is why it is helpful to understand lighting and how to take the best picture you possibly can.

While the human eye observes a scene in it's many colors, your camera sees it in varying shades of grey. You will need to pick the focal point of your image and find the best way to light it appropriately or use an existing light source so that your photo will come out as expected. It is important to try to learn to see things as your camera does so that you can take the best possible shot.

Try to imagine the object you are about to photograph in shades of grey, instead of its current coloration. What areas fade into the background? What areas become more noticeable? The more you practice this technique, the quicker you will be able to gauge exactly how your photograph will turn out.

For example, the first picture is what we would see with our human eyes looking at an image. The second picture is in grey scale and shows what your camera actually sees.



You can see that the beach colors, while visible in the first picture, become almost non-existent in the second. The sunset also becomes just a lighter shade of grey, instead of the beautiful gold in the first picture. Small details can become lost if the picture is not lit properly.

Indoor Shots

When you're working indoors, you have the luxury of being able to use as much or as little light as you need. Natural light coming in from windows is softened, which will give you a great starting point as you begin to experiment with different lighting techniques.

Many portrait photos are produced by using a myriad of different lights, all trained on the subject. While the majority of photographers don't need to go to this extent, it is still a good idea to learn the basics of lighting.

Why Use Multiple Light Sources?

If you have tried just pointing and shooting and the results are less than you expect, it may be time to add an additional source of light. You can purchase professional lighting equipment, or even experiment with the lamps and lights around your house.

By using a variety of light sources, you can highlight objects that would normally be unnoticable in your photo. On the same token, you can also mask areas of your image that you don't want to appear by removing the light source that is highlighting them.

You can acheive greater control by fiddling around with your light sources until the object is absolutely in perfect light.

Outdoor Lighting

Taking landscape and wildlife photos can be the most challenging. You are completely at the mercy of the elements. Most landscape photographers choose the hours right before dawn and right before dusk to acheive the perfect shot.

You will also need to consider your subject when selecting the proper light.

Landscapes frequently look better with soft lighting. Wildlife pictures can show more detail when shot in the bright light of mid-day, with no shadows to obscure fine details.

Help! I Have The Perfect Shot and Not Enough Light!

This happens to most photographers. You are stuck outside and the most beautiful sunset is about to take place. However, there are some elements of the photo that you don't want to lose. How can you still take a great shot?

You will need to learn how to use exposure to get the perfect shot. By using a smaller exposure time, you are letting less light in. When you use a longer exposure, you are allowing more light to reach your subject. Please note that if you do plan to use a long exposure, your best results will occur if you use a tripod. The movements of your hand will destroy the shot.

Since you are using a digital medium, you won't need to worry about the ISO film speed setting. However, your digital camera does have this setting and it will help you to get the best shot possible. Most digital cameras come preset with an ISO setting of 100. This means the correct aperture range is anywhere from 8 to 16. Again, experimentation is the best way to acheive success.

Saving As A Higher Quality Image

One sure way to increase the quality of light in your photographs is to choose the highest quality format when saving your image. Each step-down will affect the quality of light in your picture. While these photographs will take up more space on your memory card, the results are worth it.