Recently we posted our Exposed! Photo Newsletter – “Close, Closer, Closest” with simple tips to improve your photos. We invited you to send in your close photos – thanks to everyone who did!

The top photo came from Nancy who cornered her cat with her iphone. She came out on top because she got really, really close!:

Closer Newsletter - blog winner - ©Nancy B

And we’d like to give a shout-out to Willa who got close to her furry friend:

Closer Newsletter - Blog Runner-up - ©Willa M

Nice work, everyone – keep getting closer!

What do you want to hear about in the next few photo newsletters?

Last week I asked on Facebook:

“When shooting do you shoot in auto, aperture or manual exposure mode?”

And the answers flowed! Everything from:

• “Manual all the way…”

• “Aperture for quick shooting. Manual for detailed stuff.”

• “Only manual.”

• “Aperture, usually open full.”

Even mid tones - fine for aperture priority

Manual Mode

Manual mode means the photographer has to determine all the settings that affect exposure – iso, shutter speed and aperture. Manual mode gives full control and creates better photos more often – especially in tricky lighting. But it takes time and practice to learn.

Aperture Mode

Aperture mode means the photographer has to choose iso and aperture. The camera chooses shutter speed. Aperture offers the ease of letting the camera do the work. In subjects that offer mid tones throughout the scene aperture priority will work well. In tricky lighting aperture priority can give poor exposures.

Why?

Your camera compares everything to mid tone grey. It also tries to make all photos mid tone grey on average – EVEN if the scene is a white wedding dress or white snow.

Who has seen photos of grey snow? That’s the result of the camera misreading the scene.

“Manual is too hard!”

Manual mode is harder to learn. Yep. Once learned it will help you produce better photos. Guaranteed.

Of all the facebook comments, working photographers were choosing manual mode more often. There’s a reason for that!

Tricky lighting - silhouetted and backlit Harry

More Info

Want more info? Read this Exposed! Newsletter. Or this one.

Want some help? Consider our Creative Fundamentals Course. This weekend’s session is full – next group session is in the fall. Custom course is available anytime.

A week ago a group of photographers joined us to explore the equine world of dressage with their cameras at a private farm – Northern Equestrian Centre. Our host, Alison, was very good to us, lining up horses and riders as well as near perfect weather for the shooting session (Thanks Alison and riders!)

Dancing Horses - Ottawa photo class - Anne Gale

Weather was warm and the nice diffused light helped photographers. We started with a warm-up exercise of horse portraits with more challenges as the afternoon progressed. Photographers were encouraged to push their own levels a little – everyone got something they liked.

Dancing Horses - Ottawa Photo Safari - © June Cairns

And the students enjoyed themselves:

“Overall the safari was great.  I wasn’t sure what to expect as this is the first safari or formal photography workshop I have done.  I really liked the structure and definately the subject matter.”

“…really enjoyed it.  photographing something that big had some challenges but it was fun. i loved doing the portraits.”

Dancing Horses - Ottawa Photo Course - © Mary Raphael

“Thank you for organizing this workshop, I really enjoyed it.”

“You were great as well, I know some of the people there are regulars of yours but you made me feel welcome.”

Dancing Horses - Ottawa Photo Course - © Barb McKenzie

Stay tuned for more safari fun. In May we have the Sheep Shearing Photo Safari – with dogs, sheep and some challenging flower fun.

In July we have the Urban Composition Safari designed to push your compositional limits.

We are also working on another active summer safari to stretch your photo limits. See our current list of photo courses.

Dancing Horses - Ottawa Photo Class - © Ronnie Alexander

Dancing Horses - Ottawa Photo Classes - © G LaMadeleine