Digital photography

DIGITAL PHOTOGRAPHY

by Rob Sheppard

®

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DIGITAL PHOTOGRAPHY

by Rob Sheppard

®

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DIGITAL PHOTOGRAPHY SIMPLIFIED®

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About the Author

Rob Sheppard is the author/photographer of more than 25 books,a well-known speaker and workshop leader, and is editor-at-largeand columnist for the prestigious Outdoor Photographer magazine.As author/photographer, Sheppard has written hundreds ofarticles about photography and nature, plus books ranging fromguides to photography such as Digital Photography: Top 100Simplified Tips & Tricks, 3rd edition, to books about Photoshopincluding Adobe Camera Raw for Digital Photographers Only andOutdoor Photographer Landscape and Nature Photography withPhotoshop CS2. His Web site is at www.robsheppardphoto.comand his blog is at www.photodigitary.com.

Author’s Acknowledgments

Any book is only possible with the help of a lot of people. I thankall the folks at Wiley for their work in creating books like this andtheir work in helping make the book the best it can be. I reallyappreciate all the work that editor Sarah Hellert did along withher associates in helping keep this book clear and understandablefor the reader. I also thank my terrific wife of 28 years who keepsme grounded and focused while I work on my books. I thank thepeople at Werner Publications, my old home, where I was editorof Outdoor Photographer for 12 years and helped start PCPhotomagazine — I thank them for their continued support so I canstay on top of changes in the industry. I especially thank ChrisRobinson, Wes Pitts, and Steve Werner for their efforts in keepinga strong magazine presence in the photo market, and a place formy work, too. That magazine work enhances and enriches what Ican do for readers of my books. And I thank Rick Sammon for hissupport and inspiration in doing photography books.

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Acquiring and Storing Digital Images

1Getting Ready to Take PicturesSet Up Your LCD for Optimum Use . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4

Viewfinder or LCD — Which to Use? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6

Choose a Resolution and File Type . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8

Choose a Memory Card . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10

Hold the Camera for Sharpness . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12

Choose a Program Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .14

Using Your Camera's Autofocus . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .16

2Taking a Better Picture through CompositionSimple Pictures Work Best . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .20

Get Close to Your Subject . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .22

Find a Foreground . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .24

Watch Your Background . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .26

The Rule of Thirds . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .28

When Centered Is Good . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .30

Where Heads Belong . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .32

Watch Your Edges . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .34

Shoot Verticals and Horizontals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .36

Table of Contents

Using Light to Your AdvantageSee the Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .40

Shadows Are Important . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .42

Light Can Hurt Your Photos (What to Avoid) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .44

Low Front Light Can Be Beautiful . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .46

Make Textures Show Up with Sidelight . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .48

Separate with Backlight . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .50

Add Impact with Spotlight . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .52

Turn On Your Flash When the Light Is Harsh . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .54

Time of Day Changes the Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .56

Try Out Night Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .58

4Understanding Exposure and White BalanceWhat Your Camera Meter Does . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .62

The Problem of Underexposure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .64

The Problem of Overexposure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .66

Correct Exposure Problems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .68

What Is White Balance? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .70

When to Use Auto White Balance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .72

When to Use Definite White Balance Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .74

Using White Balance Settings Creatively . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .76

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Table of Contents


5Choosing Shutter Speed and F-StopControl Exposure with Shutter Speed and F-Stop . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .80

Stop Action with Fast Shutter Speeds . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .82

Blur Action with Slow Shutter Speeds . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .84

Increase Depth-of-Field with Small F-Stops . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .86

Create Shallow Depth-of-Field with Large F-Stops . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .88

ISO Settings Affect Exposure Choices . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .90

6Getting Maximum SharpnessMinimize Camera Movement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .94

Focus on the Most Important Part of the Subject . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .96

Choose F-Stop or Shutter Speed for Appropriate Sharpness . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .98

Get Maximum Sharpness with a Tripod . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .100

Get Sharpness with Other Camera Supports . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .102

Getting the Most from a LensGet a Big View with a Wide Angle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .106

Get a Tight View with a Telephoto . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .108

Zoom for Best Compositions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .110

Choose Focal Lengths for Different Subjects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .112

Closeups and Lenses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .114

Focal Length and People Photographs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .116

How to Buy New Lenses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .118

Indoor and Night Light Plus FlashDeal with Artificial Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .122

Correct Color with White Balance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .124

Using Appropriate Shutter Speed Technique . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .126

Brace the Camera for Sharpness . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .128

Understand How Flash Works . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .130

Dealing with Red-Eye . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .132

Avoid Flash Shadow Problems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .134

Bounce Your Flash for More Natural Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .136

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Table of Contents


9Editing and Organizing Your PhotosImport Photos to Your Computer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .140

Organize Photos on a Hard Drive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .142

Back Up Photos on a Second Drive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .144

Using Photoshop Elements to Organize Photos . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .146

Using ACDSee to Browse and Edit Photos . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .148

Using ACDSee to Organize Photos . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .150

Edit the Good from the Bad . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .152

Using ACDSee to Rename Your Photos . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .154

Create Quick Slide Shows with ACDSee . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .156

10Basic Adjustments with Photoshop ElementsHow Elements Is Arranged . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .160

You Cannot Hurt Your Photos . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .162

Crop Your Photos for Better Images . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .164

Fix Crooked Horizons . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .166

Fix Gray Photos . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .168

Make Dark Photos Brighter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .170

Correct Color Easily . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .172

Try Black-and-White . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .174

Size the Picture for Printing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .176

Size Photos for E-mail . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .178

Sharpen the Image . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .180

Additional Controls with Photoshop ElementsUsing Selections to Isolate Adjustments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .184

Modify Your Selections . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .186

Increase Color Saturation without Problems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .188

Darken Specific Areas of a Photo . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .190

Lighten Specific Areas of a Photo . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .192

Darken Edges for a Traditional Look . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .194

Clone Effectively . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .196

What Layers Are About . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .198

Printing PhotosStart with a Good Photo for a Good Print . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .202

Calibrate the Monitor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .204

Using Photo Printers with Elements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .206

Set the Printer Driver Correctly . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .208

Make the Right Paper Choice . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .210

Make a Good Print . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .212

Add Text to a Print . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .214

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12

How to Use This Book

Do you look at the pictures in a book before anythingelse on a page? Would you rather see an image insteadof read about how to do something? Search no further.This book is for you. Opening Digital PhotographySimplified allows you to read less and learn more aboutdigital photography.

Who Needs This Book

This book is for a reader who has limited experiencewith a digital camera or a photo editing program andwants to learn more. It is also for readers who want toexpand or refresh their knowledge of the differentaspects of digital photography.

Book Organization

Digital Photography Simplified has 12 chapters.

Chapter 1, Getting Ready to Take Pictures, introducesyou to working with a digital camera. You learn why theLCD is so important and how you can use it to youradvantage. You also learn how to set up your camera forbest use when photographing.

In Chapter 2, Taking a Better Picture throughComposition, you learn how to immediately start takingbetter looking photos. You learn how to simplify yourimages, use foregrounds and backgrounds, and how touse the rule-of-thirds.

Chapter 3, Using Light to Your Advantage, helps youtruly see the light that makes a good photograph. Youlearn what to use and what to avoid, plus some tips ongaining impact with dramatic light.

Chapter 4, Understanding Exposure and WhiteBalance, shows you how to get the most from yourcamera’s exposure and white balance systems.

Chapter 5, Choosing Shutter Speed and F-Stop,introduces you to these key elements of photography.You learn how to stop action with the right shutter speedor how to gain more sharpness in depth with yourchoice of f-stop.

Chapter 6, Getting Maximum Sharpness, teaches youhow to get the best sharpness possible from your cameraand lens, regardless of the type.

Chapter 7, Getting the Most from a Lens, gives youextensive information about working with lenses,whether the one attached to a compact digital camera orinterchangeable lenses for a digital SLR.

Chapter 8, Indoor and Night Light Plus Flash, showsyou how to deal with the challenges of indoor and nightlight, from exposure to sharpness, and offers someguidelines on working with flash.

Chapter 9, Editing and Organizing Your Photos, getsyou started working on your photos in the computer,and editing and organizing them in Photoshop Elementsand ACDSee.

Chapter 10, Basic Adjustments with PhotoshopElements, introduces you to working with PhotoshopElements, helping you crop images, fix problem contrastand color, and size photos for printing or e-mail.

Chapter 11, Additional Controls with PhotoshopElements, covers selection tools which allow you toisolate your adjustments, plus their use to affect colorand tone. You also learn how to clone effectively.

Chapter 12, Printing Photos, teaches you how to get agood print from your ink jet printer.

Chapter Organization

This book consists of sections, all listed in the book’stable of contents. A section is a set of steps that show youhow to complete a specific task. Each section, usuallycontained on two facing pages, has an introduction tothe task at hand, a set of full-color screen shots and stepsthat walk you through the task, and a set of tips. Thisformat allows you to quickly look at a topic of interestand learn it instantly.

What You Need to Use This Book

• A digital camera

To install and run Photoshop Elements, you need acomputer with the following:

• Windows: An Intel Pentium 4, Celeron, orcompatible processor at 1.3 GHz or faster; Mac:PowerPC G4 or G5 or multicore Intel processor

• Windows XP with Service Pack 2 or Windows Vistaoperating system; Mac OS X v10.4.8 and up

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• Color monitor with a minimum of 1024 x 768resolution (a 19-inch monitor is recommended)

• 256MB of RAM (1GB recommended)

• 1.5GB of available hard-disk space (10 to 20 GBfree space is recommended)

• CD-ROM or DVD-ROM drive

Using the Mouse

This book uses the following conventions to describe theactions you perform when using the mouse:

ClickPress your left mouse button once. You generally clickyour mouse on something to select something on thescreen.

Double-clickPress your left mouse button twice. Double-clickingsomething on the computer screen generally openswhatever item you have double-clicked.

Right-clickPress your right mouse button. When you right-clickanything on the computer screen, the program displaysa shortcut menu containing commands specific to theselected item.

Click and Drag, and Release the MouseMove your mouse pointer and position it over an itemon the screen. Press and hold down the left mousebutton. Now, move the mouse to where you want toplace the item and then release the button. You use thismethod to move an item from one area of the computerscreen to another.

The Conventions in This Book

A number of typographic and layout styles have beenused throughout Digital Photography Simplified todistinguish different types of information.

BoldBold type represents the names of commands andoptions that you interact with. Bold type also indicatestext and numbers that you must type into a dialog boxor window.

ItalicsItalic words introduce a new term and are followed by adefinition.

Numbered StepsYou must perform the instructions in numbered steps inorder to successfully complete a section and achieve thefinal results.

Bulleted StepsThese steps point out various optional features. You donot have to perform these steps; they simply giveadditional information about a feature. Steps withoutbullets tell you what the program does in response toyour following a numbered step. For example, if youclick a menu command, a dialog box may appear, or awindow may open. The step text may also tell you whatthe final result is when you follow a set of numberedsteps.

NotesNotes give additional information. They may describespecial conditions that may occur during an operation.They may warn you of a situation that you want to avoid,for example the loss of data. A note may also cross-reference a related area of the book. A cross-referencemay guide you to another chapter, or another sectionwith the current chapter.

You can easily identify the tips in anysection by looking for the Simplify Iticon. Tips offer additional information,including tips, hints, and tricks. You canuse the tip information to go beyondwhat you have learned in the steps.

Operating System DifferenceThe screen shots used in this book were captured usingthe Windows Vista operating system. The interfacefeatures shown in the tasks may differ slightly if you areusing a Windows XP or earlier operating system, althoughPhotoshop Elements looks essentially the same in bothWindows and Mac operating systems. For example, thedefault folder for saving photos in Windows Vista isnamed Pictures, whereas the default folder in WindowsXP for saving photos is named My Pictures.

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ChapterChapter 111Getting Readyto Take PicturesNo matter what camera youhave, you can customize it sothat it works really well for you.Camera manufacturers make alot of decisions about how acamera works based on whatthey think photographers whomight buy a particular camerawill need or use.

However, manufacturers canonly guess, and sometimes, thedefault settings of your camera are designed for the needs of the averagephotographer; as a result, they are not optimal for a person who wants to takebetter photographs.

Is your camera set up right to support your picture taking? In this chapter, youwill learn the basics of getting ready to take great pictures with your camera.

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Chapter 11 Set Up Your LCD for Optimum Use . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

Viewfinder or LCD — Which to Use? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

Choose a Resolution and File Type . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8

Choose a Memory Card . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10

Hold the Camera for Sharpness. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12

Choose a Program Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14

Using Your Camera’s Autofocus. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16

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Set Up Your LCD for Optimum UseThe LCD on a digital camera is a wonderfulinvention. It gives you an accurate view of yoursubject so that you see exactly what you aregoing to get in your photograph. But in orderto get the most from your LCD, you need to use

the camera’s menus to make some choicesabout how it works. You want to be sure it ishelping you, not holding you back. Here aresome tips in setting up your camera for thebest use of your LCD.

Review TimeAfter you take the picture, the actual image showsup on most LCDs. This image review gives you aquick look at what your photo looks like. Forexample, you can quickly look to see that it issharp, and that your subject’s eyes are open. Youknow immediately if you need to make changes toyour photography.

Set Review TimeOn most cameras you can set review time between about 2and 10 seconds in the camera or setup menus. Short timesare not of much value because you really cannot evaluatemuch of what is in the picture. Try 8 to 10 seconds. Onceyou have seen enough, press the shutter release lightly, andthe review goes away. If the time is too short, you simplypress your playback button for a longer view.

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1Getting Ready to Take Pictures

5

Auto RotateMost digital cameras today automatically rotate a verticalpicture so that it shows up vertically in the LCD when youhold the camera horizontally. Unfortunately, a verticalpicture does not fill the horizontal space and uses the LCDinefficiently. You can get the most from your LCD and getthe largest picture possible if you set the camera so that itdoes not auto-rotate vertical pictures. The Auto Rotatesetting is usually in the playback or setup menus.

Camera Sleep Time (Auto Power Down)A frustrating thing for digital photographers is to try to take apicture and find that your camera has gone to sleep. Mostdigital cameras have the auto power down time set too early.This setting is usually in the setup menu, and a good settingwould be 2 to 4 minutes for most people. You can set thistime longer, but then you could be using your battery morethan you want to.

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Viewfinder or LCD — Which to Use?Many cameras have both a viewfinder and anLCD. Viewfinders can be either optical or EVF(short for electronic viewfinder), A viewfinderonly works when you hold your eye up to it.Most people use the LCD when possiblebecause it seems so natural to do. And some

cameras do not even have viewfinders. Whywould you want to use a viewfinder comparedto an LCD? There are some distinct advantagesto both. Knowing the possibilities of aviewfinder can help you use your camera better.

Use the Viewfinder in Bright LightLCDs can be hard to see in bright light,especially when there are bright subjects thatyou are photographing. Because an optical orelectronic viewfinder limits extraneous light,and your head blocks more light, both allowyou to see the subject better for framing inthose conditions.

Use the LCD InsideThe LCD is ideal for shooting indoors. It has aconsistent brightness, even if the light is low,which makes it easier to use than a viewfinderin those conditions. It also shows you if yourexposure and white balance are correct so thatyou can get the best-looking image.

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Use the Viewfinder for MovingSubjectsMovement can be hard to follow with an LCDheld away from your face. This is where aviewfinder comes in handy. You have to havethe camera up to your eyes to use aviewfinder. This makes it easier to followmovement (the camera simply follows yourgaze), and distracting movement around thecamera and LCD is blocked from view and notseen. Optical viewfinders are especially goodfor action.

Use the LCD for Close ShootingYour LCD is showing you exactly what the lensis seeing on your camera. A separate opticalviewfinder as used on compact digital camerashas its own lens system, and so it is seeingsomething slightly different. At a distance, thisdoes not matter. But when you get up close,the optical viewfinder may not frame the scenecorrectly, which can mean that parts of yoursubject get cut off. You never have thatproblem with the LCD.

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Choose a Resolution and File TypeYour camera comes with a certain resolution,such as 10 or 12 megapixels. This resolutionstrongly affects the price of your camera andthe capabilities of the sensor. Your camera alsocomes with a default setting for the file typeand compression that may or may not be best

for you. Understanding a little about resolutionand image files will ensure that you make theright choices for the highest-quality photos.This will also mean you get your money’s worthfrom your camera and sensor.

Find Your SettingsResolution and file type are settings that affectimage size and quality. They are usually foundin the camera operation section of the menusfor your camera. Unfortunately, cameramanufacturers have not made the icons forthese settings consistent, and so you may haveto check your manual.

Use Your MegapixelsA common way of showing image size isL, M, and S (for large, medium, and smallresolution). Large uses the full size of yourcamera's sensor, giving you themegapixels you paid for. Use it. Only usethe smaller sizes if you really have to getsmall photos, such as for a Web site, andyou are sure that you will never need alarge photo.

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Choose JPEG with High QualityThe default image type for most digitalcameras is JPEG shot at mediumcompression or quality (quality refers tohow the image is compressed for size). Foroptimum JPEG images, choose the highest-quality compression, such as Superfine.This makes files a little larger, but notmuch, and so you might need a slightlylarger memory card to handle larger filesizes.

What About RAW?Some compact digital cameras and alldigital SLRs include an image type calledRAW. This is a special format that saves farmore tonal and color information from thesensor than JPEG offers. It is very useful forphotographers who want to do extensiveprocessing on their images in the computer.It does not have more detail than a JPEGfile (that is dependent on megapixels).

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Choose a Memory CardYour camera is built to hold a certain type ofmemory card. A memory card stores yourpictures, and you save photos to it or erasephotos from it. These cards come in a variety oftypes such as CompactFlash or SD cards, butyour camera is only designed for one type

(except for a few digital SLRs that have slots fortwo). While you cannot decide what type touse, you do need to decide how large a card toget and whether a certain speed will affect thischoice.

Memory Card TypesYou should know your memory card typeso that you can recognize it in a store andbe sure you have the right type. Each cardtype is quite different in size and shape.Open the door to the memory card sloton your camera, and take out thememory card to see exactly what it lookslike (be sure the camera is off when youdo this).

Choose Memory CapacityMemory cards have become less expensive for more capacity. Itis easy to find 1- or 2GB cards at very affordable prices. Thelarger the capacity, the greater the number of images you canstore. Capacity is key with higher-megapixel cameras, andespecially for RAW files. A 2GB card is a good starting size andwill hold about 500 standard quality, full-resolution JPEGs froma 10 megapixel camera.

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11

Download from a Memory CardA simple way of downloading photos is to useyour camera and the cable that came with it. Abetter way is to get a memory card reader. Amemory card reader is usually faster, takes uplittle space on your desk or computer, andnever has problems with battery power (if yourcamera loses power while downloading, youcan lose your photos).

How Important Is Memory Card Speed?You will often see memory cards listed with speeds — 80X,100X, and higher. This does not speed up your camera. Itaffects how fast images are recorded to a memory card fromthe camera’s memory buffer. Keep in mind that not all camerassupport high speeds. Speed can also affect how fast you candownload images to your computer.

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Hold the Camera for SharpnessDigital cameras are capable of truly excellentsharpness. Yet all too often photographers aredisappointed in blurry photos. They lookunsharp, and people often blame “cheapcameras.” Yet, the number one cause ofblurriness is camera movement during exposure.

How you hold the camera and release theshutter can determine whether you capture asharp or blurry photo. This will be especiallynoticeable if you want to enlarge the image ina big print.

Camera Movement CausesBlurry PhotosWhen a camera is handheld, it can moveslightly while the camera is taking thepicture. As shutter speeds get slower, thismeans blur in your photo, and sharpnessthat is much less than your camera iscapable of. Even if the blur is notobvious, it can still be there, degradingthe contrast of the image. No amount ofwork on the computer can make theseimages truly sharp.

Support the Camera WellSupport your camera to minimize cameramovement. With a digital SLR, put your lefthand, palm up, under the lens, with your righthand gripping the side securely. With compactcameras, keep both hands gripping the sidessolidly (no one-handed shooting!). Then keepyour elbows in to the side of your chest as youphotograph, in order to keep arm movement toa minimum.

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Squeeze the ShutterHolding the camera securely does not help if youpunch the shutter button. Put your finger on theshutter button, and then squeeze your fingerdown in a smooth motion to push the button andtake a picture. Keep your finger depressed as theshutter goes off, and then release it gently.

Turn Your Car Off for SharpnessGo to any national park, and you will see peopledriving along, photographing from cars, bracingtheir arms against the frame of an open window. A moving car, combined with the vibration from the motor, always causes problems with cameramovement and blurry photos. For optimumsharpness, stop the car and turn off the engine forthe picture. At the minimum, avoid leaning againstthe car frame if the car is running.

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Digital cameras typically have a choice ofseveral modes of operation that affect exposureand how an image is captured. Theseprogrammed ways of operating the cameraoffer you options that affect how you can getthe best pictures of a particular subject or

scene. They are often set up for specificsubjects or types of scenes so that the cameracan be quickly prepared for them. Byunderstanding a bit about them, you canquickly choose what works best for you.

Exposure Mode ChoicesCameras have to be set for a proper exposure.That includes both a shutter speed, whichaffects action, and an aperture or f-stop, whichaffects depth of field (sharpness in depth).These settings also affect how much lightcomes through the camera. Exposure modeschange how these controls are chosen — thatis, how much is done by the camera’s internalelectronics and how much you control.

Program, Aperture-Priority, and ShutterSpeed-PriorityAll digital SLRs and many small digital camerasinclude the modes P for Program, A or Av forAperture-Priority, and S or Tv for Shutter Speed-Priority exposure. The camera chooses both shutterspeed and aperture in P, making it good for quickshots. In A, you choose an aperture for depth-of-field,and the camera sets the shutter speed. In S, youchoose a shutter speed, and the camera sets theappropriate aperture or f-stop.

Choose a Program Mode

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Program ModesMany popular cameras include specialprogram modes that are designed to makedecisions easier about setting up a camera forspecific subjects. You will find options such asLandscape, which affects exposure, color, ISOsetting, and white balance for scenic pictures;Portrait, which affects the same things forclose-up shots of people; and Sports, which isdesigned to optimize the camera for action.

Do You Need Manual?Manual is a mode where you set all exposure parametersyourself. Many photographers never need it, but it is helpfulwhen conditions seem to fool all the other modes. InManual mode, you can set shutter speed and f-stop basedon how the meter works in your camera, take a picture, andthen check your exposure in the LCD. If the exposure is notwhat you need from a scene, you can then change theshutter speed or f-stop until it is right.

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Using Your Camera’s AutofocusAutofocus, or AF, is a great innovation. Thecamera works with the lens to determine wherethe lens needs to focus. AF helps your cameraand lens find the right things to make sharp inyour scene. That makes it easy to photograph

quickly, but AF can also focus in the wrongplaces. However, you can learn how to controlit. A few simple techniques will help you ensurethat the autofocus is finding the right part ofyour scene to focus on.

Focus Points Are ImportantOne of the most annoying things for aphotographer is to have a nice picture wherethe focus is in the wrong place. For example,you have a great shot of grandma, but she isnot sharp, though the tree behind her is. Oryour beautiful flower stays blurred while thewoodchip mulch behind it is sharp. Learn tolook quickly at a scene so that you know whichare the most important points that must besharp.

Lock Focus on Your SubjectOnce you know what has to be sharp,point your camera, set it on single-shot AF at that point, and then pressyour shutter button slightly to lockfocus. The camera usually beeps orgives some other indicator of focus.While still pressing the shutter button,quickly move the camera to frameyour shot properly, and then take thepicture. Some cameras also haveseparate focus lock buttons.

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Use Continuous Autofocus for ActionIf you are photographing a sporting event such asa kids’ soccer game, you usually cannot lock focusbecause of the continuous movement. Changeyour camera to continuous AF if it has that choice.Now the camera continuously focuses as you shootthe action. Sometimes the action will be too fastfor it to keep up, but mostly it will keep findingthe right focus as the action progresses.

Start Autofocus EarlyAny AF system needs some time, however brief, to examine the scene,determine the focus point, and focus the lens. If you wait until you needthat focus, especially with a moving subject, then you will often miss theshot because of this time delay. Start your autofocus early, before youneed it, by lightly pressing your shutter button enough to get AF going,but not enough to trip the shutter.

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ChapterChapter 2222Taking a BetterPicture throughCompositionBetter photos start withcomposition — the way youarrange the subject,background, and other parts ofa photograph within the imagearea. Sometimes this is referredto as framing the subject orscene. Any composition is basedon your decisions on what toinclude in the photograph, whatto keep out, and how to placeyour subject in the scene.

What makes a composition work? This chapter will answer these questions, byshowing you how to get better compositions in your photographs. You will learnabout some specific techniques that you can use with your camera and on yoursubjects.

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Chapter 222 Simple Pictures Work Best . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20

Get Close to Your Subject. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22

Find a Foreground . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24

Watch Your Background. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26

The Rule of Thirds . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28

When Centered Is Good. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30

Where Heads Belong . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32

Watch Your Edges. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34

Shoot Verticals and Horizontals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36

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Simple Pictures Work BestA general tendency for beginning photographersis to try to get everything into one photograph.Instead of one goal for one photograph, theytry to satisfy many goals in a single image. Thiscan lead to busy, confusing photos that are not

very satisfying to the photographer or a viewerof the image. By looking to make photographssimple and direct and by more clearly knowingwhat you want from a photo, you will quicklycreate more appealing photos.

DDeecciiddee WWhhaatt YYoouurr SSuubbjjeecctt RReeaallllyy IIssDoes this seem like an obvious point?Although it is important, too manyphotographers do not really consider it. Youneed to know what your subject really is sothat you can be sure your composition is basedaround it. You may also run into trouble if youinclude multiple subjects in a photograph, asthis will confuse your viewer.

MMaakkee YYoouurr SSuubbjjeecctt tthhee SSttaarrA composition that does not make the subject the star of thephotograph is almost always a confusing image. Your subject shouldnever be a secondary part of a photo. If you are photographing aperson, for example, photograph that person, not the person and therest of the world around them. Do not try to include too much.

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2Taking a Better Picture through Composition

21

WWaattcchh OOuutt ffoorrDDiissttrraaccttiioonnssDistractions take theviewer’s eye away fromyour subject. Keep themout of your photograph.Avoid really bright spotsin the background,especially high in thepicture, as they alwaysattract the viewer’s eye.Watch out for signs —your viewers will alwaystry to read them. Becareful of high-contrastdetails that appear awayfrom your subject, asthey will draw the eyefrom your subject.

UUssee YYoouurr LLCCDD RReevviieewwThat LCD on the back of your camera is such awonderful tool. It really helps withcomposition. Think of it as a little photograph.Do you like that photograph? Is the subject thestar of that photograph? Are there distractionsin the image area that are taking your eye awayfrom the subject? Review your shot and be sureyou got something that clearly favors thesubject.

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Get Close to Your SubjectYour subject should be the star of your photos,and one way to make that happen is to be sureyou are close enough to the subject that itappears at a good size in your viewfinder. Alltoo often, photographers step back from theirsubjects to get everything in, when they

should, in fact, be stepping closer to get thebest shot possible of that subject. Occasionally,it looks good to have a small subject with ahuge scene, but most of the time, a largesubject in the frame looks best.

WWaattcchh tthhee SSppaaccee AArroouunndd YYoouurr SSuubbjjeeccttPhotographers often focus so hard on the subject that they do not really see the rest of the photograph. Away to force yourself to see the whole image is to look at the space around your subject when you reviewthe shot in the LCD. That tells you a lot about space and subjects and helps you refine your shot.

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EExxppeerriimmeenntt wwiitthh YYoouurr ZZoooommA great way of encouraging you to make a photosimple and direct is to challenge yourself with thisexercise. Set your zoom to its strongest telephotoposition. Then go out and take ten straight photos atthat zoom position, never changing it to make awider shot. This will make your photos look like youare close to your subject, even if you are not.

TTaa kkee aa SStteepp CClloosseerrA great technique to try is to frame up yourphoto to get what you think is a good shot,and then take a step closer while keeping thezoom untouched. Frame up and take thepicture. That extra step often makes a moredynamic, interesting photo. It also forces youto deal with the subject differently within theimage frame.

MMoorree IIss NNoott AA llwwaayyss BBeetttteerrAs noted in the last section, confusion as to whatis really your subject can cause problems withyour composition. This confusion often comeswhen photographers try to include more andmore in their image. It is possible to create aninteresting image with a lot of details, but it is alot easier to create a strong photo by simplifyingwhat you include in your photograph.

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Find a ForegroundThe foreground of your photo can make thedifference between success and failure for apicture. The foreground is simply the area infront of your subject that is seen by yourcamera. Often photographers simply focus so

much on the subject that they do not even seethe problems and challenges of the foreground.Foregrounds can complement a subject or theycan distract and detract from it. You alwayshave the choice.

UUssee tthhee FFoorreeggrroouunndd ffoorr DDeepptthhWhen you have a strong foreground toyour photo, the image looks deeper. Aphotograph is a flat, two-dimensionalobject that tries to reflect a three-dimensional world. A good foregroundcreates and defines a relationship fromclose to far so that your composition has afeeling of three dimensions.

LLooookk ffoorr aa FFrraammee A quick and easy way of using yourforeground is to look for a frame that willcontrol what the viewer sees of the subjectand background. This can be as simple as aninteresting tree branch across the top of thephoto. Or it can be an opening in a buildingor a rock formation that gives a view of yoursubject.

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GGeett CClloossee aanndd SShhoooott tthhrroouugghh aaFFoorreeggrroouunnddYou cannot always get a foreground thatis sharp. You can use that challenge as anopportunity for a better photo. Get upclose to that foreground and shootthrough it, almost like you would shootthrough a frame, but use a telephotosetting on your zoom to make theforeground soft and not sharp.

UUssee aa WWiiddee--AAnnggllee VViieeww aanndd TTiilltt DDoowwnnOften, photographers shoot a scene with awide-angle lens to get it all in, and then putthe horizon right in the middle of the picture.Try instead to tilt the camera down so thatyou see the foreground better, and thenmove to find something interesting in theforeground that you can include in yourphoto.

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Watch Your BackgroundJust like the foreground, the background canmake or break a picture. Often photographerspay so much attention to the subject itself thatthey do not really see what is happeningbehind the subject. This is especially a problemwith a digital SLR because the background

often looks out of focus when you look throughthe lens, and yet changes with the actual takingof the picture. But this happens with anycamera when the photographer sees only thesubject.

DDiissttrraaccttiinngg BBaacckkggrroouunnddss HHuurrtt YYoouurr SSuubbjjeeccttA constant challenge that photographersface is avoiding backgrounds that distractfrom or fight with their subject. Watch whatis happening in a background and moveyour camera position to avoid things like“hot spots” of light or bright colors.

SSiimmppll ii ffyy aa BBaacckkggrroouunnddA great way to keep a backgroundsubordinate to your subject is to find anangle to your subject that keeps thebackground behind it simple. It is hard for a simple background to distract fromyour subject. Without a lot of stuff behind your subject, the viewer of yourpicture will more clearly see your subject.

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CCoonnttrraasstt YYoouurr SSuubbjjeecctt wwiitthh tthhee BBaacckkggrroouunnddAnother way to ensure that your subjectstands out is to look for contrasts between itand the background. For example, if yoursubject is dark, see if you can get somethinglight behind it, or find a color that isdistinctly different than your subject.

PPllaaccee YYoouurr BBaacckkggrroouunnddEven if you cannot get close to your subject, you canoften make it stand out by placing your backgroundcarefully behind it. Find a bright spot, and then move sothat the subject is in front of it. Or find a strong color andthen move so that it sits behind your subject.

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The Rule of ThirdsOver the years, a number of compositional“rules” have been developed by artists andphotographers to make good compositioneasier. A good one that is easy to use is therule of thirds. This is so popular that somecameras can even display superimposed lines

over the scene that match the rule of thirds.You do not always have to use the idea of arule of thirds, though, because the world doesnot always fit it. However, it is a good place tostart for placing things in a photo.

DDiivviiddee aa PPhhoottoo iinnttoo HHoorriizzoonnttaall TThhiirrddssIn your mind, draw imaginary horizontal linesacross the image in your viewfinder or on yourLCD that divide the photo into thirds. Use theselines to position your horizon or any otherstrong, horizontal line. This helps get yourhorizon out of the center of the image, which isa poor place for most horizons.

DDiivviiddee aa PPhhoottoo iinnttoo VVeerrttiiccaall TThhiirrddssAgain, draw imaginary lines across the imagein your viewfinder or on your LCD, but now usevertical lines that divide the photo into thirds.Use these lines to position strong verticalelements, such as trees or tall buildings. Theseare effective compositional places for this typeof subject matter.

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UUssee tthhee IInntteerrsseeccttiioonnss If you consider both the horizontal and verticallines at once, you will find that you have fourpoints where the lines intersect. These are greatlocations for your subject. These positions createinteresting visual relationships with the rest ofthe photo, so you need to look at the rest of thephoto beyond just placing your subject. That“rest” of the photo affects what the whole imagelooks like.

RRuullee oorr GGuuiiddeelliinneeThe real world, or your view of the world, does notalways fit the rule of thirds, in which case you should notforce the composition into thirds. However, it can be aguide for how you place your picture’s elements withinthe photo. It will especially help you get some variety inyour pictures so that your subject is not always in thecenter.

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When Centered Is GoodYou may get advice from seasoned photographersto keep your subject out of the center of thepicture. This is certainly a reason for the rule ofthirds and it is good advice ... most of the time.However, if you always keep the subject out of

the center, you limit your options forcomposition. If you make a deliberate decisionto either keep the subject in the center or not,then you are more likely to find a good placefor the subject in your composition.

CCrreeaattee aa BBoolldd CCeenntteerrSome subjects have a strong center withradiating lines that all point to the center. Youcan use that center in a composition by puttingit right in the center of your picture, and thengetting in close. You need to get in closeenough so that all extraneous details that donot relate to the center and its supporting linesare kept out of the photograph.

FFiinndd aa BBaallaanncceedd CCoommppoossiittiioonnYou will find some subjects that simply have abalance between top and bottom or side toside. Find a way to emphasize that balance byputting a center found in the subject in themiddle of the photo. For example, if the subjectis balanced left and right, put the subject sothat it is centered in the photo in the same way,left to right.

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BBaallaannccee NNiigghhtt aanndd DDaayyThere is a point in the sunset where the sun is right at the horizon. This is truly a balancepoint between night and day. You can put thehorizon and the sun right in the middle of the picture if the top and bottom have detailto support the composition, such as a waterscene. Otherwise, put the sun in the middlefrom left to right, but at the bottom of thephoto so that the sky is emphasized.

LLooookk ffoorr PPaatttteerrnnssPatterns that work from the center can befascinating for a composition. Sometimes thesubject has naturally concentric patterns, suchas a snail’s shell, but other times those formscome from the way you line up objects in ascene. These can all make fascinatingphotographs.

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Where Heads BelongPeople take pictures of people — such asfriends, family, and people in groups. Peopleare shot as portraits to remember someone, ascandid shots from events, as parts of a largerscene, and in many other types of images.Sometimes these are single-person shots, while

others are shots of families or teams. People assubjects are one of the most common reasonsfor taking a picture. You can get better peoplepictures by paying attention to where you placetheir heads.

KKeeeepp HHeeaaddrroooomm TTiigghhttYou will often see people pictures with the heads centered in the photoand a big space over their heads — too much headroom. Unless thereis a good reason for putting space over a head (such as a frame beingthere), keep the space tight and to a minimum, but without touchingthe head to the top of the image area.

CCrroopp aa HHeeaadd ttoo SShhooww aa FFaacceeYou may notice that a dramatic effect oftenused by television news is to crop into the headof someone being interviewed so that youcannot see the top of their head. This forces theviewer to look at the person’s face, theirexpression, and their eyes, rather than justseeing an outline of the head.

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KKeeeepp tthhee BBaacckk RRooww ooff HHeeaaddssCClloossee ttoo tthhee TTooppParents rush out to find and photographtheir kids after an event, and often wantto include a whole group of people. Butthen they put a lot of headroom abovethe top of the back row, shoving thewhole team into the bottom of the photo.A better approach is to tilt the cameradown so that the back row of heads isclose to the top of the picture.

CCeenntteerr aa CClloossee PPoorrttrraaiitt LLeefftt aanndd RRiigghhttWhen you get in close to a subject, you will often find that itlooks best when balanced left and right. You do want to keepheadroom tight at the top, regardless of whether the subject isa person, a cat, or even a flower. By balancing the photo leftand right, you make sure the viewer really looks at the subjectrather than the composition.

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Watch Your EdgesIt is easy to get so caught up in your subjectand making sure it looks right that you forgetto look at the edges of the picture. However,those edges can be extremely important andwill affect how viewers look at and perceive

your photograph. Sometimes those edges can cause major problems when they includeelements that do not belong in the image. You need to have edges that work with, notagainst, your photo.

SSccaann tthhee EEddggeess ffoorr DDiissttrraaccttiioonnssDistractions, such as branches, feet, hoses, and cords, often creep in uninvited along theedges of a photograph and call attention totheir presence. Check edges regularly,including in playback on the LCD, and watchfor distractions that need to be kept out of thephoto.

CCrreeaattee aa PPhhoottoo wwiitthh AAllll DDeettaaiill oonn tthheeEE dd ggeessOne way to really learn to watch the edges isto actually do a little exercise with the edges of the photograph. Try giving yourself anassignment to take ten pictures that not onlykeep the subject out of the center of thephoto, but also only have important detailalong the edges of the picture.

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LLeeaadd tthhee VViieewweerr iinn ffrroomm tthhee EEddggeeYou will often find scenes that you can composewith something coming from the edge of thephoto, such as a stream, that progresses intothe image area in such a way that it draws theviewer’s eye in as well. Curving lines can beparticularly effective and pleasing when theydo this.

DDeelliibbeerraatteellyy CCrroopp aa SSuubbjjeecctt aatt tthheeEE dd ggeeThe French impressionist painter Degas wasfamous for his paintings of ballerinas, wherehe deliberately cut off figures right at the edgeof the frame. Photographers often get subjectstouching the edge inadvertently. That creates aweak composition. Strength can come fromreally looking and thinking about an edge andhow it affects the scene.

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Shoot Verticals and HorizontalsCameras are made to shoot horizontally. Manycameras are even awkward to hold any otherway. So it is no surprise that verticals are not as easy to do, and so, of course, they are notdone as often. Yet the world is both vertical

and horizontal, so why should your photographsnot reflect that? In addition, when you haveboth vertical and horizontal photographs ofyour subject, you know that you are looking for better ways of capturing that subject.

EExxppeerriimmeenntt wwiitthh HHoollddiinngg aa CCaammeerraaVVeerrttiiccaallllyyIn order to get vertical photographs, you haveto be comfortable with holding your cameravertically. If it feels too awkward, you will notdo it. Try turning the camera vertical and thinkabout how it feels. Discover the best way foryou to hold the camera vertically. Find theeasiest way for you to reach the shutter, even ifyou have to use a different finger than normal.

SShhoooott VVeerrttiiccaall SSuubbjjeeccttss VVeerrttiiccaallllyyThis may seem obvious, but cameras have such a strong horizontal orientation that manyphotographers just give into that orientation,no matter what the subject looks like. Justremember to think vertically with verticalsubjects.

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SShhoooott VVeerrttiiccaall SSuubbjjeeccttss HHoorriizzoonnttaall llyyOnce you start shooting vertically, though, it is easy toforget to do horizontal shots. This is important becauseyour photos will start to look a bit boring if you shootall horizontal subjects horizontally and all verticalsubjects vertically. The point is to mix it up a bit, butto be sure that verticals get both horizontal andvertical coverage.

SShhoooott HHoorriizzoonnttaall SSuubbjjeeccttss VVeerrttiiccaallllyySomething that very few photographers do is to shoothorizontal subjects vertically. It can be hard to do, but it canalso create interesting photos that are very graphic and evenabstract. When you start trying to place horizontal subjectsin a vertical photo, you have truly arrived at looking forboth vertical and horizontal compositions.

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ChapterChapter 3333Using Light toYour AdvantageLight — it is what makesphotography work. Withoutlight of some sort, you cannottake pictures. But light is notsome absolute, unchangingthing. Light can be strong orweak, colorful or dull, contrastyor flat. Light changes as youchange your angle to a subject,or change the time of day thatyou shoot.

In this chapter, you will learn toliterally see the light on yoursubject and how it appears in a photograph. You will learn what helps and hurts apicture so that you can control that light and take better photographs. Light canbe a villain, but with a little study, you can turn it into a constant friend.

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Chapter 333 See the Light. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40

Shadows Are Important. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42

Light Can Hurt Your Photos (What to Avoid) . . . . . . . . . . . 44

Low Front Light Can Be Beautiful . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46

Make Textures Show Up with Sidelight. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48

Separate with Backlight. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50

Add Impact with Spotlight . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52

Turn On Your Flash When the Light Is Harsh . . . . . . . . . . . 54

Time of Day Changes the Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56

Try Out Night Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58

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See the LightBeginning photographers concentrate so muchon the subject that they do not always seeother things, such as the light on the subjectand its surroundings. That light can be moreimportant than the subject itself because the

wrong light can make the subject almostdisappear from view, while the right light canmake that subject the star of your picture. Start “seeing the light” and you will findimmediately that your photos get better.

Where Is the Light?Start by forcing yourself to go beyond putting the subject into your picture.Make yourself look at the light. Where is the bright light? Where are thedark areas? Is the light where it needs to be in order to make your subjectlook its best?

Watch Both Subject and BackgroundLightYou saw how important the background was inthe last chapter. It continues to be importantwith light. A problem often arises when thelight on the background wants to compete withthe subject. Always remember that a viewer’seyes are attracted to bright areas in abackground.

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Notice Highlights and ShadowsLight is about bright areas and shadows. Youmust look at both types of light on the subjectand background. Bright lights can help asubject, or they can create harsh contrastwhere it is unwanted. Shadows can set off asubject, or they can add unwanted contrast.

Use Your LCD ReviewYou probably have noticed how important thatLCD is for getting better photos. The LCD canreally help you see the light. Our eyes see lightdifferently than the camera. Therefore, you canget fooled if you are only looking at the subjectas you photograph it. Check that LCD review tosee what the light really looks like in yourpicture.

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Shadows Are ImportantShadows are critical to a good photograph, andthey only appear with the light. Shadows canbe gentle and open in their tonalities so thatdetail appears throughout them. They can alsobe hard-edged and dramatic while hiding detailwithin them. Either way can be both good and

bad for your subject, depending on what theshadows actually do and where they fall. Theworst thing is to have shadows make yoursubject less visible in a photograph. Seeing thelight also means seeing the shadows.

Shadows Are an Important Part of LightPhotographers just learning about light can concentrate so much onseeing the light that they do not see the shadows. Yet shadows are asmuch a part of any light as the bright areas in a photo. Start looking atyour subject in terms of both the light and shade, and how both caneither make or break a picture.

Shadows Can Make Your SubjectStand OutVery often, you can move around your subjectso that shadows appear in the backgroundand make that subject stand out. Shadowsusually give a tonal or brightness contrast thathelps the viewer of your picture to see thesubject better. Even a small piece of shadowbehind a bright spot of your subject mayhelp.

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Shadows Can Be DistractingWhen shadows fall across your subject, watch out. Thephoto can become unusable. This is one place where anoveremphasis on the subject can really hurt your photo.If you see the subject and photograph what you “see,” itis easy to miss how cross shadows or just shadows in thewrong places can make a good-looking subject look bad.

Shadows Can Make InterestingPhotographsShadows themselves can be a great subject.Shadows make interesting patterns all aroundus, and a photo of those patterns can make awonderful image. Look for those shadows andhow they play across the ground or on the sideof a building. Then take your photograph upclose, and showing just those shadows.

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Light Can Hurt Your Photos (What to Avoid)This chapter has already given you several ideasabout problem light and shadows. But if you donot pay attention to some distinct light

challenges, you will not get the best photosthat you and your camera are capable of. Thereare definitely some lighting conditions to avoid.

Beware of Harsh Midday SunThat bright midday sun can be a real problemfor photographers. It is a time of day wheneveryone is out, but the light is often filledwith too much contrast between shadows andhighlights. The shadows are also often in thewrong places for the subject to look its best.Sometimes you just cannot get a good photoat this time.

Watch Out for Hot SpotsThe camera cannot handle the extremesof light that are common both indoorsand out. Yet people can see beyondthose extremes and see detail that acamera cannot. Do not get fooled bybright spots of light that end up as hotspots in your photograph. Look forthem, and if you need to, check yourplayback in the LCD to look for themagain.

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Avoid Shadows That Cover GoodPartsA severe problem with light is a hard-edged shadow cutting across your subjectin an inappropriate manner. That shadowcan be very disruptive and distracting. Inharsh light, these shadows can make ithard to actually see your subject clearly.

Avoid Light That Is Away From the StarIf you ever go to a stage show, youimmediately see how the actors get the goodlight. The actors are the stars of the show —not the stagehands, not the orchestra, not theaudience — and so the light favors them. Thisidea fits photography just as well. Watch yoursubject so that it gets the important light.

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Low Front Light Can Be BeautifulFront light is light that is hitting the front ofyour subject, as seen from your cameraposition. It is definitely a light with manyqualities, both good and bad. It is the light thatpeople used to say you always had to have:

light coming over your shoulder and hitting thesubject. Today you hear a lot of photographerssay that you should always avoid front light.You do not need to have this light or avoid it,but it can be useful to understand.

Front Light Can Be BoringFront light is often boring because it has fewshadows. The shadows fall away from the subjecttoward the background. Midday front light isgenerally not an attractive light because it is toohigh. That creates small, harsh shadows (such asunder eyes or a hat brim) and flat light elsewhere.

Low Front Light Is DramaticWhen the light gets low, it is less harsh thanmidday light and has a rich quality to itshighlights and shadows. It can become like a low spotlight at a theater and get quitedramatic when the foreground is in shadowand the background is dark.

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Low Front Light Is ColorfulAs the sun gets lower and approaches thehorizon, it warms up and adds great color to ascene. This can be a very beautiful light, andyou often see it used by Hollywood in films fora romantic look. It is an easy light to shoot in,although it can be hard on a subject’s eyes.

Low Front Light for PeopleA low front light can be very attractive for people. Thistype of light gets into the shadows on their faces, makingeyes bright and filling in wrinkles. You may find that yoursubject has trouble looking into the light. Have themlook down as you get ready, and then up and into thecamera just before you take the picture.

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Make Textures Show Up with SidelightSidelight is light that comes from the side ofboth you and your subject. It can be high orlow, which modifies its effects, but theimportant thing about sidelight — its ability tohighlight textures and dimensions — never

changes. Like all other light, sidelight is notarbitrarily good or bad — it all depends on whatit is doing to the subject. It can be a harsh lightthat is very unforgiving to a subject, or it can bethe perfect light to show off details.

Make Textures Come AliveTexture shows up when light hits the highpoints and shadow fills in between them. Thatis exactly what sidelight does. It can onlybrighten the high points as it is not positionedto fill in the low areas. This effect can be quitedramatic with a sidelight that literally skims thesurface of your subject.

Use 3/4 Sidelight for Form PlusTextureWhen a subject has dimension and form, apure sidelight might not be best for it. In thissituation, you might look for a light thatcomes from the side, but between you and thesubject, for what is called a 3/4 sidelight. Thistype of light makes forms look good and stillbrings out textures.

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Use 90° Sidelight for Strong TextureWhen that sidelight is at a 90° angle to the axisbetween you and your subject, texture can getreally dramatic. However, you do need thattextured surface to be fairly flat and without alot of dimensional shape. As soon as the surfacegains form, the 90° light literally makes it looklike it is cut in half from the light and dark, andso that texture is not seen well.

Sidelight Can ObscureSidelight is a light filled with shadow potential — that is what makes the texture —but it is also light that creates shadows cuttingacross your subject. Be aware of that possibility,and look for these types of shadows so that youcan avoid them. Hard-edged shadows are theworst in this light.

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Separate with BacklightA lot of photographers are afraid of backlight —light that comes from behind the subject andtoward the camera. Years ago, amateurs alwaysavoided it because the films, meters, and camerasof the day could not render it attractively. It istrue that this type of light has its challenges,

but it is also a dramatic light that professionalsuse all the time. They also use it because theycan create images that most amateurs neverget, because the latter do not want to shootinto the light.

Backlight Separates Parts of Your PhotoBacklight is a separation light. This meansthat the light has a lot of light and createsa lot of shadow. The light hits the tops ofsubjects or other parts of your scene, andthen contrasts with dark areas just behindthem. This helps these picture elementsto stand out and become separate fromthe rest of the image, giving depth to thephoto.

Backlight Is DramaticBacklight is always a light of bright areas anddark areas, highlight and shadow. Because ofthat, it tends to be a dramatic light. This isanother reason that professionals like it. Youcan use that drama by looking for where thebright and dark areas fall on and around yoursubject.

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Exposure Can Be TrickyWhenever you have bright and dark areas closetogether, exposure can be a challenge. Ingeneral, it is best to expose to be sure the brightareas have good detail and are not washed out.Check your LCD playback to be sure you havedetail where it is important, and then changeyour exposure if you do not.

Watch Out for FlareBacklight means that the light is heading rightat you and the lens of your camera. That lightcan both create your photo and bouncearound inside your lens, causing annoyingflare. Use a lens shade when you can, to blockextraneous light. You can also use your handto shade your lens — just be careful it doesnot get in your photo!

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Add Impact with SpotlightYou know what it means to be in the spotlight.It is a theatrical expression that says you aregetting more attention. Often that is exactlywhat you want to do with your photographs —give your subject more attention. Many lights

can act like a spotlight and give that addedattention to your subject by putting it in thelight, while the rest of the scene is in darkness.Shadows can be as important as the light inorder to set off your subject.

A Spotlight Is Like a Theatrical LightThe lights dim and a spot of light appears on anactor. You know immediately where to look andwhere your attention should be. Light can do thesame for your photographs and create a spot oflight that tells your viewer exactly where to lookin your picture.

Spotlight Can Clearly Show YourSubjectIn the theatrical example, you know that thespot-lit actor or action really stands out clearlyon the stage. When you can find a spot oflight on your subject, that same effect occursand you ensure that the viewer of your imagecan clearly see the subject.

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Spotlight Can Make a SceneMore InterestingSometimes a scene that gains aspotlight just picks up interest from thedrama that it provides. Many sceneslook a little flat in average light. Butwhen the sun changes its angle to thescene, spots of light appear that givelife to the scene. Even very average-looking scenes can gain an excitementfrom this light.

More Exposure ChallengesSpotlights on a scene mean contrast betweenthe bright and dark areas. Anytime you havethis contrast, you can have exposure problems.The most common problem to watch for is toomuch exposure that makes the spot-lit arealook too bright, or even washes it out.

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Turn On Your Flash When the Light Is HarshNearly all digital cameras have a built-in flash.Many photographers do not know that they canuse their flash at all times, including during theday. Keep in mind that your built-in flash islight that is always available and can help you

out when the light gets harsh and unattractive.It is easy to turn on the flash and just try it,even if it does not always help. Believe it ornot, every photo in this section uses flash insome way.

Brighten a Subject on a Dull DaySometimes the light just will not cooperate. Theday is dull, the sky is lifeless, and the colors justdo not look lively. Try your flash to boost thosecolors. It mainly affects things closer to thecamera, but that is often just what is needed tomake the scene look good.

Flash Can Make a Dark SubjectBrightA problem in certain kinds of light is thatthe subject can get very dark.Photographing a subject against a brightbackground, such as a sky, can make thesubject look very dark if the sky looks good.The flash can brighten the subject to a good level, while the camera still keeps thebackground from getting washed out.

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Try a Flash Off the CameraMany digital SLRs have the capability towirelessly work with a separate flash offcamera. All digital SLRs can work with a flashthat is attached with a flash cable designed forthe system. This gives you a lot of possibilitiesto move the flash and change your light’sdirection, especially when shooting close up toa subject.

Flash Can Change a SceneSometimes a background just does not look great. You can make it dark by using your camera’s Manualexposure setting and underexposing the scene. If you are not sure how to do this, just try some settings andsee what happens in the LCD. Then turn on the flash and use it normally to give a good light on yoursubject.

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Time of Day Changes the LightLight is not the same throughout the day, yetmany photographers insist on photographingthe same way throughout the day. That canresult in unsatisfying photographs. Early andlate light is low in the sky and changes scenes.

Midday light is high and can be harsh andunappealing if photographed the same way asearly or late light. By becoming aware of howlight changes during the day, you can workwith light rather than fighting its effects.

Early Light Is Great Landscape LightYou often hear about nature photographersgetting up early for the light. Low, gentlycolored light of dawn is usually a crisp lightthat really brings out the features in alandscape. That low light can look great onlandscape forms and textures. The good light isusually gone by mid-morning.

Use Midday Light for Close-UpsMidday light can be harsh with ugly shadows because it comes fromabove. It can be very unattractive for large scenes such as landscapes,and unappealing for people because of the shadows. However, it canwork for close-ups because you can easily move around these subjectsto find the best light on them.

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Late Light Is Warm andBeautifulAs the sun heads down toward thehorizon for sunset, it gives a warm lightthat is usually much gentler than sunriselight. This can be a beautiful light formany subjects, and it is also a light thatworks well from all directions — front,side, and back — although how well itworks depends on the subject.

Keep Shooting after the Sun Has SetFor many photographers, it is time to pack upand go home when the sun has set. However,the time after sunset can give excellent resultswith digital cameras. You may have to wait afew minutes, but there is often a wonderfulwarm, soft light that comes from the afterglowof the sunset.

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Try Out Night LightNight photography had a lot of problems whenfilm was the only option. Often you had noidea of what you would get from photographinga scene until you had the film processed. Digitalmakes night photography so much easier to do,

and so you can quickly master it. Night offersso many opportunities for some really differentpictures that everyone else does not have. Youwill even find scenes that magically change fromboring to exciting as the night lights come on.

Digital Cameras Make Night aGreat Time to ShootNight photography had a lot ofproblems with film. For example, it wasreally difficult to get the right exposureor color. Now you can just take apicture and look at it with your LCD tobe sure you got an interesting photo.Digital cameras also really seem to diginteresting light out of even the darkestnight scenes.

Change Your ISO As NeededISO settings on a digital camera can beadjusted for more or less sensitivity, whichcould never have been done with film. Use ahigh setting when you want to try shootinghandheld, or a low setting when you use atripod. Even moderately high settings canlook better than high-ISO film looked.

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Support Your Camera for LongExposuresNight often means long exposures.That can result in blurry photos unlessyou support the camera. A tripod isbest, but avoid flimsy tripods that aretoo light, as they vibrate duringexposure. You can also use an easilycarried beanbag, which you can propagainst a solid surface.

Look for Moving LightsA really cool effect can come from nightshots when you combine many-secondexposures with a scene that has movinglights, such as a street scene. Those lightsblur and create lines of light goingthrough your photograph. You cannotfully predict what they will look like, soexperiment with different times ofexposure.

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ChapterChapter 4444UnderstandingExposure andWhite BalanceExposure is a basic part ofphotography. It is based on howlong the light hits the sensorand how much light comesthrough the lens. A goodexposure makes colors andtones look right in thephotograph.

Today’s cameras have built-inexposure systems that do afantastic job. But toughsituations can challenge thatsystem. Your camera’s computer cannot always tell what is important and what isnot when the light on the subject is not average. In this chapter, you will learnabout exposure so that you can make adjustments that will help you consistentlyget better photos.

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Chapter 444 What Your Camera Meter Does . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62

The Problem of Underexposure. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 64

The Problem of Overexposure. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 66

Correct Exposure Problems. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 68

What Is White Balance?. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 70

When to Use Auto White Balance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 72

When to Use Definite White Balance Settings . . . . . . . . . . 74

Using White Balance Settings Creatively . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 76

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What Your Camera Meter DoesA key to understanding how to get goodexposure is to understand how your camerameter actually works. Most people think it isdesigned to give a good exposure. In fact, itcannot do that because a meter can only tellyou how much light it thinks is in your scene.

A camera meter does not know what kind oflight is there — it cannot know the differencebetween bright light and a white subject, forexample. Its measurements are based on theidea that the scene is average in brightness.

The Meter Only MeasuresBrightnessMost digital cameras have many tinymeters evaluating a scene. Each onecan only measure the brightness of the light coming into the camera fromthat scene. A meter cannot tell thedifference among such scenes as a darksubject in bright light, a bright subjectin dim light, and an average scene inaverage light, and so it can misjudgethe amount of light that is available fora photograph.

Exposure Is Based on InterpretationsThe camera’s meter does not give you anexposure. Your camera takes multiple exposurereadings from the scene and uses its computingpower to interpret the readings in order togive a good exposure. Cameras use informationlike focus distance to give emphasis in thatinterpretation to the subject, which will be infocus.

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Dark Scenes Are Often Too BrightWhen a scene is filled with dark colors andtones, the meter has no way of telling that this is not from too little light. As a result,metering systems give too much exposure tocompensate for dim light. The result is thatthe scene is often overexposed, which canresult in bright areas losing detail becausethey are too bright.

Bright Scenes Are Often Too DarkConversely, when a scene is filled with light colors andtones, the meter has no way of telling that this is notfrom too much light. As a result, metering systemscompensate for this bright light by giving less exposure.The result is that the scene is often underexposed, whichcan result in highlights looking muddy and dark areaslosing detail.

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The Problem of UnderexposureUnderexposure causes problems for photographers.You may hear some photographers say thatthey can fix underexposure in Photoshop, and sothey do not worry about it. That is not a goodway to approach photography. Underexposurecreates some serious quality issues, including

increased noise and weaker color. Prints fromunderexposed image files look muddy anddark. Underexposure uses your camera’s sensorpoorly because it is not “seeing” the full rangeof tones that a sensor can capture.

Color Is LostBright colors get dark, but dark colors get verydark. The camera cannot see dark colors theway people do, and the chroma, or colorquality, of a color can drop considerably. Theresult is that as a dark image is brightened, itends up with much weaker color.

Watch Out for Bright LightsBright lights, such as the sun or a strongartificial light, usually cause the camera’smetering system to underexpose a scene. Themeter is just doing its job, telling the system itfound something bright, but then the systemovercompensates and makes everything toodark.

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Noise Is IncreasedDark areas are wherenoise resides. Noise lookslike someone sprinkledsand on your photo,adding what looks likefilm grain. So if an imageis underexposed, much ofits detail and color endsup in that noise. Whenthe photo is processed tobrighten it and make thedetail and color morevisible, the noise comesright along, and canbecome quite annoying.

Dark Tones Become Hard to SeparateWhen a scene is underexposed, the dark tones get darker. Thismeans that they all cram together at the bottom of the tonalrange, into the darkest tones. They can even disappear intoblack. Once those tones are crushed into the limited area ofdarkest tones and black, they can be difficult to impossible toseparate again into different tones.

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The Problem of OverexposureOverexposure is usually a problem in smallareas. You really have to do something wrongto get a whole image overexposed, and so this problem is easily corrected. What usuallyhappens with overexposure is that the camera

overreacts to something dark throughout theimage area, and then makes it too light, whichmakes bright things way too light. Beware ofoverexposure whenever there are small brightareas in a large photo with lots of dark areas.

Highlights Are LostWhen too much light hits your camera’s sensor,the brightest areas of a scene overpower itscapabilities to capture detail. As a result, detaildisappears. There is no fixing it in Photoshop,because there is nothing there to fix except forblank, white space. Blown-out highlights can bevery unattractive.

Colors Get Washed OutAs exposure increases, colors get brighter andbrighter. With overexposure, they become sobright that their inherent color starts to fade.Colors wash out, becoming pale renditions ofthe real-world colors. You can darken palecolors somewhat in the computer, but thattakes time and you still miss the originalcolors.

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Shadows Are Too BrightAs exposure increases, shadows brighten,revealing detail within them. That isgood if your photo is entirely in theshadows. But if your photo includes alarger scene with bright light, theshadows start to look unnatural and a lotless like shadows. Shadows need to bedark enough that they look like shadowsin a photograph.

Overexposure Is Common with DarkScenesDark scenes make your metering system givemore exposure. This can be a real problemwhen the result is blown-out highlights, andshadows that are too bright. This type ofimage looks harsh and unappealing. Darkscenes need to be exposed in a way that keepsthem dark.

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Correct Exposure ProblemsNow you have an idea of how metering systemswork and what exposure is all about. Whileyour camera works to give you good exposures,sometimes it misses. You can see that the wrongexposure can cause some distinct problems fora photograph, from added, annoying noise to

washed-out, detail-less highlights. Your cameradoes have the tools to correct these problems.Some cameras have more than one, but allcameras have features that help you getconsistent, better exposures.

Use Your LCDYour camera’s LCD is a place to startwhen you check exposure. It is notcalibrated the way a computer monitorcan be calibrated, but you can still use it.Look at small areas, especially if they arebright. Enlarge the photo so that you cansee if the bright areas hold importantdetails or are washed out and emptywhite.

Exposure Compensation Can HelpNearly all cameras have exposure compensation. This allows you to make the camera give more or lessexposure than the metering system chooses. Add exposure by moving exposure compensation to the plusside, and reduce exposure by moving it to the minus side.

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Lock Exposure to Deal withProblemsMost cameras let you lock exposure to limitthe metering system’s changes. Usually,you just point the camera at somethingbrighter to decrease the exposure, or atsomething darker to increase the exposure,and then press the shutter halfway to lockexposure. You then point the camera backto your subject and the chosencomposition.

Try AEBAdvanced digital cameras and digital SLRsoften include auto exposure bracketing, orAEB. This allows you to set the camera to takeseveral photos in a row, each image with adifferent exposure, so that you can find thebest exposure later. Set the amount of AEBand choose the continuous-shooting setting.

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What Is White Balance?White balance is a terrific new tool for digitalphotographers that gives your photos moreaccurate and pleasing colors by matching theway the camera captures them to the color ofthe light. White balance affects how an image

is recorded so that color casts are kept out ofyour image. If an object is gray, it will look grayin your photo. If it has a color, the color willlook accurate and natural.

White Balance Keeps Neutral Tones NeutralWhite balance affects more than white. It makes all neutral colors, fromwhite to gray to black, remain neutral. People’s eye-brain connectionmakes neutrals neutral automatically, but a sensor does not do that. Thecamera has to be told how light is affecting neutral tones.

You No Longer Need Special ColorFiltersWith film, you would need specially colored filtersmatched to a film type to make neutral tonesneutral. Without these filters, fluorescent lightsmade scenes look green, and incandescent lightscould give an orange cast to subjects. These filterscould be used when the photo was shot or when anegative was printed.

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Color Casts Are RemovedColor casts used to be a common problem with color film. For example, the whole imagewould look like it had an orange or green hazeto it. Digital cameras let you adjust them sothat these color casts disappear and a scenelooks closer to the way you actually see it.

White Balance Comes from Using a White CardYou might wonder why this control is calledwhite balance. Years ago, a video camera hadto be told what neutral was so that it couldbalance colors to the light. Videographerswould point the camera at a white card andset a control that would tell the camera tomake the white a true white.

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When to Use Auto White BalanceYour camera comes with the ability toautomatically make adjustments to get rid ofcolor casts, and to make neutrals such as white,gray, and black truly neutral. This is called autowhite balance, and is often shown as AWB onyour camera. This is the default setting of your

camera and works well in many situations, butsometimes it does not work as well as youwould like. You need to know what it can andcannot do if you want the best from yourcolors.

AWB Makes White Balance EasyAuto white balance is simple. You setnothing, and so it makes the control veryeasy to use. The camera analyzes a sceneand tries to figure out what the light isdoing to colors. Then it creates a setting forthe camera that attempts to make colorslook accurate, and to show neutrals withoutcolor casts.

AWB Can Cause Problems withSunrise and SunsetYour camera’s white balance system has noway of knowing that a sunrise or sunset issupposed to have a warm color cast to it. Itjust sees that all the neutral tones have color inthem, and so it removes some of that colorand takes some of the life out of the scene.

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AWB Works in Most LightA good thing about AWB is that it works inmost light. You can go from inside withfluorescent lights to outside sunlight, andexpect to get reasonable colors with yourcamera. AWB is really helpful when you arechanging from one location to another or thelight is hard to figure out.

AWB Can Be InconsistentA problem with AWB is that it can give inconsistentresults. For example, when you zoom from wide totelephoto, the camera may see different colors inthe background and think that the light haschanged. It then adjusts white balance when itshould keep it constant.

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When to Use Definite White Balance SettingsYour camera comes with a group of preset,defined white balance settings. Even the mostinexpensive cameras typically have thesecontrols that take the camera off of AWB, butmost photographers do not know that theyexist. Sometimes they are in a menu,

sometimes they are accessed directly by a WBbutton. These settings define the response ofthe camera to a specific color of light, althoughthey can be used in other conditions for creativeeffect as well. They can really help you getbetter color.

Defined Settings Lock theCamera’s ResponseWhen you set a specific white balance inyour camera, you lock it down to thatspecific interpretation of the light. It doesnot change, even if you point the cameraelsewhere, zoom the lens, or change yourlocation. This restricts the camera’sresponse to how it interprets a scene.

Defined Settings Are ConsistentWith a specific white balance setting, you canzoom your lens in or out and be sure the colorof your subject’s skin will not change. You canalso move around a location and know that achange in the color of the background will notthrow your colors off.

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Match Settings to ConditionsThe basic way to choose a defined or preset whitebalance setting is to match the setting to the conditions.Choose Sunlight for sunny days, Cloudy for cloudy days,Shade for shade, and Tungsten for indoor light.

Warm Up Your Photos with WhiteBalance SettingsYou may like photos that are a little warmer in tone than the camera gives you. You canchange your white balance to always warm upscenes. For example, try Cloudy for a daylightscene or Shade for a cloudy day, and see if thecolors look better to you.

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Using White Balance Settings CreativelyWhite balance settings do not always have toexactly match the conditions. You can use whitebalance settings for creative control that goesbeyond simply making colors look more natural.You can choose presets that seem to becompletely alien to conditions, just for their

effects. There is no rule that you have to usethe Daylight setting with daylight — no whitebalance police will arrest you if you usesomething different. And there is no qualityeffect from using something different.

Experiment with White BalanceYou start with the Sunlight setting for sunnyconditions, but there is no rule that says you cannotuse completely different settings for your shot. Justto see what is possible, take a series of pictures ofthe same scene, but with the white balance set to adifferent setting for each shot.

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Use the Cloudy Setting for SunsetSunset photos are supposed to have rich, warmcolors. This is an expectation that comes from howfilm used to capture sunsets. Digital cameras givemuch weaker interpretations of sunset unless youchoose a specific white balance setting. The Cloudysetting always gives richer sunsets than AWB.

Try the Daylight Settings at NightIt would seem logical to use a Tungsten or Indoorsetting for the lights at night. Yet that often givessuch a neutral-looking image that the colors thatyou would usually expect disappear. You can getthem back by using a Sunlight setting.

Create Blue Effects with TungstenTungsten settings are designed for shootingwith artificial light, not for daylight. Thismeans that you can get unusual, often strikingcolors by using Tungsten for daylight. It turnsdaytime scenes blue. With a little underexposure,you can even make them look like night.

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ChapterChapter 5555Choosing ShutterSpeed and F-StopTwo basic controls change howmuch light hits the sensor inyour camera: shutter speed andf-stop. Shutter speed affectshow long light is allowed intothe camera. Shutter speed isoften displayed as just thebottom number — for example,1/125 second appears as 125.

F-stop determines how muchlight is allowed through thelens. It is controlled bychanging the aperture, or thesize of the opening in the lens. A larger opening, such as f/2.8, uses most of themaximum diameter of the inside of the lens. A smaller opening, such as f/11, usesan aperture that is less than the diameter of the inside of the lens.

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Chapter 555 Control Exposure with Shutter Speed and F-Stop . . . . . . . . 80

Stop Action with Fast Shutter Speeds . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 82

Blur Action with Slow Shutter Speeds. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 84

Increase Depth-of-Field with Small F-Stops . . . . . . . . . . . . 86

Create Shallow Depth-of-Field with Large F-Stops . . . . . . . . 88

ISO Settings Affect Exposure Choices . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 90

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Control Exposure with Shutter Speed and F-StopShutter speed and f-stop work together tocreate an exposure for your subject. As a result, you have many options because thecombinations of shutter speed and f-stop addup to a very large number of choices. You canpotentially use each shutter speed with every

f-stop, and vice versa, to match a huge rangeof brightness conditions. You do not have tochoose every setting yourself because thecamera will help you with specific choices,depending on the exposure mode you choose.

Shutter Speed and F-Stop Havea Direct RelationshipAs shutter speed is changed, acorresponding amount of f-stop mustchange in order to keep the exposurethe same. The camera typically does thisfor you as you change shutter speed orf-stop with autoexposure. However, withthis knowledge in mind, you can affectexposure by using different shutterspeeds and f-stops.

F-Stops Change in a Regular WayThe most common f-stops are f/2, f/2.8, f/4, f/5.6, f/8, f/11, f/16, and f/22. The biggest is f/2, which lets in the greatest amount of light. The smallest is f/22, which lets in the least amount of light. These are fullf-stops, and each gives an exposure that allows twice the light through the lens when you go from one f-stop to the next, such as from f/22 to f/16 to f/11, all the way to f/2. Each halves the amount of lightwhen going the other way.

f/2 f/2.8 f/4 f/5.6 f/8 f/11 f/16 f/22

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Shutter Speeds Change IntuitivelyShutter speeds represent the amount of time that light hits the sensor, such as 1/125, which may also bedisplayed as 125. A shutter speed of 1/125 is half the speed of 1/60, which means that it lets in half thelight, and twice that of 1/250, which means it lets in twice the amount of light. Such a change represents afull step or full stop change. The stop refers to a full f-stop change in exposure.

1/1000 1/500 1/250 1/125 1/60 1/30 1/15 1/8 1/4 1/2 1 sec.

You Can Choose EitherShutter Speed or F-Stop withAutoexposureWhen you choose P or programautoexposure, the camera choosesboth shutter speed and f-stop. With A, Av, or aperture-priorityautoexposure, you select an f-stopand the camera chooses anappropriate shutter speed. With S, Tv, or shutter speed-priorityautoexposure, you select the shutterspeed and the camera chooses theright aperture.

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Stop Action with Fast Shutter Speeds Fast shutter speeds stop action. If action is animportant part of your photography, thenshutter speed must be your main consideration.Aperture, or f-stop, is usually far less important.If action is supposed to look sharp — and itusually is — then you need a shutter speed fast

enough to stop that action for the photograph.Exactly what shutter speed to use variesdepending on the situation. You can choose thatspeed based on what you discover about thespeed of the action. You can try different speedsuntil the action appears sharp in your LCD.

Movement Is About TimeAnything that moves is changing overtime. A slow shutter speed shows howsomething moves during the time theshutter is open, and so you get a blur. Afast shutter speed captures a moment intime of that movement, a short enoughmoment to render the action sharp.

Speed of Movement Affects ShutterSpeed ChoiceAny action has a speed. A person walking hasless speed, and therefore less movementthrough time, than a runner or a bike rider.Shutter speeds must get faster in order to stopaction as it increases in speed. You might stopsomeone walking at 1/125 second, but asprinter might require 1/500 second.

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Angle of Movement Affects ShutterSpeed ChoiceYour angle to the subject also affects the shutterspeed you need. If a moving subject headstoward you, you see less movement over time,and so you can use a slower shutter speed. Asthe moving subject changes direction and goesat 90 degrees to your view, the subject changesvery rapidly going across the scene, and so youmust use a faster shutter speed.

Timing of the Shutter AffectsMovementAs shutter speeds get faster, such as 1/125 or1/500 second, time is sliced into shorter andshorter moments. Movement is frozen becauseit is captured in such a short part of its time ofaction. There are many such moments in anymovement, and timing of your shutter releasecan change the photograph.

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Blur Action with Slow Shutter SpeedsShutter speed is not simply about stoppingaction. A speed can be too slow for a particularaction, causing the movement to be blurred.This is obviously a problem if you want to stopthe action of an athlete but only get a blurryimage. However, blurs can be used creatively

and can show more of the world than we caneven see. If you want to experiment with blurs,then be sure to choose a shutter speed thatreally blurs the subject. Slight blurs look like apoorly photographed subject or like a mistake.

The World Is Not Timed to aShutter SpeedThe camera artificially stops action so thatyou can get a photograph. Movementcan be photographed in other ways thansimply stopped action, however. Whenyou photograph movement over time,you get a blur, but you also see whatmovement looks like from a differenttimeframe.

Slow Shutter Speeds Create BlurSlower shutter speeds mean that your shutteris open while movement and action occur.That creates blur. How slow a shutter speedwill cause blur depends on the movement. A hummingbird’s wings can be blurred at1/10,000 second, but a snail is not blurred at1/60 second.

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Water Looks Great with Slow SpeedsWater is a classic subject for slow shutterspeeds. This allows you to get those beautiful,smooth water shots that actually show the flowpatterns of the water. Try shutter speeds of 1/2to 1 second at first, and then check the resultsin your LCD. You need a tripod or othercamera support for slow speeds.

Blurs Can Be CreativeWhen slow shutter speeds are used onother subjects, the results can beunpredictable, but also quite attentiongetting. For example, try sports actionat 1/8 or 1/15 second. Follow thesubject as they move, and then releasethe shutter as you continue to panwith the subject.

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Increase Depth-of-Field with Small F-StopsMany photographers seek to gain great sharpnessthroughout their scene. The choice of f-stop hasa very big effect on sharpness in depth in aphotograph, or depth-of-field. As you choosesmall openings or f-stops, depth-of-fieldincreases. There is a trade-off, however: As the

f-stop gets smaller, less light comes through thelens. This means that shutter speeds get slower,increasing the chance of blur. You often needcamera support, such as a tripod, for maximumsharpness when you also want maximum depth-of-field.

Small F-Stops Have Big NumbersF-stops are a little confusing because as they get smaller, the numbers getbigger. This is because the numbers actually represent a fraction, so while 8 is a larger number than 4, 1/8 is smaller than 1/4. This is exactly whathappens with f-stops; f/8 is a smaller opening or aperture than f/4.

f/4 f/8

Depth-of-Field Is Sharpness in DepthDepth-of-field represents the amount ofsharpness in a photograph from near to far,or the sharpness in depth. A photograph thatstarts sharp with nearby objects and stayssharp into the distance has a lot of depth offield. An image with a very narrow band offocus is said to have shallow depth-of-field.

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Small F-Stops Give MoreDepth-of-FieldAs f-stops get smaller in size, depth-of-field increases. A smaller f-stop isrepresented by a larger number, suchas f/16. Use those numbers to youradvantage by remembering thatlarger numbers give more depth-of-field, regardless of the math behindthem. Landscapes are good subjectsfor a lot of depth-of-field.

Watch Your Shutter SpeedYou can set a small f-stop with aperture-priority autoexposure, or you can watch to see what the camera is doing with otherautoexposure modes. You also need to watchyour shutter speed. Slow shutter speeds areoften needed with small apertures, which canresult in blurred photos.

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Create Shallow Depth-of-Field with Large F-StopsWhile deep depth-of-field can be nice for alandscape or a travel scene in some distant city,it can be a problem with some photos. Yoursubject can blend into a background at times ifboth are equally sharp. For example, you maynot necessarily want the background to be sharp

and competing with your nice portrait of yourson or daughter. Or, you may want to be sureyour photograph of a flower actually makes theflower stand out for a viewer — it will not if the background is too sharp.

Shallow Depth-of-Field Limits Area ofSharpnessShallow depth-of-field limits sharpness indepth. It does not change sharpness from side-to-side, but it does keep sharpness focused ona specific area of the photograph. This alsohelps the viewer focus on what is important inyour image.

Wide Apertures Reduce Sharpnessin DepthA wide or large aperture in the lens reducesthe amount of sharpness in depth that ispossible in a photo. These are the f-stopswith the lower numbers, and so you can alsoremember this by thinking that a low f-stopnumber creates a low or restricted depth-of-field. The lower the number, the larger theaperture, and the less the sharpness indepth.

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Shallow Depth-of-Field Makes YourSubject Stand OutSo why use shallow depth-of-field? Becausethis always makes your subject stand out.The contrast from sharp to fuzzy is always ahelpful way of separating your subject fromthe background. Shallow depth-of-field isalso what you see when focusing through adigital SLR.

Telephotos Enhance the EffectTelephoto lenses, or the telephoto-magnified portion of your zoom, give less depth-of-field at any given aperture.Conversely, wide-angles give more depth of field. Any timeyou want to decrease depth-of-field, use your telephoto lenssettings and back up to get the subject into the image area.

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ISO Settings Affect Exposure ChoicesLight never remains constant. It changes in somany ways, but especially in brightness. Yourcamera gives you some control in how the cameraresponds to that brightness, in the form of ISOsettings. These settings change the sensitivityof a camera to light so that the sensor recordsan image appropriately. Film has ISO numbers

that relate to each film’s sensitivity. In a similarway, ISO settings reflect how sensitive thecamera is to light. The numbers changesensitivity in direct relation to their mathematicalchange; for example, going from 100 to 200doubles the sensitivity of the camera.

ISO Settings Boost theSensitivity of Your CameraISO settings on a digital camera are notexactly the same as ISOs of film. FilmISOs were locked into a specific film.You can change digital ISO settings atany time. Increasing ISO settingsamplifies the sensor’s sensitivity to lightso that you can shoot more easily in lowlight levels.

Low Numbers Give Highest QualityLow ISO settings are based on the nativesensitivity of the sensor, and they giveoptimum color and tonality. In addition, thelowest noise levels come from low ISOsettings. The downside is that you often needslower shutter speeds, which can cause a lackof sharpness either from camera or subjectmovement.

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High Numbers Allow Faster ShutterSpeedsUsing high ISO settings is like turning up thedial on your radio to bring in a weaker station.Higher settings “turn up the dial” on thesensitivity of your sensor and allow you to shootin lower light levels. The effect of specific highISO settings varies from camera to camera, butthey may result in weaker color and increasednoise.

A Caution about NoiseNoise is a pattern of random bits of tiny detailthat appear across your image. It looks like sand and is the digital equivalent to film grain.It can be a problem if it is distracting from yoursubject, but it can also be necessary if you are toget the shot. Noise always increases with highISO settings and underexposure.

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ChapterChapter 6666GettingMaximumSharpnessFor most photographs,sharpness is a key element thathelps make the image good orbad, useable or not. A lot ofphotographers try to “buy”sharpness by purchasingexpensive lenses or expensivecameras, yet they aredisappointed when their resultsdo not match their expectations.

Sharpness might be considereda part of the photographer’s craft. With practice, any craftsperson will get better inthat field. If you try the ideas in this chapter, and then practice a bit with them,you will get sharper photos than someone else who does not pay attention tothese ideas, regardless of the price of their lens and camera.

Chapter 666 Minimize Camera Movement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 94

Focus on the Most Important Part of the Subject . . . . . . . . 96

Choose F-Stop or Shutter Speed for Appropriate Sharpness. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 98

Get Maximum Sharpness with a Tripod. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 100

Get Sharpness with Other Camera Supports . . . . . . . . . . . 102

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Minimize Camera MovementCamera movement during the exposure isprobably the worst culprit for blurry photos.Small, lightweight digital cameras are easy tocasually hold and shoot, yet a casual approachusually leads to less-than-satisfactory photos.For example, those little cameras can move very

easily from a hard push of the shutter button. Infact, all cameras and lenses can have their photosdegraded from camera movement or shakeduring exposure. Holding a camera properly tominimize camera movement is not hard to do;unlearning bad habits may be harder.

AA HHaannddhheelldd CCaammeerraa MMoovveessObviously, a handheld camera moves. It has tobecause you and your hands move. However,many photographers do not consider thatpossibility when shooting. They take it forgranted that somehow the camera will take asharp photo, and if it does not, it is becausethe camera is cheap.

HHooww ttoo HHoolldd aa DDiiggiittaall CCaammeerraaYou learned a little about handholding acamera in Chapter 1. This is so important that itis worth revisiting here. So often, you see folksholding a little digital camera, with one handwaving in the air. This guarantees photos thatare less sharp. Hold the camera with two handsand bring your elbows into the sides of yourbody for the most stable position.

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HHooww ttoo HHoolldd aa DDiiggiittaall SSLLRRA digital SLR is held similarly to a regulardigital camera, except for the placement of theleft hand. Turn that hand palm up, and placethe camera down onto the palm. Then gripthe lens naturally. This is a much more stableposition than if the left hand is palm down.

PP rreessss tthhee SShhuutttteerrHow you release the shutter does make adifference. You want to steadily press theshutter down until it goes off. As noted inChapter 1, never jab the shutter or quickly lift your finger. Either movement can jar thecamera and cause unneeded camera shakeduring exposure.

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Focus on the Most Important Part of the SubjectAutofocus, or AF as it is often called, is a greatfeature on all digital cameras. AF really doeshelp to ensure that your photo is properlyfocused most of the time. This can be achallenge, however, when you are photographingup close. Then, the camera’s AF system may

focus on the wrong part of the subject becausethere are so many places to focus on, all atslightly different distances. Whenever you have objects at varied distances within yourphotograph, you have the possibility of thecamera focusing on the wrong object.

FFooccuuss IIss NNaarrrrooww WWhheenn YYoouu AArreeCClloosseeWhen you get close — and this is not justfor closeups — the area of sharp focusgets narrower. The actual point of focusbecomes more obvious. This means thatyou must become more aware of wherethe camera is focusing and be sure thatthe important part of your subject is infocus.

TThhee CCaammeerraa DDooeess NNoott KKnnooww WWhhaatt IIss IImmppoorrttaannttThe camera and its autofocus have no idea of what is or is not importantin a photo. It is simply finding something that it “knows” can be sharp.You have to tell the camera what is supposed to be sharp, and so youneed to watch the focus points and notice which ones light up to tellyou what is sharp.

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TThhee EEyyeess ooff aa PPeerrssoonn AArree CCrriittiiccaall ffoorrSShhaarrppnneessssIn any portrait, formal or informal, the eyes ofthe person are a key part of that image. Theytell a lot about the subject, which is why theymust be sharp. If the camera focuses behindthem and makes ears and hair sharp, then yourphoto is much less effective than it could be.

FFoorr CClloosseeuuppss,, CChheecckk WWhheerree tthheeCCaammeerraa FFooccuusseessWith closeups, there are many spots that acamera can focus on, and they are all very closetogether in distance. However, what can besharp is limited because of the distance. Youmay have to press the shutter to lock focus, asdescribed in Chapter 1, in order to keep focuson the important parts of the photo.

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Choose F-Stop or Shutter Speed for Appropriate SharpnessAs you learned in Chapter 5, f-stop and shutterspeed control exposure. How you choose an f-stop or shutter speed will change thesharpness of your photo, with f-stop affectingdepth-of-field and shutter speed either stoppingmotion or allowing blurs. This is an importantconcept to understand when you are choosing

either f-stop or shutter speed as your primarycontrol. This section takes a look at bothsettings from a different perspective than inChapter 5 — the perspective of sharpness ratherthan the controls — so that you can betterchoose what you need.

FFoorreeggrroouunndd aanndd BBaacckkggrroouunndd NNeeeeddDDeepptthh--ooff--FFiieellddA great technique for getting a better landscapephoto is to find a foreground that relates to abigger scene in the background. These imagesoften look their best when both areas appearsharp. You can get deeper sharpness in suchimages by using the smallest f-stops and awide-angle focal length.

FFaasstt AAccttiioonn NNeeeeddss FFaasstt SShhuutttteerrSSppeeeeddssWhen the action is fast, you must choose afast shutter speed. Your camera typically hasspeeds of 1/1000 second and faster. Usethem when you can if the action is fast. Letthe camera choose a wide aperture if needed,and use a higher ISO setting if you cannot getthe speed you want.

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CCoonnttrraasstt ooff SShhaarrppnneessss MMaakkeess SShhaarrppAArreeaass LLooookk SShhaarrppeerrWhen you shoot with a telephoto lens and awide f-stop, you limit your sharpness to arestricted depth in the photo. This allows youto contrast out-of-focus areas next to the sharpareas. These planes of contrasting sharpnesscan make your sharp area look even sharper.

PPaann YYoouurr CCaammeerraa wwiitthh SSllooww SShhuutttteerrSSppeeeeddssWith slow shutter speeds, you get blur with alot of action. Try panning or following themovement with your camera, and thenshooting during that movement. This oftenkeeps the subject sharp, or at least less blurred,while the background blurs into an interesting,muted pattern.

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Get Maximum Sharpness with a TripodA good tripod is probably the best investmentyou can make for sharpness. You will not use itall the time, but it is invaluable when shooting atslower shutter speeds. Many photographers aresurprised at how sharp their lenses really arewhen they see the results from shooting on a

tripod. Even at moderate shutter speeds, suchas 1/60 or 1/125 second, most people cannotmatch the results from a tripod without usingfaster shutter speeds. The blur might not benoticeable, but the sharpness of details isaffected.

GGeett aa SSttuurrddyy TTrriippooddToo many photographers spend a lot of moneyon camera gear, and then skimp when it comesto buying a tripod. A light, flimsy tripod can beworse than no tripod. Set up a tripod, lock itdown, and lean on it. A sturdy, appropriatelystiff tripod does not feel wobbly or like it willcollapse.

CCaarrbboonn--FFiibbeerr TTrriippooddss AArree aa GGooooddII nnvveessttmmeennttThere is no question that carbon-fiber tripodsare expensive. But their light weight means thatyou are more likely to take one with you anduse it as needed. With reasonable care, they lasta long time, and their cost is like an investmentin sharpness that will pay off over time.

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BBaall llhheeaaddss AArree EEaassyy ttoo AAddjjuussttThe ballhead uses a ball-and-socketmechanism under the camera mount to allowyou to adjust the camera angle to the subject.A single knob locks and unlocks the head tomove the camera. That single knob makesadjustment quick and easy, but hold thecamera firmly as you do, or your camera maydrop suddenly to one side or another.

PPaann--aanndd--TTiilltt HHeeaaddss OOffffeerr TTiigghhtt CCoonnttrroollA pan-and-tilt head is another commontop for a tripod. It uses several knobsor levers to adjust the camera position.The multiple controls make it a littleslower to use, but some photographersprefer the control it gives over eachmovement of the camera.

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Get Sharpness with Other Camera SupportsTripods are not the only option for getting addedsharpness when shooting at slower shutterspeeds. Traveling with a tripod can be difficult ifyou must pack really light. In addition, tripodscan be hard to take to some places, such aswhen you are photographing along a historic

street with a lot of tourists who might trip overthem. Some places even prohibit them. Tripodscan also be awkward to carry and move aroundin some settings, such as at sports events.Luckily, there are alternatives.

BBeeaannbbaaggss MMaakkee VVeerryy PPoorrttaabblleeSSuuppppoorrttssBeanbags are very pliable bags that let youprop a camera against a solid surface. Someactually have beans inside, although mosthave plastic pellets. The bag molds against thecamera to help you hold it stable against apost, chair, bookcase, parking meter, or anyother convenient, non-moving object.

MMoonnooppooddss AArree GGrreeaatt ffoorr SSppoorrttssAAccttiioonnA monopod is like one leg of a tripod with a head on top. These are great for shootingsports, as the monopod can carry the weightof the camera and lens as you watch the actiondevelop. They can be used in a lot of situationswhere you need a slower shutter speed butcannot use a tripod.

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GGoorriillllaappooddss WWrraapp aarroouunndd OObbjjeeccttssA relatively new product, the Gorillapod lookslike a miniature tripod with bendable legs. Itcomes in different sizes for different sizes ofcameras. While it can support a smallercamera directly, most of the time a Gorillapodis used by wrapping its legs around a solidobject, such as a post. The unit itself is verylightweight.

TTaa bbllee--TToopp TTrriippooddss CCaann HHeellpp wwiitthh SSmmaallllCCaammeerraassMiniature, folding tripods can fit into a camera bag,and can be opened and used on a table or any otherflat solid surface to keep your camera stable duringexposure. The smallest ones can be kept with a pocketdigital camera to let you shoot with slow shutterspeeds anywhere.

ChapterChapter 7777Getting the Mostfrom a LensThe lens is a basic part of acamera. Without one, youcannot even take a picture. Thelens controls what the sensorsees — such as how much ofthe scene, what is sharp or not sharp, and perspective.Compact and point-and-shootdigital cameras have built-inzoom lenses that change focallength. Digital SLRs allow youto change lenses for specificpurposes.

The focal length you use with your zoom and the lens you choose for your digitalSLR is a very personal preference. This chapter will give you some ideas on how tobest work with a lens to meet your photo needs.

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Chapter 777 Get a Big View with a Wide Angle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 106

Get a Tight View with a Telephoto . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 108

Zoom for Best Compositions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 110

Choose Focal Lengths for Different Subjects. . . . . . . . . . . 112

Closeups and Lenses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 114

Focal Length and People Photographs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 116

How to Buy New Lenses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 118

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Get a Big View with a Wide AngleThe wide-angle lens is often used specifically toget a wider angle of view on a subject. This isthe most common use of such a lens. A wide-angle lens uses any focal length that lets yousee a wider view than normal. It is alwayshelpful when you cannot back up and a big

view is in front of you. Yet a wide-angle lens orzoom setting can do much more for you thansimply get more of a scene. It can also be auseful and creative tool that changes how youphotograph a subject.

Shoot the Big SceneThe world is a vast place, but it can alsooften limit you as to where you canphotograph. A wide-angle lens canhelp you get more photographs ofthose big scenes. Remember that thewide angle gets “wider” top andbottom as well as side-to-side, so watchwhat goes into the top and bottom ofyour photo.

Go Wide IndoorsDigital cameras make indoor photographyeasy with white balance and ISO controls. Awide focal length lets you see more of thesubject and its surroundings when inside.Rooms do not always give the photographerroom to shoot easily, and so the wide-anglelens can really help to get everything oreveryone into the shot.

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Make Your Foreground BolderOne thing a wide-angle lens always does iscapture more foreground. Watch out for empty,boring foregrounds that a wide-angle lens caneasily capture. Get in close to something specialand create a photo with a very strongforeground-background relationship, asdescribed in Chapter 2.

Wide Angle Allows Slower ShutterSpeedsBecause a wide-angle lens covers a large area of a scene, it stands to reason that any slightmovement of the camera during exposure willbe less noticeable. You can often handhold acamera at much slower shutter speeds thanexpected if you shoot with the widest angle of your zoom.

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Get a Tight View with a TelephotoTelephoto lenses magnify a scene. Whether youget such a view from a zoom or a single-focal-length lens, a telephoto lets you pick out andisolate details in a scene. You can really focuson things that sometimes cannot even be seenwell with the unaided eye. Stronger focal

lengths let you bring in subjects, such aswildlife, that are sitting some distance away sothat they fill up your image area. A telephotolens is an important tool for capturing segmentsof a wide world.

Telephotos Isolate SubjectsA telephoto lens allows you toeliminate unneeded details as youzoom in. But it also changes otherdetails, such as perspective and depth-of-field. This tends to make a subjectstand out better against a background,isolating the subject out of the overallscene, and helping capture that subjectmore clearly.

Watch Your Shutter SpeedTelephotos see a narrow bit of theworld. Any camera movement duringexposure will definitely show up onthat restricted angle. You need fastershutter speeds for telephoto lenses sothat you can stop that movement.Most people cannot handhold anytelephoto sharply at less than 1/125 to1/250 second.

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Use Telephoto for DetailsAs you zoom in, you start isolating and focusing on thefine points of a scene or subject. The telephoto lens letsyou find interesting details about a subject. Search outcolor or texture that cannot be seen from a distant orwide view. Use your camera to extract information aboutyour subject that other people miss.

Strong Telephotos CompressDistancesEver see those photos of cars stacked on afreeway? They are almost always shot with atelephoto focal length. Telephotos bring in thebackground and make it look closer to yoursubject. You get the strongest effect byzooming in, and then backing up until thesubject looks right.

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Zoom for Best CompositionsThe zoom lens on any digital camera can be agreat compositional tool. Composition is alwaysabout what you include in your image and whatyou try to keep out. Your zoom allows you todo exactly that: zoom out to include more

details and more of a scene in the photo, andzoom in to eliminate details that you do notwant. You can quickly focus a composition downto its essentials by using your zoom to changewhat appears in the photo.

Zoom Out to Include EnvironmentSometimes the important thing about yoursubject is not simply the subject, but how itrelates to its environment. Zooming out to awider setting always allows you to includemore of the environment. In addition, depth-of-field is increased, which helps thatenvironment to be more readily seen.

Tighten Your CompositionsOne problem many photographershave is that they do not get closeenough to their subjects; thephotograph has too much space aroundthe really important part of the image.Try setting up your photo how you likeit, and then just tap that zoom tomagnify it a bit more. That will oftenmake a stronger photo.

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Zoom In to Focus on Your SubjectWhen the focus should really just be on yoursubject, zoom way in until that is exactly what yousee and nothing else. You can make a subject lookvery dramatic if you get in close and use your zoomto its maximum magnification. If the subject is toopressed in by the edges of the composition, back up — do not simply zoom out wider.

Experiment with Your Zoom RangeIf you want to learn the capabilities of yourzoom better, here is a good exercise. Take aseries of 30 photos, where each image uses adifferent extreme of focal length. Take the firstphoto at full wide angle, the next at fulltelephoto, the following shot at full wideagain, and so forth. This can be a challengingand fun exercise.

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Choose Focal Lengths for Different SubjectsAs you think about focal length, you willquickly discover that certain focal lengths seem to fit specific subjects quite well, such aslandscapes with wide angles and wildlife withtelephotos. It is worth keeping that in mind.While you can certainly photograph any subject

with any focal length, you will find that somesubjects are just easier to photograph witheither telephoto or wide-angle lenses, but notboth. It can be frustrating to try to force asubject into an image that the lens does notsupport.

Telephotos Are Great for PeopleTelephoto focal lengths can be veryflattering for people. Try setting yourzoom to its strongest point, and thenback up until your subject looks good.With most standard zooms, this providesa very pleasing perspective for a person'sface. It can also blur the background sothat the subject stands out better.

Capture Wide LandscapesLandscapes are often big, and youfrequently have a limited locationfrom which to photograph them. Ifyou like photographing big spaces, a very wide-angle lens may be anecessity for you. You can get suchlenses in certain compact digitalcameras as well as digital SLRs.

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Strong Telephotos Help with WildlifeWildlife does not generally sit still while youcome up to photograph it. Even relativelytame animals are not comfortable with closeapproaches. You need a strong telephoto inorder to photograph them. Common zoomranges on compact cameras are typically toosmall to work for this subject.

Wide Angles for TravelWhen you are traveling, you often need to show off a scene, and yet you are limited in where you canphotograph from. A wide-angle lens can be great to get a quick shot of a nice location without spending afrustrating amount of time finding a place to shoot from.Wide-angle lenses also let you show the wholeenvironment of a scene.

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Closeups and LensesCloseup photography is a fun way to use yourcamera. All cameras today have the capabilityof focusing close, although some do better thanothers. Specialized lenses that are optimized forclose work can be helpful, but you do not needthem for starting to shoot closeups. Set your

camera on its closest focusing distance (or set to closeup focusing) and move in to findinteresting subjects for your photos. If you wantto go closer, your needs may be as simple as aspecial closeup lens.

Try the Close Focusing SettingEven the most basic point-and-shoot camerausually has a closeup setting that allows veryclose focusing within inches of your subject.This setting is represented on most cameraswith a flower icon. Give it a try with somesubjects in your area. Most zooms for digitalSLRs also have close-focusing settings that youcan use to create closeup work with thoselenses.

Add a Closeup LensAn easy way to get closer shots with manylenses is to use a closeup accessory lens thatscrews into the front of your lens. You can even use these lenses with many compactdigital cameras as well as digital SLRs. Look for achromatic closeup lenses for the bestsharpness.

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Extension Tubes Work with DigitalSLRsAn extension tube is literally that, a tube that extends the distance from camera to lens.It allows all of your lenses to focus closer,although wide angles might not work.Extension tubes are very affordable accessoriesthat open up closeup and macro photographyfor any digital SLR.

A Macro Lens Has Unique FeaturesYou do not need a macro lens for closeup ormacro work. However, such lenses do haveadvantages. They allow you to focus from adistance to up close without any otheraccessories or camera settings. They are alsodesigned for maximum sharpness and detailwhen you are shooting very, very close to asubject.

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Focal Length and People PhotographsEarlier in this chapter, you learned that telephotofocal lengths work well with people. This istrue, and you are always safe photographingpeople with such focal lengths. However, goodpeople photographers use all sorts of focallengths to control the portrait even more. You

can get very unflattering photos if you use a focal length inappropriately, but all focallengths work for people photos if you use theright approach. Do not simply use a lens to getwide or narrow; check the LCD and look at whatit is really doing to your subject.

Wide Angles Show a Person’sSettingAs you learned earlier in this chapter,wide-angle lenses let you add someenvironment around your subject. Thiscan be a great way to tell a story aboutyour subject by showing them in apersonal space. Such images can bringtexture and color to a portrait bykeeping the subject in context withtheir surroundings.

Telephotos Let You Isolate FacesWhen you zoom in and concentrate on just a person’s face, you make your viewerreally look at that person. Such a close viewfocuses in on the eyes, a critical part of aportrait. It then isolates the face by keepingdistractions out of the frame. The telephotoalso lets you do this while keeping acomfortable distance from your subject.

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Wide Angles Up Close Give StrikingResultsMany photographers shy away from shootingpeople with wide-angle lenses, especially upclose. It is true that such a technique can givesome wildly distorted looks to a face, whichnot all subjects appreciate. Yet you can alsocreate striking images that grab you in a waythat no other technique can do.

Be Careful of Focus with TelephotosRemember that telephoto lenses have a limitedarea of focus. You need to be careful that yourcamera’s autofocus is not focusing on thewrong parts of a face — for example, the tip ofthe nose or the ears. Work to be sure that focusis on the eyes. Sharp eyes really make aportrait more effective.

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How to Buy New LensesLenses can be a seductive attraction for a digitalSLR owner. There are many on the market, andthey all offer excellent results. That can makebuying a new lens rather confusing. Each lens has its pros and cons related to specific

photographers or subject matter, yet that glasscan be so attractive that photographers end upbuying gear that is not really suited to them.Here are some ideas for what to consider whenyou want to add a lens to your bag.

Look at Your Limitations inPicture Taking The first thing to consider is what youfeel is limiting you as a photographer. Doyou wish you could get closer to wildlife?Then look at long telephoto lenses. Doyou find you cannot get back far enoughto capture landscapes you like? Then lookinto wide angles. Base your choices onwhat is challenging your photography.

Be Wary of OtherPhotographers’ AdviceIt is quite easy to get impressed byanother photographer’s gear. They willtell you how great or bad a lens mightbe. Understand that lens choice anduse is very personal, and what worksfor one photographer might be wrongfor another. Look at how a lens reallymight fit your needs, not just how itworks for another photographer.

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Expensive Is Not Always BetterExpensive lenses are better than lower-costlenses, right? Not necessarily. A lot of factorsgo into deciding on a lens. A lens with alarge maximum aperture such as f/2.8 for atelephoto will be very expensive, yet it mightnot be as good as the same focal-length lens with a maximum aperture of f/4. Largemaximum apertures can be very expensiveto produce.

Big-Range Lenses Are Great, ButNot for EveryoneIf you want to travel with one lens, youmight want to get one of the big-rangezooms, such as 18-200mm. That gives youa lot of telephoto and wide-angle focallengths in one lens. However, such lensesare also generally quite slow, meaning thatthe maximum f-stop, especially at thetelephoto end, is small and lets in less light.

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ChapterChapter 8888Indoor andNight Light Plus FlashConditions indoors change,from the time of day to the typeof room to the kind of lights.With film, those variedconditions made indoorphotography challenging. Nightphotography could be evenworse. You never knew exactlywhat the light would do tocontrast and color. Then, if youwanted to use flash in eithersituation, you could only guesswhat that would look like.

The digital camera has been a huge boon for dealing with the artificial light ofindoors and night because you can actually see results as you take the pictures.This opens up so many possibilities. You can now shoot literally almost anywherethere is light and get good photos.

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Chapter 888 Deal with Artificial Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 122

Correct Color with White Balance. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 124

Using Appropriate Shutter Speed Technique . . . . . . . . . . 126

Brace the Camera for Sharpness . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 128

Understand How Flash Works . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 130

Dealing with Red-Eye . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 132

Avoid Flash Shadow Problems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 134

Bounce Your Flash for More Natural Light . . . . . . . . . . . . 136

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Deal with Artificial LightArtificial light is the light you find indoors athome or at the office, in an arena, in a high-school gym, at night on the street, in amanufacturing plant, and in a restaurant.Basically, it is light other than sunlight. Thislight can be very interesting, but it often

presents challenges for the photographer,including sharpness, noise, contrast, lightquality, and light color. Successful artificial lightphotography requires that you learn to dealwith those conditions.

Deal with the Sharpness IssueWhen you go inside and at night, light levelsusually drop, which often requires slowershutter speeds for exposure. If you are notcareful, such a change in shutter speed canmake images less than sharp from cameramovement that occurs from handholding acamera, or it can mean that subjects are blurredfrom their movement.

Light Color Can Be InterestingThe color of light can vary all over the placeindoors and at night. This can be a problemwhen odd colors appear that are unattractivewith your subject. On the other hand, thevariation in light can be quite interesting andcreate images that cannot be captured in anyother way.

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What to Do with ContrastYour eyes can see more detail in acontrasty scene such as night scenesthan the camera can, but this goesbeyond the night. You need to beginseeing like your camera and avoidingangles and compositions that favor asubject as you see it but look bad as aphotograph because of too contrasty alight. Use your LCD to see what is reallyhappening to your subject in that light.

Why Noise Is Such a ProblemLow light usually means higher ISO settings, longerexposures, and often, a risk of underexposure. All of these can increase noise to unacceptableamounts. However, sometimes the only way to getthe shot is to use a high ISO setting, and so youneed to be especially careful of underexposure.

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Correct Color with White BalanceColor differences in light are often magnifiedwhen you get out of the sun. Just tryphotographing a blond-haired person in a roomwith both fluorescent and incandescent lights;their hair shows off multiple colors from thoselights. Artificial lights have so many different

colors, and their light affects subjects in bothgood and bad ways. You can continue to controlthis with white balance, as explained in Chapter4, but the choices are not always clear cutindoors or at night.

Make Your Subject Look GoodIf you are photographing a subject where coloris critical, such as a person’s skin tone, choose aspecific white balance to match the light on thatsubject. A viewer of your photo will tolerate allsorts of odd colors if a key color looks good.Skin tone is one of those colors that really looksbad if it is off.

Create a MoodColor affects mood. You will find that certainscenes look better with a color cast thatinfluences the mood rather than a purelyaccurate color match. For example, lights atnight often look better when they look a littlewarm, rather than white balancing the scene sothat they are neutral.

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Emphasize Colors in LightWhen you have a scene with variedcolors of light, each light appearsdifferently when you change whitebalance settings. This is a good case fornot using AWB, or auto white balance.AWB often gives you less effective colorsbecause it tries too hard to compromise.Take some test shots and compare withdifferent white balance settings.

Try Custom White BalanceSometimes the colors indoors or at night just do not look right, no matter what white balance setting youtry. This may be the perfect time to use your camera’s custom white balance setting. Use a white or graycard in the same light as the light that hits your subject, and white balance on it.

Unfortunately, camera manufacturers have not standardized this process and there are many ways this isactually done by the camera. Check your manual and you will usually find it is pretty simple to do. Forexample, the manual may suggest taking a picture of the white or gray card, and then telling the camerato remove the color in it.

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Using Appropriate Shutter Speed TechniqueLow light indoors or at night really taxes yourcamera’s ability to use reasonable shutterspeeds for sharpness. Even high ISO settingsand wide-open lens apertures still result in slowshutter speeds. This is why night photos oftendo not look as sharp. The camera has too much

potential to move during a slow shutter speed.Flash eliminates that blur, but it also removesthe feeling and mood of the light of a scene.There are some things you can do, however, toget sharper photos.

Watch Your Handholding TechniqueHow you hold your camera makes an especially big differencewhen the light is low. Be sure you have stable hand positions,with your elbows in, two hands gripping the camera, and theleft hand supporting the lens of a digital SLR from below. Thenpress the shutter with a steady release — no jabs.

Use Wide-Angle Focal LengthsBecause wide-angle focal lengths can behandheld at slower shutter speeds thantelephotos, they can be a real help whenthe light levels drop. Set your zoom to itswidest as you shoot with slow shutterspeeds. Never use telephoto focal lengthshandheld in these conditions unless youhave a lens with a wide maximumaperture and conditions are brighter.

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Breathe RightMany people think they should hold theirbreath when photographing with slowshutter speeds. That is a fallacy. Holdingyour breath can make you shake. Instead,use an old rifle shooter's technique: takea big breath, and then let it out slowly,releasing the shutter as you do.

Try Continuous Shooting Set your camera to continuous shooting when the shutter speed gets slow. Then take a series of photos byjust holding down the shutter. Very often, one of those shots will be sharp when the others are not. You arenot moving much when such shots are made, and you cannot push the shutter release too hard.

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Brace the Camera for SharpnessAnything you can do to steady your camera willhelp you get sharper photos when shutterspeeds are slow. As day changes to night andyou begin to photograph under changing light,there will be some point, depending on thefocal length of your lens, where shutter speeds

will be too slow to hold steady withoutsupport. A tripod can help and can be animportant tool for shooting at night, butsometimes you just cannot use one. In thesesituations, you have other options.

Brace the Camera AgainstSomething SolidYou can almost always find something solidto brace your camera against when you areinside. Think about the possibilities: doorframes, chair backs, shelves, lamp stands,tables, and more. You can often shoot atquite slow shutter speeds when you have acamera pressed solidly against a bookshelf.

Try a Beanbag with a ScrewBeanbags are wonderful stabilizers for acamera. However, they slide easily fromunder the camera when the support area isnot flat. Bogen markets a beanbag called ThePod that includes a tripod screw in themiddle. This lets you attach the beanbag sothat it stays right with the bottom of thecamera, no matter where it is.

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Look for Anything to Steady YourCameraWhen you set a camera on a solid surface,it is often not aimed right. Look foranything that could be used to stabilizethe camera at the shooting angle. Forexample, that could be rolled up paper, ashoe, or added fingers. Be imaginative, aslong as the camera does not wobble.

Tripods Give Great ResultsWhen you want the sharpest results in lowlight, you have to come back to the tripod. Atripod keeps the camera from moving duringtypically long exposures. If your camera has atwo-second self-timer, use it when shootinglong exposures on a tripod, as it helps thecamera and tripod settle from any vibrations.

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Understand How Flash WorksAs interesting as indoor and evening light canbe, after a while, you have to use a flash. Aflash is a controlled light in color, direction, andintensity. It happens too fast for you to seeanything other than a flash. The camera uses

that flash to calculate an exposure that is correctfor your subject and scene. In addition, you canalways check your flash photos in the cameraLCD to be sure exposure is right and to see ifyou have problems from the light of your flash.

The Camera Controls FlashExposureCameras today have a lot of computingpower built into them. A digital camerameters the results of a flash overmultiple spots across the image area,compares those readings, and thencalculates an exposure for the scene.The meter works like it does withnormal exposures and can be overlyinfluenced by light or dark subjects.

Digital Photography Needs aPre-FlashYou may have noticed a double flashwhen you use flash with your camera.The camera sends out a first burst oflight from the flash to see how muchlight is needed to create the exposure.It measures the light coming backfrom that flash and calculates thesecond, real exposure from that.

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In-Camera Flash Is Helpful butLimitedIn-camera flash is very helpful because itmeans that you always have a flash withyou. You can turn it on whenever youneed more control to your light. However,it is small and does not have a lot ofpower. It may have little effect on subjectsthat are farther than about 10 to 15 feetaway from the camera and you cannotmodify much, such as by using a diffuser.

Accessory Flash Offers OptionsAn accessory flash is a separate unit that usually attaches to a flashshoe on top of the camera. All digital SLRs can use them, as well assome compact digital cameras. These units have a lot more powerand versatility than a built-in unit. You can also get many kinds ofaccessories for them that help control your light even more.

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Dealing with Red-Eye Anyone who starts photographing people atnight with a flash will run into red-eye. Subjectsstart looking like they are possessed becausetheir eyes glow red. This also happens withanimals, but their eyes will have differentcolors, such as gold or green. Regardless, this is

rarely a desired effect. It is distinctlyunflattering for people, making it terrible forparty photos, and yet that is where red-eye isso commonly found. Red-eye settings for aflash can help, but there are other solutions, aswell.

Red-Eye Is a Flash EffectRed-eye comes from the flash and theflash alone. What happens is that in darkconditions, the pupils of eyes get larger.This allows more light to get inside theeye. If the flash is close to the axis of thelens, it reflects off the back of the eye atthe camera. The flash is so much brighterthan the scene that this effect shows up inthe form of red eyes.

Flash Away from the LensReduces ItRed-eye occurs when the flash canreflect directly from the back of theeye to the camera lens. When theflash is away from that axis, its lightcannot reflect directly back to thecamera. The farther a flash is upfrom or to the side of the lens, theless likely you are to get red-eye.

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Red-Eye Reduction MethodsSometimes WorkDigital cameras have a number of ways oftrying to reduce red-eye. Cameras sometimesturn on a bright light, including quick burstsof the flash, to try to force pupils to contract.This can be distracting to a subject. Somecameras include built-in red-eye processingof the image file that can work quite well.

Bright Light Limits Red-EyeBright light makes people’s pupilscontract so the flash cannot easilyreflect off the back of the eye. Whilecameras sometimes offer this, it can bedistracting. It is often better to askyour subject to move to a brighter spotor to have them look momentarily at anearby bright light before you taketheir picture.

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Avoid Flash Shadow ProblemsFlash is a very direct light. Because it comesfrom a small, but very bright, source, it is calleda specular light source. Specular light createshard-edged, very noticeable shadows. Suchshadows are neither good nor bad, but whenthey are not controlled, you will find problem

shadows in your flash photographs. Shadowscan be interesting or distracting,complementary or conflicting. You have todecide what you want to happen when you useflash for a scene.

Flash Creates Harsh LightThe first thing most people notice withflash is that the light can be harsh. Thiscomes from both the contrast from brightto dark and the hard edge you will findalong the boundary between shadow andlight. You can use this for creative effect,but be aware that it can make subjectslook too harsh.

Try the Night Flash SettingMany digital cameras have a night flash setting.This balances the light from the flash with theexisting light so that there is less contrastbetween the subject and the background. Thebackground gets lighter and the image looksless harsh. This means a slower shutter speed,so be sure to hold the camera steady.

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Off-Camera Flash Is a PossibilityIf your camera can take an accessoryflash, it can also use a dedicated flashcord. This cord lets you take the flash off the camera for better-lookingshadows and a more dimensional lighton the subject. Some cameras even havewireless capabilities so that you trigger a flash off camera without a cord.

Soften Your Flash for Good EffectA softer flash is flash that has its light spread out.There are inexpensive, easy-to-use diffusers that youcan attach to a flash to spread its light out. Thesereduce the light a little, but the camera automaticallycompensates for that. As the light spreads out, theshadows and their edges get less harsh.

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Bounce Your Flash for More Natural LightAs you have seen, light coming directly from aflash can be harsh and unattractive. Yet this isnot always necessary. Look at any fashionadvertising; almost 100 percent of that is donewith flash, but the flash is often bounced off ofa big, reflective surface. That bounce makes the

light appear bigger, meaning that it spreadsout considerably. It is this spread that makessubjects look better, with much more appealinglight. The larger the light, the more sharpshadows tend to disappear.

Tilt Your Flash to the CeilingThe quick and easy way to start using bounceflash is to get a flash that can tilt the actual flashtube part of the unit upward. Most accessoryflashes allow you to do this. This immediatelycreates a large, gentle light source from abovethat is very natural looking. Be sure the ceiling iswhite and reflective or this will not work.

Turn Your Flash to a WallMany accessory flash units turn left and right.This allows you to bounce the flash off of a wall.Look for a white or light wall. If the wall hasany color, it will show up in the photo. Warmwhite is okay. Bouncing light from the sidegives you a very pleasant light with directionalqualities to it.

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Bounce Flash Makes the Light GentlerBounce flash works because the spread-out lighton the wall or ceiling is large. This means thatlight can hit your subject from more angles,giving a gentle edge to shadows, yet still givinga very pleasing dimensional light. The biggerthe bounce area, the gentler the light appears.

Off-Camera Bounce Changes ShadowDirectionWith a flash-dedicated extension cord, you canget the flash off the camera and pointedwherever you need the light. You can thenquickly go from a direct but very directionallight, to instantly pointing the flash at theceiling or a wall. That totally changes the lightand gives better shadows.

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ChapterChapter 9999Editing andOrganizing Your PhotosTaking photos today with adigital camera is pretty easy,and, once you own a cameraand memory card, it costsnothing to take a lot of photos.However, many photographersare now running into aproblem. What do you do withall of those photos?

With film, the prints andnegatives were often stored in ashoebox, never to be seenagain. With digital photographyand with a little time and effort, you can access your photos again and again.

This chapter will help you get photos into your computer, and then edit andorganize them so that you can access them easily in the future.

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Chapter 999 Import Photos to Your Computer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 140

Organize Photos on a Hard Drive. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 142

Back Up Photos on a Second Drive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 144

Using Photoshop Elements to Organize Photos. . . . . . . . . 146

Using ACDSee to Browse and Edit Photos . . . . . . . . . . . . 148

Using ACDSee to Organize Photos . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 150

Edit the Good from the Bad . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 152

Using ACDSee to Rename Your Photos . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 154

Create Quick Slide Shows with ACDSee . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 156

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Import Photos to Your ComputerSo you have taken a lot of photos, and now youwant to get them from your camera to yourcomputer. That will free up your memory cardfor new photos, and it will give you access toyour images on the computer so that you canoptimize and enhance them, use them for

e-mail, put them into a slide show, and muchmore. Once your photos are on the hard driveof your computer, you can do so many thingswith them. However, to start, you have to getthem onto the computer.

The Computer Is Like a FilingCabinetYour photos may all be composed ofelectronic bits of information, but what youare really doing when you move photosfrom camera to computer is similar toputting them into a filing cabinet. Thecomputer is a storage place, and you startusing it that way by moving your photosinto filing folders in the computer’s harddrive, the “filing cabinet.”

Download from a CameraGetting your images from camera tocomputer is pretty easy. Most cameras comewith a special USB cord that attaches to thecamera and then to a USB port on thecomputer. Unless you have a very oldcomputer, it will recognize your camera andits image files. You can then move the photosonto the computer’s hard drive.

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Download from a Memory CardReaderAnother way of downloading images isby using a memory card reader. Thisdevice plugs into a USB or FireWireport on your computer, and then youtake your memory card from yourcamera and put it into the card reader.The computer recognizes the imagefiles on your memory card and allowsyou to transfer them to the computer.

Advantages of a Memory CardReaderA memory card reader offers a number ofadvantages over downloading from acamera. First, it is usually faster. Second, itneeds no power and so it cannot run out ofpower while downloading, which canhappen to a camera. Third, it takes up littlespace. Fourth, you never have to search forthat “lost” camera cord.

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SET UP FOLDERS FOR YOUR PHOTOS

Keeping in mind the filingcabinet analogy, you can setup folders in your computerthat are specifically for yourphotos. How you set thesefolders up should relate to howyou file and find anything infolders so that you arecomfortable with the system.You want to create folders andsubfolders that help you findyour photos more easily.

START WITH PICTURES

•Your operating system has afolder called Pictures orsomething similar that isalready created in yourdocuments folder.

1 Open the Pictures folder andcreate a new folder by right-clicking in the blank area andselecting New Folder.

2 Name that folder DigitalImages.

This will be the home for yourphotos.

Organize Photos on a Hard Drive

Organize Photos on a Hard DriveOnce you get a camera or memory card hookedup to the computer, you are ready to copy yourimage files to the computer. How you organizeyour hard drive is like how you organize yourfiling cabinet. Better organization means you

will be able to find your photos more easily inthe future. It also helps in making the transferof images to the computer because you haveset up specific places for the photos.

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CREATE YOUR OWN FOLDERS FOREVENTS

Once you have a DigitalImages folder, you can createspecific folders inside thatfolder to help keep yourphotos organized.

1 Create a new folder.

This example creates a folderfor the year.

2 Open the new folder andcreate subfolders for specificevents or times you tookpictures.

In this example, the 2008folder contains folders such asMoms BD 3-18, Zoo Trip 4-08,and so on.

CLICK AND DRAG PHOTOS

Once you have specific foldersset up, it is easy to drag anddrop photos from yourmemory card or camera intothose folders.

1 Open the new folder whereyou want to place your photos.

2 Open the folder from yourmemory card and select thephotos.

3 Drag them all into the newfolder.

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What is the best way to organize photos on a hard drive?You need to create a system that you can work with and that youare comfortable with. If you simply use someone else’s way ofworking and it does not fit you, you will end up not liking it andnot using it for the best results. “A system you can work with” issomething that fits your personality and way of thinking. It startswith where your folders are. Put them in a unique folder on yourdesktop, in a special folder in documents, or in a folder youcreate specially for your images on your hard drive. Any of thesework, but only you know which is best for you. Then set up astructure of folders within that folder that also matches how youlike to think and work.

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EXTERNAL HARD DRIVES GIVEPROTECTION

External hard drives simplyplug into a USB or FireWireport on your computer andinstantly offer you a lot morestorage. They are like addingextra filing cabinets. They arevery affordable and come witha lot of empty gigabytes readyto hold copies of your photosfrom your computer.

CLICK AND DRAG FOR SIMPLEBACKUP

1 Open your external hard drive.

2 Create a backup folder with aset of subfolders just like yourDigital Images folder.

3 Click and drag your photosfrom the Digital Images folderon your computer's hard driveto the external drive bydragging a new folder into theright folder in the backup area.

Back Up Photos on a Second Drive

Back Up Photos on a Second DriveOne of the big worries for a lot of digitalphotographers is losing photos. Sure, fire orwater damage could destroy traditional photos,but the digital image is so ephemeral that itseems riskier. There is no question that harddrives fail, computers die, and photos become

lost. The only way to protect yourself is to backup your photos in a location separate from yourcomputer. Fortunately, this is not as hard asremembering to always back up as youphotograph new subjects and scenes.

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BACKUP SOFTWARE CAN HELP

Backup software automatesyour backup. There are manysoftware programs that do this.Time Machine on Maccomputers works very well toensure you have a backup. TheSave N Sync program fromPeerless Software is a simpleand inexpensive way to copyimages from one drive toanother.

1 Choose the source folder.

•You can click the folder icon( ) to find your original folderof images.

2 Choose the target folder. This isthe new place on your backuphard drive. Use the samenames for folders there as inthe original folder to make thesoftware run more efficiently.

3 Click Run Now to start.

TRY AN ADDITIONAL HARD DRIVEAWAY FROM THE COMPUTER

If you have some reallyimportant photos, you mightwant to keep them on a harddrive that is some distanceaway from your computer andits external drive. You can copyphotos to an external harddrive for this purpose, andthen move that drivesomeplace safe away fromyour original system.

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How can I rename photos? The original names are not helpful.Elements, an image editing program, does not display file names bydefault, so if you are working there, you do not have to renameimages. Later in this chapter you will learn how to use ACDSee,another program, to rename images. You can rename a single photoby selecting it in your folder in Windows Explorer, pressing andtyping in a new name. Typically, you want to rename a whole groupof photos, though. You can do this in Elements. Select a group ofimages that you want to rename in the Organize module. Click Filethen click Rename to open the Rename dialog box. The name youtype completely renames all selected photos.

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ELEMENTS STARTS WITH DATE

1 Bring photos into Elementsfrom the Organize module byclicking File, Get Photos, andthen From Files and Folders.In the resulting Get Photosdialog box, find the folder thatneeds to be imported byElements. The program createsreferences to those files, but nofile is actually moved.

2 Elements starts organizing byusing the date the image wasshot, a date imbedded into thefile by the camera.

RATE YOUR PHOTOS FOR SORTING

1 Under each photo thumbnail isa set of five stars. You can rateyour photos to sort them intogroups by clicking the starsunder the photos; for example,best images could have fivestars, while those to be deletedcould have one star. You canalso click a photo and use thenumbers 1 to 5.

2 Sort your images by star ratingby clicking the stars at the topright of all photos and usingthe drop-down menu next to itto control what is seen.

Using Photoshop Elements to Organize Photos Elements has a basic organizing module thatcan help you keep track of your photos on yourcomputer. Having specific, named foldersalways helps, but then you have to open andsearch individual folders to find a specificphoto. By having them organized in some way,

you can find exactly what you need muchfaster. Elements includes several ways of doingthis in the Organize module, such as usingkeywords, tags, and dates to help you findphotos.

Using Photoshop Elements to Organize Photos

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ADD KEYWORD TAGS TO HELP YOUSEARCH

•The Organize panel contains asection called Keyword Tags.The preset tags are categoriesfor keywords that Adobe haschosen.

•You can drag these tags ontoyour photos to tag them.

1 Create your own keyword tagsby clicking the plus sign ( ).

2 Type a keyword name in theresulting dialog box, and youcan put this into anappropriate category. You canhave separate keyword tags oryou can put them intocategories.

3 If you click the check box atthe left of each tag, you onlysee photos that relate to thatkeyword.

GROUP PHOTOS INTO ALBUMS

1 Create albums for specificpurposes. Albums are also onthe right side, and you cancreate albums by clicking atthe top of the panel. Make analbum for a group such asfamily or church or forlocations or other specificcategories. Then click and dragphotos into these albums, oralbums onto photos.

2 Clicking the album icon revealsthe photos in it.

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Remembering all the different options can be hard. Isthere anything that can help?Absolutely! Try the right mouse button. Right-click specificparts of the screen and you get a context-sensitive menu. Ifyou are not sure about something regarding a photo, try right-clicking it, and the menu will be about photos. If you are notsure about something in a different part of the interface, right-click that, and a new menu will appear. You get a series ofoptions for each, but the options are limited and apply to thearea you are interested in.

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BROWSE PHOTOS

A browser allows you to viewimages on your hard drive, simplyby navigating the folders. You donot have to import the files intothe program so that it recognizesthem, as you do with Elements.

1 Scroll down the Folders section tolocate your images folder.

2 Double-click the folder.

•The photos appear in the centralthumbnail area.

MAGNIFY PHOTOS

Digital cameras make it easy totake a lot of pictures, but what doyou do with all of them? You canreview them quickly in the centralthumbnail area so that you cankeep the good and delete the bad.

1 Position your mouse over animage.

•You instantly see a larger versionof the image.

2 You can change the thumbnail sizeof all images by moving this slider.

3 Double-click a photo thumbnail.

Using ACDSee to Browse and Edit PhotosElements offers the advantage of havingorganizing capabilities in a single program.However, it also has some limitations. ManyWindows users will find ACDSee easier to use,with more features to help them browse, edit,and organize their photos. ACDSee is a stand-alone program available from ACDSystems, and

you can download a trial version fromwww.acdsee.com. You might find that Elementsdoes the job for you, or you may discover thatthe ACDSee interface is easier to use.

Using ACDSee to Browse and Edit Photos

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The full-screen version of thephoto appears.

4 Use the magnifier buttons inthe toolbar to examine detailsin your photo.

5 Press the key to return tothe thumbnails.

COMPARE PHOTOS

1 Sometimes it is great tocompare just a few images. Todo so, select the images youwant to look at more closely;click Tools and then clickCompare Images.

While you can compare up tofour images at a time directly,they get pretty small. Two orthree images are better.

•The images appear in theCompare Images area.

•Any photos you have selectedalso show up in the filmstripbelow.

2 Click the toolbar magnifier ( )to enlarge them all so that youcan check them for things suchas focus.

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Comparing images can be tedious if you have to constantly enlargethem. Is there a better way to do this?There are two things you can do. First, compare as few images at a time aspossible. That keeps them bigger and easier to see. Second, use a large monitorwith your computer. Anything less than a 19-inch monitor is going to makeyour photo work harder. Monitors have come down greatly in price, but do notbuy the cheapest as such monitors do not show you accurate color. Get a largemonitor and check its color and viewing angle at the store. Viewing angle refersto how well you can still see the colors as you move from side to side.

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RATE YOUR PHOTOS

One quick way to categorizephotos is to give them a rating.In ACDSee, you can rate themfrom 1 to 5 very quickly bypressing and then thenumber for each rating. Press

+ to remove ratings.

•As soon as you add a rating,you see a small circle with theappropriate number by thethumbnail.

SORT YOUR IMAGE FILES

1 Sort your images by clickingthe Sort By button at the topof the thumbnail display.

2 Sort your photos by such thingsas your rating, the filename,and the time the photos weretaken. By adding ratings to yourphotos and using the Sort Byfeature, you can quickly arrangeyour photos in order of yourpreferences.

Using ACDSee to Organize Photos

Using ACDSee to Organize PhotosOnce you have photos on your hard drive, youneed to have some way of organizing them sothat you can find them again. You probablyremember how frustrating that was with film.As you shoot more digital photos, you willdiscover that finding a specific photo becomesmore challenging. ACDSee offers many ways to

help you sort and organize your photos acrossfolders and even hard drives, including othermethods that you will learn as you use theprogram. Use the method that is mostappropriate to your needs; you do not have touse them all.

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USE CATEGORIES

1 Organize your photos using theOrganize panel on the rightside of the ACDSee interface.

2 Choose one of the availablecategories.

You can also create a newcategory that is moreappropriate to your subject byright-clicking the wordCategories, or make asubcategory by right-clickingan existing category.

You can drag and drop thecategory icon onto your photoor selected photos to put theminto the category. Thesecategories go across foldersthroughout your files.

FILTER YOUR FILES

Once you add ratings orcategories to your photos, youcan quickly sort them.

1 Click a category in theOrganize panel to see all of theimages that you have taggedin that category.

2 Find photos that you haverated throughout your files byclicking the rating numbers.

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What does workflow for digital photography mean?Workflow has become a faddish word about the process of working withimages from input to output from the computer. If you follow the orderof techniques shown in this book, you are following a specific workflow orprocess that works well for most photographers. You can certainly modifythis as needed to better match your specific needs, but the process orworkflow here will get you started.

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Edit the Good from the BadAlthough it is useful to rate photos andseparate good photos from ones that you wantto delete, many photographers do not do thisbecause the process is intimidating. What ifthey erase the wrong photos? Yet, if you do notget rid of photos, you will clutter your hard

drive with excess photos that take up space,which makes it harder to sort through thosephotos. It is very time-consuming and difficultto try to put huge numbers of photos intocategories.

Get Rid of Exposure Problems First, look for exposure problems. Overexposed,washed-out photos are never going to lookright, no matter how much time you spendworking on them. Underexposed, overly darkphotos are also a problem, as they becomefilled with noise and are always frustrating towork on. Get rid of these images.

Watch for Focus ProblemsNo matter how much you like that photofrom your last trip, if it is out of focus, youwill never really fix it and it will never be asatisfying image. Blurry photos from thewrong shutter speed are difficult for mostpeople to view. Delete photos like these, asthey are just going to be problems for you.

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Remove the Shots with Bad TimingEveryone takes photos that show bad facialexpressions, with objects you never sawblocking the view on one side of thecomposition, or with the subjects inawkward positions. If you keep thesephotos, you will always be making excusesfor the shots. Delete them, as they willnever be effective photos.

If You Do Not Like a Photo, Delete ItMany photographers hang onto certain photosbecause they think they might need themsomeday. They are usually shots of a favoriteperson, pet, or location, but the subject is notflattered by the shots. Or for whatever reason,you just do not like them. Trust your intuitionand get rid of the photos, as you are unlikelyto ever really use those images.

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RENAME YOUR PHOTOS WITHACDSEE

ACDSee makes it very easy torename your image files.

1 Select the photos you want toname, or select all of them bypressing + .

2 Press .

This opens up the BatchRename dialog box. Here, youcan change the filenames inseveral ways, including acomplete change or a changethat adds information to anexisting name.

USE NEW NAMES THAT HELP YOUFIND PHOTOS

One way to help you findphotos is to give groups ofimages unique names that haveletters or words that triggeryour memory. ACDSee alreadyhas a search function to helpfind photos by date, so addingthe date will not help you.

3 Try things like stateabbreviations, people’s names,and abbreviations for eventsthat are memorable.

Using ACDSee to Rename Your Photos

Using ACDSee to Rename Your PhotosThe filenames for your photos coming from thecamera are neither imaginative nor useful. Thefilename IMG03877 is not going to help youlocate that photo later. By renaming yourphotos, you can search for those names to helpyou find them later. You can create whatever

names help you describe your photo, but shortnames are easiest to deal with, both whensearching and when looking at names in animage folder. You can always search for specificfilenames by using your computer's operatingsystem, as well as ACDSee.

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CREATE A STANDARD NAMINGSYSTEM

Set down a few simple “rules”for your names and keep themconsistent.

4 For example, you could put thelocation first, then a brief noteabout the subject, and thenuse the chronological numbersthat ACDSee createsautomatically if you tell it to.

5 Chronological numbers are usedwhen you type in the # symbol.You can also tell ACDSee whichnumber to start with.

•The resulting filenames mightlook something like this: CA-RoseParade-1-08 01, CA-RoseParade-1-08 02, CA-RoseParade-1-08 03, and so on.

FIND PHOTOS WITH QUICK SEARCH

6 Once your photos have names,you can use the ACDSee QuickSearch function to find themvery quickly. You simply starttyping the filename (you do nothave to know the whole name).For example, you can type inthe first part of the name, andthe program displays all of thefiles with that name.

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Do I have to rename photos?Renaming photos can be very helpful in giving you another way ofsearching for specific images. However, you do not have to ever rename aphoto if you do not want to. If you structure your files so that they have veryspecific folders for each downloaded set of images, and you structure thosefolders in a way that makes sense to you, having specific file names is not anecessity. You can find images through your file folder names and visuallybrowsing them in ACDSee or Windows Explorer. Names are only useful as away of defining specific groups of photos to make them easier to find.

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ADJUST TIMING AND CHANGETRANSITIONS

3 Change the default settings forthe slideshow by clickingTools, and then clickingConfigure Auto Slide Show.This opens the Slide ShowProperties dialog box.

4 Choose a transition in the Basictab. Be wary of using too manytransitions, and keep themsimple so that your photos arethe stars of the show.

5 Choose timing for the slides inthe Image Delay field.

Create Quick Slide Shows with ACDSeeSlideshows were a popular way of showingimages in the days of film. Then, you had tochoose between slide and print film for thephotography, which would limit your ability to

make a slideshow. Now you can use your digitalfiles for making prints, creating slideshows, andmuch more. Slideshows are a great way to showoff your photos.

Create Quick Slide Shows with ACDSee

START AUTO SLIDE SHOW

1 Select the photos you want fora slideshow.

You can use all of the photos ina given folder by not selectingany of them, or you can selectany number of photos by +clicking them.

2 Choose Auto Slide Show fromthe Tools menu.

Your selected images play infull-screen view on yourmonitor, based on the defaultsettings.

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ADD TEXT

Personalize your slideshow byadding some text to it.

6 Click the Text tab.

7 Choose to display text at thetop as header text.

8 Choose to display text at thebottom as footer text.

9 Type in your text, such as thelocation of a trip, the name ofan event, or even who did thephotography.

CHANGE ADVANCED SETTINGS

0 Select the Advanced tab tomake further adjustments tothe Slide Show Properties.

! Transitions often look betterwith the Transition qualityslider set to high, but this canslow down your computer (aproblem if you are trying todisplay photos quickly).

@ If you want the whole screenfilled with your photo, choosethe Stretch images to fitscreen option.

# Click OK to start your slideshow.

##

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Should I mix vertical and horizontal photos in a slideshow?Traditionally, photographers would often combine vertical and horizontalphotos in a slideshow as projected by a carousel projector or other device. Thatworked because the vertical and horizontal photos were the same size. However,with computers, you either show the image on a screen, which is horizontal, orfrom a digital projector, which also gives a horizontal form. The result is thathorizontal photos are larger than verticals. This can make vertical photos looknot as good. That does not mean you cannot use both, but it does mean youneed to watch how the two formats interact with specific images.

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ChapterChapter 10101010Basic Adjustmentswith PhotoshopElementsPhotoshop Elements is aprogram designed to help youadjust your photos on yourcomputer. Elements, as it isoften called, is made to bephotographer-friendly, yet it isalso quite powerful in what itcan do. Still, it does take somepractice to be able to use it atits best. In this chapter, you willlearn some key ways ofworking with the Edit featuresof the program.

In addition, the developers of Elements have included many helps built into theprogram as well as an excellent Help menu. Look for text in many dialog boxesthat helps you make decisions on what to do.

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Chapter 101010 How Elements Is Arranged . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 160

You Cannot Hurt Your Photos . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 162

Crop Your Photos for Better Images . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 164

Fix Crooked Horizons. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 166

Fix Gray Photos . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 168

Make Dark Photos Brighter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 170

Correct Color Easily . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 172

Try Black-and-White . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 174

Size the Picture for Printing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 176

Size Photos for E-mail . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 178

Sharpen the Image . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 180

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OPEN ONE OR MORE PHOTOS

1 Open photos just as you would openfiles from any program, by clickingFile and then clicking Open todisplay the Open dialog box.

2 Select the images you want. You canopen more than one photo to workon, and they all appear in thefilmstrip area at the bottom of theinterface, though you will have tominimize them to keep them there.You can also open photos from theOrganize module of Elements. Keepin mind that your computer may slowdown if you open too many files.

USE THE TOOLBOX AND TOOLBAR

When a photo is open in the main workarea, you can adjust it in many ways.

•The toolbox of colorful tools at the left isimportant for many of the adjustmentsthat you will make to your photograph.

•All of these tools have settings that youcan change in the toolbar at the top.

•Click the down arrow at the far left ofthe toolbar to reset the tool.

How Elements Is Arranged

How Elements Is ArrangedWhen you first open Elements, you get a set ofchoices, including Organize and Edit. When youchoose Edit, you access the processing orediting features of the program. This is wherethe real work on a photo occurs, from adjustingits brightness to correcting its color. It helps to

understand how the interface is arranged, andhow you can change it to make it work for you.Any changes you make to the interface areautomatically saved so that Elements will openin that configuration the next time you launchthe program.

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OPEN WORK PALETTES

•The right panel of the Elementsinterface holds important workpalettes and is called the PaletteBin.

3 Click the Window menu to openand select additional palettes.

4 An important palette that you willwant to open is the Undo Historypalette as described in the nextsection. Any palette that youopen will be remembered byElements the next time youlaunch the program.

CHANGE THE PALETTE BIN

•Palettes first open as floatingpalettes.

5 To add palettes to the Palette Bin,click the more button to displaya drop-down menu.

6 Click Place in Palette Bin whenClosed, and close the palette.

7 Remove a palette by clicking thetop bar and dragging it out ofthe Palette Bin. Then click themore button at the top right anduncheck the Place in Palette Binwhen Closed option, and closethe palette.

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What is the best way to arrange palettes?You will find the best way for you as you work with Elements. You mayfind that you need a certain layout of palettes when you first start, andthat you change this as you get more proficient with the program.Basically, you want to leave open and in the Palette Bin those palettesthat you use all the time and close those that you do not. You can alwaysopen a closed palette at any time by clicking Window and choosing itfrom the menu.

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You Cannot Hurt Your PhotosPhotographers sometimes get really worriedabout adjusting their photos in Elements, asthey are afraid of hurting their photos.However, you can relax. It is very difficult to dopermanent damage to a photo as you work on

it in Elements. There are many safety featuresthat let you back up and undo everything thatyou do. You really cannot hurt your photos aslong as you do not save over your original files.

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KNOW THE UNDO COMMAND

The Undo command is ubiquitousin computer software — /Ô+ .Use those keystrokes whenever youradjustments go astray, and you willundo whatever you just did to yourphoto. Use this command again,and you will back up further in yourchain of adjustments.

PROTECT YOUR ORIGINAL

When you open a photo intoElements, get in the habit of usingthe Save As command.

1 Click File and then click Save As.

This opens the Save As dialog box,which allows you to use a differentname and save a copy of your file.That protects your original.

2 For a working file, save your imageas a Photoshop (.psd) or a TIFF (.tif)file, not as a JPEG (.jpg) file.

Warning: Never open an originalfile and click Save. That would saveover your original file. Always useSave As for the first save.

You Cannot Hurt Your Photos

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USE YOUR UNDO HISTORY PALETTE

1 If the Undo History palette is notopen, click Window and thenclick Undo History to open it.

The Undo History palette showsyou a list of what you have doneto a photo and allows you toreverse adjustments you havemade.

2 Click any point in the palette tosee what was happening to aphoto as you made adjustments.

SAVE AS YOU GO

Once you like what is happeningto your photo, save it to be sureyou embed those changes intothe working copy of your photo.You can simply press /Ô+to save an image at any time.You can also use the Save Ascommand to save versions of yourchanges if you think you mightneed choices among differentversions of your photos later.

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Why should you save in TIFF or Photoshop (PSD) and not JPEG?A JPEG file is a compressed file format that can lose quality if it is opened,worked on, and resaved. Each time you open it, it has to be reconstructedfrom the compression; then, when you save it, it is recompressed. That candegrade the quality of your photo. On the other hand, you can open,work on, and resave TIFF and PSD files as much as you want; there is noquality change to the image file. JPEG can be used as a final, archivingformat for an image that you simply want to save for the future if youneed to conserve storage space.

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FIND THE CROP TOOL IN THE TOOLBOX

•Use the Crop tool to crop yourimage to show only the part youwant. The Crop tool ( ) is placedat about the middle of the toolbox,next to the letter T. This tool lookslike a traditional designer’s physicalcrop tool. It is an upside-down Lplaced on top of a right-side-up L,with a line going from the lower-left to the upper-right corner.

DRAG A BOX AROUND YOUR SUBJECT

1 Use the Crop tool like a cursor.Click at the upper-left corner of thepart of the photo you want tokeep, and then drag diagonallythrough the desired area. You donot need to be precise, as you canthen click and drag the edges inand out as appropriate until youget the cropped area you need.

2 Click the green check mark ( ) toaccept the change, or just press

or . To cancel your crop,click the red circle/slash icon ( ) orjust press .

Crop Your Photos for Better Images

Crop Your Photos for Better ImagesOften you have a good start to a photo, but thewhole image is not quite right. There may bejust too much space around your subject so thatyou cannot see details as well as you wouldlike. Or perhaps there is some distractingelement that snuck into a corner of the photo,

such as someone’s foot or hand, which justdoes not belong in the image. And there arealways those photos that look crooked andneed to be straightened. Elements lets you takecare of all of those problems.

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EXPERIMENT WITH CROPPING

•The outside of the crop boxdims so that you can see whatyou will keep after cropping.Try different amounts ofcropping before committingto the crop. Even if you docommit and you do not like it,you can just press /Ô+to undo it, which takes youback to the original photo.Then try a new crop and seehow the photo changes.

CROP TO A SPECIFIC SIZE

1 Click the Aspect Ratio drop-down menu on the toolbar todisplay a list of some standardphoto sizes.

2 You can also type specific sizesin the Width and Height fields.

•Remember that you can resetall of these settings by clickingthe arrow at the far left andchoosing Reset tool.

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When should I crop to a specific size?Generally, it is best to crop to a specific size at the end of your work inElements, not at the beginning of the process. Crop out problems at thebeginning so you do not have to deal with them as you work. If you crop toa specific size at the start, you may be limiting your sizing options later. Youmay discover that you want to have two different sizes. In that case, it is bestto work with a master image that has had minimal cropping done to it.

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ROTATE THE CROP BOX

1 Create a crop box around the area ofyour photo that you want to keep.Move your cursor outside of the cropbox. The cursor turns into a curvedarrow ( ). By clicking and draggingthat curved arrow, you can rotate theentire crop box to adjust andstraighten your photo.

2 Click ; Elements makes the crop andstraightens the photo at the sametime.

LINE UP HORIZONS WITH A STRAIGHT LINE

Horizons need to be straight andhorizontal. Your crop box has twostraight, horizontal lines.

3 Move the top or bottom line of yourcrop box close to your tilted horizon.Click outside the box to rotate thecrop box to match the line and thehorizon.

4 Drag the edges of the box until youget the crop you want, and click .

Fix Crooked Horizons

Fix Crooked HorizonsSooner or later, every photographer getscrooked photos. The most common of this typeof problem is the tilting horizon. For example,the line of an ocean, lake, or distant horizonappears to take a downward slope that is notpart of reality. Or you may find that your kids

have a distinctive lean in the photo that is notnormal to the way they stand. When everyoneshot with film, you just had to live with thisproblem. Luckily, this is no longer the case andis very easy to fix in Elements.

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USE CUSTOM ROTATION FORPRECISE CONTROL

Sometimes it is tough to getthe horizon or other linesexactly right. Elements offers acontrol for very preciseadjustment.

1 Click Image.

2 Click Rotate.

3 Click Custom.

The Rotate Canvas dialog boxopens.

4 Type in a number for therotation. At first, you may haveto guess, but if it is wrong, youcan just undo it and do it againuntil it is right. You have to cropthe edges when you are done.

FIX PHOTOS IN THE WRONGORIENTATION

Most cameras today recordorientation information withthe photos so that they comeout correctly horizontal orvertical. However, sometimesthat does not work. You cancorrect that very simply.

1 Click Image.

2 Click Rotate.

3 Click 90° Left or 90° Rightas appropriate for your photo.

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Your horizon is straightened.

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TRY AUTO SMART FIX

Images coming straight fromthe digital camera are notalways adjusted properly.Smart Fix is a one-step wayto correct this.

1 Click Enhance.

2 Click Auto Smart Fix.

Although this may give youexactly what you want, itsometimes overcorrects color,and so you can undo the stepand try another control.

TRY AUTO CONTRAST

1 Click Enhance.

2 Click Auto Contrast.

You will often find your photocomes to life without colorsbeing changed. This can bevery important if you have acolor cast that is part of thescene, such as the light from asunrise or sunset. You want thewarmth of this type of scene toshow in your photo.

Fix Gray Photos

Fix Gray PhotosOften photos come from a digital camera witha distinct gray cast to them. They do not havethe lively contrast and color that photographershave come to expect from film. This is not adigital shortcoming, but simply a way thatcamera designers have worked to hold detail

in dark areas. You simply have to adjust thephoto to bring that contrast and color back.This can make an especially big difference in aprint. With photos that you really care aboutand from which you want larger prints, alwayscheck these adjustments.

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USE LEVELS FOR MORE CONTROL

1 Click Enhance, click AdjustLighting, and then selectLevels.

The Levels dialog box opens.

•Look at the black and whitesliders under the graph, whichis called a histogram.

2 On most photos, you can movethe black slider to just underthe upward slope of the graphat the left, and the white sliderto just under the upward slopeat the right. This is a goodadjustment to start with onmost photos.

BLACK IS SUBJECTIVE,WHITE IS LIMITED

•The black slider in Levels isvery subjective. You can getdramatic results as it moves tothe right.

•The white slider, though,quickly washes out highlights ifyou move it too far to the left.To avoid this, use the ideas inthe next section, “Make DarkPhotos Brighter,” to brighten aphoto more if you do not getenough brightness with Levels.

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Why should I be concerned about black in a color photo?Printers, your monitor, and other ways of displaying photos all have thecapability of showing a solid black tone. If your image does not have thatsolid black, your photo will never use the full range of color and tonethat is possible from that display. The result is that your image will lookgray and less contrasty and will have less than satisfactory color. Somephotographers will refer to this as setting the “blacks” because you arechanging the black tone of many individual dark areas across the photo.

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TRY THE AUTO CONTROLS

1 Sometimes for a dark photo, allyou need to do is use the AutoSmart Fix command in theEnhance menu. This can reallyhelp with very dark andunderexposed photos.

•You can also try Auto Levels inthe same menu. Both commandswork, but they affect colorsdifferently. You may find that youneed one command for onephoto, and the other commandfor another.

Make Dark Photos Brighter

Make Dark Photos BrighterAs good as digital camera metering systemsare, they never make every exposure perfect.Sometimes you get photos that are too darkand you need to brighten them. Or you havea photo that gets too dark from the Levelsadjustments you made in the previous section.

It may seem logical to use the Brightness/Contrastfeature, located in the Enhance menu, but this isa very heavy handed control and not appropriatefor most overall adjustments. Elements hascontrols that can make your photo look muchbetter than that.

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USE ADJUST SMART FIX

If you find the auto controls do not give youthe results you want, then you can use anautomated control that can be adjusted.

1 Click Enhance and then click Adjust SmartFix.

The Adjust Smart Fix dialog box opens.

2 Click the Auto button to get started.

3 Move the Fix Amount slider to get just theright amount of change needed for yourphoto.

TRY SHADOWS/HIGHLIGHTS

You might find that the whole photo is darkor that just the shadows are too dark.

1 Click Enhance, click Shadows/Highlights,and then click Adjust Lighting.

The Shadows/Highlights dialog box opens.

2 Adjust dark areas with the LightenShadows slider.

3 Correct bright areas with the DarkenHighlights slider.

4 Fix midtones with the Midtone Contrastslider.

Be wary of over-adjusting shadowbrightness, as it makes the photo look odd.

EXPERIMENT WITH COLOR CURVES

You can use Color Curves for photos that arejust a little too dark.

1 Click Enhance, click Adjust Color, and thenclick Adjust Color Curves.

The Adjust Color Curves dialog box opens.

2 Adjust the sliders to brighten or darkenspecific tones, such as highlights or shadows.

3 You can also try one of the presetadjustments in the Select a style list.

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Correct Color EasilyColor is an important part of photography, sowhen a photograph has color that is off in someway, people notice this. In the days of film, thiswas always a problem, especially when skintones went bad or hair changed color because

of fluorescent lights. This is no longer true. Youcan correct problem colors quite easily inElements and make any subject look its bestunder all sorts of light.

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TRY AUTO SETTINGS TOCORRECT COLOR

1 When there is a slight colorbias to your photo, you canclick Enhance, and then clickAuto Color Correction.

Elements examines all thecolors in your photo and triesto balance them.

•If Auto Color Correction doesnot work, undo it and tryAuto Smart Fix or AutoLevels. Both of these featuresalso try to remove colorproblems.

Correct Color Easily

REMOVE A COLOR CAST

1 Remove an unwelcome colorcast in your photo by clickingEnhance, clicking AdjustColor, and then clickingRemove Color Cast.

The Remove Color Cast dialogbox opens. This is a verysimple tool.

2 Click something white, gray,or black that should beneutral in color.

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Elements removes the color cast.You may have to click in multipleplaces to get it right.

ADJUST SKIN COLOR

You can fix problem skin color byusing the Adjust Color for Skin Tonefeature.

1 Click Enhance, click Adjust Color,and then click Adjust Color forSkin Tone.

The Adjust Color for Skin Tonedialog box opens.

2 Move your cursor over the person’sskin, and click.

3 The Skin and Ambient Light slidersbecome active so that you canadjust the color of the skin. Youmay have to click in more than oneplace to get the color right.

WARM UP A PHOTO

In general, photos look betterwarmer than cooler. You can usethe Color Variations feature towarm up a photo, as well as tochange overall color in other ways.

1 Click Enhance, then click AdjustColor, and then click ColorVariations.

The Color Variations dialog boxopens.

2 Select Midtones.

3 Move the Color Intensity slider tothe left to lower the intensity.

4 Click the Increase Red andDecrease Blue boxes to warm upthe photo.

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TRY TO REMOVE COLOR FORSIMPLE CONVERSIONS

1 Click Enhance.

2 Click Adjust Color.

3 Click Remove Color.

This is a simple way to convertcolor to black-and-white. Thereare no sliders or options; youjust select it and it works. Usethis method for images that donot have a lot of importantcolors or that have goodcontrast from light to dark.

Try Black-and-White

Try Black-and-White

Black-and-white photography used to be themost common way to take pictures. It has avery long history in photography, but it nearlydisappeared when color photography becamepopular. Today, black-and-white is enjoyingrenewed interest. Because it is no longer

common and because it does not show theworld as realistically as color, it is used as amore artistic medium by many photographers.It is very easy to change color to black-and-white in Elements.

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BETTER CONVERSIONS COME FROMCONVERTING TO BLACK-AND-WHITE

The Remove Color feature is verylimited in its results, but it is fastand easy.

1 Click Enhance, and then click Convertto Black and White.

2 The resulting dialog box gives youa whole set of controls to help youchange colors into tones of gray.

3 Try the Select a style list for specificconversion results.

CONVERT COLORS INTO CONTRASTINGTONES OF GRAY

Contrast is a critical part of black-and-white photography. Green and red arevery different, but they can look thesame in black-and-white.

4 Try changing the Adjustment Intensitysliders to affect how the colors red,green, and blue are changed into lighteror darker tones of gray.

ADJUST CONTRAST OF THE BLACK-AND-WHITE IMAGE

Because contrast in a black-and-whitephoto is so important, you should makean additional adjustment afterconverting from color. Often, all youneed is the Auto Contrast or Auto Levelsfeature, found in the Enhance menu.

5 In the Adjust Color Curves dialog box,try changing the contrast by using theIncrease Contrast style and by makingthe dark tones darker and the lighttones lighter.

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Size the Picture for PrintingThe size of your photo depends on themegapixels of your sensor. This size affects howlarge you can make a print. Cameras today areperfectly capable of making large prints thateasily match anything that 35mm film can do.

There is a certain range of print sizes that arepossible with the pixels that come from yoursensor. You can then make photos larger orsmaller by having Elements change the numberof pixels in the image file.

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CHOOSE A PRINTING RESOLUTION

The first thing to do is to find outhow large or small you can makeyour print based on the originalpixels of your image.

1 Click Image, click Resize, andthen click Image Size.

2 Be sure that the ResampleImage option is unchecked.

3 Type in 200 ppi for the resolution,and note the size of your printshown in the Document Size area.Then use 360 ppi. These areprinting resolutions that work forall photo printers and the sizedimensions that result show youhow large or small you can makeyour print based on existing pixels.

CHOOSE A PRINTING SIZE

4 Specify a size for your print in theDocument Size area of the dialogbox.

•Ensure that the resolution isbetween 200 and 360 ppi.

5 Click OK.

You cannot make specific sizes for aprint here, because you need tosize all sides proportionately. If youneed a specific size, then size oneside to what you need, and cropwhen you have finished sizing.

Size the Picture for Printing

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ENLARGE AN IMAGE FILE

Your photo might not be as large asyou want, even when you use aresolution of 200 ppi.

6 In the Image Size dialog box, checkthe Resample Image option.

•Leave the resolution at 200 ppi.

7 Specify a key width or height thatyou need. The other dimensionchanges automatically.

8 In the Resample Image drop-downmenu, choose Bicubic Smoother inorder to add pixels for enlargement.

SHRINK AN IMAGE

You may also find that your photo isnot as small as you need, even whenyou use a resolution of 360 ppi.

1 Repeat Steps 1 to 5.

2 In the Image Size dialog box, checkthe Resample Image option.

•Leave the resolution at 360 ppi.

3 Type in the key dimension needed.

4 In the Resample Image drop-downmenu, choose Bicubic Sharper.

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Which photos should I resize?Not all photos will resize well, so save yourself some trouble and onlyresize photos that look good resized. This is influenced by a number offactors. A photo that is over or underexposed will frequently not lookgood at larger sizes. If your photo has a lot of noise, it will often resizepoorly. And finally, blur from camera movement will sabotage theresizing of most images, so do your best to get the image sharp whenyou take the picture.

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Size Photos for E-mailAdding a photo or two to an e-mail is prettyeasy to do. It is also a little too easy to addimage files in their original size, which clogs uppeople’s mailboxes and slows down theircomputers. Avoid annoying your friends andfamily. Resize your photos to a proper size for

e-mail. This allows you to send the images withfewer problems, and they will be happier to getphotos from you. This is especially important ifyour recipient does not have a broadbandconnection to the Internet.

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MAKE YOUR PHOTOS SMALL

1 Click Image, click Resize, andthen click Resize Image.

The Image Size dialog box opens.

2 Check the Resample Imageoption, and select BicubicSharper in the Resample Imagedrop-down menu.

3 Type 100 in the Resolution field.

4 For the long side, specify eithera width or height in theDocument Size section. The shortside changes automatically toreflect this amount.

This example uses a width of8 inches, which is a large viewableimage for e-mail. If you needsmaller photos, you can use 6inches.

PRINTABLE FILES CAN BE E-MAILED

If you want your recipient to beable to make a print, you need tosize the image a little differently.

5 Type 150 in the Resolution field.

6 Use a size of 6 inches for thewidth or height of the long side.

This gives an approximately 4x6-inch print at an acceptableresolution for printing, but in a filesize that is appropriate for an e-mail.

Size Photos for E-mail

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SAVE YOUR PHOTOS AS JPEG FILES

7 Click File, and then clickSave As.

The Save As dialog box opens.

8 Save the photo as a JPEG file.JPEG compresses your imagefile so that it becomes muchsmaller and is easier to e-mail.The JPEG format removesredundant data that can bereconstructed later when thefile is reopened.

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I can just attach my camera’s photo files to an e-mail. Why should Inot do that?Digital cameras today have large image files, even when you are usingcompressed files in the JPEG format. You can easily have a single file thatis 1 to 2MB in size. That is a very big file for e-mail and will frustrate a lotof people who get it. It may be easy for you to attach and send, but it isnot so easy for the recipient to deal with on the other end. Keeping yourfiles small for e-mail will make your recipients much happier to getphotos from you.

CHECK YOUR FILE SIZE

The JPEG Options dialog boxopens.

9 Choose a compression level forJPEG using the Quality slider.Use middle or high numberswhenever you can.

•To keep your e-mail small, try tokeep your files to a maximumsize of approximately 200KB. Ifyou are sending many photos,keep the maximum size lower.

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Sharpen the ImageYour camera probably already applied somesharpening to your image file. Still, most of thetime when you work on a photo, you need tosharpen it after you have sized it for printing.Sharpening is designed to bring the most detail

out of your image file, based on the originalsharpness of the photo. It is not designed tomake a fuzzy or blurry photo sharp. Sharpeningblurry images usually makes them look worse.

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TRY AUTO SHARPEN

1 Elements has a number ofsharpening tools that you canuse to good effect. However,the one-click Auto Sharpenfeature in the Enhance menudoes such a good job that youoften need little else.

•Magnify your photo with theZoom magnifier tool ( ) first tozoom in on important detailsso that you can see what theadjustment is doing to yoursubject.

FOR PRECISE CONTROL,USE UNSHARP MASK

You can use the Unsharp Maskfeature when you need tocontrol sharpening carefully.

1 Click Enhance, and then clickUnsharp Mask.

The Unsharp Mask dialog boxopens. This control lets youadjust:

2 Amount or intensity of thesharpening.

3 Radius or width of the sharpening.

4 Threshold or how noise issharpened.

Sharpen the Image

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I like sharp photos. How much sharpening can I apply?There is a tendency among many amateur photographers to oversharpen photos.Oversharpening makes an image look harsh and damages fine tonalities that can give lifeto a subject. Sharpening should be applied to give a good looking sharpness but not aharsh sharpness. How do you know how much to use? Follow the guidelines given in thissection, and then look closely at the photo as you change the sharpening sliders. Whenthe edges and tonalities in the photo start looking harsh, with strong, unattractivecontrasts, then sharpening is too strong. Sharpening can only be used to get the mostfrom a photo that was sharp to begin with. It cannot make a fuzzy photo look sharp.

NUMBERS YOU CAN USEPhotographers use a lot of formulasfor Unsharp Mask adjustments, andthey all work for different purposes.Be careful not to sharpen too much.

5 Try a range of 120 to 180 forAmount, depending on the subject.

6 Try 0.8 to 1.5 for Radius, dependingon how large your photo is.

7 Try 3 to 6 for Threshold, dependingon the amount of noise in areas suchas the sky and out-of-focus tones.

8 Click the main image with yourcursor to set what is seen in the smallpreview.

TRY ADJUST SHARPNESS

The Adjust Sharpness feature is anadvanced smart sharpening tool.

1 Click Enhance, and then click AdjustSharpness.

The Adjust Sharpness dialog box opens.

2 Specify Amount and Radius settings,just like Unsharp Mask. Because itdoes not have a Threshold setting,Adjust Sharpness is not good withimages that have a lot of noise.However, it does a very good job fordetailed subjects such as landscapes.

3 Check the More Refined option tomake edge sharpness look better.

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ChapterChapter 11111111AdditionalControls withPhotoshopElementsPhotoshop Elements is a very powerfulprogram. You do not have to know everythingabout Elements in order to get the most fromit, but you do need to know those tools andadjustments that work best with your subjectmatter, for your specific photographic needs.You cannot learn those things by simplyreading a book. You have to practice and seewhat works best for you.

You can learn to use Elements by working withyour own photos. That experience, including bothyour successes and failures, will help you use theprogram better and faster. Work with your goodand your bad photos, so that you can get to knowthe program’s tools.

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Chapter 111111 Using Selections to Isolate Adjustments . . . . . . . . . . . . . 184

Modify Your Selections . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 186

Increase Color Saturation without Problems . . . . . . . . . . . 188

Darken Specific Areas of a Photo. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 190

Lighten Specific Areas of a Photo . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 192

Darken Edges for a Traditional Look . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 194

Clone Effectively. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 196

What Layers Are About . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 198

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Using Selections to Isolate AdjustmentsWhen working on a photo, you will often noticethat only part of the photo needs to beadjusted, not the whole image. It would begreat to be able to adjust only that part andnothing else. Fortunately, with selections, youcan do exactly that. For example, you can make

something darker or lighter, or adjust its color,in isolation from the rest of the photo.Selections create a kind of fence around a partof your photo, allowing adjustments to occurinside that fence, but never outside. You canpress /Ô+ to remove a selection.

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SHAPE SELECTIONS AND HOWSELECTIONS WORK

1 Near the top of the toolbox,you will find selection toolssuch as the Rectangle/Squareand the Ellipse/Circlemarquees. Click and hold theicon to see both tools.

2 Select a tool, and then clickand drag the correspondingshape in the photo.

3 You can now change anythinginside the selection withoutaffecting the rest of the image.

TRY THE POLYGONAL LASSO

1 Next to the shape selectiontools are the Lasso selectiontools: Freehand, Polygonal,and Magnetic. Click and holdthe icon to see them.

2 With the Polygonal Lasso tool( ) selected, click from pointto point around a shape. Backup with the or key.

3 Finish by clicking the start point.

4 Now you can precisely definewhere your adjustment occurs.

Using Selections to Isolate Adjustments

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USE THE MAGNETIC LASSO TOOLWITH STRONG EDGES

1 Use the Magnetic Lasso tool( ) to automatically find edgesof shapes when there arestrongly contrasting edges.

2 Click near an edge, and thenmove the cursor near that edge;the magnetic feature finds theedge for you.

3 Finish by clicking the start pointor by double-clicking.

4 You can now change anythinginside the selection, such as thehue or saturation of a color withHue/Saturation, withoutaffecting the rest of the image.

MAKE QUICK SELECTIONS

1 Use the Selection Brush tool( ) for another automated,easy-to-use selection tool.

2 With the Selection Brush tool,you literally brush a selectionover a photograph.

3 Change the brush size in the toptoolbar to best fit your subject.

4 You can now change anythinginside the selection withoutaffecting the rest of the image.

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What about the Magic Wand tool? It is an automated selection tool, too,right?It is indeed. The Magic Wand tool ( ) creates a selection based on areas of similarcolor and tone when you click one area. Using it is fairly simple. You select the toolfrom the toolbox, and then move your cursor over your photograph. Find an area ofsimilar tone or color, and then click. This will then create a selection based on thatcolor or tone. Change Tolerance in the options toolbar to get more or less of thearea selected by typing in larger or smaller numbers respectively. Use Contiguousto select based on tones and colors that are contiguous or together. UncheckContiguous to select similar tones and colors throughout the whole photo.

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ADD TO A SELECTION

As you make a selection, you willoften find that you cannot selectthe whole area at once.

1 By pressing the key as you useyour selection tool, you can add toa selection.

2 You can also click the Add toSelection icon ( ) in the toolbar sothat you can add to a selection.

SUBTRACT FROM A SELECTION

Conversely, you may find that whilethe selection contains what youwant, it catches too much of anarea. You can change the selectionwithout starting over.

1 By pressing the / key asyou use your selection tool, you cansubtract from any selection.

2 You can also click the Subtractfrom Selection icon ( ) in thetoolbar to subtract from a selection.

Modify Your Selections

Modify Your SelectionsYou can modify both your selections and howyou work on a selection in ways that will makeselections easier for you. You can build up aselection with a series of smaller selections, andyou can change the edge so that any changes

will blend better. Selections can take a lot oftime and make your work more tedious; thesetips will help you work with selections fasterand more efficiently. Remove any selection byclicking Select and then choosing Deselect.

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COMBINE SELECTION TOOLS

Sometimes you will find it easiest tocreate a selection one step at a time,adding a little here and subtractingsomething there. These additions andsubtractions are often best done withdifferent selection tools.

1 Try using the Magic Wand tool ( )on an area that contains similar colorsand tones.

•This example uses the tool on a sky,with the Contiguous option uncheckedto get the sky behind the trees.

2 Use the Polygonal Lasso tool ( )with the / key to removeselection areas that are not part of thearea you want.

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BLEND YOUR SELECTION EDGE

By default, selections have a ratherhard edge that does not blendwell into the adjacent areas of aphotograph. You can make youredges blend with feathering.

1 Click Select and then choose Feather.

The Feather Selection dialog boxopens.

2 Use a small number for edges thatneed a sharper edge, and a largenumber for edges that need togradually change from one area toanother. It is hard to give specificnumbers as they will vary dependingon the content and size of your photo.

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Increase Color Saturationwithout ProblemsWhen photographers first discover theHue/Saturation feature, they often get carriedaway. This tool seems to magically transformdull colors into bright and vibrant colors.Unfortunately, that often means garish and

unattractive photos. Also, overuse of this featurecan result in more and very unattractive noise inan image. You can use this control effectively togive good color without garish results.

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GO EASY ON SATURATION

The Hue/Saturation adjustmentlets you change colors as wellas their intensity.

1 Click Enhance, click AdjustColor, and then click AdjustHue/Saturation.

The Hue/Saturation dialog boxopens.

2 The Hue slider changes thecolors.

3 The Saturation slider adjuststhe intensity of colors. TheSaturation slider is rather heavyhanded; adjusting more than10 to 15 points usually causesproblems.

CHANGE COLORS INDIVIDUALLY

The trick to using theHue/Saturation feature is tomake stronger adjustments toindividual colors.

4 In the Hue/Saturation dialogbox, click the Edit drop-downmenu to display a list of colors.

5 Choose a color; Elements limitsthe adjustment of Hue,Saturation, or Luminance tojust that range of color.

Increase Color Saturation without Problems

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TELL ELEMENTS EXACTLY WHICHCOLOR TO CHANGE

6 Refine your color even moreby moving your cursor outonto the photograph. Thecursor changes to aneyedropper ( ).

7 Now place it over the coloryou want to adjust, and clickonce.

8 The color scales at the bottomof the dialog box shift tomatch that color so thatchanges are more specific to it.

USE A SELECTION TO FURTHERLIMIT COLOR CHANGE

Even when you tell Elementsto restrict its color changes toa specific color range, thosecolors may appear throughoutyour photo.

9 Make a selection first to limitany change to a specific area.

0 Open the Hue/Saturationdialog box and limit itsadjustments to a specific coloras described in Steps 4 and 5.

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I used to like the bright colors of Fujicolor film. Can I useHue/Saturation to get those colors?The answer is a cautious, “Yes, but...” Those colors come from more thansaturation. The film had a strong black base and deep contrast, whichincreased the intensity of the color. You can get that with Levels by howyou set the blacks and whites as described in the section “Fix Gray Photos”in Chapter 10. After that, use Hue/Saturation, but avoid using Saturationalone for more than 15 points adjustment. Then tweak individual colorsas needed to get your colors bright and “colorful” like Fuji film.

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Darken Specific Areas of a PhotoAnsel Adams is a name that most peoplerecognize as one of the great landscapephotographers. He created wonderful black-and-white photographs of scenery that are stillpopular today. One of the things he did in the

traditional darkroom was to darken parts of aphoto so that it was more balanced and betteremphasized and highlighted the subject. Youcan do the same thing with Elements, and younever need to find a darkroom!

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LOOK AT YOUR WHOLE PHOTO

Take a look at your wholephoto, and decide which areasare too bright.

1 Find parts that look out ofbalance with the rest of thephoto because their brightnessattracts the viewer’s eye awayfrom your subject. These arethe areas you want to darken,and you want to do this so thatthe changes blend well withthe whole photo.

SELECT THE AREA FOR DARKENING

2 Select the area or areas thatneed darkening.

3 Open the Feather Selectiondialog box so that you canfeather the edge so that itblends.

4 If there is a strong edge, thefeather can be very small,maybe only a few pixels. Ifthere is no strong edge, thenuse a large feather to blendthe change more, for example50 to 60 pixels or more.

Darken Specific Areas of a Photo

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USE BRIGHTNESS/CONTRAST FORDARKENING

5 Click Enhance, click AdjustLighting, and then clickBrightness/Contrast.

The Brightness/Contrast dialogbox opens. In general, youshould not use Brightness/Contrast for overall changes toyour photo. For darkening, theBrightness slider gives a verygood result.

6 Move the slider left until youlike the change.

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USE THE BURN TOOL FOR SMALLAREAS

7 For small areas, choose theBurn tool ( ) in the toolbox. Itis near the bottom and it mustshare the same space as theSponge and Dodge tools. Ifyou do not see the Burn icon,then click and hold on theSponge tool ( ) to see it.

8 Set the tool to a range that isappropriate to the tones youwant to affect.

9 Use a very low exposure of 5 to10 percent.

0 Use a soft brush sized for thearea.

! Paint over the area to darken itusing multiple strokes.

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Lighten Specific Areas of a PhotoAnsel Adams lightened parts of a photo tobring out detail in certain areas without makingthe whole photo lighter. After getting theoverall image right, Adams would createwonderful, majestic photographs by selectively

lightening and darkening the photo. He wouldsometimes spend days in the darkroom justperfecting the right proportion of light anddark areas. You can do the same thing withElements in considerably less time.

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LOOK FOR DETAIL THAT IS TOO DARK

Take a look at your whole photo,looking for where darkness isworking against your image.

1 What places are too dark? You canbrighten these areas, and like the“Darken Specific Areas of a Photo”section, you can do it in such a waythat changes blend well with thewhole photo.

SELECT THE AREA FOR LIGHTENING

2 Select the area that needs to belightened.

3 Open the Feather Selection dialogbox so that you can feather theedge so that it blends.

4 Just as with darkening, if there is astrong edge, the feather can be verysmall, maybe only a few pixels.

If there is no strong edge, then usea large feather to blend the changemore, for example, 50 to 60 pixelsor more.

Lighten Specific Areas of a Photo

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USE LEVELS FOR BRIGHTENING

5 For brightening, the Brightnessslider in the Brightness/Contrastdialog box gives a very poorresult. Instead, click Enhance,then click Adjust Lighting, andthen select Levels.

The Levels dialog box opens.

6 Move the middle slider to theleft until the area looks properlybrightened. The left and rightsliders also work, but in general,the middle one looks best forthis change.

USE THE DODGE TOOL FOR SMALLAREAS

7 Select the Dodge tool ( ). Thistool lightens an area, and sharesspace in the toolbox with theBurn tool ( ). Neither oneworks well for large areas, asthey tend to make the areas lookblotchy.

8 Set the tool to a range that isappropriate to the tones youwant to affect.

9 Use a very low exposure of 5 to10 percent.

0 Use a soft brush sized for thearea.

! Paint over the area to lighten itin multiple strokes.

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Darken Edges for a Traditional LookAnsel Adams often said that it was veryimportant to darken the edges of any print tokeep the viewer’s eyes on the image. Darkeningthe edges really enlivens your photo and givesit a richness and depth that you cannot get in

any other way. It took a bit of work in the olddarkroom, but it is really simple to do inElements. You also have a lot of control overhow dark you want the edges.

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SELECT THE INSIDE OF THE PHOTO

1 Select the Elliptical Marqueetool ( ).

2 Make a selection that includesmost of the inside of the photo.

While you have a selection toolactive, you can also click insidethe selection and move it aroundto a better place, if needed. Youcan also use the PolygonalLasso tool ( ) to make this sortof selection more precisely.

GIVE THE SELECTION A BIG FEATHER

You want the edge darkening toreally blend nicely, and so youneed a big feather to soften theselection edge.

3 To display the Feather Selectiondialog box, click Select and thenchoose Feather.

4 Set at least a 100-pixel feather(this could be as high as 200pixels if you really need a gentleeffect on a large photo). Howmuch is really a matter ofpersonal taste.

Darken Edges for a Traditional Look

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INVERT THE SELECTION

Right now, your selection is stillmaking the center of the photothe active area. You need toinvert this so that you canadjust the outside edges of thephoto.

5 Click Select.

6 Click Inverse. This inverts yourselection so that it now goesfrom the inner selection line tothe outside edges of the photo.

USE BRIGHTNESS/CONTRAST TODARKEN THE EDGES

7 Click Enhance, and then clickAdjust Lighting.

The Brightness/Contrast dialogbox opens.

8 Move the Brightness slider tothe left. How much depends onthe photo, but usually anamount of 20 to 30 works well.You can hide the selection lineto better see the effect bypressing /Ô+ . Rememberthat you hid the line, though.

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How dark should the edges be?The quick answer to that is, “It depends.” Ansel Adams would vary how strongthis effect was depending on several factors, and you can, too: how bright theoverall photo is (lighter images usually need less); how dramatic you wantthe effect (it can range from subtle to very dramatic and still be “right”); andyour subject (some subjects look better with darker edges, some with lighteredges). It is helpful to go to the Undo History palette and click back and forthbetween dark edges and no dark edges to see what the effect is really doingto your image. See Chapter 10 for more about the Undo History palette.

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Clone EffectivelyPhotos get stuff in them that do not belongwith your subject. This could be as simple asdust on your sensor, which would show up asdark blobs in the sky. Or you could have a nicescene with trash in it that you did not see whenyou took the photograph. Or perhaps there is

an extraneous hand in the photo that isdistracting. You can get rid of all of thesedistractions by using the Cloning tool. Cloningsimply copies a part of a photograph fromone place over another to cover an offendingproblem.

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SET UP THE CLONE STAMP TOOL

1 Select the Clone Stamp tool ( ),just below the middle of thetoolbox. It looks like a littlestamp.

2 Select a soft-edged brush to helpyour cloning blend; use the brusheswith the fuzzy edges shown in thesample brush in the options toolbarjust below the menus.

3 From the toolbar at the top, selecta brush size that is appropriate tothe problem area you want to fix.You can see this because yourcursor turns into a circle whosesize represents the brush size.

SET YOUR CLONE FROM POINT

4 Magnify the area that you need toclone, using the Zoom Magnifiertool ( ) at the top of the toolbox.

5 Check the Aligned option in thetoolbar, as this will align the clonefrom point with your actualcloning as you do the work.

6 Press the / key and clickonce to set a point that the cloningtool can clone from. This is thepoint from which it copies pixels.

Clone Effectively

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CLONE IN STEPS

7 Click to clone from the set pointover your problem area.

8 Clone in steps; do not simplypaint. Cloning in steps allows thecloning to blend better.

9 As you clone, change the clonefrom point whenever you startseeing duplicating patterns. It isa good habit to change thatpoint as you go.

CHANGE YOUR BRUSH SIZE

0 Change your brush size as youwork to make the cloning blendbetter with the problem areas.This is very easy to do by usingthe bracket keys, and ,located to the right of the letter

on your keyboard. The keymakes the brush smaller, whilethe key makes it bigger. Cloneover the already cloned areausing a different-sized brush ifyou start seeing problems.

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I have heard that you have to be careful of cloning artifacts.What are they?An artifact in a photo is something that is not in the original scene orsubject, but gets into the photograph because of the technology ortechnique used by the photographer. A cloning artifact is a repeatingpattern or texture caused by cloning that pattern or texture to a new placenearby. You avoid it by changing your clone from point and your brush size.Watch for such artifacts as you clone and immediately make those changes.

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What Layers Are AboutLayers are beyond the scope of this book,but you may have noticed that they are animportant part of the Elements interface. TheElements interface includes a Layer menu aswell as a Layers palette. Layers can be worthlearning at some point because they can make

a lot of adjustments faster and more efficient.This section will introduce you to what they areand how they can help you. Everything shownin this chapter and Chapter 10 can be donewith layers.

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LAYERS ARE LIKE A STACK OFPHOTOS

Photographers often getintimidated by layers. However,layers become less intimidatingif you think of them as photosstacked on top of each other.

1 The Layers palette shows thatstack from the side, and just likea real stack, you can movelayers up and down, removethem, and cut them into pieces.

LAYERS ISOLATE ADJUSTMENTS

1 Do whatever you want to alayer.

•Your changes affect nothingelse in the photo.

If you use selections with alayer, you can really isolate anadjustment so that you affectonly one thing and nothingelse.

What Layers Are About

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ADJUSTMENT LAYERS ARE NON-DESTRUCTIVE

1 Adjustment layers use the samecontrols shown in Chapter 10, but theyare like filters that go over a print.

2 Adjustment layers change the lookof your image.

•The original image is not altered, andso no pixels are damaged. You can goback and make changes as often asyou want without problems. You canalso experiment and just delete anadjustment layer to remove a changewithout hurting the photo.

LAYERS WORK BEST STEP BY STEP

As you add layers, follow the samesteps that you have seen in this book,one adjustment at a time, as follows:

1 Use Levels for adjusting the blacksand whites in your images.

2 Use the middle slider in Levels formidtones, as Color Curves is not anadjustment layer.

3 Use Hue/Saturation for color.

Rename each layer by double-clicking the name and typing adescriptive name. This allows you toquickly understand what your layersare doing to the photograph.

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Can all these layers be saved with a photo and be worked on again if Ireopen a photo?That is another great advantage of layers: They can be saved with your image file. UseSave As to save your photo as a Photoshop (PSD) file. This will automatically keepyour layers when you save your image. You can save layers to a TIFF file, but this is nota good idea because this makes that TIFF file less usable. Only Adobe productsrecognize layered TIFF files, yet a TIFF file is a ubiquitous format that is recognized byany program that uses photos. If you want to save your photo as a TIFF file, flatten itfirst by using the Flatten Image command found in the Layer menu.

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ChapterChapter 12121212Printing Photos

Photographic prints have longbeen a great way of sharing notonly your photographs, but alsoyour experiences, your trips,your family, and so many otherparts of your life. A good printis fun and a joy to have. A badprint is disappointing and sad.

This chapter will give you someideas on how you canconsistently get better printsfrom your photographs.Printing is a craft. This meansthat it takes some practice toreally get good at it.

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Chapter 121212 Start with a Good Photo for a Good Print . . . . . . . . . . . . 202

Calibrate the Monitor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 204

Using Photo Printers with Elements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 206

Set the Printer Driver Correctly . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 208

Make the Right Paper Choice . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 210

Make a Good Print . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 212

Add Text to a Print . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 214

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Start with a Good Photo for a Good PrintOften you will hear people say that they do nothave to worry about digital photographybecause they can fix their photos in Photoshopor Elements. Stay away from that line ofthinking! That gets you into trouble and

prevents you from getting the best printspossible. Fixing images that were not shotproperly from the start can be a frustrating andtime-consuming process. In the end, the imageis of less quality, and is usually difficult to print.

Blurry Photos Get Noticed with Larger PrintsSharp photos make a difference. You can actually get away with a slightly blurry photo if it is printed small.But if you want to print it large, or you want to crop a part of a photo and print it larger, you will really seethat blur. A larger image also makes the blur larger for everyone to see.

Washed-Out Exposures Look Bad in a PrintWhen a part of a photo is washed out fromoverexposure, the white of the printing paper showsthrough the photo. This really adds empty detail to thepicture. Most of the time, this becomes a distractingpart of a print, which is not something you want.Avoid this with proper exposure.

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Dark Exposures Make NoiseMore ObviousWhen you adjust a dark exposure to be brighter so that it prints well from Elements, you also revealnoise. The darker the photo, the more noise will be obvious. This becomes an increasingly glaringproblem as a print gets larger. Once again, avoidthis with proper exposure.

Dark Exposures Cause Color ProblemsAnother problem with photos that are too darkis that as you brighten them in Elements, youcan have problems with colors. Those colorsmay lose some of their richness and tonalities,and this often shows up in prints as harshcontrast, unless you spend extra time on theimage in Elements.

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Calibrate the MonitorIf you want to make the most of your computerand digital photography all the way to a goodprint, consider calibrating your monitor. Monitorcalibration does not guarantee a good print,but it gives you a consistent, predictable workenvironment that you can use more effectively

to get a good print. Monitor calibration used tobe complicated and expensive. That is not trueanymore. Very affordable devices are availablethat work with automated wizards, making theprocess very easy.

Calibration Tools Start theProcessMonitor calibration needs a set ofcalibration tools. These come in apackage that includes a sensor or“puck” that sits on your monitor toread it, and software to automate thewhole process. You can easily sharethese tools with friends and otherphotographers, as you will probablyonly calibrate every few months.

The Puck Goes on the MonitorThe calibration sensor is often called a puck because it looks like one.It sits on your monitor over a location defined by the software. Thesoftware also tells you to do a few simple things with your monitorcontrols before you start using the puck to read specific colors.

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Software Automates the WorkOnce everything is set up, you tell the software and sensor to startworking. The software sends carefully chosen colors to the monitorunder the puck, and the sensor examines them. Then the softwarecompares the information it has received to its database of whatcolors should look like.

A Profile Is CreatedThe program then creates a profile for your monitor. Thisadjusts how the computer and monitor interpret color sothat colors are predictable and consistent. This way, youknow that there will be a better correlation between thecolors on your monitor and the colors in your print.

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SET ELEMENTS TO PRINT

You have to tell Elements howto send your photo to theprinter so that colors areinterpreted correctly.

1 Click File.

2 Click Print.

Note: A quick and easy keyboardcommand to remember for this is

/Ô+ .

Using Photo Printers with Elements

Using Photo Printers with ElementsToday, almost all ink jet printers are capable ofhigh-quality photo prints. However, a true photoprinter can offer you the absolute best in printquality. Photo printers typically have more inkcolors and finer ink dot sizes to create the bestcolor and tonal gradations in a print. In addition,

these printers have their software and hardwareoptimized for the print so that photos are thestar of their performance. Many photographershave two printers, a small one for printing textquickly and a larger photo printer.

CHECK YOUR PHOTO ORIENTATIONAND SIZE

The Print dialog box opens.

3 Check to see if the photo isoriented wrong or the wrongsize by looking at the preview.

4 Change the orientation usingthe buttons in the bottom-leftcorner.

5 You can make small changes insize in the Scaled Print Sizearea, but you should go backto Elements for large changes.

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TELL ELEMENTS HOW TO DEAL WITHCOLOR

6 In the Color Handling drop-downmenu, choose Printer ManagesColors. With most printers, thisgives you excellent results.

Some printers give better results ifElements manages color, anotheroption in the Color Handlingdrop-down menu. Then you haveto choose a printer profile thatmatches your paper type, as wellas turn off color management inthe printer driver software.

TRY A STAND-ALONE PRINTER

A really convenient way of gettingquick prints is to use a compact,stand-alone printer. You simplytake your memory card out ofyour camera and plug it into theprinter. You can have the printerprint all of your photos, a selectedgroup, or even a proof sheetshowing thumbnails of all of theimages.

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What if I do not have a photo printer? Can I still make good photoprints?All printers on the market today are capable of good photo prints. Youmay not have some of the capabilities that a true photo printer has, andprints might not be quite as good, but your printer is probably capable ofvery good looking prints. The key is to choose the right paper and to setthe printer driver correctly as described next in this chapter. Never usenon-photo paper for prints — often the glossy papers work best forstandard ink jet printers.

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TELL ELEMENTS TO PRINT

1 In the Elements Print dialogbox, choose your print size.

2 Be sure that the printresolution is between 200 and360 ppi. If it is not, you needto go back to Elements andresize your photo by clickingImage and choosing Resize.

3 Click Print.

OPEN YOUR PRINTER DRIVER

In Windows, the Print dialogbox opens, and you need tofollow another step to get tothe printer driver. (This is notnecessary in Mac OS dialogs.)

4 Choose a printer.

5 Click Preferences to open thedriver.

Set the Printer Driver Correctly

Set the Printer Driver CorrectlyOnce Elements is set to send your photo to theprinter and you click Print, you go to yourcomputer’s operating system for printing. Fromthere, you also access your printer’s softwarecontrols, called the printer driver. The Windowsand Mac operating systems display the printer

controls differently. Different types of printersalso have different interfaces in Windows.Regardless, you have to access the interfacewhere you can change settings like the paperyou are using or whether you are makingborderless prints.

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SET PAPER CHOICE AND QUALITY

This is a very important step.The printer has to know how toput ink down on the paper.

6 Choose Photo or Best Photo.You can test your results, but youwill probably see little differencebetween these options.

7 Choose a paper in the Typedrop-down menu, located in thePaper Options section.

TELL THE PRINTER WHETHER TOPRINT BORDERLESS

The printer does not automaticallymake a borderless print, even ifyou make a photo that is toolarge for the paper in Elements.

8 See if an Advanced tab includesthe Borderless command. Thereis always a specific setting forthis option in the printer driver,and you need to find and use it.

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Printing inks can be expensive. How can I save money on inks?First, do not use the highest resolution your printer offers. That does littleexcept use ink. Second, if the print is not looking good as it comes from theprinter, press the Stop button on the printer to stop ink from being addedto it. Third, if you have problems making a print look good, print a smallerversion as you make corrections. Fourth, try a test strip as described later inthe chapter. Finally, buying off-brand inks can be cheaper, too, but be surethey are photo inks designed to match the original inks.

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Make the Right Paper ChoiceTo get the best photo print, you need to usethe right photo paper. You are always safe withthe manufacturers’ papers for their printers,though you may find that some independentbrands give you a look and a feel that you like.

Be wary of cheap photo papers. These can bedifficult to get the best colors on, and theyusually do not have the best archival life. Thereare a wealth of choices in photo paper — pickwhat fits your needs.

Choose Paper for Its SurfacePhoto papers have surface finishes thatrange from matte to glossy. Glossy papershave the richest colors and sharpest details,but they have shorter lives and reflectglare. Matte papers have long lives, donot reflect glare, and today, give verygood, but different colors and sharperdetails than before. You can get othersurface finishes in between these.

Select Paper for Its WeightPaper has a weight. If your photo will be framedand behind glass, then weight has little bearing.But if you or anyone else are handling the prints,then they need some weight for durability. Peoplealso like the feel of a heavier print. Many fine-artphotographers believe the heavier print is moreappealing to clients.

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Look for Paper with the RightWhitenessPhoto papers, like all printing papers, havedifferent degrees of whiteness. If you areworking with glossy or semi-gloss and similarpapers, look for the whitest paper possible.With fine art papers, the degree of whitenessneeded is very subjective, and manyphotographers believe that it affects how aviewer perceives the print.

Printing Paper Choice Is Very SubjectiveThere is no such thing as the best photo paper,only a best paper for you. Some photographerslove glossy paper, for example, while others hateit. In addition, some subjects look better with onepaper, while others look better with another, andso you have to try out some different papers tofind what works best for you.

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CAN YOU MATCH THE MONITOR?

Many people feel that if the printmatches the monitor, they have agood print. There are severalproblems with this. First, amonitor displays colors in anentirely different way than aprint. Second, people have quitea different psychological responseto both media. Third, a printmust stand on its own becausefew viewers ever see the monitor.

CONSIDER YOUR FIRST PRINT A WORKPRINT

You do need a predictableworkspace so that your monitorand print look close. However,take your print away from themonitor into good light and reallylook at it. Could it be better?Could it be lighter or darker? Docolors need to be adjusted? Isthere a color cast? Go back to thecomputer and make adjustmentsbased on this work print.

Make a Good Print

Make a Good PrintAnsel Adams had a lot to say about printing inhis classic books about photography. Printingwas a key part of the photo process for him.Getting a good print is really a craft. It is notsimply a matter of pushing the right buttons,

because ultimately the best print is still verysubjective. Good printing is a skill that is honedby making prints and learning what your printercan really do, as well as discovering the quirksand nuances of your digital system.

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CREATE A TEST STRIP FOR PRINTING

1 Use the Rectangular Marqueeselection tool ( ) to select a thinstrip through the important partsof your photo.

2 Copy this selection by pressing/Ô+ .

3 Click File.

4 Click New.

5 Click Image from Clipboard.

•This creates a new photo based onyour selected strip. Print this teststrip photo to keep print timeshorter and costs down.

USE ADJUSTMENTS THAT YOU KNOW INELEMENTS

Use the adjustments you havelearned in Elements to improvethe look of your print. It can helpto write on your work print whatneeds to be done. Often you needto use selections to affect the coloror tone of very specific areas thatlook okay on the monitor, but donot look good in the print.

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How many work prints do you need to make before you get a finalprint?You might get a perfect print for your needs from the first print or it mighttake several. The concept of a work print is simply to give you the chance toevaluate your print as a print, not simply an automated process controlled bythe computer. Ansel Adams always made work prints, sometimes many. Forhim, that took a long time because of the processing needed in the darkroom.But the digital photographer can try an adjustment and make a new print inminutes. This can also help you learn to make better prints in the future.

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FIND THE TEXT TOOL

1 Click and hold the Text tool ( )to display four text tools that youcan choose from.

2 Click a text tool. The horizontaland vertical tools are the easiestto use and the best place to start.

SET UP THE TEXT TOOL

The Text tool acts like any wordprocessor. You have to tell it whatfont to use, the size, and so on.

3 Change these settings in thetoolbar above the photo workarea. You can choose the font, itsweight, size, color, spacing,alignment, and so forth. You canalso change these settings later.

Add Text to a Print

Add Text to a PrintThere are many reasons for adding text to aprint. You might want to include informationabout your subject or create a poster or flyer.Text is also useful for making a greeting cardthat you can print directly on your photo

printer. If you want to print a lot of text, suchas in a newsletter, you need a design program.But for short bits of text on a print, Elementsworks very well.

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CLICK AND TYPE

4 Click in the photo whereveryou want the text, and starttyping.

If necessary, edit the text usingthe controls in the toolbar atthe top. First select the text byclicking and dragging over it.

MOVE YOUR TEXT

5 Move your text as you type byclicking outside of the text areauntil your cursor changes to adouble-headed arrow. Thenclick and drag the text towhere you want it.

•You can also move your text atany time by clicking the Movetool ( ) at the top of thetoolbox and clicking the layerwith the text. Text is added toa photo as a layer so that youcan move it easily.

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When I am done with adding text, what should I do with thattext layer?One advantage of a text layer is that you can change it whenever youwant. Just double-click on the text icon in the layers palette to highlightthe text, and then type something new. You can save this text layer withyour file if you save as a PSD file. If you want to save this file as a lockedfile with the text embedded into the image, you can flatten the imageusing the Flatten command in the Layer menu, then save as a TIFF file. Ifyou save as a JPEG file, the layer is automatically merged into the photo.

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2GB card, 103/4 sidelight, 4890° sidelight, 49

Aaccessory flash, 131, 135–136ACDSee program

browsing and editing with, 148–149creating quick slide shows, 156–157organizing photos with, 150–151overview, 145Quick Search function, 155renaming photos, 154–155

achromatic closeup lens, 114action

continuous autofocus for, 17fast shutter speeds for, 82–83, 98monopods, 102

Adams, Ansel, 190, 192Adjust Color Curves dialog box, Photoshop Elements, 171, 175Adjust Color for Skin Tone dialog box, Photoshop Elements, 173Adjust Sharpness dialog box, Photoshop Elements, 181Adjust Smart Fix, Photoshop Elements, 171adjustment layer, Photoshop Elements, 199advanced setting, ACDSee slide show, 157AEB (auto exposure bracketing), 69AF (autofocus)

focus points, 16focusing on most important part of subject, 96–97locking focus on subject, 16starting early, 17with telephoto lens, 117using continuous autofocus for action, 17

album, Photoshop Elements, 147angle of movement, 83aperture. See also f-stop

choosing lenses based on, 119choosing program mode, 14f-stops, 78

Aperture-Priority modechoosing program mode, 14choosing shutter speed and f-stop, 81setting small f-stop with, 87

artifact, 197artificial light

contrast, 123light color, 122noise, 123sharpness, 122

Aspect Ratio dropdown menu, Photoshop Elements toolbar, 165Auto Color Correction, Photoshop Elements, 172Auto Contrast, Photoshop Elements, 168auto controls, Photoshop Elements, 170, 172auto exposure bracketing (AEB), 69Auto Levels, Photoshop Elements, 170auto power down, 5Auto Rotate setting, 5Auto Sharpen, Photoshop Elements, 180auto slide show, ACDSee, 156Auto Smart Fix, Photoshop Elements, 168, 170auto white balance (AWB)

inconsistency of, 73in most light conditions, 73overview, 72problems with color of light using, 125problems with sunrise and sunset, 72

autoexposure, 81

autofocus (AF)focus points, 16focusing on most important part of subject, 96–97locking focus on subject, 16starting early, 17with telephoto lens, 117using continuous autofocus for action, 17

AWB (auto white balance)inconsistency of, 73in most light conditions, 73overview, 72problems with color of light using, 125problems with sunrise and sunset, 72

Bbackground

contrasting subject with, 27depth-of-field in, 98distractions in, 21, 26front light on, 46need for depth-of-field, 98placing, 27simplifying, 26and telephoto lenses, 109using flash when bright, 54

backing up photo, 144–145backlight

dramatic photos, 50exposure, 51separating parts of photo with, 50watching out for flare, 51

backup software, 145bad timing in photo, 153balancing subject, 33ballhead, tripod, 101Basic tab, Slide Show Properties dialog box, 156Batch Rename dialog box, ACDSee program, 154battery, 5beanbag

for long exposures, 59as portable support, 102with screw, 128

big-range lens, 119black slider, Photoshop Elements Levels, 169black-and-white photo

adjusting contrast of, 175converting colors into contrasting tones of gray, 175converting to, 175removing color, 174

blending selection edge, 187blown-out highlight, 66–67blue effect, 77blurry photo

avoiding with tripods, 59from camera movement, 12, 94deleting, 152printing, 202with slow shutter speeds, 82, 84–85, 87when shooting in artificial light, 122

border, photo, 209bouncing flash, 136–137bracing camera for sharpness, 128–129breathing, 127bright spot

in backgrounds, 21, 26–27causing hot spots in photo, 44

brightnessadjusting with Photoshop Elements, 169consistency of LCD, 6

Index

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controlling with shutter speed and f-stop, 80creating with flash, 54heightening in Photoshop Elements, 170–171and ISO settings, 90limiting red-eye, 133measuring with meter, 62meter reaction to, 63and shadows, 41–42of shadows due to overexposure, 67underexposure due to, 64

Brightness/Contrast dialog box, Photoshop Elementsdarkening edges for traditional look, 195darkening specific areas of photo, 191making dark photos brighter, 170

browsing photos with ACDSee, 148–149brush size for cloning in Photoshop Elements, 197Burn tool, Photoshop Elements, 191, 193buying lens

being wary of other photographers’ advice, 118care with big-range lenses, 119expensive is not always better, 119look at limitations in picture taking, 118

Ccalibrating monitor, 204–205camera. See also LCD; lens; mode; setup; shutter button; shutter speed

aperture, 14, 78, 119bracing for sharpness, 128–129control of flash exposure by, 130downloading from, 140handholding technique, 126holding vertically, 36icons, 8locking response with defined white balance setting, 74long exposures, 59manual, 8, 125meter, 62–63minimizing movement of for sharpness, 94–95operation menu section, 8sensitivity of and ISO settings, 90sensor, 8, 64sharpness of focus, 96–97sleep time, 5supporting, 12, 59, 102–103tilting, 33tripods, 100–101video, 71viewfinder, 6–7

capacity, memory card, 10car, shooting from, 13carbon-fiber tripod, 100cast, color. See color castcategory, ACDSee, 151ceiling, tilting flash to, 136centered subject

balancing night and day, 31centering close portrait left and right, 33creating bold center, 30finding balanced composition, 30looking for patterns, 31

chroma, 64clarity, 52clicking and dragging photo, 143–144Clone Stamp tool, Photoshop Elements, 196cloning in Photoshop Elements, 196–197close focusing setting, 114closeness to subject

experimenting with zoom, 23narrow focus due to, 96

simplicity, 23taking step closer, 23watching space around, 22

closeup lens, 114close-up shot

checking where camera focuses, 97creating bold center in, 30focusing on most important part of subject, 96lenses for, 114–115midday light for, 56using zoom for, 110wide angles for portraits, 117

Cloudy white balance setting, 75, 77color

of artificial light, 122boosting with flash, 54brightening, 189calibrating monitors, 204–205contrasting subject with, 27converting into contrasting tones of gray, 175correcting in Photoshop Elements, 168, 172–173correcting with white balance, 124–125increasing saturation, 188–189and ISO settings, 90–91of light and artificial light, 122lost due to underexposure, 64from low front light, 47neutral, 70, 72problems from dark exposures, 203with telephoto lenses, 109washed out due to overexposure, 66when printing, 207in wide angle portrait shots, 116

color castcreating mood with, 124fixing gray photos, 168removing in Photoshop Elements, 172–173white balance, 71–72

Color Curves, Photoshop Elements, 171color filter, 70Color Handling drop-down menu, Photoshop Elements, 207Color Variations dialog box, Photoshop Elements, 173CompactFlash card, 10Compare Images area, ACDSee program, 149compensation, exposure, 68composition

background, 26–27centered subjects, 30–31foreground, 24–25getting close to subject, 22–23overview, 18–19placing heads, 32–33rule of thirds, 28–29shooting verticals and horizontals, 36–37simplicity, 20–21tightening with zoom lens, 110watching edges, 34–35

compression, quality, 9computer

calibrating monitor, 204–205importing photos to, 140–141organizing photos on hard drive, 142–143

concentric pattern, 31condition, matching defined white balance setting to, 75consistency of defined white balance setting, 74continuous autofocus, 17continuous-shooting setting

for indoor and night shots, 127overview, 69

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contrastadjusting in black-and-white photo, 175artificial light, 123in black and white photos, 175from flash, 134with shadows, 41–42of sharpness, 99in spotlights, 53of subject with background, 27

convertingto black-and-white photo, 175colors into contrasting tones of gray, 175

correcting color in Photoshop Elements, 172–173correcting exposure

exposure compensation, 68locking exposure, 69trying AEB, 69using LCD, 68

creativityblurring action with slow shutter speed, 85using white balance settings, 76–77

crooked horizonfixing photos in wrong orientation, 167lining up horizons with straight line, 166–167rotating crop box, 166using custom rotation for precise control, 167

croppingdragging box around subject, 164experimenting with, 165finding Crop tool, 164head to show face, 32to specific size, 165subject at edge of photo, 35

cross shadow, 43curving line, 35custom rotation, Photoshop Elements, 167custom white balance, 125

Ddarkening color, 66darkening specific area of photo, 190–191darkness

brightening in Photoshop Elements, 170–171color problems, 203meter reaction to, 63noise from, 203overexposure, 67underexposure, 65

date, organization by in Photoshop Elements, 146day, time of

after sun has set, 57early light is great landscape light, 56late light, 57midday light for close-ups, 56

daylight white balance settings, 77dedicated flash cord, 135defined white balance setting

consistency of, 74locking camera’s response with, 74matching to conditions, 75using creatively, 76–77warming up photos with, 75

deleting photo, 152–153depth

backlight, 50using foreground for, 24

depth-of-fieldincreasing with small f-stops, 86–87needed by foreground and background, 98zooming out to increase, 110

detailon edge of photo, 34lightening dark, 192using telephoto lens for, 109

diffuser, flash, 135digital camera. See cameraDigital Images folder, 142–143digital SLR. See also camera

accessory flashes, 131auto exposure bracketing, 69backgrounds, 26close-focusing settings, 114closeup accessory lenses, 114creating depth-of-field with, 89extension tubes, 115handholding positions, 12, 95, 126lenses for, 104, 118memory cards for, 10modes of, 14RAW files, 9using with separate flashes, 55wide-angle lenses for, 112

dimensioncreating, 24in sidelighting, 48

direction of shadow, 137distance, compressing, 109distraction in photo

avoiding, 21background, 26scanning edge for, 34shadows, 43

Dodge tool, Photoshop Elements, 193double flash, 130downloading

from camera, 140from memory card, 11from memory card reader, 141speed of, 11

dragging photo, 143dramatic photo

backlight, 50from low front light, 46sidelight, 48spotlights, 53

drivebacking up photos on second, 144–145importing photos to, 140organizing photos on hard, 142–143

driver, printer, 208–209dull day photo, 54

Eearly light, 56edge of photo

creating photo with all detail on, 34darkening, 195deliberately cropping subject at, 35leading viewer in from, 35scanning for distractions, 34

Edit option, Photoshop Elements, 160editing. See also Photoshop Elements

with ACDSee, 148–149photo, 152–153

electronic viewfinder (EVF), 6

Index

218


Elements. See Photoshop ElementsElements Print dialog box, Photoshop Elements, 208Ellipse/Circle selection tool, Photoshop Elements, 184Elliptical Marquee tool, Photoshop Elements, 194e-mail, sizing picture for, 178–179enlarging image file, 177environment, zooming out to include, 110erasing photo, 152–153evening photo, 57event, creating folder for, 143EVF (electronic viewfinder), 6expense of lens, 119exposure

adjusting with Manual mode, 15backlight, 51control of flash by camera, 130controlling with shutter speed and f-stop, 80–81correcting problems, 68–69ISO setting affecting choices, 90–91locking, 69movement during, 12for moving lights, 59overexposure, 66–67overview, 60–61problems from dark, 203problems in photos, 152spotlight, 53supporting camera for long, 59underexposure, 64–65washed-out, in prints, 202what camera meter does, 62–63

exposure compensation, 68exposure mode choices, 14extension tube, 115external hard drive, 144–145eye

focusing on, 117sharpness of, 97

eyedropper tool, Photoshop Elements, 189

Fface

cropping head to show, 32isolating with telephoto lens, 116

fast action, 98fast shutter speed

angle of movement, 83for fast action, 98movement is about time, 82speed of movement, 82timing of shutter affects movement, 83

Feather Selection dialog box, Photoshop Elementsblending selection edge, 187darkening specific area, 190feathering dark edges, 194lightening specific area, 192

file size, 179file type

finding settings, 8JPEG, 9, 163, 179PSD, 163, 215RAW, 9–10TIFF, 163, 199, 215

filename, 154–155filter, color, 70filtering in ACDSee, 151flare, 51flash

accessory, 131avoiding shadow problems, 134–135

bouncing for more natural light, 136–137dealing with red-eye, 132–133in-camera, 131night flash setting, 134off-camera, 55, 135, 137overview, 120–121, 130–131using when light is harsh, 54–55

flash-dedicated extension cord, 136Flatten command, Photoshop Elements, 199, 215flower icon, 114focal length. See also lens

choosing for different subjects, 112–113overview, 104and portraits, 116–117telephoto lens, 108

focus. See also autofocusdistance of and exposure, 62on most important part of subject, 96–97of portrait with telephoto lens, 117problems in photos, 152on subject, zooming in to, 111

focus lock button, 16focus point, 16folder for photos, 142–143foreground

front light on, 46getting close and shooting through, 25looking for frame, 24making bolder with wide angle lens, 107need for depth-of-field, 98using for depth, 24using wide-angle view and tilting down, 25

framing. See also compositionwith foreground, 24getting closer to subject, 23locking focus on subject, 16overview, 18using viewfinder or LCD, 6–7

front lightboring photos from, 46colorful photos, 47dramatic photos, 46for people, 47

f-stopbig-range lenses, 119choosing for sharpness, 98–99controlling exposure with, 80–81creating shallow depth-of-field with large, 88–89increasing depth-of-field with small, 86–87overview, 78–79program mode, 14

GGet Photos dialog box, Photoshop Elements, 146glossy paper, 210–211gorillapod, 103gray, converting color into, 175gray photo, fixing, 168–169greeting card, 214group photograph, 33grouping photos in Photoshop Elements, 147

Hhandholding camera

minimizing camera movement, 94–95shutter speed technique, 126vertically, 36

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hard drivebacking up photos on external, 145importing photos to, 140organizing photos on, 142–143

hard-edged shadow, 45, 49harsh light, 44, 134head placement

centering close portrait left and right, 33cropping head to show face, 32keeping back row of heads close to top, 33keeping headroom tight, 32

headroom, 32high ISO setting, 91highlight, blown-out, 66–67histogram, 169holding camera

minimizing camera movement, 94–95shutter speed technique, 126vertically, 36

horizonbalancing night and day, 31fixing photos in wrong orientation, 167lining up with straight line, 166–167rotating crop box, 166rule of thirds, 28tilting down wide-angle lens, 25using custom rotation for precise control, 167

horizontal photo, 37, 157horizontal third, 28hot spot, 44Hue/Saturation dialog box, Photoshop Elements, 188–189

Iicon, camera, 8image. See photoImage Size dialog box, Photoshop Elements, 176–178image type. See file typeimporting photos to computer, 140–141in-camera flash, 131. See also flashinconsistency of auto white balance, 73indoor light

appropriate shutter speed technique, 126–127artificial light, 122–123avoiding flash shadow problems, 134–135bouncing flash for more natural light, 136–137bracing camera for sharpness, 128–129correcting color with white balance, 124–125dealing with red-eye, 132–133overview, 120–121understanding how flash works, 130–131

indoors, shooting with wide angle lens, 106ink, printing, 209intersection in photo, 29inverting selection in Photoshop Elements, 195ISO setting

affecting exposure choices, 90–91changing for night photo, 58noise from, 123

isolating faces with telephoto lens, 116

JJPEG file

with high quality, 9other formats, 163saving photos as, 179

JPEG Options dialog box, Photoshop Elements, 179

Kkeyword tag, Photoshop Elements, 147

Llandscape

depth-of-field, 87, 98early light for, 56wide angle lens for wide, 112

Landscape mode, 15large f-stop, 88–89large resolution, 8Lasso selection tool, Photoshop Elements, 184late light, 57layer, Photoshop Elements, 198–199LCD

Auto Rotate, 5camera sleep time, 5for close shooting, 7correcting exposure with, 68review time, 4using inside, 6using to review, 21

leading viewer in from edge of photo, 35lens. See also telephoto lens

achromatic closeup, 114buying, 118–119choosing focal lengths for different subjects, 112–113closeup, 114–115flash away from to reduce red-eye, 132focal length and portraits, 116–117f-stop, 78macro, 115overview, 104–105wide angle, 25, 106–107, 112–113, 116–117, 126zoom, 110–111

lens shade, 51Levels, Photoshop Elements, 169, 193light. See also indoor light; night photo

artificial, 122–123auto white balance, 73backlight, 50–51bouncing flash for more natural, 136–137changes in due to time of day, 56–57controlling with f-stops, 80controlling with shutter speed, 81locating, 40low front light, 46–47measured by camera meters, 62noticing highlights and shadows, 41overview, 38–39shadows, 42–43sidelight, 48–49spotlight, 52–53using flash for harsh, 54–55using ISO settings, 90using LCD review, 41using viewfinders for, 6watching in subject and background, 40what to avoid, 44–45

light color, 122lightening specific areas of photo, 192–193line

concentric, 31curving, 35

lockingcamera’s response with defined white balance setting, 74exposure, 69focus, 16, 97

Index

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low front lightboring photos from, 46colorful photos, 47dramatic photos, 46for people, 47

low ISO setting, 90

Mmacro lens, 115Magic Wand tool, Photoshop Elements, 185, 187Magnetic Lasso tool, Photoshop Elements, 185magnifying photo with ACDSee, 148–149manual

checking icons in, 8custom white balance setting instructions, 125

Manual exposure setting, 55Manual mode, 15matte paper, 210medium resolution, 8megapixel, 8memory buffer, 11memory card

capacity of, 10downloading from, 11speed of, 11types of, 10

memory card reader, 11, 141menu

right-click, 147setup, 4–5

meterbright scenes, 63dark scenes, 63exposure based on interpretations, 62measuring brightness, 62

mice button, 147midday light

for close-ups, 56difficulties with, 44front light, 46

modeAperture-Priority, 14exposure mode choices, 14Landscape, 15Manual, 15overview, 15Portrait, 15Program, 14Shutter Speed-Priority, 14, 81Sports, 15

monitorcalibrating, 204–205comparing images on, 149comparing print to, 212

monopod, 102mood, creating with white balance, 124morning light, 56mouse button, 147Move tool, Photoshop Elements, 215movement

blurry photos caused by, 12during exposure, 107minimizing for sharpness, 94–95panning with, 99stopping with fast shutter speed, 82–83with telephoto lenses, 108using continuous autofocus for, 17

moving light, 59

Nname, photo, 145, 154–155narrow focus, 96natural light, 136–137neutral tone, 70, 72night flash setting, 134night photo

appropriate shutter speed technique, 126–127artificial light, 122–123avoiding flash shadow problems, 134–135bouncing flash for more natural light, 136–137bracing camera for sharpness, 128–129changing ISO, 58correcting color with white balance, 124–125daylight white balance settings at, 77dealing with red-eye, 132–133looking for moving lights, 59overview, 58, 120–121supporting camera for long exposures, 59understanding how flash works, 130–131

noiseartificial light, 123in dark exposures, 203increase in due to underexposure, 65and ISO setting, 90–91

number, f-stop, 86, 88

Ooff-camera flash

avoiding shadows with, 135bouncing, 137to deal with harsh light, 55

Open dialog box, Photoshop Elements, 160optical viewfinder, 6–7Organize module, Photoshop Elements, 146–147Organize panel, ACDSee program, 151organizing

with ACDSee, 150–151on hard drive, 142–143using Photoshop Elements, 146–147

orientation, photo, 167, 206original photo, protecting, 162overexposure

dark scenes, 63, 67eliminating photos with, 152lost highlights, 66in prints, 202too bright shadows, 67washed out color, 66

Ppalette, Photoshop Elements, 161, 163Palette Bin, Photoshop Elements, 161pan-and-tilt head, tripod, 101panning camera with slow shutter speeds, 99paper, photo, 207, 209–211pattern in photo, 31, 43photo. See also blurry photo; close-up shot; composition; cropping; edge of

photo; foreground; night photo; Photoshop Elements; portrait; printing;reviewing image; vertical photo

backing up on second drive, 144–145bad timing in, 153border, 209browsing and editing with ACDSee, 148–149camera movement causing blurry, 12checking size before printing, 206clicking and dragging, 143–144

221


creating quick slide shows with ACDSee, 156–157distractions in, 21, 26, 34, 43dividing into horizontal thirds, 28dividing into vertical thirds, 28downloading, 11, 140–141dramatic, 46, 48, 50, 53editing, 152–153fixing crooked horizon, 166–167fixing gray, 168–169folder for, 142–143group, 33horizontal, 37, 157importing to computer, 140–141leading viewer in from edge of, 35organizing on hard drive, 142–143organizing with ACDSee, 150–151overview, 138–139printing, 176processing, 65–66, 133rating, 146, 150renaming, 145, 154–155resizing, 177–178resolution, 8saving as JPEG file, 179scenic, 15, 47separating parts of with backlight, 50sizing for e-mail, 178–179sizing for printing, 176–177sorting, 146, 150straightening, 166travel, 113warming up, 75, 172–173

Photoshop (PSD) files, 163, 215Photoshop Elements

adding text to print, 214–215black-and-white photos, 174–175cloning effectively, 196–197correcting color, 172–173cropping photos, 164–165darkening edges for traditional look, 194–195darkening specific areas of photo, 190–191fixing crooked horizons, 166–167fixing gray photos, 168–169increasing color saturation, 188–189layers, 198–199lightening specific areas of photo, 192–193making dark photos brighter, 170–171modifying selections, 186–187organizing photos with, 146–147overview, 145, 158–159, 182–183safety features, 162–163setup of, 160–161sharpening image, 180–181sizing photos for e-mail, 178–179sizing picture for printing, 176–177telling to print, 208using adjustments to make good prints, 213using photo printers with, 206–207using selections to isolate adjustments, 184–185

picture. See photoPictures folder, 142playback button, reviewing images with, 4Pod beanbag, The, 128point, setting clone from in Photoshop Elements, 196Polygonal Lasso tool, Photoshop Elements

darkening edges, 194modifying selections with, 187overview, 184

portraitcreating shallow depth-of-field for, 88focal length and, 116–117importance of sharpness of eyes in, 97low front light for, 47placing heads, 32–33telephoto lens for, 112, 116using zoom for, 116

Portrait mode, 15position, shooting

bracing camera for sharpness, 128–129minimizing camera movement, 94–95shutter speed technique, 126for verticals and horizontals, 36–37

poster, 214pre-flash, 130preparing camera

autofocus, 16–17choosing between viewfinder and LCD, 6–7holding camera for sharpness, 12–13LCD, 4–5memory card, 10–11overview, 2–3program mode, 14–15resolution and file type, 8–9

pressing shutter, 13, 95Print dialog box

Photoshop Elements, 206Windows, 208

printingadding text to print, 214–215calibrating monitor, 204–205choosing paper, 210–211making good prints, 212–213overview, 200–201setting printer driver correctly, 208–209sizing picture for in Photoshop Elements, 176–177starting with good photo, 202–203using photo printers with Elements, 206–207

printing ink, 209Printing Preferences dialog box, Windows, 208–209processing

brightening, 65darkening, 66red-eye reduction, 133

profile, monitor calibration, 205program. See also ACDSee program; Photoshop Elements

backup, 145calibrating monitor, 205

program autoexposure, 81program mode

Aperture-Priority, 14exposure mode choices, 14Landscape, 15Manual, 15overview, 15Portrait, 15Program, 14Shutter Speed-Priority, 14, 81Sports, 15

PSD (Photoshop) files, 163, 215puck, calibration, 204

Qquality

of color, 64compression, 9picture, 8

Quick Search function, ACDSee, 155

Index

222


Rrange, zoom, 111rating photo

in ACDSee, 150in Photoshop Elements, 146

RAW file, 9–10Rectangle/Square selection tool, Photoshop Elements, 184Rectangular Marquee selection tool, Photoshop Elements, 213red-eye, 132–133Remove Color Cast dialog box, Photoshop Elements, 172removing color from photo, 174renaming photo, 145, 154–155Resample Image option, Photoshop Image Size dialog box, 177Reset tool, Photoshop Elements, 165resizing image, 177–178resolution

finding settings, 8printing, 176using megapixels, 8

reviewing imagefor bright spots, 44for contrast in night shots, 123edges, 34exposure, 51, 68with LCD, 4subject size, 22

right-click menu, 147Rotate Canvas dialog box, Photoshop Elements, 167rotating crop box, 166rotation, Photoshop Elements custom, 167row of heads in photo, 33rule of thirds

dividing photo into horizontal thirds, 28dividing photo into vertical thirds, 28as guideline, 29using intersections, 29

Ssaturation, 188–189Save As dialog box, Photoshop Elements, 162Save N Sync program, 145saving

layers in Photoshop Elements, 199photos as JPEG files, 179work in Photoshop Elements, 163

scenechanges in due to flash use, 55making more interesting with spotlight, 53shooting big with wide angle lens, 106

scenic picture, 15, 47. See also landscapescrew, beanbag with, 128SD card, 10searching for photo in Photoshop Elements, 147selection, Photoshop Elements

darkening edges for traditional look, 194–195darkening specific areas of photo, 190lightening specific areas of photo, 192modifying, 186–187using to isolate adjustments, 184–185using to limit color change, 189

Selection Brush tool, Photoshop Elements, 185self-timer, 129sensitivity, 90sensor, 8, 64separating parts of photo with backlight, 50setting of portraits, 116setup

autofocus, 16–17choosing between viewfinder and LCD, 6–7

holding camera for sharpness, 12–13LCD, 4–5memory card, 10–11overview, 2–3program mode, 14–15resolution and file type, 8–9

setup menu, 4–5shade, lens, 51Shade setting, 75shadow

avoiding flash problems, 134–135avoiding inappropriate, 45in backlight, 50distracting, 43in front light, 46as important part of light, 42making interesting photographs, 43making subject stand out, 42from midday sun, 44off-camera bounce changing direction of, 137overexposure, 67sidelight, 48–49

Shadows/Highlights dialog box, Photoshop Elements, 171shallow depth-of-field, 88–89shape selection, Photoshop Elements, 184sharpness

artificial light, 122bracing camera for, 128–129depth-of-field, 86enhancing in Photoshop Elements, 180–181focusing on most important part of subject, 96–97f-stop or shutter speed for, 98–99holding camera for, 12–13macro lens for, 115maximizing with tripod, 100–101minimizing camera movement, 94–95other camera supports, 102–103overview, 92–93shallow depth-of-field, 88

shooting positionbracing camera for sharpness, 128–129minimizing camera movement, 94–95shutter speed technique, 126for verticals and horizontals, 36–37

shooting through foreground, 25shrinking image, 177shutter button

focusing with, 17locking exposure with, 69reaching in vertical positions, 36squeezing, 13, 95

shutter speedblurring action with slow, 84–85choosing for sharpness, 98–99controlling exposure with, 80–81exposure mode choices, 14high ISO setting, 91increasing depth-of-field with small f-stops, 87overview, 78–79stopping action with fast, 82–83techniques for indoor and night light, 126–127telephoto lens, 108wide angle lens, 107

Shutter Speed-Priority mode, 14, 81sidelight

making textures come alive with, 48shadows from, 49using 3/4 sidelight for form plus texture, 48using 90° sidelight for strong texture, 49

223


simplicityavoiding distractions, 21background, 26closeness to subject, 23deciding what subject really is, 20drawing attention to subject, 20using LCD review, 21

size, photochecking before printing, 206cropping to specific, 165

sizing picturefor e-mail, 178–179for printing, 176–177

skin coloradjusting in Photoshop Elements, 173correcting with white balance, 124

sleep time, 5slide show, ACDSee, 156–157Slide Show Properties dialog box, ACDSee program, 156slow shutter speed

blurring action with, 84–85panning camera with, 99and wide angle lens, 107

SLR camera, digital. See also cameraaccessory flashes, 131auto exposure bracketing, 69backgrounds, 26close-focusing settings, 114closeup accessory lenses, 114creating depth-of-field with, 89extension tubes, 115handholding positions, 12, 95, 126lenses for, 104, 118memory cards for, 10modes of, 14RAW files, 9using with separate flashes, 55wide-angle lenses for, 112

small f-stop, 86–87small resolution, 8softening flash, 135softening foreground, 25software. See also ACDSee program; Photoshop Elements

backup, 145calibrating monitor, 205

Sort By feature, ACDSee, 150sorting

in ACDSee, 150in Photoshop Elements, 146

space around subject, 22specular light, 134speed

memory card, 11of movement and fast shutter speed, 82

Sponge tool, Photoshop Elements, 191sports action, 85, 102Sports mode, 15spotlight

clearly showing subject, 52exposure, 53making scene more interesting, 53theatrical light, 52

squeezing shutter, 13, 95stand-alone printer, 207standard naming system, ACDSee, 155star rating, 146stopping action with fast shutter speed, 82–83straightening photo, 166sturdiness of tripod, 100

subfolder, 142–143subject

avoiding light that is away from, 45balancing night and day, 31brightening with flash on dull day, 54centering left and right, 33choosing focal length for different, 112–113close up photographs of, 56contrasting with background, 27correcting color with white balance, 124creating bold center, 30deciding on, 20deliberately cropping at edge of photo, 35distracting backgrounds, 26drawing attention to, 20experimenting with zoom, 23finding balanced composition, 30focusing on most important part of, 96–97framing, 24horizontal photo of vertical, 37isolating with telephoto lens, 108lighting of, 40, 45locking focus on, 16looking for patterns, 31low front light for, 47positioning of, 28–29shadows on, 42, 45shallow depth-of-field, 89simplicity, 23spotlight on, 52taking step closer, 23using flash to brighten dark, 54vertical photo of horizontal, 37vertical photo of vertical, 36watching space around, 22zooming in to focus on, 111

sunlight, 44, 47Sunlight setting, 75–77sunrise, 72sunset

balancing night and day, 31cloudy white balance setting for, 77problems with auto white balance, 72shooting after, 57

Superfine compression, 9supporting camera

for long exposures, 59for sharpness, 12types of supports, 102–103

surface, paper, 210

Ttable-top tripod, 103telephoto lens

auto white balance, 73buying, 118compressing distances with, 109contrasting sharpness, 99creating shallow depth-of-field, 89isolating faces with, 116isolating subject with, 108for people, 112portrait focus with, 117shooting through foreground, 25shutter speed, 108, 126using for details, 109wildlife shots, 113

test strip for printing, 213

Index

224


textadding to ACDSee slide show, 157adding to prints, 214–215

Text tab, Slide Show Properties dialog box, 157Text tool, Photoshop Elements, 214–215texture

3/4 sidelight for form plus, 4890° sidelight for strong, 49in early light, 56from sidelight, 48with telephoto lenses, 109in wide angle portrait shots, 116

theatrical light, 52thumbnail area, ACDSee, 148–149TIFF file

saving images as, 163saving layers to, 199, 215

tilting camera, 33tilting flash to ceiling, 136Time Machine program, 145time of day

after sun has set, 57early light for landscapes, 56late light, 57midday light for close-ups, 56

timingACDSee slide show, 156autofocus, 17of movement and fast shutter speed, 82–83in photo, 153

tonal contrast, 42toolbar, Photoshop Elements, 160toolbox, Photoshop Elements, 160transition, ACDSee slide show, 156travel photo, 113tripod

ballheads, 101bracing camera for sharpness, 129carbon-fiber, 100for night shots, 58–59, 128pan-and-tilt heads, 101for slow shutter speed photos, 85for small f-stops, 86sturdiness of, 100

tube, extension, 115Tungsten white balance setting, 75, 77

Uunderexposure

bright lights, 63–64eliminating background with, 55eliminating photos with, 152hard to separate dark tones, 65increased noise, 65lost color from, 64from low light, 123

Undo command, Photoshop Elements, 162Undo History palette, Photoshop Elements

editing dark edges, 195overview, 161use of, 163

Unsharp Mask dialog box, Photoshop Elements, 180–181USB cord, 140

Vvertical photo

Auto Rotate setting, 5experimenting with holding camera vertically, 36of horizontal subjects, 37in slideshow, 157of vertical subjects, 36

vertical thirds, 28video camera, 71viewer, leading in from edge of photo, 35viewfinder

using for moving subjects, 7using in bright light, 6

viewing angle, monitor, 149

Wwall, turning flash to, 136warm light, 57warming up photo

with defined white balance setting, 75in Photoshop Elements, 172–173

washed-out exposure, 66, 202water, shooting with slow shutter speed, 85Web site photograph, 8weight, paper, 210white balance

correcting color with, 124–125defined settings, 74–75overview, 70–71using settings creatively, 76–77when to use auto white balance, 72–73

white card, 125white slider, Photoshop Elements Levels, 169whiteness, paper, 211wide angle lens

capturing wide landscapes, 112indoors, 106making foreground bolder, 107portraits with, 116–117shooting big scenes, 106shooting foreground with and tilting down, 25shutter speed for indoor and night shots, 126and slower shutter speeds, 107for travel photos, 113

wide aperture, 88wildlife photograph, 108, 113workflow, 151workprint, 213

Zzoom

AWB in, 73closeness to subject, 23depth-of-field in, 89WB in, 74for wildlife pictures, 113

zoom lensexperimenting with zoom range, 111tightening composition with, 110zooming in to focus on subject, 111zooming out to include environment, 110

Zoom Magnifier tool, Photoshop Elements, 180, 196

225


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