Adjusting Your Digital Camera’s Light Sensitivity by Changing Its ISO Setting

Many digital cameras offer a choice of ISO settings, which indicate the light sensitivity of the camera’s imaging sensor. The higher the ISO number, the more quickly the camera reacts to light. A high ISO setting increases light sensitivity, but it can also add noise to the picture.
This figure shows four images taken with a different ISO setting for each shot: 200, 400, 800, and 1600.

For some shooting scenarios, you may be forced to use a higher ISO. For example, if you’re trying to capture a moving subject, you may need to raise the ISO so that you can use the fast shutter speed necessary to freeze the action.

Experiment with ISO settings if your camera offers them. But, for best picture quality, keep the ISO at its lowest or next-to-lowest setting.

How to Take Black-and-White Landscape Photos

Ansel Adams captured wonderful landscapes using black-and-white film. Your camera captures color images, but that doesn’t mean you can’t follow in Ansel’s footsteps and create black-and-white photos. The only difference is that you have to convert your photos to black and white in your digital darkroom.

In Photoshop Elements, you can convert an image to grayscale, but you don’t have the control needed to get the rich blacks like those seen in Ansel Adams's photographs. You can get closer using an application like Aperture, Adobe Photoshop Lightroom, or Adobe Photoshop. You also can use third-party plug-ins to convert your color images to black and white. Here are two of them:

• Alien Skin has a plug-in called Exposure 3 that you use to emulate color and black-and-white film. Exposure 3 works in conjunction with Photoshop Elements 7 and later, Photoshop CS3 and later, and Lightroom 2 and later.
• Nik Software has a plug-in called Silver Efex Pro 2 that works with Apple Aperture 2.14 and later, Adobe Photoshop Lightroom 2.6 and later, Adobe Photoshop Elements 6 and later, and Adobe Photoshop CS3 and later. Silver Efex Pro 2 has U Point technology that enables you to make localized adjustments to control brightness, contrast, and structure.

If you want to follow in the footsteps of Ansel Adams and create compelling black-and-white photos when you process your images, keep the following in mind:

• Photograph scenes with lots of contrast. A landscape with a blue sky and billowing thunderheads is ideal for conversion to black and white.
• Place the horizon line in the lower third of the image when photographing a scene with a beautiful cloudscape.
• Use a polarizing filter with the camera facing 90 degrees from the sun. This maximizes the darkening effect of the filter. Rotate the outer ring of the filter until the sky is a deep blue and the clouds pop out in contrast.
• Underexpose the image by 1/3 EV. This will give you an image with darker shadows, which look great when converted to black and white.

Tips for Composing Better Photos

Before working with Photoshop Elements 10, you need to take photographs that are interesting and well composed. Some of these tips overlap and contain common concepts, but they’re all free; they don’t require any extra money or equipment.

Find a focal point for your photos

One of the most important tools for properly composing a photo is establishing a focal point — a main point of interest. The eye wants to be drawn to a subject.

Keep these tips in mind to help find your focal point:

• Pick your subject and then get close to it.
• Include something of interest in scenic shots.
• When it’s appropriate, try to include an element in the foreground middle ground, or background to add depth and a sense of scale.

Use the rule of thirds when taking pictures

When you’re composing your shot, mentally divide your frame into vertical and horizontal thirds and position your most important visual element at any intersecting point. When you’re shooting landscapes, remember that a low horizon creates a dreamy and spacious feeling and that a high horizon gives an earthy and intimate feeling. For close-up portraits, try putting the face or eyes of a person at one of those points.

 

If you have an autofocus camera, you need to lock the focus when you’re moving from center.

Cut the clutter in your photos

Here are some ways you can cut the clutter from your background:

• Try to fill the frame with your subject.
• Shoot at a different angle.
• Move around your subject.
• Move your subject.
• Use background elements to enhance.
• Use space around a subject to evoke a certain mood.
• If you’re stuck with a distracting background, use a wider aperture (such as f/4).

Frame your shots when taking pictures

When it’s appropriate, use foreground elements to frame your subject. Frames lead you into a photograph. You can use tree branches, windows, archways, and doorways. Your framing elements don’t always have to be sharply focused. Sometimes, if they’re too sharp, they distract from the focal point.

Employ contrast when taking pictures

Just remember, “Light on dark, dark on light.”

A light subject has more impact and emphasis if it’s shot against a dark background, and vice versa. Keep in mind, however, that contrast needs to be used carefully. Sometimes, it can be distracting, especially if the high-contrast elements aren’t your main point of interest.

 

Use leading lines when taking pictures

Leading lines are lines that lead the eye into the picture and, hopefully, to a point of interest. The best leading lines enter the image from the lower-left corner. Roads, walls, fences, rivers, shadows, skyscrapers, and bridges provide natural leading lines, especially in scenic or landscape photos. The photo shown of the Great Wall of China is an example of curved leading lines.

Experiment with viewpoints while taking pictures

Not much in the world looks fascinating photographed from a height of 5 to 6 feet off the ground. Try to break out of this common mode by taking photos from another vantage point. Experiment with taking a photo from above the subject (bird’s-eye view) or below it (worm’s-eye view). A different angle may provide a more interesting image.

Use light in your photos

Here are a few tips about light:

• The best light is in early morning and later afternoon.
• Avoid taking portraits at midday.
• Overcast days can be great for photographing, especially portraits.
• Backlighting can produce dramatic results.
   
• Ensure that the brightest light source isn’t directed into the lens to avoid lens flare.
• Use a flash in low light.
• Get creative.

Give direction in your photos

Don’t be afraid to play photo stylist:

• Get someone to help direct.
• Give directions about where you want people to stand, and so on.
• Designate the location.
• Arrange people around props, such as trees or cars.
• Use a variety of poses.
• Try to get people to relax. 
  

Consider direction of movement when taking photos

When the subject is capable of movement, such as a car, person, or animal, make sure that you leave more space in front of the subject than behind it. Likewise, if a person is looking out onto a vista, make sure that you include that vista.