Outdoors: Photography in Algoma - breaking the rules

Outdoors: Photography in Algoma - breaking the rules

As a general rule photographers are told to shoot with the sun at our backs. This ensures that the light is cast upon our subject and our image is exposed correctly. It’s a rule that should be adhered to most of the time.

As a general rule photographers are told to shoot with the sun at our backs.

This ensures that the light is cast upon our subject and our image is exposed correctly. It’s a rule that should be adhered to most of the time.

For instance, when taking a picture of a group of friends, we want their faces to be well lit and properly exposed.

While we should know the rules and follow them, we should also realize that there are times when rules should be broken.

Shooting into the light will usually result in the underexposure of an image, meaning the subject in the image will be darker than expected. In some cases this can be a good thing.

In fact, manually under exposing even further can put our subject in silhouette – resulting in colourful, dramatic images, especially when shooting into the setting sun.

- James Smedley

Upcoming Photography Workshop

Superior Woods and Waters Photography Workshop – Thursday, June 2 to Sunday, June 5