This is the second installment of an article by professional photographer Sean Arbabi. (To see the first, about Composition, click here.)

EXPOSURE

Good exposures are vital to great images, and can help to create mood and emphasize light or color, but unfortunately most point-and-shoot cameras do not offer manual controls (the ability to set the aperture and shutter speed instead of having the camera do so in the “automatic” setting). Not to mention understanding exposure, or explaining the concept, is not easy to do in a few sentences. The art of exposure will be something the PhotoGuru will have to address in a future article. So if you cannot control your exposures, set your camera to an automatic setting and focus on lighting in the photograph, an aspect you can be aware of and potentially control. If you want more information, my book, The BetterPhoto Guide to Exposure, is a 225-page book packed with exposure information.

LIGHTING

Quality of light is yet another key component in every photographer’s arsenal. Under most conditions, light sets the mood in an image, creates focus on the subject, and can add that intangible jaw-dropping “wow” response. Yet again, the overwhelming majority of people who take pictures do so during the worst times of day, or place their subjects under the worst lighting conditions.

1) Photographing Outside: When people travel, take tours, or visit a place, they often photograph during the most convenient times between 10 am and 4 pm; understandable, but unfortunately not the optimal time for quality image-making. Light outdoors is often best the closer you are to sunrise or sunset. The quality of light is warmer and more appealing at these times, less harsh than the high mid-day sun, and frequently intensifies colors in a scene.

2) Photographing People: Another common blunder that occurs when people photograph their family or friends, is that they position themselves between the sun and their subject, with the sun at their back, providing the most light on their subject’s face. (Imagine the sun behind you as you take a portrait of your family in front of you with full sunlight on their faces.) This often causes the subject to squint heavily since they are forced to stare directly into the sun, and the light now created on the subject and surroundings is flat and boring. Instead, try a few different methods when it comes to capturing people. First off, you can photograph them in ambient light, that is non-directional light where it is equally intense everywhere, such as shade or the diffused light from an overcast sky. This offers little or no shadows on a face providing beautiful soft light complimentary for most people. Another way is to turn your subject away from the direct sun allowing their eyes to be relaxed and open while taking their photograph. And the last approach is to side light your subject giving them depth and dimension through the highlights and shadows created on their face and on the setting.

3) Backlighting: Often thought of as too harsh or difficult to photograph, backlight (that is when the light source is behind your subject) in many cases helps to create beautiful moods and accentuate light in a scene. Whether it is the light casting through storm clouds silhouetting your wife as she cross-country skies along a trail, the sunset behind your son as he tosses his Frisbee high above the beach, or the glow of colorful autumn leaves created by sun rays, backlight can add that dramatic final element to your image.

The final installment of this article will appear on Koloist soon.

If you're curious to know more about Sean Arbabi, his biography and photo now appear on Koloist in the right hand side bar under Contributors. (Click on his name.)

Visit Sean Arbabi's web sites here and here.