Playing with Fire: An Introduction to Light Painting

When I began submerging myself in photography on a regular basis, I joined numerous social media sites to gain inspiration and for an outlet to share my work. Through these social media sites, I noticed images incorporating various types of light painting.  At first glance, it didn’t quite strike me as something I would be interested in or want to attempt.  However, as I began to see it more and more I thought it could potentially add a different yet harmonious element to my photos.

Steel wool test shot to see how long the flames would burn and to figure out the camera settings | 20 sec at f / 8.0, ISO 100 |

6 Tips for Better Architectural Photography

Achieving an architectural photography image that invokes excitement with the viewer can be extremely challenging.  The following are tips that  have worked best for me…

5) Shoot During the Golden Hour

Humber Bay Arch Bridge | Etobicoke | Canada | 6.0 sec at f / 22, ISO 160.

My absolute favourite time to shoot is during the evening just before sunset.  The golden hour is when the sun shines a glowing light and anything that it reflects off of often creates a beautiful image. When an image is shot during this short time, the viewer’s eye is immediately drawn to the brightest spot of the photo which adds a new exciting dimension to the shot.

4) Try Un-boring Compositions and Perspectives

Sacre Coeur | Paris | France | 8.0 sec at f / 22, ISO, 100.3)

When composing my image I often find that I avoid taking images facing straight at the subject .  I try to find an angle that is interesting to the eye and will add a different element to my image other than just the structure itself.  I aim to find a perspective that allows the details and colours of my subject to really stand out.  I find it best to do a few test shots from different angles to see which will give me the best composition and perspective.  In the image below, I shot the Sacre Coeur Cathedral in  Paris from as low to the ground as I possibly could.   I aimed my camera upwards on a short tripod to give the illusion that the Cathedral is grander against the blue sky and cloudy background.