Photo: Bluebells

Taken by: Kieran Roberts

Canon EOS 60D

Before: The background blends in too much

Before: The background blends in too much

Kieran has sent in some images he took with his new Canon EOS 60D. I’ve picked this shot of bluebells as it illustrates some useful points.

We often choose a subject because it looks as though it will make a good image, but this isn’t enough on its own. We need good light too. Good light in this case is light that creates shadows on one side of the subject and highlights on the other. It is this that helps us to understand the three-dimensional qualities of whatever it is that we are looking at.

After: Increasing the difference in brightness helps

After: Increasing the difference in brightness helps

Kieran’s bluebells don’t stand out much. Although he has picked a wide aperture to make the background soft, the light on the flowers is about the same intensity, so they blend together. The trick is to ensure that your subject and your background are lit differently. I’ve created more brightness difference between the flowers and the background, but this isn’t the same as working in different light.