I realised that it would be a charming portrait

Location Hong Kong, China Camera EOS 5D Mark II Lens EF 50mm Settings 1/125 sec @ f1.4, ISO 400 This light is the most important part of this photo. I took it at dusk, when the light of the setting sun was balanced by the artificial lights of the buildings coming on over the other side of the water. It’s harder to work at this time of day because the light levels mean you need a higher ISO, slower shutter speed or wider aperture than you would need if the scene were lit by brilliant sunlight. But the quality of the light is worth the extra effort. Location Purmamarca, Argentina Camera EOS 350D Lens EF-S 18-55mm @ 28mm Settings 1/125 sec @ f4.5, ISO 200 I was drawn by the texture in the door, wall and stones, and the colour contrast between the blue door and pink walls. Learn more at https://erinjgz.wordpress.com/2016/09/15/professional-nantucket-wedding-photographer/ and http://markalexander.over-blog.com/2016/12/nantucket-portrait-photographer-for-beautiful-photos.html

The light was very flat when I took the photo, and it needed work in post-processing to arrive at the image you see above. I processed the Raw file in Lightroom 4 and used the clarity slider to increase the contrast. This kind of processing is beyond the power of Digital Photo Professional (DPP), the Raw processing software that comes with your camera. Location Oxfordshire, England Camera EOS 5D Mark II Lens EF 85mm Settings 1/180 sec @ f1.8, ISO 200 The composition of this photo is very simple. The dandelion makes a white circle against a dark green background. I used a wide aperture of f1.8 (only available on prime lenses) to throw the background out of focus. I took this photo on an evening walk, close to home. I’m glad I took my camera with me, because I found a field with dandelions and spent a happy half hour photographing them. It is surprising how a humble subject can sometimes make a strong image . Location Sucre, Bolivia Camera EOS 40D Lens EF 17-40mm @ 33mm Settings 1/125 sec @ f5, ISO 400 I was taking photos at an old church when I saw these two girls leaning against a tree. I raised my camera and took a photo. There was very little thought behind it. I realised that it would be a charming portrait, and that the tree would make an interesting background, emphasising the colour of the girls’ clothing. All this happened in an instant. The more you practise photography, the better your instincts become, allowing you to see the potential in scenes like this. Location Colonia, Uruguay Camera EOS 40D Lens Sigma 50-150mm @ 150mm Settings 1/320 sec @ f4, ISO 400 I was a little surprised to see a Vespa scooter in Uruguay, and I took some photos of it in the street. Afterwards, I switched lenses and took a couple of close-ups. If you find something photogenic, like this scooter, it’s a good exercise to take a variety of photos. Your first photo is unlikely to be the best, and you may create some better images as you experiment with various angles, points of view and focal length. Learn more at http://mpommett79.hatenablog.com/entry/2016/12/25/063905