Exposure of a Photograph

The camera and I do not really get along, when it comes to taking good quality photos.   My first approach to photography was to take hundreds of pictures-edit them one time by just putting an effect on them, and then I was done. But, at times, I found my self frustrated because one, I never knew what photos to take and two, my photos would always be off centered, blurry, or too bright or too dark! To help me improve my photography skills, I picked up a book called The Beginners Photography Guide by Chris Gatcum. By picking up this book, it will help me achieve my ultimate goal of capturing pictures that capture one's eye as well as producing quality photos that aren't blurry or off centered. This book has great ideas and techniques that help you enhance your photos, with any camera!

Since I am a beginner in photography, I decided to first start off with exposure, since it is one of the key parts to learning photography. As Gatcum says, “Exposure is one of the most fundamental aspects of photography, and you will often hear photographers talking about getting the right exposure” (Gatcum 44). Basically, exposure is simply the process of letting light through your camera lens to produce an image.

Getting the right type of exposure of a photo, is pretty simple. There is no need to go out searching for places that have the right amount of light, to get the perfect exposure of a photo you're taking. "Technically, there is no such thing as the right exposure, just the one you think loos best, but there's a point at which most people would agree that a picture is overly light or dark. the aim of exposure is to find a happy medium"(Gatcum 44). In all, there is no right exposure. It's what you, the photographer, thinks is best and how you want your photo to turn out.

Different Types of Exposure 

 After learning about exposure and the different techniques from the author, Chris Gatcum,  I decided to capture the sky one evening because of the colors it conveyed during that time. I felt like I could bring out the colors and really show how amazing our surroundings can be.

                                            
As you can see from the photo above, I listened to the advice the book gave me. I felt like I found the right "happy medium" exposure. It wasn't too dark or too bright. I received positive feedback from my family members, especially my brother, who is an expert in photography.  Overall, the details in the photo and the colors of the sky, constantly remind me of why I love photography so much. Photography reminds me of how it can open up your creativity more and make you think out of the box. Everyone has an eye for photography and everyone can do it. All you need to do is pick up a camera and start taking photos!

Do you guys use exposure when editing and taking pictures in your photos?

Citation:Citation: Gatcum, Chris. The Beginner's Photography Guide. United States: DK Publishing, 2013. Print.