When it comes to photography, you can’t forget about camera effects. It’s good to know about them for beginners and professional photographers alike, so that’s what we’re going to talk about today. We’re sure you’ll learn a lot of things that will be helpful in getting great shots!
One of the best effects that will give charm to your photos will be lens flare. It allows you to embellish any picture and make it more unique. You can read more about lens flare in photography on Skylum’s blog.
1. Playing with the Light at Night
Remember that light painting requires a long exposure, so you will need a suitable camera. You should also think about buying a tripod. Here’s some extra equipment you’ll need:
- Torch. Although very simple, torches are often used for light painting. It is very easy to make and use. For example, you can write any text or draw an object.
- Glow stick. It gives very little light, but in spite of that, it expands your possibilities.
- LED light stick. They can be different colors, so why not make an interesting combination? Some sticks can even be changed manually.
2. Add Some Drama with Silhouettes
Many beginning photographers don’t know how to make a silhouette. It’s very easy. You can achieve this effect if you take a photo against a bright sky. Here’s how you can do it:
- Find a suitable place where the sky is very bright. To do this, you will need to make careful preparations so that you do not waste time.
- Position yourself so that you are looking at the object from the bottom up. This will provide a suitable angle.
- Make sure the light is behind your subject. The most ideal time of day for this type of photography is sunset.
3. Use Reflections
When we talk about reflections, the first thing that comes to mind is water. It could be a lake, a pond, or even a puddle. You can even create a reflective object yourself by pouring a bottle of water on the pavement.
However, the options don’t end with water. Reflections appear on marble, glass, or metal surfaces, too. You can also try shooting a reflection in the window of a car or house.
4. Enhance Your Photo with the Bokeh Effect
Here you need to keep in mind that the bokeh effect will not work well on all backgrounds. As you know, it is achieved by blurring. Agree that a blurry clear sky is not what you would call great. In order to achieve the desired effect, you will need two things: a large aperture and a long focal length.
One of the interesting features is the creation of shaped bokeh. You only need a few minutes and a minimum of equipment to achieve this effect. You need to cover the camera lens with a disc of black paper, pre-cutting it with a hole of a suitable shape. It can be not the usual circle, but, for example, a heart or a star.
5. Turn the Image Upside Down
The lens ball is a piece of equipment that probably every photographer needs. It’s the equipment that allows you to turn the world upside down. Plus, the lens ball is very versatile. Although it’s more suitable for creating unique landscapes, it works for portraits too.
We recommend using a macro lens for the best effect. Then the background will be blurred and the ball will be in the center of the composition.
6. Use a Long Exposure to Show the Flow of Time
You’ll need a tripod to get the perfect shots. One of the most popular options is photographing the Milky Way. You will need to properly expose the stars. We mean they will be moving and you will need to capture their path. Your best friend in this case is a wide-angle lens with a large aperture.
You can also get amazing shots of the way the water moves. Only a long exposure will do here, so pay attention to that.
https://unsplash.com/photos/HXB90CB4nd4
7. Use Low Light for More Intrigue
This effect is very popular among photographers who shoot portraits. The idea is that the light only falls on the model’s face and the background remains dark. This allows the viewer to see the face without being distracted by unnecessary details. Such photos look mysterious and intriguing.
You don’t have to look for additional equipment at all to achieve this effect. You can use sunlight. It should not fall on the face of the model, but through a window or between the leaves of a tree.
Final Thoughts
We’ve told you about the basic effects that will help you create truly unique paintings. Try using them to make your photo masterpieces! We also advise you to try lens flare. This amazing effect is almost as good as the one we have described, and it is not difficult to achieve an impressive result.
