Lessons

Lighting.

This is a huge subject all on its own.

Try to remember,amongst all the other things,that if the light source-sun,or artificial,comes from behind you straight onto the subject,it will be flat and a bit boring.

I know,for those of us who have been using a camera for a long time,we were told to have the sun behind you. Older cameras could'nt cope with the sun in the picture at all. It would show up as a great big solar flare.

Cameras are better now and can deal with a lot,even shooting with the sun in front of you. But the most pleasing and complimentary light is oblique,falling across. adding shape,shade and depth,another dimension to your work of art.

Consider also what type of light you have to work with. The sun is a point source of light,most else is diffused.point sources cast strong contrasting shadows. Diffused light casts more blurred less contrasty shadows.

This is useful,strong contrasts are more alive,less strong are more restful. Try to keep this in mind,whats the picture about? Do you want lively shadows adding to it,or more subtle,restful tones? Try not to contradict yourself.