Here Comes The Sun

Conventional photography rules usually state that you try to keep the sun out of photos unless it is just risen or just setting. Soemtimes you have to break the rules. Here is a sunrise, late afternoon sun, and a sunset.

Patterns

I like to look for interesting patterns. The patterns on this patio stone showed up best just before sunset when the light was hitting the stone almost horizontally. I think the maple key makes the picture.



The next picture kind of plays with reality. The subject is the Commerce Court West building in Toronto. This is with the camera placed on the building and looking up to the sky.

"Painting" with Light

I like to experiment with the camera to get different effects. Take for instance this river:



The picture is what most cameras will automatically give you for the time of day and the light levels - a wide open aperture and a fast shutter speed. This has the effect of freezing a moment in time. However, does it show the movement of the water? Not really.

Take a look at the second picture of the same spot:



I love the way the blur of the water conveys the movement. By closing the aperature, I forced a much slower speed (I think this was about 1/2s. The longer exposure allowed the bright coloured foam in the water to "paint" the film. I've tried similar things with stars and traffic, but I have never found the right place to get satisfactory results.