Have you ever tried taking a picture of a really beautiful space, only to have it turn out looking like you took it with your flip-phone camera? We teamed up with our amazing photographer, Patrick Kelley, to give us the basics on shooting like a pro! Over the next few months we will be revealing the steps to perfecting your photography skills.
To kick off the series: Turn your flash OFF!
If you haven’t already discovered shooting with your cameras flash turned off, you should give it a shot (no pun intended!). The on-camera flash flattens out the space and only lights the closest objects to the camera. The blue light created by the flash is not a natural light source and is harsh compared to the warm glow of the lights in an interior space.
Take a look at the images below. Notice how the plant in the image on the top is lit from below and the plant on the bottom is shiny and distracting. The image without the flash (on the top) is much more natural because it showcases how the room looks with natural warm lighting. Just about all cameras nowadays, from SLR’s to Point and Shoots, give you the option to disable the flash, so next time give it a try! Also, make sure to set the camera on a tripod or a stable surface because you don’t want to get camera shake from shooting handheld using the slower shutter speed (which will happen with the flash turned off).
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