For the past six weekends, I’ve been building myself a storage shed in my backyard. This past Labor Day I finally completed it and started loading it up with my junk stuff.

I had been taking photographs all along it’s progress and in looking back at all of the images, I thought I would share a technique I use to balance both the indoor and outdoor light.

This first image was early on in the framing stage.  You don’t think of this as an interior photograph, but if I had just exposed for the sky, the framing would have been underexposed, and you would have seen no detail in the framing at all.   Alternately, if I tried to properly expose the framing, the sky would be blown out.   Solution — balance the light with your flash!

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Ah, summer.  You remember those days as a kid don’t you?  Being out of school and running out of the house in the morning, feeling the warmth of the sun on your face, wondering what that day of fun would bring.

Unfortunately, I’m not a kid anymore and those days of three months of vacation are only a memory.  However, I can relive those moments watching my kids experience it as I once did.

No matter what type of camera you own, keep it handy, and take photographs of your family.   You, your family, and future family members will appreciate it in the future.

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Most people when they think of using flash, think of indoors in low-light. Well, outside in bright sunshine, flash can be your friend as well.

How many times have you been outside taking pictures only to find all your subjects faces dark and the background beautifully exposed? Sure, you could adjust your exposure to expose the faces better, but now you’ll have a background that is blown out. A better solution is fill-flash.

Below is an example of a shot I took without flash and another taken just a few seconds later using flash.

I set my camera exposure manually to the scene (bright sun on a deck at 3:00p in the afternoon). This turned out to be f/11; ISO 100 at 1/250s. Because I was going to use flash, I did not want to set my shutter speed any faster than my camera’s sync-speed of 1/250. Another alternative would be to set your camera to shutter priority (Tv in Canon) and set it to 1/250 of a second. I prefer manual settings, for I don’t want the the camera being fooled by the scene.

My daughter was in her pool where the sunlight was coming from camera right, casting a shadow across her face. The shot on the left looks like a snapshot taken by anyone with a P&S. Just by using my flash, and setting it in ETTL mode (Canon) with a Flash Exposure Correction (FEC) of -1 2/3, that same shot brings out much more detail in her face without that harsh flash look. The sun still overpowers the flash, creating it’s normal shadows. I may have even been better off using at FEC of -2 or even less (in negative territory here), but now, the picture has a much better look and feel to it.

Imagine if the sun was coming from behind her. That first image would really show a dark face, which would be completely in the shadow. So, next time you are out in the sun taking pictures of family and friends, don’t be afraid to experiment with a bit of fill flash.

I admit it, I am not an auto detail freak. I have neighbors and friends that wash their cars all the time, keeping them looking their best. I probably wash my car on average 8 times a year — and rarely between December and March.

Today was my Honda Element’s lucky day (Friday the 13th no less), for the old gal was getting a spring cleaning. I usually let Mother Nature do my dirty work, but with the windshield covered with bug guts and dust forming on my dashboard, I thought it was time to spruce her up a bit.

I’ve had this Element for just under 2 1/2 years, and I hit 50,000 miles on her last month. I really like this car and probably will buy another when this one is ready for retirement (around 150,000 miles). Many think it is ugly looking, but for hauling around photo equipment, it’s awesome. The fact that it does not have carpet is perfect for a non-auto detail person like myself. Just vacuum and wipe down with a wet towel. Good as new.

Photo Information: ISO 200; 1/125; f/4

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Last night my youngest daughter Keely, graduated from Kindergarten. When I was growing up in Illinois, there was never such a ceremony. Boy, let me tell you, what an emotional experience — for the parents. I’ve been to high school and college graduations in the past, but I have never seen so many mom’s reaching for the tissues as I saw last night. Even I got a little choked up, myself.

The ceremony started with a slideshow showing pictures throughout the year, of course to music that really moved you, as the kids walked in and up on to the stage. That was just the teaser to get the tear machine warmed up, for a bit later, up came another slideshow with music titled, “Let Them Be Little”, and showed pictures of each individual graduate, then a baby picture, followed with pictures of child and mom, plus child and dad. During this time, each child, one-by-one, met mom at the center of the the room, presenting her with a yellow rose. Boy, this was when the waterworks really was flowing.

Keely did a bit of a Michael Jordan impersonation, by sticking out her tongue when receiving her diploma. Making sure to shake with the right hand and accept the diploma with your left takes a lot of concentration, especially for a 6-year old.

Following the ceremony, refreshments were given and good-byes were spoken.

Keely made many good friends this past school year. With her best friend Kayla going onto her new school for first grade and Keely starting homeschool next year, they unfortunately will see much less of each other in the future.

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Happy Memorial Day to everyone. Today is a day to honor those who have fought and served our country and to grieve those who died while serving.

Memorial Day also signals the unofficial beginning of summer and what do kids want to do in the summer … SWIM! The weather in Bel Air today is fabulous — bright sunshine and 84 degrees.

While the kids were playing, I also was playing with my camera. I thought I try my hand at shooting with my right hand while holding a flash in my left. The downside to bright sunshine is the harsh shadows that accompany it. To bring out some definition in the shadows, a bit of fill flash does wonders.

The photo above — of my daughter Keely, the ham — used my technique of underexposing the camera 2/3 of a stop to cut down on the hot spots, and pop a bit of flash from the shadow side at 1/32 power.

The flash is not for inside use only. It can really come in handy outdoors as well. Give it a try, you may like the results.

Arizona Photographer Don Giannatti, flew out to Baltimore to give 12 lucky area photographers his Lighting Essentials Workshop last Saturday.

This workshop is a hands-on 8 hour lesson in lighting. Don showed us how to use sunlight, portable and studio lights, reflectors, etc. in creating great light to photograph people.

The workshop took place in a studio as well on the streets of Baltimore. Don would give a lesson and then we would go out and put that information just learned into action by doing. For me, this was a fantastic way to learn.

I left dead tired, and full of new ideas, techniques and great photographs. I am anxious to use my newfound knowledge.