Marissa Elman | Fashion & Photography

Marissa Elman is a lifelong lover of fashion and photography.

Introduction to White Balance

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Many photographers will start shooting in automatic mode, but once you start shooting in manual mode, you will gain so much more creative control over your images. The first three settings you should know about are the exposures settings: aperture, shutter speed, and ISO. These settings are only the beginning, and your camera settings go beyond those three. Today’s blog focuses on white balance, which allows you to get the right color temperature in your photos. 

 

Color temperature is expressed in degrees Kelvin, and all sources of light have a color temperature whether you’re using natural light, fluorescents, professional speedlights, or LED panels. Color temperature works inversely to what we associate with temperature because “warm” colors fall at the lower end of the spectrum while “cool” colors are on the higher end. The lower the number, the warmer the color, and likewise, the cooler the color, the higher its color temperature. 

 

Colors that are warmer tend to read orange and fall around 2000K, and cooler colors, like that of moonlight are at the other end around 8000K-10,000K. Even the same light source can have variations of color temperature. Take the sun for example. Sunlight may look neutral at noon (within the ballpark of approximately 6000K) but can appear warm at sunrise or sunset. 

 

Our brains are remarkable and recognize colors even in different color temperatures. We understand that an apple is red whether we’re looking at it in warm light or cool light. A digital camera can approximate the color temperature of an object but doesn’t always compensate correctly. If you want to record accurate colors, you may be required to adjust your white balance settings. 

 

Your DSLR will often have white balance presets like Tungsten, Fluorescent, Daylight, Shade, and more that will help compensate for your lighting conditions. Sometimes, your camera may have even more refined controls and may let you adjust the values in Kelvins. Think of color temperature and white balance as opposites: warmer light falls lower on the Kelvin scale, so setting a lower number on your camera will cool down the image instead of warming it up. 

 

White balance is a powerful tool for accurate color correction, but it can also be used artistically. Knowing how to set your white balance settings can make a photo look natural, but they can also be used to do the opposite and make them look otherworldly.  

Three Ways to Declutter Your Life

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There’s nothing wrong with having a bit of extra stuff, but when a home becomes cluttered, moving, relaxing, and even living can end up being much more difficult than necessary. A large number of individuals feel frustrated and annoyed with the clutter around their house. More broadly, clutter in life—not necessarily around the house—is also troublesome.

For those who are looking to leave clutter behind “Team Clutter” (and those who’d like to take preemptive steps to avoid clutter), the good news is that doing so is as easy as making a plan, committing, and enjoying the benefits.

 

Donate

Donating goods to charity is an outstanding way to decrease a home’s clutter. To decide which items are ideal for charity, think about which items are frequently used. If it takes a few minutes to remember the last time that an item saw the light of day, it’s probably worth giving it to those who are in need; these items commonly include clothing, kitchen utensils, old toys, and household appliances.

There’s no need to go overboard when donating goods; dropping off 10 boxes at once is sure to make a massive dent in clutter, but gradual donations are similarly effective, and they don’t require nearly as much effort. An important thing to remember when undertaking the task of decluttering is that it is a process; trying to get rid of everything all at once will result in an unnecessary amount of stress.

 

Organize

As countless other professionals have noted, decluttering isn’t all about getting rid of things; in many instances, it’s simply about putting things where they belong.

Consequently, it’s recommended that every decluttering effort include some time to organize items. Closets, cabinets, and under-bed spaces are great storage options, especially when the items are neatly placed in containers and bags before they’re added to these locations. While getting rid of items can certainly free up space, organizing your things in a logical, functional way can help declutter your home, as well.

 

Tend to Non-Physical Clutter

Last but certainly not least, clutter doesn’t have to be physical; plenty of people suffer from digital clutter, and many of these individuals don’t even know it!

Tech is an important part of modern living, and the more difficult tech is to use, the harder it is to live. That might sound dramatic, but the reality is that encountering trouble where it’s not supposed to be found—like on the web and on tech devices—is a surefire way to become tired and annoyed. Needless to say, tech-produced fatigue and annoyance negatively impact other facets of life.

Uninstall useless apps, delete unimportant contacts, unsubscribe from less-than-stellar email lists, and enjoy a freer, more straightforward life.

These decluttering tips will help individuals who are looking to be as happy and stress-free as possible. Remember that decluttering initiatives begin with a single step; beyond getting started, consistency and time are necessary to produce significant results.

Tips for Photographing a Wedding

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For professional and amateur photographers alike, working at a wedding can be both a learning and enjoyable experience. Not only is it a chance to showcase your photography skills and get creative with new shots, it’s also a great way to build up your clientele and gain new business. The following are tips for getting the best possible shots on your clients’ most important day of their lives.

 

Meet with your client beforehand

Most weddings require weeks or months of planning and can be stressful for both the photographer and the two getting married, but it doesn’t need to be. When you meet your clients for the first time, it’s a good idea to bring along a few ideas, whether or not they’d like you to use props, and ask questions about the venue. Some couples choose to take photos with their car or will request that a classic car be sent to the venue. Knowing this beforehand will allow you to plan out creative shots prior to that day.

 

Once your clients decide to go with you for their wedding, make sure you draft a contract for them to sign. Unfortunately, couples don’t always make it to their actual wedding day, and the contract will give you peace of mind when it comes to receiving payment.

 

Ask what shots they like

Nowadays everyone is on Pinterest, and couples will probably have a good idea of what shots they’d like to see taken during their wedding. Coordinating their shot ideas and mixing some of your own will only help guide you through the day with a bit of ease. It’s a good idea to give them a form they can fill out with the different shots they’d like to see after you’ve had a chance to develop them. Shots like the kiss after the vows and photos of them cutting the cake are ones that go without saying, but for the more creative pictures, it’s a great idea to have a list so they don’t spring them on you the day of the wedding.

 

Meet the Maid of Honor and/or Best Man

The ones that get this honor in the wedding are oftentimes either relatives or close friends that have known the couple for a long time. The couple will more than likely be quite overwhelmed the day of, and these two people can be invaluable in helping corral people that need to get their pictures taken into the room with you.

 

Go to the rehearsal

Make it a point to attend the rehearsal dinner the night before the wedding. This allows you to really plan out your day the night before. Make sure the lighting is how you need it to be, you have space for your gear, and you have a safe place for your equipment on that day.