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Break your canvas

As creatives we should always push the boundaries. Some of the first master painters knew this. Their competition would paint on a canvas, which would typically hang in a private residence, with only a handful of people being able to see their work.

Whereas the master painters would break the mould and paint directly on walls and ceilings so that their work would be viewed by the public. As photographers we can't really project our images on ceilings of public buildings, but what we can do is take the philosophy of being creative and push our own boundaries to create something memorable and new.

We no longer need to rely on what the camera sees (as I explained in Photography Lesson #1), instead we can use our creativity and imagination to create the works of art that the masses will see.

If you are new to photography there are many ways we can do this and hopefully in this post, I want to show you some ways you can break your own canvas to become the creative you were truly meant to be.

Try a different look

This is one of the simplest techniques to adopt in your photography. Next time you are out try using the RAW setting on your camera to capture an image in color. Then when you import it through your software, convert the image to black and white or monochrome and add a hint of contrast. By doing this you will completely change the look of your photography and the results can be quite stunning.

Victoria 002.jpg

Color is nice, but try converting the photo to black and white

Victoria 001.jpg

Black and white lends itself to strong contrasts.
People will spend more time looking at a black and white image than a colour image

Don't be afraid of Photoshop

Some people I know refuse to use Photoshop, they hate the idea of sitting in front of a computer to 'edit' and image. Personally, I use the program to show the way I see an image. This could be changing the mood of the photo, adding or subtracting elements within a scene or even changing the lighting. Whatever I tend to do I try not to take it to far, people may question you when you do this, but at the end of the day are you making the art for them or yourself?

Parhran 011.jpg

The photo straight out of camera might be nice but does it really reflect what you felt and witnessed?

Parhran 010.jpg

For this image, I felt cold standing on the corner in the drizzle. I portrayed this by adding darker colors and an angry sky in the image.

Explore HDR Photography

HDR (High Dynamic Range) is an eye catching form of photography. If you want your photos to really see details in the shadow and highlight areas of an image, then this is something you may want to learn.
Essentially the process is quite easy, a bit fiddly at first, but you will get the hang of it quickly. All you need to do is take around three images at different exposure and the HDR software will do the rest. I'll explain how I go about creating and editing a HDR image in a future photography lesson so be sure to follow me so you don't miss it!

Adelaide HDR 003.jpg

Take the first shot, exposing for just the highlights

Adelaide HDR 001.jpg

Move on to the second image, exposing for the midtones

Adelaide HDR 002.jpg

Finally, capture the last shot, exposing for the shadows

Adelaide HDR 001_HDR_edit.jpg

The end result when the HDR is created should have more tonal range

Create light

Again, don't be afraid to create new light sources. There are numerous techniques you can use to do this. If you prefer mobile editing you can use apps like Lumyer to layer effects over your photos, or if you are like me there's always Photoshop.

Adelaide 003.jpg

Take your HDR to a new level by adding light sources. This is also handy tip for landscapes and forest scenes

So there you have it. By make a few simple changes in your photography you can break your canvas and explore your own creativity. If you have any questions on any of the techniques used in this post, let me know as I would be happy to provide some knowledge on the subject.

Are you a photographer or a traveller like me?
Use #myday to share your posts and let's see where this goes!

I'm Leigh, from Sydney Australia and through @steemit I'm seeing what its like to explore @myday. Not in any particular order, or particular time frame but just parts of @myday through my eyes and sometimes the cameras lens.

If you are interested in reading about myself and my beautiful partner Grace - @photooftheday then have a read of myday #0 where everything is explained. If you enjoyed reading this post I welcome you to upvote this article and follow me. Please drop me a comment as I would love to hear from you!

Photography Lesson #2 - Get Out Of The Rut!