Wait For The Light.

I know how easy it is to be in a rush to capture that perfect image. Sometimes you get excited by a subject and you just have to capture it. But, before you snap that shutter make sure you are getting the best light on your subject that you can.

If you are in harsh sunlight and you can move to open shade give that a try to minimize the contrast and harsh shadows. If it's mid day and you can be at the same location in the evening or early morning maybe wait to take the shot for that better light.

Sometimes though, you have a subject that's moving and you have no choice but to get what you get or don't get it at all. Such as the hot air balloon I spotted this morning on my way to work. It was moving pretty quickly across the sky and I love photos of hot air balloons. I had to take the shot.

It's nice and sharp but it's a bit blah. But, I did get a nice shot of it.

Then I noticed the sun starting to peek over the clouds to the east and I decided to wait just a few more minutes. Here is the result of that little bit of patience.

Much better. The sun warmed up the scene a bit, gave the balloon a nice glow and gave it more dimension due to the directional lighting.

Just goes to show you that just a few minutes can make a huge difference and if you just look around for the light and watch for the changing conditions, you can make some really nice art.

Chris.