White Balance

White balance is somewhat of a new effect and is a term used only in the digital photography rhelm. It's extremely important for interiors and especially weddings to make sure white is white (or a neutral gray).

A lot of people use a "gray card". I don't. I don't care if the white balance is "correct", I care if it looks good. I'll often make a portrait warmer or a food photo cooler. I also shoot in raw, which allows me to adjust the white balance in post without data loss. If you don't shoot in Raw and you're a photographer you should.. but that's a whole other post for another day.

Take this photo I took for example of Yellowstone Lake at Yellowstone National Park.

It's pretty, warm, cozy and energetic. The oranges in the sunset are beautiful.
But what if I changed the white balance...

Take this photo. Same scene, same time of day with a different white balance.
In this case, one is not better than the other. They just have different feels and different moods to them.

The colors here feel relaxing, cool, crisp. This is the same photo essentially but with a different white balance to create completely different effects.

Most photos will not work like this however, but the really great, well lit photos will. And one more little tip, as a last resort, if your colors really really aren't working, because you have multiple light sources that are different color temperatures or etc... just make it black and white. A black and white post is coming soon. :)


-Jonny Carroll
Photographer
DTX photography
Dallas Aerial Photography
Denton Wedding Photography
Little Elm Photography
Dallas Commercial photography

Macro flowers and bugs. - Botanical Gardens

I got a macro extension tube, so Sarah and I made a stop at the botanical gardens while we were in Fort Worth. I recently bought a macro flash too, so look out for more posts with a flash. Here's what I got that day though.





 


Bee. It was def scary to bee so close to these things.












Eating a bug.










-Jonny Carroll Photographer
Dallas photography

Tutorial - Why to use a polarizer filter.

This is one of those things that can really make a difference. A small detail, yet extremely important in particular circumstances.

I polarizer only allows light to enter the lens from a particular direction. While light from a source is always omnidirectional, as well as most light bouncing off an object, some reflected light is coming from a single direction. See these examples:

Take this normal aerial photo of a Fort Worth, TX stadium


Compared to this polarized photo.


Both of these are unedited out of the camera. The difference is amazing, and the difference is between an amateur and a professional. I almost always have a circular polarizer on my lens. For only $50-$100, it makes and enormous difference. Watch out though. You don't always want to use one, they make the image much darker, so they're bad in low light situations.

Here's another example:

    

Look at the effect on the clouds / sky and the removal of the reflection off the water. If you don't have one, get one. It will be way worth it. Everyone and their pet dog asks me what kind of camera to buy. I tell them the camera is the least important thing to buy. This is one of the important things.


-Jonny Carroll
Photographer
DTX Photography
TX Aerial Photography
DTX Wedding Photography
DTX Portrait Photography
DTX Photo - commercial photography

Cowboy Katherine

While I loved these photos, I was a little hesitant to post them because some might consider them pretty sensitive, but seeing as I haven't updated in about two weeks, a shocking 'return to blogging' post felt in order. That and Katherine was perfectly ok with me posting these.









Katherine was great to work with and was a natural in front of the camera.
Hope you enjoyed, I don't blog many of my boudoir / sexy photo shoots.

-Jonny Carroll Photographer
Dallas photography
Portrait boudoir Photography in Denton and Dallas, TX
DTX Dallas, TX glamour and fashion photographer

Kayla and Joey Wedding

Kayla and Joey got married at the Little Chapel in the Woods in Denton, Texas in the gardens of TWU, Texas Women's University. Joey flys helicopters, but we didn't know that until after we had met. How funny is that.

The reception was later at Giuseppe's Italiana, where Sarah and I actually had our engagement party.

-Jonny Carroll
Photographer
Dallas Texas Photography
Denton Wedding Photographer