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During my awesome wedding Saturday with Laura and Dom, this Philadelphia wedding photojournalist was pretty darn cold down by Waterworks. But while the wedding party was walking back to the Philadelphia Trolley Works bus, I saw the last of the vibrant sun cascading onto the art museum. The sun had already set where we were but at the museum, the rich beams transformed the brown into a golden hue. In that moment, I had one chance to grab the photo as the bridesmaids and groomsmen hustled back to the warmth. I took two clicks of the shutter.

When photographing vibrant colors, most people’s instinct is to overexpose the photo, but what you really want to do is underexpose the photo. Set the meter back one full stop for the better color. So, that’s what I did, and after the first, I saw the color was perfect, and on the second, I simply recomposed to straighten my horizon and cut out some extremities cluttering my frame. For those using your iPhone, focus the camera by tapping on the brightest spot on your camera darkening everything in the periphery and enriching the color in the picture. This underexposure is great when capturing stellar landscapes, Autumn colors, vibrant sunsets, and the best art museum in the country on an icy, February afternoon.

Tune in every Tuesday for general photography tips, and contact us to learn more about our small group workshops and private lessons.

Best,
Joe G.