Tip #58: Cool Effects

PHOTOGRAPH: a picture made using a camera, in which an image is focused on to film or other light-sensitive material and then made visible and permanent by chemical treatment. (Oxford Dictionary). Geez, and I thought Calgary’s winter air was dry. I wonder if the writers of the Oxford Dictionary have ever tried to write a novel.

Okay, moving along.

The key word in this desert-like description is ‘light-sensitive.’ When we take a picture, we’re recording the visible light bouncing off an object. There is, however, a specialty film that allows us to take wicked photos of infrared light, but that’s a discussion for another day (once I get the film developed).

So keeping this definition in mind, I wondered if it was possible to take pictures of an object made of glow-in-the-dark materials. Would it emit enough light for me to take a picture? Obviously yes.

To shoot this photo, I focused on the dolphin while the light was still on. I then turned the light off, and experimented with different exposure times. You definitely need a tripod to do this.

I did have to adjust the exposure and brightness in Photoshop Elements. Although the image showed up in the LCD panel of my camera, the picture was blank when I opened it on the computer. Never a pleasant feeling. Trust me.

Remember, part of the fun of photography is being creative and exploring new way of taking photos. So go out an experiment. That’s your assignment for this week.

Side note: The dolphin is a symbol I've woven into my novel, Lost in a Heartbeat. Hence why this dude has a glow-in-dark heart. But contrary to what my kids believe, it isn't a story about a dolphin who lost his heart.