Balancing natural light with flash isn’t complicated — once you know the recipe. The key ingredients are softening the natural light with a diffuser, exposing for the background, then adding the right amount of flash to expose the subject. Now that you know the ingredients, here’s the recipe to balance natural light with flash. Use a diffuser to soften direct sunlight Wouldn’t it be nice if we had a remote to control the sun? Sure, we could schedule our shoot early in the morning or late in the evening to avoid direct sunlight but that’s not … [Read more...] about The recipe for balancing natural light with flash
Lighting
Four ways to photograph a white background
Editor's Note: We welcome Scott Wyden Kivowitz to the Photofocus team. Scott is a father and photographer whose dedication to teaching photographers comes through in a straightforward and no fluff style. Scott is also the Chief Community Officer at Imagely, the WordPress Photography People. Sometimes the simplest things can produce the most results. Sometimes the least expensive things can open up more doors than you ever thought was possible. Sometimes photography feels like magic. White backgrounds are such … [Read more...] about Four ways to photograph a white background
Quick Tip: Use a ring light to create killer catchlights in the eyes
A ring light adds unique lighting to a portrait. You place the lens through the middle of the light, causing the light to come from the same plane as the lens. This produces very few shadows and a unique catch light. There are several different types of ring lights. I used the Angler Circo LED Ring Light to capture this shot. It’s continuous, so what you see is what you get, making it easy to position your subject. To complete the look, I placed two strip boxes on each side of the subject and added a blue gel to one of them. Want to learn … [Read more...] about Quick Tip: Use a ring light to create killer catchlights in the eyes
How to photograph in direct sunlight
Shooting in direct sunlight can be challenging. It can cause harsh shadows, blown out highlights, uneven light on faces, and dark patches under the eyes that look great on a raccoon but not your subject. Most photographers wait and shoot earlier or later in the day to avoid these problems. But sometimes you can't wait and you're forced to shoot during this horrible time of day. Here's how to embrace this challenge so you can shoot in direct sunlight. Softening harsh light A simple solution is to use a diffuser. A diffuser is a translucent … [Read more...] about How to photograph in direct sunlight
Quick Tip: Try wax or parchment paper as a diffuser when photographing food
Food Photographer Lou Mann suggests using wax or parchment paper as a diffuser to soften the light source when photographing food. Want to learn more? Check out this article, “5 Simple Lighting Tips for better Food Photography” … [Read more...] about Quick Tip: Try wax or parchment paper as a diffuser when photographing food
How to balance flash with natural light to make pleasing portraits
If you're like most photographers, using a flash to make portraits is intimidating. Using available light is so simple that most photographers never dive into the world of using flash to light their portraits. Unfortunately, that severely limits the hours of the day when you can make pictures and leads to worrying too much about how well your camera performs at high ISO's. Making great balanced light pictures doesn't require the fanciest tools or a full-frame camera. I shot all the pictures here with a cropped micro four-thirds camera. You can … [Read more...] about How to balance flash with natural light to make pleasing portraits
Quick Tip: Use a strip box to create an edge light
A strip box is a thin, rectangle softbox that is used to control where the light falls on a subject. This is very important when creating an edge light. For an edge light to be effective, it needs to be precise and light just the edge of the subject. Want to read more? Check out more in the article, “Photography Strip Lighting” … [Read more...] about Quick Tip: Use a strip box to create an edge light
How to create a dramatic portrait on a rooftop
This composite was created by designing a photo shoot around an Abode Stock image of a city rooftop. To match perspective, we constructed a platform and shot at an upward angle. The image was lit with a three-light setup — two strip lights on each side and a beauty dish in front. We added a blue gel to the stip lights to match the scene as if it were shot during the blue hour. Since we knew the image was being composited on a dark background, we position the subject far from the background and let it fall to black. A much better solution would … [Read more...] about How to create a dramatic portrait on a rooftop
Quick Tip: Meter one light at a time when working with multiple lights
When working with multiple lights, I find it easier working with one light at a time. Start with the main light and take a reading with a light meter. Once you enter these settings on your camera, turn the main light off and proceed to the next light—taking a meter reading to see if it is brighter or darker than the exposure in the camera. Adjust its power for the effect you want. Do this for each light. Once you have all the lights in place, turn them on and take a photograph to see how the extra lights affect the exposure. Want to learn … [Read more...] about Quick Tip: Meter one light at a time when working with multiple lights
Illuminati reads light and color for perfectly exposed photographs
My name is Bryan Esler, and I have a confession. I’ve never used a handheld light meter. For me, light meters were old technology. They weren’t something that was necessary. I didn’t completely understand how to use them, what the benefits were and most importantly, it just seemed like “one more thing” to carry around with me on a shoot. Enter the Illuminati, a light meter designed for the smartphone age. But Illuminati takes it one step further, allowing you to also determine the correct color temperature level and chromaticity for your … [Read more...] about Illuminati reads light and color for perfectly exposed photographs
How to create an action portrait with venetian blinds
This action portrait was created using a three-light setup, a black background and, of course, a window blind. The light shining through the blinds was positioned low on a 45-degree angle with a honeycomb grid to control the direction of the light. A second light was placed high against the background, shooting straight down. We added a blue gel to give the black wall a little color. This light was wrapped with Cinefoil to ensure it only lit the background. The third light was positioned behind the subject, just above his shoulders — with a … [Read more...] about How to create an action portrait with venetian blinds
Quick Look: The Electric L.E.D. Light Orchestra
Luxli, a Gradus Group company, has introduced three instruments in their Orchestra of L.E.D. lights. They are the 10-inch Cello, 1foot square Tympani, and the 5-inch Viola. A rainbow symphony of lights These lights are nothing short of amazing. Each one has individual white balance settings for tungsten, fluorescent, daylight, overcast, open shade and snow. Each light can dial in specific color temperatures from 3000ºK to 10,000ºK as well. They have a hue control for dialing in an exact color. For example, 0º is Red, 120º is Green and 240º … [Read more...] about Quick Look: The Electric L.E.D. Light Orchestra
Freezing motion with light
Freezing motion with light is a fun way to create a sense of movement and expression. Having a concept in mind is foremost in every session created in my studio. All jokes aside about the hatred photographers have toward Pinterest, I’ve found it to be an awesome resource for storyboarding and creating themes for shoots. The first step is making sure you have the right talent in place — it’s important that the subjects can create movement with style and grace. Most dancers are incredibly graceful and can make the most amazing shapes with their … [Read more...] about Freezing motion with light
Utilizing a Fill Flash During Bright, Sunny Conditions
Oftentimes we can't schedule our photoshoots around perfect sky conditions. Especially during the summer, the long days and high sun becomes challenging, leaving you guessing at having clouds in the sky, or praying that Golden Hour will work out. But there's a common solution to all of this, using just your speedlight and a diffuser. Balance the Light with a Fill Flash The past few weeks, we've been blessed with sunny skies in Michigan, along with super hot and humid days. Because the days are longer right now, it means your window for … [Read more...] about Utilizing a Fill Flash During Bright, Sunny Conditions
Capturing the Sports Grit Look Using Cross Light with Continuous Light
This is a follow-up article based on the article I wrote: “No Excuses! Making Photos No Matter What.” The article talks about what went through my mind when we were shooting. This article simply focuses on how I got the shot to create the sports grit look using a cross-light setup with continuous light. The Technical Stuff Placed the subject in the middle of two continuous lights set diagonally across from each other on a 45-degree angle Used a black background to isolate the subject Shot on a low angle with a 15-30mm lens at 30mm … [Read more...] about Capturing the Sports Grit Look Using Cross Light with Continuous Light
Using a Pegboard to Shoot Creative Portraits
Are you bored shooting on the same background? Here’s how to create a unique look using a combination of posing, lighting, a BLOWiT fan and a special pegboard as a background. Let’s Start with the Background The background is nothing more than a 4’ x 8’ brown pegboard from Lowe's. You can pick it up for about $15. I decided to paint it flat black after the shoot to compliment the blue gel I planned on using. Knowing now that I love the blue background, I'm considering painting it blue. BLOWiT Fan To give Sydney a windblown look and add … [Read more...] about Using a Pegboard to Shoot Creative Portraits
No Excuses! Making Photos No Matter What
After a long couple of days of teaching at Photoshop World, my good friends Ray and Kim insisted I join them for dinner and a quick shoot. Exhausted, I tried every excuse not to go but they are the type of friends you can't say no to—and I'm glad I didn't. Here's what went through my mind when we created the Sports Grit Look using a cross-light setup with continuous light. Not My Normal Lighting Gear Normally I use a 3-light setup using studio strobes or speedlights attached to strip boxes and a beauty dish. For this setup, I had one … [Read more...] about No Excuses! Making Photos No Matter What
Five lighting tips in 90 seconds for photography and video
(Editor's note: Im delighted to welcome Marc Silber of Silber Studios to Photofocus. Marc's passion is photography and sharing the best tips he can find with other image makers.) Ever wanted to hear some of the lighting tips, tricks, and hacks from an Emmy-winning filmmaker? Well, here you go. Just click play... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oJkSaMCyWa4 Fletch Murray has a long history in video production. From making short films to ABC documentaries to now running his own filmmaking bootcamps and even making tutorials for the Advancing … [Read more...] about Five lighting tips in 90 seconds for photography and video
Portrait Tips: Cut the Rim Light
Making portraits with a rim light is awesome. It gives depth and punch and when you do it really well you'll notice that it looks more natural. Take a close look the next time you're having a conversation anyplace with windows and you'll probably see that the person you're talking with has a rim light illuminating their cheek from one side. That rim light will help you make a lot of people happy with their portraits (which helps you make a lot of money). You should always use a rim light. And you should always turn it off. Simplicity … [Read more...] about Portrait Tips: Cut the Rim Light
How and Why to Use a Grid on a Softbox
In this video, I'll show you the power of using a grid to further modify the light on a softbox. It creates mood and makes it simple to control the light completely. From the course: Improving Your Photography and Portraits with Lighting Modifiers Modifying a softbox with a grid from Improving Your Photography and Portraits with Lighting Modifiers by Robert Vanelli Course transcript So now what we want to do here is modify the light a little bit further to where we're just using a beam of light. And this next shot's going to be a … [Read more...] about How and Why to Use a Grid on a Softbox
Using the Angler Circo LED Ring Light with Macro Food Photography
I recently reviewed the Angler Circo LED Ring Light but was disappointed in its results for portraiture. I thought maybe using it in an environment would hit the mark — and I was right. I paired the ring light with my Olympus 60mm f/2.8 Macro lens to photograph some food. This experiment proved that you don't need to have a fancy lighting setup with strobes all over your studio in order to get some well-lit shots. With a little work and some cheaper gear, you can make satisfying results that will be good enough to represent what's on the … [Read more...] about Using the Angler Circo LED Ring Light with Macro Food Photography
Shooting with a Beauty Dish
From the course: Improving Your Photography and Portraits with Lighting Modifiers Shooting with a beauty dish from Improving Your Photography and Portraits with Lighting Modifiers by Robert Vanelli Course transcript Once we start to really understand light modifiers, we can have a lot of fun with it. For this set here, we have the beautiful Erin, and she's going to play the assassin. To get this shot, if you think about what an assassin is, they're rugged, they're rough. Even though she's beautiful, we want her to have a … [Read more...] about Shooting with a Beauty Dish
The Technical Benefits of Lighting Modifiers
From the Course: Improving Your Photography and Portraits with Lighting Modifiers The technical benefits of lighting modifiers from Improving Your Photography and Portraits with Lighting Modifiers by Robert Vanelli Benefits of Using Light Modifiers There are many benefits of using light modifiers. We can take a small light source such as the speedlight and make it large. With the right modifier and positioning of the light, we can shape the light to make a heavier person appear slimmer, or the opposite, add a little volume to a slimmer … [Read more...] about The Technical Benefits of Lighting Modifiers
What is a Softbox?
From the course: Improving Your Photography and Portraits with Lighting Modifiers on LinkedIn Learning What is a softbox? from Improving Your Photography and Portraits with Lighting Modifiers by Robert Vanelli What is a Softbox? A softbox is a term that describes an enclosure that surrounds a light source on all sides and diffuses the light that escapes from it. Now, when you open up or you pull back the diffuser, you'll look inside and you'll notice there's a silver reflector on the inside. What this is going to do, is take harsh light, … [Read more...] about What is a Softbox?
Lights, Colors, Fractals
I shot this photograph at WPPI in Las Vegas a couple of weeks ago. I was at the ClickProps Studio Backdrops booth. This company makes over 500 backdrops in various designs and sizes, and we got to test out a number of them. This photograph was shot against the "Brick Natural" backdrop. Our shooting space that was only about 5 feet by 10 feet. A Collaboration Between Two Photographers The photograph was a collaboration between 2 photographers: the model, Kat Armendariz of Hush Hush Shoot Studio in Las Vegas and me. Kat is one of Las Vegas's … [Read more...] about Lights, Colors, Fractals
Using a Portable Softbox to Create Mood Lighting
I'm always looking for new and creative ways to play with light. When I had the chance to test out the Vello Octa Softbox for Portable Flash (Large, 12"), I knew that it was portable enough that I could get some interesting angles and views with it. While getting ready for an off-camera lighting workshop, I decided to play around with using the softbox to provide edge lighting on a subject against a black background. The setup was pretty simple, with my Nissin i60A flash mounted on a light stand, with the softbox attached. I also used a … [Read more...] about Using a Portable Softbox to Create Mood Lighting
What is a Lighting Modifier?
From the course: Improving Your Photography and Portraits with Lighting Modifiers on LinkedIn Learning What is a lighting modifier? from Improving Your Photography and Portraits with Lighting Modifiers by Robert Vanelli Course transcript A modifier makes partial or minor changes to something. As photographers, we want to add modifiers to our light source to alter and shape the output of light. Light modifiers don't have to be store-bought. Remember, a modifier is anything that alters light. There are many do-it-yourself alternatives. … [Read more...] about What is a Lighting Modifier?
Looking For Light from MPB.com
(Editor's Note: This is a guest post from our friends at MPB.com. MPB is a great place to sell gear that's no longer in use as well as where to buy quality used photo and video equipment at much lower cost than that of new.) Photography is completely centered around light: it not affects your photo's mood, but it also dictates what your settings must be in the camera to record a picture and represent that mood in the picture. Let's talk about how shutter speed, aperture, and ISO setting affect your image, and then we'll dive into the … [Read more...] about Looking For Light from MPB.com
Quick Tip: Make Shadows with a Cookie
Cut shapes out of a large piece of foamcore or cardboard. Paint it black. Shine a small light through the holes. Interesting shadows will be created on the background. The cutouts are called cookies short for cuculoris. … [Read more...] about Quick Tip: Make Shadows with a Cookie
Gear Review: Angler Circo LED Ring Light (19″)
Over the years I've been adding to my lighting equipment. I started out with a standard on-camera flash and then progressed into my AlienBee B800 strobes. And now, with the Angler Circo LED Ring Light (19"), I'm adding a bit of flair into my setup. I was initially intrigued to get a ring light in order to get a crisp look in eyes when photographing portraits. Instead of using umbrellas on my AlienBees, I wanted a more-focused light that would help to better show off a person's eyes. The Angler Circo LED Ring Light (19") is a great starter … [Read more...] about Gear Review: Angler Circo LED Ring Light (19″)
