I just attended WPPI in Las Vegas along with thousands of other photographers. The great thing about this conference is that it's focused on portraiture. There are all kinds of classes, but even if you only attend with a free expo pass, you can learn from speaker after speaker about tips for making the best portraits of your career and how to help your business grow. I've attended this conference for the last 10 years, as well as many other conferences. And you should, too. See new gear New gear won't make you a better photographer, but it … [Read more...] about Portrait Tips: You need to get out more
lighting
Wedding photography: Capturing the first dance
Editor's note: This is a guest article from Florida based wedding photographer Richie Acevedo. Richie was one of the first photographers mentored by Vanelli many years ago. Impressed with how far he has come, Vanelli suggested Richie start sharing his knowledge through writing and video tutorials. Wedding photographers don’t have the luxury of a second chance to capture a bride and groom’s first dance. Here’s how — with a little coaching, lighting and teamwork — you can capture a beautiful moment that will be cherished for years. Coach the … [Read more...] about Wedding photography: Capturing the first dance
A quick look at the Lume Cube Professionals’ Pack
By itself, the Lume Cube is a powerful and capable 1500-lumen, 6000k color temperature light, in a small, portable and easy-to-use package. It is a 1.5" square aluminum housing with 1/4"-20 female threads that allow you to mount it in many different ways. It's waterproof to 100' and uses micro USB to power it or to recharge the battery. There is also a smartphone application you can get for your iOS or Android devices that use Bluetooth to remotely control the lights and you have 10 adjustable light levels including flash rates by pushing a … [Read more...] about A quick look at the Lume Cube Professionals’ Pack
Quick Tip: Kill the ambient light
Before lighting a subject in a studio environment, start with an empty set, leaving the overhead lights on. Dial in your desired exposure settings and take the first shot. Your goal is to create a completely black image. This will prove the ambient light will not affect your image when you proceed to light the subject. Want to learn more? Check out this article, "Photography Strip Lighting" … [Read more...] about Quick Tip: Kill the ambient light
Huge holiday savings on lighting gear from B&H
Starting today, B&H is offering some amazing deals on lighting equipment, through Dec. 18. Check out all the lighting deals on bhphotovideo.com and use the promo code LIGHT for additional savings, or take a look below at each individual offering. Impact VC-500WLN 3-500Ws Digital Monolight with Transmitter Kit Originally $1099.95. Use the promo code LIGHT and the price will knock down to $799.99! Click here to learn more. Package includes three VC-500WLN Digital Monolights, three kit stands and 7" reflectors, one 24" x 36" softbox, … [Read more...] about Huge holiday savings on lighting gear from B&H
Portrait Tips: How close should the light be to your subject?
This is a great question, but when you're getting going making portraits (and especially when you're buying gear) it often gets overlooked. How close should your light be to your subject? Furthermore, what effect does a different distance have on the photo? Let's start with the impact the distance makes. Feel free to skip to the last section for the quick answer. Closer is softer but more contrasty When you bring a light closer to your subject, you make it bigger in relation to your subject, and a bigger light is softer. For instance, the … [Read more...] about Portrait Tips: How close should the light be to your subject?
Photographing portraits during Golden Hour
Shooting with speedlights on-location is a great way to be mobile, creative and light! We all know how heavy camera equipment can be. Speedlights on-location allows you to have the perfect light on your subject with a dramatic sky! I shot this photograph along the waterfront of downtown Sharjah, UAE during my Location Lighting Workshop at the Xposure International Photography Festival. I had a beautiful model and a beautiful golden light in the sky. How do I get dramatic color in the sky? You start with "the element you cannot control," … [Read more...] about Photographing portraits during Golden Hour
Unboxing my Lume Cube Photographer’s Pack
It felt like early Christmas when I got my Lume Cube box delivery. The company guys sent multiple devices and accessories to try in order to see how I like them and for me to review. I've had one hands-on experience with these devices at the Photofocus Photowalk (at the PhotoPlus Expo in New York City) but that's it. I have yet to discover almost everything about it. To become more familiar I am actually unboxing the Lume Cube and its accessories as I am writing this article. I thought I might as well bring you with me along the way so we could … [Read more...] about Unboxing my Lume Cube Photographer’s Pack
First Look: Lume Cube AIR
The new Lume Cube AIR is even more compact than the original and with a longer battery life. It has a powerful magnet on the back for mounting to any ferrous surface and it includes two diffusions domes (one white and one for tungsten lights (CTO)). You can control all its features from the LumeX app, which is a free download from your mobile device's app store. The video below expounds on how to get started using it. We'll have more reviews and use cases coming soon, but for now, go pick up the new Lume Cube AIR and start creating. It's … [Read more...] about First Look: Lume Cube AIR
Portrait Tips: Street Portraits
The other day I was in New York City for PhotoPlus Expo and Photofocus hosted its annual photowalk. It's a highlight of my photography year and I hope you can join me next time, or at the next conference (like WPPI). I had the pleasure of making several portraits during our walk, and you might benefit from simple principles for making street portraits while photowalking. 1. It's just a portrait First of all, there's nothing different about street portraits. It's still a picture of a person, and you should do your best to make it a good one. … [Read more...] about Portrait Tips: Street Portraits
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 an inexpensive pegboard for a creative portraits
If you’re getting bored shooting on the same background you can create a unique look by using a simple $15 pegboard as a background with a larger light positioned behind it shining through. Change it up by adding different color gels to the light. The key is to experiment, have fun and create great photos. Want to learn more? Check out this article, “Using a Pegboard to Shoot Creative Portraits” … [Read more...] about Quick Tip: Use an inexpensive pegboard for a creative portraits
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
Portrait Tips: Try color to liven up a shoot
I know, I know, I'm always saying that the background is just in the back and the important thing is your subject. It kinda drives me crazy when photographers pull their hair trying to find backgrounds for their shoots. The most important thing in a picture is the person and their expression, the second is the light, and the background is way down the list. Nonetheless, the background needs to be there, and using a paper background gives you many options and can even add some energy to your shoot. Unlimited colors, unlimited fun Paper … [Read more...] about Portrait Tips: Try color to liven up a shoot
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
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
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
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
The InFocus Interview Show with Roberto Valenzuela | Photofocus Podcast August 3, 2018
https://soundcloud.com/photofocus/infocus-interview-show-with-roberto-valenzuela-photofocus-podcast-august-3-2018/s-4Uqkl In this episode: Photographer, Educator, Author and a Canon Explorer of Light, Roberto Valenzuela shares his tips on Lighting to Communicate. Topics: Lighting to Communicate Why you need to Practice YouTube Channel Window Light vs. Reflector vs. Flash Picture Perfect Lighting Workshop Learning to be Proficient If you like these Infocus Interviews, please consider supporting our partners and … [Read more...] about The InFocus Interview Show with Roberto Valenzuela | Photofocus Podcast August 3, 2018
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
Portrait Tips: Watching and practice are key for kids
Do you ever feel like Nemo's dad, Marlin, from Finding Nemo? He meets a new group of fish and they say, "Hey, you're a clownfish: Say something funny!" Once people find out you're a photographer, the pressure is on to be able to make a great photo on the spot under any conditions and one of the hardest of those circumstances can be photographing children. But I've found one key that helps me photograph kids, and that's practicing being observant. Readiness from watching Now, don't go get your binoculars and hang out at the park, 'cause that's … [Read more...] about Portrait Tips: Watching and practice are key for kids
Creating Dynamic Portraits with Sparklers
Happy Independence Day! You've got a terrific opportunity to make some fun portraits with fireworks. Kids love sparklers, and when you show them what you can do with sparklers, flash and a couple of seconds, they will get excited and start creating incredible pictures with you. And if you don't have sparklers handy, try using a flashlight instead like I did below. Here's what you need to do to get started. Second Curtain/Rear Sync Flash You need to go into your camera's flash settings and switch the flash from First Curtain or Front Sync to … [Read more...] about Creating Dynamic Portraits with Sparklers
The InFocus Interview Show with James Schmelzer | Photofocus Podcast June 22, 2018
https://soundcloud.com/photofocus/the-infocus-interview-show-with-james-schmelzer-photofocus-podcast-june-22-2018/s-Ta2kM In this episode: Master Craftsmen Photographer and Lumix Ambassador James Schmelzer shares his insight on continuous lighting the benefits of Mirrorless Cameras . Topics: Why he switched to Lumix Continuous lighting The future of continuous lighting and Mirrorless cameras Wrap around lighting If you like these Infocus Interviews, please consider supporting our partners and sharing these links with … [Read more...] about The InFocus Interview Show with James Schmelzer | Photofocus Podcast June 22, 2018
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
Gear Review: Angler Collapsible Backdrop, 5×7′
Collapsible backdrops are great for location shooting and small studios — even large studios use them for convenient and inexpensive options for backdrops. The video below shows the 5x7' chroma key backdrop. You can use chroma key backdrops to replace the background in your photo or videos, but Angler also has other colors with the same build quality. This is a well-made backdrop that should last a very long time. Even the carry bag is better made than most others that cost a lot more money. I use this kind of backdrop on location every week. … [Read more...] about Gear Review: Angler Collapsible Backdrop, 5×7′
Professional Portrait Photography Tips and Career Advice from Jessica Sterling
Let the ever-positive Jessica Sterling share some advice for shooting portraits https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jtBWd1QT9m4 Jessica Sterling's resume boasts photographing major celebrities like Ashton Kutcher, Hugh Jackman, and Steven Spielberg, as well some huge brands like AT&T and the LA Dodgers. Her work has even been featured on MTV and the Wall Street Journal. Like most photographers, I'm sure at SOME POINT you've had a client who, for all your efforts, just isn't feeling the mood. Or, maybe your on a shoot, and everything … [Read more...] about Professional Portrait Photography Tips and Career Advice from Jessica Sterling
The InFocus Interview Show | Photofocus Podcast May 4, 2018
https://soundcloud.com/photofocus/infocus-interview-show-photofocus-podcast-may-4-2018 In this episode: Photojournalist Rick Friedman talks about how he uses the Rogue Lighting System--along with speedlights--to create a portable lighting studio. He also shares how he uses gels to add a special look to his lighting. Total time 22m:10s starting at 1m:50s In the second half of the show, commercial photographer Eddie Tapp shares his experience with his first drone, tips on how you can get started with drone photography, how to control a … [Read more...] about The InFocus Interview Show | Photofocus Podcast May 4, 2018
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
Creating Effect and Mood with Light
When shooting a photograph, I often feel that I am creating a single frame from a movie. The star of the movie is the subject. With the use of backdrops, light, a ladder and a Venetian Blind I have created an effect and a mood. In this article, I am sharing examples of the use of colors and lighting to create different visual effects. This set is from my Creative Lighting Workshop in Boston on April 22, 2018. I had 2 completely different lighting setups right next to each other. How the Lighting Was Created Model Valentina Beli … [Read more...] about Creating Effect and Mood with 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
