Recent Natural Light Articles
How To Photograph/Film A First Descent
A Time Lapse Shot Of 3 Locations At The Same Time
'Patience' - The Power and Versatility of Time-lapse in One Video
Time-lapse videos are everywhere nowadays. You can see them in everything from Hollywood blockbusters, to educational documentaries, to that one weird guy's YouTube channel showing the most random things in a time-lapse format. Well done time-lapses should definitely be appreciated as, make no mistake, they are works of art in their own right.
SmugMug Films: Explore Slovenian Splendor With Karen Hutton
There are several reasons why I am an unabashedly massive fan of SmugMug Films, the docu-series produced by the eponymous SmugMug.
Fairy Tale Boat Photoshoot with Natural Light and Flash
All it takes to create a dreamy fairy tale photograph is a great location and a lovely subject. In this video you will see different ways you can photograph a beautiful girl in a boat.
Video Lighting Tutorial: Polished Commercial Look With Natural Light
Smokes and mirrors has been a trademark for most cinematic and commercial-looking video projects. In this video tutorial it's mostly mirrors that were used.
JR Pastes His Photographs On Buildings Around The World
The Dark Side Of The Lens
Lakai Blows Up Skateboarders To Sell Shoes
DCP Productions Puts the Geico Money Man into HDR Video
If you watch TV shows through any medium, there's a decent chance you've seen Geico's new Money Motorcycle Man. DCP Productions was kind enough to give a little behind the scenes on how they utilized 3D capture technology to video the money man and give him an HDR look. While the HDR effect has been explored extensively in the arena of stills, using it in video with 3D technology is quite innovative.
'Metamorphosis' Photo Project Challenges Artists
Four German body painters and photographers have teamed up to blend the human body and natural landscapes into an art project they call "Metamorphosis." Photographers Laila Pregizer and Uwe Schmida have been working with body painters Jörg Düsterwald and Léonie Gené since 2008 to integrate their subjects into various natural landscapes in all seasons. It's notable that the project does not rely on Photoshop to create the images, but rather on the skills of the artists.
Cracking the Code: How a Polarizer Unveils the Secrets of Rock Pools
Rock pools are captivating microcosms of marine life nestled along the coastline, holding a world of hidden treasures waiting to be discovered. But have you ever wondered how you can capture the vibrant colors and intricate details of these submerged wonders? Let’s delve into the enigmatic power of a polarizer and explore how it reveals the secrets of rock pools along the water's edge, where the code to capturing the beauty of these miniature aquatic ecosystems is cracked.
How Astrid Obert Shot 'Inception' in Cape Town
As creatives, we all love opportunities to work out creativity muscles and test how far we can push it. This was how the shoot “Inception” came about for photographer Astrid Obert.
Beauty Blooms in Blight: Striking Photos Show Burst of Color in Forgotten Home
There’s something about old places that always leaves you with a feeling of uncertain familiarity. Old places and empty places are like ghosts drifting behind us humming childhood singsongs just an octave below audible as we pace through their halls. If you’re from Detroit, you know that these places are aplenty. Some mighty like Roman ruins, some meek and shuttering in the wind, and most begging for new life. A new life is just what you’ll notice when you look at Michigan photographer Heather Saunders' photos of the amazing art installation, "The Flower House," which documents two long-abandoned homes in Hamtramck, Mich.
Changing The Lives Of At-Risk Teens Through Nature Photography
"In A New Light" is non-profit that uses nature photography to empower, teach, guide, and ultimately change the lives of it's students- students whose background often includes struggling in school, abusive homes, and general hopelessness. Both the photos captured and stories told are simply inspiring. Read on for an interview with Ben Thwaits, pro photographer turned teacher for IANL, and to see some of the students' impressive work. A Kickstarter to publish a photobook along with stories of the students is in the making as well.
Photographing Rainbows and Moonbows At Yosemite National Park
Dancers Among Us: Urban NYC Portraits
Interview with Set in The Street Photographer Justin Bettman
Justin Bettman is a portrait and editorial photographer based out of NYC and I first came across his #SetintheStreet project while scrolling through Facebook. I thought it was a fun, creative and unique project that was worth sharing! I love that the art kind of lived on after the shoot itself with him leaving the sets in place for people to engage with. So cool, right!?! With that said, I decided I had to interview him to find out what are his processes in creating these photographs.
Zach Andrews And Corinne Alexandra Have My Back
Glen Friedman: 80s Skateboarding and Hiphop Photographer
Night Time Location Shoot Quito, Ecuador
This past year Mark Wallace packed up his studio in Arizona and hit the road, traveling the world with his camera. Mark is currently visiting Ecuador, and while there he has been doing some nighttime shots of the city.
How Lifestyle Photographer Denise Crew Shot the Queer Eye Book
Lifestyle photographer Denise Crew was approached by the producers of Netflix’s Queer Eye about a book they were producing that had a very quick turn-around. It typically takes 18 months to publish a book from start to finish and they needed to do this book in 6 months.
How To Light A Semi-Truck Against The Los Angeles Skyline
Thousands Of Dollars Worth Of Gear Carried Through A Waterfall
Freddie Wong Builds His Own Gun Shots
Giuliano Bekor's Merchant 1948 BTS Photo Campaign
Giuliano Bekor is an amazing commercial and advertising photographer based out of Los Angeles. Recently he traveled down to Australia to produce a short editorial film for the clothing company Merchant 1948. The concept involves a set of short films based around the idea of models finding a ton of cash and avoiding the police by flying away in vintage airplanes. As ridiculous as that sounds, Giuliano's execution makes for a really entertaining editorial spread.
Jeff Johnson Takes Some Amazing Travel Photos
Splitscreen Short Film Shot Entirely On A Nokia N8
Wow, I just ran across this short on Vimeo and was so impressed with the concept and execution of James W Griffiths' "Splitscreen: A Love Story". James shot the entire video on a Nokia N8 cell phone as the short was created for the Nokia Shorts Competition in 2011. "Splitscreen" won first place in the competition and was nominated for a vimeo award. The video quality isn't great, but they did a great job in putting it all together. Very cool stuff. Enjoy!
[Video] "Lets Colour" Paints The World
Let's Colour is a worldwide initiative to transform grey spaces with colourful paint, and the results are quite incredible! This film was shot by Adam Berg over four weeks in Brazil, France, London and India. Every one of these locations has been transformed by a palette consisting of 120 different colours. The people in the film who rolled up their sleeves to transform their community with colour. I love this unity through art. Enjoy!
Motorcycle Destruction In Super Slo Mo
Fstoppers Rapid-Fire Q&A Session With Fine Art Photographer Vinny Picardi
Vinny Picardi is a successful fine art and advertising photographer based in Los Angeles, CA, who has exhibited work all over the country and around the world. I recently came across Vinny's work and I have to say that I'm a pretty big fan, so I thought it would be interesting to share not only just a photo series with our readers, but also to take some time to ask a few questions to get inside the head of a successful fine art photographer.
Sitex Computers: The Photoshop Of the 80s
New iPhone App Lets You Pre-Organize Your Photos
Keeping your photographs organized by means of keywording is not a new idea but a new app is changing the idea of keyword organization. Polymo lets you add your keywords before you shoot, and adds all of the photos into its own "smart album."
Could This Be The Longest Slider Video Ever?
DitoGear PortaSlider Prototype Testing (timelapse) from Patryk Kizny on Vimeo.
Using Challenging Natural Light Effectively for Portraits
I’ve heard many a photographer scoff at using lighting equipment for portraits, labeling themselves a “natural light photographer.”
7 Tips for Natural Light Beauty Photography
Of all the genres in photography, beauty work often has some of the most precise, intricate, and carefully sculpted lighting setups out there. Nonetheless, that does not mean you can't shoot beauty images using natural light, and that may even be preferable in certain situations. This fantastic video tutorial discusses seven tips for shooting better natural light beauty images.
[BTS Video] Halloween Comes Late: The Ghostbusters Photoshoot
Hard Light: It's Big and Worth a Try!
Identifying trends in commercial photography is important. It helps you develop your practice and keeps you on your toes! One of those trends right now is hard light. Hit that subject hard, cast some shadows, and make it look like we're all shooting poolside, sipping piña coladas!
Motivation Slump During the Summer Months? Try This
Landscape photography during the summer months can lead to a motivational slump due to the weather conditions. Bright sunshine, clear blue skies, long daylight hours, and busy locations can often lead to a drop in productivity and creativity for the landscape photographer.
Hasselblad Goes To The Ocean
Pete Souza Photographs President Obama...365 Days A Year
How to Create Beautiful Baby Portraits Using Natural Light in Your Own Garage
If you don’t have a ton of fancy lighting gear at home, this doesn’t mean that you can’t produce gorgeous studio-style images. This in-depth video tutorial shows you how to get great results using minimal equipment from the comfort of your own garage and dives deep into how they're edited in Lightroom.
[Video] Come Along For The Ride, Karl Grobl
This video features humanitarian photographer, Karl Grobl as he travels to Cambodia to shoot the Angkor Hospital for Children. In this episode of his new series titled, "Come Along For The Ride", he goes behind the scenes to describe his technique and thought process as he's working. Karl has shot for more than 85 different NGOs in over 50 countries.
What Will Your Imagery Miss the Most From Spring, Summer, and Fall?
As fall draws to a close and we head into the colder winter months, the scenery around us shifts for the season. If there is something that you'll miss the most from the warmer weather, what would it be?
Reviewing Images From a Professional Editorial Assignment
In the age of social media, we often only ever get to see the best version of things: the best-looking meal images, our best-looking selves in selfies, the best this, the best that. For photographers, this too can mean that we only ever get to see the best images from other photographers.
Getting out to Shoot Does Not Always Require a Plan
If you stack too many requirements onto getting yourself to shoot, you may miss out on simply enjoying photography like you did when you started.
[Video] Even Surf Videos Are Beautiful These Days
Matt Kleiner is currently directing RUSTY'S new signature film due out early next year. This short film is made up of just some of the "leftover" clips that the team filmed over a 4 day period while the light and surf was perfect. Man, I wish my leftover clips were this rad! Matt calls this surf short "LIGHT // The Natural Agent That Stimulates Sight". Enjoy!
11 Hour Timelapse From an Air Plane
How to Create Great Product Photographs With Natural Light
Product photography is a deceptively deep genre of the craft and to get the most out of it requires experience and often a lot of lighting equipment. But that isn't to say lots of lighting equipment is always necessary. Here is how one photographer uses only natural light and still gets some beautiful results.