Recent Lighting Articles

We Review the Hobolite Micro: The Cute Little Light That Could

In the world of LED lights, Hobolite has once again pushed the envelope, revealing the “Micro” to their lineup. At first glance, its compactness is enchanting, promising both convenience and functionality. The real question, however, is: does it deliver?

Fstoppers Reviews the StellaPro CLx10

I’ve used a ton of constant lights. What they almost always have in common is that they just aren't powerful enough to keep up with the majority of shooting conditions. The StellaPro CLx10 solves that problem plus so much more.

How to Take Outdoor Group Shots Like a Pro

Group shots might seem just like wider-angle portraits, but my word are they annoying. In this video, watch a tutorial of a professional group shot of a children's football team that yields superb results despite bright natural light!
Exploring Rim Light Gels With The Slanted Lens

Jay P. Morgan of The Slanted Lens is one of the more energetic and therefore entertaining characters in the photography world. His videos are usually a good mix of oddball antics and solid educational material. In this video, Morgan demonstrates how simply swapping gels on your rim light (with a bit of haze in the air) can really change the feel of your photo. I'm usually not a huge fan of fake smoke or haze machines, as I think they can look a little overdramatic and cheesy. However, I think it works in this instance, because he uses a subtle touch of haze, and it fits with the subject matter.

Unique Headshot Backgrounds for Small Areas Using Softboxes and Gels

I’m always on the lookout for new ideas for unique backgrounds, especially ones that work in small spaces. If the background is easy to set up and can be configured from material or gear I already have, well sign me up. So when I saw the title to Gavin Hoey’s latest video, I knew I had to watch it and if you are also looking for something small and easy, I suggest you watch this video.

How Flags Can Help You Control Light

Successfully crafting light in photography is just as much about keeping it out of places it should not be as it is about controlling how it falls on your subject. This excellent video tutorial will introduce you to a fundamental tool for removing light from a scene, flags, and show you how they can improve your photos.

6 Lighting Setups Any Photographer Can Use

Having a few simple lighting setups available at your disposal is one of the most important tricks any photographer can have up their sleeve. In this post, I'm going to share with you six of my favorite lighting setups for wedding photographers, but really any photographer can use these simple tips.

3 Subtle and Natural Off-Camera Flash Portrait Techniques

Photographers who are new to working with artificial light often think that strobes always look distinctly different from natural light. And while it is true that you can shoot creative, highly stylized images that would not be possible with just sunlight, you can use strobes to emulate natural light to make subtle, natural looks. This excellent video tutorial will show you three off-camera flash lighting techniques that will allow you to create effective and compelling portraits.

Fstoppers Reviews the Elinchrom ELC 125 and 500

Elinchrom has always been known for its superb light modifiers. But the strobes designed by the Swiss flash manufacturer are just as good. Now marks a new direction for the brand with the introduction of the ELC 125 and ELC 500.

Product Photography: Using Household Lamps to Profoto Strobes

Product photography doesn’t have to take a lot of equipment nor the most expensive lighting or camera gear to create highly polished images. Take a look at this breakdown showing how product photography taken with high, mid, and almost no equipment still delivers highly valuable results.

Breaking: Leica Officially Stop Using 'Master' and 'Slave' Terms

In the past month, I've been reporting on the various camera brands that have been dropping the "master" and "slave" terms since the huge Black Lives Matter movement that surged after George Floyd's death. I can now confirm Leica is also dropping the terms.

How to Add Artificial Light to a Natural Light Scene

Adding artificial light to your natural light scene is a relatively simple technique that you can use to create an image that depicts the scene more dramatically than it appeared to your eyes when you were there.

Aputure Launches New Projection Lens Spotlight Minizoom

Aputure has been one of the most interesting companies in the lighting space over the last few years, with some brilliant and affordable options. This latest projection lens attachment has had me very interested indeed.

Does Color Film Have a Color Tone Bias?

It's been going on for decades. Film chemicals that coat the film and react with the various colors coming through the lens weren't made to cope with a diverse set of skin tones.

BTS: "My First Cover" Coty Tarr Shoots the Cover of Sports Illustrated

Last year, Fstoppers interviewed photographer, and possibly one of the nicest people on the planet, Coty Tarr. Last week, Coty got not only his first cover ever, but THE cover for anyone that photographs anything remotely athletic - Sports Illustrated. What makes this story so great isn't just that it's the cover of SI, it's that Coty grew up just south of Pittsburgh. He's a diehard Pittsburgh sports fan. It wasn't just a cover for him... it was home.

How You Can Take Great Studio Portraits With No Modifiers at All

It is rare that a photographer will shoot studio portraits using a bare flash, but that does not mean you can't do it. In fact, you might be surprised by how you can accomplish with a bare flash, and the skills you will learn in practicing this will come in handy in a wide variety of situations outside the studio.

Freezing Night Fashion Photography Done Right

This is one of my most favourite test shoots I’ve done to this date, not only based on how we got the shot but also how they turned out. Here’s how we shot it, how it was lit, and everything that came together to make this shot happen.

Portable Studio Light: We Review the Colbor CL60R

I have a very small office space, which I use for work and filming tutorials. For the filming part, I was looking for a compact lighting solution. Typical studio lights are often quite large and wouldn't have provided the versatility I needed. That's why I'm glad I got introduced to the Colbor CL60R, which I review in this article.

Quick Tips to Improve Your Cosplay Convention Photos

Lately, I have been attending more events to cover as a photographer, especially anime and comic conventions. My approach to most of my convention coverage is walking around the event and trying to take as many photos as possible of the cosplayers there, kind of a run and gun approach. Sometimes the cosplayers are on a tight time frame so I don’t want to take too much of their time, or there is just a lot of things going on and I want to try to capture as much as possible. Some of the cosplayers outfits are just amazing, so it's best to slow it down and take the time to give the cosplay and their outfit justice with the photo. So where do you start?

An Advanced Two-Light Setup for Wedding Photography

When it comes to wedding photography, time is almost never a luxury, and as such, the photographer generally has to keep the lighting setups relatively simple to keep things moving. Nonetheless, if you are feeling confident in your abilities and ready to step it up to the next level, a two-light off-camera setup can give you a lot more creative flexibility. This awesome video tutorial features an experienced wedding photographer sharing her two-light setup for photographing receptions.

How to Use a Reflector for Shaping Light for Portraits

A reflector is one of the cheapest and most effective tools for shaping lighting for portraiture, and it can easily replace the need for another light in a lot of scenarios. If you have not been taking full advantage of your reflector or you are new to working with lighting, check out this helpful video tutorial that will show you how to use one for portraiture work.

How to Balance Flash and Ambient Light Like a Pro

Understanding how to balance ambient light and flash can transform your photos. With so many types of flashes and varying methods of control, it's essential to grasp the basics and build from there.

How to Light for an Eye-catching, Cinematic Look in Black and White

Some of the most iconic films and scenes in history were shot in black and white, often because of a very deliberate intention. This awesome video will walk you through the unique aspects and considerations you should take into account when you're lighting a black and white scene of your own.

How Hard Light Can Be Just as Good as Soft Light for Portraits

Creating standout portraits hinges on understanding and controlling light. This excellent video tutorial illuminates how to balance bright sunlight with off-camera flash to sculpt dimension and mood and shows that hard light can be just as compelling as soft light.