Recent Lighting Articles

Creative Portrait Techniques Using Beauty Dishes and Gels

A beauty dish offers ways to elevate portrait photography through dramatic and defined illumination. Mastering this modifier unlocks fresh creative options, particularly if you've typically relied on softer lighting.

We Review the Lume Cube XL Tube Light

Tube lights are all the rage. So, when a new one comes on the market, it better have some type of stand-out feature to differentiate it from the pack.

SLR Lounge is Offering 30% Off Every Tutorial

SLR Lounge creates some incredible educational photography content. For the next few days, they're offering a big discount on every product in their store. Between Black Friday and Cyber Monday, every single product in the SLR Lounge store is 30% off. Check out their incredible deals and find which tutorial you'd like to buy HERE.

Mastering the Art of Nighttime Video Lighting

Just like photos, lighting for video is an essential skill that not only helps you get the right exposure, but sets the mood for the frame. This excellent video tutorial will show you four different nighttime lighting setups sure to add a lot intrigue to your shots.

Telling Stories With Your Photographs by Embracing Shadows

In the pursuit of technical excellence in photography, one thing that we often bring up at the forefront of the discussion is the amount of dynamic range that a camera has and how having the incredible power of shadow recovery always makes great photographs. But what if the one silent and great storyteller that often goes unnoticed has something to do with the presence of shadow?

How to Light an Interview for a Dark and Dramatic Look

Shooting interviews is the bread and butter for a lot of videographers, especially those who work in the commercial sector, from in-house corporate communications and internal marketing, to brand awareness and customer testimonials. Most of these setups would require high-key or fairly neutral lighting styles, but what if the client needed more drama?

Do You Want To Know How Lindsay Adler Created This 70s Glam Fashion Portrait?

Finding inspiration for your next shoot can be difficult, but going for a vintage vibe can offer so many avenues with all the various eras to choose from. While it's nice to see Gen Z embracing the 90s, we don't often see much love for the 70s in popular media these days, but thankfully this world-famous fashion photographer found just the right props at bargain prices to produce something magical.

How I Would Use Three Different Light Modifiers

I've seen people learn photography and lighting from a technical standpoint and for me, it always went over my head. What!? There is a mathematical calculation to getting good light? I always went for what "felt good" and for the longest time I felt insecure about my process, even though I booked often.

A Modern Approach to Film Photography With Flash

Of course, flash photography existed long before the transition to digital. However, most modern film photography is shot in natural light, whether out of an aesthetic desire or because working with flash and film is a bit of a lost art. Nonetheless, just like digital, flash can open up a lot of creative possibilities, and this excellent video tutorial will show you a modern approach to doing so.

Direct Flash: When and How to Use It Effectively

Lighting can make or break a shot, and sometimes, bouncing flash or relying on ambient light isn’t an option. Dark venues, black ceilings, and outdoor night scenes demand a different approach. Knowing how to use direct flash ensures you’re never stuck in a situation where poor lighting ruins your images.

Some Useful Tips for Lighting Bald People in Video

Lighting bald people can present some difficulties, as the extra exposed skin can create additional hot spots that take some care to prevent, while separating them from the background often takes a bit of a different approach than when working with someone with hair. This helpful video will show you a proper lighting setup for someone who's bald.

Open Shade: The Key to Perfect Outdoor Lighting

Using open shade can transform your outdoor photography by providing soft, directional light without the need for complex lighting setups. This technique leverages natural light to create stunning images with minimal equipment, making it a great skill to master.

How to Get the Most of Your Lighting Shaping Tools

Do you have a couple of light modifiers sitting around, but not sure how to use them? In this video, learn how you can mold and shape the face just by moving the angle and direction of your light.

SmallRig’s RC 220B Pro LED Video Light Reviewed: Smart Features and Flexibility

SmallRig has recently unveiled the RC 220B Pro LED Video Light, marking a significant evolution in its COB lighting lineup. Promising professional-grade performance in a lightweight, compact package, the RC 220B Pro is positioned to be the go-to light for video creators of all levels. I’ve had the opportunity to put it through its paces in real-world production environments to see how it stacks up.

Lighting Ideas to Improve Your Creative Space

Lighting is everything to photographers, but how much thought have you put into the place where you work? Whether you shoot in that space, record videos and vlogs, or just are in there a lot, you can use your professional lighting to improve the space.

Techniques for Beautiful Snowy Portraits

Photographing in snow presents unique challenges. The light is harsh, reflections are intense, and the cold can affect your equipment. But with the right techniques, you can transform a snowy scene into a beautifully lit portrait. This video focuses on using light direction, ambient light, and composition to elevate your snowy portraits, offering practical tips for handling these tricky conditions.

How to Create a YouTube Lighting Setup on a Budget

As many of us have been confined to our own homes, there has been a sharp rise in people looking for other revenue streams attainable from their own house. Here is how to create a budget lighting setup to make your YouTube videos look more professional.

How Subtle Lighting Changes Elevate Your Photography

Understanding how to control and manipulate light can transform an ordinary photo into something extraordinary. This is especially important when shooting in challenging conditions or trying to achieve a specific look, where ambient light alone might not suffice.

We Review the Genaray Bright Beast LED Panel

LED light panels, once used predominantly by videographers, have now become an indispensable tool for photographers. Whether you are a seasoned professional or an aspiring enthusiast, finding the perfect lighting setup can make all the difference in capturing high-quality images.

Mastering Harsh Sunlight for Stunning Portraits

Shooting portraits in challenging light can be intimidating, but it’s also a great opportunity to explore creative possibilities. When you’re out in bright, harsh sunlight, knowing how to manage that light is key to producing compelling images that stand out.

Making Space in Your Home for a Photography Studio

Don’t think you have enough space at home for a studio? Laura BC knows how to make the most of what’s at hand, and her latest video is a goldmine for overcoming your limitations when it comes to shooting space.

5 Great Available Lighting Portrait Scenarios

While every portrait photographer should learn how to work with artificial light, available light is still a fantastic tool for a lot of applications and can be the better choice in a range of situations. Available light can be more versatile than you might suspect, and this excellent video tutorial five different scenarios that make for fantastic portraits.

Flash vs. Continuous Lighting: Which is Right for You?

Photographers often debate whether to use flash or continuous lighting, and each option has a direct impact on the appearance and mood of your photographs, as well as affecting the convenience of your workflow.

Learn How to Use Flash to Light an Engagement Portrait With This Tutorial

Learning to use off-camera flash can feel quite daunting, especially when you combine it with natural light in an outdoor environment. Once you understand and grow comfortable with a few fundamental principles and techniques, though, you will find the entire process much more intuitive and easier to tackle. This fantastic video tutorial features an experienced photographer walking you through an engagement shoot using off-camera flash and natural light to help you learn those crucial fundamentals.

Learn How This Dramatic Portrait Was Shot With Just One Light and a Reflector

No doubt, when you are first learning about artificial lighting, it can feel very foreign and difficult to master, particularly when it seems like pros are using complex multi-light setups for all their shots. However, you might be surprised by how much you can accomplish with one light, a reflector, and strong knowledge of the fundamentals of lighting. This excellent video tutorial will show you how just such a shot was created and the process the photographer went through to create the final image.

How to Light and Shoot Moody and Dark Portraits

The beauty of artificial lighting is that it allows you to create just about any photo your imagination can envision with total control over every last detail. And while we often aim for bright, soft, and flattering lighting in our portraits, if you want to explore your artistic side a bit more, a dark and moody look can yield some very interesting images. This fantastic video tutorial will show you how to light and shoot those dark and moody portraits.