If you follow the work of high-end portrait photographers, you will probably notice them often using complex three- or even four-light setups. And while there are good reasons for using those, you do not need all that complexity to create professional-level images; in fact, just one light will do if you know how to use it.
Much of great portraiture — particularly in a studio — is the art of great lighting. However, you don't need a 5-light setup and an elaborate scene to create great images, and the beauty dish is far more versatile than its name might imply.
Continuous, LED lights have become stronger and more affordable over the past decade, to the point where they're challenging a lot of strobes. The new Amaran LED might just top them all, however.
Portrait lighting is about a lot more than simply creating a technically balanced image of your subject; it is your chance to exercise your creativity and show off your subject in a compelling and interesting fashion.
Using flash for portrait photography is something that scares a lot of photographers, but once you master it, you will wonder how you ever worked without the complete creative and technical control it offers.
Flat light in an otherwise interesting photo can be a frustrating thing, but with the dynamic range and post-processing latitude of a lot of modern sensors, you can do quite a lot to reshape an image in post and turn it into a compelling photo.
Creating a high key background and adding rim lights is a fantastic way to add a really professional touch to your images, but doing so can take three or four extra lights on top of whatever you are already using to light your subject, often making it particularly cumbersome. What if you could add the high key background and rim lights using just a single light?
The look of light filtering through a window to light a subject is both quite recognizable, even to the non-photographer, and a fantastic way to give your portraits a natural and elegant look. However, depending on where your studio is and when you are working, you may not always have the luxury of perfect window light.
When Aputure released the LS 600d Pro, it took the market by storm and signaled an era of high-power LED coming. But when the LS 600X Pro came out, it took the D version and made it greater. I’ve been using the 600X Pro for the past month, and here are some of my thoughts on it.
When it comes to lighting, the three main types you can choose from are speedlights, monolights, and packs and heads. These three all have their own merits and drawbacks, and if you are thinking about investing in your own lighting system, it is important to know which is best suited for your work.
Picking up artificial lighting can be a bit daunting for a lot of photographers, but if you want to take complete technical control of your portraits and expand your creativity, it is something you have to master at one time or another.
Portraiture is one of the most versatile genres of photography, housing many sub-genres within it. One of the most impactful skillsets you can acquire for the craft is lighting and so it is important to know the basic setups and what different lighting styles achieve.
If you like shooting your muse in a night-like environment, you might run into some difficulties. With flash, it is also possible to create the night during daylight. This way, it becomes much easier to shoot your muse, without all the difficulties you encounter while shooting in the dark. On top of that, it isn’t difficult at all.
When you are working in the studio, it is not a big deal to create complex, multi-light setups, since all your gear is there and doing so only requires moving it a minimal distance. On the other hand, when it comes to working on location, unless you have an entire crew with you, efficiency is the name of the game.
When it comes to portrait photography, most professionals employ a range of lighting equipment to dial in the exact images they are looking for no matter where they are or when they are shooting. That being said, you will be amazed what you can accomplish with natural light and the knowledge of how to shape it to your needs.
I have a massive soft spot for fresnels. I love them. Fresnels give out unique light qualities that can’t be replicated by anything else. The Aputure F10 Fresnel is no exception, as it turns an LED into a super-light. Here’s why.
When it comes to learning lighting, we mostly discuss how to precisely add it to scenes to build up the final look from a blank slate. But just as important as knowing how to properly add light to the scene is knowing how to remove it. This quick and helpful video tutorial will give you an overview of negative fill, including what it is and how to use it in your photos.
Shooting with a wide aperture for portraits with a shallow depth of field is a highly popular look, but when you are photographing in the sun with flash, you can run into impossible-to-solve exposure issues — impossible until you introduce some new techniques.
You don't need a ton of equipment to create a number of looks in a single shoot. In this video, John Gress discusses which background you should go for if you're looking for maximum versatility, showcasing five different looks.
It is certainly true that a lot of professional portrait photographers use a wide variety of lighting equipment to achieve the looks they want, and while there is a good reason for having all that gear at one's disposal, it is important to remember what you can create with the bare minimum and a good understanding of how light behaves.
Who says you need a huge studio to shoot high-speed special effects?
For any photographer who likes to shoot portraits, the use of off-camera flash and speedlights offers a world of infinite creativity. The portability of speedlights allows you to strategically place and focus your lights, and the use of modifiers allows for unique visual effects.
Dani Diamond is well known for his portraiture work, particularly his natural light work. But of course, he works with artificial lighting too, and in this great video tutorial, he will walk you through a one-light setup and how he modifies it to create a professional-level portrait.
Often, I read about natural light photographers who prefer a high-ISO setting above the use of flash. The latter is considered unnatural and unflattering light. Perhaps that photographer should consider the benefits flash can offer without the sacrifice of a natural-looking photo.
As a photographer who is dedicated to your craft, one way you can distinguish yourself from a casual hobbyist is through your mastery of lighting. A new video by Mark Bone gives 5 guidelines you can consider when you want to add light to a portrait. Although Bone is a filmmaker rather than a photographer, these tips apply to photography as much as they apply to filmmaking.
There are lots of lighting techniques to learn, some simple, some complex, and they all offer something a bit different. One of my personal favorites is clamshell lighting and in this video, learn how to do it and when it will work particularly well.
It seems hard light is trending these days. From elaborate food spreads in Bon Appetit to fashion shoots for Burberry, hard light is in. If you've ever wondered how to create this look, this quick and simple tutorial will lay it out for you. I'll share a few concepts, and you can watch the video for a demonstration.
The beauty of artificial lighting is that you can create whatever look you want, wherever and whenever you want. That does not mean things need to be overly complex, however. In fact, just two lights can offer a ton of versatility, and this excellent video tutorial will show you how to use them to create some dramatic and compelling couples portraits.
Long exposure photography is a beloved technique, utilized by many genres, as well as forming something of a genre itself. In this video, one photographer walks you through his process and some tips on how to get the best out of your own long exposure images.
In recent years, Godox has become the go-to brand for many photographers looking for competitively-priced lighting products that are packed with features.
If you are new to working with artificial lighting, it can be a bit discouraging when you look at the work of established professionals and see them often using complex multi-light setups. However, you can absolutely make creative and compelling professional-level photos using a single light setup, and this fantastic video tutorial will show you one such setup.
Many photographers struggle with creating a pure white background in camera, but it is an essential skill that all of us must master. The good news is that it’s relatively easy to do with the right setup. In this article and the accompanying video, I detail my method for creating a pleasing white background on camera.
A few weeks ago, I got my hands on a light modifier I've always wanted to have in our studio. Westcott's brand new Optical Spot is one of the coolest and most useful light modifiers I've ever seen, and in today's video, I'm going to show you why you might want one or two for your photography!
No matter how many lighting modifiers you own, there is almost no setup that will not require some sort of customization, which is why a good understanding of the fundamentals of how light behaves and how to shape it is so important.
Lindsay Adler recently teamed up with Westcott to develop the Westcott Optical Spot. In this video, she shows what’s possible.
Working with artificial light is something a lot of photographers struggle with, but if you understand some fundamental rules about how it behaves and how to control it, you can make your life a lot easier. This excellent video tutorial will show you five fundamental rules of lighting that every photographer should know and how to use them to make better images.
Did you know studies have shown that viewers form an opinion of people within 1/10th of a second of seeing them? In a similar way, viewers judge brands with a cursory glance. Brands rely on design elements such as color, shape, line, and font to communicate their identity and values.
Creating dramatic headshots using multiple lights doesn't have to be difficult. One of the best ways to become proficient at using a three-light setup is by building it one light at a time. In this article and the accompanying video, I will demonstrate how you can easily create dramatic headshots and portraits using a key light, kicker light, and fill light.
There are many ways to light a subject, both complex and simplistic, and while you might be always tempted to go for the most complicated setups, knowing the classics is important too. Classic lighting is classic for a reason and you may find yourself using it more often than you expect.
How can you manipulate the color of the sky with simple lighting techniques? In this video, learn how to capture a rich blue sky with just one light.
Some photographers have skills that blow us away. Embedding emotions into images sets some photographers apart, so I knew instantly I had to share Tianna Williams’ work with our readers.
When is a softbox not a softbox? When it's a Sundisc. Here's a long-term review of a multi-talented light modifier that packs down to the size of a pack of small tortillas.
There is a lot more room to be creative in product photography than you might initially think, and part of creating compelling imagery is knowing how to add your own stylistic touches in a way that complements the product's purpose.
One thing that often discourages photographers from beginning to learn how to work with artificial light is the mistaken idea that it takes complex multi-light setups to create great portraits.
When it comes to lighting, perhaps the most fundamental parameter every photographer has to gain a mastery of is controlling the softness or hardness of the light. There are several ways to go about this, with one of them being diffusion.
It is great whenever you can properly set up lights and systematically work your way to the final image, but that simply is not always an option, especially if you are doing something like shooting weddings. However, that does not mean you simply can't use artificial light; you just might have to be a bit more nimble with it.
Not all conferences are created equal. While I am a big fan of the large conferences, sharing a room with hundreds of people isn't always the best way to learn. So, if you still want to learn from big names such as Lindsey Adler and Joe McNally, but in a small hands-on environment, then The Photo Creators may be what you are looking for.
There is something really eye-catching about old-fashioned Hollywood portraits, which had a healthy flare for the dramatic. And while you might not find yourself shooting that style on a regular basis for clients, it can be a fun creative exercise and one that really pushes your lighting and styling abilities to a new level.
When you are ready to move into working in your own studio, you will, of course, have to bring in your own lighting. Lighting can run a huge gamut of price and features, however, and it can be tricky to know what you need to get started.
No doubt, modern cameras and editing software have allowed us to push edits to extremes we would never have dreamed of previously, but still, to ensure the best image and video quality and significantly reduce our work at the computer, getting things right in camera is best. That being said, there will be times when things need some work in post.
In the history of visual art, few figures loom as large as Rembrandt. His influence on photography is so great that “Rembrandt lighting” has become a staple method for portraiture. But Rembrandt Lighting is often a poor choice for photographing women, especially when working with corporate clients.