Lighting

How do you keep yourself looking good while working from home, without turning your home into a workplace?

Flash does not have to be restricted to the studio; in fact, you can make some pretty creative and fun images by combining flash with natural light outside. If you would like to get started with working with flash for outdoor portraits, check out this fantastic video tutorial that will guide you through lighting and shooting such a set of photos.

Backlighting in portraiture offers a huge range of creative possibilities, whether adding a bit of shimmer to your subject's hair, including a dramatic sunset in the frame, or one of many other options. However, the use of backlighting takes some special considerations to ensure you get the results you have in mind. This helpful video tutorial will show you what you need to know to maximize your image quality.

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.

Flash can sometimes be used to create dramatic, otherworldly portraits whose lighting jumps off the screen, but other times, you want to use flash to mimic the look of natural light. This fantastic video tutorial will show you how to use flash for a subtle effect that looks like it was natural light the whole time.

Overcast days can produce rather flat light that lacks dimension and can feel rather boring, and as such, it can be a bit tricky to product images that are compelling. That does not mean you should just pack it up and head home, though. Flat light can actually lead to fantastic images, and this excellent video tutorial will show you how to find and shoot them.

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.

Shooting outdoor portraits offers a lot of creative opportunities, but it can be a bit of a pain to lug lighting to a location. Knowing how to work with natural light and a reflector can give you a lot of the versatility of an artificial light without all the inconvenience. This fantastic video tutorial will show you four different ways to use a reflector for outdoor portraits.

We constantly talk about how soft light is flattering and how to find or craft it for our images. However, if we spend our careers shooting in nothing but soft light, we will miss out on countless photographic opportunities. There is no reason to be afraid of harsh, midday sun. This fantastic video tutorial will show you how to embrace that hard light and create dynamic and compelling photos.

Reflections can be some of the trickiest things to deal with as a photographer, particularly when you are working with rounded objects that can reflect light from almost any angle. Nonetheless, learning how to read and control reflections is one of the best exercises to improve your lighting technique, no matter what you shoot. This fantastic video tutorial features an experienced studio photographer showing you how to manage reflections in your images.

Outdoor portrait shoots can be a fantastic way to photograph couples in an organic environment that allows them to convey natural poses and emotion. However, nature does not always cooperate. Adding a smidgen of artificial light can be just what you need to really complete a photo. This fantastic video tutorial will show you how to do just that.

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.

In last week’s article, I chose to talk about the joys of going small with lighting gear. In today’s article, we’ll go big, very big, with the Aputure LS 1200d Pro LED Light Kit.

The beauty of artificial lighting is that you can create looks that simply would not be possible using only the sun. One of the greatest technical challenges for a photographer is lighting a group portrait so that every individual is well lit but so the overall look is still sculpted and compelling rather than flat and two-dimensional. If you would like to really take your portrait lighting to the next level, check out this awesome video tutorial that will take you behind the scenes of a cinematic magazine cover photo shoot and show you how to do it yourself.

Today, I’ll share two new additions to my lighting kit when keeping it small.

Learning flash can be a tough endeavor; it takes a combination of a lot of technique, attention to detail, and creative vision. If you are working on mastering flash, check out this fantastic video tutorial that features an experienced photographer sharing perhaps the biggest mistakes photographers make when working with flash.

Reviewing good light modifiers is one of my favorite types of reviews to write. As I highly value light, I aim to cover light-shaping tools more than anything else. When this softbox was released, my thoughts were split in half. On one hand, I see how it is useful, but on the other, it is simply not for the majority. Read on to find out why.

Getting started with flash can be both exciting and intimidating; it is an entirely new set of techniques, but it also enables a wide variety of creative opportunities that simply would not be possible otherwise. If you are ready to tackle artificial lighting, it is important to get off on the right foot. This great video tutorial features an experienced beauty and portrait photographer discussing why it is best to start your lighting journey with no more than two lights.

Shooting portraits outside of the studio can be a great way to add context to an image, tell a story, or simply generate a bit more visual interest. Bringing along a flash for fill can often help you create a higher-quality image with a more balanced exposure. This great video tutorial will show you how to use a fill flash on location for better portraits.

I get a lot of commentary on using expensive photo equipment, most notably lighting. Fair enough, a $400 softbox is not for everyone, and most people find it ridiculous to use a modifier this expensive. However, there are good reasons to use such tools. Here is why.

As a photographer, how many times have you wished you had a portable power source in remote locations? Whether for outdoor lighting or simply to power some tools, this 1,200 W power station might just be what you were wishing for.

Understanding lighting is crucial to becoming a successful portrait photographer, and few do it as well as Lindsay Adler. In this helpful video tutorial, Adler breaks down one of her most useful lighting setups and shows you how you can recreate it and customize it to your exact needs.

Generally, you shoot a portrait with either continuous lights or a flash, but not both. What happens when you mix them, though? You enable some pretty incredible creative possibilities. Check out this fantastic video tutorial that will show you how to shoot an eye-catching portrait using a mixture of continuous lights and flash.

Learning artificial lighting is something that every portrait photographer should do, as it frees you from relying on the sun and enables you to explore creative avenues that simply are not possible with only natural light. However, lighting modifiers can be quite expensive, so knowing which is right to start with is important. This fantastic video tutorial features an experienced photographer discussing why an octabox should be your first choice.

One of the most valuable skills a photographer can learn is how to work with artificial light, as it frees you from relying on the sun and allows you to explore creative ideas that simply would not be possible otherwise. If you are new to working with artificial light, check out this fantastic video tutorial that will show you how you can use flash to capture captivating sports action shots.

Over the past few years, LEDs have become a popular choice for still photographers, and with good reason. Although LED light sources do have limitations, there are many clear benefits to using constant light for portrait photographers. In this article, I will detail five ways I use an LED light wand to create captivating portraits, both in and out of my studio.

When you look outside and see a gray sky, it might be tempting to feel discouraged at the uninteresting backdrop and plain light quality, but flat light can actually be some of the best light to work with as a photographer. If you would like to see why flat light is actually such a boon for portrait photographers, check out this helpful video tutorial that features an experienced photographer guiding students through building a shot.

You can create stunning portraits with just a single light, but once you have mastered that, moving into more complex multi-light setups will open up your creative opportunities even more. If you would like to try a challenging but rewarding portrait lighting setup, check out this great video tutorial that will show you a dramatic image shot using a four separate lights.

Constant lights are traditionally used for video work. But I think they make for the perfect solution for a photography studio.

Even just five years ago, this would not even be a question. However, in recent years, continuous lighting has made some remarkable strides, and it is now a viable alternative to traditional strobes for a lot of work. So, which is right for your portrait photography? This excellent video comparison features an experienced portrait photographer sharing her thoughts.

Cinema may be a source of inspiration for photographers. And if we have titles of movies coming to mind or names of directors, we usually pay less attention to directors of photography, also called cinematographers. Big mistake! Those are the guys who master cameras and lighting techniques in order to materialize ideas into images.

Working with flash is an important skill for many photographers, as it will allow you to explore a far greater breadth of creative ideas and to get around otherwise challenging technical issues. Nonetheless, there are some common misconceptions about the craft that can derail those are new to it. This excellent video tutorial features an experienced photographer sharing five of those misconceptions and what you can do to avoid falling prey to them.

Spring is here, and that means that flowers are blooming everywhere you look, and they make for marvelous photo subjects. Of course, you can photograph them in a natural way that shows off the surrounding light and environment, but a black background can add a sense of drama and show off the vibrant, eye-catching colors of the blooms. It does not take that much equipment to do so either! This excellent video tutorial will show you what you need and how to go about doing it.

It sounds like a crazy idea when you first hear it: learning how to light a portrait using only a computer. However, set.a.light 3D promises to give you access to an almost unlimited library of virtual lights, modifiers, studio spaces, and subjects, all with strict adherence to the laws of physics, making it easy to quickly build and explore complex lighting setups. Is it the ultimate learning tool? This great video review takes a deep dive into the software and shows you everything you can accomplish with it.

James Quantz Jr is one of the best out there when it comes to sports portraiture, with his innovative lighting and eye-catching compositions making for dramatic images. If you would like to learn how to create this style of portrait, check out this fantastic video tutorial in which he takes you behind the scenes, breaking down a complex shot into easier chunks to show you how it all came together.

You might think that creating enveloping wraparound light requires multiple sources, but it can actually be done with just a single source. This fantastic video tutorial will show you how to create such a portrait using only a single light and a small home studio.

When you are new to working with artificial light, it is important to start out with a single source at first to build your confidence and knowledge. And just because you are only shooting with one light, it does not mean you can't produce professional-level images. This fantastic video tutorial will show you everything you need to know to get started with one-light portraits.

Photographers often segment themselves into flash versus natural light when it comes to portraits, but the truth is, there is merit to both ways of shooting.

Woodland photography works best during foggy days. It helps to simplify the often chaotic forest environment. Soft sunlight early in the morning or late in the evening can also create a beautiful mood for your woodland photos. But what if you have neither fog nor the right light conditions? You can create those yourself, as I show in this article.

If you look at the work of professional portrait photographers, it can be easy to be fooled into thinking that it is not possible to create high-level images with just a single light. This could not be further from the truth, though. If you are new to working with artificial light, check out this fantastic video tutorial that will show you how to shoot compelling portraits using just one light and a portable modifier.

When you look at the work of professional portrait photographers, you might think that you need complex multi-light setups in order to produce top-level images. And while it is true that two- or three- light setups are common, you might be surprised by what you can accomplish with just a single light. This great video tutorial will show you three easy and creative one-light portrait photography setups.

Good lights can make all the difference in the quality of work you can produce as a photographer. If you've never heard of a self-inflating light, then today might be the day you add one to your camera bag.

Portrait lighting takes a good eye for nuance, and as such, it can be easy to overlook smaller details that detract from the overall quality of the image. If you would like to improve your portrait lighting, check out this helpful video tutorial that demonstrates a common mistakes and how you can fix it to improve the quality of your portraits.

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.