Recent Lighting Articles

Lighting and Shooting Portraits in a Very Small Studio Space

Not all of us have the luxury of an expansive studio space that we can fill with equipment and in which we can endlessly experiment. This great video shows to make the most of a very small studio space to light and shoot highly professional portraits.

Are You Guilty of These Common Photography Mistakes?

Making mistakes is part of learning, even if the criticism stings sometimes. And after seeing some of these common photography mistakes, I had to put my hand up and say, "guilty as charged." I guarantee you will too.

Remove Surface Glare On Your Interior Photos With This Quick Tip

When photographing commercial interior images, a common issue is an unsightly glare on reflective surfaces. Removing these reflections by compositing image layers significantly improves your images, separating you from the pack of "run-and-gun" real estate and interior photographers.

Why I Chose Third Party Speedlights Over the Name Brands

Name brand speedlights — like a lot of things in photography — are absurdly priced, and although they carry the big brand names, they also lack in a number of key areas versus the lower cost, third party alternatives. Take a look at my reasoning for steering clear of the big camera manufactures brand speedlights.

How I Shot This Natural Beauty Shoot

Beauty can be a lot of fun to shoot and it’s fun to find different ways to light a face in a flattering way. We might not be perfect in real life, but on camera? On camera we can be as perfect as the lighting setup and editing allows us to be! Magic? No. We still need gorgeous models but a great setup certainly helps.

Could This Be the Best Studio LED Video Light Yet?

As more and more photographers are starting to dabble into video, the need for versatile yet affordable constant lighting gear is ever changing. Today I test the new Boling BL-50 lights to see if they could be the best bang for the buck.

Try This Shadow Fix on Your Next Interior Shoot

When photographing interiors, flash is your friend, but a friend who needs some management. While flash brightens rooms, reduces glare, and brings out true colors, it can also produce the frustrating issue of ugly shadows.

A Simple Home Studio Setup for YouTube

If you have ever found yourself wondering about basic home studio setups for your YouTube channel, look no further. In this crash course video for a home setup, we'll take a look at the fundamentals to get you up and running.

How to Create Drama With Speedlights

Trying to replicate certain looks, especially from our favorite films, is a great way to enhance our skills as photographers, but it's not always as easy as it looks. Gavin Hoey from Adorama TV gives us some great tips on how to light a scene like a film noir.

Smoke Up Your Photos With Color Smoke Grenades

Need something new to try in your photos? Tired of the same old props? Why not try a grenade — a color smoke grenade, that is. Sure, smoke grenades aren’t anything new, but if you haven’t used them before, they’re new to you.

Ten Ways to Use Color Changing LED Lights

For quite some time one of the only way to get color effects was through gels. However, the pain of having to carry around these different gels may be a thing of the past. The staff over at B&H tested out the Luxli’s new Timpani for color changing effects in still and video photography.

How to Light the Face for Video

In this short video from Crimson Engine, cinematographer and director Rubidium Wu takes you step by step through how he lights his closeups for video.

Make Sure You're Using Your Reflector the Right Way

Many of us own a five-in-one reflector of some sort, as they're cheap, versatile, and effective instruments. However, they're commonly misused, and this great video will help you learn to use them effectively to get the best results.

Ten Creative Ways to Use Colored Light in Your Photography

You don't have to look very far to see how popular and effective the use of colored light is in both still and moving image projects. Add these 10 lighting setups to your creative arsenal before your next video or photoshoot.

This Versatile Studio Light Is Half Price Today Only

The Westcott SkyLux LED is a studio light that offers lots of power in LED form, meaning no heat. It's a versatile light that can work for both photos and video, and today only, you can get it for half off.

How to Light Overhead Portraits

Adorama TV is always bringing easy-to-understand tips and tricks to photographers with a plethora of education and tutorials. In the video, Gavin Hoey shows us how to adjust our lighting to where we are shooting our subject.

Studio Photographers: Why You Should Be Using a Light Meter

One of the most profitable pieces of equipment a professional photographer can own is also one of the least used today. It can be simple to use while being relatively affordable to purchase and can elevate your lighting immediately.

The Godox AD400 Pro: Priced Too High, Too Low, or Just Right?

Godox has been disrupting the lighting industry for several years now with their budget-friendly options for studio strobes and on location lighting. The Godox system is growing even larger with the addition of their newest on-location light, but does this new light make sense to those budget-conscious photographers that have adopted the system?

Everything You Need to Know About ISO

Along with the aperture and shutter speed, ISO is one of the three fundamental components that controls light and exposure, but many people don’t quite get it. This video will help answer all your ISO questions.

Creating Amazing Photographs in Small Spaces

While the idea of having the best available studio and equipment remains, well, an idea or dream for many of us, creating great images in the comfort of your own home does not have to be.

Five Different Looks You Can Create Using Only One Light

When you're first starting with artificial lighting, I think it's generally best to get comfortable with one light first, then move up to increasingly complex designs. This great and quick video will show you five different looks you can get from one light source.

How to Use Beautiful Golden Hour Light for Portraits

Shooting during Golden Hour isn’t just for landscape photography. In this behind-the-scenes video you’ll get some great ideas and see how lens flares and using the setting sun can be great for shooting people too.

Do You Really Need to Spend Big on Flash Guns?

I'm a big fan of speed lights, and I pretty much use them for almost all of my personal and professional shooting. That said, I'm not always using the biggest and the baddest the major brands have to offer, even professionally.

Photographers Show Budget-Friendly Studio Lighting Setups

Detroit-based fashion and lifestyle photographer Jessica Kobeissi typically shoots exclusively with natural light, but in her latest video she partnered with Los Angeles-based photographer and former "Lizzie McGuire" cast member Jake Thomas to show off three different studio lighting setups.

These RGB Lights Won't Cost You More Than a Few Lattes

Continuous light can be quite expensive, especially if you are looking for an option that lets you change the color of the light. But perhaps you don't need all the bells and whistles of a high-end option. This simple $15 can be just what your kit is missing.

How to Creatively Light Scenes at Night

Understanding how to light scenes at night is one of the most valuable lessons to learn as a photographer. Open up a world of creative possibilities with these great examples.

Stunning Underwater Art With Projections

Taking risks is the joy in what creative minds live for. Creating something different and unique keeps the photographer from feeling as if this is just another job. When I came across an underwater portrait photographer's recent work it made me stop for a moment, which is extremely rare these days.

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.

Taking a Portrait With the Tamron 100-400mm Lens

I recently got my hands on the new Tamron 100-400mm zoom lens and wanted to try a unique portrait idea. Unfortunately, this photo idea involved wind, tides, fast moving kiteboarders, and the ocean. What could go wrong, right?

How the Position of Light Changes Your Photographs

Mark Wallace from Adorama has produced another great video regarding light in photography. The capture of light is the most important part of photography, and in essence, the light you use will define the look of the photo and define your photographic style.

Using LED Lights for Portrait Photography: The Good and the Bad

If you're new to artificial lighting, you may be wondering about using constant LED lights versus more traditional strobes. This excellent video will show you the pros and cons of using LEDs and why you might prefer one over the other.