Photography Lighting

When you're just starting with artificial lighting, one of the first things you'll run into is the issue of sync speed. There are a couple ways around this, and this helpful video talks about them.

Ready to finally learn how to easily set up three-point lighting for your portraits? Watch this.

On the lookout for some portrait tips and techniques? Well look no further, sit back and check out this well paced, information packed presentation on just that.

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?

What happens when a hugely successful photographer grabs a $20 halogen light from Home Depot and uses it in a model photoshoot? You be the judge.

It's not easy shooting for a giant brand. Here's how I pulled off this shoot for Lancôme.

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.

Many of the reflectors available today come with a few different colored panels that can create slightly different results in portrait photography. Compare the looks with this quick educational video.

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.

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.

Light can easily make or break a photograph. While there is truly no such thing as bad light, there is a good and bad way to use light.

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.

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.

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.

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.

We all know that you can make nice photographs with just one light. But is that sustainable at all? Aren't you too limited?

MagMod has become known for pushing the boundaries of light modifier design. They always put quality, portability, and ease of use into all of their products. With the release of three new lighting tools, they don’t disappoint.

As is the case with most photographers, I have my usual go-to light modifiers that I know are a safe choice and can guarantee usable shots. However, sometimes, you need to step out side the box.

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.

You don't always need super complicated setups with many lights to create stunning beauty images. This awesome video will show you a great two-light setup and show you every setting and detail you need to know to make it work for you.

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.

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.

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?

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. 

Shooting creative portraits does not always require the biggest flashes and the best softboxes. All it takes is your imagination and a basic setup.

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.

Ron Jaffe is the stills photographer for a multitude of popular television shows, and occasionally, he’s asked to recreate images that could have been taken decades ago. I asked him what process he goes through to take us back to pre-war USA.

Finding the right underwater lighting system can be tricky if you do not understand how light is absorbed. The same concepts on land can be applied, but with a few extra steps. Testing out new lights can be eye opening if you are tired of using a four-strobe setup which can be a workout on its own.

So how did one of the most admired cinematographers of all time revolutionize both cinema and television with two vastly different styles?

Are you prepared to handle a session where the natural lighting conditions are difficult and there is no shade to turn to? Here are three techniques you can use to get beautiful photos in harsh conditions.

How far can you get with a single prop inside a small studio set up? The possibilities are limitless and it starts with your imagination. Getting the most from a single prop is both challenging and exciting. It is a great way to improve your portrait photography. In this case, Gavin Hoey uses a basic black sun hat as the prop and brings out five different looks. 

In this six-minute video, YouTuber workphlo breaks down a simple DIY diffuser that works especially well when going for a "glossy" look in your product photos. This technique applies to close-ups of reflective products.

Backlit portraits can be a great way to get a lighter, airier look. Traditionally, you likely think of them as being shot outside with the sun behind the subject, but it's just as easy to create them in the studio, and this helpful tutorial will show you how to do just that.

Underwater photography has become extremely popular with the increase of mermaid models. Getting the shot for a breathtaking underwater image is not as tricky as you may think. 

Therukoothu is an ancient folk dance art form, almost 2,000 years old, which originated in South India. Documenting Koothu has always been my dream, and there are so many aspects to it. I wanted to start with the artist, the one who carries the soul of this art.

Do you struggle when photographing small, intimate wedding ceremonies where natural lighting is inadequate or even non-existent? As a wedding photographer, you need to have the right tools to light a venue, and more importantly, you need to know how to use them to make amazing images.

A smaller octabox is a favorite of many on-location photographers, as it provides a nice upgrade from a bare flash and is generally easy to work with in terms of heft and portability. Today only, you can get a great deal on the Westcott Rapid Box, an excellent option for such photographers. 

Lighting equipment, like all photography gear, can be pretty expensive. However, with a little ingenuity, you can get soft, flattering light with the cheapest of "modifiers." This helpful video will show you how it's done.

Photography can get very expensive very quickly. Once you've invested in a body and a couple of lenses, don't expect it to stop there. For those interested in artificial lighting, the who process starts again with lights, stands, modifiers, and triggering systems. But is it all necessary?

When you're first starting out with artificial lighting, the vast array of terms to describe and quantify the various parameters of light can be a bit overwhelming. This helpful video will introduce you to the most essential terms that will allow to effectively communicate how any light source behaves.

Glitter always sounds conceptually fun, doesn't it? The word "glitter" immediately brings out visualizations of outlandish Disney characters throwing fairy dust into the air! Just me? Fine, just me.

Most simple scenes in films are lit in a very elaborate way. In this workshop, cinematographer Eric Kress shows how he lights a casual over-the-shoulder composition, making it look natural while everything is shot on an artificial set.

When you're first starting out with lighting, the natural thing to do is use your on-camera flash or a hotshoe speedlight. However, unless you're going for a very specific look, this will generally not give you the best results. This great video shows you how even just a single speedlight can give you great results when you move it off camera.

Working in studio presents a ton of lighting options, so how do you choose? Here are some examples of different light set ups that will give you variety in your work.

When looking at lighting, you have a lot of choices with companies like Profoto, Broncolor, Elinchrom, Paul C. Buff, Godox, and others. Have you asked yourself if the lights from those companies fit how and where you shoot? Does it makes sense to buy that $2,000 strobe or would a couple cheap speedlites achieve your vision?

Anthem is a new company. So we didn’t know what to expect when we sat down with their new LED light that promises to far outlast any HMI while promising the implied savings that could drive down production costs.

I always wanted to shoot the portraits of a classic Bharatanatyam dancer, but by adding a modern touch to the 2000-year-old traditional dance form. Here is how we created dramatic dancer portraits with a little technique and lots of imagination.

Light is the most important thing to photographers, it’s our job to recognize it and shape it to help us tell our story.

Sometimes, you have a great lighting setup that gives you the exact look you want, but you need to fill in the shadows ever so slightly. This great video shows you how a ring flash can allow you to fill in shadows without changing the overall look of your setup.

Color gels are a lot of fun to work with and when done well can add a certain oomph to your photo. It can also be intimidating and hard to get just right. And when I say just right, even that itself is very subjective. Some people prefer it to be subtle while others want the color to dominate in the image. There are also photographers who only use it for color balancing.