Lighting

Fundamentally speaking, diffusion panels and softboxes serve the same purpose: creating a larger source and thus, softer overall light. However, in practice, they can have different effects on your subject and can also be easier or harder to work with depending on your needs and setup. This great video will show you their advantages and disadvantages to help you decide which is right for your work.

When shooting fitness photography, lighting plays a big part to help capture all details in the subject's appearance. How many lights should you have? What are some of the best placements for strobes during the shoot?

Let's face it: photography is expensive. So, it's always good when you can do it yourself and make something at home for free. Save $100 and learn how to make this simple light hack from the comfort of your own home.

Whether it be for shooting stills or lighting vibrant video clips, lighting solutions have really started to come in more shapes and sizes.

A black background is a popular and timeless look for a wide variety of applications, but depending on where you are shooting, you might not actually have access to a literal black background. This excellent video will show you how to create one no matter where you are.

Product photography is a fantastic genre in which to practice precise and careful lighting and post-processing, and even if it is not what you specialize in, the skills you learn can carry over to whatever you do shoot. This great video will show you how you can use a single light to composite a great glassware product image.

Lighting is absolutely crucial to creating a successful portrait, doing more than simply illuminating your subject, but also communicating, mood, intention, and much more. This fantastic video will show you nine different portrait lighting setups you should know.

Gels are one of the cheapest and most versatile ways to quickly add a splash of creativity and visual interest to an image. That being said, it is important to use them carefully to avoid the issues that can arise with them. This is where grids can become highly useful, and this great video will show you how you can use them in combination with gels for better images.

"Cinematic" has been a buzz word lately, and in a nutshell, that's how we say a subject has a refined look ike in the movies. This video will not only teach you the basics, but also give you extra tips on lighting the set environment.

Traditionally, you probably think of using color gels to change the hue of your subjects or to add a splash of color to a backdrop, but with this clever technique, you can use color gels to change the color of the sky. This great video will show you the theory behind the technique and how to change the sky to whatever color you please.

When you think of lighting, you might think of splitting things between either natural light or artificial lights, but strobes can be a great way to balance out an exposure with varying levels of ambient light. This excellent video will show you how you can use a strobe or even just its modeling light to create great golden hour or nighttime portraits.

RGB LED lights are becoming more and more popular, for good reason. Have we finally got some affordable RGB tube lights?

It's very likely that during isolation, you have had to resort to video meetings, whether to talk to a client, host a live webinar, or to attend the weekly family meetup. So, how can you improve your video presence and quality of the recording?

With many of us unable to work or even practice right now, it can be both difficult and frustrating trying to keep our skills sharp and the creative juices flowing. Would you practice lighting within a virtual studio? This fantastic video shows you how you can learn about lighting and create setups you can use in the future without ever touching a light.

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.

One of the greatest tools you have at your disposal for creating mood within a portrait is controlling the contrast through your lighting setups. This excellent video will show you how you can use lighting to control the contrast in portraits and create more dynamic photos.

If you are currently stuck at home and looking for something to shoot, now is a perfect time experiment with different creative ideas to keep your technical skills sharp and to continue to develop your style. This fantastic video will show you how you can set up, shoot, and edit an eye-catching mixed light portrait.

Feathering a light source is one of the most fundamental techniques any photographer working with artificial light should know, as it is highly useful and versatile. This excellent video will show you how to use feathering to create better lighting for your portraiture work.

We often talk about how to kill the ambient light in a shot so you can fully control the lighting with flash, but sometimes, you actually want to use both natural and artificial light in a shot. This great video will show you how to balance both flash and ambient light for a balanced result.

One of the best tests of a photographer's lighting skill is their ability to use natural light and strobes together in an organic and convincing manner. This fantastic video tutorial will walk you through the method of using gelled strobes and natural light together to create this portrait along with the editing process in Capture One and Photoshop.

Even if it is not your specialty, product photography is a fantastic way to practice creating precisely crafted lighting. This great video will show you how to create a versatile overhead product lighting setup that you can use on a variety of items and vary to your personal taste.

Fighting off cabin fever while stuck indoors is hard to do. Trying to be creative can also be a real challenge. Check out this video full of tips to break you out of your isolation woes.

Artificial lighting can open up a wide world of creative possibilities and looks not possible with just natural light, but it can also be a bit tedious to work with when you have to set up more complex designs. So, why not maximize the number of looks you can get out of one lighting setup? This excellent video will show you how to get lots of different shots without changing the setup.

In general, the images that I find the most engaging are ones that have motion in them. In some images, the motion can just be implied and that still adds a whole new dimension. Motion can also add an element of storytelling to the image which how engaging it can be. This is why I believe, food images with motion get so much attention.

If you're thinking of using your new-found free time to start a YouTube channel, or if you just to put some different type content out there, having a good basic lighting setup helps you to stand out from the crowd. This video goes through the basics of video lighting with gear that doesn't break the bank.

If you enjoyed Nathan Elson's last short-from tutorial in his How I Got The Shot series, you're going to love this one. Moody with just the right hints of drama.

A v-flat is one of the most versatile tools any photographer working in a studio can have. And while you normally think of them as something used to modify lighting on the subject, you can also use them to create dramatic shadows on the background that can completely transform the mood of your photos. This great video will show you how it is done.

For some beginners — and maybe for some, more advanced enthusiasts — the concepts of color temperature and white balance might be a little confusing. This video, from professional photographer, Omar Gonzales, goes a long way to shedding some light on the subject.

Recreating classic portraits can be both a fun creative exercise and a great way to sharpen your technical skills. This awesome video will take you behind the scenes of recreating a classic Audrey Hepburn portrait and adding a modern twist.

Artificial lighting can be a lot to try to learn when you are new to the subject, with a wide variety of tools, setups, rules, and techniques to get down. One of the most useful tools is the grid, and this excellent video will introduce you to how they work and when you should consider using them for your own work.