Lighting

Photographers are obsessed with improving their work through new gear purchases, extra lighting, and better retouching, but there's one trick that's often overlooked: the power of moving 12 inches.

After the huge response to Black Lives Matter in the last month, camera companies have made it known to me that they have been dropping the terms "master" and "slave" from their photographic lexicon. Canon dropped the terms in 2017, while Nikon let them go in the early 2000s. Now, Fujifilm has joined them in dropping the use due to the negative racial connotations.

What can you learn by simply watching how a photographer and his friend do a remote portrait shoot?

If you've got one light sitting around, I challenge you to find three creative ways to use it. If you need help coming with ideas, that's where this helpful video comes in to play.

Often when working on a constricted set environment, you need the ability to quickly change the lighting and mood in between scenes. This is where the versatility of the soft and natural looking cove lighting technique really shines.

As filmmakers, we have a vast array of tools in our kit, and it's always good to expand it and try new and innovative setups. Learn to take your lighting to the next level by using reverse key lighting on your next shoot.

This entire summer, I have been trying to include elements of water in many of my photoshoots. In today's behind the scenes video, I team back up with Krystal Xamairy and attempt to photograph her in a pool using a fish tank and a few strobes. The results are pretty interesting, to say the least.

Light meters have been around for decades, and they have been an essential tool for photographers. Back in the film days, using a light meter was a part of the professional workflow, but things might have changed since the digital cameras.

After news came last week from Canon that it's officially dropped the terms "master" and "slave," so too has Nikon. In fact, if you thought Canon was ahead of the curve by dropping the terms three years ago, you're going to be shocked to find out when Nikon dropped them.

Do you find yourself stuck at home by yourself during quarantine, but still wanting to shoot high-quality content for your YouTube channel or clients? In this step-by-step video, learn how to do a two-camera interview style shoot without the help of any assistants or other people.

As working from home becomes the new normal, we have to think creatively about how to make it work. See how fashion photographer Emily Teague converted her living room into a fully functioning studio.

Since the global response for Black Lives Matter, many industries, including photography, have been shifting for the better. So, it's welcome news that Canon has officially dropped their master/slave terminology.

Good lighting can make or break a video. There are some mistakes a lot of newer videographers make when it comes to lighting, however, and this helpful video outlines three of the most common issues creatives encounter and what you can do to fix them and improve the look of your work.

One of the things I love most about photography is the challenge of creating something new and refreshing. In today's behind the scenes video, I thought it would be fun to try to capture some family photos with a split view above and under the water.

Lighting people is a difficult but important skill to learn, and an additional complication is introduced when your subject wears glasses. This great video will show you how to eliminate distracting reflections in your subject's glasses while still creating flattering lighting.

An umbrella is normally one of the first lighting modifiers photographers use, and while they are a great tool for lots of scenarios, eventually, you will likely want to explore other options. The beauty dish is a highly popular option, and this helpful video will show you the differences between the two.

With so many lighting modifiers, understanding how each one works and in what situation you ought to use them can be a little daunting. In this video, Karl Taylor discusses two of the most common and demonstrates their differences.

In recent weeks, racial inequality has been brought to the forefront of awareness for many around the world. In light of the cultural shift that has the world talking about the Black Lives Matter movement, is it time for the photography community to change some terminology?

Have you ever had to shoot at a location that didn't warrant you lugging your big case of lighting around? In this very inspiring behind the scenes video, see how Alexis Cuarezma maximizes the potential of direct natural sunlight to create flattering results every time without the use of any additional lights.

Smokes and mirrors has been a trademark for most cinematic and commercial-looking video projects. In this video tutorial it's mostly mirrors that were used.

Shooting at night can be difficult at first, but as is often the case, behind the difficulty lay the greatest rewards.

Light painting a car can be tricky to get right and difficult to know exactly what steps to take in camera. This video shows you the complete process, from garage space through to finished (and frankly brilliant) image.

The portable lighting space has never been busier, which is great for us consumers. But is this one of the best portable lights on the market?

Sometimes you can't shoot during a beautiful golden hour, with fresh light pouring through the window onto your model. On those occasions, you have to fake it.

Taking images of your family every day for 50 days is a challenge all on its own. Pair that with being stuck at home in quarantine for all 50 of those days, and things get downright interesting. This is how I approached it and what I learned.

A dark background is a fantastic way to keep the focus on your subject, and all it takes is a little lighting know-how to make it happen. This great video will show you how it is done and how you can use it to create dramatic, vibrant images.

An octabox is a highly versatile and relatively affordable modifier that many photographers use in a wide variety of genres and scenarios. This fantastic video will show you five different ways to use a single octabox.

Today on our new Fstoppers Live channel, we had the chance to interview Vasyl Nykolyshyn, the owner of Raycrown accessories, about a brand new shoot-through octabox concept he has designed. Not only is this light modifier wind-resistant and easy to build and break down, but it can also be used off-axis as a large soft light and on-axis as a massive ring light. Let us know what you think!

I firmly believe that anyone starting out with artificial lighting should master working with a single light first, but that does not mean one-light setups can't produce versatile and professional results. This great video will show you a critique of several one-light images and provide you with a ton of helpful advice on lighting, posing, and more.

Fire will always be something that evokes feelings of excitement, dread, and more, making it a fantastic dramatic tool in short films, wedding videos, and more. But of course, you can't just go around lighting fires wherever and whenever you want, so this great video will show you how you can convincingly fake it with your lighting.