When you are new to photography, you might wonder what sort of secrets and lessons photographers have learned from their time in the industry and how that knowledge can benefit you. This awesome video features a professional sharing five secrets about life and work as a photographer.
Coming to you from Miguel Quiles, this great video features him discussing five secrets about life as a photographer. Of them, I think the most salient for me has always been the true importance of lighting. It's easy when you're new to photography to get caught up in trying to edit photos into excellence, relying on the vast capabilities of modern sensors and the power of programs like Photoshop to get the job done. The truth, however, is that while modern sensors and editing applications are indeed massively powerful, nothing replaces good lighting. Beyond that, if you learn to better control your light, you'll be able to shape your images much more easily, and you'll save a ton of work at your computer when it comes time for post-processing. It is why I recommend any photographer take time to learn artificial lighting, if nothing more than for the experience of controlling the light. Check out the video above for the full rundown.
While offering no comment on the value of the five "secrets" mentioned in this video, I'd like to object to the title itself. How can any of this stuff be something that pro photographers "Don't want you to know", when websites like this one are filled with pretty much the same information?
Yea. Not sure what pros are keeping these secrets. In fact I would argue that a lot of pros are doing just the opposite, and not only are sharing this information, but also trying to sell it. I don't think there are many "secrets" left in this industry. Just things that haven't been discovered.
I'll second that objection. While this particular video might be a bit tongue-in-cheek, there are way too many dead serious "what the pros/industry don't want you to know" type videos.
"if you learn to better control your light, you'll be able to shape your images much more easily, and you'll save a ton of work at your computer when it comes time for post-processing. It is why I recommend any photographer take time to learn artificial lighting, if nothing more than for the experience of controlling the light."
^^^ This. So much this.
Controlling the light is terrific and really makes our job easier right up until we can't control the light. That is the point that we start to find out who knows how to control their camera in lieu of controlling the light.
Even if you can't control the light, you're always going to be working in an environment of light. I'd argue that having one's head firmly around artificial lighting better equips most people to work within any lighting environment; even if they're not wanting to "control" it.
I know landscape photographers who after spending time shooting non landscape work with artificial light felt that the better understanding they now had helped them to take better landscape photos.
In other words, it's not necessarily about controlling light. It's about having a better understanding vis a vis light and photography that comes from getting one's head around artificial lighting.
I agree with 'better understanding'. Knowing what sort of light works best in particular environments certainly makes our work easier. I did an engagement shoot at 1PM...couldn't have had a more miserable time to shoot it, but that was their schedule. I spent a LOT of time looking for shade. Thankfully, we were in a park.
Wow 5 secrets. The world is now a better place.
Okay. I thought I was the only person here that thought that these weren't secrets at all. I kind of learned these facts when I started leaning photography. So how can they be secrets?
Secrets?
If more than one person knows it it is no more a secret…