Shooting portraits outdoors in direct sunlight can lead to some pretty gnarly shadows. To help soften the natural light, photographer Kevin Kubota suggests using a scrim. Professional scrims can be a bit on the costly side, so Kubota suggests building your own to save you some green: DIY Scrim Supplies 3/4 inch PVC pipe (three 10-foot […]
Do you ever feel like taking portraits is a roll of the dice? Sometimes the pictures work out great, but other times you end up with washed out faces or harsh shadows. It’s both frustrating and disappointing. This complete photography course aims to cover everything you need to know to get consistent, quality results while […]
Anybody who is serious about indoor photography will eventually want their own studio. This doesn’t have to be an elaborate setup; a studio can mean anything from some domestic lamps and a spare bed sheet for the background to the more high tech options rented or owned by serious professionals. Inverse Square Law of Light […]
Lighting is tricky. Mixed lighting is trickier, and in most cases avoided. But learning to control mixed lighting can help you create a distinct look to your photographs. In this short video, Jaroslav Wieczorkiewicz explains how to used mixed lighting in the sense of both the type of light, flash and continuous, and in the […]
The essence of photography is built upon the workings of light and shadow. And when it comes to portrait lighting, the use of light and shadow has very different effects on the final image. In order to create some common ground between photographers, Lindsay Adler has identified a few key photography terms that you should […]
Lighting is one of the factors that can transform an image and greatly improve it, if applied correctly. In fact, most bland pictures can be transformed into stunning shots by changing nothing but the lighting. Choosing the right settings can come from a combination of trial and error and learning established techniques from others. In […]
In our obsession of gear and accessories, we often forget that photography is all about light. Understand it, shape it, and capture it and your photos will be amazing more often than not. In this video tutorial, photographer Brian Wilson demonstrates how you can make amazing portraits using a single light by following these basic […]
Using a snoot can give your photos just the right quality of light if you’re going for a high-contrast final image. In this video, Jay P. Morgan discusses what a snoot is, its area of coverage, the quality of light a snoot provides, and how to use it. He also show you how to create your […]
Most photographers start shooting with the sun behind them. After all, it’s what many beginning photography books suggest. But, that’s really missing out on a great part of portraiture—backlight. In this video, Mike Browne offers pointers for getting beautiful backlit portraits: When the sun is behind your subject it casts a rim light over them, […]
Professional quality lighting takes a lot of time and money, right? Think again. Aaron Nace shows you how to set up a professional quality lighting arrangement for your home studio for under 50 bucks. Intrigued? Check out this video: Nace’s setup brings down the whole enigma around studio lights that seems to keep amateur photographers […]
