lighting

We've been hard at work trying to demonstrate to you the effects of various lighting modifiers. So we created this quick infographic to show you how different lighting modifiers can affect a subject. We placed the light source in exactly the same spot for each photo. As we changed the lighting modifier for each photo, we also changed the power output of the Impact LiteTrek to accommodate to the various diffusion properties of each light modifier.

Feel free to share this with any aspiring lighting maven you know!

With Memorial Day coming up soon, some of the big things that we all think about are barbecues and other fun food made to celebrate. Since this is a time for rest and relaxation, it also means that it is a time to keep things simpler. Something that you will also want to probably do is take pictures of the delectable bites. We know we all love to do that! But if you want your food photos to stand out from the rest while making the workflow more simple, keep these tips in mind.

Intro photo and all others in this post are by Food Photography Expert Lou Manna.

Portraits can be super fun! Michael Thompson of LightenUpandShoot.com sometimes employs a very specific style of shooting. He combines street photography with portraits; he finds cool locations and interesting people, and sets up a mini-studio right there on the spot. He's done workshops on this at the B&H Event Space, but you should see if he's coming closer to your neck of the woods.

How do you think Mike shot the photo above? Read on to find out, and also be sure to check out the video showing Michael shooting the photos.

Ansel Adams once remarked that a good photograph is knowing where to stand. Where we stand—or kneel, sit, or lie—determines the camera’s point of view.

The seemingly mundane task of selecting a point of view is one of the most creative aspects of photography. When the camera’s position changes, the relationships of the visual elements in the viewfinder are rearranged. We can redesign the world as the camera sees it, simply by moving.

Studio lights are essential for many types of product and fashion shots, and I’ve used them for decades. Sometimes I like to keep things simple, though, and it’s fun to challenge myself to create lighting that evokes a mood and an emotion with just a single portable flash. I recently photographed a beautiful young model, Ellecie White of Hillsboro, Tennessee, and I thought this would be the perfect time to minimize my equipment. I felt it would be less intimidating to a five-year-old, and I was sure I could create the type of lighting I wanted.

Have you ever looked at photographs and wondered how they were lit? Strobist diagrams can help after the fact, but what about before: how do you know how to get the look you want? Consider a cinematography technique: lighting your scene one light at a time.

In this video, we take a look at the Impact Lite Trek (LT) Power Pack.  This power pack is intended for photographers on the go who  require portable DC-battery power for their camera flash or monolight.