Search results for: photography article dramatic lighting techniques
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by Mathew Malwitz · Posted
You don’t have to go far to capture fun and engaging images of wildlife. In fact, you may not have to go anywhere at all. A carefully landscaped yard and the right tools can attract an impressive variety of animal life to observe and photograph. Pair that with a little patience and soon you’ll be capturing stunning images from the comfort of your own home.
Attracting Birds
Birds are part of nearly every environment, from the densest cities to rural areas. While they are common, we’ll need to offer three essentials—water, shelter, and food—to
by Mathew Malwitz · Posted
Most photos consist of a balance between bright and dark tones, creating what we typically consider to be “proper exposure.” In proper exposure, there should be ample detail in all areas of the image, no matter how dark or how bright. At least, that’s what we should do when trying to capture a balanced exposure.
Balance, while important to most photographic situations, is not always best for a scene. There are
by Mathew Malwitz · Posted
When you first head out to take photos of wildlife, what’s the first thing you think of? If it’s not lighting, we’ve got news for you. Photography is, by definition, the capture of light on a light-sensitive surface. The word “photograph” is derived from Greek roots that translate to “drawing with light.”
We can have the most expensive camera and lens combo, but without good light, we’ll never get the most out of it. Understanding our primary light source and its many qualities is essential to improving as a wildlife photographer, and in this
by Todd Vorenkamp · Posted
Great products deserve (and often receive) great product photography. Whether you are photographing items for online sales, Internet auctions, or simply taking still life photos of a prized possession, there are some simple (and relatively inexpensive) gear and tips that can help your photos stand out from the others.
Online Auctions & Internet Marketplaces
We’ve all seen sub-par product images online. Let’s face it, they do not want to make you reach for your credit card or increase your bid. Smartphone snapshots are perfectly fine if you
by Robert Sansivero · Posted
If you’re just getting started with food photography, you probably have some questions. I certainly did. There are countless ways to set up a beautiful shot of a meal or enticing ingredient. Where to start?
This three-part series will focus on how to light food for photographs. We’ll start with natural light since it is the most abundant and affordable light source. Many successful food photographers create stunning images using only natural light. Next, we will consider continuous lights, ranging from incandescent bulbs at home to tunable
by Todd Vorenkamp · Posted
Photographers and filmmakers of the past used to break out homemade tricks—some innovative and fun—when trying to achieve special effects to make their images stand out from the crowd. Many of us have heard of the technique of smearing petroleum jelly on a lens filter for soft-focus effects. Today, one company—Lensbaby—has brought professional-grade optical tools to the world of creative photography and videography, allowing users to create
by Allan Weitz · Posted
I’ll never forget the first time I looked through the viewfinder of a camera fitted with a 20mm ultra-wide-angle lens. Everything looked amazing and I blew several rolls of film shooting everything I saw along the way. Prior to using this “exotic” lens, I had never shot with anything wider than the 50mm normal that came with my first 35mm camera.
The sobering part came when I developed the film and started eyeballing the results of my first outing. In a word, they were underwhelming, but I kept at it until I figured out how to use ultra-wide
by Cory Rice · Posted
Mastering studio lighting can feel like a Herculean feat when you’re just getting started. Like any aspect of photography, it requires patience, practice, and plenty of mistakes before it comes naturally. In an effort to shorten your learning curve, we’ve rounded up 10 common issues that beginners encounter and how to fix them.
Technical Issues
Lighting setups can be as simple or complicated as your heart desires—or your shot requires. However, before you can begin to think about how to use your lights creatively, you need to understand how
by Cory Rice · Posted
Collecting studio lights can become an addictive vice for the adventurous portrait photographer. Once you realize all that can be done with one light, you will soon want to add another, and another, and another. With each additional light come new techniques and creative possibilities. For portrait photographers, one of the most commonly used multi-light setups is three-point lighting. This tried-and-true approach to
by Jill Waterman · Posted
People gravitate to photography for a wide range of reasons—for some it’s primarily a vehicle for artistic expression, while others are drawn to photography as a science and are engrossed by its technical aspects. One increasingly popular photographic discipline that requires a careful mix of both artistic inspiration and scientific precision is night and low-light photography. While this was once a tenuous undertaking with little guarantee of predictable results, the powerful sensors, advanced low-light capabilities, and immediate feedback of
by Jill Waterman · Posted
The bright lights and lively bustle of the city at night is especially captivating to photographers, who have long sought to capture this rich spectrum of color, contrast, and motion in images. Yet there is more to consider in the world after dark than just a snapshot approach and automatic camera settings. With this in mind, consider these seven tips to help you get the most out of urban environments in low light.
Establishing time and place
by Todd Vorenkamp · Posted
Lightning is one of Nature’s most impressive displays and capturing it with a camera is a challenge, but the results can be almost as grand as the natural spectacle. There are a lot of overlaps between lightning photography and fireworks photography, but lightning’s unscheduled appearance adds an element of luck to the adventure.
Before we get started, there are two points I’d like to make:
Lightning is incredibly awesome, fun to