Search results for: photography tips solutions 5 tips for using artificial light
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by Mathew Malwitz · Posted
First, a disclaimer: Like composition, lighting portraits is a subjective exercise. A setup that works for one situation may not work for the next, and lighting that one photographer adores might repulse another. Cultivating a personal lighting style involves an awareness of conventional approaches and willingness to go beyond what everyone else is doing. Study portraits
by Mathew Malwitz · Posted
As photographers, we are faced with a wide array of lighting conditions, ranging from bright sunlight to dimly lit interiors. Using ambient light as your main source is often preferable; however, in a situation such as an event or portrait where time is of the essence, you will need to know how to properly expose all these varying scenes using both natural and artificial light sources.
Being resourceful with your lighting setups lends greater efficiency, and having a lighting system you can easily move from one situation to the next quickly is
by Mathew Malwitz · Posted
The most engaging portraits seem to have direct eye contact between subject and viewer, as if the camera were simply a window through which we’re looking. But is it that simple? So much goes into making a good portrait, can success simply come down to eye contact between subject and camera and is it even necessary to concentrate on the eyes for a portrait? There are certainly wonderful portraits that do not focus exclusively on the eyes that illustrate character with other aspects of the body, from posture to hands, but as an introduction to
by Luke Rollins · Posted
Color negative and color transparency films have distinctive ways of rendering specific colors, and may have a warm (reddish), cool (bluish), or neutral color balance, as well as different color contrast characteristics. Thanks to the resurgence in film’s popularity in recent years, analog shooters have an astonishing number of choices, from major manufacturers like Kodak, Ilford, and Fujifilm, to smaller suppliers like Foma, Rollei, Agfa, Lomography, Kentmere, and Arista.
Obviously, we can’t include comprehensive info and hands-on impressions
by Cory Rice · Posted
Macro photo studios share many of the same basic needs and equipment as traditional photo studios—just on a smaller scale. This reduction in size both lowers the cost of entry into the genre while inviting creativity from resourceful DIY photographers. Below are some tips for expanding your macro studio using items around the house or easily obtained from local art, craft, or hardware stores.
One of the most versatile tools in any photo studio is the
by Todd Vorenkamp · Posted
Photography is all about capturing light. In fact, the etymology of the word “photograph” is basically “light drawing.” To make a photograph that we can see, we have to control both the amount of light that is exposed to a photosensitive surface, be it film or a digital sensor, and also control the sensitivity of that surface to the light. In this series, we will discuss a bit of the physics and characteristics of light and then how a camera and lens combine to control exposure by using what is commonly known as the “Exposure Triangle.”
by Todd Vorenkamp · Posted
There are many articles on the Web about specialized lighting for macro photography. As awesome as some of these ring lights and macro flashes are, they become just one more thing to cram
by Jill Waterman · Posted
Making pictures by night is a curious practice. While specialists of this subject embrace it as a deep-seated passion and have a never-ending quest for technical and creative advancement, those more familiar with daytime photography are often unaware that tried and true photography rules often need to be adapted or even overlooked at night. With this in mind, consider the following tips the next time you venture out in the darkness, to help you to adapt.
1. Take a Chance and Explore the Unknown
What’s my exposure time? This is the number one
by Todd Vorenkamp · Posted
Setting up your camera properly for night or low-light photography is a fundamental key to successful images. There are no hard and fast rules for settings for night photography because many of the settings you choose depend on the scene before you and how you want it to look in the final image. However, this guide will give you a foundation for setting up your camera to capture the wonders of the night.
Photographs ©Todd Vorenkamp
Exposure Mode
by Todd Vorenkamp · Posted
Specular out-of-focus highlights have appeared in photographs since the first photos were taken through lenses. In 1997, Photo Techniques magazine introduced the word “bokeh” to the photography world’s vernacular and the out-of-focus areas of photographs have been scrutinized ever since. Before the term, there was certainly discussion about the aesthetics of the out-of-focus specular highlights of a photograph, but until 1997, there wasn’t a good word in the English language to describe the phenomenon. Credit goes to Mike Johnston, article
by John Harris · Posted
Eat what you photograph. Take this tip with a grain of salt: Do not eat too much or what you cannot stomach, but to photograph your subject, you need to know it well. Go to markets, grow vegetables, handle your ingredients, try new dishes, and of course, learn how to cook.
Use a Macro Lens
Food can be photographed in many ways, from many perspectives, but close-ups and sharp details will always be necessary, and a true 1:1 macro lens
by Lindsay Finnegan · Posted
Are you new to food photography or looking to advance your lighting techniques? This article takes you through how to use existing light to your benefit as well as how to create it yourself. Both approaches will yield similar results, but each has its own unique advantages. It’s up to you which path to take.
Natural: Work with Window Light
The simplest way to photograph food is to shape light that already exists
by Todd Vorenkamp · Posted
1. Shoot every day Like any skill, the more you do it, the better you can get. The best camera you have is the one in your hand, so if you aren’t out with your full DSLR kit, don’t be afraid to take great photos with your cell phone camera or a point-and-shoot. Photography is photography, make pictures with a camera. Any camera.
2. Always have your camera near Pull up a chair and I can describe two amazing scenes that have been indelibly embedded in my mind. Unfortunately, for the first, my camera was broken (I was at sea, far from
by Todd Vorenkamp · Posted
Thirty? Really? Thirty questions for every photo? The title of this article might make you think there’s a burdensome checklist that must be completed every time you release the camera’s shutter.
There is not.
However, if you want to take your photography to new dimensions, this list of questions—some dealing with the physical act of the photograph and some dealing with the inner thoughts behind the image—might be just what you need to get your head, feet, or camera in the right place, to help make a good photograph great or a great photograph
by Todd Vorenkamp · Posted
Like the world’s tidal waters, photographic creativity ebbs and flows for many of us. Sometimes creativity can use a jump-start, an artificial method to get the photographer to start looking at the world in a new way in order to facilitate, restart, refine, or improve your photography.
There are many ideas on how to get yourself to push through an artistic block or inspire you to further expand your boundaries. Not all of them involve the camera. Several websites and books publish a mix of assignments or exercises for the intrepid photographer