Achieve « 360Photography

RSS

Posts Tagged ‘Achieve’

How to Achieve Blurred Backgrounds in Portrait Photography

22 May

The post How to Achieve Blurred Backgrounds in Portrait Photography appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Darlene Hildebrandt.

How can you create a beautiful, soft blurred background, like the one you see below?

It’s a question I hear over and over from my students. But there’s a major misconception among new portrait photographers: that to achieve such a stunning background blur, you need to go out and buy an expensive lens.

And this is just plain wrong.

Because while it’s true that certain (often expensive) lenses are better for creating blurred backgrounds, it’s also true that several other key factors go into achieving the soft background look – and most photographers fail to consider these factors and how they can be used for gorgeous results.

In other words:

You are capable of creating a lovely blurred background, and you can probably do it with the lenses you already own.

So if you want to learn how to create that gorgeous background, then read on!

Four factors affect background blur

Whenever you see a beautifully blurred background, know that four factors together produced the effect:

the aperture setting
the focal length of the lens
the distance between the subject and the background
the distance between your camera and the subject

If you use a wide aperture, you’ll get a blurry background, sure – and this is what most photographers think of when they see beautiful background bokeh.

But you can use a relatively narrow aperture and achieve the same look with a longer focal length, or by increasing the subject-background distance, or by getting closer to your subject.

So even if you have a lens with a relatively narrow maximum aperture, such as f/5.6, you can get the look you’re after. You just have to carefully control the other background blur factors.

Make sense?

The background blur factors: a quick demonstration

To demonstrate the factors affecting background blur, I’ve created some example photos of a friend’s daughter (she was a more willing subject than my husband!).

This first set of images was taken with my subject about two feet away from the front door of the house. The focal lengths used for all the example shots are (on a full-frame body) 16mm, 35mm, 70mm, and 150mm; note that I backed up with each shot to keep the framing constant. Also, I am deliberately not divulging my aperture, though it is the same for every image.

Now, the second set of images below was taken with my subject about 20 feet away from the house. Again, each time I changed focal lengths, I moved farther away to keep my subject the same size in the frame.

example portraits with subject farther from background

Now take a careful look at each set of images. What do you see?

Did you notice how much softer the background is in the second set of images? Especially at the 150mm focal length?

Remember: All eight images were taken with the same aperture. The only adjustment made for the first set is the lens focal length. And the only difference between the first set and the second set is the distance between the subject and the background; I had my subject move several feet forward.

But what about the aperture?

As you know, I deliberately withheld the aperture – but would you be surprised if I said that all the images were taken at f/5.6?

It’s true! I used an f/5.6 aperture for each shot. Not the first aperture you think of when someone says “blurred background,” right?

Which means that, as long as you have a lens that can shoot at f/5.6, you can get the same exact look.

One more comparison using f/2.8

Just to further prove the point, here are two more sets of images. All the shots are taken at f/2.8, though the first set shows my subject positioned close to the house, whereas the second set shows my subject positioned away from the house.

Can you see how much more the focal length and the distance between the subject and the background affect the background compared to the wide aperture? There’s not a big difference between these shots and the shots at f/5.6 – but there is a huge difference between the images shot at different focal lengths, as well as the images shot with the subject close versus far from the background.

background blur at f/2.8 (taken farther away from the background)

Capturing blurred backgrounds: key takeaways

While using a wide aperture is a factor in creating a blurred background, it is not the only factor. And in my opinion, it’s not the most important.

Instead, if you want to create beautiful backgrounds, make sure you:

Use a longer lens (I generally shoot at 85mm or longer for portraits)
Ask your subject to move away from the background (note that this also depends on the environment, so make sure you do a bit of location-scouting before taking out your camera!)

You can also consider getting closer to your subject; this will increase the blur, though it’ll also tighten up your framing – just something to keep in mind.

Now, go look at the image at the top of the article again.

It, too, was taken at f/5.6! Bet you didn’t guess that the first time you looked at it, am I right?

And here’s one last set of examples to show you the power of a long focal length plus a distant background:

portrait of girl at f/2.8 background blur camera — Taken with a 200mm lens at f/2.8

portrait of girl at f/2.8 with blurry background — 200mm lens at f/2.8

portrait of girl at f/5.6 blurry background in-camera — 200mm lens at f/5.6

Background blur: final words

Now that you’ve finished this article, you know how to create stunning background blur – and you know that you don’t need an expensive f/1.2 lens to make it happen.

In fact, I challenge you to test this out yourself. Find a willing subject, start them close to the background, then slowly move them forward. Test out different focal lengths, different apertures, and different distances to your subject.

In the end, you’ll have some stunning shots – even if you only shoot at f/5.6 and beyond.

Now over to you:

Do you struggle to get perfect blurred backgrounds? Which of the tips from this article are you going to use first? Share your thoughts in the comments below!

The post How to Achieve Blurred Backgrounds in Portrait Photography appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Darlene Hildebrandt.

Digital Photography School

Comments Off

Posted in Photography

How to Achieve Dark and Dramatic Food Portraits

24 Sep

The post How to Achieve Dark and Dramatic Food Portraits appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Charlie Moss.

Unless you’ve been under a rock for the last few years, you can’t have missed the growth of food portraits. They are everywhere, from the high-budget advertising of supermarkets and artisan food brands to amateur photographers on Instagram.

If you’re even slightly interested in food photography, wherever you look you’ll be presented with sensuous images of beautifully-styled food portraits. From burgers with perfectly placed drippy cheese to vintage-styled cakes laden with fruit, it sometimes seems that the photography world has gone food-mad.

What is a food portrait?

One competition with a food portraiture category says that they want to see images of food that are “good enough to eat.” But a look through their gallery of previous competitions suggests something more.

In food portraits, the food is the hero. It’s not about the farmer, the shop, or the packaging; the photograph is unapologetically about the food. And it should make you want to reach right into the picture and take a bite.

There are many styles of food portraits. Sometimes it’s about the hero ingredient and other times it’s about the finished dish. But it’s never about the person who made it or the place the food is being served.

Some photographers love a bright and airy feel to their images. Their shots wouldn’t look out of place in a designer loft apartment. Others prefer a darker-styled shot. And it’s this style that I’m going to focus on in this article.

(If you’d like some inspiration, just search “dark food photography” on Pinterest or Instagram and start scrolling.)

Choosing a subject

Not every piece of food makes for a great subject. If you’re shooting an ingredient before it’s prepared, then don’t be afraid to look for the most perfect or characterful examples you can find in the shop. Every flaw or imperfection will feel like it has been magnified by ten when you photograph it.

Of course, sometimes you might like to deviate from images of perfect ingredients! The potatoes I photographed in the pictures for this tutorial were delightfully gnarled. They come from a period in UK food production called “the hungry gap;” during this time, the last of the winter vegetables are on the table while we wait for the fresh spring produce. Always look for a story in your images.

If you’re planning on shooting a finished dish, then it needs to be plated both beautifully and creatively. This takes practice, and many professional photographers hire food stylists to help them with the job. Don’t be disheartened if it takes a while to get the hang of cooking and plating food that looks good in photographs (besides, you get to eat your attempts while you practice).

Take your time composing your scene. As you can see from the screenshot of my Lightroom catalog above, I knew roughly what I wanted from the start, but ended up making many minor adjustments to the potatoes I was photographing.

Don’t forget to think about your props and background. They are as much a part of the shot as the food itself. You can make your images even more unique by painting your own backdrops.

Keep it simple

To shoot dark food portraits, you don’t need an elaborate, complicated, or expensive setup. These potatoes were simply shot on a tabletop with a painted background and a fake wooden surface. There is natural morning light coming from the left-hand side of the image. On the right, I positioned a piece of cardboard with some tinfoil wrapped around it to act as a reflector.

Once I’ve shot a photograph that I’m happy with, I like to apply a general Lightroom preset to add contrast and color grade the image. This kind of subtle color grading can really help to set your photo apart.

Changing the color tones in this way is something that people who aren’t photographers often don’t do with their images, and so it adds a more polished look in the eyes of many viewers.

Take it to Photoshop

Once I’ve set the basic color that I want in Adobe Lightroom, I open the image in Photoshop. Photoshop lets you use layers, which ultimately allows you to have greater control over the image you are creating.

Apply sharpening

The first thing I always do when I’m opening an image in Photoshop is apply some gentle sharpening. It just crisps up all the details so that you can get to work.

My method for this initial sharpening is to first duplicate the background layer. You’ll need to get a copy of your image onto a new layer in order for this method to work. You can right-click on the existing layer in the layers panel and choose “Duplicate Layer.”

Apply a high pass filter with a radius of about 1.5 on the new layer that you just created. The high pass filter is found in the “Filter” menu (look in “Other” at the bottom of the list). The radius you need will vary, but if you look closely at the image above, you’ll see that the “ghost” of the image is barely visible when you preview the effect that the high pass filter is having.

Once you’ve done this, set the layer’s blend mode to “Overlay,” and you should see the effect of the high pass filter that you just applied.

Dodge and burn

You can make dark food photographs really come alive by using dodge and burn creatively, and that’s the technique at the heart of the example image above.

Rather than using the dodge and burn tools built into Photoshop, try this method instead. First, create two new layers. Name one “Dodge” and one “Burn.” In the “New Layer” dialogue box, make sure that you check the option to fill the layer with an overlay-neutral colour and set the blending mode to “Overlay.”

Then, using a soft brush set to 100% opacity but with a low (2-3%) flow, you can start to bring the image to life. Use a black brush on the burn layer to deepen the shadows and a white brush on the dodge layer to brighten the highlights.

Go gently and try not to lose too much detail! The trick with dodging and burning is to build up the effect slowly. Use brushes and layers like a painter uses light and shadow to shape the food portraits that you have photographed.

You can always turn down the opacity of a layer if you go too far, or you can even delete it and start again altogether. If there’s just a small bit that you’re not happy with, you can apply a layer mask and just mask out that small section.

Finishing the food portrait

To finish off the image, I added a digital texture to the background and faded it until it was almost invisible. It had the effect of softening the painted backdrop slightly, which is a look I preferred.

This basic approach of editing colors in Lightroom (perhaps using a preset), sharpening the image in Photoshop, and then dodging and burning the photograph is one that can be applied to many different kinds of photographs.

I’ve used the same approach in architectural photography as well as portraits, but I feel that it really shines as a technique when it comes to dark and dramatic food portraits.

The post How to Achieve Dark and Dramatic Food Portraits appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Charlie Moss.

Digital Photography School

Comments Off

Posted in Photography

Tips and Tricks to Achieve a Graffiti Effect in Photoshop

12 Jul

The post Tips and Tricks to Achieve a Graffiti Effect in Photoshop appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Ana Mireles.

tips for creating a graffiti effect in Photoshop

Are you a fan of street art? Creating a graffiti effect is a great way to give an urban look to your designs or photos. In this article, I’ll show you some tips and tricks to get more realistic results using Photoshop.

Prep Work

You’ll need to do a little prep work to get you started on your way to making a realistic graffiti effect in your images.

Reference images

Whenever you’re recreating something that’s based on real-life, it is good practice to have a reference. Create a library from your own photographs or use online resources like Pinterest. That way, you have a visual guide to make your graffiti effect as realistic as possible.

Pinterest gallery for visual reference — Resources like Pinterest are great for finding graffiti resource images.

Get a photo of a wall

First, photograph the wall you want to use for your graffiti effect. (If you can’t photograph one yourself, look to stock libraries or free-use images online.) There are no specific rules to follow, but the more texture it has, the better the effect will look. For example, you can use a brick wall, a rough concrete wall, a corrugated iron fence etc.

Then you need to create a black and white version of your image that is highly contrasted. This will serve as your displacement map.

There are many ways to do this, so feel free to use your own technique. I like to add adjustment layers. Use the Hue/Saturation to make it greyscale by moving the saturation slider all the way to the left. Then add a Brightness/Contrast one to increase the contrast.

High contrast black and white displacement map

Once you’re done, save it as a PSD format for later use.

Create your graffiti

There are many types and styles of graffiti: Blockbuster, Throw up, Tag, Stencil, Piece, etc. If you want to achieve a good graffiti effect, you should pick one of them for your work. I don’t intend for you to be a street art expert, nor do I pretend to be one, that’s why you can use the reference pictures. That way, the effect will be more realistic.

1. Blockbuster

This is one of the most common text-based graffiti. In simple words, it’s the one that has colorful chunky letters with thick borders.

If you want to buy or download a specifically designed graffiti font, you’re welcome to do it. If you want to make it more unique, you can also use a default font and modify it.

Using the Text tool, you can choose your font in the Options bar. Type your text, and it will be created in a separate text layer. If you right-click on that layer, choose “Convert to Shape.”

Once it’s a shape, you can modify it using the pen tool.

In the toolbar, under the Pen tool, you’ll find the Convert Point tool. With it, you can drag any of the anchor points to modify the shape.

Modify fonts for a graffiti effect — Select and drag any of the anchor points to change the shape of the letters to what you want.

Note: Using the pen tool, you could create the letters from scratch too, but unless you’re a painter or a graphic designer, it’s easier to have something to get you started.

Now, using Layer styles, add the colors, edges, and shadows to mimic the effect from the graffiti you chose.

Layer styles give your text a graffiti effect

2. Stencil

Another style of graffiti is Stencil. This can be as easy or complex as you want it to be. It’s often one color (but can be more) and without internal details or depth. So, a basic way to do them is by using the Shape tool. You can use predetermined shapes or create your own with the Pen tool.

Just like you did for the text, use the Convert Point tool to modify your shapes at any time.

3. Piece

The third choice you have is to use a photograph in order to create a Piece (as in masterpiece). For this, you just go to File->Place and select the image of your choice. This will open it as a Smart Object.

A graffiti piece is more of a drawing, so it will be less detailed than a photograph. To get a better result, you can turn it into a painting or a cartoon before you apply the graffiti effect.

Give your photo a graffiti effect using filters

Try using the filter’s gallery to simplify your work. Go to Filter > Filter Gallery and apply different styles until you find the one you like. Notice that you can build up many of them if you feel like experimenting.

Finishing Touches

Once you have chosen the type of graffiti effect you would like to use, there are a few more steps to make it realistic.

1. Displacement Filter

It doesn’t matter if you did a Blockbuster, a Stencil, or a Piece, you need to integrate it into the wall in order to make a graffiti out of it. This is where the displacement map you created in the prep work comes into play.

Just go to Menu->Filters->Distort->Displacement. In the pop-up window, select the values you want. I’ll use a value of “10” in both. Click “OK” and it will open a window for you to browse your files.

Choose the grayscale image of the wall you did in the prep work and apply it.

To fully incorporate this ‘distorted’ image into the wall, right-click on the empty part of the layer and choose Blending Options from the menu. Then use the “Blend If” sliders until you’re happy with the results.

2. Adding perspective

This step is completely optional, but if you want to give more depth, you need to add a vanishing point. For this, make a new layer that merges all of the other by pressing Shift+Ctrl+Alt+E for PC or Shift+Command+Option+E for Mac.

Now select it and go to Edit->Transform->Perspective. Pull one of the corners up and stop when you’re happy with the result. Apply the transformation and your Graffiti effect is ready.

Create a graffiti effect in Photoshop — The finished artwork uses Blockbuster, Stencil and Piece graffiti effects.

Conclusion

Graffiti is a very rich and complex art form that is very difficult to sum-up in just one article. However, I hope these tips and tricks will help you achieve a real graffiti effect.

There really is a lot of material to get creative in this area, so try it out, and have fun. Share your results and tips in the comments section.

The post Tips and Tricks to Achieve a Graffiti Effect in Photoshop appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Ana Mireles.

Digital Photography School

Comments Off

Posted in Photography

How to Achieve Great Portraits with Window Light

21 Jun

The post How to Achieve Great Portraits with Window Light appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Mat Coker.

When you learn to do portraits with window light you can set up a studio anywhere there is a window.

In this tutorial, I’ll give you all the important information, including what to do with different window sizes, where to position the person, and how to make their eyes sparkle.

You’ll see examples of newborns/infants, children, professional headshots, and candid moments.

The bigger the window, the nicer the light

The first thing that you should know about making portraits with window light is that the bigger the window, the nicer the light. What each photographer considers to be “good” light is relative. But many photographers want soft light for portraits.

If you would like soft light for your portraits, then you need a large window. If you want harsh light, look for a smaller window.

This principle is true for all light sources; the larger the light source, the softer the light will appear on your subject.

Natural light portrait — Notice how dark and crisp the shadows are when using a small window (approximately 12 inches by 12 inches). ISO 1600 f/2.5 1/320 sec

window light portrait — But the window in this photo was about ten times the size, resulting in brighter light and softer shadows. ISO 1600 f/2.4 1/500 sec

Remember that small windows are more likely to create harsh looking light with dark, crisp shadows, while larger windows will produce softer-looking light with gradual, subtle shadows.

A larger window will also create more sparkle in the eyes (you’ll learn how to do that below).

Where to position the person

Now you know how to get soft light or harsh light for your portraits.

The next thing you need to know is where to position the person for the portrait.

If you have beautiful soft light, but you position the person wrong, then the light won’t look pleasing on the person’s face.

Portrait lighting usually looks best when the light source is in front of the person, but off to the side. It also helps if the light source is a little higher up.

portraits with window light — Notice that the window is beside the infant and that she is placed back a bit.

Natural portraits portrait with window light — This is the resulting portrait. 50mm ISO 1600 f/4.0 1/500 sec

laying down portraits with window light — In this case, I laid her down with the window above her. I could have turned her to the side a little bit, but decided not to because I like the way the catchlights will appear in her eyes.

Do not sit them in direct sunlight

If there is direct sunlight coming in the window, make sure that you do not sit your subject in the direct sunlight. If you do, the window will no longer be the true light source; rather, the harsh sunlight will now be the light source.

infant portraits with window light — Notice how the two girls are positioned in this photo. The one on the left is in direct sunlight, while the one on the right is out of the direct sunlight.

How to make their eyes sparkle

The sparkle in the eye that you see in portraits is called a catchlight. You create catchlights by making sure that the window is reflected in your subject’s eyes.

catch lights portraits with window light — Do you see the sparkle in the top left corner of her eyes? This is the window reflecting in her eyes. 50mm ISO 1600 f/4.0 1/500 sec

Position of catch lights — You can tell where the window is positioned by where the reflection is in her eyes. Now that she has turned her head, the catchlights are in the lower part of her eyes. 50mm ISO 1600 f/4.0 1/500 sec

When doing portraits with window light, be sure to bring your portrait to life with catchlights.

How to get rid of unwanted shadows

It can be hard to take a portrait using a window and have no shadows on the face. But you can fill in those shadows or make them disappear using a reflector. Remember, you can use any large white surface as a reflector.

portrait with window light — You can soften or reduce shadows by using a reflector. If you don’t have a professional reflector, you can use a large sheet of white paper or poster board.

how to use a reflector for portraits — You can soften or reduce shadows by using a reflector. If you don’t have a professional reflector, you can use a large sheet of white paper or poster board.

Window light for headshots

At this point, you understand that large windows create soft light, you can use a reflector to fill in shadows, and that catchlights create a sparkle in the eye. You’re on your way to having a pro studio set up in your living room!

Here is a setup that you can use for headshot portraits with window light.

window light headshots — Notice the soft light and nice catchlights. A reflector was used for this portrait.

candid portrait with window light — No reflector was used for this portrait.

Window light in everyday life

Now that you know the principles, you can use window light with candid photography as well.

Remember that it is often good to have the light source coming from the side. However, you can experiment by putting the window behind your subject to make creative silhouettes. You can also get creative by allowing direct sunlight to fall on your subject.

How to Achieve Great Portraits with Window Light

Did you know your home was filled with such great light sources?

Studio strobe lights are wonderful to use, but they’re not always affordable or practical to drag around.

Once you know the principles, you can use windows just as effectively and creatively as strobe lights.

Remember these principles when making portraits with window light:

Larger windows create softer light
Smaller windows create harsh shadows
Do not sit your subject in direct sunlight
Have the window to the side and in front of your subject
Use a reflector to fill in shadows
Catchlights create a sparkle in the eyes
Use a backdrop for professional portraits
Get creative with backlight and candid moments

One of the best ways to get started is to use a toy as a model. Go and have some fun with this and share your results with us in the comments!

The post How to Achieve Great Portraits with Window Light appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Mat Coker.

Digital Photography School

Comments Off

Posted in Photography

Focusing Tips for Beginners – Ways to Achieve Spot-on Focus in Photography

06 Mar

The post Focusing Tips for Beginners – Ways to Achieve Spot-on Focus in Photography appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Kevin Landwer-Johan.

Focus is vital. Capturing your subject in crisp, sharp focus requires skill and practice. You need to understand the various auto-focus controls on your camera. Here are some focusing tips for beginners to help you get sharp photos more consistently.

Focusing Tips for Beginners, Thai models

There’s no fixing an out-of-focus photo

Many digital photographers like to use the various sharpening options available in software. Don’t be tempted. I have never known an out-of-focus photo to be well improved with post-production manipulations.

Sharpening in post can, however, help images that are a little soft. This is often due to lens quality rather than poor focusing. Either your photos are in focus or they are not. Focusing tips for beginners are important to understand. There is no fixing an out of focus photo with your computer.

Focusing Tips for Beginners Asian Photographer

Focus on your subject

Pick your point and focus on it. Having the wrong part of your composition in focus will not result in a good photograph. You must decide what’s in your frame that’s most important and focus on it.

Focusing tips for beginners often contain information about operating your camera better. I will include these tips here also. But first, it’s important to know what you want to focus on. This is something I prefer not to let my camera choose for me.

As you are composing your photo, be mindful of your main subject. Consider it’s depth. Is most of your subject the same distance from your camera? Or is some of it closer to you than other parts?

Photographing a bicycle that’s side on to you, most of it is about the same distance from your camera. Taking a photo of the bike as it faces the camera will mean you need to choose whereabouts on it to focus. If you focus on the back wheel, the front wheel may be out of focus.

One rule of thumb I use most of the time is, if your subject has eyes, focus on them. If one eye is closer to your camera than the other, focus on the closest one. Subjects with eyes that are out of focus rarely look good in photos.

Multi or single point auto-focus?

Digital cameras usually have various setting options for choosing your focus point. You can set your camera to only focus on a single point. Or you can set it to choose from multiple points. More advanced cameras allow you to set the area and number of focus points.

I prefer to have my camera set to single point auto-focus. This allows me to be precise and in control of what I focus on. Having your camera set to multi-point auto-focus means your camera chooses what part of your composition to focus on.

Some camera models allow you to move the single focus point to position it where you want in the frame. In other cameras, the single point for auto-focusing is central in the frame and you cannot move it. To use the single point on these cameras, you must shift your camera to focus where you want and then re-compose. I would find this frustrating. It will not always provide correct focus when you are using a very wide aperture setting.

Iron Bridge at night in Chiang Mai, Thailand

Using a camera where you can precisely control the single point the camera will auto-focus on, gives you control. You can move the point to the portion of the frame where you want to focus easily. This may take some practice to become quick at it, but it’s worthwhile when you want to be in control.

About the only time I use multi-point auto-focusing, is when I am tracking a moving subject that is constant. The camera will often be able to lock on and keep with a subject unless the subject is moving erratically. Accuracy when using this mode can also depend on how fast your subject is moving. Your subject will be easier to track when it’s slow-moving.

Focusing Tips for Beginners Asian photogrpaher and her camera

Continuous or single-servo auto-focus?

Choosing continuous or single-servo auto-focus is another important decision. When you choose continuous focus, your camera will always be refocusing while you have the focus button activated. With single-servo auto-focus, pressing the focus control, it will focus once and remain set on that point – even when your subject or camera moves.

Continuous-servo focusing is most useful when you have a moving subject, or you are moving with your camera. If I am using continuous-servo focus, I am often also using a multi-point setting. However, most of the time, I use single-servo focusing.

Focusing Tips for Beginners Tricycle taxis in Chiang Mai

Back button focus

By default, cameras are configured to use the shutter release button to focus. You will half depress the shutter button to focus. Some cameras allow you to turn off focusing on the shutter button and assign the focus function to another button.

Many photographers like to change the focus function to be controlled by one of the buttons on the back of the camera. Hence the name, back button focus.

Doing this allows you to focus independently from taking a photo. Assigning a button other than the shutter release to control focus, gives you more flexibility. You can focus and take photos independently when different buttons control these functions.

Back button focus can take a little getting used to, but I have found it well worthwhile because it gives me more control of my focus.

There are many situations where you might want to take a photo without refocusing, and back-button focusing allows you to do this.

Using manual focus

Another of the focusing tips for beginners is manual focusing. Some may think that manual focusing is too slow or difficult, but it’s not if you practice it.

You can become proficient in a short space of time if you commit to learning. Once you know how you will be surprised at how often manual focus skills come in handy.

Auto-focus is a wonderful technology, but it’s not always perfect. When you find your lens searching for a focus point and struggling to find one, it pays to switch over to manual if you know what you are doing.

Manually controlling your focus in low light can often be faster and more precise than your camera’s auto-focus. Learning to focus manually is also a lot cheaper than upgrading to a higher quality camera that has better auto-focus.

Portrait of a Karen man in northern Thailand

Focus technique

I hope you have found these focusing tips for beginners useful. Remember, don’t leave it all to your camera. Getting well-focused images is not all about managing your camera’s auto-focus system. You need to work on your focus techniques and know what to do when you are photographing different subjects. This is particularly important when your subject is moving.

Sometimes you’ll want to track focus. At other times you’ll want to pre-focus and wait for your subject to enter your frame. When doing macro photography, it can be useful to set your focus and then move your camera or subject forwards or back a little to fine-tune.

Practice, as always, will make you sharper, and your images too.

Do you have any other focusing tips for beginners that you’d like to share? If so, please do so in the comments.

The post Focusing Tips for Beginners – Ways to Achieve Spot-on Focus in Photography appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Kevin Landwer-Johan.

Digital Photography School

Comments Off

Posted in Photography

How to Achieve Awesome Black and White Photos with Digital Filters

06 Dec

The post How to Achieve Awesome Black and White Photos with Digital Filters appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Adam Welch.

When we think about black and white photographs, we generally associate them with an absence of color.

This is certainly not the case.

Like all photographs, black and white images are made from light, and light consists of innumerable wavelengths that produce the colors we see with our eyes. With black and white photography, we might not see the saturation of colors the same way, but the luminance values of these colors remain the same whether we view them in color or black and white.

This is why it’s so important to shoot digital black and white photos in RAW mode so that we can later manipulate these intact luminance values to control the contrasts within our digitally-converted black and white photos.

Black-and-White-digital-filters

All of this is based on the use of physical “color” lens filters, which filter out different wavelengths of light to produce varying contrast effects in black and white photography.

A red filter produces dark, dramatic skies in landscape photos while orange filters can radically reduce the appearance of freckles and other skin blemishes in your portraits.

Of course, this means carrying a set of filters with you constantly and also compensating for the slight reduction in light with adjustments to your exposures.

Black-and-White-digital-filters

But what if I told you that your DSLR or MDC (mirrorless digital camera) most likely has all of the color filters you will need for outstanding black and white work right at your fingertips?

I know, I was initially just as surprised as you are. Read on.

Black and white digital filters

Real black and white color filters work to filter out other wavelengths of light that don’t fall into the color spectrum of the filter. This means red filters allow red wavelengths to pass, blue allows blue, etc.

The cool thing is, many major camera manufacturers have seen fit to include digital amalgamations of these color filters. They could very well be slightly buried in your camera’s settings, but Canon, Nikon, Olympus, and Panasonic all offer models which sport built-in black and white color filters.

As always, your camera user manual is your best friend. However, you may often find these filter options (if you have them) in the monochrome settings of your digital camera. In our example, I’ll be using a Canon 5D MKIII.

Black-and-White-digital-filters

I’m about to say something not usually encountered when it comes to digital photography these days – when using these digital black and white filters, it can be best to shoot JPEG…not RAW.

Sure, you’re going to lose some post-processing leverage, but seeing that you can see the effects of your filter choices and you likely intend to end up with a black and white photo anyway, there’s not much reason to save the color information with a RAW file.

The wonderful thing about digital black and white filters is that you can enjoy real-time feedback of the filter effects.

Which filter to use?

We’ve touched on a few of the circumstances where color black and white filters are best suited. In most cases, your digital camera will have a set of digital color filters from which to choose: red, yellow, orange, green and blue. These options, however, will vary. For instance, my 5D MKIII has no blue filter option.

Have a look at some examples and each of these below. I’ve used the same scene to show the varying effects of each filter. I’ve also listed a few quick scenarios that may help you choose a particular filter setting.

Here’s the original color photo for reference:

Color image with no in-camera black and white filters applied.

Red Filter

This filter is a great way to pump in instant drama to most black and white landscape photos.

Notice the immediate darkening of the blue sky with the red filter

The red filter drastically reduces the transmission of blue wavelengths, thus darkening blue skies and making clouds pop. Some scenes can take on an almost infrared appearance.

Orange Filter

Taking it down a notch from the heavily-apparent effects of the red filter, the orange filter produce similar, yet subdued, contrasts to its red cousin.

How to Achieve Awesome Black and White Photos with Digital Filters

Orange color filters are great “general purpose filters” for adding in contrast to your black and white photos. They darken blue skies and help to bring out the appearance of clouds.

For portraits, they work great for reducing skin blemishes like moles and freckles.

Orange filters are also great for reducing atmospheric haze and fog.

Yellow Filter

A yellow color filter produces effects even less “in your face” than the orange filter. A yellow filter is a good option for bringing out the contrasts of foliage and can also be a good choice for a general black and white photography filter when the orange filter is a bit too harsh.

How to Achieve Awesome Black and White Photos with Digital Filters

The next two filters are less useful for most shooters but still bear mentioning. Well, not less useful, but perhaps not found as commonly in black and white photography as the other color filters I’ve mentioned.

Green Filter

Of course, this filter allows the transmission of green light. This makes it a good choice for flower and foliage photography as it helps to add contrast between the often green-colored stems and leaves of the plants. All while providing separation from the different-colored flowers and blossoms.

How to Achieve Awesome Black and White Photos with Digital Filters

Green filters can also brighten blue skies but not as much as the last filter we’re about to discuss.

Final thoughts on in-camera digital filters…

Digital photography has made many things easier and more accessible for photographers. Even more fortunate, many of the same tried-and-true technical and optical principles still apply to our digital cameras. Built-in digital black and white color filters are just one of the many benefits of our brave new digital age.

Black-and-White-digital-filters

Many popular camera manufacturers have included digital black and white color filters with their digital camera offerings, so check your particular model.

Black and white color filters allow you to add instant strength and contrast to your black and white photos.

Depending on your particular scene or subject, you can produce amazingly powerful black and whites before you ever download them from your camera. Color black and white filters have long been a standby of serious photographers, and it’s great to see them still holding their own, albeit in a more modern, digital incarnation.

So go out and try these black and white digital filters, and share your photos with us in the comments section!

The post How to Achieve Awesome Black and White Photos with Digital Filters appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Adam Welch.

Digital Photography School

Comments Off

Posted in Photography

Creative Photography Exercises: Setting Limitations to Achieve Better Photography

19 Nov

The post Creative Photography Exercises: Setting Limitations to Achieve Better Photography appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Ana Mireles.

Every photographer can feel stuck at some point. I find this often happens when you have learned all the technical basics, and it’s time for you to start finding your way. Is this you? Here are some creative photography exercises than can help you shake things up. Keep on reading to see how setting limitations can help you to achieve better photography.

Creative photography exercises

Have you ever been to a restaurant that has a huge menu but you can’t decide what to order? The same thing can happen with your photography. Having the ability to photograph anything can seem daunting. That’s why setting limits before you start shooting can help you focus.

Creative photography exercises

You can set a limit regarding the idea or project you want. In this photo, I decided to limit my idea to fruits as a topic. You can also limit the tools and techniques that you can use – for example, using long exposure times. Here are some creative photography exercises to get you started.

Technical Limitations

Use only one focal length

As you probably know, there are zoom lenses and prime lenses. A zoom lens means that you can change your angle of view in seconds, which gives you great versatility. A prime lens has a fixed focal length, and this will force you to move around and re-compose your images.

Creative Photography Exercises: Setting Limitations to Achieve Better Photography

If you don’t have a prime lens, use your zoom but choose a focal length and stick with it for the entire exercise. Here I used an 18-55mm and put some tape as a reference on 40mm. This doesn’t mean that you can’t use both lenses, it’s just a way for you to practice without buying new gear.

Think in terms of film photography

Pretend you’re using a film camera and set yourself a limit of 12, 24 or 36 images that you can use. I suggest these numbers because film rolls were sold like that, but feel free to set a different limit without overdoing it. This will push you to put more thought into the final image before you press the shutter button.

Creative Photography Exercises: Setting Limitations to Achieve Better Photography

If you want to make it more challenging, try only using the viewfinder and not reviewing your images after shooting. Not having the chance to delete images in order to stay within the maximum amount gives you that extra push.

Project Limitations

Ride the bus

This is a fun project because you can approach it in many different ways. For example, you can choose to photograph the street while riding the bus or the metro. This takes away much of your control over the scene in front of you. You also have to deal with motion and reflections. And most of all, you have to react quick before you’re gone.

Creative photography exercises

You can also choose to photograph the inside of the vehicle. This is very close quarters so it will help you to overcome shyness. It is also challenging to compose and focus on short distances. So you may want to explore a wide-angle lens if you want to capture the full scene. The light probably won’t be very bright so you may need to bump up your ISO. Combined with the fact that you’re moving, you may find it challenging, but give it a try!

Always shoot at the same time

Program an alarm on your phone to remind you to take a picture exactly at the same time every day. If you have a routinary life, it will challenge you to shoot the same thing or place differently. If you have a flexible schedule, and the time, you will find yourself in different places, where you’ll have to deal with a variety of challenges each time.

Creative photography exercises

Either way, it will kick start your creativity. This image, for example, is only the heater from my studio. Try looking for different angles, play with lighting, etc.

Conclusion

These are just some ideas for creative photography exercises. Feel free to create your own according to your interest, gear and even the place you live. You just need to follow the same rule of establishing some guidelines as limitations to strengthen your abilities and creativity. I’ll leave you here some other articles that can give you more ideas:

Expand Your Creativity by Taking Self-Portraits.
An Apple a Day Keeps Creativity Awake.
How to Boost Your Creativity by Including Props in Your Photography.
How to Reboot Your Creativity with 15-Minute Exercises.

Feel free to share any other creative photography exercises in the comments. And, as always, we love to see your images, so try some of these techniques, and share your images below.

The post Creative Photography Exercises: Setting Limitations to Achieve Better Photography appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Ana Mireles.

Digital Photography School

Comments Off

Posted in Photography

How to Achieve the Perfect White Balance in Lightroom

06 Nov

The post How to Achieve the Perfect White Balance in Lightroom appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Simon Ringsmuth.

Achieving the perfect white balance in your pictures can seem like a futile gesture. Don Quixote tilting at windmills is as nothing compared to finding the harmony that exists somewhere between 2,000 and 10,000 Kelvin! Photographers have wasted away before it, entranced by what they have seen, or been driven mad by their desire to get their pictures looking pixel-perfect with the ideal white balance that seems ever just out of reach. Fret not! With a few tips on adjusting white balance in Lightroom, you’ll be turning out beautiful photos in no time.

perfect-white-balance-in-lightroom

Understanding white balance can be a little tricky, but basically, what you are doing is giving your camera or computer a reference point to calculate all the colors in an image. It’s similar to explaining the size of something like a box or a bowl. Unless you have precise measurements, you need to compare it to a common object, so people have a frame of reference.

White balance is like a banana: it’s a reference point.

Digital cameras use white balance as a way of knowing how all the colors in an image should appear. It’s true north on the color compass, so to speak, and helps inform the values for every other color in the image. By using white balance as the foundation for color calculation, your camera will then adjust what everything else is supposed to look like.

Since colors change under different lighting conditions, white balance is often the key to getting your pictures to look just how you want them.

Temp: 5250K, +39 Tint

The image above has a crisp, bright appearance that seems fitting after a midsummer rain shower. This is mostly due to setting the white balance to mimic the tones of natural daylight.

Temp: 7274K, Tint +26

A change in the Temperature and Tint resulted in an image that seems as though it was shot in the early morning, or perhaps in a warmer climate. This one feels more comforting, while the top photo might be more true-to-life.

All cameras have an Auto white balance setting, which tries to interpret color based on an analysis of the perceived lighting conditions at the time a shot is taken. However, that doesn’t mean it’s the correct white balance. It’s just one particular value that your camera thinks might be appropriate given the algorithms it has been programmed with by the manufacturer.

The nice thing about white balance is that, like almost everything artistic, it’s entirely subjective. You can make your white balance be whatever you want! It’s a tool to make your pictures look not how someone else thinks they are supposed to look, but how you want them to look. Realizing this helped me immensely over the years, and refocused my editing process altogether. No longer do I look for the correct white balance, but instead, I try to find an accurate white balance given how I want my pictures to appear.

How to Achieve the Perfect White Balance in Lightroom

Shoot in RAW

You can use myriad tools to set your white balance at the time you shoot your pictures. Most cameras have presets like Sunny, Cloudy, Fluorescent, etc., to make sure your white balance is properly calibrated for your given shooting conditions.

However, the option that gives you the most creative freedom isn’t any of these at all. It’s the Photo Quality setting, and the first step to achieving white balance nirvana is to shoot in RAW. This lets you fine-tune the white balance ex post facto so you can edit and tweak in Lightroom rather than worrying about getting it right when you click the shutter.

Adjust the sliders in Lightroom left or right to change the color temperature and tint. Click the eyedropper to select a neutral color for setting the white balance. Use the Select Menu in the top-right to access various white balance presets.

Post-processing is where the real fun begins because when you shoot in RAW, you can edit your picture however you want. If you want your pictures to look warmer, you can adjust the white balance sliders accordingly. If you prefer a cooler look, you can do that too. The point is there is no correct value for white balance on any given picture – the end result is what matters. What that looks like can be entirely up to you.

Setting white balance in Lightroom

Changing white balance in Lightroom is fairly simple, but there are various options you can use to make the process easier and more customizable.

I like to start with the Eyedropper Tool, which lets you specify white balance by clicking on an area of your photo that is almost white. You’ll get the best results if you click on a slightly gray area. As you hover the eyedropper around your picture, you will see a preview of the results in the top-left corner.

Image: When selecting a target neutral color, look for a portion of your image that is slightly gray...

When selecting a target neutral color, look for a portion of your image that is slightly gray and not pure white. This is just a starting point though and should not be thought of as the final word on white balance.

Finally, you can specify your own white balance just by dragging the Temperature and Tint sliders left and right. You can streamline your editing process by copying and pasting the values into other pictures or use the sync feature to instantly apply them to an entire batch.

Finally, the way to set white balance is by using the preset options in the drop-down menu. These options are just preset values for the Temperature and Tint sliders similar to the white balance in any digital camera.

Creative customization

The mechanics of changing white balance are one thing, but the effect of changing white balance is another matter entirely. Say it with me: there is no such thing as correct white balance. Instead, your goal should be to create an accurate white balance – one that reflects your artistic intentions in terms of color, mood, and emotion.

Consider the following picture as an example. I shot this file in RAW and this is the result using Auto White Balance.

Temp: 4650K, Tint: +30

It looks fine, and there’s nothing wrong with the picture, but look what happens with a few clicks of the Temp and Tint sliders. I raised the Temperature and lowered the Tint, and the result is an entirely different image.

Temp: 6758K, Tint: -9

This version feels much warmer and more intimate than the original, almost like rain has fallen on a parched plant. To change the image again, we can adjust the sliders for different values.

Temp: 3448K, Tint: +38

In the final version, the viewer is left wondering if those are drops of water or ice. The picture feels cold and distant and evokes an entirely different emotion than the second version.

Which image is the right one?

They all are, and for different reasons.

The point is to know what effect white balance has on your pictures and understand how to change it to get your images to look how you want them to look.

I use this technique all the time when shooting portraits. I used to fret and worry about finding the best white balance for each of my pictures when, in truth, I was putting the white balance cart before the emotional horse. Instead, I now ask myself what I want my clients to feel when they look at their pictures and then adjust white balance (along with other settings) accordingly.

The image below has been processed using Auto white balance.

Temp: 6000K, Tint: +1

Much like the previous example with water drops on leaves, the results here aren’t bad. It’s a perfectly serviceable image that the client would probably be happy to have in their home. However, a few clicks on the white balance sliders can have a dramatic impact.

Temp: 8285, Tint: +5

This picture has a warmer tone and feels more comfortable. One might argue that the top picture is more true-to-life, while another person could prefer the saturated tones of the lower. The options for adjusting white balance, as with anything in photography, are endless. However, the point is to create an image that is pleasing to you.

Take a break

You might look at any of the examples in this article and immediately prefer one particular white balance setting over another. This happens to me during much of my editing sessions, as well. I find myself drawn to one version of a picture while entirely disregarding another. I find, walking away from my computer to reset my eyes is the best option.

After a brief respite from editing, I often find my initial editing preferences dashed to pieces. It helps me see my photos with a set of fresh eyes, especially after removing myself from technology even for just a few minutes. I often find that photos take on an entirely different appearance when coming back to them from a break. I will usually try new things with white balance that I didn’t think of initially.

Temp: 5500K, Tint: +11

In the photo above, I went back and forth from warm to cool and back again before settling on a middle-ground approach that I preferred. If I had gone with my original instinct, I don’t think I would have liked the final result. Shooting in RAW, as well as trying different white balance options and finally taking a break from editing altogether, helped me arrive at what I felt was the best result.

How to Achieve the Perfect White Balance in Lightroom: Conclusion

Ultimately, the subjective nature of something as fundamental as white balance can seem a little scary. If there is no correct value, how can you even know where to start? There’s nothing wrong with using Auto, but I encourage you to experiment and try new settings you might not have thought of.

Just because your phone or your computer tells you that your picture should have a certain white balance doesn’t mean that’s the correct value. There is no correct value with creative editing! Tweaking and customizing the white balance is a great way to have creative control over your images to make them look the way you want.

Do you experiment with your white balance in Lightroom? Share with us your thoughts in the comments!

The post How to Achieve the Perfect White Balance in Lightroom appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Simon Ringsmuth.

Digital Photography School

Comments Off

Posted in Photography

Tips to Achieve Memorable Getting Ready Photos at Any Wedding

27 Oct

The post Tips to Achieve Memorable Getting Ready Photos at Any Wedding appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Jackie Lamas.

Even though every wedding is unique, each wedding photographer knows that the timeline of photos is pretty much the same, beginning with the getting ready photos.

Learn how to successfully photograph the bride and groom getting ready, what you’ll need to prep for beforehand, and why it’s important to capture this part of the day during a wedding.

wedding-day-getting-ready-photos

What are the getting ready photos exactly?

The getting ready portion of a wedding day is when the bride and groom begin to get dressed for their wedding celebration.

Getting ready photos are to include both the actual getting ready portion and the details of the day like shoes, florals, dress, rings, etc.

It’s usually when the bride is getting her makeup done, getting into her dress, putting on her jewelry, and all of the other final details that go into her complete look. The same goes for the groom; photos of him getting into his tux or suit, putting on his watch, tie, and shoes.

Image: The getting ready portion of the wedding day lets you get photos of the important details of...

The getting ready portion of the wedding day lets you get photos of the important details of the day.

Sometimes, getting ready photos will include more people during the shoot. For example, the bride might want to get ready with all of her bridesmaids and have her maid of honor help with putting on her veil.

Tips to Achieve Memorable Getting Ready Photos at Any Wedding

Other times, you might get the bride and groom getting ready together in the same space. Either way, it’s a crucial moment during the day that leads up to all the festivities. It tells more of the story of how the wedding day unfolded.

Prep for the getting ready

wedding-day-getting-ready-photos

Inform your clients during a pre-consultation

A pre-consultation is where you meet with your clients and go over the details of the wedding day. It is important to find out if the couple will be getting ready in the same location or different locations.

Tips to Achieve Memorable Getting Ready Photos at Any Wedding

If at all possible, advise your clients to get ready in the same location but in separate rooms. That way, you can bounce between both of your clients and capture the getting ready shots.

However, sometimes it isn’t possible. But don’t worry, sometimes you can re-create some of the getting ready moments before the ceremony and still get those beautiful getting ready photos to go with the narrative of the day.

Tips to Achieve Memorable Getting Ready Photos at Any Wedding

Advise your clients to tell their key people (those helping with the brides or grooms outfit) to be ready, too, since they will also be photographed during the getting ready stage. This goes for the mother of the bride, father of the bride, bridesmaids, and groomsmen.

Make sure the key people are dressed and made up for the getting ready photos so everyone looks great in the final images.

Tell your clients to make sure florals are ready during this time so that you can photograph them before the wedding day begins.

Prep your gear bag

There are a few items you should have handy for the getting ready portion of your day. They aren’t required but do make the getting ready photos more streamlined and easier to photograph.

Tips to Achieve Memorable Getting Ready Photos at Any Wedding

One handy tool is a Command Hook. This will help you stick the hook where you want, hang the dress or suit, and photograph it virtually anywhere at the location of the getting ready photos. It also helps hang other details that are important to the wedding day.

Bring a small poster board or some fabric to style a flat lay of the details. This could include things like the rings, shoes, garter, bouquet, or special details like vow books. It can give you a cohesive look to the detail photos. That way, you’re also not limited to the surfaces in the getting ready room, if there are any available spots.

Tips to Achieve Memorable Getting Ready Photos at Any Wedding

PlayDoh or similar putty can help keep rings styled or from falling over. Roll a tiny ball and place it under the rings, ring boxes, jewelry, and other items to keep them in place. Then simply remove it after you’ve achieved your shot.

wedding-day-getting-ready-photos

Use a video light or flashlight from your phone to light the details if you need a little boost in light. Some getting ready rooms, like bridal rooms, are tiny and don’t offer much light, so having a video light or using your flashlight from your cell phone, can help give you the light you need. It can also help you to get interesting photos of the details like rings or shoes.

Tips to Achieve Memorable Getting Ready Photos at Any Wedding

While these items aren’t a must, they do help with styling the details of the getting ready portion.

What to photograph during the getting ready portion of a wedding day

The getting ready part of a wedding day isn’t just about photographing your clients getting into their dresses or suits – it’s much more than that. It’s about capturing a part of the day that begins all of the events that everyone is excited about!

When photographing the getting ready, mix different style shots like full length and close-up shots of the same scene.

When you photograph a getting ready, make sure to get photos either styled or depending on your photography style, the following:

Rings, ring boxes, ring pillows or carrying cases
Florals: bouquets, boutonnieres, hairpieces, and corsages for others
Shoes
Accessories like jewelry, watches, gifts of the bride and groom
The something blue, something old, something borrowed if they are part of the wardrobe/attire.
Getting ready: Makeup and hairstyling, adjusting their dress/suit, putting on the dress/suit
Putting on shoes
Detail photos of the dress/suit alone and on the bride/groom
Invitation set
Portrait of your client alone
Portrait of the client with their bridal party or others who are in the room with them
Anything else that is considered special or important
Key people in the background or with your client

Tips to Achieve Memorable Getting Ready Photos at Any Wedding

How to get the most out of getting ready photos

The getting ready photos are somewhat of a photojournalistic approach to the day. Besides the detail shots that you style, most everything else is photographed as it unfolds during this time.

wedding-day-getting-ready-photos

To get the most out of the getting ready photos, try and get different focal length shots of the events like the makeup and hair. Get a wide shot of the room but also get close-up photos of the makeup as it’s applied. Capture real emotions from the people in the room with your client.

Tips to Achieve Memorable Getting Ready Photos at Any Wedding

When your client is ready to get dressed, ask them to clear out the portion of the room that you’d like to use. For height, consider getting on the bed if your client is using a hotel room.

Tips to Achieve Memorable Getting Ready Photos at Any Wedding

If you can, choose a location with nice lighting and a calm vibe. It will help set the tone of the getting ready portion of the photos.

Remember, during this time, clients are usually feeling a mixture of emotions. They also have to attend to tasks, questions, and anything that might come up that is related to the planning of the wedding.

wedding-day-getting-ready-photos

So a calm setting can really set the tone for the rest of the day while you photograph your client as they get dressed.

Also, don’t worry about moving furniture if you need to, or other items to get the best photo possible. Try different areas of the getting ready room to choose the best photos of the details, dress, and your client.

Tips to Achieve Memorable Getting Ready Photos at Any Wedding

Photograph a portrait of your client after they are dressed alone

As mentioned above, setting the tone for the rest of the day can make all the difference for your client. This is why, after your client has gotten dressed, that you take them to a calm location and photograph a portrait of them alone.

wedding-day-getting-ready-photos

During this time, don’t ask anything of them. Don’t mention the wedding, planning, or anything that is related. Just help them to feel calm by using a soft tone, directing them to get the best angle, and show them a photo or two so that they get excited by how great they look!

Tips to Achieve Memorable Getting Ready Photos at Any Wedding

This will also build a nice rapport with how you handle the stress of the day. It will also help your client to feel less saturated or anxious about their wedding day.

How to photograph getting ready photos after the fact

Sometimes you don’t have time to take getting ready photos of both of your clients due to logistics, being the only photographer, or otherwise. Other times, time slips away and cuts time for getting ready photos altogether. Or, your client might have opted to set the hours of coverage to cover more of the reception than the getting ready portion.

You can take portraits like this later in the day to re-create the getting ready photos.

If this is the case, don’t worry, you can recreate the getting ready photos after the fact! For example, before the ceremony, while your client waits to come out and down the aisle, you can get a few getting ready photos of them in the suite or empty hallway/walkway. Simply ask them to fluff their dress, have their key person adjust their veil, or pretend to tie their dress or suit.

Tips to Achieve Memorable Getting Ready Photos at Any Wedding

You can get action shots like having your clients look into the mirror and pretend to put on their jewelry or suit jacket or shoes. While you might not have been there during the actual getting ready, you can always pretend like you were by styling and directing your clients in between other wedding day events.

wedding-day-getting-ready-photos

Why are getting ready photos important?

Getting ready photos are important to a wedding day because, as the photographer, you’ll have time to get the important details of the day photographed. The rings, vow books, bouquets, and most importantly, the dress or suit that your clients wear.

wedding-day-getting-ready-photos

Each of these items was thought about, and chosen with the utmost care and attention to the details. Anything that your clients poured their hearts into is worthy of photographing. It also makes for a nice retelling of the wedding day in an album or publication after the wedding day has ended.

Tips to Achieve Memorable Getting Ready Photos at Any Wedding

Most importantly, photographing getting ready photos allows you to set the tone for the day and reassure your client that you are there for all of it. That you are there for the best moments of the day and to help them feel confident, beautiful, and excited about the rest of the wedding events. It’s like you’re there as their personal cheerleader on what is usually a stressful day.

Tips to Achieve Memorable Getting Ready Photos at Any Wedding

Having this time with your client also helps you to get to know them a bit more. You can try different angles during the individual portraits, and also get to know who the key people are that need photographing during family formals and bridal party photos.

In conclusion

Tips to Achieve Memorable Getting Ready Photos at Any Wedding

Telling the story of a couple during their wedding day is truly an honor for any photographer. The getting ready portion of the day sets the tone and begins the story of how the day unfolded. These tips will help you successfully capture your clients during the start of their most important day as a couple.

Do you have any additional tips for capturing the getting ready photos of any wedding day? We’d love you to share them with us in the comments!

The post Tips to Achieve Memorable Getting Ready Photos at Any Wedding appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Jackie Lamas.

Digital Photography School

Comments Off

Posted in Photography

How To Achieve Better High-Key Photographs

08 Sep

The post How To Achieve Better High-Key Photographs appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Kevin Landwer-Johan.

Lighting influences the atmosphere of a photograph. High-key photographs are associated with upbeat, positive feelings.

Using one main key light and avoiding contrast can help you produce photographs that convey a happy mood. This technique is popular with wedding and portrait photographers. It’s also often used in classy advertising campaigns.

How To Make Better High Key Photographs Young Clown

What is your key light?

Your main light source is your key light. It can be light from any source. The sun on a cloudy day is the best natural key light. Artificial light from a portable flash, studio strobes or a continuous light source can also be used. To infuse the right mood, you are best to diffuse the light.

Diffusing your light source scatters the light rays. This reduces the amount of shadow in your pictures. When you have a strong, softened key light, the shadows it casts will be minimal. You can use additional lights or reflectors to lessen the effect of the shadows even more.

To maximize the good-feeling effect, you need to produce photographs with a narrow tone range. The difference between the darkest and lightest areas in your composition should only be a few stops. You must work with the light sources to balance the light ratio.

How To Make Better High Key Photographs Young Woman in the Park

What’s wrong with shadows?

There’s nothing wrong with shadows, but they can imply a heavier mood.

Deep shadows in a photograph are often associated with more somber feelings. Shadows are often used with great effect to convey drama, mystery, and suspense.

Hard edges and high contrast restrict what a viewer can clearly see in a photograph. This lighting technique is often used by photographers and moviemakers to evoke feelings of doubt and mistrust.

Control the light and contrast levels using one diffused key light on your main subject. This produces a nice feeling.

Using one strong, undiffused light produces hard shadows on your subject. This often results in a darker overall feeling.

Use high-key light with the right subject

It’s always best to consider and control the light you use to fit best with your subject.

During the portrait session I had with this young woman, we wanted to create two different moods. One light and happy, the other more serious.

For the high key photo, I used a large softbox on my main studio light and a smaller softbox on my secondary light. This produced a soft, bright wrap around light with little shadow. I also lit the background with two strong lights to add to the happy atmosphere. Obviously, her radiant smile completed the tone of this photograph.

During the same session, I changed the lighting. I used only one light and did not diffuse it. I also turned off the background lights and she turned off her smile.

Had I kept the lighting the same as she posed with the two different expressions, the mood would not have been conveyed so well.

How To Make Better High Key Photographs Cleaning Dispute

How does the background affect high-key photography?

I think the lighter the background is the more upbeat the feeling of a photo can be. But light-colored backgrounds do not have to be used exclusively.

In a photo session with a ceramic artist who wanted really get in touch with her medium, we produced a series of different photos. Some were high-key with a light background. Others we made with a dark background. Some of them I used high-key lighting. In others, I used one undiffused light.

How To Make Better High Key Photographs Clean Ceramic artist

This was one of the first photos in the series before things got dirty. The high-key lighting combined with the light background and another lovely smile produced a light, happy portrait.

Dropping in a dark background and keeping the key light the same. After applying some mud, it resulted in a fun, rather unusual portrait. The mood is certainly different from the dark background. The lighting was basically the same.

Wanting to create a different mood, I then used a single, undiffused light with a more gloomy, contemplative pose.

Pay attention to the shadows

Your key light source will determine the amount and strength of the shadows in your photos. You must pay careful attention to the shadows and ensure they are not too dark. Eliminating or lessening the shadow areas will enhance the effectiveness of your high-key photos.

Using a large, soft light source produces the least amount of shadow. This can be a large softbox on a studio strobe, as I have used in the examples above. You can also make use of sunlight for making high-key photographs.

On cloudy days or when your subject is in the shade, the shadows will tone down more. In full, bright sunshine, the shadows can be problematic. They will be darker and have hard edges. This high contrast will not add to the mood you want to create.

Finding an outdoor location where you can backlight your subject with the sunlight can help produce high-key photos. In situations like this, you’ll need a fill light, which will act as your key light. Even though the sun is brighter, the light you add will be the main light you must take your meter reading from.

How To Make Better High Key Photographs Young Asian Woman Outdoors

Young Clown

Setting your exposure by this light, as I have in the photo above, will result in an overexposed background. I was able to achieve this look because of the white-painted structures close by. They were reflecting light back into her face.

Conclusion

As in all styles of photography, working with the light to create the photos you want is an integral part of the process. The better your lighting is, the better your photos will be.

Experiment and try different light sources to achieve a high-key effect. There are no hard-and-fast rules, and you must work with what you have. Whether you’re in a studio or outdoors, you will face challenges.

How To Make Better High Key Photographs Chicken Nerd

In a studio, you may not have enough room, lights or diffusers. Be creative, think outside the box a little and innovate when you want to make high-key photos.

Do the same outdoors with natural light. Try introducing diffused flash to help balance the light ratio and reduce the shadows. Make use of reflected light bouncing off a wall or building. Carrying a fold-out reflector is also another practical way to help subdue the shadows.

How To Make Better High Key Photographs Strawberry Cheesecake

Give some thought as to how you can create some high-key photos using what you have available to you. You don’t have to photograph people. Food, still life and other subjects can be presented well using high key lighting too.

I’d love to see some in the comments below with a description of how you made them!

The post How To Achieve Better High-Key Photographs appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Kevin Landwer-Johan.

Digital Photography School

Comments Off

Posted in Photography