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5 Surprising Macro Photography Ideas to Jumpstart Your Creativity

09 Apr

The post 5 Surprising Macro Photography Ideas to Jumpstart Your Creativity appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Jaymes Dempsey.

Are you struggling to come up with amazing macro photography ideas?

Do you need a bit of a creativity jumpstart?

That’s okay! Because in this article, I’ll give you 5 macro photography ideas – all geared toward getting you out of that creative rut.

Are you ready to start taking stunning macro photos again?

Then let’s get started.

1. Find lights in the background for amazing bokeh

One of the best ways to do creative macro photography…

…is to capture gorgeous bokeh.

(That is, a beautiful, smooth, creamy background.)

And here’s how you do that:

First, find a subject that you really like. A flower, an insect, or some plant life will all work well.

Choose a wide aperture (one in the f/2.8 to f/5.6 range).

Then zoom in, until you’ve isolated just your subject.

Here comes the important part:

Slowly move around your subject, while looking through your camera’s viewfinder. The key is to find a ‘bokeh-generating’ background.

Now, bokeh-generating backgrounds involve light. The best bokeh often comes from bright lights and colors in the background.

More specifically, look for pinpricks of light and colorful reflections.

For instance, sun coming through trees creates amazing bokeh – because the trees break up the light.

Leaves in golden-hour light also create gorgeous bokeh. The golden light on the leaves reflects and makes a creamy, colorful backdrop.

Most scenes have at least a few bokeh options – so don’t settle for a subpar choice.

Instead, use the bokeh to create a masterpiece!

2. Shoot into the sun for gorgeous backlit macro photography

Nature photographers often shoot using frontlight – where the light comes from over the photographer’s shoulder, and lands on the subject.

This often works well. But it can get boring after a while.

If you want to get creative…

…try using backlight.

Backlight comes from behind your subject. It’s great for creating silhouettes – and it’s also great for producing creative lighting effects.

The light can pass through part of your subject, making it turn translucent.

And backlight can also create bright flares of light. When done right, this creates some stunning effects.

However, you should position the sun carefully.

If you get the naked sun in your frame, the whole shot will be ruined because the sun is simply too bright to be rendered by your camera.

Instead, put your macro photography subject in front of the sun. That way, the sun is blocked from view. But you still get some gorgeous effects.

In fact, I recommend experimenting with this. Try changing your angle slightly, so that the sun is placed behind different parts of your subject.

You’ll manage to capture some stunning shots – shots which you probably wouldn’t have initially imagined!

3. Shoot against a white sky for a gorgeous high-key look

Here’s a favorite macro photography idea of mine.

I use it all the time when I’m in a pinch!

Fortunately, it’s really simple:

Shoot against a white sky.

Let me explain:

One of the most important parts of a macro photo…

…is the background.

Without a beautiful background, your macro photos will often fall flat.

Now, the best backgrounds are simple and uniform.

And one of the great ways to create a uniform background?

Rely on the sky!

This works especially well on cloudy days. All you have to do is find a subject – then get down low. In fact, you often have to get lower than your subject.

Make sure that the background is completely covered by clouds.

Then photograph your subject and watch as it stands out against a gorgeous white backdrop!

(If the shot is slightly too dark, don’t worry. You can always lift the whites in post-processing.)

4. Freelens for stunning selective focus

Here’s another great macro photography idea for when you’re in a rut:

Freelens!

I’m a huge fan of this technique – because it gets striking, unique images.

Here’s how it works:

Turn on your camera, and make sure that your lens is focused to infinity.

Then turn your camera off, and detach the lens.

(I suggest you use a backup camera and backup lens for this because there is a risk of damaging your equipment.)

Now, the best lenses for macro freelensing are in the 50mm range. I’ve found that 50mm creates a nice balance of background blur and sharp focus.

Once you’ve detached the lens, turn your camera back on.

Then…

Experiment!

Note: With freelensing, you don’t focus by turning a focus ring. Instead, you focus by changing the position of the lens relative to the camera.

So keep the lens detached, and move it around at different angles.

Look for macro subjects, and see what happens when you shoot them with a freelensing setup. Also, notice how pulling the lens away from the camera increases the magnification of the lens. It also allows in more light – creating artistic light leaks!

Freelensing is a bit addictive. Once you’ve started, you’ll struggle to stop – because there are so many opportunities for gorgeous macro photos!

5. Shoot through a second subject for an incredible foreground

If you want an idea for especially creative macro photography…

…why not try ‘shooting through,’ or ‘cramming’?

First, find a macro subject. Flowers work especially well for this because they’re so colorful.

Get in close, and focus your lens on that subject. Choose a wide aperture, in the f/2.8 to f/5.6 range.

Then find a second subject. Place it in front of your lens. The second subject should be colorful – and ideally, similar to the first subject.

And…shoot!

The second subject (which remains out of focus) will create a beautiful foreground wash. One that looks great in macro photography.

Now, you don’t want to completely cover your lens with the foreground subject. Instead, place it partially into the scene. That way, it will create a nice wash, without dominating the shot.

This may take a bit of experimentation. But if you’re patient, you’ll capture some gorgeous macro photos.

And your creative muscle will feel energized again!

Creative macro photography ideas: next steps

Hopefully, you’re now feeling excited about macro photography again.

After all, you have lots of ideas for original, creative shots!

The key is to use them. So get out and shoot!

Have any more macro photography ideas? Share them in the comments!

The post 5 Surprising Macro Photography Ideas to Jumpstart Your Creativity appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Jaymes Dempsey.

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How to Photograph Against the Sun for Stunning Images

08 Apr

The post How to Photograph Against the Sun for Stunning Images appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Simon Bond.

As a beginner in photography, you’ll likely be taught to keep the sun behind you. That’s because you’ll have several problems when you photograph against the sun. These problems are related. They’re an overblown sky, and a poorly lit main subject. That’s a recipe for a poor quality photo. As you learn how to better use the light, you’ll learn there are plenty of times you want the sun in front of you. In this article, you’ll learn all about the techniques needed to make stunning images when you photograph against the sun.

This photo is taken towards the sun not long after sunrise. The sun is lighting up the muhly grass through flare.

Flare

One of the effects you may well see when photographing against the sun is flare. This is sometimes described as the effect seen when a plant such as a reed is lit up by the sun shining on the plant. In the case of a reed, they have a delicate head in the summer which picks up the sunlight. As the head is delicate, it won’t block the sun completely, but is instead brighter and also not silhouetted. In photography, there are a couple of other effects caused by flare that can be used by photographers.

Flare effect on a camera

Unless your photographing a sunset or sunrise, directly pointing your camera at the sun is something you’ll want to avoid. Instead, aim to use an object within the frame to obscure the sun. Alternatively, you can aim towards the sun, but keep the sun just out of frame.

Doing this will result in two effects: You’ll see that your whole frame has a sunlight “glow,” or it’s highly likely you’ll also see a rainbow-like line that consists of arcs of light progressing across your frame. Both of these effects can be used to your advantage to create a more artistic-looking photo. Should you wish to avoid this altogether, using a lens hood helps. You might also try holding your hand above the lens to block sunlight shining onto the lens.

There is a glow to this image caused by flare. You can see this coming into the frame from the top left.

Starburst

The starburst effect is technically another aspect of lens flare. It’s a more desirable effect though, and you have more control over how this effect occurs.

To achieve a starburst effect:

Compose your photo, and aim towards the sun. The time of day isn’t that important, but it’s easier to control this effect during golden hour and into sunset or from sunrise.
You’ll want to obscure the majority of the sun, but allow just the edge of the sun to be shining through. Too little and the starburst won’t be noteworthy. Too much of the sun, and it will overpower your frame. Placing the sun behind the leaves of a tree is an ideal solution here.
This effect is caused by your lens diaphragm. The number of sunburst spikes is determined by the number of arms your lens diaphragm has. You get one spike per diaphragm. If your lens has an odd number, the number of spikes will be doubled. That means you’ll want to choose your lens accordingly.
This effect occurs when you close down the aperture of your lens. Apertures of f/11 and smaller should produce this effect.
Photographing into the sun is likely to mean your photo produces silhouettes. If you wish to see details in the foreground, you will need to overexpose. The overexposure could be +2 or +3 exposure value.
With a small aperture, and a high exposure value your shutter speed is likely to be low. Either use a tripod or compensate for this slow shutter speed by using a high ISO. The high ISO will increase the shutter speed. Choose a setting that allows you to take the photo handheld.

Closing down the aperture allowed the sun to appear as a starburst in this photo.

Silhouettes

When you photograph against the sun you’ve always got a good chance of producing silhouettes. Getting the best silhouettes takes a little more nuance though. You need to plan your photo and choose the best angle to take that photo from.

The first step is to decide which object you’ll silhouette. Is this a person, or an architectural structure? Perhaps it’s a lone tree in the field.
Which direction will you photograph this object from? Will you need to arrive in the morning or the evening so that the sun is behind this object when you photograph it?
Is there a clear line of sight to the horizon? Or is there a reflective surface behind the silhouette which can be used to photograph the silhouette against it? You’re looking for a bright background that you can silhouette the entire object against.
If you’re silhouetting the object against the sky only, you’ll often need to kneel down to an angle. Getting close to the ground and photographing up towards your silhouette, will mean more of the silhouette is visible. Where the horizon line intersects the silhouette, it will often make the lower half of the object not visible as a silhouette.
Look at the position of the sun in the sky. Is it too intense? Can you hide the sun behind an object? Is it possible to create a starburst effect from the sun?
Silhouettes are black, so of course, the silhouetted portion of your image will be underexposed. Typically, you’ll expose to get the sky correctly exposed within your photo. As the sky is very bright, the rest of your image will be dark and silhouetted.

This was an ideal place to take a silhouette. The person is silhouetted against the sky, and the reflective surface of the water.

Sunsets and sunrises

Of all the things photographers photograph, sunsets, and sunrises are surely the most popular. This time of day fascinates photographers of all levels, and you certainly don’t need to be a photographer to appreciate those colors in the sky. This time of day is also the best time to photograph against the sun. Especially while the sun is close to the horizon, as it won’t overpower your photo with too much light.

So what are you looking for to get the best result?

Know the angle – The sun changes position in the sky from winter to summer. Uses resources like suncalc to find out how a change of angle through the course of the year will affect your photo.
Check the weather – Overcast days won’t produce a sunset or sunrise! Always check the forecast and try and head out for optimum conditions. You’re not looking for a totally clear day either, 30-50% cloud coverage is nice.
Scout the location – Knowing a great location to visit on the day a good sunrise arrives is good. Knowing exactly where the best angle to photograph from within this location is even better.
Focal point – Unless the sky is truly epic for your sunset or sunrise, you’ll need a focal point to give your photo interest. A lone tree or building structure is often a great subject. Likewise, a river that gives a reflective surface, and perhaps a leading line will also work well.
Filters – Landscape photography where you photograph against the sun often need graduated neutral density filters. Be careful that the sun doe not produce unattractive and unwanted flare when you use these.
Post-processing – Post-processing can enhance your images. The use of techniques like digital blending, and graduated filters are important tools.

Sunset and sunrise are always captivating times to take photos against the sun.

Equipment

There are some useful pieces of equipment you can have when photographing against the sun. Depending on the type of photograph you take, you’ll need some or all of this:

Lens hood – This is needed to minimize or eliminate the effect of lens flare on your photo.
Filters – Using a circular polarizing filter is a good idea for photography in general. Photographing towards the sun means using graduated neutral density filters is also a good idea.
Strobes – Should you wish to light up a person or object, when you’re photographing against the sun, using strobes is necessary. Without these, you’ll have silhouetted people or objects. Should you wish to avoid this, additional light will be required.
Reflecting disc – This can be used to reflect and direct sunlight onto the person or object you’re photographing. They’re more often used for portraits, and can be used on their own or in conjunction with strobes.

In this photo, an external flash was used to light up the couple.

Digital blending

Digital blending is a post-processing technique that uses luminosity masks to control the light across your photo. This has led to an improvement in the quality of images produced by landscape photographers who photograph against the sun. This is a large topic, so to learn more you should read this article.

In order to get the best results from this technique, you’ll need a tripod and to bracket your images when you take a photo. You’ll then need to spend time learning how to blend so you can produce natural looking and professional results. Learning how to do this will significantly improve the final results of your photos. Keep in mind that there are occasions you won’t need to use this style, and using filters, or producing silhouettes is an alternative to this.

This image used digital blending. The rocks in the foreground were lightened, and the sky darkened.

Show some flare, photograph against the sun!

The sun provides photographers with their main source of light. Knowing how best to use it is vital for the best photos. In this article, you’ve learned how to photograph into the sunlight – a trickier proposition than photographing with the sun behind you.

Do you enjoy photographing towards the sun? Which techniques and ideas do you apply in your photography? Do you have example photos you can share with the community? At digital photography school we’d love to see your images both from the past, and perhaps your future images having read this article.

So now it’s time to get out into the sun, and photograph against the sun!

The post How to Photograph Against the Sun for Stunning Images appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Simon Bond.

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How to Turn Your Living Room into a Photo Studio

08 Apr

The post How to Turn Your Living Room into a Photo Studio appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Jackie Lamas.

Have you ever wished to have a studio space where you could bring clients in and photograph all types of portraits and ideas? You can! Your living room, or any room in your home for that matter, can be quickly converted so that you can photograph your studio ideas in your home!

Setting up backgrounds on a plain wall can help you take great portraits in your own living room.

Finding the right space

Your living room might be the room with the biggest space for you to get the best angles and set up your lights. As long as you have about 10 feet of blank wall space, you can use it for your at-home studio.

Choose a wall where you can mount backgrounds. Put up studio paper, or any background paper. Alternatively, use a painted wall for your photos. It doesn’t have to be anything special, and you could use the existing wall as the main background as well.

A bedroom with big windows can be used as a studio for portraits.

Why 10 feet? The wider your wall space, the more room you’ll have to the sides of your photos. This will enable you to photograph both horizontally and vertically. You will also have room for more than one person.

If you’re photographing headshots or only individuals, a smaller wall space would work. A wall with 5 feet would be sufficient enough for headshots and individuals.

Other spaces in your home that could work

The living room doesn’t have to be the only space that you can use. For example, if you don’t have studio lights, but want to create beautiful portraits with creative direction on backgrounds and don’t want to go on location, your home can still work!

You can photograph in a covered patio with lots of wall space, in your garage, in the bedroom, or on a balcony. All of these spaces work if you have the wall space to place your subject and space to photograph them from a distance.

This makes it much simpler to choose the right location for your at-home studio in the event that you don’t have studio lighting equipment or a special look to your photographs.

Creating the best set up for studio/flash set up

You don’t necessarily need to use studio lights for your at-home studio, however, if that is what you’re going to use then let’s go through what you’ll need in the space for the best outcome.

Use flash bouncing off the ceiling to light portraits in your living room or in the space you want for your at home studio.

You’ll need to choose a wall space that is in a darker or not-so-brightly-lit room. You can also use shades or curtains to block out light so that your off-camera lighting can correctly light your scene.

Using a flash to light these portraits to simulate the sun. Plain wall background in the bedroom.

Living rooms offer the most space but make sure you can get it dark enough to set up the lights exactly where you want them. You could also use external flashes to set up your at-home studio.

You can light portraits creatively when you have control of the space and lighting.

Have a lamp nearby so that you can use it as a modeling light. You can also use a light dimmer so that the light doesn’t affect the outcome or interfere with the white balance, exposure, or look and feel that you’re trying to achieve.

Best set up for natural light at-home studio

If your living room or any other room in your home has great natural light, you can definitely set up your studio there. The same tips apply as far as wall space so that you can pose your subject and have enough space in the frame in case cropping is necessary. It also gives you the option to photograph vertical or horizontal.

This was shot with all natural light using a silver reflector with a 3×3 grey background taped to the wall. Edited to bump up the contrast and desaturate the colors.

Choose a room that has great window light or light coming into the space. For example, a garage space with the garage door open is a good option. Another good option is a living room with big sliding doors where light floods the room. Make sure that the sunlight isn’t coming directly into the room or through the window where it casts weird shadows on your subject.

To diffuse the light, you can hang translucent curtains. This will help with harsh lighting, shadows, and the temperature of the room. Of course, you don’t necessarily need the window open unless it adds more light to your scene – if that is the look you’re going for.

If your home has textured walls, you can use them as backgrounds for the portraits as well!

Use a reflector and bounce cards to help bounce light in the direction you want. Black flags (black boards that help darken the light) and are great for creating shadows and can help to give you more dramatic lighting.

Be aware of the floor

In your home, your floor is already installed and this can present a problem if you’re photographing full-length portraits. Take a look to see if the floor is what you’ll want for your photos. If it isn’t, you can use paper and place it from the wall all the way to the floor. This will create a seamless look to your photos like a real studio.

In the before photo, we covered the floor with a black sheet so we could photoshop the black background in and create a seamless look.

You can also get cheap wood floor-looking laminate flooring and create your portable floor. If the trim base to the floor isn’t distracting, you could even possibly photoshop that out to create a more seamless look with the wall and the floor.

Just be aware of your floor so you know what to do before you start photographing in your new home studio.

Backgrounds for in-home studios

There are a lot of great backgrounds that you can use for a home studio. Given that it’s completely your space and you can get really creative. The simplest one is the one you already have available! Use the existing wall color and texture to create interesting portraits.

You can use existing decor to create beautiful portraits or tape a paper background to the wall for a seamless background.

Other backgrounds you can use can be:

A sheet that covers the wall and onto the floor for a seamless fabric background.
Paper either rolled onto the floor for seamless or a piece of paper taped to the wall for up-close portraits
Any fabric or paper with a print on it
Different colored paper for headshots

Pretty much anything you can think of you can create as a background! You can get really creative with balloons, tissue paper, hanging strings, lights, paper flowers, artificial flowers, string or hanging garlands either made by you or already made newspaper or even plants.

The options and ideas are limitless and will give your photos a unique look no matter what your style is.

In conclusion

Your living room can be the perfect space for you to create beautiful studio work. You don’t need fancy equipment just nice wall space and the light you love to photograph with. Add in some music and you’ve got the perfect comfortable studio right in your home!

Do you have other suggestions to make a great living room studio? Share with us and our readers in the comments below.

The post How to Turn Your Living Room into a Photo Studio appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Jackie Lamas.

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Sigma 70-200mm F2.8 DG OS HSM Sport Review

07 Apr

The post Sigma 70-200mm F2.8 DG OS HSM Sport Review appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Anabel DFlux.

Sigma has made a significant name for itself via its famous ART line of lenses. But did you know Sigma also has a Sport line? Lesser known than the ART lenses, the Sport lenses are the incredible workhorses of the photography world (and deserve recognition). The Sigma 70-200mm F2.8 DG OS HSM Sport (Canon and Nikon Mount) is the newest addition to the Sport line, featuring a loved focal length. A big contender in the telephoto field, this lens may just be the top dog you didn’t see coming.

This lens focal length is so splendid, that the Digital Photography School even has an article on why you need a 70-200mm lens!

Lens build

Weight

I have tried many different 70-200mm F/2.8 lenses in the past, and currently own the newest one from Canon’s L line. This version of a favorite millimeter stands out. Before we even get into the construction, I can tell you that this lens is not the heaviest by far as compared to other brands like Tamron, and Rokinon, and older versions of the Canon and Nikon. As someone who tends to shoot sporting events for a good 12 hours at a time, my back is bowing in thanks at the decreased weight. Weighing in at a teeny bit less than 4 pounds, this is by far a more useable weight. The lens size is customary for this focal range at 3.7 inches in diameter by 8.0 inches in length.

Construction

The body is constructed out of a clever mixture of a very durable form of plastic, metal, and a new compound known as TSC (short for Thermally Stable Composite). The lens feels durable, and I found it to be more shock resistant than many of my other lenses. The glass itself is a high-grade glass mixture – 24 Elements in 22 Groups. I like the tactile feel of the focus and zoom rings, and it is very comfortable to use.

Weather sealing

This lens is built to work, and as such, its weather sealing is incredible. I feel very confident taking this lens out for a spin in whatever situation I find myself in. With the recent rains and odd weather in Southern California, I was still able to take this lens out in ease at a local outdoor sporting event. The weather sealing is a testament to a highly effective dust and splash proof structure with special sealing at the mount connection, manual focus ring, zoom ring, and cover connection.

That said, do use your best judgment to determine whether the weather is good enough to go out and shoot or not… weather sealing is not equivalent to weatherproof! As for the glass, the forefront and rear lenses incorporate water and oil-repellent coating that allows water to be wiped away easily. It prevents oil and fat from sticking to the surface, even in challenging shooting conditions, making lens maintenance easy.

The only downside I find with the lens construction is that you cannot remove the customary tripod foot (that many 70-200mm lenses have). This lens is also still technically heavier than the latest Canon or Nikon versions, but I’d argue this is a fair trade for how shock resistant and durable it is.

Lens features

As is customary for the Sigma lenses, the Sigma 70-200mm F2.8 DG OS HSM Sport features a slew of unique and useful features. Before we even get into them, it is worth mentioning that at this time, this lens is available only in Sigma, Canon, and Nikon mount. Sigma does offer a mount conversion service in case you want your lens to fit onto a different camera brand.

Sigma has gone the extra step to make sure that the mechanics of their lenses work as well as Canon and Nikon native lenses. The Canon mount version is compatible with Canon’s internal chromatic aberration control, and the Nikon version works with Nikon’s electromagnetic diaphragm.

Focus range limiter switch

A nice added feature for any telephoto lens is the focus range limiter switch, which restricts the range of distance your lens can focus. I use this feature myself when I photograph dog agility shows to make sure that the lens doesn’t focus on any obstacles near me but remains locked on a running dog that is far away.

Hyper Sonic AF Motor (HSM)

As the name suggests, this lens uses HSM (Hyper Sonic AF Motor) for its focusing. HSM uses ultrasonic vibrations to drive the focusing group. This motor benefits an internal focusing system.

You can easily override the HSM for manual control via a finger switch on the lens. A feature that goes along with this aspect is the Manual Override (MO). With MO, a photographer can continue using autofocus as usual, before making any final manual adjustments using the focusing ring around the lens. The lens can focus as close as 1.2m away from the subject unless restricted by the focus limiter.

The lens comes with a locking lens hood, which is superb considering the number of times the hood on my other lenses go flying off because they get bumped! The lock is sturdy, but still very easy to use when you need to get the hood off in a flash.

Focus

With a sport and action lens like this one, strong autofocus is the key to success. I photograph a slew of canine athletes, and you’d be surprised how incredibly fast those small champion papillons are! Additionally, to ensure the dogs are not distracted by the sound of my camera or lens, quiet autofocus is pretty high up on my list of needs too.

Lucky for me – and anyone else interested in this telephoto model – the Sigma 70-200mm F2.8 checks all of these boxes. The HSM motor keeps the autofocus noise to a minimum or nonexistent, which allows me to get a wee bit closer to the dogs as they make their impressive jumps and leaps.

The autofocus is rather accurate – even on small moving subjects like an Italian greyhound dog, through to bigger canines such as the border collie. The lens allowed me to capture the agility competition with ease. The focus was very smooth too, with little focus hunting, even when the clouds took over and the location became quite dim. No manic focusing movements either, like I’ve experienced with Tamron’s equivalent of this lens last year at a tradeshow.

In comparison to my Canon 70-200mm F/2.8 L IS USM III lens, this one performed just as good, and I would certainly consider it as an additional.

Sharpness

Although zoom lenses may never be quite the same level of sharpness as fixed focal lengths, this one still performs brilliantly despite this fact. Sharpness and contrast are excellent, even when shooting wide-open, throughout the entire zoom range. Centre sharpness at 70mm is excellent and just fine at all other focal lengths. Corner sharpness is high at 70mm, but at 100mm and beyond, corner sharpness takes a significant downturn at larger apertures. If you want to get the entire frame sharp, you’ll probably have to switch over to F/11 or so. That said, this isn’t unusual for zoom lenses. The contrast it produces is also excellent.

Depth of field

The F/2.8 wide aperture gives a nice subject separation and bokeh (the out of focus areas in an image). The depth of field is creamy and smooth, and very pleasing to the eye. The 11 diaphragm blades help to keep bokeh looking natural.

There is some vignetting on the edges. Some people like this, others don’t. I enjoy the natural vignetting that is contrary to popular opinion, but for those that find it a nuisance, keep this in mind.

Image Stabilization

The image stabilization system in this particular 70-200mm is superb. This lens incorporates Intelligent OS, which is the latest algorithm to deliver image stabilization. The intelligent OS works horizontally, vertically, or diagonally – whatever direction your lens is being held or used. The mode can be adjusted by a switch on the side of the lens and has two modes from which to choose.

The optical stabilizer was effective up to four stops – fantastic for a telephoto lens. The panning stabilizer was equally impressive, allowing me to track my subjects with ease while handheld. I took this lens out for a swing at a local concert as well. The F/2.8 aperture paired with stabilization, allowed me to expose my shots quite well.

Flare resistance & chromatic aberration

The glass coating on this lens does a fine job decreasing flaring and ghosting – an annoying issue that plagues photographers when the light hits the lens at a bad angle. The chromatic aberration control is quite good as well, with the optical array comprising of 24 elements spread across 22 groups. This includes nine FLD pieces of glass and a single SLD lens, all of which are used to help control chromatic aberration.

The Canon mount versions of this lens also benefit from compatibility with a full set of in-camera corrections for lens aberrations (a big yippee for me as a Canon user).

Pros and Cons of the Sigma 70-200mm f/2.8 DG Sport

Pros:

Durable, comfortable, solid lens build.
Superb weather sealing, as well as dust and moisture resistance.
Water and oil repellent coating on the glass.
The Canon mount version is compatible with Canon’s internal chromatic aberration control and the Nikon version is able to work with Nikon’s electromagnetic diaphragm.
Various switches built into the lens for professional use such as the focus limiter, modes, and image stabilization.
On the topic of image stabilization, the IS is superb.
HSM for quite and reliable autofocus.
The addition of an Manual Override mode for focus.
Locking lens hood.
Good flare and ghosting resistance.
Excellent chromatic aberration control.
Good center sharpness.
Very nice, creamy, natural bokeh.

Cons:

Tripod foot cannot be removed.
Vignetting on the edges.
Sharpness suffers in the corners at 100mm and more.
Weight

Conclusion

At a price tag of US$ 1,500, while this may seem hefty to some, it’s actually much more affordable than equivalent lenses of this caliber. There is a lot of bang for your buck. Moreover, it’s a very worthwhile investment for those shooting outdoors or in questionable conditions, as this lens is built to be the perfect workhorse.

I genuinely loved this model. It was very easy to use for my athletic needs!

Have you used this lens? What are your thoughts? Please share in the comments below.

The post Sigma 70-200mm F2.8 DG OS HSM Sport Review appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Anabel DFlux.

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When Do You Need to Obtain a Model or Property Release?

07 Apr

The post When Do You Need to Obtain a Model or Property Release? appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Kevin Landwer-Johan.

Model and property releases are necessary when you want to use your photographs commercially. This also applies if you plan to upload your photos to a stock agency who will license them for commercial use. These rules apply only to photos that contain recognizable people or material which is copyrighted.

Market Scene When do you need to obtain a model or property release?

I have a model release for this photo so I can sell it commercially or on stock photography websites under a commercial license. © Kevin Landwer-Johan

If someone can recognize themselves in a photo, it needs a model release. Even if your photo of a person is a silhouette, it needs a model release for commercial use. Anything showing a company logo, branding, photograph or artwork needs to be accompanied by an appropriate property release if using it commercially.

Release requirements vary from country to country, even from state to state. You need to do due diligence to be sure. This article covers the broader issues of model and property releases and should not be considered in any way as legal advice.

What are model and property releases?

These documents are written, signed agreements between the photographer and the people or property in a photograph.

If you have a photograph of any group of recognizable people you want to upload to a stock photo website to sell commercially, every person in the photo must individually sign a model release.

When do you need to obtain a model or property release? Commuters

This photo could be used commercially without a license because no one in the photo is recognizable. © Kevin Landwer-Johan

Photographs of things like cars, storefronts, and even some buttons require the signature of the copyright owner or a property release to use them commercially. There are also many other situations where property releases are required.

France’s famous Eiffel Tower does not require a property release during the day. However, if you photograph this iconic landmark at night, a release to use it commercially is necessary. The lighting design that illuminates the tower at night is subject to copyright. Many other public structures are subject to copyright laws, as are any privately owned buildings. So do your homework before you embark on a commercial photography job.

When do you need to obtain a model or property release? Merlion Park, Singapore

A property release would be required to use this image commercially. ©Kevin Landwer-Johan

How can you know if you need a Property Release?

Research is easy these days. Jump online and do a quick, specific search and you will find your answer. It’s best to do this early on in your planning because if a release is required, this will have a significant impact.

Many times you will not be granted a property release. I can’t imagine any company would even pay attention to requests for general releases of their intellectual property.

In some situations, you’ll need permission even to photograph. When you are on public property, in most countries, there are no restrictions on what you can photograph. Restrictions only come into play if you want to publish your photos.

Photographing on private property, and in some public spaces such as museums and galleries, you need to seek consent.

Err on the side of caution. Commercial use of photos containing physical or intellectual property without an appropriate release can be very expensive if you get sued.

When do you need to obtain a model or property release? Jet Ski on the Beach

This photo can be sold commercially because there is no visible branding on the jet-ski. © Kevin Landwer-Johan

Is it difficult to obtain a Model Release?

Sometimes yes, sometimes no.

When photographing friends, family or hired models, it can be quite easy to get them to sign a model release. Careful communication is essential, and it pays to obtain model releases before you start photographing.

When do you need to obtain a model or property release? Song Khran Fun - Thai New year

I have model releases for the two recognizable people in this photo, so it can be sold commercially. © Kevin Landwer-Johan

Explain to the people you are going to photograph what you plan to do with the photos and ask if they have any objections. If not, have them sign a release form there and then.

Many people are happy to comply. You can offer them something in return for their services. Many times digital copies of their photos are sufficient. If I am working with models, I always require them to sign a model release prior to commencing the photography session.

Minors cannot sign a release form themselves. If you’re photographing anyone under the age of 18, you must have a parent or legal guardian sign the release for them.

When do you need to obtain a model or property release? Songkran Party in Chiang Mai

It would be impossible to use this photo commercially because there are so many people and so much company branding in it. © Kevin Landwer-Johan

At times when photographing groups of people, I have had one or two who do not wish to sign a release. This is problematic as it limits the whole photo session. I have ended up excluding these people from most of the photos because potential use of them is very limited.

If you frequently photograph the same models, it’s best practice to have them sign a new release form each time you work with them. Having a signed model release that’s months or even a few days old can cause problems. Most stock photo agencies require releases for photos made on different days.

A witness also needs to sign the model release at the time the person you are photographing adds their signature. Improperly filled out release forms will be rejected.

When do you need to obtain a model or property release? Attractive Young Photographer

Once I even had a model release rejected by a stock agency because the form was in the wrong language. I had photographed this young woman in Thailand and had her fill out my standard model release form. She is a French citizen living in France. Because the address she gave showed that she lives in Paris, the release form had to be in the French language. Thankfully I was able to email her a copy in French which she signed, had someone witness and sent it back.

Conclusion

Obtaining model and property releases may seem like a big hassle if you are not used to the process. It is a necessary part of being a professional photographer, or even a keen amateur who wants to license photos for commercial usage.

You must be well organized. You need to communicate clearly your intentions and that you require a model release before you begin photographing. Don’t be lax and wait until later – later may be too late.

Property releases are generally much more difficult to come by unless you own the property.

Be bold. If you don’t ask, you won’t get it. Be methodical. Build release acquisition into your workflow. Keep good records, even photograph the person holding their signed release form. Once you have gathered a few signed releases the whole process will seem less daunting.

The post When Do You Need to Obtain a Model or Property Release? appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Kevin Landwer-Johan.

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Review: Photolemur 3 Photo Enhancer Software

06 Apr

The post Review: Photolemur 3 Photo Enhancer Software appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Sandra Roussy.

There are many options out there when it comes to photo editing apps and software. From the simple one-click filter apps for smartphones to the elaborate software programs like Photoshop and Lightroom.

Technology is making it easier to do photo editing quicker and expertly without learning the complete nuts and bolts of complex and expensive software. Depending on your particular needs, some software on the market today can do a very professional job in a few easy clicks.

Let’s take a look at one of these programs that have emerged on the market that boasts advanced technology using algorithms and artificial intelligence to enhance photos automatically and effortlessly.

Photolemur 3 Photo Enhancer

Photolemur is relatively new on the market and prides itself on being a completely automatic photo enhancer. It uses algorithms and artificial intelligence to analyze photos and applies corrections and enhancements as necessary. The software is only available for computer use at the moment and is Mac and PC compatible. You can purchase a single license for US$ 35.00 or a family licenses of up to five users for US$ 55.00.

How it works – instant and quick results

It really is as easy as they say! You drop your photos or import them into the app, and the software gets to work immediately. It analyzes skies, colors, exposure, and faces to enhance your images and fix any problems it encounters.

You can batch import and apply the editing to all your photos at once, or edit them one by one. The software supports a variety of file formats – even RAW files.

After Photlemur finishes analyzing your images, it gives you a before and after view with a fun slider. You can see and compare the enhancements applied to your photos.

At the bottom, you can click on the paintbrush and gain access to a slider that lets you adjust the amount of enhancement that you want to apply. The software won’t let you adjust the changes individually. For example, you can’t edit the exposure only. It does a pretty decent job at making the skies pop and fixing any exposure issues automatically.

Photolemur 3 also features a face and skin enhancer that fix your portrait photos instantly by smoothing skin and imperfections, enhancing eyes, and whitening teeth.

On the left-hand side of the bottom slider, you will notice icons that let you turn on or off the “EYES ENLARGEMENT” and the “FACE ENHANCEMENT”.

I didn’t particularly like what happened to the hair of my model in this image. I would probably glide the slider a little to the left for portrait photos.

Applying filters

The software has integrated filters you can apply to your images. The filters are very similar to the ones you find on apps like Instagram. Click on the circle at the bottom and get access to all the filter options. If you’re a fan of filters, these do the trick pretty well. The mono filter transforms your photos to black and white with commendable results.

Exporting options

Once you’ve finished editing your photos, you can export them to your computer, upload them on various social media sites, or attach them directly to an email.

Standalone and Plug-in

You can use Photolemur 3 as a standalone app on your computer, and you can also add it as a plugin for Photoshop and Lightroom. Upon initial installation, you are prompted to add the plugin if you wish to do so.

Who it’s for

Photolemur 3 is a great tool for beginner or amateur photographers who want to easily and quickly enhance their photos. It does what it claims and has made photo enhancing stress-free. However, I don’t think that professional photographers will use this software on a regular basis because of its limitations.

It’s ideal for landscape photographers because of the sky enhancer and also for portrait photography. It’s super easy to set-up and get going. You can get your photos edited in a few minutes with a few simple clicks.

What it doesn’t do

If you have Photoshop or Lightroom knowledge and are accustomed to editing your photos manually, you will find Photolemur 3 restrictive. If you don’t like the way the software adjusted your exposure and colors, there is no way to go in deeper to adjust these results individually.

That said, it does a pretty good job automatically.

The program makes some sounds when it does certain actions that I’m not a fan of. Thankfully you can go to the settings drop-down menu and disable this feature.

Conclusion

I particularly like the way Photolemur 3 processes the skies to look better and how it corrects any exposure issues. However, I would go a little easy on the face enhancement features so that portraits don’t look over-edited.

You can give Photolemur 3 an unlimited free trial before you purchase it. Download the free limited version from their website and test it out for yourself. The free version adds a watermark and has other restrictions like no batch processing and limited export size.

This type of technology is the future of photo editing, and we will be seeing more algorithms and artificial intelligence applied to photography software and apps. I’m all for professional results done in a less time-consuming way. More time to have fun shooting!

Have you used Photolemur 3? What are your thoughts?

The post Review: Photolemur 3 Photo Enhancer Software appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Sandra Roussy.

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6 Methods to Create Dynamic in Your Photography [video]

06 Apr

The post 6 Methods to Create Dynamic in Your Photography appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Caz Nowaczyk.

In this video from our friends over at Cooph, you’ll learn 6 methods to create dynamic in your photography.

The video covers these 6 tips:

1. Power of Color

Scout a vibrant location, and find your angle.

Look for color blocking opportunities. Look for vivid backgrounds that are perfect for graphic needs.

2. Black and White

Look for things like parking ramps as they provide great contrast and depth. Shoot roofs that cast interesting shadows.

3. Motion Blur

Create dynamic by panning. Pan subjects passing on the street. Rig your tripod up in the back of your vehicle and photograph long exposures for light trails and movement. (Be sure you and your gear are safe and secure here.)

Or frame the cockpit instead!

4. Zoom Blur

Zoom out and expose long for interesting effects.

Define a focal point of interest, shoot and zoom!

Shoot at night using long exposures and zooming effects. Shooting buildings with all their lights can make for great effects!

5. Rectangles

Use places like stairways that have long vanishing points. Here straight lines become dynamic! Coupled with light and shadow, you can get some really interesting shots! Also, look for sharp corners and lines that draw the viewer’s eye throughout your frame.

6. Perspective

Seek high buildings, get down low and angle your camera from a low angle, pointing upward for epic perspective!

Crawl under a grid (if you really want to, and can find one!) and shoot your subject standing on the grid above for a cool urban look.

Find a low, infrequently used tunnel. Get low and create lines in your images.

You may also find the following article helpful:

Get Low and Aim High – How to Use Low-Angle Photography to Great Effect

9 Creative Architecture Photography Techniques for Amazing Photos!

How to do Light Painting Photography Art with Endless Possibilities

5 Photography Hacks to Improve Your Creative Photography

The dPS Top Street Photography Tips of 2018

The post 6 Methods to Create Dynamic in Your Photography appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Caz Nowaczyk.

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Weekly Photography Challenge – Bicycles

06 Apr

The post Weekly Photography Challenge – Bicycles appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Caz Nowaczyk.

This week’s photography challenge topic is BICYCLES!

Flo Karr

Your photos can include anything that has bicycles. It can be motion-blurred, cropped, minimalist, color-based, use nature, objects or anything really! They can be color, black and white, moody or bright. You get the picture! Have fun, and I look forward to seeing what you come up with!

Emily Levine

Some Inst-piration from some Instagrammers:

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by RITIHK SANTHALIA | ?? (@the.speaking.lenses) on Mar 27, 2019 at 1:09pm PDT

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Locke Cheng (@lockelei) on Mar 27, 2019 at 6:29pm PDT

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Ventsislav K Valev (@ventsislavvalev) on Mar 24, 2019 at 8:27am PDT

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Andy | 16 (@andyvisualz) on Mar 27, 2019 at 7:34am PDT

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by ?? MD ?? (@daversa_marco) on Mar 26, 2019 at 11:13am PDT

Check out some of the articles below that give you tips on this week’s challenge.

Tips for Shooting BICYCLES

6 Tips to Master Panning Photography

The dPS Top Street Photography Tips of 2018

How to Avoid Distracting Backgrounds in Street Photography

Which Street Photography Lens is Right for You?

How to Tell a Story With Your Street Photography

Weekly Photography Challenge – BICYCLES

Simply upload your shot into the comment field (look for the little camera icon in the Disqus comments section) and they’ll get embedded for us all to see or if you’d prefer, upload them to your favorite photo-sharing site and leave the link to them. Show me your best images in this week’s challenge.

Share in the dPS Facebook Group

You can also share your images in the dPS Facebook group as the challenge is posted there each week as well.

If you tag your photos on Flickr, Instagram, Twitter or other sites – tag them as #DPSbicycles to help others find them. Linking back to this page might also help others know what you’re doing so that they can share in the fun.

The post Weekly Photography Challenge – Bicycles appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Caz Nowaczyk.

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Thoughts and Field Test: DJI Osmo Pocket

05 Apr

The post Thoughts and Field Test: DJI Osmo Pocket appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Suzi Pratt.

In December 2018, DJI released a revolutionary product: the Osmo Pocket.

DJI basically took the same camera sensor found in their popular Mavic Pro and Mavic Air drones and put it in the Osmo Pocket. The result is a tiny, pocket-sized camera that can capture high-quality 4K video and 12-megapixel still photos. Given the presence of the 3-axis gimbal, this camera is widely marketed as an ideal compact video camera. But how is it for still photography? Read on to learn more!

DJI Osmo Pocket

Video features

Standing at just about 4.8 inches (12.19 cm) tall and weighing 4 oz (113.4 g), the Osmo Pocket looks more like a toy than a camera. This makes it ultra stealthy. Despite its size, this camera comes packed with pro features. The tiny camera sits on a full 3-axis gimbal to give you stable video. You can shoot at up to 4K 60fps, remarkable for its 1/2.3-inch sensor. There are dual built-in microphones with noise canceling to capture high-quality audio.

The Osmo Pocket has many more video features including ActiveTrack to follow subjects, FaceTrack to automatically recognize faces, Slow Motion shooting, Timelapse and Motionlapse.

Photography features

Based on features alone, this is clearly a camera for those interested in shooting video. But there are notable features for still photography as well. The camera has a fixed lens of about 26mm (35mm format equivalent) and a fast f/2.0 aperture.

It also has panorama photo mode, which is brilliant on a camera with a built-in gimbal. When shooting a panorama, the camera automatically pans and shoots 4 images in sequence. This is much more accurate than precariously handholding your camera while panning or having to lug a tripod around. The only downside is that the camera won’t stitch the pan together automatically unless you shoot with a cell phone attached (more on this below).

DJI Osmo Pocket

Osmo Pocket LCD screen

A camera this tiny has its challenges, especially when it comes to seeing what you’re shooting. The built-in LCD screen is tiny and can be quite hard to see if you don’t have the best eyesight. I found it a challenge to not only compose my images but also to see if my shots were in focus. Luckily, DJI has a solution.

There’s a port next to the LCD to connect a smartphone via USB-C (or Lightning connector for iPhones). When using the free DJI Mimo app, a connected smartphone becomes an extension of the LCD screen.

This makes shooting with the Osmo Pocket an entirely different experience. It is much easier to compose your images and even unlock more photo and video features, such as stitching panoramas together automatically.

However, this makes the camera rig significantly bigger. It’s also much harder to shoot one-handed with a cell phone precariously attached to the Osmo Pocket via a USB-C connection.

Shooting with the Osmo Pocket

Using a camera this small is fun, but challenging. Its design is very different than cell phones or traditional cameras, so that can take some getting used to. When using the Osmo Pocket by itself, it is a one-handed device. There are just two buttons and a tiny touchscreen LCD that you swipe up and down to control the gimbal, and left and right to activate various features. Attaching the phone turns the Osmo Pocket into a two-handed camera, which can feel more ergonomic and natural.

When shooting with the smartphone, my instincts were to use the device as I would a smartphone camera. Instead, I had to use the DJI Mimo app, which has a very different interface than most smartphone apps. It also doesn’t let you zoom, and you instead have to physically move forward to zoom in.

Also, it was difficult to remember where my camera was. I usually shoot with my smartphone cameras on the left, and in this case, the Osmo Pocket camera is on the right since it is plugged into the phone’s USB-C port. This made composing images a challenge as I struggled to remember my main camera location.

DJI Osmo Pocket

Osmo Pocket photo quality

If you’ve shot photo or video with DJI drones, the photo quality that comes out of the Osmo Pocket is very similar. Colors are pretty natural, and the images are sharp (almost too sharp, depending on your taste). While the fixed lens is definitely not a macro, you can get reasonably close to your subject and capture photos with pretty good bokeh. Osmo Pocket is slow to focus (tap on the LCD to focus), which can be frustrating if you’re trying to shoot action.

Who’s this camera for?

Osmo Pocket isn’t aimed at a professional crowd, although it certainly could be used by a pro to capture B roll (supplemental footage). However, the size of this camera plus some of its limitations suggests that this is for casual camera users.

If you’re wanting to dabble in videography without investing in large and expensive camera stabilizers, the Osmo Pocket is a great option to consider. Keep in mind that it isn’t waterproof and definitely not a tough action camera like the GoPro; in fact, this camera is somewhat fragile given the loose nature of the gimbal.

DJI is slowly releasing accessories to add on to the Osmo Pocket such as 3.5mm external microphone adapter, mount, extension rod, and WiFi module. There are also polarizers and ND filters that you can get to mount to the front of the camera. These little accessories add to the cost of the already pricey camera and also point out some of the seemingly basic features that are missing from this camera.

Bottom line

If you want an ultra compact and stealthy camera for capturing smooth, high-quality video footage, the Osmo Pocket is a great option to consider. However, in most cases, this isn’t a do-all camera and is instead a supplemental device for capturing very specific footage.

Sample Photos

DJI Osmo Pocket

Video

The post Thoughts and Field Test: DJI Osmo Pocket appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Suzi Pratt.

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Real Estate Photography: Artificial Light versus Natural Light

05 Apr

The post Real Estate Photography: Artificial Light versus Natural Light appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Nisha Ramroop.

This article is written by Nisha Ramroop and Ron Pepper.

Real estate interior photography can seem simple, but that impression can change when trying to capture a space that has big bright window views, and many areas of light and shadow inside. Often, it’s important to achieve balance amongst the bright and dark areas, whilst also capturing the view outside the window.

In this article, we’ll discuss shooting interiors using various lighting methods. These methods include using single and multiple Speedlight flashes, larger strobe lights, and using bracketed exposures for HDR.

Artificial lighting

Speedlight flash

The term ‘Speedlight’ refers to the kind of flash that can be connected to the camera’s hot shoe. These battery-powered flash units are very versatile and relatively inexpensive (often available used) because they can also be used off-camera. Nikon uses this term for this kind of flash, Canon uses the very similar ‘Speedlite’ and others might say ‘on-camera flash’ or other terms.

Using only a single Speedlight flash with your camera to light a room can be a good way to capture interiors quickly with minimal equipment. This does require some practice and a powerful Speedlight.

Usually, you want to retain detail in the brightest part of your room (either the view through the window or in a light fixture) and build your flash lighting around that.

To achieve this, you need to establish a base shot which exposes for the window view. If the window is the brightest area in the room, the rest of the room gets underexposed. Thus you need to light the underexposed areas of your room with your flash. Experiment with your flash at different power levels to equalize the light in the room. You can also use a light meter to measure the light being thrown in a particular area. This helps you adjust the flash output deliberately.

Lighting equipment enables you to fill areas of shadow to capture details in those dark areas. A powerful technique is to “Bounce” your Speedlight flash off a wall or ceiling to fill your areas of shadow more evenly.

Note: While bouncing flash softens the light before it hits your subject and gives you non-directional light, you can use it to supplement any directional light, so that the shadows from your natural light source make sense.

Keep in mind the following technical details, when finding the perfect balance using flash:

Your shutter speed does not affect the flash settings – it only affects the ambient light in your room (ambient light refers to any continuous light sources in the room. For example, sun or lamps). If you slow your shutter speed, it raises all the ambient light levels, which means it also affects the view out of your window.
The aperture affects both the flash and ambient light because a smaller aperture reduces the amount of all light that passes through the lens.
ISO also affects both flash and ambient light. It does this by altering the camera’s sensitivity to light.

Pros

Image almost finished in-camera, very little post-processing
Enables you to have creative control over the final image
Allows you to choose your best angle/composition early in the process and light for that specifically
You don’t need a tripod
Less camera equipment needed

Cons

Depending on the room, you may need more than one flash/light
These smaller flashes produce more “hard” light when fired directly into the scene
Some expertise is required. If done incorrectly, you may end up with inconsistent shadows to your natural light source or appear unnatural/fake
Your exterior needs to be correctly metered to your camera’s flash sync speed
Cost and management of batteries

Note: Using only one speed light can be tricky to achieve balanced light when window sources are large with bright sunlight.

Using multiple Speedlights with a remote trigger

Using multiple Speedlights on stands with a remote trigger can be handy when shooting larger spaces with overbearing natural light sources coming through the window. In some cases, you may need between two and four Speedlights to allow for enough internal light to equalize strong external window light – especially if shooting with direct sun outside the window. Shooting with multiple flashes allows you to get the right shot with a single image, rather than having to use bracketed exposures.

Pros

Allows fine control over the interior lighting
It allows you to light more dark areas
You can set each individual flash unit’s exposure to your needs
No need for a tripod

Cons

Relatively complex set-up normally requiring an experienced photographer
Carrying needed equipment can be challenging
Multiple points of (battery) failure
Need to set flashes so they are not in the shot
While no tripod is needed, multiple light stands are needed

Strobe lights

Here a ‘strobe’ refers to larger, more powerful lights. Modern strobes are powered by batteries. In the past (and lower-end current strobes), strobes needed to be plugged into electrical power or large battery packs.

Strobe Lights can be great to use for interior real estate photography, particularly if there is a large window light source. The greater power brings flexibility. For instance, adding a light modifier makes the light softer, avoiding harsh shadows that happen with smaller flashes.

Set your strobe light/s for the darker areas of the room. Depending on your shooting angle, you could set the strobe behind your camera line and bounce flash off the wall or ceiling above or behind you to fill any shadows in front of you.

Pros

A larger light source means softer, more attractive light
Full control over lighting
Tripod optional
Light is white and clean
Can solve color cast

Cons

Equipment is heavy to carry
Expensive compared to Speedlights
Can be hard to set up in small spaces
May need to be plugged in if not a higher-end battery-powered strobe

Natural or available light

There is an alternative to using artificial lighting to capture a room with bright and dark areas. Perhaps using Speedlights or strobes isn’t possible because the photographer doesn’t have this equipment, doesn’t know how to use it, or simply prefers the technique below.

We face the same challenge that the camera can see either the bright area, or the dark area, but not both. This can be solved, not by adding light, but by adding more exposures from the camera.

High Dynamic Range (HDR)

When using natural light for real estate interiors, there is some level of post-processing involved. One of the most common processing techniques used is High Dynamic Range (HDR) processing. The HDR technique means that you’ll take bracketed exposures using the camera, then they are combined using HDR software.

1. Bracketing exposures

So where do you start to capture the dynamic range of your interior (what your eyes see)? Since you may be working with a scene of high contrast, start with a process called “Exposure Bracketing.”

Exposure Bracketing is where you take (a minimum) of three identically composed images at different exposures. The first image uses the settings recommended by the camera. Then one or more images are intentionally overexposed, and one or more get deliberately underexposed.

One of the challenges with getting that first image (where the camera recommends settings for as properly exposed) is that the camera can choose the shutter speed based on the bright window light. This selection can leave the rest of the image too underexposed. A good solution for this underexposure is to lock your exposure on an area that is neither too bright nor too dark and use that as your baseline shot. When taking bracketed images indoors, use a tripod. Keep your aperture constant, ISO low, and vary your shutter speeds to achieve your different exposures.

Most DSLR cameras now have built-in bracketing called “Automatic Exposure Bracketing” (AEB), making it an easy, one-click process. If you are unfamiliar with this term, your camera manual is an excellent source for learning about this cool feature, and videos showing how to set AEB on many popular cameras are here.

If you are familiar with AEB, go ahead and set the exposure compensation values to plus and minus 2 EV (+/-2EV) or the maximum exposure increment (EV spacing) your camera allows. Your camera display should now show three exposure markers: one underexposed by 2-stops (-2EV), one correctly exposed (0), and one overexposed by 2-stops (+2EV). These represent the three shots that the camera takes.

Important note: The example above is for a three-shot HDR image. If your camera is capable of taking more pictures for HDR merging (some take 5 or 7), you can use the maximum number of shots available to you.

Put your camera into its Continuous Shooting Mode, compose your image and take your shots. Minimizing shake is highly recommended, so use a remote shutter release or timer where possible. Your bracketed images are now ready for the next step.

2. HDR software

As expressed previously, combining these bracketed images ensures you get a properly exposed image. This method is especially useful when you have challenging lighting situations and is a popular processing method for real estate photographers. Photomatix Pro is one of the top software used by professionals for the merging process.

One of the unspoken rules of real estate photography is that the vertical lines must, well, be vertical. Also, the horizon must be level. This is easy to achieve by leveling the camera. However, if you find that the image isn’t quite level, The Finishing Touch Panel in Photomatix Pro allows you to correct perspective issues with ease.

Benefits of using this method:

Easy to learn shooting technique
Fast shooting with a little practice
Minimal equipment needed (camera/lens and tripod,)
Natural shadows
No heavy equipment to lug around/set up
Some flexibility with composition
Great for shooting virtually any space
Compact gear — photographer can pick up tripod/camera and put it down for next shot

Challenges

Shooting angles may be limited, to avoid flare, etc.
Color cast happens more compared to using artificial light
Post-processing required
Memory needed to save the bracketed photos
A tripod is required

Conclusion

As noted, there are pros and cons to each lighting method when photographing real estate interiors. When deciding which method is best for you, consider the needs of the shoot you are undertaking.

If you are a beginner, it is also good practice to experiment first with natural light. Doing so helps you understand how light works before you move on to adding artificial light to your room.

If you are comfortable adding light, remember to keep it soft and be aware of your light direction at all times. If you are shooting with available light, master your processing techniques. Use HDR software such as Photomatix Pro to combine your Exposure Bracketed photos and achieve a nice exposure balance.

No matter what technique you use, some key things to remember are: show details, balance your well-lit areas against those in the shadows and show the space in the most flattering way – just as you see it as you walk in the room.

Disclaimer: HDR Soft is a paid partner of DPS.

The post Real Estate Photography: Artificial Light versus Natural Light appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Nisha Ramroop.

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