Last week, Adobe released its latest updates for Lightroom, Photoshop and Camera Raw, bringing new and improved features to each of its photo-centric apps. While the list of updated features is exhaustive, Colin Smith from YouTube Channel Photoshop CAFE has broken down every new feature so you don’t have to.
Smith’s feature overview is split between two videos: one that focuses on Photoshop and Camera Raw, and one that focuses on Lightroom Classic.
For the 12-minute Photoshop video, Smith covers the improved AI-powered Select Subject tool in Photoshop as well as the updated Lightroom-inspired interface for Adobe Camera Raw.
The Lightroom video comes in at 11 minutes and addresses the new Local Hue tool, the updated Tone Curve interface, ISO Adaptive Presets and the new performance improvements Adobe has made throughout the app.
You can keep up to date with Smith’s Photoshop and Lightroom tips and tutorials over on the PhotoshopCAFE Youtube Channel.
The post 7 Surprising Photography Facts You Probably Didn’t Know appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Megan Kennedy.
Photography has a long and fascinating history full of interesting facts and stories. Here are 7 photography facts that may surprise you.
Fact #1 – All in the name
We use terms like photography and camera all the time, but where do these words actually come from? Photography fact number one hearkens back to the origins of many of the words we use today.
f/7.1 1/40 ISO 500
The phrase photography actually originates from the Greek words photos and graphé. Photos translates as “light” and graphé means “a representation by means of lines” or “drawing”. When used in conjunction, the two words come together to mean “drawing with light”. The coining of the word “photography” is generally attributed to Sir John Herschel in 1839.
The word camera, on the other hand, comes from the Latin term camera obscura, which means “dark chamber.” The term was originally used to describe a means of projecting an external scene onto a flat surface in a dark room. Sound familiar? The camera, as we know it today, evolved from the camera obscura configuration.
Fact #2 The Kodak Moment
And speaking of words, did you know the term Kodak is simply made-up? Founder George Eastman favored the letter K because he believed it was a “strong, incisive sort of letter.”
Using an anagram set, Eastman and his mother came up with the Kodak name. They used three principals in devising the phrase. The word needed to be short, easy to say, and unlike any other name or association.
Kodak, or rather the term Kodak Moment, later entered the common lexicon to describe occurrences that seemed ideal for a photograph.
Eastman believed the letter K was a visually strong letter
Fact #3 – The first selfie
Self-portraits are commonplace today. But what you may not know is that the photographic selfie itself dates way back to 1839.
Robert Cornelius, a lamp manufacturer with a keen knowledge of chemistry and metallurgy, took on the task of perfecting the daguerreotype alongside chemist Paul Beck Goddard.
In 1839, Cornelius decided to turn the camera on himself, sitting for around a 10-15 minute exposure. The resulting daguerreotype depicted an off-center rendering of Cornelius – the oldest known intentionally-created photographic self-portrait.
Fact #4 – One small step
There are many earth-bound photography facts out there. But there are plenty of interesting factoids sourced from outside our planet too.
Taken in December 1972, Blue Marble was made by the crew of Apollo 17 on their way to the Moon. The first photograph that depicts the entirety of our planet from space, the picture was taken approximately 18,000 miles (29,000 kilometers) from the surface of the Earth. The photograph subsequently became one of the most reproduced images in history.
f/8.0 1/500 ISO 100
Another interesting space-related photography fact is to do with the fate of many of the cameras that have accompanied astronauts to the Moon.
Hasselblad cameras have captured some of the most iconic images in history – including our first steps on the lunar surface. However, due to weight restrictions, not all the cameras that have embarked on Moon missions have made it back. Up to 12 Hasselblad cameras remain on our planet’s only natural satellite to this day.
Fact #5 – The first photo book
Number five on our list of photography facts is based around photobooks.
Photobooks have a rich history in photography, but Anna Atkins seems to be the one that started it all. Atkins, a British botanist, learned early photographic processes from Henry Fox Talbot. She is also one of history’s first female photographers.
Some of the first examples of botanic photography were made by Anna Atkins. f/6.3 1/80 ISO 200
Atkins made a visual documentation of botanical specimens using the Cyanotype process. She then compiled her cyanotypes into the 1843 publication of Photographs of British Algae: Cyanotype Impressions. Atkins produced three volumes of Photographs of British Algae: Cyanotype Impressions between 1843 and 1853. Today, only 17 copies of the book are known to exist.
Fact #6 – The most viewed photograph
Photographed by former National Geographic photographer Charles O’Rear in 1996, Bliss is an image of rolling green hills and a semi-clouded blue sky in Sonoma County, California. Microsoft bought the rights to the image in 2000. The company then used the image as the default computer wallpaper for the Windows XP operating system.
The success of Windows XP and corresponding marketing material has led to a general consensus that Bliss is the most viewed photograph of all time. Even O’Rear himself conceded that he would probably be best known for the image saying, “anybody now from age 15 on for the rest of their life will remember this photograph.”
Fact #7 – Camera eye
The camera lens and the eye have a lot in common – leading us to the last of our photography facts.
Aperture can be defined as the opening in a lens through which light passes. A camera lens can either permit or restrict the amount of light that reaches the camera sensor with the aperture blades.
In our eyes, the iris does the same job, relaxing and constricting muscles to regulate the amount of light entering the eye. When you move between bright and dark environments, the iris in your eyes expands or shrinks to alter the size of the pupil.
Interestingly, the human pupil can expand to around 7 mm. This equates to our eyes operating from around f/8.3 in very bright light to around f/2.1 in the dark.
Conclusion
From the first selfie to the eye’s aperture equivalent, there is an abundance of fun photography facts to know. Do you have a favorite photography fact? Feel free to share in the comments below!
The post 7 Surprising Photography Facts You Probably Didn’t Know appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Megan Kennedy.
Canon will send its high-resolution CE-SAT-IB satellite camera into space as part of Rocket Lab’s next payload launch, enabling it to showcase its Earth-imaging capabilities. The private aerospace company, which is based out of California, aims to provide ‘frequent and reliable’ launches, something it will demonstrate by holding its upcoming ‘Pics or It Didn’t Happen’ launch only three weeks after its ‘Don’t Stop Me Now’ mission.
The launch will be coordinated by Spaceflight Inc., the company said in a press release last week. Canon’s CE-SAT-1B is a microsatellite at only 67kg (148lbs), not to be confused with the CE-SAT-IIB satellite, which is scheduled to launch via Rocket Lab later on this year.
The optical imaging system inside the CE-SAT-1B (pictured) is based on Canon’s EOS 5D Mark III design. Image via Canon
The launch will take place on Rocket Lab’s Electron rocket from its Launch Complex 1 located on New Zealand’s North Island on July 4 local time. This mission will be called ‘Pics or It Didn’t Happen,’ the fourth Rocket Lab launch in the past year. The team had intended to launch the payloads earlier this year but were delayed by the pandemic.
In a statement, Canon Electronics Satellite Systems Lab group executive Dr. Nobutada Sako told Spaceflight:
This launch is very critical for Canon Electronics as we are launching a satellite where we have remarkably increased the ratio of in-house development of components compared to the previous launch. Partnering with Spaceflight on this mission has been very helpful and we look forward to a successful launch of our satellites.
Canon launched its CE-SAT-I microsatellite in 2017 from India, successfully putting its tiny satellite into orbit. The camera company detailed this effort on its global website, explaining that it already has many of the technologies necessary to build and deploy these small machines.
The CE-SAT-IB microsatellite is the first mass-produced version of the CE-SAT-1 from Canon Electronics. The satellite features solar cells and batteries for power, as well as an optical imaging system that is based on the Cassegrain 40cm telescope with a 3720mm focal length. The satellite’s detector is based on the Canon EOS 5D Mk.3 camera. With this tech, the CE-SAT-IB is able to capture Earth imagery with a resolution of 1m (3.2ft) from an orbit distance of 600km (373mi), according to NASA.
In its own announcement, Rocket Lab said last week that its launch will include a total of seven microsatellites with Canon’s CE-SAT-IB as the primary payload. Assuming everything goes according to plan, Rocket Lab plans to conduct additional launches every month for the rest of the year and into 2021. In addition to launching another Canon satellite in the coming months, Rocket Lab also anticipates its first launch for the U.S. Space Force for Q3 2020.
If you’re a Sony user with a weak stomach, you might want to look away for this one. Photographer and YouTuber Arthur R shared a video this past week that looks at just how scratch-proof an image sensor is.
Admittedly, this isn’t the most scientific of tests, as he’s using a scrap sensor and doesn’t put it back into the camera to see if any damage not visible to the eye is affecting image quality, but it’s an interesting test nonetheless. Using small tape, Arthur divides the sensor — taken from a Sony a6000 — into four quadrants and uses four different mediums to test the durability of the sensor: dust, dirt, oils and a knife.
As Arthur details in the ten-minute video, the durability of the sensor is impressive, at least to the naked eye. Dust, dirt and oils didn’t show any noticeable markings and even the box cutter abuse only yielded a few scratches. Granted, it’s possible smaller scratches that could affect image quality may be able to be seen with a microscope, it still came out better than he expected.
You can find more videos from Arthur R over on his YouTube Channel.
We initially got our hands on the Sony E-mount Sigma 14-24mm F2.8 while covering the launch in Japan last July. We’ve since acquired a copy here in Seattle and have been shooting with it around town (and in Cabo, pre-quarantine) primarily on a Sony a7R IV body (our initial samples were on an a7R III). These extra pixels should help convey just how ridiculously sharp this lens is. Have a look!
See our Sigma 14-24mm F2.8 DG DN Art sample gallery
Fujifilm has released firmware updates for its X-17 and X-T200 camera systems that makes it possible to use the mirrorless cameras as webcams without the need for extra software. Additionally, Fujfiilm has announced its X Webcam program will be launched for macOS next month.
Screenshot of the USB webcam option within the Fujifilm menu system.
Firmware version 1.30 for the X-A7 and version 1.10 for the X-T200 adds the option to use the camera as a webcam when connected to a computer via a USB cable. To access this setting, go into the menu, navigate to ‘Connection Setting,’ enter ‘USB Mode’ and plug in the camera to a computer via USB. Once connected, the camera should appear as a camera option on compatible video conferencing and messaging programs, such as Google Meet, Skype and Zoom.
A collection of screenshots showing how cameras should appear as input options for Zoom, Skype and Google Meet.
Fujifilm says this functionality should work on Windows 10 (x64), macOS 10.14 Mojave and macOS 10.15 Catalina. You can download firmware version 1.30 for the X-A7 and version 1.10 for the X-T200 on Fujifilm’s website.
On the topic of macOS, Fujifilm has also announced announced it’s working on bringing its Fujifilm X Webcam utility to macOS. First launched on PC back in May, the utility will allow macOS users to turn their compatible X and GFX cameras into webcams. Fujifilm says the program will be available in mid-July.
The Panasonic S Pro 70-200mm F2.8 is an important lens in the L-mount system. Offering a focal range that’s popular with working pros, combined with optical stabilization as well as dust and moisture resistance, it’s a tentpole lens for S-series photographers.
We’ve been out shooting with a 70-200mm for a few days – check out our sample gallery to see what it can do – and look out for more images coming soon.
View our gallery of samples from the Panasonic S 70-200mm F2.8
The post Back to Basics: Everything You Need to Know for Choosing the Right Tripod appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Adam Welch.
Although they seem simple enough at first glance, tripods are tremendously important tools for photographers and videographers. Talking about camera support systems might not be the sexiest topic in photography, but there’s so much to know about tripods. So, allow me to do you a favor. I’m about to clue you in on a few things I wish I’d known about tripods when I first began making photographs nearly twenty years ago. These things will help you when it comes to choosing the right tripod for your needs.
Choosing the right tripod may seem overwhelming – but not once you know these things.
Camera tripods come in all shapes and sizes. Materials and mechanisms vary a lot, as do the specific usages of the tripods themselves. This article will show you the basics of tripod anatomy and talk about the things you need to know about them, so choosing the right tripod for your needs will be easy.
Tripod legs: putting the “tri” in tripod
Conceptually, tripods are delightfully simple beasts. Three extendable (usually) legs offer three points of contact to the ground/floor, then terminate at an apex where your camera will hopefully be securely mounted. This is all deceptively simple and leaves a lot of room for many different types of legs made from many different materials with equally varied locking mechanisms.
Let’s break down some of the common tripod leg variants you’re likely to encounter when choosing the right tripod.
Materials
Tripod leg materials range from the oddly archaic to the weirdly space-aged. Fortunately, in most cases, you can make the best choice for which material will be best for your uses based on these three simple maxims:
Your tripod can be lightweight.
Your tripod can be strong.
Your tripod can be inexpensive.
The catch here is that you can only choose two of those when selecting a tripod. This is where tripod leg materials come into play and where you should be honest with yourself about what you need the most from your tripod.
1. Wood and Steel
As difficult as it might be to believe in this day and age, I still own and regularly use a wooden tripod; yes, really.
It’s a beautifully made contraption of steel and ash wood, Berlebach Report 2042 (new version is 242). Primarily, I use it for large format and medium format work and any other time in the studio when I want to use a large setup or happen just to be feeling extra meta. It supports around 27lbs(12.25kg) and is absolutely rock solid. The drawback is my lovely Berlebach weights over 7lbs without a head, and it tips the scales at over 10lbs when fitted with one.
The point here is that yes, there are still tripod legs made using “old world” materials like wood and steel. Many of these are vintage tripods you can pick up for a wide range of prices.
If weight is not a concern for you, a heavier tripod is more ideal than a lighter one. If you do primarily static studio work, don’t overlook these wood or steel tripods.
2. Plastic
Yes, there are some plastic tripod legs out there. Most of these, thankfully, are relegated to smaller, desktop-type tripods for blogging – as they should be.
A tiny little plastic tripod….
As a construction material for longer tripod legs, plastic and plastic derivatives aren’t ideal. Often the strength is far from adequate for the camera support system and flexes under the load.
While some plastic components on a tripod are perfectly fine, it’s advisable to steer clear of a large tripod with legs completely made from plastic.
3. Aluminum
Ahhhh yes, good ol’ aluminum. In the world of tripods, aluminum is the ultimate workhorse. It has an excellent strength-to-weight ratio, is relatively low in price (dropping lower all the time), and makes for a nice, healthy compromise between leg rigidity, compactness, and weight.
Aluminum tripod legs.
For the last couple of decades, aluminum has been the tripod leg material of choice when it comes to camera support systems because it checks so many boxes in terms of performance.
However, in the last ten years or so, modern science has thrown a new material into the mix that has all but unseated aluminum as the ideal material for tripod leg construction.
I’m talking about…
4. Carbon Fiber
I’ve made photographs for over half my life now, with about ten of those years professionally. For as long as I’ve been slinging a camera, I only acquired my first carbon fiber tripod about three years ago. Carbon fiber is a lightweight, strong, and extremely corrosion-resistant material, making it perfect for tripod legs.
Carbon fiber is strong, lightweight and becoming increasingly affordable.
Not to get all “sciency,” but carbon fiber is, in fact, more stiff than aluminum, being 181Gpa and 69Gpa, respectively. This means that a tripod leg made of carbon fiber flexes less than an aluminum leg of the same diameter. That’s a good thing for a tripod.
Of course, there are multiple carbon fiber species out there, and each has different characteristics.
Going back to our “big three” maxims for tripods, while carbon fiber tripods are strong and lightweight, they are often not cheap. Expect to pay around double for a set of carbon fiber tripod legs compared to aluminum.
However, this price gap is quickly closing as more and more manufacturers begin to bring carbon fiber tripods to the market. In most cases, the benefits of having an easy-to-carry tripod that is both strong and stable are often worth the investment.
5. Titanium
After an exhaustive internet search (okay, maybe about ten minutes), I couldn’t turn up any tripod legs made fully from titanium alloy. However, I did find some tripod sales pages using vague language and simply naming aluminum tripods as “titanium” models.
While titanium is making its way into the world of tripod legs, it is doing so in the form of hardware too. This is expected since titanium offers superb tensile strength and corrosion resistance. Yet, oddly enough, titanium isn’t the ultimate material for tripod legs and parts. It doesn’t wear well against other parts, and the strength-to-weight isn’t as good as some carbon fiber materials.
And the price? Words like “astronomical,” “insane” and “laughable” spring to mind.
Locking Mechanisms
To offer portability, tripod legs generally feature either folding or telescopic sections, with the vast majority being of the latter variety. This means that those leg sections sport some sort of locking mechanism. In general, you’re likely to encounter two main types of leg locks.
1. Flip locks
My very first tripod had flip-type leg locks. Then, my second tripod had flip-type leg locks…so it’s no surprise that I became accustomed to, and prefer, flip-type leg locks on my tripods. This, of course, is wholly subjective.
Flip locks are exactly how they sound: a locking mechanism that flips up to release the tripod leg section and flips down to secure it into place.
A flip-lock.
These locks make deploying the tripod fast and easy. Flip locks can be made of a variety of materials and vary in strength accordingly.
2. Twist locks
It seems as if twist locks are slowly becoming the more prevalent method for locking tripod legs into place. Much like their flip-lock cousins, a twist-type leg lock doesn’t function just as you might expect. Simply twist one direction to unlock and twist the opposite direction to secure.
A twist-lock style of locking mechanism.
Twist locks are generally less likely to fail due to dirt and sand over flip locks. However, not all twist locks are made equal. Some twist locks require a good deal of “throw” (twisting) to lock or loosen the mechanism resulting in slower deployment retraction.
Tripod Feet
Now that we’ve reached the bottom of our tripod, it’s time to talk about the silent hero of all tripod legs – the seldom applauded feet. No matter what, your tripod ultimately comes to rest on its feet…well…hopefully.
The feet of a tripod come in all shapes and sizes and are another important consideration when choosing the right tripod. In most cases, tripod feet are made from some sort of rubber or rubberized plastic.
Rubberized tripod feet.
This is where things get interesting.
Now, the shape and characteristics of tripod feet make them more or least apt to remain solid in different environments. The larger the feet of your tripod, the more “flotation” they will offer; meaning the load will be distributed over a wider surface area. The more flotation a tripod foot has, the less likely it is to sink into softer ground materials like sand and mud.
An example of large, high-flotation tripod feet. These kind are great for sandy environments.
Speaking of the ground, if you know you’ll be using your tripod in widely varying outdoor environments (looking at you landscape shooters), it would be a good idea to make certain your tripod feet feature some type of spike system.
Retractable foot spike.
Foot spikes are your best friend when you find yourself shooting in icy winter conditions or on exposed rock. However, they are also your worst enemy when shooting indoors and are the menace of wedding venues everywhere. So if you’re a photographer who shoots both outdoor and indoor scenes, make sure your leg spikes are retractable or removable.
It’s also worth mentioning that many major tripod manufacturers offer interchangeable feet for their products, which means you can change your tripod feet depending on the situation.
Center column or nah?
Let’s move a bit north and talk about a topic of contention when it comes to tripods – center columns. A center column allows the photographer to increase the tripod’s height after deploying the legs to their maximum extension.
A selection of tripods with center columns.
Center columns add wonderful versatility to a tripod’s capabilities simply because they facilitate the quick and tailored height adjustment. At the same time, center columns also introduce a point of movement into your shooting platform. Thus, causing the debate about whether or not using a center column hinders the overall quality of your photos.
Center columns are very much a double-edged sword in that they can add immense versatility to your shooting possibilities while also causing a few problems if poorly executed. As cliche’ as it might sound, the choice of whether or not you prefer a center column is entirely up to you.
Fortunately, the decision is becoming less and less of an issue, as many tripod makers now offer removable center columns for a large number of tripod models.
There’s so much more!
We’ve covered the main components of your tripod, but we haven’t even begun to talk about the wide world of ball heads, pan heads, and fluid heads! There are even base plates and plate clamps to talk about! So instead of reading about all of these cool little gadgets, why not see them in action?
Have a look at this video I made that covers all of the things we’ve already talked about plus the options that are currently available for mounting your camera to your particular camera support system.
As always, feel free to post your questions and comments about choosing the right tripod below. Have a favorite camera support system or setup you’d like to share with us? We would love to hear about them as well!
The post Back to Basics: Everything You Need to Know for Choosing the Right Tripod appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Adam Welch.
Leica has released firmware version 2.0 for its SL2 full-frame mirrorless camera bringing with it the much-anticipated ‘Multishot’ mode amongst other features and fixes.
When it was first revealed last November, Leica said its SL2 full-frame L-mount camera would eventually be able to capture 187MP images via a Multishot mode that would appear in a firmware update sometime in 2020. Now, the new feature is here and ready to be put to the test.
When set to Multishot mode the SL2 will combine up to eight images to create a DNG file up to 187MP. To achieve this, the sensor is shifted in half-pixel increments between each of the exposures.
Due to the Multishot mode using sensor-shifting to capture the high-res images, Multishot mode is limited to electronic shutter capture and automatically turns off image stabilization (both BIS and OIS). In addition to the final 187MP image, the SL2 will also save an image at normal resolution (47MP).
Other improvements in firmware version 2.0 include an updated video menu interface, the ability to change the size of the autofocus field using a long tap and a new setting that will automatically rename formatted SD cards to ‘Leica SL2.’ Leica has also addressed a number of bugs including better detection of M lenses when used with an adapter, a fix for artifacts in DNG files when shooting in ‘Continous — Very High Speed’ mode, a fix for the incorrect focus distance values and updates to wireless connectivity that should provide a faster and more stable connection between the camera and connected mobile or desktop devices.
Firmware version 2.0 for the SL2 is free to download on Leica’s website. Installation instructions and further details can also be found on the firmware download page.
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.
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
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.
Notice that the window is beside the infant and that she is placed back a bit.
This is the resulting portrait. 50mm ISO 1600 f/4.0 1/500 sec
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.
This is the resulting portrait with bright catchlights. 50mm ISO 1600 f/4.0 1/250 sec
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.
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.
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
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.
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.
The same principles apply; a large window will make softer light, set your subject beside and behind the window a bit.
Notice the soft light and nice catchlights. A reflector was used for this portrait.
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.
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.
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