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Getting Started with Off-Camera Flash in Photography: Equipment

29 Jan

The post Getting Started with Off-Camera Flash in Photography: Equipment appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Carl Spring.

When you are just getting started with it, off-camera flash in photography can feel incredibly difficult. You then look at all the amazing work of others and begin to wonder why your photos never look like that.

In this short series, we will look at getting you started with off-camera flash. We’ll take you from a complete novice through to someone who will feel confident and able to get the most out of their flash.

Let’s start with the things that I will cover in this series:

How off-camera flash works
What gear you will need
The technical bit
Using modifiers
Adding more flashes.

Off camera flash photography with a Hasselblad

Off-Camera flash in photography is something that can take your portraits to the next level. It is also not as scary as you might think.

The Gear

If you are getting into off-camera flash, you have several options. Some of you may have a flash for use on-camera, some of you may not. For this article, I will go through what you need.

If you are looking for a shopping list, it is as follows:

A flash
Flash triggers
A flash stand
Umbrella bracket
A flash modifier

I will then suggest a setup for those on a budget and a setup for those with a little more cash to spare.

As with all recommendations for gear, I am not paid by any brand to push their gear (I should really push this out with a plug shouldn’t I? hit me up camera companies!!) And they are my opinions, so please let’s not argue about this in the comments guys.

Right, Let’s go through each item one by one.

A Flash

The Vivitar 285Hv, AKA “The Tank.” Smashed, missing pieces and hit by skateboards. It still works fine. I even replaced the flash foot with a metal one when I snapped it.

This can be any flash. You can use an old manual flash bought for under $ 20 on eBay, through to the latest and greatest speedlite from your camera company, which will cost you over $ 400. Going even further, you could get a battery-powered studio strobe. What you need or want will depend on your budget and your needs.

There will be very little difference in these in terms of light quality. The difference will be in the ease of use and the power of the light.

The temptation may be to go with the same brand as your camera, but in all honesty, you can get much better value for money.

Now at the budget end, you can still get great mileage out of an old, fully-manual flash like the Vivitar 285. This flash is an ugly beast of a thing that is full manual. It doesn’t even have an LCD screen.

However, it is built like a tank, and you can buy it for around $ 20 to $ 30 on eBay. You can also get old flashes by Canon and Nikon for a little more. Remember, when using manual flash, you do not need to worry about which brand you are using. You can just as easily use a Canon flash on a Nikon camera and vice versa.

If you have more money to spend, then you really cannot look at flash these days without looking at the Godox brand. Godox produces a great range of flashes in all shapes and sizes. They also come with triggers built-in. This means you only need to buy a trigger for your camera and you are good to go.

By going with something like the Godox system, you also have the luxury of being able to change your flash power from the camera. This makes the process a lot easier, but it does come at a cost.

If you are buying a new flash from Godox or similar, make sure you invest in the flash specific to your camera brand.

A great mid-range flash would be the Godox 860II. This flash has Godox’s wireless system built-in and uses a Li-ion battery and recycles quickly even at full power. You also get a huge amount of flashes per charge (over 500) that will last even the most eager photographer for a full day of shooting.

From here, you can get bigger options with more power, but my honest recommendation is that, when starting out, you generally won’t really take advantage of what these units offer. Save your money and then invest in these later as you need them and, more importantly, once you know why.

Two of the most popular flash triggers made by Godox. they are rebadged under several names. In this case, PixaPro.

Flash triggers

Okay, you have the flash, now you need to trigger them.

Flash triggers come in many varieties. From a super simple trigger and receiver, through to a controller with an LED screen that allows you to see exactly what setting your flash is on and change them remotely.

What you need here depends on the type of flash you have (or purchase). For the budget option – old school flash with no built-in trigger – we will stick with the basic, but functional, option.

You can get a set comprising of a receiver and two triggers for around $ 20. They are as basic as they sound; however, they generally do the job and are pretty reliable. There is no screen, and from past experience, you may need to carry both triggers even when using one flash as they can occasionally be temperamental. There is no control of the flash at all. If you need to change your flash power, you need to go to your flash and change it by hand. It does the job and does it well without any bells or whistles.

Stepping up, look at the Godox trigger.

When you add the Godox trigger to a Godox flash, you can change the power remotely, and as you get more advanced, you get to do other things such as change groups, and high-speed sync. Basically, this trigger will allow you complete control of your flash from wherever you are shooting.

You will expect to pay around $ 50 and up for the trigger. You won’t need a receiver in this setup as the flash has one built-in (one less thing to forget to put into your bag). Overall, you get much more control here.

The more you invest in a trigger system, the more reliable it will be. For an amateur, this isn’t a huge issue, but if you are doing paid work, it really is worth investing in a decent set of flash triggers.

Flash stand

Unless you have an understanding friend or family member, you need a stand to put your flash on. If you are doing this on a budget and already have a tripod, you can use that as an interim measure, but flash stands are cheap. You can get a flash stand for $ 15 to $ 20. When stepping up in price, the main things you gain are better build quality, better quality knobs, and air cushioning.

Air cushioning means, if you undo the stand, the light doesn’t simply drop, it is cushioned by air, reducing the risk of damage to your flash. However, this is designed more for larger, studio-style flashes, so there is not a huge benefit in this for a speedlite-style flash, especially if you are looking to save money.

A flash stand by a company such as Manfrotto will cost you in the region of $ 80-$ 100. However, these are a purchase for life. Unless something major happens, a good-quality flash stand will last you for years and never need software updates.

Two different types of umbrella bracket. The metal cold shoe is the reason I had to put a new foot onto the Vivitar 285 you saw above.

Umbrella bracket

This is the key piece of equipment that allows you to fix your flash to your light stand. It also allows you to add modifiers to your flash, such as umbrellas and softboxes.

As with light stands above, the only difference with flash brackets is the build quality and the quality of the knobs.
A good umbrella bracket will cost around $ 20 to $ 30. I would suggest investing in this straight away. You can get cheaper, but not by much. It is worth the extra few dollars to buy a higher quality one.

A thing to remember here is that you may also need to buy a cold shoe for your umbrella bracket. This screws into the umbrella bracket via a spigot and has a shoe for your flash to mount to. These only run at a few dollars and some umbrella brackets have them built-in. Make sure you check and purchase as necessary as you may end up incredibly frustrated if your shiny new gear turns up, and you cannot connect your flash to your light stand. Trust me; I’m talking from experience here.

With a cold shoe, the main question is do you go for a metal or plastic one. Personally, I prefer plastic. The reason being that if your flash does happen to take a tumble and you are on a plastic cold shoe, it will usually snap. This may seem like a bad thing, but with a metal cold shoe, physics means it will snap at the weakest point. This is usually the base of the flashgun. Instead of snapping the cold shoe, you will snap the base of your flash off.

Now hopefully, your flashes never take a tumble, but I know mine definitely has. A gust of wind can come from nowhere. I have replaced several plastic cold shoes, but have luckily never snapped the base off a flashgun yet (touch wood, fingers crossed, etc.)

Off-camera flash in photography with a simple umbrella of a woman in a green coat at sunset

One of the first off-camera flash portraits I shot. Simple gear can create great results.

Modifiers

Softboxes, beauty dishes – there are many different modifiers, and the prices range from the insanely cheap through to the incredibly expensive.

I would always advise starting with umbrellas as a modifier as they are cheap, cheerful, and versatile. Also, learn one modifier inside and out before investing in more. When you know a modifier, you can use it in several ways and will allow you to create a variety of looks as you get used to working with it.

You can buy a 30” convertible umbrella for under $ 10 (you can shoot through it or shoot it reflectively). You will not get a better price-to-performance ratio from any other modifier.

It is tempting to buy a bucket load of modifiers if you have the money to invest, but what happens is, you become unfocused and try different modifiers, not really knowing the uses of each.

Buy one, learn it, then buy another. Don’t waste your money buying fancy gear just for the sake of it.

Extras

Please, please invest in (or make) a sandbag. A sandbag goes onto the bottom of your light stand and holds everything down, which means a minimal risk that your nice new equipment gets smashed on the floor.

You can make one of these incredibly cheaply, but they are worth their weight, literally. If you don’t have one (or have forgotten to get one), a camera bag will do in a pinch.

When using an umbrella outside, it is like having your flash gear attached to a kite. If you don’t weigh it down and the wind catches it, you may be picking your flash kit up in pieces.

Buy one and use it. If you don’t, don’t say I didn’t warn you.

So, how much are we talking about?

I have priced these beginner kits for those on a tight budget, and those with a bigger budget. Please note, I haven’t gone crazy with the larger budget. What you see here is what I truly believe to be the best beginner kit for getting started.

You will gain nothing from spending lots of money. The aim here is getting the gear to get started without over-complicating things.

The cheap and cheerful

This shot was taken on a setup almost identical to the one below.

Flash: Vivitar 285HV from eBay: $ 30

Triggers: Alzo Trigger Set $ 21 (There are several weird and wonderful companies producing this type of trigger, check Amazon/eBay for them.)

Flash Stand: $ 23

Umbrella Bracket: $ 10

Convertible Umbrella: $ 7.50

Sandbag: Use your camera bag

Total: $ 91.50

You read that right, $ 91.50. You can get started in off-camera flash for the price of a meal out.

A little to invest

Off-camera flash photography with one light and a reflector.

This portrait was taken with only one light and a reflector. There is so much to learn when getting started in off-camera-flash photography that adding more lights will add problems.

Flash: Godox 860ii: $ 179

Trigger: Godox XPro C: $ 69

Air Cushioned Flash Stand: $ 29.65

Umbrella Bracket: $ 29.48 plus cold shoe $ 9.95

Convertible Umbrella: $ 7.47

Sandbag:$ 21.95

Total: $ 346.50

What do you get for the extra cash?

More control.

You can control the flash output directly from the camera plus advanced features such as add groups when you add more flashes in the future. You also get a flash that will take a lot more shots and recycle much quicker between photos. Lastly, if you don’t get on with off-camera flash, you have an awesome flash to use on your camera.

Right, so now you have your shopping list for off-camera flash in photography, next up comes the science part. I’ve just got to go out and get myself a new lab coat, so enjoy this article and see you next time.

Is there a set up that you use for off-camera flash in photography? Please share with us in the comments.

Photography Gear You Will Need for Different Types of Photo Shoots

28 Jan

The post Photography Gear You Will Need for Different Types of Photo Shoots appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Lily Sawyer.

Have you ever wondered if there is specific photography gear that you will need for different types of photoshoots?

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It has now been over a decade since I started shooting professionally. Over the course of that time, I have often been asked for advice on what camera to buy to take professional images. Now, if you’re into photography, I think you’d agree with me that this is the wrong question to ask. There are far more important factors to consider when taking an amazing image rather than the latest shiny camera.

My answer to the above question is always the same: it’s not the camera (given that camera manufacturers churn out new models year in year out). But instead, it’s two other things – the lens and the photographer.

dps-what-gear-to-bring-for-different-photoshoots

A camera is no good if the photographer doesn’t know how to use it properly to achieve the image they have in mind. Equally, what good is a new latest-tech camera if the lens used for the purpose is not the correct lens? An example being, using an ultra-wide lens to capture a portrait.

Therefore, the better question to ask is, “which is the appropriate lens to use for a particular photoshoot?”

dps-photography-gear-you-will-need-for-different-photoshoots

In other words, it is crucial that you, as the photographer, match your gear to the needs of the photoshoot. This will enable you to achieve the image you have in mind.

This article discusses the photography gear you will need for different types of photoshoots.

However, I know that we each have our own ways of doing things and our own preferences, so bearing this in mind, what I have written below are suggestions and based on what I do as a photographer.

What’s in my gear bag depends on what I’m shooting. I have a variety of photography bags for this reason. As a side note, it is worth investing in proper photography bags to protect your gear.

The Staples

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But first, the staples. If you are (or want to be) a professional photographer, this is my recommended minimum photography gear you will need.

For photoshoots, always carry at least 2 camera bodies, ensuring you have one for back-up in case something happens to the other one.

Make sure you sync the times for both cameras, and that the settings are the same.

Also, fully-charge your batteries in both cameras. My cameras are all full-frame. If you have a camera with a crop sensor, this changes the way you capture your images. Here is a helpful article on the difference between full-frame and crop-sensor cameras.

On top of the camera and lenses, I always bring at least 2 flashguns with me and make sure I have spare batteries (or fully charged if they are rechargeables). I use a diffuser cap with my flashguns and generally use these to bounce light both indoors and outdoors rather than directly at the subjects unless I’m shooting backlit.

1. Family photoshoot

dps-photography-gear-you-will-need-for-different-photoshoots

In general terms, the ideal set of lenses for a family photoshoot includes a wide, medium, and a long range of lenses.

My preference is for prime lenses, as they are usually small and handy, and give me sharper and cleaner images.

Good prime lenses can be heavy and also a little expensive. I carry the 35mm f/1.4G, 85mm f/1.8G (also available in 1.4G) and the 105mm f/2.8G. Because these are used on a full-frame camera, the lenses capture their expected focal range accordingly, that is, that a 35mm lens has a 35mm effective field of view. If your camera has a crop sensor with a crop factor of 1.3x for example, then the 35mm will have an effective field of view of a 46mm, the 50mm will have the 65mm and the 105mm will be 135mm. Therefore, you would then need to consider more wiggle room when shooting.

These are important to bear in mind, especially when shooting in small spaces indoors.

The 105mm gives not only a long-range but also macro capability. I like having a macro lens with me, which works wonderfully to capture details.

You can also have zoom lenses in your bag instead of primes. Zoom lenses can be very versatile. For example, the 24-70mm lens will allow you to capture wide and medium-range images with just one lens.

However, they are a little bulky in comparison to primes, especially if the lens is professional and has a fixed aperture. That would also mean better optics, and it would be heavier too.

If you just want to use one lens that covers this range, then there is the 24-105mm Canon lens option.

2. Event Photography

dps-photography-gear-you-will-need-for-different-photoshoots

For events such as birthday parties, product launches, conferences, and suchlike, my preference is to go for zoom lenses rather than primes. Events are usually fast-moving, and I don’t have the time to keep changing lenses.

Often I will have both cameras on me with a double rapid strap. One camera will have the 24-70mm, and the other has the 70-200mm. These are usually sufficient.

I always carry a macro with me, though, just in case. However, with both bulky zooms that cover wide to long-range, I use my nifty 60mm micro lens for extreme close-up and macro shots.

In addition to the above, I also carry with me wireless transceivers that enable me to shoot with off-camera flashes. Transceivers are wireless transmitters and receivers that enable you to control your flash remotely. This also means you need stands for the flashes. So, carrying a monopod and a gorilla pod, or a tripod if you need more stands.

3. Weddings

dps-photography-gear-you-will-need-for-different-photoshoots

If I’m shooting a wedding alone, I pack all the above minus the 35mm and the 50mm as the zooms already cover these focal ranges.

Needless to say, I pack my entire arsenal and the kitchen sink when shooting weddings with a second photographer, as with two of us, more gear and back-ups are needed. That means at least four camera bodies, at least six lenses, a minimum of four flashes (sometimes six), and all the transceivers and stands required.

I have written an article on wedding photography gear you will need when starting out on here.

4. Portraits

dps-photography-gear-you-will-need-for-different-photoshoots

Portrait photography is a specialty that requires a different set of lenses.

For flattering images of a person, I would always use the 85mm for headshots, the 50mm for medium shots, and the 35mm for full-body shots.

You may not need to use all three, so plan ahead of what you might be shooting, so you don’t bring unnecessary gear.

Again if you want the zooms as opposed to the primes, you could always use the 24-70, 24-105, and the 70-200. Just make sure that you shoot within the range mentioned above as a guide.

Longer focal ranges compress the background resulting in a more flattering look compared to using a wide lens. For example, if you use the 24mm, you are shooting so close to the person, you will end up with image distortions.

Depending on the portrait session, I may or may not use off-camera flashes which would require the transceivers. A small reflector is also really handy for portraits, especially when controlling shadows. I have written an article on gear essentials for portrait photography when starting out here.

5. Landscape

dps-photography-gear-you-will-need-for-different-photoshoots

Landscape photography is the opposite of portrait photography, and the lenses and accessories required are different.

You would need wide lenses, such as a 16-35mm or a 24mm to capture wide, expansive shots. You may also want to invest in a telephoto to capture long landscapes with great background compression if you are shooting mountains, for example.

If you plan on doing long exposure photography to achieve soft, blurred waterfalls and waves, you will also want to invest in a tripod and some filters, such as ND and graduated filters. This will enable you to reduced the amount of daylight coming into your lens so that you can slow your shutter speed down without completely over-exposing your image. You would also need a cable or remote shutter release so that you don’t introduce camera shake by pressing the shutter button.

To find out more about landscape photography, read these helpful articles here.

6. Travel

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When speaking of travel, my only experience in this type of photography is family holidays. For professional travel photography, read these articles.

If you are just after good holiday photos that capture memories of your family, then I can help with that. I have tried various holidays with only one lens. One time I just took the 85mm. Another time, I took just the 35mm, the 50mm on another holiday, and, more recently, the 60mm. Following on from these experiences, my personal travel lens is now the 60mm.

The 50mm is also a favorite.

7. Product

dps-photography-gear-you-will-need-for-different-photoshoots

Occasionally, I do some product photography. My go-to lenses for these are the 24-70 and the 60mm micro.

I use off-camera flashes and transceivers and some flags. When shooting small items in a white seamless background, using a white lightbox will help you achieve this easily.

For more tips on product photography, read this article.

8. Interiors

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For interior photography, my go-to lenses are the 24-70mm and the 50mm. You can read more in-depth as to why I use the 50mm here and how I use the 24-70mm especially for shots of an entire room scene.

dps-what-gear-to-bring-for-different-photoshoots

I hope this article and the further links provided have helped you think through what photography gear you will need for different types of photoshoots. If you have any suggestions to add, write them on the comments below.

The post Photography Gear You Will Need for Different Types of Photo Shoots appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Lily Sawyer.

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Tips for Overcoming the 5 Biggest Photography Fears

26 Jan

The post Tips for Overcoming the 5 Biggest Photography Fears appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Tim Gilbreath.

“Most inventors and engineers I’ve met are like me. They’re shy and they live in their heads. The very best of them are artists. And artists work best alone…” – Steve Wozniak

While fear can affect anyone and cause undue stress in their daily lives, creative people (including photographers and other artists) are often introverted and can be susceptible to fear more than others.

Whether it is simply a hobby, passion, or profession, photography involves proficiency in both the artistic and technical realms, creating a perfect environment for anxiety and fearfulness to form.

But like with most other things in life, knowledge is a powerful ally. Learning what anxiety-inducing things you might deal with, as well as what you can do to alleviate them, can help you with overcoming photography fears. It also allows you to better and more confidently enjoy the craft.

Let’s take a look at 5 of the biggest fears we might encounter as photographers.

1. Interacting with people

This is something I can definitely speak to personally. Many of us have difficulty being comfortable interacting and communicating with others for several different reasons. It could be anything from simple shyness or a lack of confidence, or in my case, social anxiety disorder, where fear of social interaction can cause physical symptoms and impede daily life.

Because photography is something we choose to do, we can also choose our level of involvement and what facets of the hobby (or job) we participate in.

For me, I know that I don’t always feel comfortable communicating with people. Because of this, I don’t do many portrait sessions as I know that communicating in real-time with the client is necessary to produce photos that they will love.

Many photographers deal with the fear of interacting with clients. (50mm, f/4, ISO 100, 1/250 sec)

Instead, my photography focuses on landscape and nature scenes, which lets me be comfortable while enjoying my work. I take on the odd portrait job when I feel ready to do so.

Of course, many of us want to learn to embrace that fear and conquer it. The best way to do this is to expose yourself to the thing that makes you uncomfortable. Learn what about it makes you feel that way until you no longer have the same fear for it.

Work on becoming more comfortable around people on a small scale, so that you’ll be ready to speak confidently to your clients.

Know your gear well, and be knowledgeable about the particular service you’re providing. This will give you something stable to hold onto while interacting with your customers.

2. Shooting in public

Street photography is a popular form of photography, and some of the biggest names in our hobby dabble in it, at one time or another.

However, it also exposes the photographer more than some other forms and can make us feel nervous and vulnerable. This is because many people don’t care to have their photograph taken. Knowing that can make the photographer reluctant to open themselves up and capture the beautiful moments they see before them, for fear of being called out or confronted.

Many street photographers deal with these issues by using gear that is better suited for those situations. Small, light, and inconspicuous mirrorless cameras and smaller lenses are readily available. These make the photographer and their actions less visible. It allows them to be more comfortable and focus on making great images.

Fishermen walking down a long fishing pier.

Shooting in public, in view of others, is another common fear of photographers. (50mm, f/8, ISO 400, 1/640 sec)

It is also helpful and important to know the rules and laws regarding photographing people in public or other spaces. That way, if someone does confront you or question what you’re doing, you’ll be well-prepared to answer them.

The bottom line is to respect everyone’s wishes, whether it’s a legal issue or not. If someone is uncomfortable with you photographing them, be a decent person, and just stop. You don’t have to delete the images or anything that extreme, as they are your images, but don’t continue photographing them. An upset subject isn’t going to make for a good photo anyway.

At the end of the day, keep in mind that there are thousands of people out there right now, taking pictures of daily life, people, places, and events. Chances are, you’ll go out and enjoy the experience without any problems, and you’ll bring home some unique images.

3. Rejection and failure

This is a common fear for many people, and unfortunately, it is one that we all experience at times. Rejection of your work or failure to produce work that you consider great will be a commonplace occurrence throughout your relationship with photography. Even the great ones dealt with rejection at times, and they often used these failures to learn more and make adjustments to be even better.

Although there is nothing you can do to completely avoid rejection or avoid producing an imperfect image, you can certainly learn to cope with it and overcome photography fears.

A photographer sets up a shot with difficult lighting.

Conquer your fear of failure by tackling challenging situations. (iPhone, 4mm, f/2.2, ISO 640, 1/4 sec)

Firstly, don’t try to block out the emotions that come with rejection or failure. You need to know what it feels like and embrace that feeling. It will make you stronger, and you will be better for it.

Keep in mind that failure is an exception, not the norm.

Also, remember that repetition is the key to improving.

Tackle some challenging situations, such as a dark and challenging lighting scenario. Go through the possible solutions and execute them until you’re confident that you can solve that problem in a dynamic, on-demand environment.

And, talk to someone.

Talk to anyone who knows you and understands how passionate you are about your craft. Friends, family, and colleagues who lift you up and encourage you can provide tremendous help. They can remind you that rejection can happen to anyone, and is a learning tool to improve your skillset.

4. Cameras and gear

The title of this section might need a little explanation. Of course, we’re talking about the fear of using your cameras and gear, not fear of your camera itself! That would be weird.

The equipment we use can come in various levels of complexity. Regardless of your familiarity with cameras in general, it may inadvertently become another source of anxiety.

Fortunately, the days of being stuck with nothing more than a printed manual are gone (isn’t it nice when we still see them, though?). The current digital age allows us to learn everything we need to know about our cameras from many sources.

Blogs like Digital Photography School, digital manuals and online resources from camera manufacturers, Forums such as Reddit, and YouTube all provide endless means of learning about the ins and outs of your equipment.

A photographer takes a picture of a beach scene.

Knowing your camera and other gear inside and out can help bolster your confidence. (50mm, f/4, ISO 100, 1/640 sec)

The bottom line is, the more you know about the equipment you’re using, the more confident you’ll be in the field or studio. The more informed you are about the camera, the less an arising problem will shake you.

Learn all you can as early as you can. Like one of my favorite old sayings goes, knowledge is power.

5. Knowledge of business and marketing

Last in the tips for overcoming photography fears is our knowledge of business and marketing. Many of us have a fear of the business side of our passion for photography.

If you intend on working as a professional (meaning you make any amount of money off of your photography, regardless of your time input), you are going to need to understand the basics of how business works.

You need to know how to price your products and services, and how to interact with clients on all levels.

Again, through the wonder of technology, the internet is a treasure trove of information (often free) that can give you a good background and bolster your confidence with knowledge.

Many people feel that it’s tough to get a good working understanding of how small business works without taking classes or even having a business degree.

Fortunately, that’s not the case. A quick Google search will reveal many free blogs and other resources that can help you, and many of these are even specific to the business side of photography.

dPS has a great e-book on Going Pro – Making Money from Your Photography.

Fear not, my friends

Overcoming your photography fears may not seem simple, but I hope this article has helped you identify some of your fears and worries when it comes to being a photographer. Maybe it even pointed you in the right direction of overcoming those photography fears.

Remember, this is your passion, and you do it because you love to, not because you have to.

At the end of your day, there is nothing to be afraid of, because you’re doing something that makes you happy.

Are there other fears you experience that we didn’t cover here? Sound off below and share them with the rest of us. You’ll probably be surprised to find how many other people feel the same way!

The post Tips for Overcoming the 5 Biggest Photography Fears appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Tim Gilbreath.

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Weekly Photography Challenge – Music

25 Jan

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

This week’s photography challenge topic is MUSIC!

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Try to capture the essence of the music. Here, Daniel Champagne performs live at the 2016 Illawarra Folk Festival. His performance is heavily based around his guitar, and I sought to capture that. © Caz Nowaczyk.

Music can cover so many things. You can go out and shoot live performances by musicians, crowds at a gig, or photograph musical instruments or sheet music as part of a still life composition.

They can be color, or black and white. They can be a small part of a wider composition or you can focus in on their fine details – the decision is yours! Try using negative space, or simply capture the action, emotion and atmosphere.

So, check out these pics to give you some ideas, have fun, and I look forward to seeing what you come up with!

2016-illawarra-folk-festival-by-caz-nowaczyk

You can take close ups of instruments and sheet music or capture the action. 2016 Illawarra Folk Festival © Caz Nowaczyk

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

Tips for Shooting MUSIC

Tips for How to Photograph a Rock Concert or Show

11 Ideas for More Unique Concert Photos

Tips for Doing Concert Photography like a Pro

10 Must-Have Camera Settings for Concert Photography

How to Photograph a Concert From the Cheap Seats [With a Point & Shoot]

Your Guide to Posing Bands in Photography

How to Photograph Bands in Bars – Equipment

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 #DPSmusic 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 – Music appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Caz Nowaczyk.

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PBS showcases MIT’s ‘The Polaroid Project’ on the history of instant photography

25 Jan

PBS affiliate WGBH recently took viewers into The Polaroid Project, a new exhibition at the MIT Museum. Described as ‘being at the intersection of art and technology,’ Polaroid revolutionized photography with the launch of its first instant camera in 1947.

The exhibit showcases notable Polaroid photography from past decades, as well as a number of Polaroid instant cameras and instant film packs. Curator Willian Ewing in talking about the technology told WGBH correspondent Jared Bowen:

It was a very small thing you could hold in the hand, but you had to participate in the making of the picture. The thing whirred and clicked. The picture came out and developed slowly. And that was described as magic.

The Polaroid Project Part I will be live until February 23 followed by Part II from March 9 to June 21.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

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Important Considerations for Great Coastal Photography

24 Jan

The post Important Considerations for Great Coastal Photography appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Jeremy Flint.

There are few places more exciting to take photos than at the coast. The joy of being by the sea is truly spectacular and an opportunity to capture the ever-changing conditions. Surrounded by rolling waves, soft powdered sands, rugged cliffs, and the truly hypnotic sound of the ocean, great coastal photography can be achieved in any season throughout the year.

There are several important factors you need to consider when capturing images by the coast.

Antigua, Caribbean. Canon 5DSr, 24-70mm f2.8L II, 24mm, 1/125 sec, f/11, ISO 100, Aperture Priority.

Potential risks: saltwater/corrosion and large, unpredictable rogue waves

The coastline can be dangerous as well as beautiful and commands an element of respect. There are inherent risks to yourself and your kit from the sea. Saltwater from sea spray can harm your lenses and filters and can cause corrosion to your camera, potentially making it irreparable. I suggest bringing a cleaning cloth to wipe away any unwanted saltwater and consider using a rain cover to protect your camera and lenses.

One of the major draws for people when photographing the sea is the waves. It can be very enticing to go and photograph the sea in stormy weather with dramatic light or when large waves occur.

However, lives have been lost where people have come into difficulty with strong currents or large, unpredictable rogue waves and have even been swept out to sea.

Be aware of these potential risks, and put safety first when going to photograph the coast. Moreover, never underestimate the sea.

Time of day

Great coastal photography can be achieved at any time of day that you visit the sea and in all weathers. Sunrise or sunset are the best times of day for taking photos along the coast. The light that appears at these times can be magical. You can capture the afterglow of the sun or the coastline as the rays of the setting sun light it.

If you shoot the coast during the day, look for interesting scenes and elements that can make your images more striking.

Image: Cornwall, England. Canon 5DSr, 24-70mm f2.8L II, 24mm, 1/90 sec, f/5.6, ISO 800, Aperture Pri...

Cornwall, England. Canon 5DSr, 24-70mm f2.8L II, 24mm, 1/90 sec, f/5.6, ISO 800, Aperture Priority.

What to shoot

There is always an opportunity to capture interesting coastal scenes. It offers a huge variety of subjects to shoot from views of the seashore and crashing waves to shells, different rock formations, and architecture. This includes lighthouses, piers, and beach huts.

You can use a wide-angle lens to capture a broader view and include several of these elements in your shots or zoom in for pictures of isolated details such as patterns on a rock or shell.

Other interesting subjects you can photograph at the coast include the motion of the sea as it swirls around some rocks, the tide moving in and out and dramatic weather.

Great coastal photography can even include a boat or person in the frame – for example, a person swimming in the sea or walking along the beach.

Antigua, Caribbean. Canon 5DSr, 16-35mm f2.8L III, 35mm, 1/125 sec, f/11, ISO 100, Aperture Priority.

Atmosphere

Don’t be put off visiting the coast if the forecast isn’t sunny. You can make great coastal photography in almost any weather.

Make the most of overcast conditions by capturing cloudy and moody skies, which can be great for adding atmosphere.

Alternatively, visit the coast in the winter and capture something different such as mist, fog, and seaspray. These conditions can create more drama in your shots and provide a unique look and feel.

Wales. Canon 5DSr, 70-200mm f2.8L III, 70mm, 1/90 sec, f/8, ISO 200, Aperture Priority.

Mood of your image

One way to capture great coastal photography is to convey a sense of mood in your images. Think about what mood you are trying to demonstrate and how you can add more ambiance to your pictures.

You can create a mood with light or add drama by capturing fast-moving water and crashing waves using a quick shutter speed. The fast shutter will freeze the action.

You can also develop a feeling of tranquility with longer exposures. The blur of the water and subsequent movement can look great.

Wales. Canon 5DSr, 16-35mm f2.8L III, 26mm, 1/90 sec, f/11, ISO 200, Aperture Priority.

Tide times

Check the tide times and time your visit accordingly. Visit the coast when the tide is low if you want to photograph the sea coming in or at high tide when the sea is out and the beach is more exposed. Be sure to know the tides of the area you are visiting so that you don’t get stranded if the tide comes in.

You can use apps such as Tides Near Me, to keep up-to-date on the tides of the area you are visiting.

Leaving things as you found them

One thing worth mentioning for coastal photography is to leave things as you found them. Remember to keep beaches clean and take all rubbish with you. Also, be careful not to cause any damage to the landscape if you go venturing onto fragile rocks or cliffs so nature can be enjoyed by everyone who visits after you too.

Conclusion

In summary, many photographers are enticed by the sea and return to it time and time again.

For great coastal photography, consider the importance of its risks, the time of day, what you want to shoot, tide times and how to add atmosphere and mood. Now it’s your turn to capture some coastal scenes and share your images with us below.

The post Important Considerations for Great Coastal Photography appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Jeremy Flint.

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Creative Water Photography – A Step-by-Step Guide to Making Water Monsters

22 Jan

The post Creative Water Photography – A Step-by-Step Guide to Making Water Monsters appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Ramakant Sharda.

Have you ever watched an alien movie and wondered how they created those monsters? You’d need a very powerful computer, animation software, and some special skills to create an animated or moving monster. However, you can easily create a series of still monsters by using water. I’ll show you how some creative water photography can enable you to create your own water monsters. It’s simple to do, with great effect!

So let’s get started!

creative-water-photography-making-water-monsters

1. What you need to make water monsters:

To do your creative water photography, you will (obviously) need a camera. You can use any DSLR or Mirrorless camera. In fact, you can use a point-and-shoot camera if it is capable of firing an external flash.

A standard lens, like a 24-70 mm, is good, as you don’t want your splash to go out of the frame. You also don’t want water splashes on your camera.

In addition to a camera, you will need an external flash and a cable or wireless trigger to fire the flash. Then you’ll need a large diffuser. You can use the translucent part of a five-in-one reflector, or you can use a butter paper sheet and paste it on a wooden frame. A reflector is a better choice here, as you don’t need to make a wooden frame, and it also won’t get damaged if some water spills on it.

You’ll need a light stand to affix the flash and a tripod for the camera.

If you have a portable water tub, you can do this shoot in a room. However, if you don’t have one, you’ll have to do it outside.

Also, you’ll need to wait until night, as you can’t do this shoot in daylight.

You’ll also need an assistant to throw the water so you can click the beautiful water monsters.

Creative Water Photography – A Step-by-Step Guide to Making Water Monsters

2. Setup:

The setup is pretty simple.

If you are shooting your water monsters indoors, place your water tub in the room and hang the diffuser behind it.

Set the flash a little bit farther away from the diffuser. If you have a round studio light reflector, use it. It’ll give you a nice, round light effect. If you don’t have one, that’s okay. You can just use the flash.

Fix your camera on the tripod and place it far from the water tub. You don’t want water splashes on your expensive camera, so you’re going to use it on full zoom. If you don’t have a 24-70mm lens, you can use a 100mm lens and place the camera farther.

See the image below to view the setup.

creative-water-photography-making-water-monsters

3. Camera and other settings:

Now you have done that, let’s talk about settings.

Place a stick at the center of the water tub and manually focus on it. Don’t forget to set your camera on manual focus after that.

Now you need to finish your camera settings and flash settings. First, we’ll do flash settings.

Change your flash to manual mode and set the power to 1/32. We’re doing this because when the flash is on lower power, it produces the shortest burst of light, which helps to freeze the subject. You can’t go above 1/32 power, as then you’ll start getting motion blur.

Now set the camera to manual mode.

Set your ISO to 100, aperture to f/16, and shutter speed to 1/200 sec or whatever your camera sync speed is. These are the settings I used in all my shots, and they’ll work for you, too.

An aperture of f/16 will give you enough depth of field, and the entire splash will be in focus. Make sure you’re shooting in RAW, too, as this will help in post-processing later.

If you are firing your flash using a radio trigger, set it up. Or if you are using a cable to fire it, attach the cable.

Now your setup is ready, so let’s talk about the workflow and start creating these beautiful water monsters.

creative-water-photography-making-water-monsters

Workflow:

Earlier, you placed a stick in the tub of water. Now remove it and replace it with something like a glass so that your assistant knows where the focus point is and throws the water accordingly. Also, tell your assistant about the area where your frame is so they won’t throw the water outside the frame.

Now all you need to do is press the shutter when your assistant throws the water.

They can throw the water in different ways. For example, they can fill both hands with water and throw it upside. Just make sure their hands don’t enter the frame.

Your assistant can use a mug or glass to throw the water, or they can throw it using two or three cups together.

Different methods of throwing water will give you different results.

Even if you use the same method of throwing, you’ll get different pictures every time.

Take at least 100 photos – the more, the better.

creative-water-photography-making-water-monsters

Post-processing:

Post-processing is quite simple.

First, select good photos from the pictures you’ve taken. If you have clicked 100 pictures, you’ll get 10-12 good photos.

Now open the RAW files in “Camera Raw” and change the white balance to 3000. It’ll convert your gray picture to a blue tone.

If you’re an advanced photographer and you can set custom white balance settings in your camera, set it to 3000 kelvin before the shoot. Then you won’t need to do it in post-processing.

Creative Water Photography – A Step-by-Step Guide to Making Water Monsters

Now you just need to clean up some extra water droplets, crop if needed, and sharpen it. Your water monsters will be ready.

When you’ve finished editing the photos, check out the other images one more time. You’ll find some images that you can merge and use to make something unique. For example, I made this butterfly using three images.

creative-water-photography-making-water-monsters

So, let’s do some creative water photography and make these amazing water monsters!

We’d love to see your results, too, so please sharing them in the comments.

Also, if you run into any problems, just comment on this post, and I’ll help you solve them.

Creative Water Photography – A Step-by-Step Guide to Making Water Monsters

The post Creative Water Photography – A Step-by-Step Guide to Making Water Monsters appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Ramakant Sharda.

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DIY Photography: How to Make Your Own DIY Lightstick for Cool Photos!

21 Jan

The post DIY Photography: How to Make Your Own DIY Lightstick for Cool Photos! appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Simon Bond.

In this article, you’ll learn how to make your own DIY lightstick.

You’ll be able to use this to create fascinating light paintings, and the best thing is, you can do it on a budget!

The simple DIY lightstick is made with easily available household objects and a set of fairy lights. Once it’s made, you’ll be able to create beautiful light patterns during long exposure photos.

Using a light stick for light painting can transform a scene.

What is light painting

Light painting is a long exposure technique.

To achieve this kind of photo, you’ll need a camera on a tripod, and usually, the photo will be taken at night. The exception to this would be a studio that is completely dark – this too can be used for light painting.

Most people will know light painting as simply spelling something in the sky with a torch.

There are two main forms of light painting, kinetic light painting, and regular light painting. In this article, you’ll learn about using a light stick to create regular light paintings.

There are light sticks out there you can buy. This photo was taken using a pixelstick.

Lightsticks you can buy

You can buy a ready-made lightstick.

Indeed, some of these are already quite cheap and will give you the chance to practice some of the ideas presented in this article. There are also those sticks that are more expensive.

It’s worth keeping the more expensive sticks in mind, as they will give you more options when compared to a stick like the one you’ll be shown how to make in this article.

LED light sticks – The creme of the crop are the LED light sticks made by pixelstick and magilight.
Glow sticks – The glow sticks often seen at parties and festivals. They’re cheap, and can be used for light painting.
Toy light stick – Head down to your local toy shop and pick up a light saber. Indulge your inner child, and it also makes some great photos!
Light painting swords – These are similar to kids’ toys, but are made specifically with photographers’ needs in mind. They are available through this site.

You’ll use tie straps to attach the wire to the tube.

How to make a DIY light stick

There are some very good cheap options when it comes to light sticks, and you might decide to pursue one of those instead of making a DIY lightstick. If you want a little challenge, then read on and see what you can make.

The supplies you’ll need

First of all, let’s gather the supplies you’ll need. You can find most at home, however, you may need to visit your local DIY store or look online for some too.

Battery operated fairy lights.
A piece of plumbing pipe. Around one meter long, and 2cm in diameter.
A plumbing pipe connection piece. A t-shape variety is best, and also 2cm in diameter.
A set of tie straps.
A copper piping half-circle bracket.
Wire cutters.
A saw.
Solder and soldering iron.
Electrical tape.
Glue gun.
Bungee cord.

The battery pack needs to be glued onto the stick as well.

Putting the whole thing together

Now you have everything you need, take the following steps to put it all together.

The task is fairly simple. It’s really just attaching some fairy lights to a stick. Why the plumbing tube? That’s so you can break it down to a stick that’s half of its size in an easy way.

Attaching the fairy lights

Take your length of plumbing tube and use the saw to cut it in half. The length of the 2 halves is optional. In my case, I went with 50cm.
Attach the two pieces together using the connection piece.
Now Attach the end of the fairy light wire to the end of your tube use a tie strap.
Pull out the fairy lights to the length of the tube. Then give a little slack to allow the tube to be detached at the connection point.
Use another tie strap to attach the fairy light wire to the other end of the tube.
Run the wire back down the length of tubing again, and then attach the wire to the tube using another tie strap.
You’ll now have excess wire and fairy lights left over. You could repeat steps 4,5 and 6 if you wish, or continue to the next part.

This stick divides into two. This makes it easier to carry around and gives you the option of using the stick at half its full length.

Putting the battery pack on, and finishing the stick.

Use the wire cutters to cut away the excess wire, leaving around 20cm to the battery pack.
Strip away some of the plastic coatings on the wire on the side with the battery pack, and the side attached to the piping.
Solder the two pieces of wire back together again. Make sure the correct wire is soldered together or the lights won’t work. When you cut the wire, two wires will be revealed on each side of the wiring. You need to solder this back together to re-complete the circuit.
Use the electrical tape to cover up the soldered wire, or if you have it, plastic that shrinks when heated to cover the join.
Test the lights, they should now work, and you should now have a light stick!
Take the copper bracket and hoop it around the pipe, and touch it to the battery pack to ensure it connects.
Use the glue gun and add glue to the joining section on the battery pack, the pipe, and the copper bracket.
Hold everything in place until the glue has dried hard.
Finally, run the length of the bungee cord through the piping, and knot it at both ends. The cord should be tight enough to hold the pipe together, but loose enough that you can easily detach the two halves of the stick.

The stick is now ready, it just needs the bungee cord put through the middle.

Light painting with a lightstick

Now you have a DIY lightstick you can use to create interesting light paintings.

Lightsticks work because of the repetition factor – lots of lights moving altogether in a uniform pattern. It’s best to keep your light paintings relatively simple. Use defined movements, like spinning around, to create light cones. Spin the stick around to create circles, or simply walking along with the stick to create light ribbons.

What you do creatively with the stick is now up to you, but enjoy experimenting!

It’s usually a good idea to keep light paintings simple, with a defined message.

Conclusion

It’s always fun to make something for your photography. Have you ever tried to make an accessory yourself? Maybe it was for flash photography, something like a snoot?

Here at digital photography school, we love to hear from you, so please share your experiences. If you have any light painting photos taken with a light stick that you would like to share, that would also be great!

Weekly Photography Challenge – Protests

18 Jan

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

This week’s photography challenge topic is PROTESTS!

Climate-Change-Rally-Wollongong-January-2020-by-Caz-Nowaczyk

Climate Change Rally, Wollongong NSW Australia, January 2020 by Caz Nowaczyk

In many countries around the world, people protest all sorts of issues – climate change, equality, human rights, government policies etc.

In my home town, there was a recent protest on climate change – brought about by the recent bushfire crisis in Australia.

So, this week’s challenge is to go out and shoot any pictures that include protests (if there are none in your town, perhaps you protest about something and would like to depict that somehow in picture form).

Set out to capture the energy, emotion, wide crowd shots, close-ups of signs and people.

So, check out these pics, have fun, and I look forward to seeing what you come up with!

Climate-Change-Rally-Wollongong-January-2020-by-Caz-Nowaczyk-02

Climate Change Rally, Wollongong NSW Australia, January 2020 by Caz Nowaczyk

Climate-Change-Rally-Wollongong-January-2020-by-Caz-Nowaczyk-03

Climate Change Rally, Wollongong NSW Australia, January 2020 by Caz Nowaczyk

Climate-Change-Rally-Wollongong-January-2020-by-Caz-Nowaczyk-04

Climate Change Rally, Wollongong NSW Australia, January 2020 by Caz Nowaczyk

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

Tips for Shooting PROTESTS

The Ultimate Guide to Street Photography

The Ultimate Guide to Zone Focusing for Candid Street Photography

Photographing Festivals and Events – Tips for Travel Photographers

How to Organize and Photograph Events Like a Pro

5 Tips for Safely Photographing a Dangerous Event

7 Tips for Capturing the Decisive Moment in Street Photography

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 #DPSprotests 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 – Protests appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Caz Nowaczyk.

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What is Ambient Light in Photography? An Explanation for Beginner Photographers

17 Jan

The post What is Ambient Light in Photography? An Explanation for Beginner Photographers appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Lily Sawyer.

Have you ever wondered what ambient light in photography means? You may have heard phrases such as “capture the ambiance,” “allow ambient light,” and have wondered how to do that. This article explains exactly that!

So let’s get started.

dps-ambient-light-in-photography-beginners-guide-tutorial

f/5.6, ISO 3200, 1/60th

Simply stated, ambient light means the light already available in the space before you add any other lighting. Yes, any light already available and that could be many types!

Types of ambient light in photography

1. Natural light from outdoors

The first type of ambient light in photography is natural light from outdoors. This is the daylight that comes through side windows, ceiling windows, and open doorways.

f/5.6, ISO 6400, 1/60th (This was shot on a very dark and overcast winter day in a north-east facing kitchen)

Compare the two images above and below. The image above was taken using purely natural light from outdoors whilst the image below incorporated neons, lamps and spotlights.

f/5.6, ISO 4000, 1/60th

2. Natural light from indoors

Candle lights and the glow of light coming from fireplaces are natural lights that can already be indoor sources rather than the natural sunlight coming from outdoors.

f/5.6, ISO 1600, 1/60th

f/5.6, ISO 1000, 1/60th

3. Artificial lights in the home

This is a range of lights commonly seen in homes and spaces. It includes ceiling down-lighters, spotlights, ceiling pendants, chandeliers, table lamps, floor lamps, neon lights, lights from mirrors, fluorescent lights, and wall sconces.

f/5.6, ISO 6400, 1/30th

Which light/lights do you require?

In photography, the question is, what light is needed to achieve the image the photographer wants to capture? I dare say there are no hard and fast rules as the success of an image depends on getting the correct lighting combination required, regardless of the type of lighting.

Let’s explore some lighting scenarios in various spaces.

Portraits

Just like any type of lighting, whether it be natural or artificial, ambient light is just one option for photographers.

Left: f/2.8, ISO 1000, 1/100th Lens 24-70mm Right: f/4, ISO 400, 1/125th with off-camera flash

In portraits, ambient light could be purely the sunlight coming through a side window. To shoot this, a photographer would only need a camera. And, if it helps to achieve the image, a few accessories such as a reflector, a diffuser, and a backdrop – or use an existing wall.

Left: f/2.8, ISO 1000, 1/100th Lens 24-70mm Right: f/4, ISO 400, 1/125th with off-camera flash

Conversely, the photographer may choose not to use ambient light at all and solely utilize electronic flashes or vice versa in the same space above.

Sunlight from windows is not usually strong (depending on the size of windows and the position of the sun). It’s definitely not as strong as electronic flashes can be, so sometimes there is no need to block it out fully. Electronic light can cancel out any natural light from the windows or can add a touch of light to any ambient light where needed. The outcome depends on the settings used by the photographer.

The images on the left above have been shot using natural light filtering through the diffused window and a reflector to increase the shadows. The images on the right have been shot using electronic flash in a softbox. Here is an article on how to achieve both set-ups. My typical settings for portrait shots are around f/2.8 – f/4, ISO 200 – ISO 400, SS 1/100 – SS160.

Events

Ambient light is your best friend when it comes to events. Weddings and parties are often busy and buzzing with people. Here in the UK, space for large equipment at such events is not always available and often the photographer has to rely on just a camera and a speedlight to capture these events.

f/2.8, ISO 3200, 1/100th Flash power 1/32 Lens 24-70mm

Letting the ambient light in is key to capturing the ambiance of the room and the atmosphere of the party. This means allowing background lights such as fairy lights, festoon lights, wall sconces etc to seep into the image.

The resulting look has depth rather than a flat dark backdrop. My typical settings for events range between f/4 – 5.6, ISO is rather high especially indoors in dark areas around 3200 – 6400, SS rather low around 1/60 – 100.

f/5.6, ISO 3200, 1/100th Lens 70 – 200mm

The last thing a photographer wants to do is to kill any ambiance by using a strong flash to mitigate low light – especially in events where dry ice is used to create smoke effects and various colored lighting for a party atmosphere.

You don’t want to completely obliterate these just to light your subjects’ faces.

f/8, ISO 2000, 1/30th, Lens 24-70mm, off-camera flash

Balancing speedlight flash power and shutter speeds is key to achieving images like these as well as incorporating existing ambient light.

f/5.6, ISO 3200, 1/125th, Lens 24-70mm with off-camera flash

You can read more about dragging the shutter here, a technique used often to produce these images.

f/5.6, ISO 2500, 1/60th, Lens 70 – 200mm with off-camera flash and on-camera flash

You can use ambient light in the background to create silhouettes.

In the photo below, there was no light whatsoever on the balcony. I used the light inside the building to create a silhouette of one of the guests. This was an unposed shot so it was a rather hasty one.

f/11, ISO 2000, 1/200th, Lens 24-70mm

Interiors

Most photographers and magazines require natural light only in the interiors images they use.

Most often this would need a tripod and the use of slow shutter speeds to mitigate dark areas in the space that need capturing. But if the space is characterized by light features such as neon and lamps that make the atmosphere of the room, then I’m for capturing these with the lights on too.

f/5.6, ISO 2000, 1/100th, Lens 24-70mm

In my opinion, it is necessary to be selective with the amount of artificial ambient light to allow in a photographic composition to ensure a harmonious and natural-looking image.

More importantly, it is a must to edit out the lights that are unnecessary in the space for the image you want to achieve. Below are three different lighting set-ups in one space. All three dramatically change the look and feel of the same room.

My typical settings for interior shots depend on the time of day and how much natural light the room gets but range between f/5.6 – f/8, ISO is quite high around 2000 – 4000, SS usually really low around 1/30 – 60 or 100 depending on light availability.

On the photos below, the top photo utilized only natural light. The photo in the middle had all sorts of lights going on like festoon, lamps, fairy lights, candlelight, and neon but without the main ceiling chandelier, which is very bright. The third photo had the chandelier switched on on top of everything else, but because it got too bright, it killed the ambiance in the room.

f/5.6, ISO 3200, 1/80th, Lens 24-70mm

f/5.6, ISO 4000, 1/80th, Lens 24-70mm

f/5.6, ISO 3200, 1/60th, Lens 24-70mm Highlights taken down in editing.

I lean towards a selective mixture of lighting in my interiors.

Some areas are so hard to capture. For example, really dark areas where there is no ambient light at all and using a long shutter speed will overexpose the areas with light and correctly expose the unlit area.

f/5.6, ISO 2500, 1/60th, Lens 24-70mm

Of course, this can be rectified by bracketing and compositing in Photoshop. But I don’t always want to be doing that! Besides, I think adding some form of ambient light brings some charm in. Take these photos above and below, for example, illustrating this point.

f/5.6, ISO 6400, 1/30th, Lens 24-70mm

Color temperature

One of the most common problematic issues when using mixed lighting, especially when including electronic flash into the mix, is color temperature disparity. Natural light from sunlight is usually around 5600K range, while tungsten lights indoors are usually around 3200K.

This means that when shooting outdoors, you need to set your white balance to around 5000 – 5750 Kelvin. That way, the resulting image looks similar to what you see with the naked eye. If you were to set the white balance to 3000K, for example, everything will look very blue (nothing worse than a white wedding dress looking blue!).

The same is true when shooting indoors with tungsten or incandescent lights on. The temperature required to shoot this image is around 3200K, but if you shoot it with the white balance set at 5650K, you will end up with an image looking very orange.

f/5.6, ISO 3200, 1/80th, Lens 24-70mm

The most important thing to remember is to shoot with the correct white balance setting.

However, when using mixed lighting, you will still get color disparity. Here are three ways to solve this, depending on what you require for your images.

You can adjust the white balance in post-production (shoot with a gray card or specified color temperature in your white balance)
Use gels for your artificial lights to match the ambient temperature
Change the bulbs in your indoor lamps to match the sunlight temperature and then adjust everything evenly in post-production if required.

As for me, I try to match what I see in real life to the outcome of the images. Then they are warmed up in post-production for a natural color with the added touch of a film look to best capture what my eye sees.

I hope this little article has helped you in your understanding of ambient light in photography as well as balancing color temperatures when dealing with mixed lighting.

If you have any tips to add about ambient light in photography, do share in the comments below.

The post What is Ambient Light in Photography? An Explanation for Beginner Photographers appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Lily Sawyer.

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Posts Tagged ‘Photography’

The Gear

A Flash

Flash triggers

Flash stand

Umbrella bracket

Modifiers

Extras

So, how much are we talking about?

The cheap and cheerful

A little to invest

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The Staples

1. Family photoshoot

2. Event Photography

3. Weddings

4. Portraits

5. Landscape

6. Travel

7. Product

8. Interiors

1. Interacting with people

2. Shooting in public

3. Rejection and failure

4. Cameras and gear

5. Knowledge of business and marketing

Fear not, my friends

Tips for Shooting MUSIC

Share in the dPS Facebook Group

Potential risks: saltwater/corrosion and large, unpredictable rogue waves

Time of day

What to shoot

Atmosphere

Mood of your image

Tide times

Leaving things as you found them

Conclusion

1. What you need to make water monsters:

2. Setup:

3. Camera and other settings:

Workflow:

Post-processing:

What is light painting

Lightsticks you can buy

How to make a DIY light stick

The supplies you’ll need

Putting the whole thing together

Attaching the fairy lights

Putting the battery pack on, and finishing the stick.

Light painting with a lightstick

Conclusion

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Tips for Shooting PROTESTS

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Types of ambient light in photography

1. Natural light from outdoors

2. Natural light from indoors

3. Artificial lights in the home

Which light/lights do you require?

Portraits

Events

Interiors

Color temperature