Lighting

In my opinion every photographer should have a basic knowledge about studio lighting, even just lighting in general. By just a flick of a switch, lighting can change the whole mood of a photograph.

My favorite kind of lighting is natural. I enjoy shooting my models outside and positioning them according to where the sun is. Photography outdoors can be a little difficult because you can never fully be positive about what kind of weather you have to work with. Personally I kind of like the challenge, I feel like every time I figure out a away to work with the rain or to bright of a sun, I become a better photographer.

Studio Lighting

Why do we use it? Studio photography gives you complete control of your setting, you can get exactly what you want out of a subject and if you are a tremendously creative person, studio lighting becomes your best friend!

Lighting control

It is very important in studio lighting to have accessories to change the harshness of light. For example, soft light is generally generated by an umbrella or soft box attached to a light and results in shadow free images. Hard lighting, on the other hand, is generated by a small and/ or faraway light with nothing blocking the light source from the subject and results in strong shadows.

What You Need

–       A good lighting space: a room with preferably no windows

–       A tripod (optional)

–       Paper or fabric background: generally black or white

–       A willing subject: It’s no fun to take pictures of someone who doesn’t want to be there

Types of lighting

Soft: Lighting that is low or moderate in contrast, such as on an overcast day.

Hard: Lighting that creates contrast between shadowy and well-lit areas.

Side: Lighting that falls on subject from the side relative to the camera position.

Back: Lighting coming from behind the subject.

Top: Lighting that comes from above a person or object.

Related articles

• Tips To Choose Photography Lighting Kits (b2bbusinessnews.wordpress.com)
• Studio Light 101 Workshop (3 Spots Available) (ivanleungphotography.wordpress.com)
• How to Use 5 Types of Light in Photography (shutterfly.com)

Star Trails

Star trails can create some of the most beautiful night photography images. The reason I love to photograph them is because I think it is amazing that with just a long shutter speed you can see the path has taken in just one photograph.

The way I capture star trails is by shooting multiple exposures and combining them later on. For this tutorial to be effective you should know the general relationship between Shutter speed, Aperture and ISO. If you don’t I recommend checking out this site, http://www.exposureguide.com/exposure.htm

What you’ll need:

• Digital SLR Camera
• A Tripod
• A wired shutter release with a mechanism to lock the shutter down

Before you start make sure that the night is dry and clear. Set up your gear in a place where you have an open view of the sky but still compose it with some trees. Then focus your camera on a bright star. Once the camera is focused turn off auto focus so it doesn’t get confused.

For my aperture I will generally use f/5.6, with a shutter speed of 30 seconds. My ISO is always the lowest ISO necessary, starting at 200 and being at a max of 800.

Once everything is set, press the button on your shutter release, lock it down, and you are good to go.

The Finished Product

One thing I’ve noticed is that airplanes get into the shots if you photograph close to a city. I get rid of them by using clone stamp so the finished product looks better. It can take some time but generally it is worth it. Now that your photos are ready it is time to put them all together. For my star trail images I use Image Stacker. It costs $17 to get the full version and I find it very useful for combining all your images. To start click the “Add Images” button.