Photography Tips and Tricks

Photography Quick Tips II

2009-06-04T21:14:00.009-05:00

Shooting off-center

Rather than placing your subject in the middle of the screen, place it on one side and ensure something is in the background that fills the rest of the image. This can be really effective if the background has the same theme. For example, if photographing a football player, put the field goal posts in the background.

The Rule of Thirds

One of the most popular rules in photography is the "Rule of Thirds". It is a simple rule that can add to your photos. Simply, divide the image into thirds both horizontally and vertically. When composing your shot, place important elements either along these lines, or where the lines join together. - NOT at the centre of the frame.

It's a very simple rule to follow and will result in a nicely balanced image. It also helps get rid of the bulls eye effect. ie: placing the subject dead center with a lot of empty space around them.
The Rule of Thirds is more of a guideline and sometimes you will find a better image when you break the rule.

Photography Quick Tips

2009-05-28T14:19:00.007-05:00

Photographing Children

Children make wonderful subjects.

Bring yourself down to the child’s level, even if you need to get down on the floor. This view won't distort their image, as taking the shot from above will.

While posed shots are great, you can get better results by capturing an image when they are preoccupied. ie: while at play. You’ll capture their faces enjoying the moment.

Children who have grown up having their photo taken will be less likely to show off or not wanting to be in front of the camera

Filling the Frame

Almost any shot will look better if you take a couple of steps closer to your subject. Filling the frame with your subject will make a big difference of how your images will look.

Instead of moving closer you can use your zoom in on your subject to get a closer shot. Fill the frame with your subject's face only. With less clutter in the image, there's less to draw the eye away from the subject in your photo.

If you can't get close enough when you capture the shot, you can zoom in later on the computer - crop out everything except the subject's face and see the difference it makes.

Using Umbrellas as Light Modifiers

2009-04-29T13:04:00.003-05:00

Umbrellas are useful as light modifiers because they are quick to setup, easy to transport, and generally less espensive than other options. There are many umbrellas on the market in many different styles and knowing what each does will help you narrow down your choices.

Shoot Through Umbrellas

Shoot through umbrellas, also called white, soft, or translucent umbrellas, are one of the most common umbrellas used by photographers. When you need to diffuse your light source, shoot through umbrellas are a good choice. The material used will produce results similar to a softbox, diffusing your lighting source and softening the light that hits your subject.

When you use a shoot through umbrella, position it between the light and your subject, adjusting the position of the light in regards to the umbrella until you get your desired effect.

Reflective Umbrellas

Reflective umbrellas are also useful modifiers, allowing you to bounce light directly onto your subject without the use of standard reflectors. This keeps your studio more organized and clean and still allows you to get the benefits of a reflective surface. Reflective umbrellas come in many different colors; black, silver, gold, and white are a few of the options available.

Gold: Use gold reflectors to warm up your pictures.
Silver: Silver reflectors can be used to brighten your picture, without affecting the color of the light.
White: Use white reflectors to bounce light into shadows, without affecting the quanity, quality, or color of light being cast on your subject.
Black: Black reflectors act in a subtractive manner, removing excess light from your photos.

You will also notice that some umbrellas have black backing and some have white. An advantage of the black backing is that it will keep out more unwanted light and heighten the effect of your reflected light.

When you use a reflective umbrella, position the light source between the umbrella and the subject, with the opening of the umbrella pointed towards the subject.

Umbrella Size

In both cases, the size of your umbrella will impact your end results. Just remember that the larger the umbrella, the more your light will be spread out. Using smaller umbrellas can give you more focus, while larger umbrellas can illuminate more area. This is something you'll have to play with to know what you like best; most photographers learn with a 33" umbrella because they are an inexpensive way to become familiar with how they work.

Lighting Quick Tips

2009-04-24T17:09:00.003-05:00

We've assembled some quick tips that are important to keep in mind, but simple enough that they don't need an entire post on their own.

Sports League Photography

If you are using a tent, make sure to set it up in the north-south position to keep the morning sun out and shadows consistent throughout the day. You will get the best light if the opening faces north.

Red Eye

Use enough light so your subject's pupils are fully open and keep you flash off-center.

Indoor Ambient Light

Close blinds and turn off overhead lights. Overhead fluorescents can turn your photo green; incandescent floor lamps can turn your photos yellow.

If using a window for lighting, use a north facing window for the best light.

Night Time

Use a tripod and set your camera to the lowest noise rating possible.

Depth of Field

Remember this is an inverse relationship: the larger the opening, the shorter the depth of field. 16 is a small depth of field; 2.8 is a large depth of field.

And, as always, plan ahead with regards to equipment so you have time to become familiar with it before you are on a shoot.

Lighting for Outdoor Photography

2009-04-21T16:55:00.002-05:00

We've discussed some of the tools you can use in the studio, but what happens when you move outside? Suddenly, the elements that you had complete control of indoors begin to change, and you have to adapt to the lighting available. There are many factors that can affect your lighting; time of day, weather, season, and location are just a few. In combination with the variance of sunlight, these elements continuously change, making it difficult to predict or control the quantity, quality, color, or direction of light. These can have a huge impact on the shadows, colors, shapes, and tones you see in your photographs.

As a starting point, it is useful to know where you want to position your subject in relation to the lighting. There are three different options: front-lighting (positioning the light source behind the camera), side-lighting (positioning the light source at an angle to the subject), and back-lighting (positioning the light source behind the subject).

Most photographers start out using front-lighting, but there are some obvious downsides to this that become evident when you view the results. First, if you are photographing people and it is a bright day, you will see a lot of squinty eyes and other signs of discomfort. Also, this type of lighting has the harshest shadows and can require a reflector or a fill flash to counteract it. Over time, you will find this type of lighting provides the least depth and produces less interesting results than side-lighting or back-lighting.

We recommend starting with side-lighting; you will get the best depth in your photographs and will learn more about how light falls. Side-lighting is best suited for black and white photography, where shadows and textures are most important.

Back-lighting is another lighting option. By placing the light source behind your subject, you eliminate any squinting visible with front-lighting. You can easily product a silhoutte effect with plants, people, or translucent items. If you are photographing people, make sure you use a fill flash or a reflector to show details on their faces. A gold reflector is using in producing golden tones, resulting in warm skin tones. It will also soften shadows.

After mastering where you want the lighting source, the other factors become more easy to work with. The time of day will have the next largest impact on your photographs. The quantity and color of light change most rapidly early in the morning (sunrise) and late in the evening (sunset). Contrary to what you might think, although there is the most light at noon, this is not the best time to take your photographs - the lighting will be harsh and the lack of shadows will make the photography appear flat. Instead, we recommend scheduling photo shoots outdoors for mid-morning and/or mid-afternoon, when you will have plenty of light, but also enough shadows to show depth and make your photograph eye catching.

The weather can also impact the quanity and color of light; if it is extremely overcast, you may not have enough light to work with. Also, a lot of people will not want to chance getting wet, so you may end up needing to reschedule. Mist can have the interesting effect of subdueing the light, making diffent colors stand out while decreasing the details. A lightly overcast day is perhaps the best day to shoot, as your astmosphere will act like a giant light diffusing softbox. Also, it will help eliminate squinty eyes on your subject caused on bright, sunny days. On overly cloudy days, make sure you use a tripod.

Also, make sure to consider your sky. Cloudless days are pretty if you are planning a picnic or day at the pool, but they make for boring photography. Use clouds to make your sky an interesting element of the photo.

Lastly, have fun and don't be afraid to experiment. There are many unknowns in outdoor photography, and understanding how to work with them takes experience.

Using Continuous Lighting

2009-04-13T16:15:00.004-05:00

Newcomers to continuous lighting ask questions very similar to those using strobes:
- What kind of bulbs should I buy?
- How do I connect the lights to my camera?
- Do I need to change anything on my camera to get it to work?
- Where do I put the lights to get the best picture?

We'll address these questions below.

Buying Bulbs

There are several options for purchasing bulbs, and knowing where to start can be overwhelming. We recommend sticking to compact fluorescent bulbs - they are affordable and readily available at most local home improvement stores. We also sell several different wattages on our website.

Compact fluorescent light bulbs use up to 75% less energy and last up to 10 times longer than standard light bulbs. They fit into the same sockets as regular bulbs. The total cost of ownership of a compact fluorescent light bulb is typically substantially less than a standard light bulb that produces the same amount of light.

When you compare bulbs, some manufacturers label the output as the incandescent equivalent and others as the actual bulb wattage; make sure you compare the same measurements so you get the best comparisons. Make sure to choose a high enough wattage so that your light output is enough to illuminate your subject and compensate for ambient lighting.

When looking at the color temperature of the bulbs, lower numbers will produce a more yellow light and higher numbers will be more blue. 5000K daylight compact fluorescent bulbs are an excellent choice for digital camera photography. They generate a close match to natural daylight and a crisper view of the items being illuminated.

Also, because you are working with photography, make sure to get flicker-free bulbs.

Hooking Up the Lights

Unlike strobe lighting, continuous lighting does not need to be hooked up to your camera. After setting up the lights, simply turn them on and begin taking photos.

Camera Adjustments

Because you are not hooking up the lighting to your camera, fewer adjustments are required. Play with your camera's exposure until you get the right amount of light. Then set your camera's white balance using a grey card (detailed instructions for this can be found in your camera's user manual).

Positioning

You can position your continuous lighting in the same way as strobe lighting: use two lighting setups on either side of the camera pointed at your subject. Again, you can add a third light above the subject for better definition.

Using Strobe Lighting

2009-04-07T17:18:00.006-05:00

Many beginners to using strobes have the same questions:
- How do I hook the strobes up to my camera?
- What changes do I need to make on my camera to get it to work?
- Where do I put the strobes to get the best picture?

In this post, we aim to answer these questions in order to provide you with a great starting place for your own photographs.

Hooking Up the Strobes

With most strobe units, there are three different ways to trigger the flash: sync cords, other flashes, or wireless triggers.

Sync cords are the most reliable way to hook up a strobe to your camera. To set this up, plug one end of the sync cord into the strobe and the other into the camera. The end that looks like a headphone jack plugs into the strobe, and the part that looks like a bulleye plugs in the camera. Some cameras may not have a port for the bullseye end, in which case you can purchase a PC sync hotshoe to place on your camera's hotshoe mount that you can then plug the sync cord into. Of course, this means that your strobe is connected to your camera by a cable, and if anyone trips on the cable you could cause damage to both the strobe and the camera, so make sure to use caution in when you place your cables.

Another option is using a wireless trigger. Wireless triggers come with a transmitter and a receiver so that you plug the transmitter into the camera and the receiver into the strobe. You'll need to locate a wireless trigger that is compatible with your camera model to use this. Once setup, this will work in the same manner as the sync cord, but without the cord and without the risk of tripping on your equipment.

You can also use another flash to trigger your strobe unit; this can include the flash built into your camera. By setting your camera's flash mode to manual, you can eliminate the pre-flash and easily trigger your other strobe units. Your camera's flash should not impact the lighting of your photos, as it is much weaker than your units and will be washed out by them. Some strobe units require that your strobe is placed in close proximity to the flash. If you try to do this with your camera's flash mode in automatic mode, your pictures will be washed out.

Camera Adjustments

When hooking up the strobes , there are very few changes needed to have them triggered. Mainly, just remember that if you are using your camera's flash to trigger your strobe unit to set the camera's flash mode to manual.

You also need to consider your camera's sync speed so that you don't get too little or too much light. Most camera's will have a rated flash sync speed that we recommend using (1/250 and 1/125 are most common unless you are using a leaf shutter). However, you can adjust this to your liking. If you adjust, use the fastest speed that you can that will give you full exposure and not lose light.

The camera's exposure may also need to be adjusted, but this is something you'll need to play with by trial and error. You should do this while adjusting the power of the strobe units so that you can come to a good lighting balance.

Additionally, before taking your first photos, use a grey card to set your camera's white balance.

Positioning

Where you position your strobes depends mainly on how many you have and the ambient lighting in the room. We recommend using at least two strobes so that you can position them in a manner to remove shadows; adding a third will help add dimension to your subject. If you have two strobes setup, position them each on either side of your camera directed at your subject. A third strobe on a boom arm is a good addition if positioned above your subject so that you get good definition of hair and even further shadow reduction. Move these around until you get your desired results.

As with most things in photography, play around with your settings and positioning until you are happy with the results. There is not a definite set of rules, but this will get you on your way.

Rule of Thirds

2009-03-27T16:49:00.006-05:00

The rule of thirds is a guiding principle in photography, used by many photographers to emphasize key elements in their pictures and to create tension. This creates a different feel to the end result than simply centering the subject would.

The basics of this technique are quite simple: divide your picture into thirds vertically and horizontally, creating 9 equal squares, as shown in the photo to the right. Notice how the trees and the horizon fall in relation to the lines dividing the picture. The main subject of the photograph isn't centered, but the composition brings more interest to the photograph.

Use the intersections of lines to place elements of particular interest.

This principle can be applied to any photographic scenario: people, landscapes, groups, etc. With people, place eyes, lips, or hands on or near the intersecting lines. With landscapes, place the horizon near one of the horizontal lines instead of in the center of the photo. With groups, use this to help you with arranging the group into a pleasant formation.

There are many advantages to using this principle, and as you use it you will find out new ways to make your photographs interesting.

Continuous vs. Strobe

2009-03-20T16:25:00.006-05:00

This is our #1 asked question: should I use a strobe or continuous lighting? Unfortunately, there is no easy answer for this question, as what you use is based on many factors, one of which is your personal preference. However, there are a couple strengths and weaknesses for each type of lighting that may help you to choose what it right for you.

Continuous Lighting

Continuous lighting uses a constant light source to light your subject, meaning that your lights will stay on during the entirety of your photo shoot. For beginners, this is often the lighting source of choice, as it offers easier anticipation of where light and shadow will appear in photos, is easier to setup (there is no triggering required by your camera), and is typically less expensive. The bulbs are cooler, meaning that your room should not get as warm as with traditional lighting. Continuous lighting is good for table top photography, and a necessity with video.

Strobe Lighting

Strobe lighting uses a flash of light at the moment your camera shutter opens to illuminate your subject. This allows you to use brighter lighting than would be possible with continuous lighting, since your subject would not need to withstand the bright lights for an extended period of time. Many professionals use this type of lighting because it offers more control of the light. There is a greater ability to adjust the amount, direction, and color of light with the many accessories available (and sometimes built into) a strobe head. For example, you can use a snoot, barndoor, beauty dish, or color gel with a strobe, but doing so with continuous lighting would be either difficult or not possible at all. Strobes are ideal for action shots and photographing children. They are, however, generally more expensive.

When you make your decision, work with what you know, or are most comfortable with.

Planning Ahead for your Shoot

2009-03-20T16:00:00.003-05:00

As with many things, being prepared for a photo shoot is an investment in time and money. There are many things to consider, and many factors that contribute to the success of your photos. As with most things in life, being prepared ahead of time will make your shoot go more smoothly and help you to encounter far fewer problems with regards to locations, equipment, and people.

Before scheduling events, think about what types of locations and settings you are comfortable with shooting in. This can go a long way in determining what types of equipment you need. It can also help you to scout out good locations, so that when someone comes to you, you’ll be able to offer valuable suggestions. If you like photographing in outdoor locations, consider the time of day, weather, terrain, and other hazards at the location that may impact the quality of shoots held there. Make sure to confirm that no permits are required to photograph in your location; if they are needed, obtain them as early as is convenient.

When ordering equipment, be sure to order well in advance of when you need to use it. In most cases, we recommend waiting until you have your equipment before scheduling any shoots. This will allow you to have plenty of time to get acquainted with the equipment – learning how to set it up, use it, and put it away in a professional and efficient method. It also gives you time to practice and see if you need more equipment before crunch time.

It is very common to photograph a wide range of ages, and everyone has special needs that you’ll need to consider when planning your shoot. Pay special attention to your clients and any requirements they may have. Take note of how many children will be involved, if any pets need to be included, etc. This may help you avoid planning a shoot in a location that isn’t easily accessible for everyone; some parks are not handicap accessible.

Several new photographers hit the ground running when it comes to setting up shoots and think about the logistics of planning the event later, but this often causes more harm than good. One of the best pieces of advice we can offer to beginners is that planning ahead can save you time and frustration in the long run, making you more successful and satisfied with the end result.

Using a Light Tent

2009-03-11T12:21:00.003-05:00

When taking still photos of small items, it is common practice to use a light tent. The translucent nylon material of the light tent diffuses your lighting evenly around your subject, reducing shadows and softening the light.

Most light tents today come with backgrounds that attach to the inside of the light tent using velcro. Choosing the correct background is the first step in using the light tent. Be careful to choose a background that your subject will not blend into. If the background has creases, use a steamer to remove the creases prior attaching it to the light tent.

Another important element is the lighting. After setting up the light tent, you will need to add your lighting around it. You should use at least two light sources; adding a third in the front is useful if you still see shadows when just using two lights. When selecting your lights, you should look for daylight balanced compact fluorescent bulbs, as they produce the most natural lighting. Setup one light on each side of the light tent; if you use the third light, set it up in front of the light tent at the same level as your subject. You should turn off any other lighting sources in the room, especially the flash on your camera.

To reduce any blur in the photo, you should setup your camera on a tripod. Position this in front of the light tent, about 1 1/2 to 2 feet away. You can adjust this to a height and angle that will get you the results you are looking for. For extra stability, you can use an infrared remote or wireless shutter.

Light tents are simple to use and produce great results. With the right setup, anyone can create professional photographs.

Softbox vs. Umbrella

2009-02-26T14:00:00.009-06:00

This is a question often asked by beginning (and sometimes established) photographers: should I use softboxes or umbrellas for light modification? There is a lot of debate amongst professional photographers on this topic, and for good reason. If you’ve read about this on the internet before, you’ll be familiar with why.

With the right training, a good photographer can use either of these devices to obtain the results they desire. For a beginner, a basic understanding of how light works should be obtained before tackling the subject.

This entry aims to address the pros and cons of softboxes, umbrellas, and brolly boxes, and assumes prior knowledge of working with basic photography lighting.

Softboxes
When it comes to lighting, softboxes can offer you the most (and best) control and most uniform lighting. Multiple shapes are available, ranging from your standard rectangular or square to octagonal. They are double diffused, producing softer light than your other lighting options. Softboxes are more effective at reducing shadows, and can be used with brighter lighting (unlike with other methods, where too much light can wash out your photos).

However, softboxes are the most expensive option. In most cases, they are also hard to setup (especially when compared to umbrellas and brolly boxes), making use of them on location difficult. Quick setup softboxes are available, but the standard assembly softboxes offer you more versatility.

Umbrellas
There are two different types of umbrellas that you can use for photography: reflective and shoot through. Either option you choose, there are two large incentives for using umbrellas: they are the cheapest lighting modification option, and extremely easy to transport and setup. They produce a soft look, and the light falls nicely onto your background.

Umbrellas are also the most difficult to control and produce the most spill. If you use too much light with them, unlike with softboxes, you will wash out some elements of your photos. Also, if you are not extremely careful, you will get a small black center in the catch light in your subject’s eyes.

Brolly Boxes
A newcomer to the market is the brolly box. This item combines the quick assembly of the umbrella with some of the advantages of a softbox. A typical brolly box will have an outer white lining for shoot through lighting, with an inner black lining that fits around the head of your light to contain and eliminate spill. Used correctly, they can produce results similar to a softbox of the same size. Additionally, brolly boxes are as easy and convenient to setup and breakdown as an umbrella, and only slightly more expensive.

Brolly boxes generally have more light output than softboxes, but are not as robust as they offer less diffusion and cannot handle as much lighting. If used too far away from your subject, your light fall off will greatly diminish.

If you are a beginning photographer, we recommend becoming familiar with basic lighting before you begin to use modifiers. Once you have a basic knowledge, you should be determine what your needs are for your particular style of shooting.

Choosing Reflectors

2009-02-20T15:23:00.003-06:00

There are many factors to consider when selecting reflectors: size, shape, color, and portability. This blog entry will discuss some of these factors so that you will be better informed when making your purchase.

Size
The size of a reflector can have an impact on the outcome of your pictures, but overall its affect is limited. Generally speaking, the larger the reflector, the more light is spread out.

Shape
Reflectors come in a few different shapes, but the shape of a reflector has no affect on the overall results the reflector produces. Shapes range from circular to oval to triangular, but what you choose is largely a matter of personal preference.

Color
The color of your reflector is the most important aspect to consider when purchasing or using a reflector. Reflectors come in many different colors. Below is a short outline of what effects each color can produce.

Gold: Use gold reflectors to warm up your pictures.
Silver: Silver reflectors can be used to brighten your picture, without affecting the color of the light.
Silver and gold stripe: Similar to the gold reflector, the silver and gold striped reflector will warm up your pictures. However, the effect it produces is softer, while still warm. This produces a flattering warm light, ideal for portraits.
White: Use white reflectors to bounce light into shadows, without affecting the quanity, quality, or color of light being cast on your subject.
Translucent: Translucent reflectors can be used to soften light, and are often placed above your subject.
Black: Black reflectors act in a subtractive manner, removing excess light from your photos.
Blue: Blue reflectors are often included in reflector kits, but in reality, they are not reflectors. Instead, they are useful as Chroma Key digital backgrounds for background replacements.
Green: Like blue reflectors, green ones are also included in several kits online. They are also used in digital photography for making background replacements.

Portability
If you will be moving around often, portability is a factor to consider. Hand-held reflectors can be useful when on the go, as they have a convenient handle and do not require stands in order for you to use them.

Using Barndoors

2009-02-12T11:28:00.003-06:00

To start off this blog, we are starting with a topic that we are often asked about, but for which little information is available on the internet: barndoors.

Barndoors are devices that you can add to your lighting to help you to adjust how much light hits your subject and where that light is directed. There are many types of barndoors available; the one you choose depends on the lighting system that you use, as many are made to fit specific strobe heads. The most important thing to remember when purchasing a barndoor is to make sure to purchase one that is compatible with your lighting. For the purposes of this post, we will be discussing a small four leaf barndoor mounted on a 110 watt monolight strobe head, both available on our website.

To attach the barndoor to the strobe head, there are four screws around the center opening of the barndoor that need to be adjusted so that the strobe head fits between them. Then, slide the strobe head between the screws so that, when tightened, the screws will all sit about 1/2 an inch from the outside edge of the strobe head. You want to make them tight, so that the barndoor will not move when adjusted, but do not overtighten them (this may cause damage to your strobe head).

After your barndoor is attached, you can then adjust the leaves of the barndoor by pivoting them on the hinges. Bringing the leaves in, closer to the light, will narrow the beam of light that hits your subject. Be careful moving the leaves in too far, however, as this can cause the leaves to heat up and become extremely hot.

Determining where you want to position your leaves will take time and is something you will need to experiment with in order to get the style of lighting you want. Keep in mind that you will not necessarily get a straight edge from the barndoor leaves, as light between them does bounce around and will soften the harshness of the edges. To get a general idea of how the light will look in your photographs, turn on the modeling light on your strobe so that you can make basic adjustments to the leaves while examining the effects this has on your lighting.

Barndoors are a relatively inexpensive was to make your strobe more versatile. Take your time to setup one up and get familiar with it, and you can easily change the lighting effects from your strobe.