Category: Photography

matters in photography. As such, we’ve put together a quick guide to help you understand it. Check out these three articles to learn how to use them, what they do and why your camera’s meter isn’t always enough. They might just give you the info you’re searching for!

How to use a light meter for studio portraits

A light meter is a tool used in photography to measure the amount of light in a scene. In studio portrait photography, it can help ensure correct exposure and consistency in lighting. Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to use it in a studio portrait setting, including how to measure ambient light, measure flash light and set aperture, shutter speed and ISO values.

Using your smartphone as a light meter

You can use a smartphone as a meter to measure the amount of light in a scene. The built-in camera app on a smartphone can determine the correct exposure values, including aperture, shutter speed, and ISO. In turn, you can use it with a standalone camera to achieve the desired exposure. This step-by-step guide shows you how to do it!

The meter incident: Don’t trust your camera’s light meter

Built-in camera meters can be inaccurate and should not be relied upon as the absolute source for determining the correct exposure. As such, it’s important for photographers to understand how the built-in meter works and to be aware of its limitations. Metering errors caused by the subject’s reflectance and limitations in low light conditions happen more commonly than you think. This article emphasizes the importance of using a secondary meter or spot meter or conducting tests. This way, you can calibrate the camera’s built-in meter to ensure accurate exposure in different shooting conditions.

When you’ve got some space between wedding bookings (or, I don’t know, a global pandemic cancels every wedding in your calendar), a styled photoshoot is a great strategy for connecting with local wedding vendors, growing your portfolio and keeping your skills fresh.

A styled wedding shoot can run from a short session with two models playing the role of your bride and groom, to a grand affair as elaborate as an entire wedding!

Either way, here are some quick tips to get you started on planning your next styled shoot.

Offer photos in exchange for time

Generally, photos are offered to all participating vendors in exchange for their time and efforts during a styled shoot. I always offer photos with a commercial use license, with the caveat that wherever possible, they acknowledge me as a photographer, don’t sell the photos (for instance, to stock websites) and don’t enter the images in competitions.

While we’re talking contracts: Don’t forget to get a model release for everyone who appears in the photos.

Don’t miss anyone at the styled wedding photoshoot

Work quickly and efficiently at the shoot. Make sure you haven’t missed photographing any of the vendors who have been involved.

In addition to their styling, flowers, etc., photograph them doing their work so they have assets to use to help their clients put a face to the name! It’s a great strategy to include a second photographer in your vendor invitee list to get some photos of yourself, too.

Share and backlink

When you deliver the photos, include a list of all the vendors’ social media handles and websites, and instruct everyone to use these when sharing. Ask — and give instructions — that all photos added to a website be backlinked to your website. Backlinks from other vendors at your styled wedding photoshoot are critical to SEO: Ask for vendors to use text such as “Photos by Sunshine Coast wedding photographer, Icefeatherwind Photography” and link the entire phrase, to give your website a search engine boost.

From austere black and white images to dreamy images with blurred backgrounds, portrait photography relies on a photographer’s handle of the camera, their sense of the subject, and their creative ability to bring those elements together in unique ways.

What Is Portrait Photography?

Portrait photography is a style of photography that portrays human subjects. Portrait photography has been around since the dawn of photography, the same year that Robert Cornelius aimed the camera at himself and took what is widely believed to be the first self portrait photograph (or “selfie” in modern parlance) ever, laying the groundwork for portrait photography to emerge as its own art form.

Portrait Photography Tips

A mirrorless digital camera lets you manipulate the different aspects of your photo compositions. Once you know how to operate your camera, you can adjust the ISO and exposure compensation to alter the light, or change the shutter speed depending on whether your portrait is still or moving. You can adjust your depth of field to increase the sharp focus on your model’s facial features and blur a distracting background, or use a deeper depth with a wide-angle lens for a more environmental portrait.

Below are a few photography techniques you can use to enhance your shots and turn your good portraits into great portraits:

Diffuse your light source . When selecting an environment, consider that a soft, diffused natural light from an indirect source is best for shooting portraits. Direct, harsh light or a full sun can cast unwanted dark shadows or create unnatural skin colors. Use a diffuser like a soft box or a white sheet to help soften the light and produce a more flattering effect.

1. Use a longer lens . A 50mm lens is considered a mid-range telephoto lens, and a standard length many portrait photographers like to use. However, this length creates a familiar and ordinary scene. Use a longer lens, like one in the 85mm to 200mm range, to produce better image compression without distorting the pixels. A longer focal length can bring your background closer to your subject, increasing the bokeh (background blur), and creating a more dynamic image.
2. Find a different position . You can bring new perspective to your photos by breaking the rule of thirds and shooting at angles that aren’t so neatly composed, or even at your subject’s eye level. Try taking shots at different angles and distances around your model. Shoot from an aerial viewpoint or from the side, change up your model’s poses, or even try a candid shot to figure out the most flattering angle for their portrait.
3. Bring your own lighting . The camera flash is an essential feature that brings light into your photos, but it doesn’t always provide the light you need. Some flash, especially if used in a close-up headshot, can make a subject’s face appear washed out and disproportionate. Off-camera flash is useful for changing the lighting conditions to enhance contrast and control the shadows in your portraits, making them more visually interesting and dynamic. While natural light can be great for outdoor portrait photography, direct sunlight can sometimes be overpowering. You can use external strobe lighting to underexpose the available light and use your own to create the perfectly lit shot.
4. Alter the aperture . A wide aperture will produce a shallow depth of field, blurring the background and making your subject the main focus. However, if you have more than one subject (like a family portrait), a smaller aperture will keep everyone in focus.
5. Try props . Shoot through objects in your foreground, like foliage or architecture, for a more dynamic element to your composition. A longer lens can help blur the objects in front, centering the focus on your subjects, adding an interesting aesthetic component to your shot. Shooting through transparent objects can produce unique patterns or reflections, while shooting through something like a fence can provide interesting framing around your subject. Capture your subject through store windows or between branches for a more dynamic composition.
6. Use gels . Gels can help change the mood or alter the color temperature of your portraiture. If your photo shoot is producing unnatural skin tones or odd color casts, you may have to adjust your light temperatures. If you’re shooting on an overcast day, you might want a color temperature orange (CTO) gel to make the environment warmer. Conversely, if your images appear too warm, you might want to apply a color temperature blue (CTB) gel to cool it down. The type of shot you’re going for will determine the temperature you need, so plan for your environment accordingly.
7. Finish with editing and post-processing . Retouching and enhancing your photos with editing software can give your scene the final look it needs. Whether you need to crop an unwanted edge, lighten a distracting shadow, or tweak the background of your shot, become familiar with editing programs and their functions in order to bring your portrait photography to the next level.

Want to Learn More About Photography?

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There’s a common misconception amongst beginner photographers, especially those that are just getting started with post processing and editing their landscape photos. This mistaken belief is that dodging and burning is a highly complex procedure that should only be attempted by seasoned professionals and Photoshop wizards – and this belief could not be further from the truth! When I first got into landscape photography I was one of these mistaken believers, I assumed that since I was a beginner and didn’t understand Photoshop that this editing sourcery was something I should avoid as it most certainly had to be far above my skill set.

It wasn’t until three years into my then landscape photography hobby that I decided to put my editing skills to the test and attempt to wrap my head around this “advanced” post processing technique. Once I began digging into the details surrounding dodging and burning, I was flabbergasted to find that this all intimidating procedure was actually easier to comprehend than originally thought.

In this article, I discuss three simple ways to dodge and burn your landscape photos in Lightroom. And why you should try this technique now as opposed to delaying as I did, but before we jump into the ‘How’, it’s important to first understand the ‘What’ and the ‘Why’.

What is Dodging & Burning?

It’s quite simple honestly, dodging means to brighten an area of your image and burning means to darken an area of your image.

Why should you Dodge & Burn?

There’s many reasons to dodge and burn a photo, but the main reasons for me are to create shape and dimension in an otherwise flat looking image and to complexify light and direct the viewers attention to certain areas of a photo. The eye is naturally drawn to areas of brightness and at the same time generally ignores areas of darkness. Dodging and burning allows you to take advantage of this.

How do you Dodge & Burn?

There’s three ways to dodge and burn your photos in Lightroom. Below are the methods I use on my landscape images.

Adjustment Brush

In this section within Lightroom there’s actually an effect called ‘Dodge (Lighten)’ and Burn (‘Darken)’. I always start with dodging and set the feather to 100 and flow to 50 and paint the effect directly onto areas of highlights and then do the adverse with burning by painting areas of shadow. This will add shape and dimension to your image.

Radial Filter

This approach is similar to the adjustment brush, but is designed around creating circular or oval areas of the effect. You still have access to the Dodge (Lighten) and Burn (Darken) effects and the premise is really the same. Dodge areas of highlights and Burn areas of shadows to create dimension and direct the viewers attention to specific portions of your image.

Range Mask

This is a great option if you’re looking to get really refined with your Adjustment Brush or Radial Filter selection. You can use either the Luminance or Color Range Mask depending the specific situation to get a bit more targeted with your adjustment.

To close out, that’s the What, Why, and the How with regards to Dodging and Burning inside of Lightroom. Once I began practicing this technique, I was not only surprised by how easy it was to begin implementing, but I was also impressed by the results that could be achieved. I quickly found that Dodging and Burning is one of those techniques that you don’t fully understand what you’re missing until you try it for yourself.

Everyone can agree that something is awe-inspiring about beautiful sunset photography shots, which is why it is one of the most popular photography niches out there. You’d be hard-pressed to open up a social media app and not be greeted by a sunset photo within a few scrolls.

Sunset photography is often present in other niches as well, portrait and wedding photographers use it to add drama and visual appeal to their shots all the time. Amateur photographers can use sunset photos to beef up their portfolio, adding to their creative diversity.

What photographers will quickly find is that capturing sunset images can be quite challenging. If you’re using a smartphone, the software makes all of the background adjustments for you. Using an actual camera, where you’re fully in control, presents an excellent opportunity to improve your skills.

Sunset Photography Basics

Capturing the perfect sunset photography may not be as simple as going out, pointing your camera, and adjusting the settings in post-processing. The best photos are researched, practiced, and a result of incredible patience.

There is some technique involved as well, but that comes with experience. Here are some of the basics to consider, even before going out and shooting photos.

Plan Beforehand

Often you’ll find that photographing a sunset in a location becomes a miniature project. Most will start by researching the location online, through Google Maps and other avenues.

Some will then go and scout out the location, and using apps like Windy can help you determine the weather for the area.

It might even take multiple visits to the same location to get the perfect exposure for you. Additionally, the Photo Ephemeris app for iOS and PC can help determine the sun’s location at any given time.

Whether it is sunrise that you wish to photograph or sunset, getting there early will allow you to select the best vantage point, set up your gear, take a few test shots, and get ready to make the final shot, but also give you the time to savor the moment as well.

Many times, photographers are guilty of missing the moment in their bid to take a cool image. You must savor each moment because they are all unique.

You must have the time to adjust the exposure, select the right lens and make the right composition. More time means you have that much more luxury to experiment.

Ok, the 24-70mm at 24mm isn’t giving the right effect, let’s switch to a wider lens. Or the warming filter is making the image a little too warm for liking, let’s not use it.

How to Gather Inspiration

Some people work better with examples, while others want a visual in their head before they head out to shoot sunsets. Gathering some fuel for your imagination is easy, and there are many avenues in which you can find it, including:

• Check out social media sites like Instagram or Vero to see what others are shooting.

• Go for a walk somewhere where you can see sunsets. You don’t have to bring your camera (although it would be wise to.)

• Rumble and YouTube act as great resources to show you places that are great to visit for sunset photography.

Photographers will often ask how to force inspiration if you’re just not feeling it. The best remedy is to simply take your camera and go out for a walk. You’ll find that something will catch your eye, and you’ll be thankful that you brought your camera along.

When in doubt, go and photograph areas where there is a sunset and water in the shot.

Niches That Benefit From Sunset Photography

Sunset photography is unique in that it can influence other niches positively. The natural beauty of a setting sun is perfect for photography that shows off people and nature. Of course, you can incorporate sunsets into anything you want to, but it just works better in some than others.

Wedding Photography

If you take a quick look at some wedding photographers on social media, you’ll notice that a lot of them take advantage of the natural lighting, much of it from the setting sun. The ethereal feeling of a sunset at twilight adds to the whimsical feeling a wedding day should bring.

These shots are meant to showcase intimacy, and there is nothing quite as sensual as photos of a bride and groom in a sunset scene.