Gaining a strong grasp of lighting is essential not only to producing technically competent photographs but for developing a personal creative style as well. If you are struggling a bit to get up and running, check out this fantastic video tutorial that will show you a versatile and effective portrait lighting setup that is useful for a wide variety of scenarios.
Let’s face it, we photographers like shiny objects. Especially when first starting out, it’s always tempting to find some new camera, lens, or other tool we can put in our tool belt that is going to help us be a better photographer. Sadly, that cool new piece of gear is not really going to make you a better photographer, but here are a few things that might.
A long time ago, I heard someone utter this bit of nonsense. Depending upon the genre of photography you shoot, there are good arguments for using manual controls and settings. However, there are times when your camera’s automated technologies prove the Luddites wrong, then automation is king.
Any photographer with experience in portraiture knows that the image captured in camera is far from a finished portrait. Post-processing of portraits is a skill that takes time and practice to learn. Learning to use the Liquify tool can help to make a good image into a great image. As with all of the tools in Photoshop, it’s important to know how much is too much.
When you are newer to working with artificial lighting, it can be a bit overwhelming trying to pick the right modifier for a given shoot. Umbrellas are easily the cheapest modifiers you can get, making them a great tool for learning how to work with artificial light, and they are more versatile than you might think. This great video tutorial will show you five different single umbrella setups for shooting portraits.
Learning photography can be a bit daunting, especially as you try to tackle a range of technical parameters while also learning to find your creative voice. This excellent video tutorial will show you a wide range of basic things you need to know that will get you up and running in no time.
