Lighting
Recreating Iconic Lighting Techniques Used in Film
A few weeks ago, we looked at some of the Oscar nominations and the cameras that were used to bring these films to life. While that was an interesting look at some of the gear used to create these films, it’s still just a small fragment of what is needed to make them the best in their class. So I…
The Three Principles of Lighting for Photo and Video
I’ve used this blog on the regular to talk about the complications of lighting, from lighting breakdowns to advanced lighting techniques used in the studio and on location. Lighting in photography and videography can be a great way to get creative, but there are a few fundamentals that help you…
How Lighting Affects Your Background
Over the years, I have discussed various lighting setups extensively on this blog. We’ve discussed the fundamentals at length, but I’ve also presented numerous experimental lighting diagrams and breakdowns. However, one thing has always been consistent across all those articles: the focus of the…
A Guide to Light Painting Photography
Light painting is a great way to approach photography differently, but it can be a complicated process and requires some trial and error to get it right. When done right, you can really maximize the lighting you’re using or, better yet, add a level of surreal lighting to your images. So, let’s take…
The Best Lighting Kits You Can Rent for All Budgets
If you’ve followed this blog for any amount of time, you will probably know by now that I love lighting. Over the last couple of years, I’ve shared dozens of lighting diagrams and spent a lot of time deducing how lighting works. While I discuss many of the nuances and technicalities of lighting, I…
Photoshoot Breakdown – Working with Gels in Studio
Shooting with gelled or RGB lights can be a great way to expand your creativity and create new works of art. However, the process can be a bit more complicated than one might expect. Depending on the gels you’re using, you’ll lose a certain amount of light, making the process of light balance all…
Using Video LEDs for Photography
I’ve talked a lot on this blog about using constant lights typically aimed for videography, for photography. It’s a typical article I keep bringing up as I upgrade my lights on both the video and photo sides and look for any crossover that can be found. The reason is simple – if you’ve ever been on…
Is The Profoto Pro-D3 a Viable Alternative to Pro Packs?
I love Pro Packs and have used them for a number of years in my work. Their reliability, power ratios, and quality of light are unmatched, but so is their price. If you’re looking to get a new Profoto Pro-11 pack, you’re looking to pay about the same price as a nearly new Toyota Corrola – at the…
Grids, Flags, Snoots & Fresnels (Oh My)
When you start diving into the world of lighting, you will likely run into several questions regarding products that are seemingly the same thing – or at least achieving the same thing. How does a snoot differ from a Fresnel? What’s the difference between using a grid, and using a black flag to…
A Conversation About Color Calibration
I recently worked with a retoucher, as I needed help with some pesky skin texture that my normal retouching techniques weren’t working on. Following that help, the retoucher asked how I was able to get great skin tones straight from the camera (she’s one of the few who actually sees the RAW images…
The Art of Backlighting
When lighting a subject, it makes the most sense to have the light in front of the subject. However, when shooting with the light in front of your subject, it’s easy to make your image appear flat and uninteresting. By using a backlight, you’re able to further separate your subject from the…
Using Gels and RGB Lighting In Your Photography
Adding RGB or gelled lighting is an effective way to diversify your photography or video work, and can be incredibly easy to implement into your workflow. However, adding colored lighting into your workflow is easy by practice, it’s not always easy to get great results by adding these elements into…