Shot with a Paul C. Buff Einstein 640 with a large softbox at about 1/4 power from the right side of the frame |
The word Photography can be broken down into 2 parts; Photo, meaning light and graph meaning to write. So basically, Photography is the process of writing with light and that's exactly what you are doing. Your ability to see visible light, funnel it through a lens, and record an image to a medium is what photography is all about. In its most simplest form, all you need is a box with a small hole in it. That tiny hole will project the view in front of that box upside down on the opposite inner wall. If you place a light sensitive medium on that back wall, you can record that projection.
Most beginner photog will either refuse or misuse flash and thereby call themselves a "natural light" photog. What they really mean is that they don't have a flash, can't work monolights, and can only manage the pop-up flash on their cameras. So they stick to ambient light, which is sometimes call available or natural light. Ambient light is the light that is already present, no matter how strong or direct it is. This may be window light, interior light, or sunlight outdoors. Amateurs tend to believe that you don't need flash when you are outdoors and this is because they don't understand the nature of fill flash.
Shot using off-camera Canon 580EX II Speedlite very low power blended with available sunlight just to add some fill in the face and to bring out color in dress |
So here's the thing. There is no way I can go into great detail about light in just a few paragraphs on this blog. The intent is not to leave you with full on flash knowledge, but rather encourage you to not fear the light, to get you in the right gear, and send you in the right direction to learn light. There are some masterful photogs out there who never use flash. You are not one of them. Get to know and master light. Start with ambient and introduce flash. I love available light and use it as my only light source quite often. Know when it works and know when to bring in some artificial light.
Client shoot, available light only |
Then you gotta check out radio triggers. What's the standard? PocketWizard. The Plus III is now the new boss of radio triggers at $150 per. You'll need at least 2, of course. Now ask me what I like. That would be the Yongnuo RF-603. You can get a set of 4 of these for under $70! And they work like nobody's business. I've never had one fail on me. These transeivers (transmitter & receiver in one) are each firing up to 200ft away. I tested them. The only downside is they only sync at 1/200th of a second vs. 1/250th, but I've been able to deal with that. You can too. Get a couple of flashes and a set of 4 of these radio triggers and you are set.
Using low level on-camera flash swiveld left to trigger White Lightning X3200 off to the left side filling in front side details |
Another thing to consider is modifiers. These are things that MODIFY how the light comes out and hits your subject. Diffusers, of some sort are the most popular type of modifiers. These scatter the light so your subject is hit more evenly instead of the way harsh direct light flattens out an image and creates ugly shadows, maybe under the eyes, nose, and chin. Reflectors are also popular. You can use the sun to just bounce light back into the subject, but this might be a problem if you're bouncing the light of the sun with a silver reflector back into your model's eyes. What do I like? As ugly as it is, I gotta say the Gary Fong Collapsible Lightsphere is the bomb. It may not look like its worth $60, but when it delivers the shot and you get paid, you rethink that notion. Softboxes on monolights are the only other thing that compares.
Nude hiking, available light only |
Next...The Print.
Here are a few nice Go-To links to follow through on:
1. Strobist - Excellent source for lighting tutorials, articles, and DIY light building.
2. Adorama TV - Tutorial videos. I have this link specifically related to lighting
3. The Top 10 Photography Lighting Facts You Should Know
4. Painting with Light - Google image search
5. Guess the Lighting.com - Excellent blog that illustrates lighting techniques using diagrams
6. Sketching Light - Book by Joe McNally on working with flashes
7. High Speed Sync - Explanation of how it works
8. Mark Wallace on Rear Curtain Sync
9. Mark Wallace on Sync Speed, High Speed Sync, and Radio Triggers
10. Canon Professional Network - Getting the most from your Speedlites
11. Nikon Creative Lighting Systems - In my opinion, Nikon has the edge in lighting
12. Luminous-Landscape - Another top photography blog that talks a lot about lighting
I'm going to disagree with you on being a natural light photographer. I can use flash and all other manner of lights, modifiers, and the like, but I prefer to use natural/available light as much as possible simply because that's the look *I* prefer when working with clients.
ReplyDeleteWhen you understand light and lack of it, you can work it to your advantage. I know you know this, but I also know you're trying to make a different point. Still, not all natural light photographers are noobs who can't work a flash or other types of lighting.
There are plenty of instances when using other lights makes sense and it's even more beneficial to use them, but there are times when it really behooves a photographer to know how to work with what's available via natural sources.
And with that said, Merry Christmas, Terrell! Miss you much!
I'm pretty sure I threw in that caveat acknowledging that some photogs only work with natural light. This is aimed at noobs and the goal is to encourage them to not be afraid of working outside their comfort zone. You know I've worked with a whole lot of beginner togs. I'd say 90% of part-time photogs and below who do natural light do so because they have no clue of anything else. Triggering lights and balancing lights gets daunting and sounds expensive. My goal here is to encourage them to get past those fears and just try it.
ReplyDeleteAs I mentioned regarding my personal work, the majority of it, (again I'd say 90%) is natural light. But the advantage I have is the skill to work in artificial when I think it warrants it. Tell me. How many times have you seen an amateur shot that was missed because they had no fill. I've seen several that stick out like sore thumbs because you can see how they over-brighten the face with the dodge tool. I teach this stuff. And when I teach, I always cover ambient and added.
You know how to use natural light because you've taken the time to understand light itself. And this is, I know, part of the point of this post. (Every photo you've ever made of me was done with available light and I have no complaints.)
ReplyDeleteWe're sort of talking in circles on this one because I know that you know that I know that you know...you know?
And I think every new photographer should have to learn to work with lights, modifiers, etc. I also think they should start with film because they'd learn oh so much more in the process. I'm very glad to see many photography/art programs emphasizing a start with film so that the basics are learned with some permanence that's lacking in the digital age. It all comes out in the print, which I see you've now covered as well.
Excellent points. I still wish I could dabble in film some more.
ReplyDelete