Senior Moment

     I shot some senior portraits for our nephew last weekend.  We took a bunch of pictures, this one is my favorite.......

     The very soft, directional light is what really makes this image.  I wish that I could take credit for the lighting setup, but it's really just ambient light.  The overcast cloud layer was providing nice soft, even light, which can be a good thing.  But without any direction, this light can look somewhat flat and uninteresting.  In this case, the old shed, which my nephew is leaning against, is blocking the ambient light from his left side, thereby creating the look of directional light coming in from his right.  Studio photographers call this Subtractive Lighting - removing light in order to create shadows, which add definition and dimension to the subject.  Okay, so.... now I've changed my mind-  The soft, directional Shadows are what really make this image!


Hope you like,
Tim

photo jabber blog by tim wyler

tips for new beginner dslr photographers

Blue on White

     I rarely shoot indoor portraits, but it can be a lot of fun.  This photo session of our friends' boy was shot in my living room.  I used two off-camera speedlights, a reflector, and a white background.  The first speedlight is positioned camera-left with a shoot-through umbrella.  The umbrella is very close to our subject so the light is very soft.  The large white reflector to his left helps fill in the shadows.  A second speedlight, up high behind the boy, is used to light the white background.  (if the white background were not lit, it would appear gray)  It's a simple, inexpensive setup.  And it's lots of fun.

     Gear-  Yongnuo YN-460II Speedlight

                 RF-603 Radio Triggers

Hope you like,

Tim

Force the Flash

     Today I grabbed my wife's Panasonic Lumix point & shoot camera, along with one of my favorite models, for a couple of quick shots to demonstrate the effects of using fill-flash for outdoor portraits.  Yet another beautiful, unseasonably warm day here today.  

     

     Bright afternoon sunlight overhead- so certainly no shortage of ambient light to work with.  But I don't want harsh afternoon sunlight directly on my subject's face, so I placed her back toward the sun.  Now she has great accent lighting on her hair and shoulders, but her face remains shaded.  I left the camera in Auto mode and took a shot.  As you can see in the first image above, it turned out okay.  

     But it's so super easy to make this okay-looking photo look better.  (I'm just talking about the exposure here, the subject is beautiful in either photo).  So I sorta remember saying something in a previous post- (This One) about the evils of using in-camera flash for portraits.  I think I said "Never Never", but what that really means is  "Never except for maybe Sometimes".  Actually I can and do stand by my previous declaration, as it was referring specifically to Indoor portraits.  Using in-camera flash for Outdoor portraits is not only acceptable, it's a really great idea.

     When shooting outdoors, the job of your camera's flash is to provide fill-light.  It's just a subtle little kiss of extra light  to fill in the shadows on the face, give a little catchlight in the eyes, and help separate your subject from the background.  

     For my second shot above, I set the camera to "Forced Flash On," and I took the same shot.  The effect is subtle, (as it should be) but I think it really improves the look of the photo.  Most point & shoot cameras have a button with the little flash/lightning bolt symbol to access the flash menu.  Simply set your flash to "ON" or "Forced ON" or whatever the term is used by your particular camera, and shoot away.  Be aware these tiny built-in flashes are pretty weak, so don't try this from across the yard.  

Hope you like,
Tim

Bending the Rules

     In a previous post entitled Magic Hour I mentioned the ideal times for shooting outdoor portraits being morning and evening.  Mid-day overhead sunlight is awfully harsh and contrasty.  Another post, Soft Window Light warns against using your on-camera flash for portraits.  But rules are meant to be broken, or at least bent.  In this post we will do a little bending.

     So let's face it, we can't control everything.  Sometimes we need to take pictures outdoors, under harsh mid-day sun.  Understanding it's not the ideal light, there are a couple of tips we can follow to help improve the look of our sunny subjects.  

     First - set your camera's White Balance setting to "Cloudy". This will give your subject's skin a slightly warmer tone.  If you want to go even warmer, try "Shade".  Second step - turn ON your camera's flash.  Your "fill flash" will help fill in the hard shadows and even out the light on your subject.  Remember if you are using a small built-in flash, you will need to be in fairly close, probably 6-8 feet, in order for your flash to be effective.  

     Hope this helps.

Tim

photo jabber by tim wyler

simple tips and techniques for taking better pictures

     

     

Soft Window Light

     Want to get studio-like results for your indoor home portraits?

Does your house have a window?

     

     Large Light = Soft Light.  Soft Light = Pretty Portraits

     Studios use giant soft boxes and other large diffusers to produce soft light.  The larger the light source, the softer the light will be on your subject.  This is why you Never Never Ever want to take indoor portraits with your built-in camera flash.  The tiny flash will produce harsh, ugly light and give your subject a very flat, washed-out look.  It's not good.  Please don't do it.

     Okay, we agree.  So now turn Off your flash, and go find a large window.  Instant Soft Box!  Sit your subject close to the window.  In the above photo, the pretty girl is sitting to the side of the window, but near the back.  Other words- the window is to her side and out in front of her.  You may want to seat your subject facing toward the window, with head turned toward the camera.  Experiment with different positions, many great looks are possible.  

     note: North-facing windows are nice because the light is pretty constant regardless of the sun's position.  Remember the larger the window, the softer the light.

     Hope you like.

     Tim

photo jabber blog by tim wyler

simple digital photography tips and techniques

Magic Hour

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250mm f5.6 1/80 sec.

     Whether you're shooting landscapes or portraits, with a DSLR, a Polaroid, or an iPhone, this one simple tip is virtually guaranteed to always always dramatically increase the amazingness of your outdoor photos!  The Magic Hour (or Golden Hour) actually occurs a couple of times per day.  The first hour of daylight and the last hour of daylight are without question, the premier shooting times for nearly any type of outdoor photo.  Low on the horizon, the sun's light is softened and diffused by the atmosphere, producing a warm, soft glow that bathes your subject and makes images look awesome.
     Try this test - Take a photo at 1pm.  Then go back out and take the exact same shot just before sunset.  You'll be amazed at how much you're photography improved in just a few hours :)

photo jabber blog by tim wyler

simple digital photography tips and techniques

Unplanned Moments

     This is one of my favorite shots from a recent portrait shoot I did for some friends. The scene was completely unscripted. I had just finished shooting with one of the other kids on the staircase when I noticed that big brother had found a nice spot to sit and play. I loved the simplicity of the scene. The backlighting from the windows and the leading lines in the hardwood floor give the photo some nice depth. I was shooting with a 50mm lens with an aperture setting of f2.2. The wide aperture gives the image a shallow depth of field, resulting in the soft, blurred foreground and background.  Lighting was from my on-camera speedlight with a bounce diffuser attached.  I would have preferred to set up my off-camera flash with a shoot-though umbrella for this shot, but I knew I would lose the moment if I didn't move quick.
     Often the unplanned shots are the real gems.  We have to keep an eye out for those moments, and be ready to quickly change gears and get the shot.  When working with kids, the great moments never last long.    Many times I have wanted to say "WAIT!  I wasn't ready, now do that cute thing again!..."  By that point it's a missed shot :(  We just have to be ready next time.

Hope you like.
Tim

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