Lighting How To

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Ron Leach  |  Apr 02, 2024  | 

This tutorial is the first installment of an eye-opening series describing conditions under which you shouldn't trust a camera's meter to deliver accurate exposures when shooting images in certain situations. Today you'll learn how much to underexpose a photo when faced with a low light, high contrast scene.

Ron Leach  |  Mar 21, 2024  | 

Experienced portrait photographers often shoot outdoors with natural light when conditions are right for soft, even illumination. Other shooters, on the other hand, avoid supplemental light at all costs because of a misconception that the technique is too difficult to master.

Ron Leach  |  Mar 08, 2024  | 

Outdoor photographers often confront a confounding challenge when shooting scenes with an extremely wide range of tones from deep shadows to bright highlights and everything in between. The problem is this: Their cameras lack sufficient dynamic range capabilities to nail an exposure in one shot.

Ron Leach  |  Feb 29, 2024  | 

We're all taught to avoid shooting outdoor portraits in direct sunlight, and some photographers shy away from using flash to fill in shadows and balance the tones. In this quick video you'll learn how to capture beautiful portraits in "bad" light" without supplemental light.

Ron Leach  |  Feb 26, 2024  | 

We regularly encourage Shutterbug readers to step outside their comfort zone and experiment with unfamiliar techniques to capture attention-grabbing photos that stand out from the crowd. If you're willing to try something different, this quick tutorial  from the My Photo Journey YouTube channel is a great place to start.

Ron Leach  |  Feb 16, 2024  | 

The goal of today's video is to debunk a common myth that it's essential to always shoot in manual mode if you want to capture the best possible images. In fact, you may be surprised by why Aperture Priority is such a powerful choice for achieving consistently accurate exposures without fumbling around to change various other setting,

Ron Leach  |  Feb 07, 2024  | 

Are you one of those photographers who only shoots during the day? If so, you're missing out on a wide range of amazing photo opportunities, from sparkling cityscapes and dramatic light trails, to moon shots and much more.

Ron Leach  |  Jan 31, 2024  | 

You've probably heard the term "Expose to the Right" (ETTR) but do you understand the benefits of this somewhat controversial technique and know how to put it to use? Today's tutorial from the Hoffman Photography YouTube channel will get you up to speed so you can begin using ETTR today.

Ron Leach  |  Jan 30, 2024  | 

Most outdoor photographers understand that mid-day light is one of the worst times to shoot. That's because at this time of day illumination tends to be harsh—thereby resulting in boring, unimpressive results. And this holds true whether you're photographing landscapes, wildlife, and even environmental portraits.

Ron Leach  |  Jan 25, 2024  | 

A thorough understanding of the ins and outs of White Balance is essential if you want to create photos with accurate colors, regardless of the type of images you shoot. And according to professional photographer Chris Parker, "there are three things pros know about White Balance that are rarely taught."

Ron Leach  |  Jan 24, 2024  | 

Maybe you're already a boudoir photographer and your images look like everything else out there. Or perhaps you want to get started with an easy technique that doesn't require a studio or complicated lighting setups. In either case, the video below is for you.

Ron Leach  |  Jan 16, 2024  | 

If you've tried your hand at portraiture you know that different subjects require different techniques to obtain the best possible results. Photographing kids often means crouching down and shooting from their eye level, the task with men is making them appear strong and imposing, and portraits of women call for yet another approach.

Ron Leach  |  Jan 12, 2024  | 

Nighttime photography opens up a lot of creative opportunities no matter where you live. That's because scenes that appear boring during the day take on a totally different look after the sun drops below the horizon. Sparkling lights add a whole new dimension whether you're shooting in the field on the street near your home.

Ron Leach  |  Jan 10, 2024  | 

Landscape photography can be difficult depending upon ambient light and the position of the sun. Earlier this week we featured a powerful Lightroom tutorial for "relighting" dull and lifeless images, and today we have another one that addresses a different challenge.

Ron Leach  |  Jan 05, 2024  | 

It's not too late to update your New Year's Resolutions, and there's a good one to add to the list: Don't make the same common photography mistakes that you did in the past. That way you'll become a much better photographer in 2024 and beyond.

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