Lighting How To

Something interesting happens when it comes to using our photo gear. On the one hand, most photographers calmly and eagerly familiarize themselves with everything their camera can do. But when it’s time to learn even the most basic flash techniques, fear often sets in.

(Editor’s Note: Exploring Light is a monthly Shutterbug column featuring tips, tricks, and photo advice from professional photographers in Canon Explorers of Light education program. This month's column is by Bob Davis on how collaboration with other photographers can improve creativity).

Environmental portraits are fun and easy to make, as long as you don't have to lug a bunch of lighting equipment into the field. Today you'll learn how to capture photos that will make you and your model proud, with natural backlighting that creates a unique effect.

If you're just getting started in photography or you're struggling to get the light right, the video below will quickly get you on the path to success. This lesson comes from the Reviews and How-Tos YouTube channel, a popular source of in-depth tech reviews, camera techniques, and straightforward post-processing tutorials.

How many times have you returned from an outing, shooting what you thought were outstanding images—only to be underwhelmed when you viewed them on the computer? If your answer is “too many times to count,” you have plenty of company.

Have you ever wondered how some photographers create photos with a magical, dreamy effect that make a subject seem to pop out of the background and direct a viewer’s eye to exactly where it should go? That’s what you’ll learn how to in the tutorial below, in barely seven minutes.

If you're interested in giving boudoir photography a try, the first step is understanding how to pose inexperienced models like a spouse, significant other, or a friend who wants to give it a try. You can also keep things simple by shooting with natural illumination, like light streaming through a window in your home.