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Using backlighting outdoors – Photography Podcast #45

May 30, 2008 By 2 Comments

Photography podcast #45 talks about how to use backlighting outdoors. We talk about taking that classic photo on the beach in front of a sunset and doing it properly. We also describe how to take a nice portrait using backlighting and the whole podcast and is based somewhat on an email from Cindy;

“This summer my family is going to the beach. Of course, I want to take lots of pictures. What is the best time of day? I love sunset pictures, but how do I take pictures of the people with their backs to the ocean (sun in background etc.) and see their faces clearly? “

The images below (done really quickly with almost no post processing) clearly show the differences you can obtain using backlighting and flash at different settings. Personally I like the Minus 2 shot the best. You best see the differences in flash output by looking at the face.

using backlighting and flash outdoors

Photography links mentioned in this podcast:
Accessories that you can use to hold reflectors etc. – photography podcast 35
Photography and the law

Thanks as always to Cindy, Jason and Alex Wilson for recent comments and suggestions. We LOVE comments and suggestions so please send more.

You can download this photography podcast directly by clicking the preceding link or listen to it almost immediately with the embedded player below.

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Party at the Old Port

March 29, 2008 By 3 Comments

Here’s a shot of a huge ship at the old port in old Montreal at night. It was of course the lights and their reflections on the water that made this shot interesting for me. I normally don’t shoot handheld at slower than 1/30th of a second and this shot was taken at 1/15.‚ Exif data F2.8, ‚1/15 at ISO 1600. You can click the image to make it tastier on the eyes.

photograph of the old port - Montreal

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One light portraits – Photography podcast #38

February 22, 2008 By 4 Comments

Photography podcast #38 talks about creating dramatic portraits using only 1 light. Using 1 light creates very harsh shadows which is PERFECT for a dramatic portrait. The following 2 shots illustrate this dramatic effect. In the first shot Lorne and Boog are being lit by 1 light located 45 degrees toward the right. The second shot is sidelight. Both these shots use no reflector to bounce light back into the subjects’ faces. Note that the light in the second photograph reveals a lot of skin texture, so this type of lighting would not be good for a ‘fashiony’ shot in most cases. Thanks to Lorne and Boog for being the models. I Love how little Boog is staring me down in the first shot. You can click all the shots to make them tastier on the eyes.

One light portrait

1 light portrait - side lighting
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You can download this photography podcast directly by clicking the preceding link or listen to it almost immediately with the embedded player below this image.

Photo of the week
This week, the photograph is by Zseike and I comment in the podcast on why I think this photograph is fantastic.

Photo by Zseike

Thanks as always for the comments by‚Gary H, ‚Andre, Tom, Yves Janse, David and Mikael. We LOVE comments and suggestions so please send more.

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Grab the light now – light waits for no one

January 9, 2008 By 3 Comments

Another resolution I am making this year (starting today) is not to tarry when I see great light. Great light doesn’t wait for you, great light doesn’t give a crap about your schedule – You wait for great light and when you see it you must grab it by its invisible balls.

Yesterday was an amazing example. I woke up and thick fog was everywhere – Everywhere!

I LOVE FOG.

For me, fog is great light. It evokes a rare special mood and feeling.
….but I’m a busy dude and work beckons me constantly so I checked the window periodically while I waited until I was ready to shoot. Guess what – once I was ready the fog had almost dissipated. Boy was I upset : (

So as a last resort I got into my car and chased the fog until I found the best patch I could find. It was okay fog and I think this self-portrait is not bad.

Point is – Now I have think about what could have been instead of knowing that I was shooting at the best possible time…..

self portrait fog

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