Table of contents for Fall 2017 in Digital Photo

I’m not sure why so many photographers are so hesitant to incorporate lighting into their shoots. Sure, understanding things like watt/seconds and flash duration can be intimidating, at first, and all the various modifiers make it seem like you need a master’s degree just to light someone’s face. But all lighting, be it continuous or strobe, is really simple at its core purpose and function—getting better illumination for a subject. Despite differences in gear, once you’ve understood the basics of lighting, you can pick up any strobe and continuous light anywhere, and use it to improve a scene, just like if you understand the fundamentals of photography, you can pick up any brand of camera and take good pictures. The dials and knobs might work differently from brand to brand,…

Until now, photographers had to choose between flash lighting and continuous lighting, each with their strengths and weaknesses. Flash systems have bright, high-power output and are usually lightweight, but it’s hard to previsualize the way that strobe lighting will look in the final image. Continuous lighting is always on, so it’s easier to see if the lighting is right, but the systems don’t have as high-powered output, and they tend to be heavier and hotter. LED lighting solutions have started to bring new technologies to the market, thanks to the light weight of LEDs, their low-temperature operation and the ability to adjust their color and output with incredible accuracy. Photographers and videographers can finally work with lightweight, bright and, most importantly, accurate light in systems that are easier to transport…

There’s so much talk about OFF-camera flash these days, hardly anyone explores the nuances of the obvious useful technique of ON-camera flash. After all, every camera and every flash is designed with a convenient “hot-shoe” connector so the flash can be mounted and communicate with the camera. In simplest terms, a flash lights up a scene when it’s too dark. It allows sharp, bright images without the benefit of ambient light. Sometimes it’s the only way to get a photo. Like all photographic techniques, there’s more to it than that. While most people think of using a flash when there’s no light, it’s also a great way to add light to existing ambient light. Sometimes it’s even possible to overpower or mix it with existing sunlight. Small strobes will also…

Apple’s iMac began life as a purely consumer-level computer—blob-shaped and pointy, the revolutionary all-in-one computer was born out of a need for computing simplicity, not computing power. As computers gained more and more power, the iMac remained largely a product for families and small businesses. Computing power evolves rapidly, much more rapidly than the technology inside digital cameras and video cameras. Pro-level digital cameras have had sensors around 20 megapixels and high-res digital cameras have had around 50 megapixels for many years. Even video processing needs haven’t increased until recently, with 1080p HD being the highest quality available on anything but cinema equipment and 4K only recently becoming nearly ubiquitous in digital cameras. That has allowed the humble iMac to catch up to digital photography and (for the most part)…

While studio photography has a large assortment of lighting and grip equipment at the ready, photographing on location with strobes or continuous lighting kits tends to put the photographer in a run-and-gun mode, where they have to get carefully selected and packed portable setups into position quickly to get the shot under ever-changing conditions. My goal when using artificial light is to get the most out of the subject, whether it’s by softening shadows or creating harder ones in a realistic way. Lighting on location is a balancing act of existing ambient light and what you introduce into the scene. If done well, it can add to or save a shot; if not, it can have just the opposite effect. Since it’s not always possible to be at the right…

In the most basic sense, all a photographer needs to take a photo is camera apparatus and a lens. Well, those two things and light. But beyond that, do photographers need anything else to get the job done? Well, actually, in many cases, the answer is a resounding YES! When it comes to commercial, creative or recreational photography, having the right photo accessories can make all the difference in the world, and not having them could result in you not getting the shot at all. So let’s take a look at some of the most important categories of photo accessories and see why they can be so important to have on hand. TRIPODS AND MONOPODS I wholeheartedly believe that the tripod is the most important accessory a photographer can have.…

Ask a photographer how they got their start, and you’ll often hear a similar story. “I loved taking photos, and my friends started to ask me to shoot portraits. Soon enough, I started taking portraits for clients, and that launched my career.” There’s a constant demand for portraits, and an even greater demand for photographers who can take good ones. While high-volume studios churn out lifeless images, a good photographer can capture the spirit of the subject, something that families and individuals can cherish. Since so many photographers stumble into their careers down this path, they often make some wrong turns when it comes to the important task of preparing for the hard (but fun) job of running a studio or freelance business. Here’s a primer of business basics if…

Every photographer knows light is what makes or breaks an image. One of my favorite quotes about photography is, “You’re not photographing the subject; you’re photographing the light on the subject.” Photograph a supermodel in flat light, and you get a nice shot. After all, that’s why she’s a supermodel. But add some edgy, focused light in the right place, and you have a stunning portrait. The right light brings any subject to life. I teach a lot of lighting workshops, and a primary goal is learning how to modify the light. Participants start off figuring out how the lights work, what a reflector does and how to set up a soft-box. Then they start to master lighting concepts like direction, quality and color. After three days of shooting, they’re…

TRIPODS AND MONOPODS For those photographers looking for a good starter tripod, Manfrotto offers some fantastic options in both aluminum and carbon fiber.The Manfrotto 190 XPRO3 with Ballhead is a very capable tripod that provides independent leg splay control and a versatile center column.There reached a point in my photography career when I outgrew the capabilities of my tripod and needed something that was engineered with exceptional precision and quality.That’s when I moved exclusively to Really Right Stuff and have used its tripods for almost a decade. As far as tripods go, they’re the king of the hill.The TVC-34L carbon-fiber tripod paired with the BH-55 ballhead is a seriously robust yet lightweight setup that will likely outlast you. Manfrotto 190 XPRO3 with Ballhead $319.99 | manfrotto.us Really Right Stuff TVC-34L…