Lighting How To

One of the first techniques I learned in photography was to use long exposures at night to blur traffic lights. I liked it decades ago, and I still enjoy seeing artful streaks of light superimposed over an urban environment. You never know exactly what the resulting images will look like, and that’s part of the fun. When the background happens to striking, like the Walt Disney Theater in Los Angeles, California (#1), the combination of abstract lights and architecture makes a winning photograph.

If you’re stuck in a rut and need a few fresh ideas, this quick tutorial is for you. In just four minutes you’ll see how to make a big splash with your images by shooting creative photographs of water.

Have you ever left home without an external flash, only to come upon a portrait opportunity that you had to shoot with your camera’s harsh pop-up flash? Well, as long as you keep a cheap, white balloon in your camera bag, this simple hack from the wacky Koldunov brothers has you covered.

When discussing photography gear, Joe Edelman likes to say “Keep it simple, stupid.” That’s exactly what he does in this quick video tutorial that will teach you how to make dramatic portraits and beauty shots with one monolight or speedlight and a single reflector.

The trend of using continuous light sources for portraiture that I saw at last year’s WPPI show continues unabated with Westcott’s Two-Light Daylight D5 Softbox Kit being the latest offering. The kit uses fluorescent bulbs as a light source, although that word barely appears in Westcott’s early press material for the kit. Part of the reason may be that when it comes to photographs of people, fluorescent has a negative connotation but nothing could be further from the truth.

Somewhere along the line in a pro photographer’s career, or amid an enthusiast’s pursuit of picture making, you achieve a balance between geared up and weighed down when it comes to lens choices. You want versatility, but you also want to be mobile, even comfortable.