Lighting How To

Commercial photographer J.P. Morgan has over two decades of studio experience, as well as a knack for helping others shoot like a pro. In the video below, Morgan uses his unique teaching style to help you better understand lighting by photographing a ball, cube, and cylinder in one properly lit image.

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.

Zach Smidt of Zach Alan Photography is a Houston-based shooter with a creative approach to portraiture. He recently teamed up with his girlfriend Juli to make a series of stunning outdoor images using light painting techniques.

DIY projects are a fun way to make your own gear and save major bucks in the process, and the video below shows you how to construct a sturdy light stand for less than $5 worth of PVC pipe. If you really want to go “pro,” you can drop another $2 on a cheap PVC cutter.

Lou Freeman is an acclaimed fashion and lifestyle photographer with a client list that’s second to none. And in the video below, she shows how to create glamorous boudoir photos by using portable, continuous light sources.

Craig Burrows is a California-based photographer who uses his background in physics to create these amazing images that he refers to as “alternative light photography.” The photographs you see here capture the glowing wavelengths of light emitted by plants that aren’t visible to the human eye.

We often turn to Joe Edelman for simple lighting tutorials, and in the video below he’s a bit perturbed because photographers often mess up outdoor portraits by not using their reflectors properly. Follow Edelman’s simple advice and you won’t make this mistake.