Lighting How To

Some photographers turn up their noses at the notion of using on-camera flash for portrait photography. But the technique is super easy to accomplish, and done right it can yield surprisingly beautiful results.

One of the banes of outdoor portraiture is that you’re always at the mercy of prevailing lighting and weather conditions. Equally challenging is the fact that, whether you’re shooting images for a client or photographing a model for your portfolio, you don’t always get to choose the time and location of a session.

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.

Boudoir photographer Yuliya Panchenko has been creating a highly helpful series of boudoir tutorials while working with her model of choice these days, actress Solange Sanchez. After showing us the best boudoir poses on a chair and the best boudoir poses on a bed, Panchenko and Sanchez have teamed up again for a new video where they demonstrate how to use low-key lighting for boudoir photography.

If you want to shoot better portraits without expensive lighting equipment, this quick tutorial is for you. In just five minutes you’ll see how to create a simple and effective natural light studio in your garage that delivers professional results. And you can use this setup for more than just portrait photography.

Whether you’re shooting landscapes, street photos, or cityscapes, something magical happens when the sun dips below the horizon. Colorful lights abound, and less appealing components of a scene tend to fade into obscurity.

So you’d like to try your hand at portrait photography, but lack a studio and all the specialized lighting gear and accessories typically used by the pros. No problem, because this tutorial demonstrates how to shoot captivating portraits with natural light and simple gear in the comfort of your home.