The F/Stop Spot Photography Forum - Blogs http://fstopspot.com/blog.php A Community and Forum for Photographers to Share Their Pictures, Participate in Weekly Photo Assignments and Contests and Learn About Starting a Photography Business en Tue, 18 Jun 2013 22:31:11 GMT vBulletin 60 http://fstopspot.com/images/styles/Modern/misc/rss.jpg The F/Stop Spot Photography Forum - Blogs http://fstopspot.com/blog.php My coverage of a building collapse http://fstopspot.com/entry.php/296-My-coverage-of-a-building-collapse Mon, 22 Oct 2012 23:42:51 GMT Early on the morning of October 21, 2012, a portion of the clubhouse of a local apartment complex collapsed. Upwards of 100 partygoers were packed in a penthouse apartment in the second story clubhouse when the floor caved in. Miraculously, there were no life-threatening injuries, but 55 people... Early on the morning of October 21, 2012, a portion of the clubhouse of a local apartment complex collapsed. Upwards of 100 partygoers were packed in a penthouse apartment in the second story clubhouse when the floor caved in. Miraculously, there were no life-threatening injuries, but 55 people were injured (initial estimate was 30-35) and 12 of them were transported by ambulance to local hospitals. I covered the event for the local paper. Because the images have been licensed I can't post them here, but there is a link to the gallery at the bottom of this post.

It is not always easy to cover events like this, you don't want your presence or coverage to interfere or to exacerbate the grief of victims, their families, or their friends. The reason for covering events like this is that the story should be told. People need to know what happened. Individuals and society as a whole need to be able to form opinions about what happened and decide if action needs to be taken to prevent similar incidents in the future. It is easy to write "this is what happened," but when you show what happened you make the event more comprehendible to people and push them to form opinions.

Tech details: I tried to balance my coverage so I would be out of the way but still tell the story. To do this, I shot this with a 300 2.8 IS (480 mm equivalent on a 7D) on a monopod, a 17-40 f/4 L, a 70-200 2.8 L, a 5D2, a 7D, and a 580 EX II. The long lens allowed me to be far back, but after cropping let me get close enough to the action. The wide allowed me to show the scene as a whole and be ready if the action came to me, and the 70-200 allowed me to cover mid-range action such as ambulances being loaded and a first aid being rendered to a non-critical patient. Although there were hundreds of strobes and many spotlights, darkness was a major problem; I had manually focus and keep my ISO between 5,000 and 12,800.

What happened: I first heard there was a building collapse around 1:30 am. I grabbed my gear and 2 clean cards and ran out the door. In addition to my camera gear, I try to always bring a protein bar, bottle of water, and a flashlight to these incidents. You don't always know how long they will take so it is best to plan ahead. I arrived around 15 minutes after it happened, before most of the first responders had arrived. Parking is always a big issue at incidents like this in the city. You don't want to park somewhere where you will get in the way, be towed, or be blocked in. My solution was to go to a gas station 200 yards away and asked the clerk if I could park there. I was told they couldn't stop the tow company, and given a suggestion of another nearby bank to park at. I didn't want to risk being towed, so I drove to a neighboring gas station and asked the clerk if I could park there. He allowed me to but warned that towing might be an issue later in the night, but I left my car, grabbed my gear, and ran down the road. It was 1:45 am when I started taking pictures. Looking for parking had taken valuable time, but unfortunately I didn't have an alternative.

By this time, most of the fire department had arrived up and they were taking people out of a second story window with a ladder truck. After I had some useable shots, one of the people in the crowd told me she lived nearby and had heard what was going on. I asked her if I could park in her driveway, and she said I could. It would have been useless for me to have images and no way to transmit them if I had been towed, so I got my car and moved it to her house.

I returned to the scene and got some shots of two sheriff's deputies helping a woman walk down the entrance way and another of a patient being loaded in an ambulance. The patient was far away and I shot the loading procedure. I didn't want the patient to be identifiable, I wanted this to be about the incident and not any one individual. Another patient was loaded a few yards away from I was standing, but I chose not to shoot them because they might be able to see me and I didn't want to add to their stress level. There was no defined perimeter, but I chose to stay on the edge of the scene where I could get good shots but wouldn't be in the way. One of the paper's reporters arrived on scene and was able to get in touch with an editor. The next hour was similar, people being evacuated, triaged, and transported or released. Eventually, after a cameraman from a local TV station decided to walk in to the middle of scene, the police established a perimeter and put up crime scene tape, pushing me back.

After that, my night was more or less finished with one notable exception. A girl walked up to 2 other journalists and me with a blanket covering her clothes and wearing mis-matched shoes. Her name was Queen and she said that she was in the building when the floor collapsed and had fallen through the hole. She seemed a little in shock and described falling through the floor as 'like something out of Final Destination.' She was not injured beyond some stiffness in one of her legs, but said she lost her keys, wallet, and one of her shoes in the chaos but had found a flip flop on the floor when she was struggling to get out. Without keys, she said she had no way to drive home or get into her apartment. A police officer offered to call her a cab, but without apartment keys or a wallet, Queen said that wouldn't help. There wasn't much I could shoot of her or anything I could do to help her, but just listening to her story was an interesting experience. Eventually, one of her friends came and picked her up, she thanked us for talking with her and left.

Around 5 am, the police department's public information officer arrived on scene and made a statement, after which I went home. It was a long night, but I am glad I was able to provide coverage of the event.

Link to images:
http://www.tallahassee.com/apps/pbcs...nclick_check=1 ]]> Michael http://fstopspot.com/entry.php/296-My-coverage-of-a-building-collapse New to the site ... http://fstopspot.com/entry.php/70-New-to-the-site Mon, 19 Dec 2011 21:19:01 GMT Hello,

I'm so excited to be back in touch with this site! I first joined early this year before I got my Canon EOS Rebel T3i. I have taken over 18,000 photos since October 2010 and I guess it's rather obvious but I am so hooked on photography! There are very few things that give me greater joy than having looking through the camera lens at my beautiful friends and family and God's beautiful creation!

Here are just a few of the photos I've taken since June of this year. You can tell me what you think. By the way, I pulled these photos off of Facebook since I'm doing this while on a break at work, so the quality may not be that great, but still I'd love your feedback!

I look forward to hearing from a lot of you, I look forward to learning and growing and becoming an excellent photographer!

Warmly,
Janna

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Click image for larger version.  Name: Maedas.jpg  Views: 30  Size: 172.6 KB  ID: 2688 ]]> JanSlaback http://fstopspot.com/entry.php/70-New-to-the-site Before and After Pics! http://fstopspot.com/entry.php/69-Before-and-After-Pics! Sat, 12 Nov 2011 16:49:43 GMT I always enjoy looking at other photographers' before and after images. As you can tell from my images, I am a huge believer in post processing. I love spending hours processing a single image in Photoshop. Here are a few randomly picked shots:

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I actually went out and searched for a rubber ducky to photograph at a toy store just for this image (below)!

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Click image for larger version.  Name: truck.jpg  Views: 54  Size: 96.7 KB  ID: 2584 ]]> Steve Paxton http://fstopspot.com/entry.php/69-Before-and-After-Pics! Avoiding Protruding Elements in Your Portraits http://fstopspot.com/entry.php/58-Avoiding-Protruding-Elements-in-Your-Portraits Fri, 01 Jul 2011 03:04:02 GMT Taking a few moments to consider your composition can make a huge difference in your images - this is especially true of portrait photography. One of the most common mistakes new photographers make is failing to account for protruding elements; that is, background elements that seemingly extend... Taking a few moments to consider your composition can make a huge difference in your images - this is especially true of portrait photography. One of the most common mistakes new photographers make is failing to account for protruding elements; that is, background elements that seemingly extend from a person's head or body. Examples include whole trees, tree limbs, poles, sailboat masts, etc. Simply side stepping or moving up or down can eliminate distracting objects and keep the focus on your clients.

Below is an example from the wedding I photographed recently. The bride's father is on the left talking to a guest. The objects sticking out of their heads distract from the composition. I snapped the first shot and immediately caught my mistake and followed up with a second. Just side-stepping to my right changes the perspective just enough to improve the image.

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Click image for larger version.  Name: pole-2.jpg  Views: 47  Size: 109.0 KB  ID: 1621 ]]> Steve Paxton http://fstopspot.com/entry.php/58-Avoiding-Protruding-Elements-in-Your-Portraits Using Textures in Wedding Photography http://fstopspot.com/entry.php/57-Using-Textures-in-Wedding-Photography Fri, 01 Jul 2011 02:52:22 GMT The use of photographic textures in wedding photography is becoming more and more popular. Adding a texture to a few of your event photos can turn ordinary shots into unique works of art for your clients. Let me show you how you can do this in just a few short minutes. Attachment 2554... The use of photographic textures in wedding photography is becoming more and more popular. Adding a texture to a few of your event photos can turn ordinary shots into unique works of art for your clients. Let me show you how you can do this in just a few short minutes.

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Start out by selecting a photograph that you think might look good with the addition of a texture. In this shot below, I decided to emphasize the dark nature of the sky that day. The bride was literally freezing as I quickly shot a string of photographs before it started pouring down rain. I did some quick edits in Lightroom to give it the basic look and feel you see below:

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Here are the settings I used in Lightroom to create the look you see:

Image
  • ISO 200
  • 55 mm
  • f/10
  • 1/160 sec
Lightroom Basic Panel
  • Temp +7383
  • Tint +35
  • Exposure +0.86
  • Recovery +31
  • Fill Light - 0
  • Blacks +5
  • Brightness +64
  • Contrast +54
  • Clarity +20
  • Vibrance +81
  • Saturation -69
Split Toning: Highlights
  • Hue - +34
  • Saturation +6
Balance
  • Balance +14
Split Toning: Shadows
  • Hue +30
  • Saturation +15
Want the Lightroom preset?

Next, open the image and photographic texture in Photoshop (or GIMP).

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With both images open and the move tool selected (V), press and hold the Shift key while you drag the texture on top of the wedding photograph. Change the blending mode of the texture to Overlay. Your image should look something like this:

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The texture is just too much and takes away from the bride.

The next step is to create a layer mask and paint out the texture so that it doesn’t affect the bride. To create a layer mask select the texture in the Layers Panel then go to Layer -> Layer Mask -> Reveal All. This creates a white layer mask that essentially allows the entire texture to show through. We are going to use black to paint out areas of the photograph we don’t want the texture to affect – the bride.

Select a moderately hard paint brush (B) and begin painting with black everywhere you see the bride. Be careful as you paint along the edges. The idea is to create a clean mask between the bride and the background.

Typically in a masking situation like this, I paint all along the edges and then press and hold the Alt key (Option key for Macs) while clicking on the layer mask. This will change the layer mask to black and white allowing you to see areas you have missed with your paint brush. Once you have finished painting, press and hold the Alt key (Option key for Macs) while clicking on the layer mask to revert back to the normal view.

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We are just about done! I decided to create a dark vignette in Photoshop rather than Lightroom so that I could control it better. To do this I created a new adjustment layer for Solid Color and filled it with black.

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Next I selected the Radial Gradient tool, made sure that black to white was selected and that the Reverse box was unchecked. Now I simply clicked near the center of the image and dragged outward. This creates a rough vignette – we’re not done just yet.

Back down the opacity slider just a bit – in this case, I reduced the opacity to 62%. Next click the Layer Mask that you create for the photographic texture while holding the Ctrl key (Command key on a Mac). This selects the layer mask you created. Now paint over the Solid Color layer mask with black to keep the vignette from affecting the bride.

You’re done! The whole process should only take about 10-15 minutes! Using textures like this is a unique way to infuse a little bit of “elegant grunge” into a few of your favorite event photographs. Your clients will love it!

Want more? ]]> Steve Paxton http://fstopspot.com/entry.php/57-Using-Textures-in-Wedding-Photography Developing a Wedding Timeline with Your Bride and Groom http://fstopspot.com/entry.php/55-Developing-a-Wedding-Timeline-with-Your-Bride-and-Groom Wed, 29 Jun 2011 02:41:54 GMT *Paxton Portraits Wedding Photography : Marysville, Washington* (http://paxtonportraits.com/photos/wedding-photography-marysville-everett-lake-stevens-seattle/) I typically meet with my wedding clients twice before the actual wedding day. The first meeting is usually 6-12 months before the... Paxton Portraits Wedding Photography : Marysville, Washington

I typically meet with my wedding clients twice before the actual wedding day. The first meeting is usually 6-12 months before the wedding. We chat about style and generally get to know each other during the first meeting. Sometimes I coordinate the first meeting with an engagement session. The first meeting is a great ice breaker and kicks off the relationship between the photographer and bride/groom.

It's not uncommon for quite a few emails to fly back and forth between the first and second meeting. Depending on the bride, I might get an email every week about all of the little details of the wedding. I am always quick to respond back and reassure my clients that I am paying attention and care about the details.

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I try to schedule the second meeting about 3-4 weeks ahead of the wedding day. By this time the bride and groom have figured out most of the details of their wedding and are ready to discuss the timeline for photographs. One of the biggest things I have learned photographing weddings is to work closely with the bride and groom to develop a timeline. If you don't, there won't be a game plan for capturing all the wonderful images they are going to expect from you after the wedding. The best time to scratch out a timeline is a few weeks before the wedding when the bride and groom have locked in most of the details for the day.

Informally documenting the timeline gives us (wedding photographers) an opportunity to help steer the ship a bit. The attached document helps create a solid timeline for the day. Going over a timeline (like this one) is a wonderful conversation starter. Most brides will thank you for asking them to fill it out with you. It helps them organize the day in their mind and gives them peace of mind knowing that everything will happen in a orderly manner. It also shows your clients that you care and that you are genuinely interested in making sure things go smoothly. Brides love that!

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It is critical (for you, as the wedding photographer) that there is sufficient time built into the day for photographs. You are helping the bride and groom choreograph their big day. If you schedule an hour for formal portraits, you can bet that you will get 30 minutes or less. Time is always compressed at weddings. I try to fill out the timeline with my clients rather than just emailing it to them. Undoubtedly they will have questions. It's better to fill it out together if you can. The list of events is laid out in the way that a typical weddings naturally unfolds with the images of the bride and groom getting ready at the beginning and reception images last. Of course, not every wedding is the same so you may find yourself moving things around a bit.

You are welcome to modify and and use the timeline sheet for yourself - pulling it out in front of your clients will make you look like a true professional!
Attached Files
]]> Steve Paxton http://fstopspot.com/entry.php/55-Developing-a-Wedding-Timeline-with-Your-Bride-and-Groom Adding a Second Hair Light in Portrait Photography http://fstopspot.com/entry.php/54-Adding-a-Second-Hair-Light-in-Portrait-Photography Sun, 26 Jun 2011 22:07:32 GMT I had a senior portrait session today and thought I would share two images that shows the difference adding a second (accent) light can make. The first shot is lit by a single strobe bounced into an umbrella camera right (at a 45-degree angle to the client). The second image includes a second... I had a senior portrait session today and thought I would share two images that shows the difference adding a second (accent) light can make. The first shot is lit by a single strobe bounced into an umbrella camera right (at a 45-degree angle to the client). The second image includes a second light being fired through a snoot, camera left, almost perpendicular to my client and raised nearly 10-feet up. Both images were taken in the shade.

In this case, an accent/hair light makes a pretty big difference - especially since my client has extremely dark hair and the background is dark. The hair light also picked up the purple highlights in her hair. I love it!

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Accent lighting isn't quite as critical in this second set, but it definitely helps create definition around her head.

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Sometimes it's the little details that help make a set of images pop! ]]> Steve Paxton http://fstopspot.com/entry.php/54-Adding-a-Second-Hair-Light-in-Portrait-Photography Develop an Effective Lightroom Workflow http://fstopspot.com/entry.php/24-Develop-an-Effective-Lightroom-Workflow Sat, 22 Jan 2011 17:10:09 GMT I am fairly busy throughout the year photographing high school seniors and weddings (_Paxton Portraits (http://paxtonportraits.com/photos/)_). I handle the bulk of my image processing in Adobe Lightroom. I create a new catalog each year for senior portraits, regular (non-senior) portraits,... I am fairly busy throughout the year photographing high school seniors and weddings (Paxton Portraits). I handle the bulk of my image processing in Adobe Lightroom. I create a new catalog each year for senior portraits, regular (non-senior) portraits, weddings and landscapes. That means I have four catalogs to choose from each year. At the end of the year, I create new catalogs and start over. As an example, my senior portrait catalog currently has approximately 26,000 images in it and seems to be running fine. If a catalog starts acting sluggish, you can try to optimize it. In Lightroom go to File -> Optimize Catalog. I save all of my previous years' catalogs on external hard drives so that I can access them if necessary.

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Here is a brief run down on the workflow I use:
  • Import the images into Lightroom. I have Lightroom setup to automatically convert my Raw images into DNGs (I don't save the original Raws - here's why). I also rename the images using the following date/time format - 2009_10_02-1603-Hrs_54-Sec.dng. My images are stored using the following folder structure - Images -> 2009 -> 10 -> 2009_10_02-1603-Hrs_54-Sec.dng. Inside the main folder of images, I also create a folder called "Converted." Any images that I process in Photoshop and save as PSDs are saved into the Converted folder. The PSDs are also introduced into Lightroom. The last thing Lightroom does during the import process is keyword the images. A senior portrait session may have the following keywords assigned (for example): Portrait, Senior Portrait, Smith.

  • Next I sort the images in Lightroom using the Pick (P) or Reject (X) shortcuts. Picked images are images I plan to carry through and process while Rejected images are ones that are marked to be deleted. I sort my images before backing them up so that I don't waste hard drive space by backing up Rejected shots (I have the originals still on my CF cards that serve as a temporary backup). After sorting, I permanently delete the rejected images.

  • I next backup the entire folder to an external hard drive. I use the SyncBack to back everything up automatically. At this point I feel comfortable formating the CF cards that the images were original saved to in the camera.

  • Before I process a large group of images (of a wedding for example), I group the images together by type using the color tags in Lightroom. I may also rate the images by stars (1-5).

  • Now it's time to process the images. I have created a number of Lightroom Presets to help automate the process including a preset for sharpening portraits, reducing clarity, boosting vibrance, and adjusting color balance. I shoot in manual mode so that a string of images from a set will be exposed the same. This allows me to batch process my images in Lightroom. I simply process the first image in the set and copy the settings to the rest of the images in that group. Right after processing my images, I use CRTL+S (or Command+S on the Apple) to save all the metadata (including my image processing) to the images. This means that all the processing work I just finished is saved with the images - with no sidecar files. I can freely copy/move images to other computers without worrying about bringing sidecar files along.

  • After the images are processed, I group them together into Collections (this is where the color tagging that I did earlier can be helpful). Having the images sorted in a collection gives me the ability to view the images by sets or location or type. For example in a Collection Set I may have the following separate collections: Formals, Bride and Groom, Wedding, Reception. With my images grouped into Collections Sets, months later I can quickly find specific images for myself or my clients.

  • At this point I rename my images. I use the following naming convention for finished images. For a wedding it would look like this: "smith_wedding-formals-005." For a senior portrait session it would look like this: "smith-004." I think renaming the images to something conventional looks more professional than - "DV009848.jpg" and it makes it easier for my clients and I to identify specific shots for printing.

  • With all the images renamed, I next export them out as email friendly and high resolution JPGs. My wedding clients typically get both versions. My portrait/senior portrait clients get the email friendly images (for Facebook, MySpace, etc.) and can purchase the high resolution versions if they wish. All of my final JPGs are saved into a different folder (called Final Images) and backed up the same way as the DNGs. In the end, I should have two copies of the original (and processed) DNGs and two copies of the JPGs. All the images are saved a third time to disc (yes, it's a major pain).

  • The very last step is to upload the images to my server and into my proofing system for my clients to view. You can check out our online proofing gallery showcasing a couple of our latest senior portrait sessions. Click over to the proofing page (here) and enter “senior girls” or “senior guys” into the passcode box. To see our sample wedding enter "wedding sample."
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Aside from dealing major edits (such as removing major blemishes, etc.), Lightroom pretty much handles my entire workflow. For better or worse, it works for me! ]]> Steve Paxton http://fstopspot.com/entry.php/24-Develop-an-Effective-Lightroom-Workflow Flash Lighting Questions http://fstopspot.com/entry.php/23-Flash-Lighting-Questions Sat, 22 Jan 2011 03:55:34 GMT In response to a question about flash choices for off camera lighting:

What is a cheap flash:
You have a few options in terms of what kind of flash to get, it all depends on what 'decently cheap' means to you. I like cheap as well, but if cheap means you need to replace it in a year or it may fail randomly, it may not be the best idea in the long run. If I buy the cheap option, I make sure I have a backup and plan that it will fail. Even doing that, the cheap option is often still much less then the expensive option.

What kind of flash:
Your options for a flash are the camera manufacture's current flash series, old model flashes, and off-brand flashes.

Current flashes:
In my experience, the latest-and-greatest from the camera's manufacture tends to work the best and have the most power. When I need something 100% reliable, I use my 580 EX II. Its more powerful then my other units, its much faster to recycle, and offers high speed sync and ETTL automatic metering when attached to the camera. The downside to it and the nikon equivalent is that they are expensive (~$400).

Used OEM flashes:
I have 6 older canon flashes which are my workhorses for most portraits. They have auto metering which doesn't work very well, you need to use them in manual mode. I use a 420 EZ (slow recycle, $45 ebay) and 430 EZ (faster then the 420 EZ, $55 ebay). Some people also use the 550 EZ, which is around $150 used and has high speed sync. The upsides to these are they are very cheap, the downsides are they are slow and only manual. You need to be careful with older flashes, some use high triggering voltages and can't be used on camera without frying the camera. I've never had a problem with the Canon series, but caveat emptier.

Aftermarket flashes:
The last option is the after-market flash. These include the vivitar series (285 hv is popular, manual only, $85 new), the lumopro 160 ($160, manual only, same power as 580 EX II) the quantum flashes (very expensive, manual only, extremely powerful), and lots of knock off products.

Power:
I think the vivitar series have adapters and the quantum ones may as well. Other then that, you can get external battery packs, but I haven't seen AC power. Get good batteries, I use Duracell's Pre-charged AA's ($10-12/pack), because they don't self discharge over time. Equivalent products are often labeled non-self discharge or eneloop. I have 10 sets now, and have yet to run out on a shoot. If you want something with wall power, I would just get a studio light, or alien bee's and a vagabond.

Triggering the flash:
Once you pick a flash, you need a way to trigger it. Some of the Nikon's have a slave built in, but its not reliable outside or in a room with other flashes. Non-built in options include a PC cord (reliable, but cumbersome; about $25 after you get hot shoe adapters), a flash sensor ($15-50, not too reliable), chinese triggers (I recommend the RF-602's, $30 for a set, semi-reliable; I have multiples so I have backups when they die), or pocket wizards (rock solid, but around $300 for a set).

Going to off-camera lighting is expensive, but will really make your images pop. Lots of the light modifiers can be bought on bay very cheaply or made in your garage. I would recommend not cutting too many corners on the light or the trigger, as you will likely come to rely on them. Good luck!

A great source for more info is David Hobby's blog at strobist.com. Check out the lighting 101 and 102 sections, as well as his posts on various flash options. ]]> Michael http://fstopspot.com/entry.php/23-Flash-Lighting-Questions Tips for Environmental Portraits http://fstopspot.com/entry.php/3-Tips-for-Environmental-Portraits Sat, 31 Jul 2010 04:34:19 GMT Occasionally I get questions via email (and Facebook (http://www.facebook.com/steve.paxton?ref=name)!) about my photography. Many of the questions revolve around lighting and composition. Every portrait photographer has their own unique style that makes them different from the rest, but ... Occasionally I get questions via email (and Facebook!) about my photography. Many of the questions revolve around lighting and composition. Every portrait photographer has their own unique style that makes them different from the rest, but there are some very basic concepts to keep in mind when you are out in the field shooting portraits. Most of these concepts have been well documented by many photographers in books, videos and on the Internet so I am not presenting anything new. The following is my technical approach to environmental portraits. Let's take a look!

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I try to schedule my environmental portrait sessions for mid morning or late afternoon. This maternity session was shot around 6 PM with a nice low sun. The first portion of the session we worked in the shade. Towards the end of the session we moved into the sun and I oriented my client so that the sun was behind her. Some of the images were shot with an on-camera flash (580EX II) and a Junior Bracket in manual mode while others were shot with off-camera flash. I also use a Lumedyne Tiny Cycler battery pack to ensure that I have plenty of power and don't need to fumble around with changing AA batteries. I have several Tiny Cyclers and absolutely love them!

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Start by Metering for Ambient Light
I start by metering the ambient light; that is, I meter as if I weren't going to use flash at all. I typically use an exposure meter (Sekonic L-308B), but you can use your camera for finding the proper settings too (an exposure meter can be quicker and more accurate). This becomes my base exposure setting. My goal (in most cases) is to throw the background out of focus while maintaining a high enough shutter speed so that I can handhold my camera. Remember the rule of thumb is to double your focal length to ensure that camera shake doesn't ruin the images. For example, if you are shooting with a 100mm lens, your shutter speed should be at least 1/200 or 1/250 of a second if you are hand holding the camera. I commonly use a 70-200mm lens for portraits. The key is to strike a balance between a nicely blurred background and an acceptable shutter speed. You should add just enough flash to fill in the shadows on the face so that a casual viewer of your pictures would never guess that you employed any extra lighting. It's important to me that the lighting look natural; and that means that the fill flash shouldn't overpower the ambient (or natural) light. Here are the basics on how to adjust ambient (or natural) light in relationship to flash or strobe (artificial) lighting:

  • The shutter speed modifies ambient light. If the ambient light is too dark (i.e. under exposed), lower the shutter speed and it will brightening the scene up.
  • The aperture modifies the intensity of the flash. If the flash is too intense you can stop down the aperture to help control it.
  • Changes in the ISO buy you the latitude you need in either direction. For example, if you are having trouble hitting the right shutter speed at 200 ISO, you can jump up to 400 ISO to buy you an extra stop of light.


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In environmental portrait photography, a flash or strobe is generally used to fill in shadows on the face. There are lots of creative exceptions to this of course; however I will stick to fill lighting in this guide. Along with changing the aperture, you can also adjust the intensity of your flash by dialing down the power on the flash (i.e. -1, -2,) or you can move the flash farther from your subject. Here is how I generally work (although it always needs to be fine tuned):

  • When I am shooting in direct sun, I leave the flash set to full power (i.e. no changes)
  • When I am shooting in overcast, but bright conditions, I set the flash to -1
  • When I am shooting is cloudy conditions, I set the flash to -2
  • In the shade, I am usually shooting at between -1 or -2

It is a three way balancing act! The good news is that once you nail the settings, you can relax and fire away without worrying too much about your camera's settings (assuming that the light doesn't change). Anytime I move into a different area, I re-meter and recalibrate my shutter speed/aperture/ISO settings. Although it was quite bright, most of the maternity pics were shot at 200-400 ISO. This allowed me to set the shutter speed and aperture I needed. For portraits, I try to hover right around f5.6 with provides just enough depth of field to bring the face into sharp focus while throwing the background out of focus.

Using a Camera Bracket
When I shoot with an on-camera flash, I typically use a camera bracket to ensure my flash stays directly above my camera. This is particularly important when you are shooting in portrait mode (that is, your camera is turned on its side). Without a bracket, you risk creating bizarre side shadows. These side shadows look terrible and are totally unacceptable to me. You see side shadows most often if you have your client positioned next to a wall or some other solid object (that the shadow can project onto). A bracket ensures that side shadows are all but eliminated.

Although not usually a problem, the second reason for a bracket is to remove the possibility of red eye when you are shooting under dark conditions. Elevating the flash above your camera creates just enough of an angle between the lens axis and the light axis that you don't get red eye (which are actually the blood vessels in the retina being lit up). This use to be more important in the past when photographers shot film. Bouncing light off nearby walls serves the same purpose as it also changes the direction the light as it hits the eyes.

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You can shoot portraits without a camera bracket. Just take care when you are shooting in portrait mode not to position your client next to a solid object (where side shadows will be obvious). Alternatively, you can shoot in landscape mode and crop the images to portrait orientation later on. Here are a few tidbits about my personal approach to portraits - this is just how I like to work - other photographers may take a different view:

  • I prefer to shoot in solid shade or overcast conditions. It's easier for my clients to open their eyes and it is just much more comfortable over all. It's also much safer - that is, I can get a lot of great shots without worrying about crazy, bright light.
  • I also shoot in direct sun light when it's practical. When I shoot in the sun, I try to position the client so that the sun is to their back or coming over one of their shoulders (45 degrees off center but behind). This creates some wonderful rim/separation lighting around the back of the head and hair. It also allows my clients to keep their eyes open (no squinting). Essentially, I am shooting directly into the sun. The sun becomes the main light source. Meter so that the subject is properly exposed and use fill flash.
  • I avoid dappled lighting as much as possible. That is, shaded areas that have pockets of sun poking through.

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Reflected Light
Don't forget how effective reflected light can be. All the same rules apply, but you use the reflector as your main light source in place of flash or strobe lighting. Reflected light is some of the best lighting you can get for portraits; however in most cases, you will need an assistant to hold the reflector. You can reflect direct sun light or bounce your flash off the reflector at a 45-degree angle onto your client. This has the potential to create beautiful three dimensional light.

Off Camera Lighting
I love off-camera lighting! I have a great off-camera lighting kit that I take to virtually every portrait session and wedding I photograph. It includes several light stands, umbrellas, radio triggers, strobes, etc. I also have a portable Ezy-Box (portable soft box). I highly recommend picking up the Ezy-Box if you want to have a solid, portable soft box to take with you. It breaks down flat and can be deployed in about two minutes. I lug most of this gear with me everywhere in a portable lighting bag.

Here's the thing though; it isn't always practical to pull everything out. For example, photographing kids with off camera lighting in an outdoor environment will make you insane. Unless you have an assistant holding your main light source and moving with the clients, you will lose your mind. I run into this issue at weddings too. I typically take my clients to multiple locations, we are walking, they are laughing it up and enjoying the day, and I have to be dynamic and quick. Again, unless you have an assistant holding the off camera lighting, you are going to miss a lot of shots. Even with assistance, you may miss many shots. In my humble opinion, deploying off camera lighting outside makes the most sense when time isn't a factor and you have an extremely cooperative client. For example I commonly use off camera lighting with high school senior portraits.

Photographers have to be flexible - especially at events and while photographing dynamic situations (such as children playing). I prefer using off-camera lighting, but it's possible to capture great images with an on-camera flash if you are creative. It's a judgment call.

The key to learning about controlling light in portrait photography is to get out there and practice!

Click image for larger version.  Name: marilynn-5.jpg  Views: 336  Size: 223.0 KB  ID: 274 ]]> Steve Paxton http://fstopspot.com/entry.php/3-Tips-for-Environmental-Portraits