Lighting Techniques Archives - Digital Photo Pro

September 22, 2020

Modern Lighting Solutions

New technology has opened up portrait lighting possibilities

Text & Photography By Tom Bol

For this portrait, I used an ELB 500 in TTL mode with a 53-inch Rotalux Octabox. The flash was set for high-speed sync for 1/800 shutter speed. Nikon Z 7, 35mm F1.8 lens. Exposure 1/800 sec., ƒ/1.8, ISO 100. The photography industry has been rapidly transforming in recent years, and the major focus has been on camera systems. Every year, there are... Read more

October 31, 2018

Portrait Lighting With LEDs

Tips for using constant LED lighting in studio as well as mixing it with natural light (indoors and out)

By William Sawalich

With an Astra Bi-Color LED light as the key, I shifted the light’s output to tungsten while maintaining a daylight white balance in the camera. The result is a warm, glowing sunset look—and it was as easy as turning a dial. One of the biggest changes to occur in lighting technology in recent years has been the introduction—and rapid technological... Read more

October 1, 2018

Lighting Separation Anxiety

Keep the reproduction of your images in mind when shooting stock—or any images—for successful sales

Text & Photography By Mark Edward Harris

I collaborated with photographer Daihezi Ji on a lighting test to show movement yet freeze her in the same frame. I set my camera to rear sync to fire my Profoto B1s at the end of the ½-second exposure with the backdrop/hair light positioned camera right in a silver collapsible beauty dish to provide separation. The keylight, also in a collapsible... Read more

July 9, 2018

Essential Flash

Five reasons why you should never leave your flash at home

Text & Photography By Tom Bol

A Nikon SB-5000 Speedlight and orange gel were used to simulate sunlight on the model’s back and shoulders. Nikon D850, AF-S NIKKOR 85mm ƒ/1.8G, 1/3200 sec., ƒ/1.8, ISO 31 In this day and age of going ultra-lightweight, photographers discriminately minimize their photo kits to the bare essentials. After all, who doesn’t like carrying less weight?... Read more

December 26, 2017

Top Photographers Share Their Lighting Techniques

These professionals have mastered the use of light to create exceptional work, from editorial to sports to wedding photography

By The Editors Of Digital Photo Pro Magazine

These professionals have mastered the use of light to create exceptional work, from editorial to sports to wedding photography. Plus, check out Digital Photo Pro’s Portrait Lighting Essentials Guide. 1. Joe McNally: Master Storyteller The photographer balances creativity with lighting and technical prowess to tell compelling stories with his images.... Read more

October 16, 2017

11 Ways To Improve Your Photographic Lighting

With an understanding of these go-to lighting techniques, you can easily light any scene with dramatic results

The Editors Of Digital Photo Pro Magazine

Grasping good lighting is a lot like understanding the relationship between aperture and shutter speed—it’s confusing up until the moment it clicks, and then every photograph becomes a variation on that idea. These photographic lighting articles present go-to techniques, with some gear recommendations, that are the foundation on which all other... Read more

October 3, 2017

Portrait Lighting Essentials

With these simple lighting techniques, it's possible to master any scene with confidence

The Editors of Digital Photo Pro

The art of portrait lighting is the art of bringing out the essence of an individual—identifying the person’s personality and facial features, and coming up with a lighting scheme that will synchronize with them. Many photographers fall into the habit of using a stock setup for all of their work without consideration of the person they’re... Read more

January 23, 2017

The Mixed Studio

Blending modern LED lights with strobes for unique lighting options

Text & Photography By Tom Bol

This image uses two LED lights and one strobe. An 18” circular flapjack is the main light on the left, with a ring flash as an accent light on right. An Elinchrom ELB 400 strobe using a 30-degree grid lights the blue background. I love my strobes. Watching them pop away during a shoot energizes the set and amplifies my creativity. My obsession with... Read more

May 6, 2016

Low-Key Black & White Portrait Lighting

How a little light can go a long way to make a dramatic, dark and moody portrait

Text & Photography By William Sawalich

In a lot of commercial portraiture these days, there’s an emphasis on high-production values. Whether from exotic locations or from using a lot of lights, it seems the conventional wisdom is generally “more is better.” But, in fact, when trying to create a moody, dramatic or intimate black-and-white portrait, sometimes less actually is more. With... Read more

July 1, 2013

Mastering Soft Light Photography

Little differences between light modifiers make for big changes in the look of a light

Text And Photography By William Sawalich

Any discussion of soft lighting tools begins with two classic modifiers: the softbox and the umbrella. From each of these devices has sprung a world of variations—so many that it can be difficult to know why to choose one modifier over another. Soft is a relative term, after all, and the little differences between modifiers produce subtle, but important,... Read more

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