We are all or have been novices in photography, we have all started out obsessed with choosing the best camera that our pocket can pay for, no matter how much they tell us that it is not the most important thing. We have all started messing around automatically without paying too much attention to our instruction manual, waiting for the gift, the miracle that will make us, from day to day, worthy of receiving the title of photographers. Because the beginnings are always illusion and passion and some deception too. Because the great challenge of photography, the great ingredient, what differentiates a mediocre image from a fascinating one, is none other than the lighting. lighting is the big challenge we face as photographers, because light is everything in a photograph, and at the same time one of the most forgotten and feared aspects 🙂
But don’t be afraid, if you’re here, you’re on the right track, because photography isn’t a gift, well, it may be a gift, but it’s one you learn, and you’re on your way to achieving it 😉 with the following basic tips, but , before leaving you with them, allow me to recommend this very complete guide where you will find everything you need about lighting in photography. Now yes, let’s go with the promised tips:
- Choose the right type of measurement for each occasion
- Learn to work with the histogram
- Keep the ISO low whenever you can
- Pay attention to white balance
- Experiment with light orientation
- Tips for photographing outdoors
- Tips for photographing indoors
- Learn to master the diaphragm opening
Let us now see point by point in depth.
Choose the right type of measurement for each occasion
Although sometimes things will happen quickly in front of you and you will not have much time to think, the truth is that most of the time you will have enough time to prepare settings of your camera. The point is to think about doing it and make this fact part of your photographic routinebecause it is very important to decide before shooting, what ISO, what speed, what aperture, why this and not that. It is in your mind where the photograph that will later be captured on your sensor begins to take shape.so it is very important to think before you shoot, because that is where the big difference lies and where you get a good image.
One of the aspects that must be thought about before shooting is what type of measurement is appropriate for the image in front of us, that is to say, where will the light meter of our camera collect the information and how will it process it to give us the exposure values.
Punctual
Is the most accurate although it does not mean that it is the most suitable for all occasions. spot mode measures the information at the exact point that we indicate without taking into account any type of light information outside of it. It is useful when we want a very precise measurement in some part of the scene because that is where our center of interest resides regardless of the surrounding information, or when there is a lot of difference between our center of interest and the area that surrounds it.
Central
This type of measurement discards the information from the edges of the frame, focusing on the central area of the scene.
center weighted
Similar to the central one, only this time it does not exclude the information that surrounds the central zone (although it gives it less weight) and it does exclude the zones in which it considers the sky to be located.
Matrix (multi-pattern or multi-zone)
Meters all areas of the image creating average exposure values. It is probably the most used mode of all and the one that will work well for you in most situationsas long as you have an image without an exaggerated difference between highlights and shadows (high contrast).
Learn to work with the histogram
Surely you have ever noticed a sinister graph that appears in editing programs and on your camera screen (if you have it activated), full of spikes and so unintuitive, right? Well, that unpleasant graph is called histogram, it is very easy to use, and it will be your best ally when displaying your photographs. Here I explain step by step what it is, how to read it and, in short, how it can help you get better photographs.
That great stranger who is going to become your best friend, you’ll see 🙂
Keep the ISO low whenever you can
High ISO values, while increasing the light sensitivity of your sensor (allowing you to work as if there is more light than there really is), also affect the quality of your image. That is why we always recommend keeping a few low values by default and upload it only when we need an extra dose of sensitivity (night or interior photography).
Pay attention to white balance
Many lights that we see white are, in fact, captured by our sensor with warm tones (tungsten lights in most interiors) or cold (for example fluorescent), it is what we know as color temperature. That is why it is so important to be careful with the white balance, which is the system that is responsible for correcting these color deviations towards warm or cold tones. Most of the time an automatic tone will work well for you, but if you want to be sure of the result, shoot in RAW and correct the tone in the process.
Experiment with light orientation
Depending on the directionality of light, a photograph of the same image can change drastically.
Frontal
The front light is placed in front of what we are portraying. Reduce textures, remove shadows and increase detail.
Side
The subject or object receives the light from the side, highlighting the textures and increasing the volume.
zenithal
The light comes from above the subject lighting it from above. This type of lighting produces accentuated shadows on the face, especially under the eyes and nose. This is the type of lighting for the central hours of the day when the sun is high in the sky.
Nadir or low angle
If in overhead lighting the light comes from above, in this case, it is the opposite, it comes from below, resulting in unnatural shadows, such as a lit chin, or dark cheekbones and eyes.
rear
The light comes from behind the subject. This is the kind of lighting you’ll need to work with silhouettes or backlighting.
Tips for photographing outdoors
natural light this is the best studio out thereand knowing how to play with it and squeeze all its possibilities will be your great asset to improve your photographs through good lighting.
sunrises and sunsets
The best times of day to take pictures outdoors are always the first and last hours of the day. In sunrises and sunsets, the light is soft, warm and lateral, enhancing the textures, the long and soft shadows… Ideal for photographing landscapes and achieving wonderful portraits. The moments that precede (in sunrises) or that follow (sunsets) these moments of warm light, are known as blue hour and will also give you magical opportunities to photograph both urban and natural landscapes.
hard light
Unfortunately, as wonderful as the light of sunsets and sunrises is, it is a light that lasts only a few moments, so either we choose to contain ourselves all day without pressing the shutter, missing unrepeatable moments until nightfall, 😉 or we learn some tricks for working in harsh light, which is most of the rest of the day.
- Take advantage of high-contrast scenes to exercise your creativity
- Do not miss the opportunity to get a good portrait:
- Under a tree
- on a porch
- Under an umbrella or beach umbrella
- Take advantage of cloudy days when the clouds act as diffusers, softening the contrast and the shadows.
Tips for photographing indoors
Be careful with white balance
Pay special attention to the white balance, because indoors you may find yourself facing a scene with combinations of lights and therefore different color temperatures. When in doubt, shoot in RAW.
Approach a window
The windows and their lateral light, seasoned with clear curtains as a diffuser, can be the best home study you can find. As always, the power of natural light is unique.
Use all available light
The interiors, no matter how much light you think you have, are always less luminous than you think. So draw curtains, turn on lights, open doors… All light is little.
Get an external flash
External flashes not only allow you to modify the power but also allow you to rotate head to bounce light off ceilings, walls or other surfaces allowing you to get a homogeneous light and diffuse very photogenic for portraits.
- If you don’t have a rotating head, get a light diffuser, they are very cheap and offer very good results.
And finally… Learn to master the diaphragm opening
The best way to control the light that passes to your sensor is through the aperture. By opening the diaphragm, you will let more light pass through and closing less, also directly affecting the depth of field (The more closed the diaphragm is, the greater depth of field you will have in the image and the more open, the less depth of field or area in focus in the image. We see it better with a very graphic video:
What do you think? A lot of information at once? 😉 Don’t worry, it’s not a matter of applying all the tips at once. This article won’t be moving from here for when you might need it 😉 And if you think anyone else might be interested in checking it out, please share. Thank you very much and until next time 🙂