Photography Lighting On-Location

Photography Lighting, When Natural Light Won't Do

The day scheduled for shooting the December issue of Simply KC Magazine, dark November skies greeted the photographer. No sun was evident behind the thick cover of clouds. Yet in photography lighting is the key between great and mediocre. When facing such conditions on-location at the Midland Christmas Tree Farm, a light mist added another challenge, prompting the decision to create artificial lighting solutions.

Equipment used: Canon 580 EX Flash through white umbrella, Travel light diffused with softbox powered by vehicle outlet, pocket wizards for remote flash triggering.

The foundational approach involves: calculate the ambient exposure and add light as needed. Use light modifiers to adjust specifications of light - amount, intensity, direction.

First Things First, Adjust Your ISO

For SLR cameras, shutter speed must synchronize when lights fire, typically 250 or less. Initial ISO settings should range between 200-400. Metering determines the corresponding F-stop at 200 shutter speed, with adjustments made as needed.

In this specific shoot, the camera was set at ISO 250 most of the time, with shutter speed at 200 @ f4.5-6.3 depending on composition.

Tip: Shooting slower than 200, and you'll subject yourself to camera shake or movement when shooting people. You must shoot fast enough to FREEZE any movement.

Balance Shutter Speed and F-Stop

Once ambient light settings are established, artificial lighting is introduced:

• ISO: Your camera's sensitivity to light. The lower the number, the less sensitive.
• Shutter Speed: The duration of the exposure, how long the 'film' is exposed to light.
• F-Stop: Controls the amount of light that is let into the camera which corresponds to your depth of field.

Add Your Own Light

A softbox positioned in front of the subject provided even, soft facial lighting. A backlight - flash shooting through an umbrella - was positioned behind the subject, hidden from frame view, illuminating the back while also catching the stylist's face and background subjects. This technique helped separate the model from the trees and provided depth in my frame.

Light Modifiers

Whether you are using a soft box, bare bulb, grids, barn doors, umbrellas, etc., each modifier will achieve different results. These tools enable control over light intensity, direction, and photographic mood.

Happy Shooting!