10 days ago or so, I taught outdoor portrait lighting techniques at the Cascade Center of Photography in Bend, Oregon. I demonstrated multiple techniques including reflectors, diffusion panels, and wireless flash.
We went to a location where there was a field of wildflowers that we could use as a background, or in this case, our entire scene. Our model here is Justine and she was gracious enough to kneel in the flowers on a small trail that goes through the field.
This portrait was taken last week during my Outdoor Lighting Portrait workshop at the Cascade Center of Photography. We chose to shoot at a field of wildflowers for this colorful background. The model is Kim and the purpose of this portrait example for the students was to shoot after sunset and then light the model with flash.
The reason to wait for the sun to set is to reduce lighting contrast substantially, then reintroduce light by adding flash to increase lighting contrast-but contrast that I am now in control of.
Without a doubt concept is the biggest ingredient in a top selling stock photo. This image screams farming, agriculture, Heartland, and more, and has made good money.
I was actually on assignment for the former America West airlines when I was shooting this guys cornfield. He drove up and asked what I was up to. We chatted and later became friends and I was invited to photograph anytime I wanted including wheat harvest where we set up this photo.
It was shot before sunset so it had the golden light of the setting sun. Having them in the foreground with the combine in back added a great sense of depth. It has been on brochure covers, bank ads, and more.
Here is a fun and lively portrait of Chelsea photographed against a white background. I used a large Octabox and two umbrellas on the background. The key to great white backgrounds is having them about 2 stops brighter than the light on the subject and no more than that.
Here is the light diagram:
Want to learn more? Take my portrait course for $22 about 70% off. Use coupon code FB22 and click here: http://greatphotographycourses.net/mastering-studio-portraiture/
Here is another interview I just did with John Colley of the Online Learning Podcast.
058 – Photography – Charlie Borland, Lighting Master on Mastering Photography: Libsyn Player
html5-player.libsyn.com
You can see more of John’s podcasts here.
This looks like an amazing contest. The photography on there is stunning. What is different is that the 5 top winning images are marketed to 1000 art buyers and some winning images have been seen and published.
I am pleased to say I have judged it three times. The price is right as well: $25 for 5 image entries.
Enter here: Chasing The Light
Watch this video:
I recently photographed my friend Kim and her husband and kids in the studio. This is the first image I processed of Kim herself.
This is what could be called a white on white which is a subject that is very light in tone on a white background. This would be her blonde hair and white blouse on a white background. Here’s the lighting diagram:
A lot of time there is only so much you can do in camera and that is basically capturing the data as it is presented. It’s when you get into post processing where the magic is and this image is one example.
I photographed Kim and her family last week at their home. We shot in mid-afternoon and this made for lighting challenges. It was hot and humid and bright and sunny, so the light was far from perfect.
There are a million ways to make light work for you but it all depends on how much time you have. You can erect panels that block light from hitting your subject, or in the case of this shoot, work in the shade. Unfortunately there was only a little shade that time of day, so I made it work.
What I like about post processing is that you can go anywhere and everywhere. Here I am experimenting with blended color overlays which sneaks in small amounts of yellow and green in specific spots. It looks sorta like cross processing of days past. More to come once these guys make their selection of images and I process them.
Learn portrait photography here.
You love photography and want to photograph full time by launching a photography business. Maybe you are unemployed or wish to supplement your retirement income or simply wanting to earn money doing what you love.
For those with jobs you may not want to quit the day job until your business is launched and earning you an income and enough income allowing you can quit that day job. Maybe you are unemployed and if so you can get started right away but be careful if your financial resources are limited.
So how do you get started? I have compiled these ideas into the 12 most important steps I believe are crucial to finding success as a professional photographer in today’s markets.
This past spring I was enjoying quite a bit of time wandering and photographing the Arizona deserts and mountains. While down in the desert I was stunned when I came across this old miner in the desert with his donkey.
We started talking and I asked what he was doing down here in the middle of nowhere. He told me he was the Lost Dutchman Miner of the infamous Lost Dutchman mine. He continued by telling me that he was truly lost in his attempt to relocate his mine.
I replied that he was a long way from the Superstition Mountains, where history suggests the mine is located. He did not comment obviously fearing if he said anything I might start searching for the mine myself. This got me thinking that the mine might not be in the Superstitions after all.
He asked if I had anything to eat as all he had to eat for sometime was beans and hardtack. I happened to be carrying in my camera bag a crab salad sandwich from Subway and one of my favorite beers: McTarnahan’s from Portland Brewing, and it was still ice cold.
I told him I would give him the sandwich and beer if he posed for a picture and so he did not move as I grabbed this shot. I did use flash fill because the sun was high noon and created the shadows in the eyes.
He scarfed down the sandwich and guzzled the beer (I don’t think he liked it. Never had a beer like that) then without saying a word, headed off into the sunset so to speak, in search of the Mother Lode. I grabbed my gear and went looking for the mine.
In Photoshop,
