Lighting How To

We all try to shoot outdoor photos in the morning or late afternoon whenever possible to take advantage of the "best light." But that doesn't mean it's impossible to capture stunning images under harsh midday sun—especially if you understand the pitfalls and compensate accordingly.

Experienced portrait photographers often shoot outdoors with natural light when conditions are right for soft, even illumination. Other shooters, on the other hand, avoid supplemental light at all costs because of a misconception that the technique is too difficult to master.

We're all taught to avoid shooting outdoor portraits in direct sunlight, and some photographers shy away from using flash to fill in shadows and balance the tones. In this quick video you'll learn how to capture beautiful portraits in "bad" light" without supplemental light.

The goal of today's video is to debunk a common myth that it's essential to always shoot in manual mode if you want to capture the best possible images. In fact, you may be surprised by why Aperture Priority is such a powerful choice for achieving consistently accurate exposures without fumbling around to change various other setting,

You've probably heard the term "Expose to the Right" (ETTR) but do you understand the benefits of this somewhat controversial technique and know how to put it to use? Today's tutorial from the Hoffman Photography YouTube channel will get you up to speed so you can begin using ETTR today.

A thorough understanding of the ins and outs of White Balance is essential if you want to create photos with accurate colors, regardless of the type of images you shoot. And according to professional photographer Chris Parker, "there are three things pros know about White Balance that are rarely taught."

If you've tried your hand at portraiture you know that different subjects require different techniques to obtain the best possible results. Photographing kids often means crouching down and shooting from their eye level, the task with men is making them appear strong and imposing, and portraits of women call for yet another approach.