Video: An in-depth lighting study using only natural light in a garage

 

 

Good light is the foundation of great portraits. SLR Lounge has teamed up with Adorama to create a new video series, 'Master Your Craft.' In the latest episode, photographer Pye Jirsa takes on a portrait photography challenge in a garage with no artificial light.

Jirsa says that the first step in any new portrait situation is to control the light. You can do this by adding flashes, using constant lighting, incorporating reflectors or subtracting light. The easiest option in an interior situation is removing light from the scene. Jirsa closes the garage door and opens a smaller door that lets in natural light. The open door acts a lot like a large strip light. A large window with a curtain can also become a controllable light source. Wherever you're shooting, the lessons about light are universal.

Using the door, Jirsa controls the amount of light entering the room and how it falls on the interior walls. The next step is to control composition and subject positioning. When you're working in a distracting environment, whether inside or outside, you need to always keep your eyes peeled for distracting elements in your framing. By utilizing a tighter composition, you can remove most distractions. You may need to change your positioning, too.

Throughout the video, Jirsa starts very basic and adds on more advanced concepts he goes. However, keep in mind that while the images get more compositionally complex and interesting, the only light source is still just an open door that's letting in natural light. Jirsa even captures many images with his iPhone, showing that you don't need fancy dedicated camera equipment either, at least not when you have great light. If you can learn to control light, you don't need a fancy studio or high-end lighting equipment to take high-quality portraits.

To see more videos from the 'Master Your Craft' series, click here. To see more from SLR Lounge, click here.

(Via Adorama and SLR Lounge)