Morgan | Playing with Light

Sometimes I ask someone to step in front of my camera just for the fun of it and for this shoot I wanted to play with different lighting setups.

The photo above was made on a bright sunny day, inside my garage.  The natural 2pm daylight is reflected off the concrete driveway straight onto Morgan's face, resulting in Flat Light: a low contrast look that gives very little detail to the face, emphasising the eyes and mouth.

Compare this with the photo below, which I made using my studio lighting setup.  The main light is a softbox just in front of, and very close to, her left shoulder (camera right) but not aimed directly at her.  Instead, the light which 'spills' off the edge of the softbox is what reaches Morgan's face, creating a much softer look.  This technique is called 'feathering' the light.  

In addition, I placed a diffuser between the softbox and Morgan's face to soften the light even further.  Finally, there's a second light behind Morgan on her right, which serves to separate her from the background a little, often called a 'kicker' light.   You can see the effect of this light in the hair on the right side of her head (camera left).

The angle I'm shooting from produces what's called Short Light on Morgan's face.  The fully-lit side of her face is turned slightly away from the camera, leaving the shaded side toward me.  This creates a little shadow in the outside curve of her nostril called Loop Lighting, as well as giving definition to her right cheek bone.

So which is best?  It all depends on your taste and why you're photographing the model.  What story are you wanting to create with your image?

These photos of Morgan were taken just after she'd graduated as a high school senior and not long before she headed off to university, to study photography.  I've seen some of her work and she's definitely someone to watch.  Thanks, Morgan - and best wishes!

A Passion for Learning

Buckingham Fountain, Grant Park, Chicago IL USA

This week I was in Chicago for Skip Cohen University's Summer School, an annual photography conference that gathers many of the great photographers of our day into one place, to teach others in the field.

Industry icons such as Joe McNally, Clay Blackmore, Roberto Valenzuela and Ryan Schembri joined many other well-known photographers in heading up the list of instructors for SCU 2013.  We studied topics such as lighting, posing and fashion, for family, child and wedding portraiture, as well as fine art, marketing and the business of photography.

All this so that we can get better at doing what we do, for you our clients.

So what do a bunch of photographers do at night after class?  We hit the town - with our cameras.  We learn from and teach each other; because we love what we do and get a kick out of helping others improve their skill.

It's all about learning, progressing and improving the photography industry as a whole.  As Anthony J. D'Angelo said: "Develop a passion for learning.  If you do, you will never cease to grow."

SKP PhotoTips: Be Prepared - Not Just for Boy Scouts

One of the things I most like to do is to photograph people doing their thing.  People act differently when they are aware that a lens is pointed at them.  While you may be able to get natural expressions, for the most part people will not allow you to see a less-than-perfect or a vulnerable side to them.  And it is often these moments that result in captivating photos, whether they are fun or thought-provoking.

Don't get me wrong - I'm not suggesting you become a creepy-stalker-type!  People don't like that too much either...  Simply be ready to catch the unexpected photo:  leave the camera turned on and the lens cap off.  And always put the lens cap in the same safe place to avoid losing it.  I've lost two over the past 20-something years and it's never a happy thing.


Using a zoom lens helps capture a genuinely candid moment.  You have the ability to distance yourself from the subject, yet crop in closely on them.  Here are a few examples of catching the subjects being themselves.  In each case, they were aware I was in the area with a camera, but they didn't realise they had my attention at that particular moment.

Father and son sharing a quiet moment during a hectic, fun-filled day.

Waiting while his family gets ready for the photo shoot.

Explaining something to Dad.

Beautiful, serene pose.  But what she's really thinking about is if she'll get some of that cake and ice cream.

Flour bomb fights.  No better time for a photographer to have a zoom lens!

Posed photos are important and will always have their place, but I especially enjoy photographing someone not on display - and then showing them how beautiful they are.

SKP PhotoTips - Say "Cheese!" (Holiday Photos)

Over the past few days some of my clients have ordered Christmas cards using images from their photo shoots, making me realise it's coming up on that time of year - very quickly.  In two weeks' time, people all over the USA will be gathering with friends and family for Thanksgiving, with Christmas and other holiday season celebrations occurring around the world soon after.  What are you going to do to record this year's memories?  Here are a few tips for taking great group photos.

One of the hardest things you'll face when photographing groups is to make sure everyone has their eyes open and is looking at the camera.  I learned a simple trick from photographer Scott Kelby - ask the whole group to close their eyes and open them on your count: "3, 2, 1 - open!" and then wait one extra count before taking the shot.  It works like a charm!  The extra count allows the subjects to relax and avoids having wide-eyed, freaked-out-looking people in your photos.

If you are working with a large group, point out to them that if they can't see the lens of your camera, they won't be in the photo.  It's amazing how many people apparently forget this and suddenly start shuffling around to make sure they have a clear view of your lens.

In the northern hemisphere we'll likely be indoors for our holiday parties and odds are you'll need to use a flash.  Avoid using mirrors and windows as backdrops, unless you like the look of an all-encompassing reflection flare.  Built-in flashes seem to be designed to make everyone look like Casper the Friendly Ghost.  Simply fold a tissue and place it over the flash to soften the light, making your subjects look warmer and lessening harsh shadows.

Most cameras have a red-eye reduction feature, but you can help prevent this little nasty by adding as much light as you can to the room.  Turning on all the lights shrinks the subjects' pupils - and every little thing helps!

One last tip - smile and have fun!  If you're grumpy and getting frustrated, no-one will want to smile.  Give them a reason to be happy about looking at you.