Thursday, April 28, 2011

FAQ Friday: Lighting + Lens




We have a few anonymous questions to answer today!

Q: how do you find the perfecting lighting for your photos to make them look soft
and have no harsh shadow on their face?

A: I know it's really tough to find shade during the day, so the best time to photograph, right now, is anywhere between 4pm and 6pm. Those are honestly the best times to go out. Unless of course, you are in a very shady area. The only time that you can photograph at anytime during the day is when it is cloudy. I say cloudy, because I photograph in the shade and even if you have small piece of shade, just photographing in the shade will change your photograph from being in the harsh sun. Plus, it's a lot nicer to be in the shade versus the harsh sun! When you are in the shade, if you have your clients facing the sun, they will have the gorgeous catchlights in their eyes, so it's always great to practice, practice, practice! I know that I'm still practicing every single day to try and perfect my style!
So KEY points: Photograph in shade or on cloudy days. During the harsh sunny days, photograph between 4pm-6pm. I have had a similar question and here is a wonderful post from Michelle Moore!
And, again, I am not saying I know everything, because I don't. I just want to answer your questions in the way that I do things. Each and every photographer has their own niche, if you will. So, I just want to help out those who ask! :)


Q: Do you feel like your 28mm 1.8 is very sharp?

A: Yes, it makes the image very sharp. I will have my aperture down to 1.8 and it helps to solely concentrate on what you allow your camera to focus.

Q: Approximately how close can you get to your subject using the 28/2.8 and still have auto-focus work for you?

A: The closest I can get is about 2 feet and than the auto focus will struggle of course. If you want to get closer than you should, you can try getting a zoom lens! :)

Q: I checked out the link you posted about back button focusing. I set my camera up according to the directions, but I’m not really finding a difference between using it vs. pressing the shutter once….what am I missing?

A: When I did start using back button focusing, it made a huge difference for me, because
I had to constantly focus and re-focus my clients even when I shouldn't have to. I kept refocusing to make sure my photograph is sharp and clear. Once I switched over to the back button focusing, if I wanted to have my clients in one pose and they just moved within that same area they were in, than I didn't have to keep refocusing.

I hope these answers and questions help out! Seems like lighting
is a very popular question and my advice is just to put yourself out there
and practice as much as you can!

Happy Friday!

-Diana


Leave any feedback or comments or questions in the comment
box below! Or you can always leave any feedback or questions on
my facebook wall!

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

great post! sometimes lighting is tough, but you make it very do-able. thank for the inspiration!!!

Anonymous said...

Hi I have a question in regards to editing? How long does it take for you to edit your pictures and is there a photoshop routine or actions you use with editing. Lately I find myself spending hours and hours on photos. I was just wondering if its like this with everyone else?

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