lighting 24 - Behind the Shutter

Beauty & Boudoir Lighting: Do I Go Natural or Artificial?

Post author:Amber Jones
Post category:Boudoir Photography Shutter Magazine
Reading time:8 mins read

When I found my new studio, I fell in love. It has huge factory windows on the second floor that give me privacy. I have north-, south- and west-facing windows. As we all know, being a professional means delivering a consistent product. When I moved into my studio, I found myself using only natural light because it is so beautiful. I know what time of day and quality of light I need for any photo my clients might pick out as a favorite. But what happens when you have a dark, dreary day, and your client wants that hard-light look?

Memoirs of a Male Boudoir Photographer

Post author:Scott Detweiler
Post category:Boudoir Photography Shutter Magazine
Reading time:10 mins read

It sounds like every man’s dream job: Stand around all day shooting beautiful women in skimpy lingerie as they throw bundles of cash at you. Let me tell you firsthand that there is a tremendous amount of stress when one ventures into this alleged dream job. In this article, I cover tips, tricks and traps of boudoir, with a focus on male boudoir photographers.

Transitioning from Natural Light to Studio Light

Post author:Vanessa Joy
Post category:Lighting Shutter Magazine
Reading time:8 mins read

There are many parallels between natural and studio lighting and photography. Most people who teach studio photography and lighting don’t teach it from a natural-light perspective. When I tried to learn it all those years ago, it became even more confusing than when I started. The old saying “Light is light is light” applies here. In this article, I break down studio lighting in a way that’s easy to understand, from the perspective of a natural-light shooter who painstakingly learned how to light in a studio.

Location Glamour

Post author:Nino Batista
Post category:Glamour Photography Shutter Magazine
Reading time:11 mins read

Bedrooms, bathtubs and showers, fancy houses, hotel rooms and pools are all common glamour photography locations that have been used for decades, and for good reason: They work. Shooting “sexy” outdoors conveys a risqué feeling because of its potential voyeuristic appeal. Here are some things to keep in mind when you head outside to create glamour sets or editorials.

Anatomy of a Location Lighting Kit

Post author:Michael Corsentino
Post category:Lighting Shutter Magazine
Reading time:11 mins read

Deciding which lighting equipment to bring on location is all about striking a balance. The sweet spot is having enough tools to get the job done right and handle any curveballs that come your way. What you want to avoid is bringing so much gear that it becomes burdensome. I’ve done it more times than I care to admit. What you need from one situation to the next differs depending on a variety of factors. This article is a case study about choosing the tools for a location shoot.

Low-Powered Strobe, High-Powered Results

Post author:Michael Corsentino
Post category:Lighting Shutter Magazine
Reading time:9 mins read

These two portrait sessions were all about breaking my f16 habit in studio, going in the opposite direction and using extremely low-powered strobe and wide apertures to recapture some of that vintage portrait magic. I used the widest aperture available, f3.5, on my Schneider Kreuznach 150mm LS lens. On a medium-format DSLR, this is equivalent to approximately f1.4. Both subjects were photographed using the same two lighting setups, one with strobe only and one with strobe and constant lights. In each case, the strobe served as the keylight.

3 Elements of Impactful Images

Post author:Michael Anthony
Post category:Shutter Magazine Uncategorized
Reading time:10 mins read

We have many decisions to make during client sessions. Many of us tend to overuse clichés in our storytelling. If we’re going to call ourselves storytellers, we should be able to come up with an original vision and execute it in a way that best helps tell the story. Whether you are a wedding or portrait photographer, you have the ability to influence the mood of viewers of your work, which is the first step in creating an impactful image and a lasting connection with the viewer. There are three elements that are essential to creating this connection: light, composition and story.

Advanced Beauty Lighting

Post author:Michael Corsentino
Post category:Lighting Shutter Magazine
Reading time:8 mins read

I covered the basics of beauty lighting several months ago. This month I take you on a deeper dive into beauty lighting. We’ll look at a more advanced setup I used recently to produce two killer looks for the same model. There are constants in beauty lighting: a strobe with a beauty dish acting as the keylight, a reflector or second strobe to fill in the shadows from the keylight, and classic clamshell lighting. Add a stellar creative team, additional accent lights to amp up the look and maybe some colored gels for that extra wow factor.

Profoto A1 vs the Godox v860II with Sal Cincotta

Post author:Sal Cincotta
Post category:Lighting
Reading time:10 mins read

Yes, my name is Sal Cincotta and yes, I was the first photographer in the world to really put the…

Product Review | Westcott Flex LED Mats

Post author:Sal Cincotta
Post category:Product Spotlight Shutter Magazine
Reading time:2 mins read

I love Flex lights. They are easy to use, very powerful, cost-effective, they throw great light and they’re extremely portable. They are not just for video. Read my article on commercial shoots in this issue, where I talk about how we used two of the 1x1 Flex Panels to light some food photography.