I recently rediscovered this image from a shoot I did in Maine a few years ago. I really wanted this image to work, but after trying it several times it just didn't have the snap I wanted. A few days ago, I was revisiting that shoot for a client and found the image....

Lighting Principle Number Four: The Angle of the Light to the Subject and the Camera Law of Physics: Angle of Incidence equals the Angle of Reflection. This is an axiom that a lot of people hear and repeat without taking careful note of what it means to their...

EVERYTHING REFLECTS. Let me say that again. Everything reflects. Some things reflect more than others. Some surfaces are more reflective than others. But since everything reflects, we are sometimes presenting what that subject reflects rather than ‘bouncing’ light...

Here we start the new year with a bang... a big bang. Lighting Essentials has always been a quiet site for a select group of serious photographers and that will not change. However, I have decided on some new content ideas for the upcoming year. MY LIGHTING WORKSHOP A...

Matte Surfaces These are surfaces that are not as rough as texture, but not smooth either. Skin, cloth, natural leather, finished woods and many food items are examples. Most of what we deal with in our daily lives would fall under the Matte surface example. Matte...

Shiny or Glossy surfaces: The third of our major surface efficiencies is glossy or very shiny surfaces. The complete opposite of the textured surface, the glossy surface will record the reflection of the light source absolutely. That means we have to be very careful...

Subject Centric Lighting: The Five Areas of Light Presentation Cover image by Project 52 student, Gabriel Alvarez. When the lighting choices we have made are used, the light is 'presented' back to the camera in expected, and controlled ways. There are five parts of...

Have You Considered the "Arc of Beauty" in your lighting? (Image by Tracy Sutherland) We are going to take a high-level view of lighting today and discuss what I call the "Arc of Beauty". And while no lighting scheme is going to be directly discussed, what we are to...

What does this mean to you? It means you can watch it free, no charge, toll exempt, dinero not necessary! Consider it a Holiday Gift from the great folks at CreativeLIVE and your host here at LE. From the CL class page: Basic Product Photography. Don Giannatti returns...

Mike Moore is a Project 52 alumni, and has been building his business in Encinitas, CA for a few years. His specializes in food and lifestyle, especially beach lifestyle. This is a personal project Mike shot at a surf event in Encinitas, CA. 1.) Tell us a little about...

One of the things I like to do is to play visual games. I have several to share with you, but this one is one that anyone can do. Anywhere, any time. First; I believe that if we are to call ourselves photographers, we must photograph. Make pictures. Make images....

Just before Halloween (October 31, 2016) the assignment for the Project 52 students was to shoot to layout for this fictitious piece. The magazine layout is a two page (spread, or "double truck") and calls for the photographer to be very cognizant about what is on the...

Photographing chocolate is very challenging. For one thing, humidity and temperature can play a big part in what the chocolate looks like. And chocolate is very susceptible to damage from fingerprints, casual bumping against other product, and time. Working with...

For the last time this year, I am running this very popular class on Black and White Portraiture. Lots of information on shooting people and converting the images to monochrome (black and white, sepia, toned etc...). Please check out the page for a lot more...

Paying attention to the tiniest of details is one of the jobs of a commercial photographer. And rarely do details matter more than when shooting chocolate. Chocolate dust, scratches, fingerprints, and the chalky white of damaged edges can draw the eye to the problems...

I was truly disappointed that my Alaska trip was cut so dramatically short. I didn't expect it, and I was not really ready to give up on that idea. (I will do it next year, or the year after if I have to.) The back pain forbade me doing any camera work, or walking...

In celebration of my upcoming Alaska roadtrip, I have just made all my courses on UDEMY FREE. No charge.   Portrait Photography with Simple Gear Natural Light Beauty and Fashion Photography Real World, No BS Marketing for Photographers Using a Photographic Lightmeter...

I think this book by Susan Eckart is one of the best photography / business books I have ever read on the business of photography. She is a consumer photographer with a long list of awards and loyal customers, and her experience gives you a rarely seen insight into...