05/03/2013
Article text updated: 11/10/2019
In my previous article, I talked about how I decided to try still life photography in a rustic style. By this concept, I mean photographs in which wooden boards, walls of old houses, fences and the like are used as backgrounds.
I spent a whole day making my own mini studio for still life photography in an apartment with light from a window. Two old pallets were used as a base.
A day of work, a lot of garbage and the studio is ready! 🙂
Mini-studio for shooting still life in natural light from the window. With the help of a cardboard box and a white sheet, we will create a “light pattern” in the photo. In the foreground - Nikon DSLR D5100 KIT 18-55 VR.
About how to set the light when shooting a still life in the case when the light source is natural light from the window, I read on the Internet. By the way, it is very difficult to find photographs with explanations of how it was filmed. Most clearly, it seems to me, the principles of photographing still lifes in natural light are described by the famous photographer Vladimir Darnitsyn.
First still life in natural light. How is it filmed?
So, by Saturday evening, my mini-studio was ready, but twilight came on, and I had to look forward to the next morning. The new day was sunny, and bright light flooded my wooden studio, which I set up on my desk. I mounted my Nikon D5100 on a tripod and got ready to shoot my first still life.
small digression
Initially, I wanted to photograph a still life with this room rose. According to the plan, the leaves were supposed to lie on the floor. But you won’t pick them from a living plant - your wife will kill you! 🙂 I found the solution as follows: a week before filming, I brought home several branches of birch and put them in a vase of water. I hoped that in a week the buds would blossom and I would have leaves ... But they blossomed only after a week and a half and the shooting of my still life was in jeopardy ... I had to throw spinach leaves bought at the nearest supermarket on the table. 🙂
As it turned out, the bright sun, even shining through the window, is not the best way to illuminate a still life. The light is very contrasty. Many travel photographers say that if they come to see some attraction during the day, they don’t even take a picture of it, because. in contrasting light, the photo is not interesting.
Yes, and with the composition, too, something is not right. Here he turned his rose in the other direction.
I tried some processing in Lightroom. The result is still not very pleasant. As you can see, the shadows are too sharp.
By the way, to the question of how to set the light when shooting a still life by the window. To make the shaded areas appear on the photo, I used carton box(see the first photo with a mini-studio) and a sheet of plastic (see the white plate by the window in the first photo). So on my still life I got a bright strip of light, imitating the light falling from a small window.
The window in my studio faces south. Therefore, the light turned out to be too bright and contrasting. On that day, I had not yet thought that the light from the window could be softened, for example, by pulling on gauze or tracing paper. In one of the future articles I will show pictures in which I softened the bright light with a translucent white cloth, and created the shadow not with a solid piece of cardboard, but with various vertical objects. These still lifes look amazing!
On the same day, the sun went behind the neighboring house in an hour, and I got a bright, but diffused light from the window. It seems to me that these are the most ideal conditions for still life photography. Later, I tried to shoot a still life at the north window, but I didn’t like it, because. the shadows are faint.
So, this is what I came up with after several hours of work on my rustic still life.
Of course, please note that I am just starting to learn the basics of photo composition and this is my weak link today. So please don't judge too harshly. Probably, these photographs cannot be called still lifes. Maybe it's more of a subject?
Be that as it may, for the first time it turned out to be quite good still lifes, taken under the illumination from the window.
I called the next work "Winter is gone ... it's time to cover the skis" ...
Still life taken in natural light from a window. I called it "Winter ushal .... it's time to cover the skis. Camera Nikon D5100 with kit Nikon lens 18-55 VR. Settings: shutter speed B=1.3 sec, aperture f/9.0, ISO 100, focal length 55 mm.
On the street - the beginning of March. There is still a lot of snow, but the sun is already shining through the window in a completely spring-like way.
All my still lifes, and most of my other photos, I shoot in RAW format (on my Nikon D5100 it is called NEF). After shooting a still life, I process it in Lightroom, “play” with shadows and contrast, darken the gap between the boards with a mask, apply the “LOMO” preset and ... voila! .. My still life in a rustic style is ready!
Now I would still “polish” my still life in Photoshop ... But photoshop for me, for now, graduate School, and I go to ... primary school ... 🙂
If you watch the videos of experienced photographers, you can see that they spend much more time choosing the angle, the right composition than I do. And the result, of course, is better.
When I showed the process of making my mini still life studio, I showed the remaining wooden cubes. They came in handy for me today. On my "vegetable" still lifes, you can see how beautifully the wooden texture of the cubes is drawn by the light falling from the window.
In this still life you see cucumber flowers. If you only knew what eyes the cashier in the supermarket looked at me when I put one cucumber and fifteen sluggish cucumber flowers in a bag! 🙂
And here is a salad still life:
"Salad still life", shot in natural light on an amateur SLR Nikon D5100 KIT 18-55. Shooting parameters: shutter speed B=2.5 sec., f/9.0, ISO 100, FR=48.
I am ready to admit that my still life with a cat has too many fruits and the composition is not perfect. But I like the light here. Here, for the light from the window, I left only a narrow gap between the box and the plastic sheet.
And on this still life, I put my raincoat from raincoat fabric. It seems to me that on this photo natural light from the window beautifully "painted" the folds of the fabric. But since the fabric is synthetic, it does not shine very nicely in the photo.
It is better to use linen matting or other natural fabrics for still life photography.
conclusions
These are the photos I got when I tried to learn how to shoot a still life in natural light from a window. Now you know how it was filmed. I will be glad to receive comments and advice from more experienced photographers.
For myself, I note that you need to work long and hard on the compositional solutions of your photos. This art is not given to me. Probably, the composition is the line that separates the simple mechanics and the talent of the photographer ... How he philosophized! 🙂
Still life photography should not be treated as real problem because you don't know where to start. This genre is definitely worth mastering, because it can become a kind of meditation for the photographer.
Still life photography helps the photographer to hone their skills at their own pace, while at the same time creating work that can be put into a portfolio right away. This article will help you get started with still life photography: photographer Charlie Moss shares his experience with still life photography.
Lens selection
As with any other genre of photography, it is essential to have the right lens for your subject. Everyone knows that there is no universal lens. But for photographing still lifes, you will not need.
It is recommended to start with 50 mm. When it comes to still life photography, a 50mm lens is considered a wide-angle lens. If you're shooting only one or two subjects, or if your subject is just small, the surface it's on or the background will take up too much of the picture. You will need to get very close to the subject to get rid of everything unnecessary in the frame.
Scale is very important aspect still life photography. Some objects may appear wider or taller in . And a large amount of background visible in the picture can simply overshadow the entire subject.
Choosing the right props by color and mood
Once you've picked up the right photography equipment, it's time to brush up, because you'll really need them when creating still life images. Colors provide harmony and contrast in a photograph. If you were to shoot something with a blue tint, for example, and use a blue and green background, you would get a very harmonious and perhaps calm image.
On the other hand, adding yellow or orange tones to a scene will create a certain amount of tension and result in a more dynamic overall feel to the shot.
Color can be added to a still life photograph in a variety of ways. Backgrounds, fabrics, plates, bowls, vases - all of these things are part of the scenery in the shoot, which you can start collecting to create a color library of props. Don't forget about natural objects like flowers and foliage; very often they can really bring a picture to life.
Make sure the props you use look cohesive. For example, if you're aiming for a vintage look, keep all the details in the same retro style. Don't use shiny rose gold cutlery next to an antique silver tray. It might look pretty, but it won't do much for visual storytelling.
Consider keeping most of your props neutral so they will blend well and look together in many shots so you can get the most out of them. Sometimes, if the props are too bright, it can distract the viewer's eye from the main subject. It should be remembered that shiny objects in a still life can be quite problematic. Sometimes photographers have to spend a whole day to get the right shot of a shiny kitchen appliance because it reflects the whole setting.
Background selection
Your background color will often be the most dominant color in the scene, so choose wisely and remember that the background will be difficult to change once you have all the props on it. Choose a background according to the feel you would like to create in your final image.
The role of the backdrop can be played by anything that visually matches the scene you are creating. It could be a marble top, a beautiful old rustic table, or an extra piece of fabric. Anything that helps set the mood for the image.
In addition to the background color, think about its texture. A worn, tarnished old baking sheet will create a completely different feel from, for example, draped silk. Think about how you feel about choosing them for your scenes and decide what suits the story you are trying to tell with your photography.
Still life textures
Along with all the other elements of still life photography, texture really sets the right mood. Search both on the main streets of the city and in art shops. Do you shoot something rustic in country style? Then the beautiful rough fabric will perfectly convey the story in the frame. Or maybe you're photographing a more modern scene that would benefit from the use of sleek, shiny props?
Texture also adds interest and depth to the final image. Human life is a riot of different textures, they affect the senses both visually and through touch.
Since you can't touch objects in a photo, you need to tell the viewer what they look like. The use of texture is the primary way to visually convey the feeling of physically touching a frame. Keep in mind that it is the textures that tell the viewer the information that is embedded in your frame.
Create a beginning, middle and end
Like a good story, a snapshot needs a beginning, a middle, and an end. Except that in photography it's usually called foreground, middle ground, and back ground. This layering effect in shots helps to create depth in the frame.
To maintain focus and hold the right framing while judiciously positioning the main subject. Place the element of interest in the foreground. It could be petals if you're photographing flowers, or maybe a folded corner of table linen if you're photographing food in a still life. Anything that brings the eye to the frame, while not too distracting from the main focus, is good.
Finally, place the background element in the frame. In the shots above, the photographer has added a yellow doily that both creates interest and adds contrasting color, but you can get more creative. The background itself can also be a background element if it's interesting enough. AT this case it should play the role of the "ending point" in the composition; stopping the viewer's attention in the same way that a period ends a sentence.
You may find it easier to play with compositional colors and shapes for the foreground and background if you use a shallow depth of field. Keeping these elements out of focus in the frame will help keep the viewer's attention on the main subject of the image.
Completing an image in post-processing
In creative still life photography, there are no rules that require colors to be true to life. Using different colors - or even turning a shot into monochrome - can change the mood and story.
Processing still life photographs in Adobe Lightroom allows you to try different color schemes by comparing copies of images side by side. The best thing about Adobe Lightroom is that editing doesn't destroy the original file. This means that you can try anything from wild acid tones to something more conservative and always return to the original file.
Conclusion
Don't be afraid to work slowly and try new things when shooting still life. Take your time, do not limit the number of options. You will surely notice that the shot later will be the best result of the photo shoot. Also, remember that sometimes the most beautiful compositions are the most minimalist. If you don't know which decision to choose - simplify!
There is no other type of photography that is as old as still life photography. When the first cameras first came out, pictures required very slow shutter speeds, so static things were perfect subjects. However, despite the development of technology, the admiration for still life remains, and they are still considered the most striking form of photographic art.
Among other things, still life photography can be profitable business because magazines, catalogs, art galleries and websites always need product photos. There are many benefits to working in this field that are often underestimated. I hope that after reading this tutorial, you will see its possibilities for creativity and try to take some pictures yourself!
Take your time from the start
Contrary to popular belief, you don't need a studio or a beautiful location to get started with still life painting. You can start by simply using free place at home, for example, put a table by the window, find a backdrop and install a couple of lamps.
This area is quite different from landscape or portrait photography, where you have a subject, say a stunning mountain landscape or a model. They have many variables, but the creative content depends on the photographer.
When shooting still lifes, there are much fewer variables. You have complete control over the situation, including the subject, but you need to be very creative in order to capture it in an interesting and attractive way.
1. Select the subjects you are interested in
What to photograph is entirely up to you. Look at home, maybe you will find something simple but interesting to start with. You don't have to take photos of fruits or flowers just because everyone does. Don't limit yourself and be ambitious.
If you notice something interesting while walking, take it home (don't steal it!) or write it down in a notebook so you don't forget to try it out as a subject. Try to avoid reflective surfaces like glass and metal at first, as they are very difficult to work with in terms of lighting. Once you've mastered shooting a single subject, try something new, combine objects of different shapes, colors or textures and see what happens.
2. Set the right lighting
Lighting doesn't have to be expensive. I know for sure that a set of studio spotlights is out of my budget, so for still life work I have to use any available lighting, often including even daylight.
Remember that you have complete control of the shot, so if you want, find a room where you can block out all natural light with blinds or curtains to completely illuminate your subject on your own.
Ordinary table lamps, when used correctly, can bring excellent results. Try different light placements - you don't have to have full front lighting on your subject, side and back lighting will also add interest, shadows and depth to the shot. Alternatively, choose a room that is well lit through a window and use that to your advantage. Natural light coming from one direction will fully illuminate your subject. If necessary, supplement it with a lamp or reflector.
Pair of studio spotlights. Photo: Tyler Hendy
3. Buy a tripod and shoot from different angles
Depending on the lighting situation, you may need a tripod and a remote control to release the shutter. I recommend the use of these devices, as they help to observe and work with the subject. This setting will also allow you to use the slower shutter speed needed for a small aperture with which to focus properly.
However, don't let static drown out your creativity. It's easy to forget that the camera was in the same position for the entire shoot. Don't forget to vary the angles and height of the camera. Otherwise, you will end up with a whole bunch of shots taken from the same position without any variety. Vary your work. Try shooting at subject level or from a bird's eye view with the camera pointing down. Be careful when moving so as not to block the light!
4. Choose the right background
A suitable backdrop for the subject plays a key role in the success of the shot. It is best when it is simple, neat and does not interfere with the subject. A single color painted wall or a large sheet of white/colored paper is ideal.
Think about how your choice of background fits in with the subject. Do you want a neutral background, or are there tones that can complement the subject's hues. Smaller items may not need a backdrop, but instead need a surface on which to place them. Black velvet is an excellent choice as it absorbs light and looks like a uniform black surface.
5. Compose your shot
The compositional element of a still life is absolutely the most important part of the uniqueness and attractiveness of the work. Think about the rule of thirds, how you can use it in your shot to get the right composition. Make sure there are no distractions in the frame, just the subject and background.
Vary the composition of your subject as you shoot, and don't limit yourself to frames. Where should you look? Are you using negative space or should you try to fill the frame? What is it used for? Can it be put into context, or does the item look better on its own?
6. If necessary, spend the whole day working
I often notice that the meaning I put into a picture depends on the reason for working with it. If I'm just taking pictures for fun (rather than fulfilling someone else's order), I'm not as strict in checking that all aspects are exactly followed. it bad habit, which I want to get rid of, but when it comes to still life photography, there is no reason not to do everything absolutely right. You have plenty of time to work hard!
Unlike landscape photography, the light doesn't change as quickly and unlike portraits, your subject won't get tired of holding the same position for long. Take advantage of this, position the subject, set up the lighting, background, and camera, take a few shots, then rearrange the elements a bit and try again. If you notice that nothing is working out, leave everything as it is, make a cup of tea and come back with a fresh look.
Another advantage is that you have no excuses not to take clean and sharp photos, take the time to get the right lighting and focus. If possible, take a macro lens - it is ideal for this kind of work. However, if you don't have one, put your camera in macro mode for the best chance of capturing the fine details of your subject.
7. Get inspired by the work of the masters
If you're having trouble with lighting, composing, or structuring your shots, look for inspiration, and original masterpieces of the genre that are more than a year old are best. Search the Internet for Renaissance still life painters and take a closer look at their work.
Studying these patterns will teach you to think about shapes, shadows, and color combinations, as well as give you some new ideas to compose and get a strong, eye-catching shot.
8. Train yourself to notice still life scenes
Now it's time for you to start filming yourself. Find a free day in your schedule and set aside time to practice. Try positioning your camera and backdrop in a well lit area next to a window and start shooting!
Once you've mastered the basics, start experimenting with camera and lighting angles, as well as alternative lighting sources such as candles or lamps. You can even play with the aperture and use f/1.8 fixed focus to achieve an artistic soft focus effect. However, if you take just one thought from this lesson, it will sound like this: still lifes are not necessarily fruits and flowers! Find a unique and inspiring subject you like and take a photo of it!
Snapshot lenses and equipment for shooting. Snapshot: Unsplash.
9. Sharpen Your Post-Processing Skills
Dealing with images after shooting shouldn't be a punishment. She should be fun!
Photoshop actions are often touted for being a time saver, but for me their main advantage is their repetitive workflow. Instead of doing all the steps from the beginning, the action executes necessary work, and you just have to correct everything, getting the perfect result.
Here is an example action action from the Food Photography Post-Processing Actions set from GraphicRiver:
10. Still life photography can make a living
The field of still life photography covers a large number of subjects, and many photographers specialize in narrow areas: food, products, architecture and catalog work. These types are the most popular.
Don't stop there!
As the oldest of the fields of photography, still life photography has a rich and very diverse history. There is no limit to the inspiration and knowledge that can be gained by simply looking at the world around you through the camera's viewfinder.
Around us there are many, at first glance, simple, but very beautiful things. Pictures of various things and subject compositions can be not only an excellent pictorial form, but also a way of reflecting the surrounding world. Although the genre of still life is gradually being forgotten these days, photographs taken in this genre can look really interesting.
In addition, still life photography teaches the photographer how to achieve a compositionally complete solution to the frame and most expressively convey certain details in the picture. The theme of still life is very diverse - you can shoot literally everything, from vegetables and fruits to pebbles on the sea coast. Let's try to figure out what is the charm and main features of shooting still lifes.
Still life is an independent genre of photography, in which the photographer deals with shooting objects, things and elements of the surrounding world. Still life is not just a transfer of the beauty of objects, the perfection of their shape or surface texture in a photographic image. In this genre, the photographer sets himself the goal of creating a certain artistic image in order to attract the attention of the viewer and create the most expressive composition. To solve this complex problem, a wide variety of compositional techniques and visual means of photography are used. The objects themselves in the pictures should look exactly the same as we are used to seeing them in real life.
It should be noted that a still life can be an integral part of a portrait or genre shot. Moreover, sometimes still life scenes can be an even more concise story about a person and his character than the portrait itself. AT contemporary photography one can also distinguish the so-called reportage still life, in which, by shooting individual objects, the world is revealed individual person or an entire historical era.
You might think that still life photography is very simple and easy. In fact, this modest genre can be called fundamental in the development of a photographer or artist. Since it is here that it is very important to correctly combine objects and add composition in the frame in order to achieve the most expressive and interesting shots. The photographer has to seriously work on the lighting and color design of the picture, work out the compositional solution of each photo, think about how to correctly convey the shape of objects and their texture.
Since no one limits time when shooting a still life, and the photographer himself is the complete master of the subject, with which he can do whatever he wants, this allows you to feel more free and think about your decisions. The practical skills accumulated in the process of working on a still life can later come in handy when shooting a portrait or in landscape photography. In this regard, still life photography can be recommended to beginner photographers as an excellent practice to improve their photographic skills.
Features of shooting still life
Still life is usually photographed indoors, where you can fully control the whole situation and organize the right lighting. As we have already noted, when shooting a still life, the photographer works with the image of a number of things. How to select subjects for still life scenes? There is no clear rule here. A photographer may be interested in the external similarity of seemingly completely dissimilar objects. Or an unusual combination of contrast and textures of objects. A still life can consist of objects that have a common function or have similar qualities (for example, dishes or flowers), as well as things that are far from each other. But in the latter case, it is required, nevertheless, to connect the objects being filmed with a certain idea, artistic image or a pronounced thought.
After the selection of objects, the process of inventing artistic and technical side snapshot. For many photographers who shoot still life scenes, this process is the most interesting and at the same time painful. It is required to think over the whole picture - from the construction of objects in the frame and the choice of a suitable compositional solution to determining how to technically take a photograph in order to correctly convey certain details.
Someone takes several preliminary shots of objects, creating preliminary sketches of the image, and some, in the old fashioned way, try to think over and draw with a pencil the composition of the future image on a piece of paper. However, you can simply dump items from the box on the table and, without thinking too much about the composition of the photo, start shooting. Sometimes this accidental spillage and spontaneous composition can lead to interesting results. But still, the best still life shots are obtained when the photographer carefully thinks through every detail.
Best for still life photography reflex camera, which allows you to shoot objects in a large scale at close range. In addition, the “reflex camera” allows you to observe the image on the viewfinder and clearly control the depth of the sharply depicted space, as well as the nature of the distribution of shadows. It is recommended to choose lenses with high resolution, which make it possible to more clearly display the texture and details of things. When shooting still life scenes, it is convenient to use a tripod on which you can position the camera, and then proceed to compose the frame to find the most favorable arrangement of subjects.
When shooting a still life, the right background is of great importance. Usually a calm, even tone is chosen, while in the photographic image it is transmitted slightly blurred. Light objects sometimes look more advantageous on a dark background and, conversely, dark objects on a light one. Here you need to keep in mind that the white background works as a reflector and allows you to additionally highlight the object, and the black background, in turn, will give clear shadows of the object on it. As a background, you can use a regular sheet of cardboard or thick drawing paper, or just a smooth wall.
Whatever background is used, a horizontal line separating the background and the surface on which the subjects are placed should be avoided. It interferes with the holistic perception of the photograph, as it divides the image into two parts. In order to get rid of the horizontal line, you can choose a high shooting point, or use a large sheet of paper as a background, which would smoothly pass from the horizontal to the vertical plane.
Remember that an incorrectly chosen background can simply cross out the entire perfectly aligned composition of the picture. The background when shooting a still life does not have to be monochromatic. A wide variety of options are possible here, do not be afraid of experiments.
Lighting
One of the most important and difficult aspects of still life photography is choosing a lighting scheme. It is with the help of this or that lighting solution that the photographer can display the texture of objects and their spatial arrangement. Through the correct selection of lighting, artistic tasks related to the black and white pattern of the image and ensuring the harmony of the composition are solved. From the direction of the light flux and its intensity depend on the features of the transfer of the texture of the surface of the removed objects. If the lighting is too strong, some details of the objects are “clogged” with light, and if the light is weak, the texture of things is poorly worked out.
It is necessary to avoid the appearance of a chaotic heap of shadows in the photograph due to the use of a large number of light sources. When shooting a still life, you can generally limit yourself to one light source, which will be placed in front, above and slightly to the side of the objects being shot. This is a narrowly focused, top-side key light, with the help of which shape, texture and volume are highlighted. Additionally, diffused, backlight, modeling and background light are used.
Modeling light from one or more sources in diffusing screen illuminators is used to soften harsh, dense shadows in an image. Backlight, the source of which is placed behind the objects being shot, allows you to create a kind of light contour and thus highlight things against the background. Diffused light determines the overall illumination of the subjects and, accordingly, the exposure value. As for the background light sources, they can be used to achieve the necessary accuracy of the background in accordance with the author's idea.
When shooting objects with a reflective surface, a large source of diffused light is used, in particular, a soft box. If still life photography is carried out on the street, then light accents are placed using a variety of reflectors made of white paper or aluminum foil. To eliminate unpleasant glare and reflections, you can use polarizing filters.
When choosing the right lighting, it's worth experimenting with shadows and reflections first, trying to place light sources at different angles to the subjects being photographed, to see how different forms of reflection are created. Thanks to the appropriate installation of lighting devices, it is possible to achieve the correct transfer of the texture of the surface of objects and their volume, as well as to increase the overall expressiveness of the photograph.
Still life photography is a kind of studying proccess by the ability to build a composition, the finest elaboration of details and mastery of lighting techniques. Thanks to the skills and experience gained while photographing still life, you can improve your skills in order to later successfully work in other genres - portrait, landscape, reportage or advertising photography.
The goal of every photographer shooting still life scenes is to capture the attention of the viewer as much as possible, to create a picture that one would like to print, put in a frame and enjoy its view. However, photography has a shorter "wall life" than, for example, picturesque paintings. Much is explained by the fact that the artist receives maximum control and freedom of artistic expression in every millimeter of his canvas and is limited only by the range of his vision and talent.
The photographer, in turn, accepts the challenge of capturing the image as it appears in reality, and if he does not carefully consider each element of the exposure, the picture risks falling into the category of "near-perfect". For most still life photographers, lighting is the biggest challenge. Understanding the nature of light, as well as the ability to control and change it, will bring you as close as possible to the realization that the photographer must "paint with light."
In this tutorial, we'll show you some basic lighting techniques and photography techniques, as well as introduce you to the basics of artificial lighting and show you how to best use it for your purposes.
Issues under consideration:
How not to shoot still life
Installing a simple studio light
Switching to manual mode
White Balance Correction
Setting the main light
Adding a Second Light
Changing the position of the light
Taking a Backlit Photo
Setting each light source individually
Shooting in B&W and Sepia mode
Used equipment:
Camera/Lens
- Olympus EVOLT E-500
- Olympus 14-45mm f/3.5-5.6 Digital Zuiko Zoom Lens
stable tripod
Lighting equipment set
How not to shoot still life
First, let's look at how not to shoot still lifes. In our case we used Olympus camera EVOLT E-500 mainly because of the ability to shoot in both AUTO and manual mode. It's important to note that you're bound to get "terrible" results if you shoot in AUTO mode.
Having bought in flower shop calla flowers, we put them in a vase and put them on the table against the backdrop of the wall. We then set the exposure to AUTO, fired up the built-in flash, and took the picture (images 1 and 2).
Terrible, isn't it? But even the word "terrible" is applied when there is at least some element in the image that attracts the viewer's attention. But not in this case. For this result, the verdict is stronger - boring.
Shooting beautiful flowers in this way is like playing the piano with winter gloves. You might be up to the task, but who wants to watch it?
Installing a simple studio light
In order to visually illustrate the basic lighting techniques for these colors, it was decided to allocate space for the set in a small room (2.4 x 2.4 m. and 2.4 m high). For lighting, we used a set consisting of two light sources. Each unit includes a parabolic reflector, a 250W lamp, a wire with a switch and a stand (image 3). We brought in a wooden table, placed it against the wall, and placed a vase of callas on top of it. The sources were located on both sides of the setup, we attached the camera to a tripod and set it up.
Switching to manual mode
The first thing we did was turn off the flash. In the case of the Olympus EVOLT E-500, this means simply lowering the flash down until it clicks. If you are using a different camera, please refer to the user manual to disable the flash. Next, we changed the exposure mode to manual M (Manual) so that we can set the shutter speed and aperture manually (image 4).
White Balance Correction
Finally, we needed to adjust the white balance in such a way that the colors in our image were neutral or balanced, for this we used the Tungsten (incandescent lamp) setting. To change the white balance in the EVOLT E-500, first press the WB button on the back of the camera, then use the direction buttons to select the light bulb icon (Tungsten/3000K). To confirm the selected setting, press the OK button (image 5).
To learn more about color temperature and white balance settings, read our DSLR White Balance Settings for Indoors tutorial.
Setting the main light
When the camera was finally set up, we turned on one light source and set it a little to the side to convey the texture of the flower petals. The advantage of working with constant lighting is that you can see the effect on your subject as the light changes.
After adjusting the light to our liking, we took a few test shots, changing the aperture and shutter speed settings to achieve the best depth of field, as a result, the following combination was chosen as the most optimal (images 6 and 7). To learn more about depth of field, read our lesson "Controlling Depth of Field When Shooting Outdoors".
As you can see from the resulting image, the result is much improved compared to the previous shot with the built-in flash. Because the light was tilted from the side, we were able to capture more detail in the texture of the petals. This way of lighting at an angle also helps to give the colors more depth and dimension.
Despite the change, the image still turned out to be high-contrast, it is noticeable in the image that the left side of the flowers remained in shadow.
Adding a Second Light
At this stage, many people would think that the best way to minimize the contrast and illuminate the left side of the callas would be to add a second light source from the opposite side at about the same angle as the first one.
Let's see what happens if we do this (images 8 and 9).
The result came out interesting. The second light certainly added more light to the left side of the subjects, but it evened out the overall lighting in the same way as the petal texture we got in the first result. Looking at the shot as a whole, it is indeed a step up from the result taken with the built-in flash, but still boring. Also note that the background, while providing some contrast, is still too uniform and uninteresting.
Changing the position of the light
In the next step, we decided to immediately turn off the second light source and slightly change the position of the first light source in order to get something similar to what we managed to do with only one light source. We also repositioned the flower vase to create a better composition in the frame.
Once the first light was in the right place, we took the second one, moved it closer to the background, and pointed it straight at the wall. The second light served two purposes: firstly, it illuminated the wall, creating a tonal transition, and secondly, it reflected light from the wall into the shadow on the left side of the subject (images 10 and 11).
After setting the light, we took the next shot (image 12).
As you can see from the result, the picture looks much more dynamic. We again managed to achieve good detail on the petals, the shadow areas are not so dark anymore, the composition turned out to be more interesting, and the background, gradually transitioning from one shade to another, gave an overall feeling of volume.
Taking a Backlit Photo
As epithets to describe this shot, the following are suitable: "pleasant", "soothing", "cute": There is a good exercise that will help you improve the result. Leave the room for a while, re-enter, and try to look at the frame or image objectively. What definitions come to mind? Are they the emotions you were trying to evoke in the viewer? Remember that the lighting tools and how you use them will greatly affect the emotional quality of the image.
So, for example, let's say you'd like to change a frame from "pleasant" to "dramatic". What would you do for this? In our case, it was decided to apply a very effective method, the so-called "backlighting" or "halo effect". Essentially, this way of lighting allows you to illuminate your subject from behind, while creating a beautiful outline in the background, capturing the visible elements of the texture, while the front is slightly darkened, which gives the lighting a more dramatic effect (image 13).
To begin, we turned on the rear left light, aimed it at the subject from the rear, and turned around to see how the light affected the scene. After slightly changing the position of both sources and colors, we took the next shot (images 14 and 15).
This is the "drama" we were talking about. The result was very expressive, high contrast, which meant that the changes were made in the right direction. Notice how the petals and stems are clearly separated from the background, giving the image an even greater sense of volume. It is also noticeable that a small amount of light from one source spilled into the background, creating an interesting tonal transition on it.
Setting each light source individually
In the next step, we turned off this source on the left and turned on the right. We recommend starting with artificial lighting to get into the habit of adjusting each source individually. It is much easier to see the effect from one source and change it than when two or more sources are turned on at the same time. Although it may seem difficult at first, you will be surprised how long you can suffer when dealing with multiple sources at the same time, especially when more and more lighting elements are connected to your installation.
With the second light source in place, we took the next shot (images 16 and 17).
We got some very dramatic lighting again, but this time from the opposite side. At this point, we were ready to start shooting with two sources to see their combined effect (images 18 and 19).
As a result, we got exactly the look we were striving for. Each light source illuminated the flowers very effectively, making them stand out sharply against the beautiful transitional background. And due to their position, the sources do not negatively affect each other, as was seen in image 7.
Shooting in B&W and Sepia mode
Finally, it was decided to take the classic approach and take some alternative shots in grayscale (halftone) (black and white) and sepia. The EVOLT E-500 is equipped with these and other modes available with just a few button presses.
To change the setting to Halftone, simply press the Menu button on the back of the camera and use the direction buttons to select Picture Mode and then Monotone, then press the OK button (images 20 and 21).
In an instant, we got a beautiful black and white shot! With dramatic, high-contrast lighting, this scene was rendered well in sharp blacks, whites, and grays.
Along the same lines, we decided to warm up the shot a bit and used the Sepia color mode for our last shot (images 22 and 23).
As you can see from these last three results (image 24), there are many ways in which you can enhance your shot by giving it different moods. The more you become proficient with lighting and photography techniques, and the more you experiment and give different moods to an image, the better you will be at creating pictures that you want to print, frame, and enjoy looking at.