Taking photos in the city on a bright day? Learn how to work with hard and soft light, find the best backgrounds, and master photography even in harsh midday sun.

Portraits are one of the most common genres. What photographer hasn’t taken pictures of friends, family, or themselves while traveling or at a party? But to take your photos to the next level, it’s important to understand how to find and work with the perfect lighting. In this article, I focus on working with light outdoors, look at specific real-world situations, and share my tips for getting the best possible light from the scene.  

Blowouts, also called blown highlights, are overexposed areas in a photo where detail is completely lost. They can easily ruin an otherwise great shot. Learn how to avoid blowouts both while shooting and during editing. 

Learn how to maintain sharpness when light painting. Flash is not the only way—lighting, color, and movement can be utilized in creative ways. Learn to light your models so they look natural. Also, learn how to create depth while working with multiple light sources. Finally, where does color theory come into play? In this installment, we’ll take a look at advanced techniques that will take your light painting portraits to the next level.  

Shooting in the dark or low light is a challenge for photographers. Whether it’s a city at night, an interior, or evening portraits, these photos are often plagued by digital noise, blur, and a loss of detail. I’ll show you how to properly set up your camera for low-light and night photography, what to avoid, and how to use adjustments and the right equipment to get great pictures.

If you enjoy taking trips with friends, they probably know you’re into photography. They expect your photos to be better than their phone snapshots, even if you’re using your phone too. After all, you’re the photographer of the group. So, what can you do differently?

The term chiaroscuro comes from the Italian words chiaro (light) and scuro (dark). It’s a lighting technique that results in dramatic contrast between light and dark. As a result, our attention is drawn to the illuminated object, while the rest of the scene is immersed in darkness. This fine arts technique is seen in photography and can help us work with light in a better, more focused way.

There are different types of natural outdoor light, which are influenced by the time and weather conditions. Some lighting conditions are easier, others more difficult, and each brings its own challenges but also potential for photography.

The human eye is fascinating, not only because of its uniqueness, but also because it’s a very important aspect of what photographers focus on. The first rule of thumb when shooting a portrait is that the eyes must be sharp. But what if we skip the portrait entirely and go straight to shooting a close-up of the eye itself. This article explores the many options for doing just that.

Photographers well-versed in photography terminology are certainly familiar with the term white balance. However, white balance is not the only factor to consider when discussing light. You can also measure how well a light source displays different colors compared to natural light. This type of measurement is useful for photography as well as other color work, whether it’s painting or putting on makeup.