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The Interplay of Light and Dark

Tasra Dawson — January 11, 2012 — Leave a comment

We can easily forgive a child who is afraid of the dark;
the real tragedy of life is when men are afraid of the light.
- Plato

The interplay of light and dark is a story often repeated. Use it to transform your images and your viewer will be captivated. Tell a story without words and you’ll have an audience for life.

Simple thoughts for Day 10 of 365. Many more to come…

Equipment
Canon 5D (not Mark II)
50 mm lens (not L series)
SanDisk Extreme III 16 GB Card
Video light

Settings
RAW (converted to jpg)
Focal length: 50 mm
Exposure: 1/100 at f/2.8
ISO: 250

How to Use Pinterest to Improve Your Photography

Tasra Dawson — October 24, 2011 — 25 Comments

Please tell me you’ve discovered the beauty and thrill of Pinterest… a site created for creative and visually inspired people like you and me.

I was introduced to it a few months via a twitter friend posting about how much she loved creating “boards” and finding new “pins.” I had no idea what she was talking about but clicked on her link and was instantly met with a visual feast… as Hemingway says “a moveable feast.” Seriously.

For newbies it’s a place where you can aggregate images, quotes, books, all visually into “boards” – similar to inspiration boards around whatever topics you choose. The boards on Pinterest are too varied to even mention here, but below is a snapshot of the ones I’ve created. You can see the titles and the first nine images in each board. When you click on the box, you’ll go to the entire board which could have hundreds of different images related to that topic.

So, how could you use Pinterest to improve your photography? There are a few ways…

Idea #1

Create a few categories that interest you: lighting, posing, fashion, expression, location, etc.
Start pinning or do a search for each of those topics and pin images that stand out to you.
Once you have a good number of images, go back through and find patterns.
Study the patterns to find your unique style and taste, then make a mental note to implement that style at your next photo shoot.

Idea #2

Create categories for the different types of photography that interest you: weddings, engagement, seniors, children, pets, etc.
Start pinning and doing searches within pinterest or outside pinterest and fill your board.
Look through the images before each shoot for ideas of what to do differently. It’s a great way to spark imagination if you feel like you’re stuck in a rut.

Idea #3

Create categories as in the above two ideas.
Fill your boards.
Create a collage for your clients to see what your vision is for a particular photo shoot, i.e. help them with posing, expressions, gestures, etc. Often clients struggle with these areas and letting you both have a visual of what you’re trying to achieve can be incredibly helpful.

Check out the collage I created for a past photo shoot in studio with my team of teen models. I let each of them choose a few images that they especially liked and then we used that as a starting point for practicing their posing and expression in front of the camera. It was a great learning tool and a fun experience!

pinterest inspiration board How to Use Pinterest to Improve Your Photography

Give it a go and if you’re signed up on Pinterest, make sure to add me so we can connect and share favorite images!

In photography fashion photography, improve your photography, inspiration board, lighting, pinterest, posing, posing tips, senior portrait photography, Wedding Photography

Learn Photography with Free Online Digital Photography Class (D263)

Tasra Dawson — May 21, 2010 — 3 Comments

If you’ve ever wanted to improve your photography, but didn’t have the time, money or resources to enroll in photo school, now is your chance! I’ve mentioned it before (and will again) … Creative Live is offering a free Digital Photography class with John Greengo. It’s a ten week course that is streamed live online each week.

LIVE REPLAY THIS WEEKEND
Even better news is that they are replaying all the classes live this weekend. You can tune in anytime and catch up to learn about your camera, lenses, ISO, shutter speed, aperture, full frame vs. APS, exposure, lighting, focus…. the list goes on.

Seriously, no excuses anymore for hobbyist, wannabe, or aspiring photographers to not be educated about their camera and gear. So hop online, check it out and send me a message telling me what you learned! I’d love to hear.

Today’s image was inspired by one of the sessions where the instructor showed a similar image to demonstrate low-key lighting. Simple and fun one light shoot… I’ve been doing quite a few one light photo shoots lately.

tasra365 ronprofile Learn Photography with Free Online Digital Photography Class (D263) Technical Knowledge and Images: John Greengo digital photography class for both!

In 365 project, feature articles, Month 9: May 2010, photography aperture, aspiring photographer, camera, Chase Jarvis, Creative Live, exposure, focus, full frame vs. APS, ISO, John Greengo, lenses, lighting, low key lighting, shutter speed, wannabe photographer

Practicing with Photo Studio Lighting Equipment (D261)

Tasra Dawson — May 19, 2010 — 2 Comments

Practice makes perfect, but according to master photographer Joe Buissink, there is no such thing as the perfect picture. Instead he says…

“The only thing that’s perfect is the moment.”

You might ask why practice then. I’ll tell you why… because if you aren’t prepared in the moment, you’ll miss it. If the only thing that matters is the moment, then we had better not miss it fiddling with our cameras, studio lights, and equipment.

Next question is what if you don’t have all the studio lighting equipment you would like to practice with… then fake it till you make it. Everyone has a flashlight somewhere or can buy a used video light. Music editorial photographer Zack Arias is famous for his one light photo shoots… which means you can do it too. Start small. For my tasra365 daily image the last three days (day 1 + day 2), I used the same figure and the same one light, but got different looks and styles based on the direction, position, and intensity of my light. You can do the same.

Don’t let finances, location, lack of equipment or resources ever stop you from gaining the experience and skills to you need to be prepared when that perfect moment strikes.

tasra365 blacklight 2 Practicing with Photo Studio Lighting Equipment (D261)

Technical Knowledge and Images: Learned from and looked at images from the Creative Live Digital Photography class on lighting today. If you aren’t following along in this class, you can catch up for free this weekend when they’re playing all the previous online classes. If you can’t make it this weekend, consider purchasing the digital edition (I’m going to)… it’s only $79 for over 20 hours of high quality education on everything from camera, lenses, exposure, focus, lighting, composition, and so much more. (They aren’t paying me, nor am I getting any kind of commission for mentioning them… I just think what they’re offering photographers is amazing.)

In 365 project, feature articles, Month 9: May 2010, photography 365 project, camera, composition, Creative Live digital photography class, exposure, focus, Joe Buissink, lenses, lighting, photo shoot, photo studio, studio lighting equipment, Zack Arias

Photo Lighting Secrets for Better Blog, Etsy and Ebay Images (D225)

Tasra Dawson — April 13, 2010 — 5 Comments

Seems like everyone has a blog these days. Add to that, all the creative people with Etsy shops and sellers on eBay, we all need amazing images. Whether it’s for fun or profit, compelling pictures draw readers and shoppers in and encourage them to stay longer. Blurry, pixelated, overexposed, and just plain bad images can send people running for the hills (or at least clicking away from our site).

So how do you make your images stand out from the crowd? How do you capture photographs that enhance your writing and help tell the story of your blog, your creative projects, or your products?

MY LIGHTING SOLUTION FOR COMPELLING IMAGES

Certainly I don’t have all the answers and not too many secrets either, but I can tell you what has worked for me in creating product photography images that people remark about. And according to Seth Godin, that’s what we want, to create something remarkable that people will remark about.

I used to use a large white seamless backdrop with two Westcott softbox lights for almost all of my studio images. While I got the images I wanted, the set up and tear down were too much to manage for smaller, daily shots… and for bloggers and Etsy shop owners, you don’t really need all that. So I found something quicker, easier, and portable.

tasra365 portable lighting studio Photo Lighting Secrets for Better Blog, Etsy and Ebay Images (D225)

I’m sure you’ve heard of portable lighting studios… before I found mine I had heard of them, even created a makeshift one, but nothing ever quite worked out. I’ve even read DIY tutorials for making your own lightbox, but most of the ones I’ve seen don’t travel well or stand up to daily wear and tear from frequent use.

So my “secret” for getting great images is my portable lighting studio complete with 2 high-output lights with retractable legs, 2 colored backgrounds for contrasting light or dark objects, a mini tripod & nylon diffuser screen for balanced lighting. I thought it’d be fun to take pictures of the pieces of the lighting studio with the lighting studio… so below you can see the lights and mini tripod.

This is something so simple to use and yet so few people have them. Regardless of your camera, DSLR or point and shoot, you’ll be able to see immediate improvement in the images you take… even if you’re not an expert in lighting. Since the lights are constant and not flash, you can use trial and error to see what you like best.

MY GIFT TO YOU
I believe EVERYONE should have one… in fact, I’m in talks with my OpenSky team to plan a webinar or live chat so I can show you exactly how I use it. The last thing I’d want is for you to buy it then not use it. We don’t need more stuff sitting on our shelves unused… we need things that will make our life easier.

So, stay tuned the next couple days as we work out the details on the live chat training. If you have any questions now about how to use a portable lighting kit, let me know and I’ll include them in my planning! If you already know you need this, go ahead and get it now… then send me a note. I’ll make sure you have a front row seat to the upcoming training.

For more sample images from my portable lighting studio, check out these previous articles:

Manual: Page 11
Images: Gray Photography – lighting geniuses.

In 365 project, feature articles, Month 8: Apr 2010, photography Etsy sellers, Gray Photography, lighting, OpenSky, portable lighting studio, Seth Godin, Westcott softbox lights, WPPI for photographers

The Most Important Message From WPPI For Photographers Is… (D194)

Tasra Dawson — March 13, 2010 — 21 Comments

FOLLOW YOUR PASSION.

A close second is… JUST BE YOU.

Among all the seminars, workshops and rockstar photographer presentations and events at WPPI 2010 in Las Vegas, the overriding messages I heard were the ones above. Yes, lighting, technical skills, framing, composing, marketing, and social media are all important pieces of the puzzle. But the picture of a life and living that you’re putting together is about your passion and YOU.

tasra365 pictage wppi follow your passion The Most Important Message From WPPI For Photographers Is... (D194)

Each piece of equipment you add, every blog post you write, every marketing message you send, every contact you make, are all just pieces you need to complete the puzzle you’re creating with your life as a photographer. Forget about copying anyone else or trying to be a rockstar, if you’ll just be authentic, tell your story and share it with the world, that’s where success lies.

As my friend Dane Sanders said in his presentation on The Anatomy of a Creative, what matters is what happens at the intersection of who you are and what you do. Who you are needs to affect everything you do. So while it’s great to listen and get ideas from other creatives who have paved the way, there is no “right” way for you to become a successful professional photographer.

And while we’re talking about that, can we just scrap the words “successful” and “professional” and just be photographers?

Can we get rid of the divisions that keep us apart and find the connections that bring us together—for support, courage, and change?

Can we just be creatives who see and interpret the world through a glass lens… then share that view with a world dying for true connection?

Today’s image: I love the way that Pictage captured that message in the bracelets they handed out to everyone that visited their booth… and what fun, bright colors to boot! Such a great way to remind ourselves to follow our passion! And can I just say that we had an absolute blast at the women’s panel at the Pictage booth on Wednesday? So many talented, brilliant and creative women came out to chat with myself, Mary Marantz and Jules Bianchi. I’m telling you now that you will want to join us in New Orleans at Pictage PartnerCon in November… we have got something absolutely amazing up our sleeve!

Manual: Page 99

Images: Photo Trekking… I love this book!

In 365 project, feature articles, Month 7: Mar 2010, photography conference, Dane Sanders, Las Vegas, lighting, New Orleans, PartnerCon photography convention, Pictage, posing, technique, WPPI 2010

Fix it in Post… or Not (D149)

Tasra Dawson — January 27, 2010 — 12 Comments

The deeper I get into the photography world, the more I learn all the little sayings that photographers have adopted and said through the ages. One of the first that I heard was “Fix it in post.” This week I’m focusing on how not to have to fix it in post.

The question I’m asking this week is… How can I focus on lighting, composition, environment, camera settings, and posing to allow post processing to be optional?

I’ll never completely abandon post processing because I love what it can do to change the mood and tone of an image. But I’m pretty pleased with the results from yesterday and today’s shoots. I used the same set up today that I described yesterday.

AND I did NOT fix it in post today. In fact, I did nothing in post to any of these images except add the watermark. I’m telling you that 149 days ago I would not have posted images without fixing them in post. I lacked the courage and confidence, not to mention everything I have learned on this photo a day challenge. These four images are straight out of the camera.

So, there you have it. Let’s NOT fix it in post… it’s worth a shot. And it’ll challenge you in ways you may have never been challenged before.

Today’s images: My son decided he wanted to do a photo shoot today. He’s been fascinated with the camera since he was able to pick one up. After seeing the Teen Identity photo shoot in our studio this weekend, he’s been asking to do photo shoots every day with lights, camera and action. These shots were the result of a short ten minute session where we took turns shooting one another under the lights. He should have the 10,000 hours it takes to become a master by the time he’s a teenager!

Specs: 50 mm, 1/160 @ f/5, ISO 200, 2 soft box lights, white seamless background

Manual: Page 27—Navigating the Menus

Images: Looked at an album of images shared with me on Facebook by a very close friend of mine. Fascinating.

In 365 project, Month 5: Jan 2010, photography 50 mm lens, camera manual, composition, fix it in post, lighting, photography quotes, posing, sayings, soft box lights, white seamless background

Shooting on the Edge – A Teen Identity Photo Shoot (D145)

Tasra Dawson — January 23, 2010 — 9 Comments

Today’s word of the day was… EDGY. Our home and studio were temporarily taken over by teen girls in preparation for our first Teen Identity Models photo shoot of 2010. The bedroom exploded in clothes and there was a full-on salon happening with hair, makeup, nails, and stylists getting everyone ready.

We’re preparing to launch our new model program for 2011 Seniors and are so excited about what we’ve got in store for upcoming seniors and all teen girls. So, we thought we’d try out a few new and fun things, get the models ready and shoot a bit on the edge.

Today we did individual photo shoots in studio with white seamless background. I had two Westcott lights from their Photo Basics line on the background and one soft box to the left side of the girls. Obviously we adjusted the lights as we switched models and poses, but that was the basic setup. After the studio shots, we had some pizza, then decided to brave the outdoors and head to the park for some fun group shots. We had plans for a few different poses, but due to the extremely cold Atlanta winter weather, we decided to just grab a few shots, have some fun, and head back indoors.

Today was a banner day for me. I absolutely love doing photo shoots like these. To top it off, when I got home and checked my twitter account and tasra365 challenge photographers list, I saw that it had increased by nearly 100 photographers! When I see increases like that, the first place I check is my good friend Scott Bourne‘s twitter feed… yep, this is what he said about the challenge:

I’m very proud of the nearly 250 #photogs who have joined Tasra in the challenge I gave her to improve her photography http://bit.ly/63Xf7f

I’m so proud of them too… that means you! If you’re new to the challenge, welcome! Make sure to say hi, sign up and get listed on the tweeps page. We’re happy to have you here and know that you will start improving your photography right away! Enjoy the journey!

Manual: Page 23—Using the Remote

Images: Looked through Glamour, Seventeen, and Elle today for image inspiration for the photo shoot.

Learning to Photograph Smoke Trails—A Photo Series & Tutorial (D139)

Tasra Dawson — January 17, 2010 — 13 Comments

That’s right. I’ve decided to do a series of daily photographs capturing smoke trails. It’s a challenge in lighting, set up, creativity and focus. In addition, there is an element of the capture that you can’t control: the smoke trail.

So I’m setting out over the next few days to see what I can learn with planning and preparation…as well as waiting and patience to see what will show up.

Although this is my second attempt at shooting smoke trails, the first attempt was even more makeshift and a last minute idea. I only had one light and a candle. This time I was a bit more prepared with two lights and incense. The incense definitely gives you longer lead time to capture the smoke. And it was only $2.49 for a box of 40 at Whole Foods. Not a bad investment for hours of fun learning your camera and lighting!

I followed this tutorial with my setup, but since I don’t have a lightbox, I used a desk Ott-Lite instead and had my assistant (aka: reluctant daughter) hold it facing up. Reluctant assistant also held a video light shining directly at the smoke trails.

Once we got everything set up, I began to shoot on manual focus in one position. What I found though was that I really don’t like being tethered to one spot, so I took it off manual focus, went to auto and was able to move around and adjust as the smoke was moving and changing. Here are my favorite two shots from today…

Post processing was done in Photoshop following the instructions in the tutorial. I inverted the image, then added Kubota Actions Daily Multivitamin. After that, I adjusted the hue/saturation slightly, then sharpened the image. Added a copyright and we were good to go.

Specs: Nikon D50, 1/100 sec at f/3.2, ISO 800.
Manual: Page 17—Focus and Shoot.
Images: Looked at images on the tutorial of smoke trails.

In 365 project, Month 5: Jan 2010, photography autofocus, Daily Multivitamin action, Kevin Kubota, lighting, manual focus, manual mode, photography series, Photoshop actions, planning, smoke trails, tutorial

D19: Are You Ready to Stand Out?

Tasra Dawson — September 19, 2009 — 9 Comments

The lessons I’ve been learning from this 365 day photography challenge have been quite unexpected. While I expected to learn more about my camera, exposure, lighting, etc., I didn’t really plan to learn more about myself as a person and photographer.

Here are a few things I’ve learned…

There are countless examples of standing out in nature that are truly stunning.
If you’re willing to stand out, you will get noticed. If you get noticed, some people won’t be happy about it.
I hold myself back because I don’t want to stand out. If I would get out of my own way, the possibilities are endless.
I am my own worst enemy and sell myself too short (not meant arrogantly, just been told enough that it’s finally sinking in).

I’m going to let this image of the lone flower remind me of the beauty and power of standing out. What have you been learning from this challenge—about photography and you?

Manual: Page 33—Choosing the Focus Area. For Auto-Focus Area Mode, I use Single Area rather than Dynamic or Closest Subject. I’ve tried both of those, but I feel like I have less control over where I’m focusing. However, most often I’m using the manual button to choose where I want my focus to be. I’m not even sure this is the best way to do it, but it’s what has been working for me. Would be interesting to know if there is a better way to select focus. Any ideas?

Images: I attended a session by Zack Arias earlier this year for the PDN Virtual Tradeshow. The title was Creative Lighting and all the participants were able to download a PDF of the presentation. So, while driving back from Orlando today, I opened the file on my laptop and looked at Zack’s images. Always impressed by his work. Once I arrived home, I checked out his latest blog post which is about street photography. He has some great images and advice for capturing pictures of people on the street. Check it out.

In 365 project, Month 1: Sep '09 challenge, lighting, PDN, street photography, Zack Arias

Archives For lighting

MY LIGHTING SOLUTION FOR COMPELLING IMAGES

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