A Beginners Guide to Taking Portraits of Elderly Clients: Part 2 – Lighting and Posing

By: Clinton Moore

#Older#Photographing#Clients

Welcome to part two in our series on photographing older clients. In part one, we looked
at rapport building and the practical aspects of preparing for your shoot. In this article,
you’ll learn about lighting and posing techniques to enhance your photos of elderly subjects.
Lighting older clients utilizes most of the same lighting principles that you apply to
younger clients, but there are a few extra tricks that will ensure a stress-free and flattering shoot.

Lighting practicalities

For this article, we’re going to assume that you are shooting at the subject’s home – often a requirement when shooting older clients. This means that you won’t have access to a full studio setup and will have to improvise based on space.

Lost in space

If you’re lucky, your older client may still be in the old family home with beautiful high
ceilings so you can set up and bounce light to your heart’s content. Unfortunately, many
will have downsized and are often in smaller apartments. Others may be in nursing homes
with less space than your average bathroom and have everything they own crammed within
this space.
In tight spaces, the best bet is to try and get outside. However, this is not always possible for
less mobile clients.
Also remember, if you’re doing a shoot in a nursing or retirement home, you’ll possibly
need to gain permission from the village manager. There’s a lot of protection around older
residents (and rightfully so), which means the home is not likely to take kindly to a stranger
turning up unannounced and taking photos of vulnerable people.
This is not one of those situations where it’s easier to ask for forgiveness than it is to get
permission first!

Flash versus continuous lighting

As a photographer, flash is probably your go-to for artificial lighting when outside the
studio, but take a moment to consider continuous lighting. While a strobe is more portable
and powerful than most affordable continuous lights, they can be quite disorienting for
older clients – particularly those with dementia. The last thing you want is to distress the
 person you’re hoping to make a smile.
With the affordable price of LED lighting these days, continuous lighting is now incredibly
accessible and has the added benefit of remaining cool for your client as opposed to older
lights. Advances in chip-on-board LED technology also means you don’t have to worry
about heavy and expensive HMI lights when you want that classic Fresnel look.

Soft versus hard light

The aim of the shoot will determine your lighting style.
It’s going to be rare to hear an older person say “please make me look old and grizzled,” so your aim is likely to create a flattering image of your subject by leaning towards soft, highly-diffused light. You can achieve this by using light from large light sources such as softboxes and umbrellas. The bigger the source, the better! You want that light to wrap around their face.
Unless it’s the desired look, contrast is your enemy when photographing elderly people as it accentuates their wrinkles and any other parts that are sagging. This might be great for gritty street photography, but it’s unlikely an older person wants you to portray them like that in a paid portrait.
Think less George Hurrell, more Anne Geddes (but leave the flower pot at home).
Of course, the final decision should always come from a mixture of trying to convey your client’s personality and meeting the brief agreed upon in your pre-shoot consultation.

Lighting setups

We’ll look at two classic lighting setups which aim to create a flattering portrait. While there are limitless portrait lighting options, not all will work with older clients due to wrinkles, sagging, and posture issues.

3-point lighting

The classic three-point lighting setup provides you with a huge amount of flexibility
to sculpt the subject’s face in a flattering light.
For older clients, aim to have your key light only a little stronger than your fill light.
This reduces contrast and provide a more flattering light that wraps around the face.
Fill light is your friend when it comes to older clients.

Short lighting (left) generally provides a more flattering photo for an elderly subject 

than broad lighting (right).

Although you’ll be using more fill than normal, it’s still important to be aware of the
effects of short and broad lighting, as aging isn’t always kind to the face shape. You
can use short lighting to make a wide face appear more slender. This is usually the
more flattering option for older faces.
Broad lighting can add some width to a skinnier face, but it tends also add more
emphasis on wrinkles.
For older clients, it can also pay to lower your lights a little more than you might with
a young client. The shadows cast by higher lights emphasize wrinkles and sagging skin.

Placing the lights higher as you might do with a younger client can create shadows that 

highlight  features such as wrinkles and crow’s feet.

By lowering the lights, the face softens, and you can fill in the eyes which tend to sink
with age. It never hurts to throw a reflector under the subject’s chin to lift the shadows.

Dropping your key light by just a small amount can have a dramatic difference to
the final image.You will then get a final shot that creates a warm and inviting portrait.

Combining all the changes and tossing in a reflector under the subject’s chin creates a
final image that presents them in favorable light.

Clamshell lighting

Clamshell lighting can create a very dramatic look, but with large diffused light sources it 

can also light an older face in a flattering way while still providing a dynamic effect.
In this setup, we have a large softbox angled at 45-degrees acting as the key and an umbrella as the fill. You may also want to experiment with a beauty dish as the key light for a more striking look.

The clamshell is a simple setup and can be achieved with just one key light and a reflector
to act as fill if need be.

While exposing correctly is a no-brainer no matter how you’re lighting, it goes double for 

a clamshell setup as excessive underlighting creates a ghoulish look like something out of 

a horror movie. A safe way to avoid this can be to use a simple reflector or bounce board as 

your fill if you’re not comfortable with setting exposure on artificial lights.

Failing to set your fill light correctly will result in underlighting that creates a scary look
unlikely to be desired by your client.As you can see, by reducing the fill light to a little more
than half the exposure of the key light, you get a more balanced look.

Ensuring that you have your fill light set lower than your key light will create the classic
clamshell look. 

Combined with good posing, this lighting setup can provide a great option for taking a 

square-on image of an older person. The resulting shot can convey an introspective, but 

intimate feel.

By exposing correctly and positioning your client beautifully you will get a final shot that
has a great introspective feel.

Elderly portrait idiosyncrasies

Although having a couple of basic lighting setups will get you 80% of the way to 

photographing elderly clients, there are still a few little hurdles to be aware of that may 

otherwise cause chaos on your shoot.

Glasses and reflections

Glasses are the bane of your existence when working with elderly clients. A pair of 

spectacles loves nothing more than to capture the reflection of your lights. And God 

help you if you’re dealing with bifocals!

Glasses! Guaranteed to destroy any portrait without some planning.

You can always ask your subject to remove their glasses completely, but many will feel that 

they look wrong without their glasses after having worn them for so many years.  Managing glasses always requires a bit of compromise to bring your client’s eyes back into the image, but three of the best options are:
1. Tilt Down – Ask you subject to tilt their glasses down just a little. This can be combined with tilting their head down as well. Don’t go overboard with this unless you want them to look like 

Santa or a librarian.

You will largely remove the reflections by asking your subject to lower their chin and tilt their
glasses down. However, be careful not to overdo it!

2. Raise Your Lights – Raising your lights a little higher reduces the chance of picking up a reflection. Of course, the trade-off here is that you will get more shadows. It can help to 

balance the change with a reflector.

Raising the lights resolves the reflections issue, but creates a new dilemma due to the
heavy shadows that now appear.

3. Lensless Glasses – Possibly the best solution. Bring along a pair of glasses with the 

lenses removed. Hey presto, no more reflections to worry about. The issue here, of course, 

is that they may not be the style of glasses that work with your subject’s face.

Managing baldness

Sure it happens to younger folks as well, but if you’re photographing older clients, you’re going to encounter a lot of bald heads. The issue here is that a bald head will act like a big reflective surface and create a hot spot.
To resolve this:
1. Lower Your Lights – by lowering the height of your lights you reduce the reflections on their head. Of course, the problem here becomes the balancing act that has to take place if your subject also happens to be wearing glasses!
2. Remove Rim Lights – When dealing with baldness it’s worth considering doing away with your rim light entirely. Find alternate ways to separate your subject from the background.
3. Powder – Having some neutral powder on hand is always handy to reduce the shine of a bald head. If you’ve got a particularly proud male that won’t wear “makeup,” take a photo without any powder applied and show them the attention drawn to their head.

Exposing hair

Jumping back to the 3-point lighting setup, this all comes down to the rim light. As mentioned above, the rim light is the enemy of the bald head. However, it also wreaks havoc with grey hair. Be extra careful not to overexpose with grey hair as you will quickly blow the highlights much more easily than you would with colored hair.

Posing older clients

Posing older clients is tricky because, as we discussed in part one, there is a range of what constitutes being “elderly.” People around 65 years of age will probably be able to do many of your standard poses with great results. However, significantly older clients may have restricted mobility and health issues that prevent them from standing for long periods.

Stools are for fools

Assuming you are working with a client over the age of 80, it’s best to consider basing your shoot around them sitting down. The first thing to do is turf that stool that you use with your younger clients.
Older clients need the back support of a chair and could fall off something as unstable as a stool. They also may not have the core strength to support themselves on a stool leading to some very bad slumping.
Clients over the age of 80 with mobility issues are also likely to have recliner style chairs that they can easily disappear into.

Shooting front-on with your client in a large chair or recliner will tend to make them look
small and wider if they are allowed to sink back.

Shooting this image, particularly front-on, will make the client appear small and can have an unflattering effect on their thighs (which will spread when seated in this manner).
To remedy this issue prop your client up with some pillows to create a better posture. If the 

client is quite frail, ask a family member to do this so that you don’t cause any harm.

Place pillows behind the client or ask them to sit towards the edge of the chair to shift
their posture.By bringing the client forward and focusing on the head and shoulders
framing, the resulting image is more flattering.

By moving the client forward they will be less likely to slump resulting in a more
flattering image.

Safe and secured gear

One of the major causes of injury in elderly people is falling over. Often they will be 

very used to everything being set up in their home a particular way. As such, moving 

furniture around and bringing in big gear can pose problems.
Firstly, only move furniture with their permission and, of course, put it back when 

you’re done! Ensure that you’ve left a clear path to the front door and the toilet in 

case of emergencies.
Secondly, secure your gear! At the very least put sandbags on your light stands and 

tripod. If you’re using anything that has cords, pull out that gaffer tape and stick it down.

Sandbag those lights and gaffer those cords so that you don’t end up responsible for
a trip to the E.R. 

An uninjured client is a happy client, so take those extra few minutes to make sure the 

area is safe.

Flattering posing angles

Great, you’ve got everything setup safely, now it’s time to pose your client.
Again, assuming you are dealing with a client who is older than 75, posing is about 

compromises.
Few people look great square-on, so start by asking your client to turn their body 

slightly away from the camera. Next, ask the client to turn their head back to the 

camera with their body facing the key light.
It’s often best to avoid having older clients tilt their head as this can cause bunching 

of the skin under the neck. Instead, keep the head perpendicular to the body and focus 

on asking them to push their jaw slightly forward to stretch their neck.
If your client is really concerned about their neck wrinkles, it will be best to shoot 

from slightly above the client and ask them to angle their chin down. Similarly, if a 

male client is worried about baldness, shooting from slightly lower than eye level 

reduces the focus on their head.
For clients who are unable to shift their neck or body due to age, a front-on shot can 

still be flattering, but you will want to try and shift the weight forward.

Move your subject as close to the edge of the chair as is safe while supporting their
back. Clients who struggle to support their weight may benefit from placing their
hands on their thighsrop the client up with pillows behind their back and ask if they are
able to place their hands on their knees to support their weight while leaning forward a tad.
Experiment with placement on the knees and thighs to find the position that allows for the
most natural shoulder alignment.

Photographing elderly clients is a great way to bring together all of your 

basic lighting and posing principles with a few extra challenges thrown in to boot!
Experimentation is always key as you will have to work with the physical restrictions 

of your client’s age and the practical limitations of their home. By having a clear idea 

of your client’s expectations, the two of you can find a way to achieve an image that 

makes everyone happy.
Moreover, remember that sometimes they’ve earned those wrinkles and are darn proud of it!

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Tips From a Pro to Help You Know Which Lens to Choose

By: Lily Sawyer

When I first started out as a photographer, my memory of researching which lens to get was one of absolute overwhelm. The market is inundated with hundreds of choices for any budget. Where do I start? What do I choose? How do I choose? Why should I spend that much on that lens even though it’s over my budget?

Where to find help

So many questions rushed through my head that I shut down and decided to ask a couple of photographer friends instead, thinking that was the surefire way of getting quick and right answers that would aid my decision. I was wrong. They each had different things to say for different reasons. So I was back to the drawing board and had to ask myself what was right for me. At that point, I had my kit lenses that came with the camera and a 50mm f/1.8. I already knew then that it was wiser to invest in good lenses than to keep upgrading cameras and I wanted to take the first step in owning a professional lens for long term investment.

#PrimeLens#Wedding#Photography


This article is about helping you decide which lens to buy next or which to use for a particular subject. It comes from my eight-year journey (going on nine) as a professional photographer. This may not be what other photographers will say if you ask them, as we all have different needs and priorities. But these are my answers and I hope will help you find your own answers too.

Questions to ask yourself

The first important question to ask yourself (regardless of whether you are a hobbyist or professional) is what is right for you as a photographer in terms of subject, style, usage and frequency? The second important question is how much use will that lens get? That is probably the best litmus test as to whether or not you have made your investment work for you.

Going back to my story above, I had upgraded my cropped sensor to a full sensor professional-grade camera and wanted to start building a professional lens collection. Photographing families was my primary focus but I wanted to expand and do more weddings. I needed a workhorse that would cater to both. As I knew I would be investing a fair amount, I wanted the lens to be worth the money in terms of usage rather than just gathering dust in the cupboard.
With weddings, it’s difficult to have just one lens because in an ideal world you need several lenses for the variety of situations that a wedding day entails. Read this article for more on that subject: 5 must have lenses for wedding photography and why. Having said that, I have shot a wedding with only one lens, the 85mm, and had to work around many limitations of having just one lens, but it is totally possible.
Before I list the different lenses and their uses, according to what I found my requirements were, here are a few things to note on prime and zoom lenses.

Prime Lenses

You will notice above that my first lenses were all primes. They are fast and great in low light. They are also smaller than zooms, though not necessarily lighter as the quality of the glass really adds to the weight. I wanted prime lenses as I knew my shoots were mostly on location. The downside of prime lenses is that you have to zoom with your feet – physically adjusting your distance continually, as these lenses have a fixed focal length. However, moving closer to the subject is NOT the same as zooming in with a zoom lens because there you are not changing your distance but rather the focal length of your lens. To read more about the intricacies of this difference, check out this excellent article; Prime Lenses: Can you really zoom with your feet?

Zoom Lenses

In contrast to prime lenses, zooms allow you to stay in place and get closer to your subject by changing the focal length without sacrificing pixels or changing the sensor mode. Depending on the lens, some zooms have an aperture range while others have a fixed maximum aperture. The latter is usually in the professional range of lenses, which is reflected by a hefty price tag as well.
The fixed maximum aperture means that regardless of the focal length you are using, the lens remains at that aperture (obviously you can adjust the actual aperture you want to shoot with). So if your lens is an f/2.8, then it can go to that aperture whether you shoot at 70mm or at 200mm. Bear in mind that when dealing with macro lenses, you have to take into consideration the focusing distances and effective apertures so that the closer you get to 1:1 magnification, the effective aperture decreases. This is due to the nature of optics and is normal with macro lenses.
Zoom lenses with an aperture range, on the other hand, automatically decrease the aperture as you zoom in. For example, on a lens with an aperture range of f/3.5-5.6, the maximum aperture (widest you can use) changes automatically as you zoom in, forcing you to stop down. So when shooting at 18mm, your lens allows you to open up to f/3.5 but when you zoom in to 55mm, that lens will only let you go as far as f/5.6 at that focal length. This is a disadvantage shooting in low light conditions.

I acquired the following Nikkor lenses in this order; 50mm f/1.4, 35mm f/1.4, 105mm f/2.8, 85mm f/1.8, 70-200mm f/2.8, 24-70mm f/2.8, and 60mm f/2.8. If you shoot with a different camera, you can look up their Nikkor equivalents easily. I previous tried Sigma lenses but sold them and switched to Nikkors. I also recently added a 14mm third-party lens. I cannot justify the cost of a Nikkor when I rarely ever use that lens – it’s great for shooting super wide scenes which are perhaps 1% of my output! My thoughts below are in the context of using these workhorse lenses on a full-frame camera.

35mm Prime Lens

The Nikkor 35mm f/1.4 FX was the first professional lens I bought and for a while, it was my go-to for pretty much everything. It allowed me to shoot some landscapes when I did location shoots for both family and weddings. It is super fast and great for working in low-light especially when shooting the accessories for the bride getting ready at a wedding, or details of special items on a family lifestyle shoot. It still is one of my most reliable lenses to date.

If I get into a difficult situation on a tightly scheduled wedding day and have to make split-second decisions, this is one of the first lenses I think of to remedy a problematic situation. It is that versatile. It is great for bird’s eye view framing and shooting which is very trendy nowadays. Though not built as a macro lens, its minimum focusing distance of just under 12 inches comes in very handy and provides 0.2x magnification at that range. This is one of my favorite capabilities of this lens; it enables me to shoot this close and is fast and super sharp. Just don’t shoot this close when doing people portraits!
I also use this lens for full body portraits. Sometimes I can get away with half-body but have to be very careful of distortions. The 35mm focal length gives me ample wiggle room for cropping as well as enough space when shooting in small sized rooms which are common for my family shoots.
Note: there is also a Nikkor f/1.8 DX which is considerably lower cost. Check for options available for your brand.

50mm Prime Lens

Like the 35mm above, the 50mm prime lens is super versatile too. It is much smaller and therefore handier, lighter, (less glass) and easier on the pocket. It is a better lens to use for half-body or slightly closer portraits especially when if there isn’t enough space in the room in to distance yourself from the subject.
One of the things I love about this lens is that viewed through a full frame camera, the angle of view most closely resembles that of the human eye (at 45mm). It helps me capture scenes that make it look like the viewer is right there looking at the scene. This is especially effective when using the layering technique which I love. This is also why I use the 50mm the lens for travel, family snaps, and even some street photography (for my personal use) on the rare occasions that I do so. This article I wrote expands on that; 5 Creative Uses for the Super Versatile 50mm Lens.

105mm Macro Lens

I purchased the Nikkor 105mm macro lens while saving up for a 70-200mm and also to have a smaller alternative. When used on a crop sensor it is the equivalent of about 150mm. At that time, I was avoiding having to carry the heavy lenses and stuck to primes with my shoots.
The 105mm is a fantastic portrait lens. I love the focal length. The compression from it makes the subjects look more flattered, and I especially love the beautiful creamy bokeh from the f/2.8 aperture. It is a sharp lens, but quite a slow one, so it’s not great for sports or shooting fast in low light as it tends to hunt for focus. It is an awesome macro lens and I use it for shooting rings and other accessories at weddings, especially those I want to get really close-up shots that I could not get with the 60mm. This lens sings at f/7 which is mostly what I use for macro shots.

85mm Prime Lens

Prior to purchasing my 85mm lens, I was saving up for the f/1.4 and read many reviews and comparisons of the two lenses. Some said the 85mm f/1.8 was better, while others said the Sigma f/1.4 was superior to the Nikkor. I ended up getting the f/1.8 for a third of the price and never looked back.
When you are used to the weight of the professional lenses though, the f/1.8 is a little disappointing because it is light in comparison and feels more plastic. Some people see that as a plus for traveling and location shoots – which I also do. It is an amazing lens, so reliable, fast, sharp and my number one choice for shooting portraits, especially wriggly kids! I never go on a family shoot without my 85mm as I need a super fast lens to capture those fleeting smiles and sharp eyelashes and this lens never disappoints! I use this for couple’s shoots, bride and groom portraits, individual and family portraits (mainly smaller groups, usually 2-3 people).
Its wide aperture allows me to use it indoors too, although being a longer lens, there may not be much space in a small room than a headshot or upper body shot. This is the perfect lens for those anyway, as you can get close enough to your subject while getting a really flattering portrait of them. Any longer and you may need to be shouting at them from far away.

70-200mm Zoom Lens

The 70-200mm zoom lens is one I could not do without nowadays. It is the ultimate portrait zoom. I shoot portraits with this lens when I am on location in wider spaces. I love the fact that even when stopped down to f/5.6 I can still get beautiful blur in the background and my subjects are super sharp. It has to be said that I do have to shoot quite far away as I like shooting outdoor portraits at 200mm, so I do end up shouting!
This is also the lens I use for weddings during the ceremony and speeches. The focal length range is perfect and allows me to mostly stay put rather than running around more than necessary, which can be really distracting during weddings.

I love cropping in camera through composition and this lens allows me to do that with great ease. If you can afford it, I recommend the 70-200mm f/2.8, without hesitation. There is also a more affordable f/4 alternative, although I have not personally had any experience shooting with it. I have read, however, that it is a great lens especially when you don’t need the wider aperture. To be honest, I rarely use this lens at f/2.8 anyway as it is heavy and I am terrified of shaking from the weight so I tend to stop down. On a tripod though I can happily snap at f/2.8, usually f/3.2 as long as I’m not photographing toddlers on the run!

24-70mm F2.8 Zoom Lens

This lens is a true all-rounder. It makes life easier in so many ways. It is fast, reliable, and although heavy, it’s quite slim. However, it is not the first lens I would reach for. Being an all-rounder makes this lens a non-specialist, in my opinion.
I love the 70mm focal length as it gives a bit more wiggle room as compared to the 85mm, but I still prefer the clean, crisp, sharpness of the image quality with the 85mm. For me, the 24-70mm lens is most useful for large and medium-sized group shots and for candid shots of children. I use this for photobooth setups and the first dance at weddings – both situations where constant focal length adjustment is required depending on how many people go in the booth, or where the couple are on the dance floor.
The quality of the image from this lens for practically any shot is still amazing and the bokeh is also pleasing. This is not my portrait lens choice but as a landscape, travelscape, snapshots, wide action shots lens, the the 24-70mm is superb.

60mm F2.8 Macro Lens

When I know I am not shooting portraits but would need a macro, I pick up my 60mm f/2.8 macro lens. It’s small and handy and has no lens distortions.
When I shoot portraits, like an engagement session for example, and need a macro for the ring, I go for the 105mm. For travel and holiday photos, where I know I would not necessarily need a flash, I take the 6omm instead of my 50mm. I can get super close-up images of details and still have a focal length still close enough to the human eye so I can get a documentary feel to my photographs. I don’t do much street photography, but if I did, this would probably be one of the lenses I would choose.
The same goes for still life. Although depending on how much focus you would want in your images, you need to adjust the aperture as well as the distance from the subject to make sure you achieve the desired depth of field.

What lenses do you have? Please share below how you use your lenses. What lenses do you use for which subjects? Which ones are your go-to lenses and why?

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Comparing a 24mm Versus 50mm Lens for Photographing People

By: Meredith Clark

#Canon#Image#Lens

Image taken with Canon 60D and Canon 24mm EF-S lens.

A number of dPS readers have recently been asking about the Canon 24mm EF-S pancake lens, and how it compares to a 50mm lenses for photographing people. Both are great options, given the price point, but they do have slightly different strengths when it comes to people photography. In this article, I’ll show you several different images of the same model, location, and posing, photographed with both a 24mm and a 50mm lens. This will provide a good visual of the difference between the two lenses, as well as give you insight as to when you might want to reach for each one.

Image taken with Canon 60D and 50mm lens.

For continuity, all images in this post were taken with a Canon 60D, and either the Canon 24mm f/2.8 or the Canon 50mm f/1.8 lenses. The 60D is an APS-C sensor (cropped sensor) camera, so first you need to multiply the focal length of each of your lenses by 1.6x in order to determine the functioning focal length of them on this camera (if you use Nikon it may be 1.5x, check your manual). So on a cropped sensor camera, the 24mm lens functions roughly as a 38mm lens, and the 50mm lens functions as an 80mm lens. In other words, the 50mm lens is great for head-and-shoulders portraits, while the 24mm lens is great for photographing people in the context of their surroundings. In the above example, you can see that the 50mm lens provided a tight shot of these two sisters, with a blurred background that keeps all the attention on their faces.
However, the context for this session is also important, in that it took place at a family vineyard, and the clients wanted to be sure that the grapes were also visible in the background of some of the images. As you can see above, the grapes really weren’t visible in the portrait taken with the 50mm lens, nor would closing down the aperture really give the perspective of the vineyard that my clients were looking for. So, after taking a few portraits with the 50mm, I switched over to my 24mm lens in order to capture a few wider shots.

Image taken with Canon 60D and Canon 24mm EF-S lens.

Same girls, same exact location, very similar pose. The only real difference here is that with the switch to the 24mm lens, you can see more of the girls and the the area around them. In some instances, you may want to minimize the area around your subject, in which case the 24mm lens would not be ideal. However, in this case it allowed for the images that highlighted both the girls and the vineyard, which was what the clients were after.
Bonus tip: Photographing sibling sets with a 24mm lens also allows you to see the height differences between siblings more easily with the wider angle shot, which is something that a lot of parents really enjoy.

Image taken with Canon 60D and 50mm lens.

Another thing to consider, besides the contents of the background in your images, is the coloring of the background. In the image above, the deep colored wood background brings a moodiness to the image that could be appropriate for a musician. However, the interesting thing is that the overall feeling of the image changes quite a bit when you look at it from the 24mm angle of view.

Image taken with Canon 60D and 24mm EF-S lens.

The second image, though in the same location, feels a lot less moody and dramatic than the first. The lighter stonework around the door brings a sense of balance to the image that just wouldn’t be achieved as well with the 50mm lens in this location. In my experience, this balance is especially important when it comes to converting images to black and white.

As you can see in the left image, the lighter stonework, around the darker door, serves as a frame for the subject, and naturally draws your eye in towards him. In addition, the increased contrast and texture provide some of the key ingredients for black and white images, which makes the image more aesthetically pleasing than the image on the right.
Overall, while there may be instances in which the content or coloring of your background may cause you to reach for one of these two lenses over the other, I’m very much in favor of using both of them whenever possible. Here’s a quick example from my own life to explain why both are so great for their own reasons. I recently photographed my girls in their Halloween costumes. I started with the 50mm lens because it’s my favorite.

Image taken with Canon 60D and 50mm lens.

I love this image of both girls (above) – the 50mm lens really lets you see their faces and expressions well, and the bokeh of the 50mm f/1.8 helped soften the literal construction site in the background of the image. However, the closer crop also means that only a small portion of their costumes were visible.
So, I switched over to my 24mm lens to take a full-length photo (below) of my little monkey and my lion as well. Now, I can really see them from head to toe. I can see the little fake feet of the monkey costume that freaked my youngest daughter out so much that she begged her sister to switch costumes with her. I can see the height difference between the two of them. I can see the black flats that my oldest daughter is so proud of, and wears to any event that she deems remotely “fancy”. Those are all things that I want to look back on, and remember. I love both images for different reasons, and am so happy to have them both, thanks to my trusty 24mm and 50mm lenses.

Image taken with Canon 60D and 24mm EF-S lens

I hope this has given you a good idea of how these two focal lengths compare when photographing people.
Have you tried the Canon 24mm EF-S lens? How do you use it? Do you have a nifty-fifty and do you use it for people photography? Which is your favorite? Please share your comments and images below.

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5 Tips for Mastering Shadows in Your Photography

By: Karthika Gupta

Walking into a dimly lit room can be a photographer’s worse nightmare. Dark walls, low lighting, and weird shadows are enough to give even the calmest photographer a case of anxiety. Does this sound familiar? It did to me when I was first starting out and claimed to be a natural light photographer.
Because let’s face it, I did not know how to use my flash and more importantly did not know how to read light. Yes, I said that right. As a photographer, you not only see light but also need to learn the art of reading light – the type of light, the quality of light and also how the light will affect your final image.
The more I started to photograph people and places, the more I realized that but finding light among the shadows wasn’t really that scary or daunting.


#Photographers#lowlighting#Shadows

Master the shadows

Imagine for a moment the confidence you would feel if you can walk into any indoor lighting situation and think to yourself, “Yes, I got this”. And I don’t mean using your off-camera flash or strobes to light up the whole scene like the fourth of July fireworks display. I mean using only available light to create some magical photos.
Now don’t get me wrong, I still love images taken in natural light as they feel really light, airy, and inviting to me. But shooting in a low-key style, embracing shadows to create some dramatic portraits is just as fun and exciting.
For the past few years, I have felt a little limited in my photography in terms of only photographing in bright, open, natural light conditions. Living in Chicago, our summers are quite short and fall is usually a mix of rain, thunderstorms and more rain. I learned very quickly that I needed to get out of my comfort zone and figure out how to photograph indoors and do it confidently and creatively.
A less I quickly learned is that shadows play such an important role in shaping light, setting the mood, rendering depth, and creating drama. In the absence of floor-to-ceiling multi-windowed, light-filled rooms to photograph in, embracing shadows may be the perfect solution for unleashing your creativity.

#1 Gear choices

If you have a choice between prime and zoom lenses, choose the former. Primes are generally considered fast lenses with an aperture of f/1.8 or larger and allow what light there is to reach the camera’s sensor. My Canon 50mm f/1.2 is on my camera 80% of the time I am photographing indoors.
Make sure to also meter appropriately. I use spot metering most of the time and have my center spot set to the brightest area on my subject’s face/skin. This, in itself, will help to get a dramatically lit image. It will expose the highlights properly and allow the rest of the scene to have shadows for a range of tones.
Ensure you expose properly as well. If the capture is underexposed, attempting to correct it in post-processing only adds noise. In general, I tend to overexposure my photos by at least 1/3 stop no matter where I am photographing. I have found that this allows me to minimize noise and retain as much detail as possible in the shadows.
My White Balance is set to Auto. You can choose to set White Balance via the custom Kelvin function so that it can cut down processing time later. I find that being in Auto works really well in most cases and I am okay with minor adjustments in post-processing if required. Learn to embrace a bit of noise by increasing the ISO especially if the room is really dark.

#2 Single light source

A single light source such as a small window or open door can work wonders for your image.
When you are working with dark spaces and limited light, you’ll be surprised how little light you actually need.
If you have north-facing windows, they tend to bring in a softer and more directional light as
opposed to east or west facing. Those tend to bring strong light depending on where the sun is in the sky at the time you are photographing.

Backlight magic.

The bride is facing the window and her profile is evenly lit. But the dark drapes behind her render the background almost black – I quite love the drama of light and dark happening in this photo – achieved by just placing the subject in a specific spot.

#3 Direction and quality of light

Both the direction and the quality of light play significant roles in the mood of an image. So understanding the variety, nature, and use of each will help you make informed decisions
about how to achieve your end goal.
Hard, focused light tends to amp up the overall drama of the image, emphasizing texture
and detail, and producing contrasty shadows with sharp, defined edges. Soft, diffused light
gives shadows soft, feathered edges that recede gently (dither away), making it flattering and versatile for human subjects for the way it minimizes texture and detail (i.e., flaws).
The angle and direction of the light you choose depend on your shooting style and your intent
for the image or session. Typically, I do not position the subject facing the light source because it gives a flat, one-dimensional look to the subject’s features. I prefer lighting my subjects from
the side for the depth and dimension the shadows give the subject’s features and the rest of the
frame. Backlighting the subject has its uses, particularly if your intent is to somewhat abstract the subject to get an airy, dreamlike feel.

On the left, the bride is facing the window straight on, so the light on her face is even and soft. 

On the right, the bride is facing the window but at a 45-degree angle. So her portrait is a mix 

of more dramatic light as well as darker shadows.

#4 Mathematics in photography

The mathematical law of the Inverse Square describes how the illumination from a light source diminishes over distances.
Imagine the beam of a spotlight as it widens and grows dimmer in the distance. Now center a subject in the beam close to spotlight itself and the light will be harsh. But if you move the subject in a straight line to stand about 6 feet from the light, how much less light is hitting the subject them? With the distance doubled, the light hitting the subject is diminished by three quarters.
In a real-world context, let’s say you’ve got a background to work with and maybe a surface to bounce light into the scene. Plus all kinds of diffusers and filters to modify the light source, and a choice of where to place the subject in relation to the background and the light source as well as placing yourself and the camera.
Generally, you can add drama to the image by positioning your subject close to the light source and away from the background. The light will illuminate the subject and everything behind her will dwindle into shadow. That’s a quick and easy way to create a dark background in-camera. Conversely, placing the subject further from the light source and closer to the background will create a more evenly lit scene with a more gradual shift between light and shadow (the background will be lighter as well).

On the left, the bride is farther away from the light source and hence she is more in the 

shadows as compared to the image on the right where she is facing the window light and 

is closer to the light source. So more of her face is being illuminated with the light coming 

from the window.

#5 Modify or mold your light source

If you find yourself with an over-abundance of natural/available light, using modifiers is an
easy way to control the amount and intensity of the lighting on your subject.
Sheer curtains and blinds can be used to reduce or diffuse light, making it softer and subtler.
You can decrease the size of the light source to increase shadows and increase drama with the
use of blackout curtains or by partially shutting doors. Remember, the more light you let in,
the less intense the shadows.
I hope these examples motivate you to look differently at shadows. There are no photography monsters hiding in them! They are, in fact, quite useful in adding some drama and interest
in your photographs.

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Embracing Shadows in Photography – A Lesson for Light and Life

By: Caz Nowaczyk

In this fantastic video by Sean Tucker, he takes a look at the ways shadows can be used in photography to create mystery and depth.

Shadows in film

Throughout this process, he examines the work of cinematographer, Roger Deakins, and looks at stills from his films Skyfall, Bladerunner, Jarhead and Unbroken. Using these amazing film stills, he analyses how the Deakins uses color, backlight, selective lighting and loads of deep shadows to create mystery and mood in his images.
According to Sean, many photographers say that using film as a point-of-reference for this type of photography is difficult because the same type of images cannot be captured in stills. As photographers, we simply don’t have access to million-dollar lighting set-ups and set design.

Photographers who tell stories through shadows

So, as part of this perspective, Sean also looks at photographers, Constantine Manos, Ray Metzker, Saul Leiter, and Trent Parke who manage to capture shadows in creative ways. These photographers manage to do this through the use of natural light and in the genres of landscape, portraiture and street photography. Through these images, they sculpt light, create character and tell stories with an interesting narrative. These images draw the viewer in and tell richer stories.
In the video, Sean also discusses the limitations of cameras to see the full dynamic range of the eye. He shows us exactly how this theory works with our camera through a diagrammatic presentation. A helpful tool for those wanting to understand dynamic range.

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Embrace your Shadows: A lesson for Light and Life