Case study: Natural light vs. OCF

Photographers, while you’re panicking a couple of lights scenario, I comprehend it can also be tempting to accept “excellent sufficient!”

However you and I *each* know there’s a HUGE distinction between how a photograph appears to be like at the 2″ display screen at the again of your digital camera… vs. full-size whenever you’ve imported into LightRoom.

Abruptly what handed for “excellent sufficient” on set… now falls in need of what you knew you should have executed, if simplest you’d been pondering extra obviously.

I wrote this publish a pair weeks in the past about why we should forestall the use of the identify “herbal mild photographer” as a protect/excuse for why we don’t want to be told off-camera flash (OCF).

And “excellent sufficient” represents an enormous temptation to preserving clinging to that herbal mild photographer title plate.

However while you’re prepared to push previous “excellent sufficient” for the sake of your clients- while you’re prepared to attempt for excellence– there’s a terrific praise for BOTH your customers and you!

Your customers obtain a greater ultimate product. It’s the lengthy and in need of it.

And also you, having the ability to guar.an.tee effects? It method the referrals come extra often, and your charges will keep growing.

“Excellent sufficient” is any other word for “moderate.”

And customers don’t depart rave critiques for moderate products and services.

There’s a quote I like via the Greek poet, Archilocus- “We don’t upward thrust to the extent of our expectancies. We fall to the extent of our coaching.”

Check out those two footage of my shopper Wendy, taken 365 days apart-

September 2021 (herbal mild simplest)

f/5.6, ISO 2500, 1/80

Our number one mild within the picture above used to be coming from a small window, situated to the left of the body. And the sunshine coming in from the window used to be mirrored off the swimming pool in Wendy’s yard, proper outdoor her studio. We additionally had mild coming in in the course of the window without delay in the back of her, and I believe we additionally opened the tiny door on the again left of the studio.

So the entire direct mild on Wendy’s individual used to be coming in at a 90-degree perspective, after which that mild used to be bouncing across the room to fill within the shadows (selecting up colour casts alongside the way in which). The background is overexposed as a result of I used to be making an attempt to reveal for Wendy’s face, which means compared to the remainder of the body, Wendy is underexposed.

Let me be clear- that is nonetheless a wonderful photograph! Wendy appears to be like unbelievable, and I’m nonetheless pleased with this body. It used to be what I name the “hero shot” from my shopper Wendy’s first emblem shoot, and I’d be happy to have that picture on show as of late!

BUT.

After a number of shoots in 2022 that required me to flex each dang OCF muscle I possess, I took any other take a look at this picture and knew I may do higher.

So when Wendy informed me she used to be making plans to make use of this photograph for the duvet of her e book, I begged her to let me re-shoot this scene whilst we had been making plans for our 3rd emblem shoot in September 2022 (see shoot 1 right here and shoot 2 right here!), however this time with a *kiss* of lend a hand from my Profoto + small softbox.

Right here’s what we got here up with:

f/4.0, ISO 1000, 1/125, plus a Profoto mild with a small softbox

Do you notice how a lot cleaner her skintones are? How a lot more even the sunshine is throughout her face, how a lot more true the colours are right through the body as a result of I wiped clean up my mild resources? Have a look at the paper at the again wall- I didn’t need to blow out my background so as to mild my topic, since the help from my softbox gave me keep watch over over highlights on Wendy’s face & individual, which means Wendy pops off the background extra (best for her e book quilt!).

I didn’t *do away with* the herbal mild, I simply wiped clean it up- I balanced OCF with the ambient mild coming in from outdoor, however as a result of I used to be in a position to mild Wendy’s entrance, there are fewer dramatic shadows throughout her face.

Right here’s a side-by-side:

That is what OCF literacy can do for you- can help you take your images from “excellent sufficient” to “superb.” And the excellent news is that it’s SUPER easy! This used to be a one-light set-up. It used to be lit with simply the only flash + the ambient mild within the studio!

You don’t need to overcomplicate lighting- I comprehend it can really feel intimidating to get began, however there’s so a lot more looking forward to you at the different facet:

• The facility to take a shot from excellent –> nice
• The versatility to shoot in any lights stipulations, it doesn’t matter what the skies seem like outdoor
• The ability to shoot in nearly any area, regardless of how large or small (and this studio used to be a decent area for the use of OCF!)

If you happen to’re a photographer who trembles at a forecast of grey skies or rain since you’re depending on Mom Nature to generate mild for you, it’s time to reconsider you’re method.

I promise- it’s more uncomplicated than you assume.

And the rise on your personal self belief when strolling right into a shoot is definitely worth the effort, 10/10.

In similar information, coming quickly…

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