For those who are starting to feel comfortable with their camera's creative modes and now want to take portraits or product shots aided by low cost lighting equipment, this 3-hour course should fit the bill.
Dubbed 'Lighting for the Beginner Photographer', the course provides plenty of hands-on practice using equipment the student may not yet own. All that is required is to bring along a digital SLR and to have an understanding of the basic concepts in the Digital Photography for Beginners course. You can also bring a hot-shoe flash if you have one.This is taught in my home in London, Ontario.
To register for the course, please visit http://filmscapes.ca/html/photography_courses.html
Here is an outline of the course (subject to change):
1.
The Camera’s Creative Modes
a.
Review of Aperture Priority, Shutter Priority,
Program and Manual Modes
b.
When to use these modes in available light
c.
When to use these modes with fill flash (built
in to the camera or external)
d.
Taking control of light and depth of field in
the studio with Manual mode
e.
Flash sync and its relationship to maximum shutter
speed
PRACTICE: Using fill flash in various creative modes.
Observing shutter speed limitations with flash.
2.
Light Sources and Exposure
a.
The meaning of colour temperature and its
relationship to outdoor and artificial light
b.
Selecting white balance for the light source
(outdoor light/flash/indoor lighting)
i.
Preset vs. auto white balance
ii.
Custom white balance: when to use and how to set
it
c.
The hot-shoe flash vs. the built-in flash
d.
Strobes (optional)
e.
Continuous (hot) lights
f.
Guide Numbers and Watt-Seconds
g.
Use of the light/flash meter (optional)
h.
Camera metering modes
i.
The histogram as an exposure tool and the
meaning of 18% grey
PRACTICE: Experimenting with White Balance presets. Setting
a custom white balance. Shooting without flash using various metering modes and
comparing results in the histograms.
3.
Remote Triggering of Flash/Strobe
a.
Radio triggers and adapters for flash mounted on
light stand
b.
Optical triggering
c.
Controlling the flash in manual mode
d.
Controlling the strobe output (optional)
PRACTICE: Setting remote flash output. Triggering from
camera with radio trigger or optically from camera’s flash.
4.
Introduction to Light Diffusers and Reflectors
a.
Umbrellas
b.
Soft Boxes for strobes and hot-shoe flash
c.
Reflectors and Absorbers: outdoors with/without
flash; in the studio
d.
Diffusers for harsh daylight
PRACTICE: Take a portrait shot/object shot with remote
flash, with and without umbrella Repeat using available light and reflector,
then diffuser.
5.
Basic Portraiture Methods
a.
Background stands
b.
Choice of material and colour for the type of
shoot (including green screen)
c.
The role of depth of field and lens choice
d.
Using natural light
e.
The single light setup
f.
The two light setup
g.
Balancing sources for intensity
h.
Mixed light sources and the importance of custom
white balance
PRACTICE:
-
Portraiture/object shoot using window light and
choice of background (try black then white)
-
Portraiture/object shoot using window light,
reflector and/or absorber and choice of background
-
Portraiture/object shoot using window light and
single hair light (custom white balance)
-
Portraiture/object shoot using single light in
studio setting (custom white balance)
-
Portraiture/object shoot using two lights with
umbrellas/soft boxes in studio setting (custom white balance)
-
Experiments with other combinations
