Nothing but window light.
For those of you new to my blog, I teach an online class with the BPSOP, and I also conduct my “Stretching Your Frame of Mind” workshops all over the place. I was going through some old photos of a trip we took after my Paris Workshop. We spent a week in an apartment in St. Andrews, Scotland, right across a small street where the British Open is played.
We decided to take the advice of a newly acquainted friend we met in a pub and check out a castle about an hour’s drive from us. The name of the castle escapes me but it’s really not important as far as this quick photo tip is concerned.
I say that because of the nature of this castle (as well as so many others) is to be “user-friendly”. In other words there were people standing around answering questions dressed up in period clothing; and more than willing to be photographed.
That’s all well and good, but the problem with that is the lighting. It’s a castle so it’s fairly dark which maks it difficult to shoot a decent portrait…unless you are using a flash which is worse!! Of course you always have your trusty phone but the lighting is sill the same. You’re just not going to get the contrast, depth, and visual interest you would if you had better lighting.
There is a solution and it will take your images way up a level. It’s possible if you have models willing to give you some time; especially if you email them a copy.
In the three images I’ve shown, I asked the three people if they would come over and stand next to a window so I could use the beautiful available light coming in…worked like a charm!!
Of course by doing this and exposing for them, the rest of the room became quite dark. This is an easy fix by merely spending a few minutes in either Lightroom or Photoshop. I opened up the shadows a little too much making them appear flat. I then went into ‘Levels’ and made the blacks blacker to add contrast.
It’s called “Crushing the Blacks” and I’ll be writing a post about it in the near future.
So my fellow photographers, the next time you’re traveling and you either read or hear about some castle or any historical building, find out if people are dressed up and walking around answering qustions. Most importantently if they’re letting people take their photo.
Visit my website at: www.joebaraban.com, and check out my workshop schedule at the top of this blog. Come shoot with me sometime.
JoeB
