The goal of today’s video is to debunk a common myth that it’s essential to always shoot in manual mode if you want to capture the best possible images. In fact, you may be surprised by why Aperture Priority is such a powerful choice for achieving consistently accurate exposures without fumbling around to change various other setting,
Instructor Justin Laurens is a professional portrait photographer and retouching expert who admits that, when first starting out, he bought in to the notion that serious photographers always shoot in manual. His approach changed as he gained experience and switched to the semi-automatic AV mode for reasons he explains.
He urges you to “say goodbye to complicated settings and the hassle of constantly adjusting exposure setting between shots.” He further insists that the mode he now prefers is a gamechanger for photographers of all skill levels, while making the shooting experience feel effortless. The advice he provides isn’t limited to portraiture and is just as effective for whatever types of photos you shoot.
Laurens also reveals a helpful hack to make this camera mode super effective when shooting in difficult conditions like rapidly changing outdoor light, indoor photography, and when low light is the name of the game. It’s all about maintaining control over exposure without the “complexities and inconvenience” of using Manual mode.
Choosing the most appropriate Aperture and letting the camera handle other parameters enables you to easily control depth of field and determine how soft or sharp you want a background to appear—thereby directing viewer’s to exactly where you want them to go. As he says, “this mode is not only flexible and versatile, but it also empowers you to focus more on creativity and composition while your camera takes care of the rest.”
Laurens recommends shooting at f/1.4 or f/2 if you own a fast lens because this will enable you capture images with a soft, dreamy “cinematic” effect. He also provides solid advice for using aperture priority with slower lenses.
As you’ll see, Aperture Priority mode is not without its drawbacks. That’s because, in certain tricky situations, the camera’s automatic adjustment of the shutter to maintain proper exposure can result in a shutter speed that’s way too slow—especially if you’re not paying attention. That can lead to unsharp images due to subject or camera movement.
But this is where Laurens’ hack comes to the rescue, with an easy and effective modification that allows you to harness the power of Aperture Priority while avoiding all its shortcomings in challenging lighting conditions. After watching the video head over to his instructional YouTube channel for more shooting and editing advice.
And don’t miss the tutorial we posted earlier that questions another popular notion, by explaining the essentials of focus bracketing, when you should definitely use it, and when the technique is merely a waste of time.
Sooner or later you’ll be asked to photograph a female friend or significant other, even if portraiture isn’t your thing. In fact, you may even decide to model for yourself.
The tutorial below is very valuable for photographers of all skill levels, and it demystifies one of the most important tasks; namely, how to achieve alluring poses that please both you and your model. This lesson features photographer Daria Koso who provides 50 proven poses in barely 15 minutes that will improve confidence for all concerned.
Koso is a Miami-based pro specializing in fashion photography whose stunning imagery has been featured in numerous national publications like Harper’s Bazaar and Glamour. The tips she illustrates in today’s episode fly by in a hurry, so you may want to bookmark the video or jot down a few notes.
This video was originally designed for inexperienced “models” who are uncertain about how to position themselves in the most flattering way. But it’s our job as photographers to provide clear direction to our subjects, so the tips are equally important for you.
Koso demonstrates the poses she recommends because, as you’ll see, she could just as easily work as a professional model herself. Her first recommendation is essential; namely making sure your subject feels comfortable in front of the camera. You can be a big help in this regard by proceeding calmly while offering positive feedback, direction, and encouragement.
One easy tip is to have the subject pull back her shoulders and drop them. This creates the appearance of a longer neck and delivers a confident look. Then by bringing the chest out, the subject’s breasts will appear fuller if that’s what she wants.
Another key posing suggestion helps avoid the appearance of a double chin. This is accomplished by raising the chin, moving it forward, and then dropping it slightly. You’ll also see why portraits may look better if the subject isn’t always facing the camera directly or striking a profile pose. There are a variety of other angles that can far more effective for capturing a great shot.
There are still 47 poses remaining, and all are easy to explain and accomplish. So find a willing subject, give these posing suggestions a try, and you may just consider yourself a portrait photographer after all.
Be sure to explore Koso’s popular YouTube channel where there’s a variety of great advice for always making portrait subjects look their best.
We also suggest checking out last month’s related tutorial in which another top pro explains how to shoot sensuous outdoor boudoir photos with available light.
Today we’re bringing you the 10th installment of the popular Master Lightroom Classic series from British wedding photographer James Feaver who recommends that you make sure your software is up to date before following along.
Lightroom Classic’s latest Lens Blur tools lets you enhance images in a variety of compelling ways that are often difficult to achieve in the camera depending upon the task at hand and the lighting conditions you confront. There are also some interesting effects for quickly modifying the look and feel of an image.
Feaver describes the topic like this: “Lightroom’s Len Blur is a brand new tool that allows you to customize and change the depth of field and plane of focus within a photo.” You’ll need to update Lightroom Classic to at least version 13.0 to take advantage of these new capabilities. Feaver also notes that, “because this is an early access tool you may discover a few temporary glitches.”
According to Feaver you can achieve professional results Lightroom’s Lens Blur panel in its current form, and he provides several examples of how everything works so you can add it to your workflow today. He’s working within the Develop panel where you’ll find the new Lens Blur options between Transform and Effects.
Feaver notes that the adjustments you make can take anywhere from a few seconds to several minutes depending upon the speed of your computer and the complexity of the photo at hand. He’s using a new high-end Mac so the effects he applies are completed quickly after clicking on “Apply.”
You’ll see how blur is applied automatically and learn several ways to refine the result. There’s a Blur Amount slider that simply controls the strength of the blur—not depth of field. He recommends not exceeding a value of 50, otherwise you may end up with an unrealistic look.
Another important slider is labeled Bokeh, with five options and a Boost slider. Beneath that is where you’ll find the Focus Range control, which Feaver describes as “the crux of what Lightroom’s Lens Blur tool really does,” so pay close attention to how he puts it to use. Unlike the Lens Blur tools found in Photoshop or other editors, Lightroom “creates a depth map and then applies blur according to how close or far it is from the plane of focus.”
The foregoing is just a taste of the methods described in the video, so be sure to watch until the end and maybe take a few notes. The use of this new panel is quite straightforward, but there are plenty of capabilities to remember. But once you get the hang of it the techniques will become second nature.
Be sure to pay a visit to Feaver’s instructional YouTube channel that has plenty more to offer. And don’t miss a tutorial we posted earlier, demonstrating three quick steps for eliminating ugly banding from photographs in Photoshop.
