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Master Photographers Tell You How

Natalie Fobes: Ten Tips on Lighting and Creativity Master Photographer Natalie Fobes offers ten tips on light and creativity Article rating: 8.69

1. Look for the light. Learn to see and use available light. Don’t just think highlight here. Think about using the available light to fill in a flash’s highlights or soften the harsh edge. Experiment with rear-curtain sync and a slow shutter speed to “burn in” the existing light.

2. Learn to create “available” light. If you bring your light with you, you will always be assured it is there in a pinch. Don’t think only large strobes but small system strobes with an array of small slave strobes. My favorites are made by Morris.  I’ve used them to replicate candle light (with an orange gel) in a classy restaurant, cooking fire light (with a red gel) in a thatched roof Guatemalan hut, lamplight in an upscale Whistler, Canada, bed and breakfast, to name a few. I trigger them with a small, sometimes undetectable, burst from my on camera flash.

3. When in a tricky lighting situation, such as the one on a fishing boat where they were harvesting salmon at night, place your flashes where the existing lights are. Then use your on-camera flash to trip the lights. The lighting in this photo is harsh, edgy, and looks real because of it.

4. Learn how to use your flash on manual. If you create a pleasing ratio then you won’t be unpleasantly surprised when you see the images.

5. Break the rules of composition ala Arnold Newman whenever possible.

6. Learn to be a businessperson first, photographer second. You have to stay in business to continue making great and story-telling images.

7. Do not betray the trust that your subject gives you. Each person you photograph should be treated with respect and compassion.

8. Consider every shoot an opportunity to stretch your creative boundaries. Take the safe shots first and then experiment. It is what you must do to keep your passion for photography alive.

9. Give the content or message in your photograph the respect it deserves. Too many people worry only about the technical aspects of the print and not about what the image says.

10. Give back to the community. Take the time to shoot the stories that need to be told, those stories that can make a positive difference in the world. Take the time to shoot the photographs that can make a positive difference in someone’s life. Photography is a powerful tool to educate, enlighten, move and communicate. Use it.

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	It is very interesting, too natural ! Please keep it up. Posted by: ONIFADE SAM OLANIYI Jun 12, 2007 @ 2:52 PM EST
	i think these tips are really good i'm only 14 but i really wanna be a photographer when i grow up i just don't know how to feed my craving inside 2 take pictures i mean u can only take so many pictures of your dog and flowers i've ran out of pictures 2 take i don't think people would let me come up 2 them and take pictures .........would they? Posted by: kiki Jul 2, 2007 @ 12:36 AM EST
	These "ten tips" should be renamed as "ten principles". It is indeed an expression of your philosophy of life on how you look into a scene the moment you captured it by your camera. Thanks for sharing your thoughts. Posted by: chuck ng Nov 9, 2007 @ 6:25 PM EST
	very good ,wish should have something more like this. Posted by: RAKESH TRIKHA Mar 3, 2008 @ 1:43 AM EST
	Professional of the highest calibre. Thanks to Ms. Natalie Fobes' sharing of her experience to everyone. One can really feel the tips at work on seeing her pictures. A professional artist indeed. My compliments and thanks to Natalie and to you as well for bringing the info to us. Would you please tell me if she has written any books or created any video presentation on lighting techniques? Posted by: Vidyasankar Mar 13, 2008 @ 1:21 AM EST
	It's wonderful that someone with such talent will share her tips and tricks. Iam sending this site to my step-daughter as she is superb with the camera without training, this site will enable her to use her talents with the much needed tips to create a life long business. Thank you, Natalie. Posted by: SM Hynes Aug 30, 2008 @ 4:15 PM EST

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