Photography Lighting Equipment 101

Ask any photographer what the most important element is to photography and chances are he won't say a DSLR camera

. He'll say lighting. Lighting refers to both natural and artificial light, as well as its intensity and direction. Natural light is usually ideal for many situations. Best of all, there is no extra equipment, power chords, or batteries required. And of course it looks the most natural because, well it is! Keep in mind that we're not just talking about those bright sunny days. Depending on what you want to achieve, you can utilize overcast skies, the deep blues of twilight, bright reds and oranges at sunset and sunrise, starlight, and much more.

Photographers are well aware, though, that natural light isn't always ideal. It doesn't always give us the desired effect we're looking for, we might be working indoors, or we need a sunny sky on a rainy day. That's when you need to equip yourself with photography lighting equipment. But there is a lot out there to choose from and it's best to experiment with a variety of sources and find what works best for your studio or photoshoot.

In terms of actual light sources, you have fluorescent, strobe, tungsten, halogen, and HMI lights. Each come with pros and cons, and you may find it best to own several types depending on what your needs are. Fluorescent lighting seems more natural indoors and is better for black and white photography since they can produce more blues and greens in color photographs. Tungsten lighting is a popular choice because they are flexible and much warmer than fluorescent lights. However, their yellowish appearance can sometimes be a disadvantage. Strobe lighting on the other hand, is the same color as daylight. HMI lights are cooler in comparison to the other choices and offer consistent color temperature, while halogen is more energy efficient and produces a brighter, whiter light.

Many photographers learn to make excellent use of off-camera flashes, especially since they offer much better control than the camera's internal flash. With an external, you can learn how to bounce light off ceilings and walls and make use of accessories like diffusers.

Studio photographers will often add several accessories to their photography lighting equipment such as light tents, barn doors, umbrellas, diffusers, and reflectors. Some are used to soften lighting and decrease shadows. Others are intended to focus the light in a specific direction.

Mastering each piece individually is a smart move and when you're ready, you can slowly integrate several pieces of equipment together in order to achieve the desired effects. While having an expensive camera is always nice, you can still take terrible shots with bad lighting. Master photography lighting equipment and you just may be able to master photography.

by:Mark Etinger

POST COMMENT

Semco Infratech - Manufacture Every Types Of Reverse Osmosis System The Reliability And Noise Of Electronic Products Various Electronic Products And Electrical Gadgets The Difference Between A Shopaholic And An Abundance Enjoyer Applications And Uses Of Laboratory Incubators Metal Fabrication Welding For High End Industrial Equipment How Can Centrifuge Be Used For Laboratory Applications And Biological Research? Oil Testing Laboratory In Wisconsin Fixing The Home Appliance With Effectiveness Oil Analysis Laboratory In Wisconsin A Career For Shopaholics Online Stores For Men: How Men Became The New Online Shopaholics The Different Types Of Laboratory Equipment