I've read on here that you are better off learning with window light for portraits if it's available rather that studio style lighting. Now I'm a total beginner so I'm trying to soak in all the info given to me, but I was reading an article by a well know portrait photographer, cant remmember his name, and he said that people who don't use artificial lighting don't because they don't know how. Now I'm all confused. Surely it's best to use all tools available?
Natural or Powered lighting
- Thread starter Ry02hut
- Start date
- Messages
- 9,438
- Name
- Stuart
- Edit My Images
- No
I use both, depending on the situation, it is worth learning natural light, as do prefer the look, but wouldn't say there is a right and wrong way, if you have the natural stuff use it, if not use flash, a full understanding of how light works is what is more important, such as where the light comes from, when to use fill, when to use shadow, and most importantly correct exposure, the final image is the main thing, not how you got there 
Phil V
Suspended / Banned
- Messages
- 26,303
- Name
- Phil
- Edit My Images
- No
I wouldn't let one pro photographers opinion get to you too much,
You could aim to be an expert with all types of lighting, you could choose to specialise in flash or video lights or daylight or desk lamps...
The important thing (as you thought you knew) is to learn about light, how it works, how the direction and quality of it change the shape of an object / subject.
Sticking to 'natural light' because you don't understand flash or are scared to try or learn, is a completely different thing to having a preference for shooting in natural light because you appreciate the skill required to bet the most from it.
In the same way that choosing to shoot film because you can be sloppy with your exposures and the magic lab machine will give you OK prints is different to choosing film because you appreciate how it'll render your shadow detail and if you pull or push it in different directions it gives you immense image control.
Learn to shoot with windowlight and reflectors, when you get frustrated that you can't get what you want, explore flash as a tool to give you more control no matter what conditions you're faced with.
But most importantly, whilst you're learning and practising, enjoy yourself, that's what it's all about. And ignore anyone who says Canon/Nikon, Manual/Auto, Flash/Natural, Film/Digital is in any way an obvious choice.
You could aim to be an expert with all types of lighting, you could choose to specialise in flash or video lights or daylight or desk lamps...
The important thing (as you thought you knew) is to learn about light, how it works, how the direction and quality of it change the shape of an object / subject.
Sticking to 'natural light' because you don't understand flash or are scared to try or learn, is a completely different thing to having a preference for shooting in natural light because you appreciate the skill required to bet the most from it.
In the same way that choosing to shoot film because you can be sloppy with your exposures and the magic lab machine will give you OK prints is different to choosing film because you appreciate how it'll render your shadow detail and if you pull or push it in different directions it gives you immense image control.
Learn to shoot with windowlight and reflectors, when you get frustrated that you can't get what you want, explore flash as a tool to give you more control no matter what conditions you're faced with.
But most importantly, whilst you're learning and practising, enjoy yourself, that's what it's all about. And ignore anyone who says Canon/Nikon, Manual/Auto, Flash/Natural, Film/Digital is in any way an obvious choice.
HoppyUK
Suspended / Banned
- Messages
- 23,200
- Name
- Richard
- Edit My Images
- No
There is more than a little truth in that IMHO. Using flash properly requires equipment, knowledge and experience that many very able photographers simply don't posses. So they convince themselves that natural or ambient light is better, somehow inherently 'pure' and good.
It's not - there's good light and there's bad light. Daylight can be terrible, and often is. Artificial light indoors is almost always average at best, more often it's rubbish. But changing it can be difficult, sometimes impractical/impossible, and flash used badly can often make things worse.
itsdavedotnet
Suspended / Banned
- Messages
- 5,864
- Edit My Images
- No
For me, and my style, 'natural' in quotes lighting is the key. By that, I mean that light should generally be motivated and make sense!
The way that we are used to seeing things, and tr way that our brain processes shadows, sort of define how to make light that we perceive as flattering or logical. Joe McNally does a good job of both explaining, and putting this into practice (at least in his older stuff, rather than his new 'sponsored by Nikon so lets use a million speed lights thing)
How you make that light is more defined by your medium an production than anything else.
The way that we are used to seeing things, and tr way that our brain processes shadows, sort of define how to make light that we perceive as flattering or logical. Joe McNally does a good job of both explaining, and putting this into practice (at least in his older stuff, rather than his new 'sponsored by Nikon so lets use a million speed lights thing)
How you make that light is more defined by your medium an production than anything else.
Garry Edwards
Moderator
- Messages
- 13,475
- Name
- Garry Edwards
- Edit My Images
- No
There's some very good advice, above.
Basically, light is light. The best of the best don't use light, they make it. They generally don't have any firm views on what "type" of light is the best, they just use whatever is available at the time and make it what they want it to be.
People who are lower down on the scale and who have less knowledge, less skill and less experience tend to have firm views of one kind or another, i.e. they insist that there is something special about daylight, or continuous lighting, or a particular type of continuous lighting, or flash, or even a particular brand of flash.
Basically, light is light. The best of the best don't use light, they make it. They generally don't have any firm views on what "type" of light is the best, they just use whatever is available at the time and make it what they want it to be.
People who are lower down on the scale and who have less knowledge, less skill and less experience tend to have firm views of one kind or another, i.e. they insist that there is something special about daylight, or continuous lighting, or a particular type of continuous lighting, or flash, or even a particular brand of flash.