Lighting is crucial to portrait photography, and learning to use artificial lights will free you from the constraints of working with just the sun. This helpful video tutorial will show you how to do that. 

Coming to you from Eli Infante, this engaging video sheds light on the nuanced process of capturing portraits that tell a story. Infante’s methodical approach to planning and executing a photo shoot during the golden hour illuminates the critical balance between ambient light and artificial lighting to achieve the desired mood and atmosphere in portraits. His detailed explanation of adjusting camera settings to complement the natural light, while also making the most of a strobe for fill light, offers invaluable lessons on managing light to sculpt and define the subject.

Moreover, Infante delves into the importance of composition and posing, highlighting how these elements contribute to the overall impact of a portrait. By analyzing different poses and compositions against the backdrop of a stunning sunset, he demonstrates how photographers can guide their subjects to interact with the environment in a way that brings out their personality and enhances the narrative of the shot. The tutorial also covers practical tips for ensuring the stability of lighting equipment in challenging outdoor conditions.

In addition to capturing techniques, Infante provides a thorough walkthrough of the post-processing workflow, from raw adjustments to detailed retouching. The before-and-after comparisons not only reveal the transformative power of post-processing but also encourage viewers to experiment with their creative vision in the editing phase. Check out the video above for the full rundown from Infante.

Submissions can focus on rural, urban or natural landscapes, or various outdoor subjects of interest, such as animals or birds, or even people skiing for example.

“[It’s to highlight] different ways we enjoy winter,” Garven said. “Someone wrote in asking if they could send a photo of their pet in the snow. That’s sort of the thing we’re looking at. It could be a cityscape in winter, a photograph of the downtown park, or some of our buildings draped in snow.”

Garven noted this is the gallery’s first winter photography show so the offerings should be interesting.

“In the past, we’ve had exhibitions by Battlefords photo clubs, Roger Giesbrecht, Stuart Kasdorf, and some other photographers, but we haven’t had too many [shows] lately,” she said.

Artists or photographers will need to arrange to have their work delivered to the Chapel Gallery by 4 p.m. on Feb. 11 to take part.

Garven noted the gallery has already been contacted by several people who plan to submit some of their pieces for the exhibit.

“We’re hoping for a really good turnout,” she added. “It’s always a wonderful surprise to see what shows up. It’s a mystery, then it’s just delightful when we see the work arrive at the door.”

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angela.brown@pattisonmedia.com

On X: @battlefordsNOW

The Natural History Museum has announced the winner of its annual People’s Choice Award for Wildlife Photography. The competition saw over 50,000 entries submitted, which was narrowed down to 25 shortlisted for the top honors.

British photographer Nima Sarikhani made headlines for what’s being hailed as the marquee entry, as she captured a lonely polar bear perched asleep against an iceberg. The image was taken while on a three-day tour of Norway’s Svalbard archipelago, where Sarikhani noted that the photo “stirred strong emotions in many of those who have seen it,” adding that, “Whilst climate change is the biggest challenge we face, I hope that this photograph also inspires hope; there is still time to fix the mess we have caused.”

Entitled Ice Bed, the image was described as “poignant” by the Natural History Museum’s director, Douglas Gurr, adding that it “allows us to see the beauty and fragility of our planet.” Other notable submissions include a turtle smiling as a dragonfly rests on its snout; a flock of birds creating a silhouette of a massive bird as they hover above the streets of Rome and two lionesses caressing its cub in the Kenyan plains.

Winter is a great time for street photography at night, said Faizal Westcott in his latest video above, and we don’t see why not! Depending on the side of the world where you are, this time of the year means you don’t have to worry about the sun setting so late into the night. However, if it’s your gear that’s stopping you — a fast lens, to be exact — he also said you don’t actually need it.

To prove his point, Westcott went for a night photo walk with a Fujifilm X-T5 paired with a 50mm f/2 lens. “This is by no means the fastest lens out there,” he said. He also noted that most photographers have this misconception that a really fast lens is necessary to get the best night photos. With all the bright light sources in the city, there’s practically no need to shoot wide open at f/1.4. Also, if you’re thinking about shooting portraits at night with flash, you’ll be using a smaller aperture anyway.

Finally, shooting at night can indeed give you a different perspective on places you’re already familiar with. Look for pops of color, dramatic silhouettes, and interesting shapes. If you’re looking for a reason to go on a night photowalk, hopefully, Westcott’s photos will inspire you!

Check out more of our street photography and night photography articles for more ideas and inspiration!