Bluff it as a fashion photographer

By Chris Stevens on 21 December 2006

1.  The idiot
2.  Using flash
3.  Stay relaxed
4.  Be creative
5.  Pick and choose

6.  Tweak the image
7.  Choose the style
8.  Use Photoshop
9.  Print it
10. You're a pro!

2. Using Flash
Photography is often described as painting with light. Although some of the mystery has been removed now that dark laboratories full of strange chemicals are no longer needed, a lot of the traditional tools are still useful. Today's digital SLRs feature a range of light-metering options, but getting a proper, external light meter will still help you correctly expose a model when using external flash-heads.

There are two approaches here: the first is the standard method using professional full-sized flash units we describe below. The second is to simply buy a load of cheap flash heads off eBay and mess around. Because digital photography is so immediate, you won't waste film and you can check results instantly.

Even if you're going to experiment, it's worth reading this section to understand the principles behind using flash in a studio.

The meter in our example is a fairly sophisticated model, but you'll get by fine with a basic one. A light meter lets you set an ISO (film sensitivity) and shutter speed (length of exposure), and will then tell you what f-stop (amount of light) to let into the camera to correctly expose the area you've metered.

Don't freak out yet! This might sound like a fairly complex operation to the newcomer, but there are some basic rules to follow with flash photography in the world of fashion. A simple way to deal with this is to set your SLR to the lowest possible ISO. With the Nikon D70 we're using, this is ISO 200. If it's possible with your camera, use ISO 160 or 100.

By setting the ISO low, you're getting the best signal-to-noise ratio. Your photos will be as crisp and clean as your camera is capable of. However, these low ISOs need plenty of light to expose properly.

Next, set your shutter speed to 1/60th of a second. Now that your ISO and shutter speed are fixed, you can control the style of the photograph using the strength of the flash and measuring the required f-stop with your light meter. There are infinite ways to set up flashes around the model. Traditionally a three-point lighting system is used, but we've had good results with two, or nine.

Set your light meter to match your ISO (in our case 200) and shutter speed (in our case 1/60 second), then attach the light meter cable to your flash units. Now when you trigger the flash, your meter will tell you the correct f-stop for that exposure. You can then increase or decrease the intensity of your flashes to match the depth of field you want. Less light will give you a lower f-stop, and more light, a higher one.

Decide how much of the model you want to be in focus -- for portraits it's often appealing to drop focus off quite early, so that the model's face is tightly focused on the eyes, then loses focus as the face retreats. This would mean an f-stop of something around f/2. If you're shooting full-length shots, you'll want to increase this to something around f/5.6 or 8.

< The idiot Stay relaxed >

E-mail this
Print this
Share this...
- del.icio.us
- digg this
- Reddit
- Slashdot
- StumbleUpon

Join CNET Australia Free newsletters, post to forums and win prizes. Join now - it's free and easy!

Related links

Master sports photography in five steps

You thought you had the perfect snap of the runner racing pass the 100m mark, until you realised you managed to catch only the heels at the edge of your screen. What happened?
Fixing four common digital photo problems

Think you have a problem with your picture? We show you how you can correct them.
Seven tips for better digital portraits

Portrait shooting can be truly challenging but we've collected seven tips to help you capture shots that will stand the test of time.
Shooting in black and white

You can make or break a black and white photograph. We have the tips to show you how to make it work for you.
How to perfect your pictures

Who said the camera never lies? With the aid of simple image editing software, you can turn average looking pictures into photographic masterpieces. Here's how.
Too sexy for your camera: portraits in motion

Fashion photography lessons - how to take compelling pictures of someone who is moving fast in front of a distracting background.
Techniques from the Photoshop pros

Photoshop gives you a plethora of tools for manipulating graphics, but you can go beyond basic techniques to advanced effects with these secrets from the pros