Shoot Better Photos
Shooting with natural light is a great way to show off your work for whoever your audience may be. There are key elements this section that will ensure quality photos when shooting with natural light.
This page will be going over specifics on setup, lighting, and composition. This page will not go over camera functions or act as a step by step tutorial. Rather, this page will offer key advice on what to consider. For this setting, the range of possibilities is too wide, you can't nail it down to one way of doing it.
For information about camera functions, please go to the Camera Functions Page.
For a running list of materials needed go to the Studio Lighting with Backdrop Page.
The Setup
Backdrop, table, shelf, etc. Find what stage your pieces work best in. If you're looking to compose a shot with props and multiple point of focus, you may consider you using a table, shelf, counter, etc. These will also provide different backgrounds such as a colored wall, wooden table top, window, etc. You have to decide if these things are effectively communicating with your work. In other words, is it distracting or enhancing your work/ composition? Remember, your work is what you are trying to show off. It can be easy to turn the photo of your work itself into an art piece.
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If you are only using a backdrop, your main focus will be on lighting and clarity of your work.
Francis Palmer, 2022
Two Handled Greek Vase
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Are these photos going to market your work? And who is your target audience? This is important to recognize when setting up your shot. For example, if your work is functional pottery, your plan is to sell on online/social media, and your audience is people buying pots for at home personal use, setting up your shot in a kitchen, on a coffee table, or shelf may be ideal. The shot may also benefit from having the pots serve their intended purpose, such as a mug filled with hot black coffee/tea, a jar filled with beans, a vase with flowers, or a candle holder with a candle in it .
This brings in the idea of props to enhance your work's relevance. It may sound simple, but putting your pots/work into visual context will give the viewer a clear idea of its purpose, instead of the viewer trying to conjure up a vision of what it could be. However, you don't want your props to take away from the significance of your work. The work should be the star of the show. Using simple and unbranded props is very important. It is important to remember when marketing work, you should be clear on what your work looks like or how it functions. BUT, marketing also gives you a bit more freedom to romanticize. After all, you are trying to make some money. Don't be afraid to play around, find the extreme ends of these concepts. The extreme ends will define the appropriate middle ground.
Where are your focal points? Having defined focal points is key to your composition. You want to make sure that the viewer is always circling their vision back around to the work. Shadows, highlights, and simple props can all be a way to set up your composition and focal points. For an excellent dive into composition click HERE.
Are these photos for a portfolio/not for marketing? If yes, you may want to leave the props out. You want a clearly defined shot of your work. Less romantic, more clarity. This means showing off the totality of your work, proper empty space, appropriate light, and accurate color. One possible exception to props: You may be photographing a piece with an unrecognizable function, therefore, you may want to put a subtle indicator to show off its functionality.
Zoey McLeod, 2022
Lamp, For Alex
Shot with white backboard and natural light, mid day.
*Example of a piece where the prop (light bulb and fixture) was necessary to show off functionality*
Photographed with DSLR Camera
Natural light from south facing window, 5PM
Work by Dylan Quackenbush
Photo by Dylan Quackenbush
This example (above) shows very direct light with lots of contrast. It also tells gives a subtle narrative, given the dirty bat the pot sits on and the studio behind it. However, the contrast takes away from detail, and the setting it was photographed in makes the photo itself more of an art piece, rather than showing off the subject. The white bucket in the background also makes a unwanted focal point. While I do think there is an appropriate use for photos like this, you may want to avoid these shots for portfolio use. This pushes further into the romantic side of shooting your work, and less into clarity.
Lighting
The sun, atmosphere, and weather all propose many options when considering light. Time of day will determine color temperature and intensity, and weather can determine light harshness (clouds will diffuse light, clear skies will be intense and direct light).
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Furthermore, your setup and location will give you a good idea of when the light will be right for you. For example, you may be shooting next to a window that is facing east. This means that the sun will be facing directly into your window in the mornings (unless blocked by trees or other structures). This will give you an intense warm color in the mornings. But if you wait until the evening, when the sun is on the opposite side of your house, you will get more of a diffused warm light. Midday, when the sun is highest in the sky, you can get bright white/blue light. What to take away from this: depending on your surroundings (weather, trees, buildings, lakes, snow, mountains, etc.) and time of day, you can figure out what the light is giving each time of the day for the spot you wish to shoot. Be patient, take photos throughout the day and in different weather to find your sweet spot.
Sunshine Cobb, 2022
Candle Holder
Color Temperatures throughout the day.
Setting up your camera
This will also take some playing around with to get the right focus, white balance, and exposure. Natural light will seldom be the same every day, let alone every shot. Taking multiple shots to set up your camera appropriately is necessary. Even when using auto settings with a phone camera, you will need to take time to find the right exposure. If you are using the custom white balance setting on your camera, it will be necessary to reset it throughout the day.
I highly recommend using a tripod for either camera or phone. It is going to give you much better consistency and give you a wider range for your camera's settings. Having enough light is also important. You may find that the light in the late afternoon, for your setup and location, has a nice light diffusion and gives soft shadows. But, it also isn't quite bright enough, leading you to up your ISO and opening up your F-stop. Thus, possibly making your shot grainy and less detailed. Take time to figure out the light throughout the day, it will pay off.
Keeping certain settings is still important. Having a low ISO and small aperture is still going to aid in capturing detail. Using a tripod will make it much easier to keep those two settings within an appropriate range.