photo ©Kathryn Langsford
By Kathryn Langsford
I love the moody, intense impact of images taken by ambient
light. As a matter of fact, in my short career as a photographer,
it is all I know. Living in a city that is not very bright at
the best of times (Vancouver, Canada), I have developed a few
tricks that I thought I would share; I hope they are useful.
I always plan ahead to ensure that the shoot is booked at a time
of day that is brightest in my client's home. Also, I tend to
assume the worst (from experience) even when they say their home
is "very well lit ".
Outdoor light, to me, is superior. I have been known to drape
many a backdrop over a shaded fence or front porch railing. But
part of what makes a good photographer so skilled is the creative
ability to adapt to the many situations we are faced with --
be it rain, chilly days, or a yardless client.
In order to decide on a specific area in a home to do a photo
session, I walk around taking light readings until I have found
the ideal location. I ask my client's permission to have a few
minutes to do this, so they know that I am not quite ready for
the children. When I have found the right spot, it's time for
the child to be placed in position, and a meter reading to be
taken. When I meter for portraiture, the aperture setting is
my priority. I typically want to be in the f4-f8 range, ideally
right in the middle at 5.6 (more about that later). I then set
an appropriate shutter speed for that aperture.
As I meter different areas, I take contrast into account. For
example, photographing a child next to a window is a high contrast
situation (the light from the window versus the shadows created
by it). I meter for the shadows on the subject. Or, you could
meter the back of your hand (if your skin is relatively the same
shade as the child's skin) placed in the light where you estimate
the child will be. This will ensure that you don't lose the detail
in the shadows. Another high contrast situation is a fair-skinned
child against a black backdrop, or a dark-skinned child against
a white backdrop. Meter the child. The details of the skin are
more important than the shade of the backdrop, so expose for
the skin. Along the same lines, if a child is wearing clothing
that is of high contrast to his/her skin color, move in close,
meter the skin only, and set your camera accordingly. Many cameras
aren't smart enough to know that the black shirt is not the subject
of your photo, and therefore will meter based on the darkness
of the shirt as opposed to the lightness of the skin.
When shooting portraiture, I rarely choose to go below f4 as
an aperture setting. As mentioned earlier, I find that 5.6 is
the ideal setting -- a depth of field deep enough that I know
the whole face will be in focus, yet shallow enough that the
background will be blurred (assuming the subject is at least
a a few feet in front of it). As for shutter speed, a good rule
of thumb is that the lowest handholdable speed is 1/x, where
x = the length of the lens. For example, if I am shooting with
an 85mm lens, the slowest shutter speed I can use is 1/90 of
a second; with a 50mm lens the slowest speed would be 1/60 of
a second, etc. With children, I usually don't venture below 1/60
of a second, as they are liable to move enough to cause blur
in the photo. If you do not have enough light to use this shutter
speed, there are a couple of options.
1. You could open your aperture wider. This will reduce your
depth of field but this is sometimes ok, as long as the eyes
are in focus. A very fast lens will open as wide as f1.2, whereas
a slower lens may not open wider than f4 or f5.6. Of course,
the faster the lens, the more expensive it is. If you would like
to do a lot of portrait shooting by natural light, I would venture
to say that a fast lens is your most important investment.
** Tip: at a wide aperture, ensure that both eyes are the
same distance from your lens; otherwise one will be out of focus.
2. The other option in low light is to use a tripod. Myself,
I rarely use one. I like to "travel light". Personal
preferences aside, the use of a tripod allows you to use a slower
shutter speed, because it eliminates camera shake. It doesn't,
however, eliminate kid-shake. So, a tripod will be most effective
in a situation where the child is fairly still. My experience
has been that the lowest speed I can expect to shoot at without
movement showing is 1/30 of a second. Another thing to consider
when deciding whether to use a tripod is how mobile you will
need to be. For example, when photographing a toddler, I often
find myself following the child around and shooting them as they
go about their business; so a tripod is not very portable in
this sense.
Back to the shoot.
I choose the most well lit spot that is also roomy enough
to have at least 6 feet to move around in. That way, if I have
a couple of lens choices, I have the option of moving from a
very close-up facial expression, to a full body photo of, say,
the back of a child peeking out the window. Even though I always
ask first, clients are always more than willing to allow me to
move furniture out of the way. As a matter of fact, they usually
insist on doing it for me.
I find that the most well lit area is in front of sliding glass
doors or French doors -- or, in very low light situations, right
in an open doorway. Don't be shy to open all the blinds. (Even
if they are on the other side of the room, it will help.) Again,
my experience has been that clients are happy to oblige. It makes
them feel like rock stars that you are transforming their home
into a studio.
I pack my own version of "backdrops" (which are
really bed sheets), one black and one white, as well as a 15-foot
piece of sheer cloth. At wide apertures, and with the child about
two feet in front of the backdrop, the details of the background
should not show; just the shade of it.
Sometimes I choose not to use the backdrop, especially in situations
where the client's home has furniture or surroundings that are
more flattering than a basic background. A couple of examples
are: Two boys sitting at an antique kitchen table, the texture
of the wood adding as much to the photo as their big brown eyes.
Or: Two kids telling secrets on a well-worn velvet couch ...
beautiful.
Direct sunlight, in my view, is never good. Ok, except in
the case of Eddie and Lori who have backlit photography down
to a science … let me revise that: direct sunlight can be
good, but I prefer it not shine on my subject's face.
I usually place my subject facing the light source, so I don't
want this source to be harsh. Here is where the sheer fabric
comes in handy. I hang or tack it so the light is filtered.
Depending on the layout of the room, the backdrops can be used
in a variety of ways. Sometimes I will tack them up to the wall,
or hang them over a the back of chair and have the child sit
in front of it, or spread it out on the floor and have the child
lay on it. Another suggestion for a bed sheet backdrop is to
hang or tack it from the ceiling and have the child peek out
from behind it…magical...not to mention that peek-a-boo
takes their little minds off of the camera pointed at them. And
this often results in one of those coveted expressions of childhood
delight (which is what I think it's all about).
The real beauty of this type of photography is that children
seem to be most comfortable in their own home. You can ask the
parents to put on some music, or a favourite movie. And if the
kids get a little cranky or start to lose the plot halfway through
the shoot, it is very easy to take a break for a snack, a story,
or a few laps around the backyard. Breaks are a wonderful thing
-- they work miracles.
Happy snapping!
Please visit Kathryn's website at:
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photo © Kathryn Langsford
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