professional photographer

Lighting painting interiors.

Hello,

Today is like to share a process with you on how I like to light my interior images.
If you’ve ever tried to photograph a building interior, you know how tough it can be to properly expose all parts of the scene. You know how many areas tend to fall into darkness.

When this happens, many photographers will just try to recover the shadows with a brighter exposure or some dodging and burning. Unfortunately, that can lead to muddy results which often display a lack of texture and colour.

One technique that I like to use with modern photographic tools is light painting.

One method would be to literally stop down the aperture, wear an all-black outfit, and wave a light around for a 30-60 second exposure to fill in shadows.

Luckily, things are a bit easier these days. You can use a single Speedlight and see the results instantly.

I personally like to use a speed light and a remote to pull it off, (depending on how much power I’ll need.)

The aim here is to add light in spots that appear to have natural light falling on them – either from landscape lighting or interior lighting. Adding flash or hot light will dramatically clean up the quality of the light, by giving it direction and fall off. Whereas the ambient light may create a muddier appearance due to having no directionality, incoherent colour casts or being mixed with the window or interior lighting.

Light,-Lighter,-photoshop-tutorial,-lesson,-teaching,-software,-education,-adobe,-credited,-master,-Lee-Ramsden.jpg

Above is an image of myself adding a pool of light onto a foreground part of the scene.

A couple of points to remember -

  • The camera has to be on a tripod or secure point and does not move throughout the process.

  • The camera has to be in manual mode to ensure that each frame remains consistent. Focus, exposure, ISO, colour temperature etc.

While using a Speedlight I use pocket wizard triggers, one on the flash, one in the hot shoe on the camera, and another as a trigger in my hand which is able to fire the camera and flash remotely.

Flash-lighting,-Lighter,-photoshop-tutorial,-lesson,-teaching,-software,-education,-adobe,-accredited,-master,-Lee-Ramsden.jpg

Again here are a few more images of me moving around the scene adding more illumination.

(Schoolboy error though, this time I forgot to pack my coloured gels and so had a bit more photoshop work to do after the fact.)

Lighter, photoshop tutorial, lesson, teaching, software, education, adobe, accredited, master, Lee Ramsden.jpg

Once all the images are captured, they are imported into photoshop and aligned.

Using a base layer, (without any flash) I add each illuminated frame on top.

Changing the blend mode to “lighten” and adjusting the opacity, I am able to change the intensity and have greater control of what is lit.

Finally using a layer mask, I paint out everything that is not required to help to keep the image clean.

The final example of this technique in use.

Personally, I think the before image would have been a flat, uninteresting image. By adding light to different parts of the scene I feel brings in greater interest and a more polished professional product for my clients.

If you have any questions or would like to know more about this technique,

please drop me a note.

Kind regards,

Lee

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Moody lighting setup.

Brother and sister image moody lighting professional photographer Manchester

Nikon D800 F11 1/100 ISO 100

Hello, 

Today id like to share the lighting set used for this set of images.

Lee Ramsden lighting set up, behind the scenes BTS elinchrom ranger quadra nikon D800 small home studio

Above is the behind the scenes image taken in my make shift dining room studio. 

A - Elinchrom quadra shot through an Octa box. 

B - Elinchrom ranger shot through the small honey comb grid that is supplied with it, used as a hair light.

C - Elinchrom quadra shot through a snoot, to try and just give a kiss of light to the face.

D - Nikon SB700 used to give a graduation over the background. 

As you can see from the set these lights in action. Now these kids are getting bigger its easier to light like this, as they take instruction well and don't move about too much. 

Where as my 2 year old toddler is a different story ha! 

dillon-happy-blog

Nikon D800 F11 1/100 ISO 100

This post is titled moody lighting, but its a bonus when you also have moody children :)

Tillie Peach professional photographer Lee Ramsden Lytham St Annes

Nikon D800 F11 1/100 ISO 100

I hope that this post has been of interest to you. 

If you have any questions please feel free to use the contacts page on the site. 

 

Many thanks

Lee

 

London black and white images.

&lt;img src="London.jpg" alt="BW monochrome black and white long exposure writing with iPhone torch Lee Ramsden moreLondon tower bridge river Thames"&gt;

Nikon D800 f11 15sec ISO100 24-70mm@28mm

Morning all, 

Thought id share some black and white images taken of London over the next few days. This image was created for a bit of fun. This was a 15 second exposure, while i was waiting for a timelapse set up to finish. The writing was created using my iPhone torch.  

 

Please feel free to share this post on your social media, giving credit to the photographer Lee Ramsden www.leeramsden.com

 

Thanks

Unknown photographer

&lt;img src="unknown photographer.jpg" alt="unrise sunset london city moreLondon tower Bridge office building reflection clouds Lee Ramsden"&gt;

Nikon D700 f18 1/160 ISO3200 21mm

Another crazy ISO3200 frame from a recent timelapse made in London, with tower bridge in the distance, taken on moreLondon property, dodging the security guards... 

I have no idea who the silhouetted man is, but it was a stunning sky and so why not capture it on your phone on the way to the office. 

Please feel free to share this post on your social media, giving credit to the photographer Lee Ramsden www.leeramsden.com

 

Thanks

Tower Bridge at Sunrise.

Tower bridge landmark famous world river Thames sunset sunrise moreLondon orange glow Lee Ramsden

Nikon D800 F8 1/13 ISO200 24-70mm@48mm

Another 3am start to get into London and set up ready for the sunrise. 

Here is a shot of London's tower bridge reflected in a shop window to try and give some symmetry. 

I adore Tower bridge, it is a wonderful looking structure. And is classic iconic London landmark.  As you can see from the below iPhone image, it is easily visible even by plane.

 

iPhone image&nbsp;london river thames iPhone iPhoneography nightscape from a plane lee ramsden

iPhone 4S f2.4 1/15 ISO800

Please feel free to share this post on your social media, giving credit to the photographer Lee Ramsden www.leeramsden.com

 

Thanks

London Shard building.

&lt;img src="Shard colour.jpg" alt="the shard view at the shard viewing gallery hotel office building sunset sunrise dusk dawn london greater lee ramsden"&gt;

Nikon D700 F18 0.4 ISO3200 21mm

An image of the Shard building in London, taken from moreLondon's shopping area. If you are taking picture from here watch out for security as they will move you on. Even at 5am and not a sole about... 

This was a frame taken from a timelapse video, foolishly i changed the ISO to a ridiculous 3200 and forgot to change back. Luckily the Nikon D700 can handle the high ISO not too bad and so all not lost. 

 

I am fascinated with the Shard, i think it is a stunning looking building. I took the below image from the viewing gallery near the top. Please check out a couple of posts on the Shard, 

The view at the Shard - How to work around using a tripod

And the importance of a polarising filter - When shooting through the glass windows. 

&lt;img src="London.jpg" alt="London view from the Shad viewing gallery London HMS Belfast greater London UK capital dusk Lee Ramsden"&gt;

 

Please feel free to share this post on your social media, giving credit to the photographer Lee Ramsden www.leeramsden.com

 

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Canary Wharf on the river Thames, London

&lt;img src="Big Ben.jpg" alt="Big ben westminster river Thames London Bridge houses of Parlament reflaction long exposure Lee Ramsden"&gt;

Nikon D800 F14 30seconds 24-70mm@24mm ISO100

Image taken of Canary Wharf, London's financial district at 05:00hrs to catch the sunrise. 

Like with all landscape photographs it is a gamble with the weather. 10 minutes after setting up the fog came in and nothing was to be seen. This was the best frame of the shoot and you can see the clouds coming in. 

Feel free to share this post on your social media, with credit given to www.leeramsden.com

 

Thanks