Lighting for Digital Photography: From Snapshots to Great Shots (Using Flash and Natural Light for Portrait, Still Life, Action, and Product Photography)

2. Your Light-Capturing Machine

Using Camera Settings Smartly and Creatively

Many photographers incorrectly think that “lighting” is a process separated from the operation of their cameras. They see lighting only in terms of using gear such as hotshoe flash and reflectors. Yet, your camera settings are equally valuable tools for lighting and should be considered first before you grab traditional lighting gear. For instance, in a low-light situation, you can use a longer shutter speed to make the scene appear brighter. Conversely, in a brightly lit location, you can use a fast shutter speed to make the scene appear more moody. In this chapter we ...