iPhoto University
Experimental Lighting
Let's get crazy with lights, and party like it's 1999! You're too young to remember when 1999 was the future, but it was. Now I will teach you all the best tricks for adding flare to your photos.
1. Shooting in the Dark
The quickest way to get creative with lighting? Turn off the flash.
Your iPhone is actually pretty good at picking up low light. The key is keeping it *real* still. Set it on a ledge, brace your arms, or use a tripod like we mentioned in past lessons.
Try:
1. Using the unpredictable colors of available light to your advantage. Test the limits of how dark you can go, and move lights further and closer away to play with the intensity.
2. Mixing different light sources (like a lamp and a TV screen or a streetlight and car headlights) to create different moods.
3. Using low light noise/grain to your advantage. Play with black & white filters for a 35mm look. Or combatting it with Average Camera Pro, an app that layers photos for less noise.
Your iPhone is actually pretty good at picking up low light. The key is keeping it *real* still. Set it on a ledge, brace your arms, or use a tripod like we mentioned in past lessons.
Try:
1. Using the unpredictable colors of available light to your advantage. Test the limits of how dark you can go, and move lights further and closer away to play with the intensity.
2. Mixing different light sources (like a lamp and a TV screen or a streetlight and car headlights) to create different moods.
3. Using low light noise/grain to your advantage. Play with black & white filters for a 35mm look. Or combatting it with Average Camera Pro, an app that layers photos for less noise.
Power Move: Angle a light source just outside the edge of your frame for super dreamy light flare. Move your frame around to play with how the light streams across your photo.
2. Long Exposures
A long exposure isn't another name for a panorama. Though it kinda seems like it should be, am-I-right?
A long exposure is when your camera's shutter stays open for a long time, so it can collect all the light it needs to make a photo in dark situations. To control how long your iPhone's shutter stays open, trySlow Shutter Cam.
One way to play with slow shutter speed is with light painting, or the act of selectively painting light into areas of a photo.
Try:
1. Writing your name or drawing a cloud in the sky. Use an LED for a bright, focused point.
2. Selectively painting light onto your subject, just like a true Rembrandt. A flashlight works great for broader painting.
3. Letting the lights do the work for you. Capture the light trails of cars passing by on the road.
A long exposure is when your camera's shutter stays open for a long time, so it can collect all the light it needs to make a photo in dark situations. To control how long your iPhone's shutter stays open, trySlow Shutter Cam.
One way to play with slow shutter speed is with light painting, or the act of selectively painting light into areas of a photo.
Try:
1. Writing your name or drawing a cloud in the sky. Use an LED for a bright, focused point.
2. Selectively painting light onto your subject, just like a true Rembrandt. A flashlight works great for broader painting.
3. Letting the lights do the work for you. Capture the light trails of cars passing by on the road.
Power Move: Try the B shutter setting in Slow Shutter Cam. B, or "bulb", means the shutter will stay open until you hit the shutter button again, so you can keep the shutter open as long as you need for a light painting.
3. Tools
Now let's get down with some super-steadying tips! Remember how you can snap a photo by clicking the volume button on the side of your phone?
Well there's something even better than that -- using the volume button on your headphones.
This is perfect for low light shooting! It prevents motion blur because you don't even have to touch your phone to shoot a photo -- it stays as still as possible.
If you want to get more advanced, there are plenty of tools out there that will help you stabilize your shots, like tripod mounts, bluetooth-controlled remotes, cable releases and hand-held stabilizers. These will all help you get crisp, low light photos.
Well there's something even better than that -- using the volume button on your headphones.
This is perfect for low light shooting! It prevents motion blur because you don't even have to touch your phone to shoot a photo -- it stays as still as possible.
If you want to get more advanced, there are plenty of tools out there that will help you stabilize your shots, like tripod mounts, bluetooth-controlled remotes, cable releases and hand-held stabilizers. These will all help you get crisp, low light photos.
Power Move: Stand your camera on any flat surface & set a self-timer = instant tripod! Self-timers save you from motion blur. Both Camera+ & Slow Shutter Cam have easy to use self-timers!