Photography Blog Tips - ISO 1200 Magazine

Lighting is one of the most pivotal aspects of both photography and videography, influencing everything from mood to clarity and overall production quality. Historically, studio professionals leaned heavily on strobe lighting, valuing its intensity and color accuracy. Yet, with significant improvements in LED technology, a growing number of creatives—especially hybrid shooters who work across stills and video—are gravitating toward constant lighting solutions. This video delves into the factors driving this shift and provides practical advice for optimizing your lighting setup to meet diverse creative goals.

Full body portraits can be intimidating, especially under pressure. Whether you're photographing men, women, or clients of varying body types, having a few go-to poses can be a game-changer. In this video, Sal Cincotta breaks down five essential poses (plus a bonus).

Telephoto lenses are often underestimated tools in landscape photography. Many beginners shy away from them, thinking they limit the scene or crop too much of the environment. However, as illustrated in this video, telephoto lenses can offer unique perspectives and artistic possibilities once their strengths are understood.

Lighting can transform a plain room into a compelling, cinematic space. Drawing inspiration from HBO's Euphoria, this guide walks through the techniques used to replicate its iconic lighting style using accessible equipment and thoughtful placement.

Lighting is a cornerstone of compelling portrait photography. In this tutorial, Jay P. Morgan offers a masterclass on using a 7-foot bounce umbrella, demonstrating the profound effects that light positioning, angle, and modifiers have on a portrait.

Your portraits are more than just pictures; they're moments, emotions, and stories waiting to unfold. They deserve to captivate, to possess a depth and character that makes them truly memorable. And here's the exciting part: achieving this isn't about expensive gear or elaborate studios. It's about mastering the fundamentals of lighting.

Portrait photographers often gravitate toward longer lenses like the 85mm or 135mm, believing these to be more suitable for capturing compelling headshots. However, as Pete Coco articulates in his video, the 50mm lens holds a wealth of untapped potential, making it a hidden gem in the world of portraiture.

For the dedicated portrait photographer, every journey begins with a vivid vision—an ideal harmony of light, subject, and setting. But as seasoned professionals know, the path from imagination to image is rarely linear. Even the most carefully planned shot can resist coming to life.

In this tutorial, you’ll learn two professional methods to change background colors cleanly and precisely. Jesus Ramirez will show you how to use selections and Hue/Saturation for bright backgrounds, and how to target specific colors without damaging clothes, hair, or skin. You'll even see how to fix edge halos when switching to darker colors.

Ever notice how some portraits just pop off the screen? They have depth, dimension, and a captivating quality that draws you in. Often, the secret lies in layered lighting – a technique that uses multiple light sources to sculpt the face and create a truly three-dimensional effect. Let's explore how you can master this technique, perhaps drawing on insights from Jonny Edward and the Professional Photographers of America (PPA).