SmugMug Development Lab

Event photography seems simple enough: Your job is to take photos of a special occasion. Where it gets tricky is in reflecting the actual experience from the participant’s perspective, whether it’s a professional conference for business owners, a product launch cocktail hour, or a wedding’s late-night dance party. Of course, the basic lighting techniques still apply for every event—adjusting shutter speed, aperture, and ISO for correct exposure—but utilizing the advanced lighting techniques listed below can take your event photography from pretty good to print-worthy.

First things first: Do your research.

As part of your pre-shoot preparation, think about the vibe and location of the event itself, as well as who the participants are, then plan some shots accordingly. For example, formal events (trade shows, conferences, business meetings, speaking events) might require crisp, clean images that reflect the scene as accurately as possible, while more personal events (weddings, family reunions, cocktail parties) might allow for an artistic approach and more experimentation. Communicate with your client about their expectations, and how your photographic style and vision for the event will fit.

Identify potential ambient light sources.

The sun, windows, streetlights, tabletop candles, colorful strobes, a stage spotlight, lamps, sparklers, neon signs, and overhead lights can all be used on their own to create interesting exposures. Look up images of the venue and talk to the client about what ambient light sources there will be, and have an idea of how you might utilize each of them. 

One important advanced lighting technique is knowing how to balance artificial lighting with the ambient lighting of any given scene. For a sunset cocktail hour, you might use a soft flash to highlight people having a good time while preserving the rich colors of the sky in the background. A live concert might require direct flash on the lead singer to freeze her jumping in mid-air, but with a slow enough shutter speed to include stage lighting that highlights her bandmates.

Choose the right external flash—and know how to use it. 

There are countless options when it comes to supplemental lighting for event photography, but what’s most important is thinking through what the pace and location of the event will be, then picking out appropriate equipment for the event. Will you have an assistant to operate an off-camera flash, or are you on your own? Is the event fast-paced with unmissable moments, or is it a bit slower with more time to set shots up and play with lighting? 

In addition to those factors, make sure you have full mastery over whatever lighting equipment you’re using. Event photography is all about real people (not models!) experiencing one-of-a-kind moments, so you’ve gotta be ready and have all your settings dialed for those split-second opportunities.

Pro-tip: Once you have the external flashes, practice photographing friends in a space similar to the event so you are ready for the big day.

One advanced lighting technique for event photography is to utilize multiple external flashes to provide a key light and fill lights for specific exposures. Knowing how your flashes can work together to layer the light in a frame will take your imagery to the next level. Here are a few things to consider with artificial lighting:

• On-camera flash: No, we’re not talking about the built-in flash that comes permanently attached to your camera (which is practically useless). Instead, we’re talking about a speedlight that mounts to the hot shoe on top of your camera and has adjustable settings. These are portable and inexpensive, and they provide endless versatility for whatever lighting conditions you might encounter. If you’re trying to isolate a subject or create close-up images that make the viewer feel like they’re part of the scene, tilt the light down toward the subject for hard, direct light. To add a touch of fill light, point the flash in a higher direction for a softer look, keeping in mind that the light will bounce off whatever is nearby, like the ceiling, wall, or a mirror.
• Off-camera flash: These are speedlights, strobes, ring lights, or other artificial lighting equipment that are remotely triggered. If the event photography job includes head shots or professional portraits, consider setting up a small photobooth with a nice backdrop and pre-arranged lighting so you can grab subjects when they have a spare moment. This will ensure continuity and quality for the images, as well as peace of mind for you as the photographer. One advanced lighting idea for events that have a party-like atmosphere would be to set up a strobe to backlight a dance floor and capture interesting silhouettes of high-energy dance moves. (Think feet jumping, hair waving, and clothes swinging!)
• Flash modifiers: DIffusers, soft boxes, bounce cards, honeycombs, and color filters/gels add another layer of versatility to any lighting equipment you already have. Diffused light will provide a softer look that’s great for nostalgic, intimate, and romantic moments, while direct or hard light can provide a more dramatic look with bold shadows and enhanced texture. Adding a color gel to your flash can create warm or cool tones, depending on what type of mood you’re going for.

Be creative and think outside the box.

With event photography, you have the benefit of being present for a special time in a person’s life—after all, it’s an event that stands out so much from daily life it warrants hiring a photographer! You’re there to document the people, the place, and the moments in a cohesive way that reflects the feeling, meaning, and importance of it all, beyond simply taking photos. Event photography is a great example of the whole being greater than the sum of its parts. Great event photography captures the essence of the experience, not just the facts.

Here are a few last ideas to try: silhouetting people against a bright background (look for interesting body positions), using a slow shutter speed for motion blur in the background with a flash to freeze the action of the subject, and painting with light (slow shutter speed + moving light source) to highlight a place setting or write something meaningful (like a wedding date + the couple’s initials). Be creative and think outside the box for how you can use advanced lighting techniques, and you’ll create images your event photography clients will cherish for years to come.

Ever found yourself scrolling through social media, seeing one too many selfies? We've all been there. But have you ever thought of turning everyday selfies into creative self-portraits? A rainy day or a lull between shoots can become an opportunity to refine your photography skills, and perhaps discover a new form of creative expression. Who better to be your subject than the most cooperative model you know—yourself? To help kick-start your journey, we’ve put together ten tips.

1. Choose the right background.

When starting your self-portrait journey, keep it simple. Opt for a blank wall in your home or a simple textured background outdoors, like a brick wall. This allows you to be the focal point of your composition, emphasizing your personality and style.

2. Practice lighting.

Sticking to simplicity, start with natural light so you can focus on composition, posing, focus, and everything else. Try standing near a window during golden hour or finding some open shade outdoors for easy and flattering portrait lighting. These both create soft shadows and bright catchlights in the eyes while avoiding dark under-eye circles: instant beauty filters.

As you advance, try experimenting with advanced lighting setups and techniques such as two-point lighting or a background separation light. Try playing with homemade grids, gels and white balance settings, short and broad lighting, and anything else you’re curious about. See if you can reverse engineer the lights in portraits you admire!

3. Nail the focus.

While autofocus is a handy assistant, you might not want to shoot at a higher aperture like f/8 to ensure it nails focus on your eyes. If you want to create a dreamy effect with a shallow depth of field, how do you keep the focus from landing on your ear by accident?

1. Try setting up your camera and tripod to frame your shot in advance and adjust your camera's focal point to where you think your eyes will fall in the frame. 
2. Take your camera, leaving the tripod in place, and step into the frame. 
3. Point your camera back at the tripod and use your previously set focal point to focus on the tripod head. 
4. Once your camera focuses, carefully switch it to manual focus and place it back on the tripod. 
5. Take a few test shots with yourself in the frame and adjust until you’re happy with the focus.

4. Master your gear.

No remote trigger? No problem! Use your phone or camera's built-in self-timer as a convenient alternative. Start with 30 seconds so you don’t feel rushed running from camera into frame, and you’ll have plenty of time to set your pose. If you get tired of the extra cardio, consider the array of remote triggers available in the market—even for smartphones!

If you don’t have a tripod, use a table, a counter, a stack of books—anything that’s stable and level.

5. Select the right lens.

Choosing the right lens is crucial for achieving your desired composition. Wide-angle lenses help in confined spaces while shorter focal lengths, like 50mm or 85mm, work wonders for close-up portraits. If you have the space, longer telephoto lenses can help separate you from your background 

6. Plan and pose.

Visualize the outcome, research and experiment with poses, and let your self-portraits tell your story. Capture natural, relaxed expressions with the help of music, memories, and a few tricks of the trade. Try jutting your chin forward a bit without moving your neck for a more flattering jawline. If you have a habit of clenching your jaw, press your tongue to the roof of your mouth to relax it.

7. Shoot and review.

Instead of immediately checking a shot after each click, resist the temptation and go for comprehensive reviews after a series of shots. Adjust your posing based on the collective story told by your images and on what you like or dislike. Checking each shot can get in the way of the kind of spontaneity that makes portraiture great.

8. Introduce creativity.

Go beyond the basics by introducing costumes, props, smoke bombs, and diverse environments into your self-portraits. Tell compelling stories through your images, injecting a dose of creativity into each frame.

9. Embrace editing.

Don't shy away from the editing room. This is a chance to try those filters and actions that look amazing but might not work for your clients. Explore the art of compositing to enhance your portraits further, seamlessly blending elements to craft the story you want to tell. If you shot outside during a sunny day, for example, but wanted a moody portrait, try replacing the sky with a darker one filled with storm clouds. Or if you’re missing that perfect prop to tie everything together, find a stock photo of it online and edit into your image to complete the story.

10. Learn from the best.

Hungry for more? Dive into self-portraiture with insights from SmugMug pros and Ambassadors, and exclusive SmugMug perks (make sure you’re logged in to your account for perks). Explore the nature of self-portrait art with Lizzy Gadd, learn compositing from Renee Robyn, and unlock discounts on resources to fuel your creative journey.

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Remember, the art of self-portraiture is where you tell your story—unique, personal, and undeniably you. We hope these tips help you capture the essence of your one-of-a-kind self. Happy shooting!

Bella Kotak’s fascination for capturing moments began while she was young. Influenced by her father who brought a camera with him everywhere, she inherited the habit and became known for it among her friends. This obsession for capturing moments eventually led to creating her own—and she found herself shaping worlds, stories, and characters around the moments to help evoke the moods she wanted her images to convey.

SmugMug had a chance to peek behind the veil of Bella’s fantasy worlds and learn a bit about the magic she creates in front of the lens. Discover more of what captures her imagination in our latest SmugMug Film below, and read on for a few of her tips about creating a little magic of your own.

Tip #1: Try everything once to learn what you like—and what you don’t.‍

Whenever you’re starting out with something, give everything about it a shot. That was my own approach with photography. I was vaguely interested in it, so I tried photographing families, portraits, pets, weddings, and a bunch of other things. Unless you try it, you won’t know if you like it or not. The more I tried, the more I could rule out what didn’t bring me joy or the sense of fulfillment I was chasing. Eventually, my interest narrowed to storytelling and escapism. But I got there by first trying many things and narrowing them down to my core interests—and then seeing what I could do in that world.

Tip #2: When you find a focus, begin with what’s familiar.‍

If you want to get started with photographing portraits but don’t want to start with photographing your family or friends, start with yourself. I started taking self-portraits to build up my confidence to begin shooting with friends. And I used Flickr to share those images, which helped me connect with like-minded people and get feedback to improve my work and continue building my confidence. Then I started to shoot with my friends and the people I would meet through Flickr. Just start building your portfolio from there and see where it goes.

Tip #3: Be crafty; be thrifty; and be social.‍

I recommend to anybody who’s starting out with this type of photography to place a lot of their effort into creating their portfolio. By that I mean whatever you can do on your own, do it. For example, I didn’t have access to stylists or designers when I first started out, so I would visit thrift shops for clothes and I would reach out to designers online on the off chance they might lend something to me. Initially, I placed my effort into capturing images I knew I could execute beautifully; once I had a decent portfolio, I used that to reach out to designers and other creatives within the industry. This approach gives them a chance to see what you’re capable of.

I’d also recommend participating in online social groups. I created a Facebook group called Fairytales and Fantasies Photography (with Bella Kotak). It’s a bunch of us who are interested in this type of photography and share images, but it also includes people who design things. It gives us a way to collaborate and help each other. Don’t be afraid to reach out to creators you find inspiring on platforms such as Instagram and Facebook. That way you start to create a relationship that can then, in the future, lead to working together.

If you like making things at all, don’t be afraid to craft things on your own, either. I make props whenever intuition strikes. For one of the shoots we did for the SmugMug Film, I had loads of newspapers and the brown packing paper that you get from Amazon, and I thought, “Let me see what happens if I make something from this.” I started rolling the papers up and using masking tape to hold them together, and suddenly a butterfly emerged. I decided to use that butterfly as a headpiece, and it became the starting place for the whole look of that shoot. That image didn’t exist until I created something from scratch.

Tip #4: Fashion helps tell the story.‍

Fashion is just as important as every other story element in your image. It sets the scene for the character we are playing with for that shoot. For example, one of my favorite shoots is a girl wearing a simple linen dress, because that evokes a sense of freedom and child-like innocence, and then we set her up in an elaborate scene. There’s a really nice juxtaposition of the stories and elements. Then there are other shoots I’ve done where the background is plain and I use fashion as a way to create a dominant character. Perhaps she’d wear something akin to armor and have an elaborate headpiece, and then we’ll style her wig so it’s fierce. Suddenly, a very soft-looking model can turn into quite a dominant character. And all that can be achieved through fashion choices.

Tip #5: Don’t get stuck chasing the vision.‍

When creating fairytales, you can have these fantastic visions in your head of what the final image should be. Sometimes you can get a bit overwhelmed by what you want to create and then feel underwhelmed by what you end up actually creating. It can feel like you didn’t do the vision justice, or you didn’t have the right skill set or the right tools. That’s something I know I struggle with.

I get around it by giving myself a break. It’s okay if I don’t realize the full vision; it’s important to have a rough idea. And I treat that as a starting point. If I’m chasing the initial vision while I’m shooting, and I’m not getting the right feeling when I look at the back of the camera, I switch it up. I know when I feel a particular way on a shoot that whatever comes from it is going to be a good thing, so I always end up chasing that feeling instead of the original vision. It’s okay if it doesn’t match, because ultimately that feeling leads me to a better idea.

Tip #6: Make the goal to please yourself—no one else.‍

Many of my favorite shots have happened on days where the initial vision had to be scrapped because conditions didn’t allow for it. For example, our goal was a dark, moody shot and the weather was bright and sunny that day. However, all that meant is I had to look elsewhere and figure something out. Then something beautiful resulted that wasn’t planned, but it’s more special because of that. Because what I’m always looking for is mood—an emotion. Something that speaks to me as I work on it. If I love a particular shot I captured, then I know it’s probably going to move somebody else viewing it. Sometimes images say more about us as a photographer than they do about the subject itself. Trust in yourself, and you can surprise yourself. I look to be moved by my own images, and that’s why they’re all so special to me. Because I cannot control what other people think of them, but I can control what I think of them.

Tip #7: Don’t fix it in post.‍

I originally started my career in architecture, so I was comfortable using computer-graphics software. When I first started shooting artistically, because I was so used to Photoshop, I was really relaxed with lighting, hair, and makeup, thinking, “Oh, I’ll fix it in post.” Then I learned more about what I could and couldn’t do in Photoshop, and I began to demand more control from myself when it came to planning and working through issues during the shoot.

For example, if there are any distractions in the background, I’ll clean them up during the pre-shoot because that’s one less thing to do in Photoshop. And if the hair doesn’t look quite right, I’ll make sure it’s corrected on set instead of taking it into Photoshop. Knowing my limitations in post-production has helped me tighten my creative eye when I’m shooting.

I look to be moved by my own images, and that’s why they’re all so special to me. Because I cannot control what other people think of them, but I can control what I think of them.

Tip #8: Be vocal.‍

This relates to trying to do less in post. In order to evoke the right mood, I have to communicate with the model. I try to be really direct — I think it’s just part of my personality. And if I’m looking for something in particular, I will say it as clearly as possible: “Can you look that way? Can you gaze this way? What about if you close your eyes and tilt your head back?” Whenever I’m on a shoot, I’m consciously looking at what the body’s doing, what the head is doing, the facial expressions, are the hands right. I’m looking at all the pieces and how they flow together. The model cannot see what I see, so my voice and my words are the only guide. We are working together to capture something.

Tip #9: The right mind-set matters after the shoot, too.‍

When it comes to editing on the go, I struggle. Usually when I’m traveling, I’m very present at that moment in time. And I find that when I’m editing, I need to be at a desk, sitting properly, with my things around me: a cup of tea, a candle, some music. The stage needs to be set for the magic to happen. It’s important.

Post-processing takes me around an hour—hour and a half—per image. Lately I’ve been placing pressure on myself to have it take less time. One of the things that really has helped me is creating actions of my color-toning processes. A lot of the time I spend looking at the computer wondering which color direction the image should go because there’s 500 options, and color is just as important as everything else in that image. If you come into it with cool blues and greens, it’ll give you a totally different atmosphere than if you color-graded with warm yellows and soft oranges. By using my actions I can cut down the time I spend editing by 70%.

That also helps when I’m traveling. I have a main hard drive I work from, a second hard drive as my backup, and then all my final images go onto SmugMug so there’s a safe place online all the finished images live. That also helps whenever I’m on the go doing interviews, or if I need to send a client an image, because I don’t need to grab my hard drive for images. I just go to my SmugMug account, locate my image, and send a link to it.

Tip #10: Never be afraid to play.‍

Move around, shoot from the side, shoot with things in front of you. Get some props and make little challenges for yourself. Shoot through things like a jar, a prism, or a bush. I find that when I’m working with a client, they will often have a strict idea of what they’re looking for. But usually the best images are created when they give me 15 minutes to play and I change it up: change the poses, change the location, change the angle I’m shooting at. I had a shoot recently where I set up people on these steps and it was great, but it wasn’t until I moved behind a bush and shot through a gap in the bush that we got the shot. That was really fun. Be playful when you’re shooting because you never know what you’re going to capture. Sometimes the camera sees very differently to the human eye.

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Find Bella online:
Portfolio
Flickr
Facebook
Twitter
Instagram

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What's "sportraiture?” Simply put, it’s unique portraits of fervent athletes showing themselves doing what they do best. Pro photographer and SmugMug educator Levi Sim has a place in his heart for the passion and thrill of this type of portraiture, and today he's sharing three key tips on how to make it work for you.

When I started photography four years ago, a local photojournalist, Eli Lucero, opened my eyes to sports photography. He said, "You know when you make a great portrait that shows emotion and it's awesome? Athletes are finally performing what they've been practicing, and powerful emotions show on their faces all day. It's great to be a sports photographer."

Ever since then, I take every opportunity I can find to shoot sports.

Still, I'm a portraitist at heart, and I can't help making portraits of people everywhere I go. Here are three tips that let me maximize every opportunity I get to shoot great sports portraits.

1. Know your game.

Athletes spend many hours every day for many years learning to perform flawlessly. They have worked incredibly hard to have the body and the skills to do what they do. It is disrespectful to put them in front of your lens and then mess around with your camera, trying to figure out the best settings. You owe it to them to be proficient at what you're doing because you're photographing other passionate people.

I'm not saying you have to be a pro who knows everything before you photograph someone. I'm saying that you do your practicing before you shoot the athlete. At the very least, grab a kid from the sidelines and practice your stup right before you invite the athlete over. Then you can be confident that you'll get a good image from that same setup.

I'd also recommend quitting while you're ahead. If you've just taken a good picture with a test setup, don't say, "Let's try this other thing," unless you've also practiced the other thing, too. They'll think you're the best photog in the world if you fire off two frames and have a great picture; if you mess around with the unknown, they'll be frustrated and disappointed.

Practice your setup, take a good picture, and say thank you.

2. Seek passionate subjects.

I'm not likely to get the opportunity to spend a few minutes photographing a famous athlete, like John Elway or Danica Patrick. But, if I go to the open track day at the local race track, I'll definitely be able to photograph some very passionate people, and they are likely to let me spend more than a few minutes taking pictures of them.

This is my pal, Jeremy. He's the one who told me about the open track days, so he invited our photography group down to make pictures. The track is crawling with guys and gals who are so passionate about racing motorcycles that they travel across the country to race on a world-class track.

These people spend their lives working to earn money so they can blow it on a few tanks of fuel and a few sets of tires in a single weekend. They aren't the kind who ride because it's cool. They ride because they can't not. These are the kind of people you really want in front of your lens, and they are the kind of people who will be pleased to help make a picture.

3. Use technique, timing, lighting—anything it takes to create a memorable shot.

It's interesting that when talking to athletes, they can describe the winning goal of a game they played ten years ago. Passionate athletes remember the intricate details of a split second for their entire lives. And if you think about it, that's exactly what we do as photographers, too.

When you make a picture after a game, that picture will be part of their memory and an important piece of the experience. I recommend that you prepare a few techniques that will allow you to create a memorable image—something your subjects will be happy to show off to future generations.

In these motorcycle portraits, the guys just got off the track where they broke speed records passing others around the turn, one knee dragging on the ground and sending sparks flying. They have the courage to get back on their bikes after tipping over and sliding through gravel for a hundred yards. I'm just taking it for granted that you have the courage to approach them and ask to take their picture.

After chatting for a sec about the bike, or the game (or whatever), I usually say, "There's some really good light right over here, and I wonder if you'd let me take a picture of your bike—yeah, with you in it!"

I've never been turned down.

Now, put on your widest lens and get in close. No, closer! These portraits were made within inches of the subject, almost touching their bikes with my lens. I used the incredible Nikkor 14–24mm f/2.8. When you get in close with a wide lens, you make a picture that is distorted and absolutely not normal. And not normal makes it memorable.

The key to these pictures is the lighting. These are all made within a half hour of noon, so the sun is straight overhead, and there is no light in their eyes to fill the raccoon shadows on their faces from their eyebrows and ball caps. My solution is to use a speedlight to pound some hard light back into their faces and the shadows on their bikes. These are hard-looking guys with sunlight casting hard shadows all around, so using a bare-bulb speedlight really fits the scene.

Remember: the speedlight is not mounted to the camera; that would be obvious in the picture and ruin the look. The flash is off to the side, and high, as if it's a little more sunlight from a slightly different direction. Whether you use your camera's proprietary speedlights controlled by the camera, a radio trigger, or an extension cord, you've got to get the flash off the camera to control the direction of the shadows. When using a very wide lens (shorter than 35mm), you can even handhold the flash to the side and it will be enough. I prefer to have my buddy or my subject's buddy hold the flash.

‍One more thing...

For best results in sportraiture, bring a friend. Or two. The more the merrier! You'll have more people there to help make your vision happen, and more visions to make things happen. You help each other hold stuff, ask each other questions, make the rest of the town jealous by talking about "that great time you spent at the track," which then gets more people to join in next time. Photography is always better with friends.

The best way to guarantee a smooth photo shoot is to talk to your clients, both in and outside the studio. We asked some of our top pros what they do to put their customers at ease, to get beautiful portraits worthy of the annual holiday card, and to make clients happy enough to tell their friends and families.

Here’s what they said:

‍1. "Here's what happens..."

As a professional, it’s imperative to set expectations about what you will do, how you do it, when you’ll do it, and what will be delivered. Show your client samples of your work (print samples, too), walk them through the experience, and describe how you will work; tell them exactly when they should expect to see proofs and check to be sure if they have any time-sensitive deadlines—like holiday cards—for the photos. The more expectations you set, the less room there will be for frustration…on either end.

‍2. "So when did you meet?"

People love to talk about themselves, and asking questions about them, their families, and their relationship can open them up and get them to relax. Be an active listener and be prepared to ask questions about things they just told you. They’ll know you’re listening and that you’re genuinely interested, which builds great rapport (and trust!).

‍3. "Stand like this."

Your clients are not always models! Show them what to do rather than tell them what to do. It’s much easier to have them mimic a pose you’re doing than to parse your words and move at the same time. After a while, it’ll become totally natural.

‍4. "You’re doing great!"

Say this, even if they’re not getting the pose right. Always be positive and try to channel any frustration into a bit of levity. Switch it up, shake it off, try something new. Don’t forget, this might be routine for you but it’s a special, forever moment for them. You’re a professional and can make anything work.

‍5. "Your proofs are already ready!"

Setting expectations is one thing, but having their products ready ahead of time is another. Whenever possible, underpromise and overdeliver. After all, everyone is thrilled when they get orders or proofs ahead of time, but no one tolerates anything late.

Special thanks to pros Nick, Tomasz, Steve, and Alastair for these great tips.