| It is comparatively easy to capture portraits when | | | | Allowing the shutter to stay open longer will allow |
| you have complete control of the lighting. But what | | | | more light in but it also allows for any motion to be |
| about when you have no control and the available | | | | captured; motion to a camera translates to blur or |
| light is limited? The following portrait photography tips | | | | streaking. Because of this, a tripod or some other |
| are intended to offer some lighting and photography | | | | stabilizing device will be necessary. The longer the |
| concepts to make a low lighting situation a bit easier. | | | | shutter is open, the more necessary the tripod (this |
| Common situations dealing with low level lighting are | | | | is one of the key elements in all of my portrait |
| conferences or weddings at the moments where | | | | photography tips). If you are expected to move |
| something important is happening and a flash would | | | | about a crowd, a unipod may be a better choice. |
| be a rude distraction. In order to shoot portrait | | | | Try to keep your shutter speed slow enough to let |
| photography reasonably well in this situation you | | | | enough light in but not so slow as to capture |
| must know quite a bit about the characteristics of | | | | movement. This can take quite a bit of practice but |
| your camera. | | | | can make the difference of having to buy an |
| The Camera | | | | expensive large aperture lens or not. |
| To take portraits in low lighting it is imperative that a | | | | ISO Setting |
| single lens reflex (SLR) camera be used. SLRs allow | | | | The ISO or film setting of your camera determines |
| complete control over the major characteristics of | | | | the sensitivity of your image sensor. The larger the |
| the camera: size of aperture opening, shutter speed, | | | | ISO setting the quicker it reacts to light. Using a high |
| and the ISO setting of the image sensor (using a | | | | setting in limited light will allow your sensor to react |
| digital SLR). | | | | quicker to the light that is available. The balance here |
| The Aperture | | | | is that ISO settings above 400 tend to result in |
| The aperture is the iris like opening in the lens body | | | | grainy pictures with some cameras; this is becoming |
| that controls the amount of light that is let into the | | | | less of a problem with the progressive development |
| camera; the smaller the setting, the bigger the | | | | of image sensors but it still happens. |
| opening. Without a flash, the necessary setting of | | | | Balancing out your aperture, shutter, and ISO settings |
| the aperture will depend on the amount of light in the | | | | in different lighting environments can take a bit of |
| room. There are lenses available that have very small | | | | practice but it is better to do this than to use a |
| aperture settings (large opening) but they can be | | | | disruptive flash during the I Dos of a wedding or |
| very expensive. | | | | when the boss may be making a presentation at a |
| The point here is that if you have a limited light | | | | conference. |
| source, start with the lowest aperture setting and | | | | I hope these portrait photography tips have shown |
| adjust higher as needed. | | | | some of the concepts to keep in mind when |
| Shutter Speed | | | | shooting portraits in limited lighting without a flash. |