Lighting Tips: How to Capture that ‘National Geographic Style’

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In this video, National Geographic photographer Bob Holmes gives us his lighting tips and the secrets for controlling light in your photographs. You'll learn about the 3 types of light and how to control each.
Bob explains how to capture the shot using natural light without lots of equipment. He shares his decades of experience, knowledge and travels with you in this video.
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A big thanks to our friend Bob for his great photography advice. Visit him: / bobholmesphoto www.robertholm...
#photographytips #lighting #howto
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[@floatingrabbit3556]

In an age where youtuber talk about owning the latest and greatest camera and lens, we seem to forget that it is not the equipment but merely how that equipment records the light around it. The light has always been there to illuminate things and the shadows to shape them. This is pure gold.

[@marcsilber]

You’re so right 🙏

[@JyothiPrakashThaduri]

The light has always been there to illuminate things and the shadows to shape them. wow!!! its so true...

[@opencarrymagazine5134]

My first camera used an extinct film, and there was about ten rolls left when I bought it for pennies. I used it, then I modified it for a different film, the results were... interesting. I did landscape stuff, and pretty much everything that I saw. Great flower shots, great train track shots, and even today I see a train and get excited at what might be painted on the sides. We all struggle with vision, what do we want to do as opposed to what we have to do to eat, and it plays out in our work, and that's sad. Today, my biggest challenge is not the camera, or the images, but the girl who wants to be a photographer, who is selling 300 edited images from her entry level canon, for $49.95 and she thinks she's doing fantastic because she's making money. Then, when she realizes she's losing money left and right, and can't keep the "hobby," up, she leaves her clients in the lurch, and I get angry clients who just don't understand that I cannot stay in business by spending two hours with an assistant and portable lighting, on a location shoot an hour from my studio, and then four hours editing 200 images, for $49.95.

[@NathalieKossek]

Not only is this 'Nat Geo' Style but it's just photography gold in general. There's so many things people don't know or consider about light that Bob hits on. It's everything!

[@largemouthbassman5628]

He has so much knowledge. Instead of talking about buttons on camera he gives us real secret to photography

[@terryallen9546]

Best part for me, is his advice to spend a lot of time to develop a relationship with the subject, then shoot very little. Imo, it doesn't matter if the subject is a person or a rock...that advice is gold...if you want the broad character of the subject.

[@TodColbert]

Bob's comment about embracing dark areas to add mystery to a photograph was "enlightening" (sorry for the oxymoron). With so much emphasis these days on dynamic range and keeping details in the shadows, it was refreshing to remember about negative space. Thank you, Bob!

[@marcsilber]

yes, good point for sure.

[@marcsilber]

Wow Bob does it again! This time giving us his detailed advice for how he captures beautiful photographs in all types of light, even the dreaded mid-day harsh sunlight!

[@sweetkicksvideos7566]

This man is a master of Photography. Really can learn so much from him hope they have more videos with Bob.

[@venaustine4270]

I listened very well and it didn’t feel like 10 minutes, this is just how a video can be even better with people who are great speakers.

[@marcsilber]

🙏

[@vngas7]

You're right. I had not realized how long the video lasts until I read this comment, time flies with a good conversation.

[@kenwkls6392]

Wow you were actually right. I sat here f0r 10minutes on a subject I wouldn't even spend time on.

[@MichaelKircherPhotography]

Glad to know I'm not the only photographer looking at light and composition when I sit across the table from someone! ;-) Good interview with Mr Holmes. Thanks!

[@zosxavius]

Thank you so much for posting these two interviews. Bob Holmes is someone every photographer should pay attention and listen to. He says so much in so little.

[@marcsilber]

+Zos Xavius you're right! Thanks!

[@Pilantravis]

Please make more videos like this, with PROS talking about photography techniques and tips.

[@PhilRizkalla]

Thumbs up for this man.

[@michaelhing888]

Great advice 😎

[@dholte1000]

Phil Rizkalla

[@marcioshuffle1466]

No tips dear. Only study, hard work, experience, hard work, eye development, hard work. Oh, I told about hard work yet? :-)

[@BezNicku]

Encją 💆🏽‍♂️👨‍👨‍👧‍👦👩‍👧‍👦👡👨‍👨‍👦‍👦👨‍👧‍👦🐚🐝🦑🐡🕸🐋🐢🐌🕸🦋🐟🦂🦀🕷🕷🐅🐛🐄🐌🐜🐛🐛🐜🐜🕷🐜🐛🐗🐜🐜🐕🐎🐖🐖🐖🐫🐪🐎🐎🐎🐎🐎🐎🐎🐎🐲🌲🏐🏐🏓👨‍👧‍👦👔👨‍👦‍👦👩‍👧‍👦👒👨‍👨‍👧‍👧🎩👩‍👦‍👦👡👩‍👧Paulo Ferreira 😀😀🍸🤦‍♂️🤒☺️👹☠️👿💀👮🏽

[@jaymaig8556]

I wanna thank you for all the interviews you’ve done with well respected photographers. As a photography major, I’m constantly searching for knowledge in reading books, watching KZbin instructional videos, taking lecture notes, attending galleries, googling photos, sharing know how’s with colleagues and practicing with my camera. You seem to care to really educate your audience. I find value in simple advice such as “take time to get to know the person you are taking a pictures of.” I usually jump right in with my camera and often times, my models are uncomfortable and stuff. I should really spend more time learning about my subject and less time taking a hundred pictures of my subject, in hopes that one of them might turn out exceptional. I’m past the point of trying every settings on the menu to get to the right one. Thank you for what you do! Please continue to teach us!

[@LABLVR]

I love that Bob Holmes emphasized, "get to know your subject you're photographing". It truly makes a difference when you are telling your story via photography...such a priceless insight to share with us. 🙏🏼

[@JeromeMilac]

3rd Part of the interview with Bob Holmes, packed with a lot of advices regarding light. I'm glad he talked about the vermeer lighting and the blue hour, which are rarely discussed anywhere else. Very useful tips, to be sketched into marble !!

[@sukhumskie]

Jerome Milac true I had a hard time with blue hour to adjust but now kinda got it I get up early and live close to lake when I miss golden hour blue hour start interesting me took long to understand

[@MikeSwartz]

Great video, Bob Holmes is able to describe why and how he visualizes the light and why he works with people to get the expressions he wants. This is why the seasoned photographers are always so fantastic, truly understands how to make the shot they want.

[@grat2010]

Wonderful info shared here. That picture of the Trinidad tobacco farmer 👌

[@alexmetcalfe4668]

I think this is one of your most important videos Mark.

[@marcsilber]

Thank you!

[@revathykaliappan6426]

I always believed in shooting at mid-day. Bob just beautifully explained it with his pictures that he shoot in Cuba. Its great! AGAPED!!!

[@marcsilber]

yes indeed-- go for the "golden hours"- I give tips for that in my new book aypclub.com/

[@NullStaticVoid]

Loved that photo of the barbershop. The way the decorative element on the right of the door reflected the arch to the left. The casual air. The lack of oversharpening. Also I really like the idea of using a newspaper or somesuch to add some off frame supplemental lighting. This is very common in film and video, but I'd never put 2 and 2 together that it could be a useful technique for street photography. Though I do like to loiter next to storefronts with bright displays, or reflective windows.

[@sakets]

First time on this channel. Before clicking I thought it must be someone showing some PS/LR tricks. But this are REAL tricks and words of wisdom. This is the kind of video you can watch once every few months to refresh your inner camera spirit and find more meaning out of the content. Good stuff!! Will check out other videos as well.

[@marcsilber]

glad you found us. We'll be doing another shoot with Bob this week, so leave your questions here

[@pictureenhance4855]

Very glad to bob share expertise in discussing points about photography lighting... Thank you Bob Holmes

[@vgfjr505]

Wonderful colors to set the mood.

[@JustonianInstitute]

Great video! Photographers talking about photography. Keep them coming. So much better than they typical youtube channels of dudes with sweet gear talking about sweet gear.

[@SplurgeFrugal]

This is a ten-minute photography masterclass! Bob Holmes reminds me of how much great photographers borrow from the techniques of fine artists to improve their craft. Thanks for a great video.

[@marcsilber]

+Don Peterson don you're so right! That's my recommending advancing your photography handbook!

[@p3rrypm]

I noticed that too... As you start to work with different lighting techniques, you start to become more aware of what's happening with the light that falls all around you in any given situation. It's just a natural evolution of learning this stuff.

[@daniohs]

The way bob is aware of how cameras pick up light is as if he was born a camera in a previous life. :p

[@marcsilber]

maybe he was :)

[@niros77]

ela i

[@сукаблять-д9ь]

Alvaro Nieri i

[@paharithrottle4110]

Never heard anyone so wise before 🙏

[@marcsilber]

👍

[@HarryFullerCT]

This is one of the best videos on photography I have ever seen. So much knowledge in a short span. Thank you.

[@marcsilber]

thanks Harry.

[@stuartcoutts3898]

Awesome video...Bob's tips are gold...so helpful...many thanks to u both

[@alloycrow917]

very nice video, old schoolers have a ton of experience... as well as patience. cheers

[@spinerocker]

Light matters. Thank you for bringing this wonderful video to life

[@abdrulahmanscorner3861]

You forget how much of a different league NatGeo is playing at compared to online photographers no matter how good they are until you hear one of their photographers talk. Masters of the craft.

[@marcsilber]

So true!

[@jennym.9099]

This was a great video. I love Bob's simple approach to photography.

[@marcsilber]

yep he's good! We have a new video coming with him soon!

[@jennym.9099]

I look forward to it.

[@kc2628]

This kind of videos is way better than those camera and lens reviews and pixel peeping ones. Thanks a lot for making them!

[@JessDemant]

Great video, love it!

[@marcsilber]

We're doing a new shoot with Bob on 6/28-- leave your questions for him here!

[@selfemployeed101]

we're talking about lighting, and look there they are reflected in his glasses. Brilliant.

[@anne-mariejane4595]

Great video content and tips. Very refreshing hear a photography talking about breaking things down to the minimum, but yet still creating, capturing amazing shots.

[@marcsilber]

🙏

[@BubblesPothowari]

Brilliant : "Eyes compensate. Camera records literal." "Shoot for highlights. Shadows will take care themselves...."

[@Shikshna]

I don't think you should always expose for highlights. I like my shadows flat when there's a lot of detail

[@marcsilber]

It’s all about your choices. That’s why it art.

[@silencerrecker2802]

Advancing Your Photography , yeah you right, art is freedom of expression

[@Tom_YouTube_stole_my_handle]

@@Shikshna A fair point but it's easier to recover detail from shadows than it is from blown highlights. My personal feeling is that camera manufacturers have concentrated too much on the low end which has almost infinite ability to recover detail whereas I could always use an extra stop or two in the highlights.

[@fotovojta7983]

@@Tom_KZbin_stole_my_handle TLDR always expose for the highlights 😀 It is defined by technology and physics, not a decision. Let's say you have 14bit sensor (16000 shades) and the output in jpeg or screen is 8bit (256 shades). Then there are 64 shades in raw between 0-1 in jpeg. So you can recover detail. With wrongly overexposed highlights, clipping occurs. You setup your exposure to have lets say up to 50000, but the sensor is only capable to save 0-16000. Then everything over 16000 is stored as only 16000. The range 0-16000 is defined by bit depth of the sensor. How it corresponds to the light is defined by dynamic range. But the clipping will occur with wrong exposure even if the values would be higher than they are now. Only thing camera manufacturers could do is to always (under) expose images so that no clipping will occur, but they would present the user with his selected exposure in camera postprocessing. (There is always postprocessing, either in camera or in a program. Something has to interpret the signal.) Cameras just give you precise control on what it is doing, because you might want to have more details on the shadows and don't mind overblown highlights, who knows.

[@johnnydean4896]

Thank you for the upload. One learns a lot from this video, from Bob's insight and expertise.

[@marcsilber]

+Johnny Dean Great to hear Johnny, thanks for watching!

[@jamesstewart3012]

Fantastic video! I've dreamed of being a Geographic photographer for years!! This is great stuff!!

[@manilamartin1001]

Wow. What a great interview. More please from this great photographer.

[@marcsilber]

You’ll see more for sure!

[@radishfever]

Marc and Bob, Thanks for sharing these insights. Keep up the great work.

[@marcsilber]

thanks for watching!

[@jazzmaan707]

UGGG! KODACHROME! HOW I MISS IT. Great video and good examples.

[@marque27]

Been subscribed to this channel for some years now and always love the videos you guys produce. Bob Holmes is a very good photographer and produces some stunning images. Now I don't mean to rain on his parade though, but I can't help but notice that the portrait of the tobacco farmer at "midday" @5:30 really looks closer to late afternoon, maybe 4pm-5pm. I say this because of two reasons. 1) Being that Cuba is in the Caribbean that colour of light is usually reserved for later in the day, closer to sunset. Midday light is a lot more harsh. 2) The shadow from the shed in the background kind of indicates that the sun is not directly overhead, but lower than that hence the reason the shadow is where it is. Again i think this photo was taken later afternoon and not midday. Anyway, it is still a fine photograph all the same.

[@thefreefilmschool7709]

Great channel and great tips. All to get that National Geographic Style look. Will be watching all your video. Picked up great new tips.

[@Znine_Z9]

Thanks to both of you for sharing such precious information..

[@LivingFree207]

I loved this video and I like hearing ways to use lighting that are natural without lugging a lot of equipment since we will be traveling full time. I'm so happy we found your channel! :) We are newer to photography and videography and have a lot to learn so we appreciate these videos :)

[@thihazaw7698]

This is GOLD

[@myk1200s]

Great tips Bob thanks guys for a well done video....

[@robcarr1899]

Very informative and entertaining. Thank you.

[@artiebowman]

Brilliant! A lot of knowledge and experience here.

[@Jigsaw407]

Great video and very informative. And for those who don't know: the clapperboard is being clapped to make synchronizing the sound and the image easier in post production, because video and sound are often recorded seperately. ;)

[@embaralensa1537]

Great insights. Looking foward to another new video

[@marcsilber]

Awesome, thank you!

[@terada2423]

Bob, what a great guy you are. Thank you for sharing your technique. I really like this style of photography and have made note of all your tips. Now it's time to get out there and practice a getting better.

[@marcsilber]

glad to hear and yes practice is the key to mastery!

[@exposure2567]

WOW! great video

[@sylvestersanchez3319]

So professional...

[@WhooNiki]

Amazing video! 👍👍👍

[@marcsilber]

+Nikolai Hasenhuetl thanks, glad you like it! Stay tuned for more on the way!

[@tedsouart2085]

Excellent ! I loved it. Just subscribed !

[@marcsilber]

thanks Ted!

[@ogilvy85]

Thank you sir, for sharing your views. Good points to ponder on

[@AI-Hallucination]

Best thing I have seen for awhile

[@marcsilber]

🙏

[@viniciusvieira9745]

Great video!

[@lynnjohnson3669]

loved this talk, great advise on light.

[@marcsilber]

He’s the master of natural lighting

[@guillermomartinez6006]

more videos like this please!

[@sayedmohdsalman]

Bob, Thank you for so much for so many great tips in such a short video.....

[@lovingreno8650]

Amazing tips!!

[@pepeg.luthier566]

Good tips. It always help to hear from the Pros.

[@gabrielivan6679]

awesome.. so well done. thank you.

[@zetmatillano8984]

Wow. I learned so much from this video. Thumbs up.

[@panoramictv9249]

Amazing. I learned more from this short video than i would if i studied this subject for a whole day.

[@marcsilber]

great to hear! What are some of the key points you learned?

[@tommiegreen]

Soaking up this man's genius experience

[@raberbmx3563]

Beautiful, more like this will be great!

[@benfromatlantis]

this is what photo-graphy originally means. Thank you to let us join your way of working.

[@chromaticvisuelle]

I knew all the tips already and I learnt by myself. Proud ! ;)

[@marcsilber]

👍

[@GajoRomario]

Master of the photography

[@marcsilber]

👍

[@mountainmanlife]

Awesome! Thank u for the insight 🙏👊😁

[@46ace]

Truly wonderful content. These NG guys are true masters of the craft and truly humble people. Jim Brandenburg is another. You should do an interview with Mr. Brandenburg.

[@JordanYona]

Thank you for making this video!! its really helpful and really inspiring words and tips.

[@gripptightpro]

VERY INFORMATIVE!

[@admmgllc]

This was incredible!!!

[@sreejibghoshdastidar4091]

Thanks a lot Bob, very useful tips & also waiting for more videos specially on the artificial light...

[@ubarhd1]

Great interesting interview with legends in the field 👏🏻👏🏻

[@marcsilber]

👍

[@reeffeeder]

Great video! I couldn't help thinking how bad the light was in it!

[@zvkvhs3818]

Just stumbled on this channel and this episode was refreshing and inspiring! Great content.

[@marcsilber]

glad you did, stay tuned!

[@marcsilber]

Here's an example of Vermeer lighting, notice how she is lit from the window upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/20/Johannes_Vermeer_-_Het_melkmeisje_-_Google_Art_Project.jpg Look at his work and try a photo with his style -- find a model (friend or family) and have fun with it

[@samueldewit836]

Great video. Only one little detail, both Rembrandt and Vermeer came from Holland and they were painters from the 17th century 😉 www.rijksmuseum.nl/en/rijksstudio/artists/rembrandt-harmensz-van-rijn www.rijksmuseum.nl/en/rijksstudio/artists/johannes-vermeer

[@abi7183]

Samuel de Wit He never said they weren't from Holland, did he?

[@simongentry]

excellent! thank you for the insight... bob rocks!

[@marcsilber]

+simon gentry thank you!

[@angelica3744]

Thoroughly enjoyable and informative. Thank you.

[@julietmagee7567]

Thank you for such an educational and inspiring video. Living in Western Australia we have to cope with full sun for much of the day, so these tips will be put into practice.

[@majopgalli]

This is great!! very inspiring!!

[@saptarshic]

This was brilliant! more of these, please?

[@marcsilber]

thanks we're planning our next shoot with Bob!!

[@aloisiocosta6795]

Small video, big lessons!

[@marcsilber]

🙏

[@maheshsr1]

Excellent, instructive video! We need more such understated videos that are all about the topic rather than the photographer.

[@marcsilber]

thanks ! Be sure to check out my new book where you'll find tips from Bob Holmes and many others goo.gl/7k0uOt

[@bowdenmertz2601]

This is amazing!

[@shemphoward6274]

Wow! great insights from an Old Pro, and perhaps most importantly, the simple perspective of constantly aware of light, how the camera perceives light and how it effects us (the viewer) emotionally is what sets a photographic artist apart from a technical photographer. What he says about Kodachrome captured dark areas different from digital, is perhaps the magic quality that Kodachrome provided.

[@nagaseminarian]

Subscribed! Thanks for the video.

[@AnarchicImage]

Very interesting video, thanks!

[@MrWilliamCapone]

Thank you so much for this! Incredible channel.

[@marcsilber]

+William Capone thank you William! Stay tuned!

[@epiphany-ys9wk]

loved this!! TY

[@indrarupsaha3198]

Some great insights Sir ! great......!!

[@otavioleitefotografia]

Nice work!