Using Natural Light on Location (Full Production 2007)

[@davidellinsworth3299]

Just brilliant Damien. I wish we could be spoiled with these types of videos more often. When i watch, i learn a lot. Thank you

[@LovegroveTraining]

Thank you for your kind words David.

[@hayfield43]

What I take most from this is how he comunicates with the models. So relaxed and enthusiastic. That energy is very inspiring to me.

[@LovegroveTraining]

Thank you for your kind words Philip :)

[@stepitup5409]

I have been shooting for over 4 decades as a commercial photographer. I think this teaching has opened my eyes so much. I, as a commercial photographer, always go into a beautiful space and start thinking, "where should I put the lights". Damien has changed how I think on available or Natural light photography. My hat is off to you Damien. You put the fun back in portraits.

[@LovegroveTraining]

Thank you for those lovely compliments. Stay inspired :)

[@riccardomattei5699]

Thanks for sharing, love this!

[@sero4696]

Dear sir..I'm from a poor country in Asia...your KZbin channel is like an university to me....thank you very much...🙏🙏🙏

[@LovegroveTraining]

You are welcome here :)

[@Haywain]

I really cannot understand why anyone would give a thumbs down to your videos. Whether you’re a professional / hobbyist looking for inspiration, or moving into a new genre, or an amateur looking for guidance, there is something for everyone. I love portraiture in all its forms, and I have to say, I am learning all the time.

[@LovegroveTraining]

Thank you Wayne :)

[@rockie667]

Oh my God, Damien: this is so phantastic! I can not find the right words to thank you for everything I have learned from you so far in all your videos! You are the real master of reading and understanding light! Thank you so much for sharing and teaching!!!

[@LovegroveTraining]

Johann Thank you for your kind comments. Stay creative and inspired. Damien.

[@JayJay...]

Hi Damien - I just keep coming back to these to revise from your mastery of light .. thank you for sharing your insights.

[@LovegroveTraining]

You are very welcome Jay Jay. Thank you for the compliments :) Damien.

[@martinhill100]

This fella taught me all I needed to know about natural night. Great photographer, teacher, person & buddy.

[@LovegroveTraining]

Thanks Martin. What a journey it's been :)

[@steevo1976]

I’ve seen bits of this on KZbin before, but it’s a real treat to be able to finally see the whole thing. Some wonderful images here. Thank you for making this available. I have seen many mentions of only using a monopod for taking the weight off of large lenses only and not for assisting with camera shake. You make it all look easy. Very inspiring. All the best.

[@LovegroveTraining]

Thank you Steevo :)

[@joshatticks]

Lovely work, it's so nice hearing your lighting theory behind the location you chose and how you finesse the pose.

[@LovegroveTraining]

Thank you Joshua :)

[@IvanDoherty1]

Thanks for releasing these excerpts into the wild Damion, super stuff as always.

[@LovegroveTraining]

Thanks for your kind words

[@Jerry-kg9pr]

Thank you for Sharing Mr. Lovegrove I so enjoyed your video , you give helpful ideas , your a very talented gentleman ..

[@LovegroveTraining]

Thank you Sonja :)

[@DelOfTheShire]

Superb. Many thanks for sharing the full production. I need to watch it again (about ten times!) with a notebook in hand. Then maybe again with a camera!! Thank you. Derek

[@LovegroveTraining]

Thanks Del! Notes should really help to lock in the knowledge :)

[@tysonator5433]

A great video Mr Lovegrove, What I came away from this video was how to use buildings in my local high street for angles, shapes and reflections for portrait images. The shade area of a tree and upping the exposure compensation to light the subjects face and blow out the back ground is a great technique I will certainly be copying.. Thank you Mr Lovegrove for sharing your experiences. It also helps to have some pretty models as well on hand !

[@LovegroveTraining]

Thank you Tyson :)

[@andrewl6319]

Damien Lovegrove is great genius.

[@LovegroveTraining]

Thank you :)

[@okiepita50t-town28]

Another great video full of really good tips and lots of bang-on shots. Of course it doesn’t hurt to have so many very attractive models. I always learn so much from your tutorials. Your efforts are very much appreciated.

[@LovegroveTraining]

Thanks James. Having an attractive cast in films is a trick I learned from Hollywood :)

[@andrewfrost8866]

As always, absolutely inspiring, and beautiful images.

[@LovegroveTraining]

Thank you Andrew :)

[@Garbid]

Just started to watch and in 10 minutes got good mood and knowledge. Thanks.

[@LovegroveTraining]

Thanks Garbid :)

[@Project_2501]

Damien! This video is a GEM just like your Speedlight Mastery video. Spot on, honest, well explained and compact but not too compressed to miss anything. It's a loads of great practical examples to really digest and understand. In my opinion the best video on natural lighting on KZbin, without exaggeration (and I have seen tons of them)! 13 years ago this knowledge would have been worth gold for me. A shame I didn't know about this DVD back then - combined with the other one it would have made me "the s**t", because it contains exactly the on spot knowledge that nobody was able to properly teach me when I started out at art school back in 2006. I had to learn everything on my own despite all the work material at hand (and in retrospect pretty incapable mentors as well). In 2011 I made my degree in visual arts, and after all these years of experience this video could still teach me quite some new things. I especially admire your ability to comfort the models in a way that they seem to just trust you a 100% with what you are doing, and that is because your warm hearted and confident, almost father like persona you showed in the video. Maybe it's just for the video, but it seems to work wonderfully and I will try to adapt that as well to work better with my own clients. Of course very depending on the individual and their own personality, but I learned a lot just watching and analyzing you interacting with the models Damien. I can't thank you enough for sharing this most valuable material on KZbin and making it available for free for us all to learn from you. I saved it to my computer, just in case it will disappear one day. I would recommend every photographer on every level of skill to watch these two videos. I incorporated that knowledge already to teach my assistants and trainees and I think it benefited us and especially them quite a lot ever since I stumbled upon your Speedlight Mastery video a couple of months ago. Btw. the models are just gorgeous, especially the first one - such a lovely heart warming smile of hers. It surely was a pleasure to work with these people and looking at the results, I could see it in your face too - her smile is infectious.

[@LovegroveTraining]

Wow, thank you for that fine appraisal Project 2501. I'm glad you are finding my tutorials worthwhile. I'll be posting more very soon. In the meantime you might like to watch this video: www.prophotonut.com/2020/06/04/a-film-about-damien-lovegrove-by-fujilove-4k/ It's a free to view documentary (without advertising) that I think you and your students will find fascinating. Kindest regards, Damien

[@Project_2501]

@@LovegroveTraining Thanks so much! I loved the sports analogies. One question, what brand of filters and especially the lightstands are these? I am looking for some stable but small ones for ages!

[@kubacz6145]

I really like this content... I have to watch it couple of times

[@brahbrah908]

I’m stealing that happy happy fun method to make clients smile

[@LovegroveTraining]

You are welcome :)

[@RichardRichardVC]

You're spoiling us! Thanks Damien

[@LovegroveTraining]

Thanks :)

[@yvesrobert6186]

Thanks for sharing Damien; I really enjoyed learning from you how to improve my flash and on location portraits.

[@LovegroveTraining]

You are welcome :)

[@willnotbetracked8222]

Great images from a 12 mp camera! Just goes to prove it's not just the gear, it's the way you use it. What ALL photographers can benefit from is upgrading the essential piece of gear between their ears with decent education by someone who knows what they are talking about rather than from all the two minute 'professionals' out there! Nice!

[@sexysilversurfer]

Willnot Betracked there's a lot of KZbin videos about the 5D "classic"

[@LovegroveTraining]

Thank you WillnotBetracked.

[@kochavigivoni5814]

Wow, thank you very much for sharing your knowledge!!!

[@Martinbob100]

Great photographer and a great teacher. Wery useful material here! Thank you for sharing it :)

[@LovegroveTraining]

Thank you Martinbob100 for your kind words :)

[@kochavigivoni5814]

Unbelievable, beautiful Pictures!!!

[@LovegroveTraining]

Many thanks Kochavi, much appreciated :)

[@btpaulen]

The main problem for an amateur like myself is to imagine how things would look like with bracketed shots - thus being able to find locations/light that would fit. Like the blown-out background when shooting a quite dark lit face. Amazing tutorial - thanks!

[@LovegroveTraining]

Thank you Bjørn, Contrast of backgrounds is a really big part of the location selection process :)

[@ZommBleed]

Excellent video. I really enjoyed it.

[@LovegroveTraining]

Cheers ZommBleed!

[@КонстантинЛеонов-у9я]

Thank you so much for this lesson. I appreciate it.

[@КонстантинЛеонов-у9я]

I also bought you book 📕. It’s awesome 🤩 thank you so much!

[@baldurt]

Great instructional video!!!! Thank you.

[@LovegroveTraining]

Thanks :)

[@TonySooty]

Hi Damian, i'm really pleased i watched both Videos, using flash on location, including post production and, using natural light on location .I found them both to be informative and inspirational. The clincher for me was when you transformed the shot under canopy of the tree to have a winter wonderland feel to it. simply by pushing the exposure compensation dial by +2. Keep on inspiring, i would love to attend one of your work shops but,sadly they are too expensive .May be you could do a budget version one day ?

[@markpatterson2718]

___The first few years of how to do this and how to do that was mostly all soft box and reflector lighting techniques___ some regular photography umbrellas and continuous lighting kits were out of date it appeared most tutors were stressing soft box photography : ___but i always loved your continuous spot light photography and arguments on hard light__ today a few years later the philosophy has become more well rounded it seems as umbrella photography as well as continuous light has made a come back__ modern photos look pretty modern with new continuous light bulb species

[@jaym5938]

Love these videos. Wondering the Picture Profile used...? And still trying to figure out how the image looks so light and pinkish in camera (white balance) and shadows seem to have vanished on the face.

[@LovegroveTraining]

Hi Jay, It was a long time ago and I would have shot jpeg using 'natural' picture profile and then reduced the contrast and lifted the shadows in the camera menu settings. You can shift the white balance too by using the matrix in the menu system. The trick is to set up the camera to achieve the exact look that you want. If you shoot raw don't imagine that you can leave this until post production because the initial exposure is so important and the white balance settings carry right through to the post production app that you use. I hope this helps, Damien.

[@EDDIEGARAGE]

fantastic, fantastic, fantastic

[@williamgallagher5655]

Really fantastic work, just subscribed about a week ago, there is so much great content on here, thanks very much for all your hard work,I feel inspired after going through a bit of a rough patch, you are an amazing photographer.

[@LovegroveTraining]

Hi William, thank you for taking the time to write your kind words. I'm sorry its taken me so long to reply. Have a great 2018 and do stay inspired. Cheers, Damien.

[@riccardomattei5699]

This is Available Light! 👏 To me available light means that the light is just perfect the way it is, too perfect for adding flash. It doesn't mean "I don't have a clue how to use flash, so I will pretend I'm a prophet of available light just by taking flat dark pics and streching out shadows in lightroom"! 😂 I saw so many such "Gurus" on Instagram... they should take a look a this tutorial, this is how to do Photography! Thank you so much for sharing this invaluable content!

[@LovegroveTraining]

Thank you Riccardo for the kind words. Stay inspired, Damien

[@michyjua]

I agree whith you!

[@ulsvencol]

I love these videos, thanks!

[@NinjavomWolfstor]

Amazing Video.... but Megan leaves me speechless... such a natural beauty....

[@simianinc]

Fantastic video, Damien. I haven’t shot a camera without body stabilisation for about five years. Monopods seem so alien to me for stills!

[@LovegroveTraining]

Thank you. I used a monopod here to support the camera and lens so I don't carry the weight on my upper body all day, every day. Keeping the camera stil is a bonus. For the past 4 years I've used a tripod for every shot and it's really helped my composition :)

[@wajmawify]

Love this video!!! Thank you so much!!!

[@LovegroveTraining]

Thank you for your kindness :)

[@giovannifontana5291]

Mr. Lovegrove is a photography enthusiast and I am looking for an amateur way to learn from great photographers like her. I have seen many of his tutorials and I was wondering why even in bright conditions she takes pictures at no less than ISO 400 instead of ISO 100. Thank you so much, good work.

[@LovegroveTraining]

Hi Giovanni, Thank you for the compliments. I like the slight grain in my pictures. Remember this was shot 11 years ago and times change. Back then some people still remember film and I never shot film below 400 ISO because I liked a bit of grain. Kindest regards, Damien.

[@martinmcglone8456]

best i have ever seen

[@LovegroveTraining]

Thank you Martin :)

[@miguelcan2978]

gracias , de verdad gracias por compartir sus bases solidas para explotar nuestra creatividad , saludos en la distancia y otra vez gracias!

[@LovegroveTraining]

Thank you :)

[@misterfister6096]

If in doublt, leave it out :) Love that. Thank you for this amazing tutorial(s).

[@LovegroveTraining]

Thank you :)

[@AlGreenLightThroughGlass]

Great results with older camera gear proving skill is the key factor. Most of the work is done 12 inches behind the lens.

[@LovegroveTraining]

Thanks Al :)

[@JoeDaltonCustom]

Yoda of Light!! I envy you!! you are incredible sir ;) love your vids!!!!

[@LovegroveTraining]

Thank you for the compliments Don Cicci. :)

[@JoeDaltonCustom]

you deserve it!! @@LovegroveTraining

[@azuntapictglen6953]

many thanks men i have learned lots !!!

[@kennypringle4580]

Very nice images 👍

[@LovegroveTraining]

Thank you :)

[@bannimus9796]

Awesome... respect!

[@LovegroveTraining]

Thank you.

[@gmt6103]

16:33... Very good tip! Thanks boss 😊👍

[@geraldbrooks2212]

Wow, just came across your videos, and have now watched your Speedlight Mastery, Flash on location and now this one. Fantastic, and loved the fact that it was all done 10+ years ago with minimal technology. I have done extensive searching, the monopod you use appears to be a trigger actuated spring loaded stick, where can one find this series?

[@LovegroveTraining]

Thank you for your kind words Gerald. The monopod is this one that I slightly modified to remove safety catches and the foot thing. www.amazon.co.uk/Manfrotto-Neotec-Monopod-Safety-Lock/dp/B000KI189O/

[@PeopleMakePictures]

So this film is 10 years old? Looks like it was shot this year. Great advise from Damien. Very simple set up with lots of experience. The pictures look great..... would like to see what the models look like in 2017.....hang on, I've just found one...www.gingersnap.co.uk/model/2831/chloe-h

[@tahomyjo]

Also do any of your tutorials show the full information about what meter settings and zones you use with different shots? Like spot metering, matrix etc

[@LovegroveTraining]

Hi Tammy. This was 11 years ago and at that time I used 'matrix metering' and combining it with exposure compensation. For the past 6 years I've been using mirrorless cameras and its not not nearly as complicated as SLR shooting. I use manual exposure with no metering at all. If the picture looks too dark I make it brighter etc and when it looks great I press the shutter button. I'm so glad that metering is a thing of the past for me. All my current paid for tutorials make extensive use of on screen graphics with all settings etc.and Lumen comes with a PDF booklet too. Kindest regards Damien.

[@annettecollazocomito]

I’m so happy I found your videos Lovegrove, I’m in NYC we are in the middle of the Covid19 virus no social gathering but your videos has helped me keeping busy. Thank you su much for sharing your knowledge . WOW superb educated simple and clear communication for beginners like me,I have a question on the shoots fashion with the flare you change your len from 70-200 to something else. What lens you used ? it’s a great shoot, I hope everyone it staying safe , thank you BTW what monopod you recommend?

[@LovegroveTraining]

Hi Annette, Thanks for your comments. I shot this video 13 years ago and I've no idea what lenses were in my bag back then. Any lens designed in the past 5 years will be far better for sure. As for monopods, I've owned many. I currently use a Gitzo but in the past I used Manfrotto Neotec automagic monopods. They used to last me about 2 seasons and their problem was they didn't go low enough. My needs and your needs will be very different unless you also shoot medium format etc. Thanks for watching :)

[@riccardomattei5699]

Thank you so much for sharing this, it is amazing how a real passion can help the soul survive and look forward amidst terrible circumstances!

[@johndriscolluk]

Thank you so much for sharing this video Damien. This is without doubt the best video on natural light photography I’ve seen, so inspiring and can’t wait to try some of this tomorrow. One question though, what metering mode do you use? spot?

[@LovegroveTraining]

Thanks John, Sorry for the delay in replying. These were shot on an old SLR 10 years ago. I think it was matrix metering plus exposure compensation. I've been shooting mirrorless for years now and don't use any metering at all.

[@hdrsmit]

i'm late to be commenting but wanted to confirm that you were compensating exposure while shooting in full manual and slowing shutter speed vice letting the camera set some parameters and then you use the exp comp dial to bring it up. (on my camera there is no way to use exp comp when i shoot in manual mode)

[@LovegroveTraining]

It was 10 years ago and to be honest I can't remember exactly. For the past 8 years I've been mirrorless and have worked in manual mode ever since as what I see is what I get. With mirrorless you see the shot before you press the button. There's no need to let the camera guess anything and hence no need to use compensation when you think it has got the exposure wrong. I'm sorry I can't be of more help. Kindest regards, Damien.

[@hdrsmit]

thank you MUCH for the quick reply ! maybe it's just me, but i have a harder time keeping my subj and background lighting ratios the way i want it when i use EC adjustments while shooting (fuji) mirrorless than when i do it on manual by slowing my shutter speeds on my DSLR while using evaluative metering. would like to hear from anyone who has tried spot metering in these situations. either way, it's been a great tutorial for expanding new ways for me to shoot in these lighting environments

[@LovegroveTraining]

@@hdrsmit Thank you. I think we each have to find our own way of working that fits our logic. We all strive for perfection and through practice and experimentation settle for a process that delivers consistently good results.

[@hobergutierrez168]

Bellisima, gracias por el contenido.

[@LovegroveTraining]

Gracias por los cumplidos

[@reneewilhite5336]

Excellent work thanks for sharing!!!

[@scottkabongo2207]

Hi Damien! I love your content man! Bless you. I would love to know more about that monopod you're using. It makes the job so much easy. I wrote this midway in through the video in case you said it at the end... lol Thanks!

[@LovegroveTraining]

Thank you. It is a Neotec monopod from Manfrotto

[@thegrowler1019]

Hi all, anyone know what mono pod and ball head he is using in this video? Great vids by the way!

[@sexysilversurfer]

Alastair Robinson the video was made in 2007! I doubt that the monopod is still in production however I'm sure Manfrotto / Vanguard probably makes something like it.

[@LovegroveTraining]

It is a Manfrotto Neotec monopod that is still available. It costs about £200. I removed the safety catch and foot plate on my version.

[@ramymelhem]

I dont understand why he cranks the iso so high when there is a lot of backlight. I understand the part of exposing the face better because backlight makes a face darker, but wouldn't cranking up the ISO also blow out the background too? Why don't his backgrounds have nastily blown out highlights and whites?

[@LovegroveTraining]

Hi Ramy, I set up my cameras to produce low overal contrast but with a high mid tone contrast. The resulting exposure graph could be described as an 'S' curve. When I shoot into the light and pump up the exposure until the picture is screaming the background tends to white but without the clipping because the exposure curve is non linear. The brighter the background the more exposure increase is needed to put the contrast into the foreground. Back on film this was acheved with chemistry and process in the darkroom but it still relied on pushing the film. Oh, and to answer your question about ISO... It's far better to have a shot that is sharp taken at high ISO than to use an exposire that is too long. High ISO adds a character to a shot that really can make it sing. I regularly use ISO 6400 etc on modern cameras. Even an 11 year old Canon 5D produces lovely shots at ISO 3200, especially when shooting high key where there are far less shadow areas. I hope this helps. Kindest regards, Damien Lovegrove

[@ramymelhem]

@@LovegroveTraining thanks Damien. Thank you for taking the time to write that excellent response. I shoot with a GH5 which doesn't do particularly well at high ISO's like the Canons do. For me, the limit is 1000 ISO before I simply refuse to take the picture. Would you still recommend that I crank up the ISO on it if im shooting into the light to better expose for the skin if i don't have a flash setup? I think I will need to start experimenting a lot more with ISO.

[@LuciaHewitt]

Mr Lovegrove, found your video today and adore your work! How did you get such beautiful skin tones on the darker skin - by overexposing or underexposing?

[@LovegroveTraining]

Thank you. By using an exposure that made the skin tone look great. It's not a case of over or under. Test and measure or look and adjust as required :)

[@netterfranke43]

hello, may I ask nicely why you have taken at 1: 06.08 an ISO 1000 at a time of 1 / 6400sec. Is not a criticism, I just want to understand it, would be glad about an answer. nice greeting from Germany, Gerd

[@LovegroveTraining]

Hi Gerhard, Excellent question. I just looked back at my archive from 2007 and I found that sequence was all shot at 1000 ISO and the shutter speed was being controlled by the camera. The shots are as clean as a whistle. The first shots in the sequence were taken at 1/125th second and when the sun came out I used the dapple and the shutter speed shot up. I hope this helps. Kind regards, Damien.

[@pradipkotecha4058]

Hi Damien. Love your tutorial...do you mainly use Manual mode or Aperture/Shutter mode? Keep posting and perhaps explain as you go along the technical details as to what modes you are using as I am sure many will benifit. Best wishes...

[@LovegroveTraining]

Ten years ago when this film was shot I used a DSLR mainly on aperture priority mode for natural light shots and manual mode when using flash. 6 years ago I went mirrorless and have been manual exposure user ever since.

[@pradipkotecha4058]

Thanking you for the update Damien. Have a great day. Best wishes...

[@benny4legs]

Excellent video Damien, many thx. I was wondering about your monopod, it seemed to collapse and extend without much effort. Was this anything to do with the grip or are you just very fluent with it?

[@LovegroveTraining]

It's a Neotech design from Manfrotto. Superfast! :)

[@benny4legs]

Lovegrove Training Thank you 🎃

[@saeideidiyan6015]

hi dear can you enplane how do you ingress or reduce exposure compassion on M mode. because you said when shooting against of light,sun or back lighting reducing exposure by 2 or 3 stops.is it by reducing or ingress shooter speed on manual mode?or you shoot on A mode and used from upper of camera using exposure compensation. pls kindly enplane it fro me, Best Regards/Saeid

[@LovegroveTraining]

10 years ago when I made this video I used a dslr without the luxury of a visual preview of the exposure. So when in manual mode I read the analogue display in the viewfinder and adjusted my shutter speed, aperture or ISO as required until the display read -2 stops or whatever it was I needed. When I used Aperture priority I used the exposure compensation dial and the camera changed the shutter speed for me. I hope this helps.

[@cesarparedes9594]

A real genius. What camera is that?

[@LovegroveTraining]

Canon 5D mk1

[@kainatfatima8352]

Mr. lovegrove your work is amazing. I noticed that you usually use iso 400, 800 or higher sometime. why is that. Do you apply noise reduction in post?

[@LovegroveTraining]

Hi Kainat, I often use ISO up to 6400 these days. I like having a fast enough shutter speed and I don't mind a bit of grain :)

[@kennethmills5470]

Damon , All your Images look like you added some type of diffusion. Was it in post processing or Diffusion filter on lens??? By the way I love your work.

[@LovegroveTraining]

Hi Kenneth. Its that 10 year old movie shot in standard def that gives the shots that look. I do occasionally use a pro mist filter but it's too subtle to see on video. Cheers, Damien

[@danfatu6549]

Light Master !!!

[@AMEERICA12]

what monopod do you use? i must have it!!! p.s. - i LOVEEEE your videos.

[@LovegroveTraining]

one of these that I modified: www.manfrotto.com/uk-en/neotec-monopod-with-safety-lock-685b/

[@simianinc]

Hi Damien, I see you kept your ISO down to 400 and shot on a monopod. Now that cameras have a much higher clean ISO and lenses and bodies are stabilised, would you still use a monopod?

[@LovegroveTraining]

Hi Smianinc, I use a tripod for everything now :)

[@N3tTurbino]

Hello there :) Any chance to know your monopod's brand and model? I'm looking for something like that (trigger based modular length setting) since a while. Thank you. Cheers from Italy.

[@LovegroveTraining]

www.amazon.co.uk/Manfrotto-Neotec-Monopod-Safety-Lock/dp/B000KI189O I modified it by removing the foot plate and the safety catch in the handle.

[@lslater444]

What type of mono pod are you using?

[@lslater444]

Found it in comments. Thanks!

[@LovegroveTraining]

Manfrotto Neotech

[@stevenmeansphotography3861]

what camera and lens are you using

[@LovegroveTraining]

A Canon 5D and Canon lenses. The camera is irrelevant ;)

[@stevenmeansphotography3861]

@@LovegroveTraining so it’s all about the lens

[@LovegroveTraining]

Even if the shots were taken on an Olympus, a Fujifilm, Nikon or Canon camera no one could tell what camera was used just by looking at the shots. The lens converts the three dimensional scene into a two dimensional image and yes, this bit is important. The photographers vision and use of light. Their direction and ability to create a moment to capture. The composition and framing, choice of location etc are all more important than the camera or lens. I could have taken a lot of the shots in this video on a decent smartphone but alas this was shot way before smartphones existed.

[@bleuswiffer]

Not shooting with GFX Damien ?

[@LovegroveTraining]

bleuswiffer The GFX wasn't available 10 years ago when I made this video.

[@bleuswiffer]

ohw okay, did not know that this video was made 10 years ago, youtube says it was published a week ago. Sorry I mentioned it.

[@johnnycincocero]

Is it me...or is this video not 720p?

[@johnnycincocero]

AH...nevermind....it's from 2007. My apologies.

[@ericsarnoski6278]

Why not use a ambient light meter so you don't have to keep taking test shots.

[@LovegroveTraining]

Eric Sarnoski Good question. A light meters role is to measure average. I use my eyes and the LCD to determine the look I want. Sometimes my shots are full of blown highlights to get the look I want on my subject. Sometimes I want my subject in the shadows of a low key shot. Back in the day when I shot on film (1984 - 2001) I used lightmeters for every frame. Now my work is more creative as a result of using my eyes and the LCD. This video was made 10 years ago before mirrorless. I use Fujifilm GFX now and I get to see my shot before I take it. I've not used a lightmeter since 2001. I hope this helps.

[@225cestnous8]

👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏❤❤❤❤❤❤🔥🔥🔥🔥👍👍👍👍

[@tomt8277]

Class :-)

[@gkexposure4101]

Great video but, what they don’t really tell you is that photographing a good looking subject helps. A lot. If you’re wondering why your photos don’t turn out the same despite following all the rules then you know what you need to change. Is that harsh? Probably. But true.

[@LovegroveTraining]

Hi Gee, The 'They' you refer to is me. Yes a good looking subject 'helps' but it is also important to know that it tends to be good looking people that commission photographers for portraits. This video shot 11 years ago was aimed squarely at the professional photography market. Also, taking fabulous photographs is not about following 'rules', If you did that, your pictures would be boring at best. It's about creative visualisation and making decent light where none exists. Best regards, Damien.

[@gkexposure4101]

Lovegrove Adventures Hi Damien, I agree with everything you say. Like I said, great video. Just pointing out a fact that appears relevant in many cases. Generally overlooked. Not having a dig at your 11 year old video aimed at the professional photography market. Well, at least that was not my intention. With that said, ‘following rules’ is a general analogy but I’m sure you know what I mean. Maybe I’ll get the courage to make a KZbin video one day to explain in a little more detail. Regards, Gee

[@LovegroveTraining]

Hi Gee, Having thought about it a little more, there are two rules that spring to mind that are important. Rule 1. To make a beautiful photograph stand in front of something beautiful. That one applies to most genres of photography. and... Rule 2. If the shot looks good, it is good. Thanks for the compliment abou the video. :) Best regards, Damien.

[@gkexposure4101]

Lovegrove Adventures Once again I cannot disagree. One of the things that attracted me to this timeless Art is that it’s subjective. Regardless of your experience level. Some may look back at their previous creation and think what the hell was I doing? At the same time others may begin to appreciate and take advantage of subtle changes in trend or even accidental discoveries (my favourite) that help elevate their interest to a whole new level.

[@saeideidiyan6015]

HI Dear thanks fro your explanation & taking care of my question. i understood what you ex plant fro me.if you have Instagram can you give to to me please. i watch most of your videos.do you have any videos abut food photography? what do you thing abut using ice light? Best Regards/Saeid

[@LovegroveTraining]

Hi Saeid, Unfortunately I've not done any videos about food photography as that's something I don't really specialise in. Here's my instagram page > instagram.com/damienlovegrove/

[@MaryFilkins]

What was that @23:57 hahahaha

[@LovegroveTraining]

Gold dust :)

[@MaryFilkins]

No...more like smoldering. Very sexy baby "Austin Powers" no but seriously thanks for all the videos. You guys are the best!!

[@LovegroveTraining]

@@MaryFilkins Thank you :)

[@jsavak99]

video teaches nothing about utilizing natural light but then again why should he give away info

[@LovegroveTraining]

Hi Jamie, sorry you aren't happy with the content. Could you explain your thoughts a little further please? The whole production is using only natural light and Damien describes his thoughts, settings and reasoning throughout. Big thanks, Blaise

[@marcmcvey6276]

Well done, very informative,but never touch your models...