Anytime I am asked to do an indoor shoot I kind of cringe and anxiety takes over. Indoor photography is such a challenge and takes lots of trial and error. No matter how many tutorials I viewed and articles I’ve read, I felt like I only got better at indoor shoots with time, patience, and making those mistakes. I'm going to be sharing images from my shoot with Being Bridget from her collaboration with Kate Spade. You can catch her full blog post here.
Tip #1:
The difference in indoor photography vs outdoor photography is that you want your subject facing the light or having the light on the side of the subject. Unlike outdoor, back-lit images does not work indoors and could create a harsh shadow on your subject’s face— losing out on the details and creating grain.
Direct light on Bridget and Alison. 10am-11am shooting time. Camera setting: SS 1/160 sec; f/2.2; ISO 250
Tip #2:
Be aware of everything in the photograph. You want to make sure you don't accidentally photograph the not-so-pretty things. Ex.) shoes on ground, messy bed, dog crate, ironing board… etc.
Camera setting: SS 1/200 sec; f/1.8; ISO 250
Tip #3:
If you want to add a natural glow, work with a reflector or silver foam board. I purchased my reflector from Amazon and my silver foam board from Home Depot in the insulation section.
I got so lucky with Bridget's condo. She had great light exposure from the wide ceiling-to-ground windows, so a reflector wasn't needed. Camera setting: SS 1/160 sec; f/1.8; ISO 250
Tip #4:
Try to avoid setting your ISO higher than 800. Grainy images are not ideal in blog photography.
Tip #5:
When working with natural light, you want to make sure all of your florescent lights are off. A huge indoor tip is to only work with 1 light source, so pick 1 or the other. If you are wanting to work with just florescent light, make sure to switch your white balance over to florescent and close those blinds.
Tip #6:
If you keep getting shaky results, work with a tripod! This will allow you to switch up your shutter speed to allow for a clear image.
Tip #7:
Always shoot in RAW and not JPEG. RAW is a non-compressed file that also allows the camera to read more detail in the image— which in the end will help with the shadows and highlights adjustments.
Camera setting: SS 1/160 sec; f/2.2; ISO 250
Tip #8:
If you loved an image you captured but it was TOO grainy, you can use the luminance tool in Adobe Raw to smooth out the grain.
Tip #9:
Bring a step stool to get a higher shot of details.
Camera setting: SS 1/320 sec; f/2.2; ISO 250
Tip #10:
Composition is key! You want to make sure your images have a good balance and make sure all the elements presented are necessary for the idea you are trying to pass on.
Thank you so much for stopping by!
XO, Angie