Category Archives: Light

Cool colour

Posted on February 4, 2012 by Michael Willems

I shot some demo product shots with my student Merav today, and I thought I would share them here to underline the importance of colour. Here’s one, a simple one. Lit by a softbox on the leeft, an umbrella on the right, … Continue reading →

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Your light meter is not perfect

Posted on January 24, 2012 by Michael Willems

Your camera’s light meter is a reflected light meter. Here’s how it works. And you need to simply accept and remember the following: The in-camera light meter is designed to give a good reading when aimed at a mid-gray (“18% grey”) … Continue reading →

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The WIllems 4-4-4 Rule – redux

Posted on January 12, 2012 by Michael Willems

A readers asked, the other day: Recently in some event shooting that I did, I followed the famous Willems 4-4-4 rule with my 430-EXII set to ETTL metering. The pictures that resulted were a bit overexposed and with the ambient … Continue reading →

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Why shoot THROUGH an umbrella?

Posted on January 8, 2012 by Michael Willems

We shoot through the main umbrella in a portrait for several reasons: The umbrella is now closer to the face, making it larger, making the light softer. You see a circle as a catchlight, not a circle with a black … Continue reading →

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Why aim back?

Posted on December 29, 2011 by Michael Willems

You remember the Willems 400-40-4 rule (the “444 rule”)? If not, check under “ARTICLES” above. Part of that rule: indoors, aim the flash 45 degrees behind you. Behind? Why? Of course the main reason is that this way, the light … Continue reading →

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The Gost of Parties Past

Posted on December 17, 2011 by Michael Willems

A persistent question I hear: “what about the unsharpness that occurs when you shoot using your famous recommend 400-40-4 rule“? As said before. Yes – you may get some unsharpness, especially in the shape of ghosting, like in this shot … Continue reading →

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Don’t overlight

Posted on December 16, 2011 by Michael Willems

A very common mistake of a less experienced photographer is to “over light” the subject of the image. Sometimes less is better. Like here: So for many portraits and creative shots I recommend you do not start with throwing light … Continue reading →

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Manual, again

Posted on December 9, 2011 by Michael Willems

Another skill you may want to practice when using flash is to set the flash power to manual (instead of TTL), and see how you do. Push the “Mode” button on the back of the flash to “M”, and try … Continue reading →

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Beginner’s mistake

Posted on December 4, 2011 by Michael Willems

I don’t make those, right? Of course I do – but then I fix them. At a recent talk at Seneca College I shot my “assistant-for-the-evening” Kim in a test shot, using the usual settings (ISO 400, 1/40th sec, f/4; … Continue reading →

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The Willems Rule for Indoors Flash

Posted on November 29, 2011 by Michael Willems

So.. for indoors flash in a ‘normal’ environment (i.e. a room with not too much, not too little light), here is my new, “restated-as-an-easier-mnemonic” rule of thumb: The 400-40-4 rule (a.k.a. the “4-4-4-rule”). As a simple starting point, do the … Continue reading →

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