Outdoor Photography & Location

Series Summary

Photography is the practice of making images by exposing film or another medium to a timed flash of light. The basic equipment used for photography has changed dramatically in the last decades, many people finding digital photography an inexpensive and creative hobby. We use photography as a means of communication worldwide: to sell things, to tell stories, capture memories, evoke passions, fight for causes, make new meanings, and inspire the imagination. Mastering the art of photography is a technical and challenging experience. Even with an automatic, digital camera, one has to learn how to frame a shot, choose a background, interact with the subject, use natural light, and select the right supplies and tools. In this free outdoor photography video, professional photographer Michael Seto teaches you the ins and outs of being a pro in the outdoors. You will learn how to set up a shot with products or models, keeping models comfortable in outdoor conditions, and making the most of remote locations. Michael also covers the best gear for outdoor photography shoots, lighting concerns, the "F16 Rule" of outdoor work, and other great tips for aspiring photographers.

Video Transcript

"Hi, my name is Michael Seto, and we're here to talk about shooting outdoor photography today. I'm a professional photographer based in New York City. If you want more information about me, please see MichaelSeto.com, but today we're going to talk briefly about how to photograph outdoors. We're going to be doing a spring fashion shoot for Lindsay Colbus Jewelry here on Roosevelt Island. In this first clip, we're going to talk a little bit about scouting and finding a good location to do your outdoor photography. We found this great location here on Roosevelt Island which is in the east river. We're going to be shooting the model, Alex against this lighthouse here with the city in the background. I picked this location here on Roosevelt Island because it's got a great view of the city of Manhattan in the background. As well, it's fairly deserted, there's not a lot of people which makes the logistics for an outdoor shoot much easier, there's not a lot of people looking around, you don't have to worry too much about permits and crowd control, as well you can set up equipment and so forth without a lot of hassle, worrying about someone tripping over something. So we've got Alex here, we've set her up against the door, we're shooting with the light in front of us, i.e. on her face get some great color this way. Alright, very nice Alex."