I am representing ATM Click skateboards. Been supplying skaters with sturdy, pop easy decks since 1992. The product I am advertising is the new 8.5 deck with deep concaves and a new shaped tail and nose. My target audience is kids or adults interested in skateboarding or learning. I would expect to see this advertisement in Thrasher or Free Skate magazine and on Social Media. For this picture, I will use natural light and with some editing, touch up the brightness and contrast between the board and the background. I will need the new 8.5 deck, someone who can skate, and a street with good exposure to light.

JPEG is the most common file format due to its good quality ad compression ratio for storing realistic images. This file format compresses in order to reduce the file size without loosing quality. The file size would be about 10 to 40 percent of the original photo. JPEG is recognized by programs for viewing photos since the photo is close to finished and is ready to be printed. But because JPEG compresses the file, it often looses data and quality, leaving a small margin for editing. Resulting in the more inferior file format compared to Raw.

On the other hand, Raw is not really a file format but simply a direct output from the sensor written into a file without processing or compression. A Raw photograph would be the size of the original photo in order to keep all original effects on the photograph. They can only be read by few programs meant for editing photos, resulting in the photo looking badly shot or with low contrast. But on the other hand, professionals prefer Raw because they don’t print the photos right away. Raw allows them to process it to make it look how they intended it too, giving the photography large margins for editing and enhancement. This is truly where Raw shines the brightest.

The quality of the light, soft or harsh, warm or cool, direct or diffuse, has a significant effect of the shot. When shot right, natural light can completely evolve a photo. To start you need an understanding of how light interacts with your subject. In order to better your Portrait shots here are some tips.

“Watch and learn how light behaves and moves.” Don’t be afraid of natural light and keep practicing! Try to keep the sun behind your subject and avoid open shade. Open shade makes the shot look flat and removes the desired dimension. When shooting on a cloudy day, tilt your subjects head towards the sky or have a reflector at hand. When indoors use windows to your advantage.

“A curtain can be a great way to diffuse natural light.” You can use various thing to reflect light, including styrofoam, aluminum foil, cardboard, mirrors, etc. Using a curtain to diffuse light rather than the flash gives the subject more depth.

“When using a reflector, avoid lighting the model from below.” Don’t expect great results without the practice and understanding of light! Using a reflector from above the subjects head helps give of more natural shadows. Your background should not have bright or vibrant spots.

“Keep an eye on how the atmosphere of a shot changes with the light.” When working with light you need patience and the will to experiment with the shots! When you choose what you want to shoot, take pictures in different time of the day and different weather. By doing this, you’ll get practice with how to photograph in these conditions with the natural light provided.

“Arrive at the location in advance, and take your photos at sunset, sunrise, and blue hour.” To determine where the sun will be you can download accurate apps that will help determine the time of day you want to shoot. Spend a few days at the scene and get used to the weather. Don’t forget, use the weather to your advantage!

“Usually, I just try to keep it as simple as possible and work with the light that is already there.” Knowing how to take advantage of natural light is very helpful when shooting real estate, architecture, and interior scenes. If you don’t use strobes or speedlights, you’ll need a bracket to block the light from the windows.