Images are the most powerful tools to convey inner thoughts and ideas. It illuminates an ocean of ideas into a single frame, that’s why it has wide popularity among the mass. You can catch a live moment from our lives creatively and keep it for the future. But the increased technological advancements have pushed it a lot further, designing and creating moments to capture meaningful images. Like a movie, it will tell you a story in a more confined way. Powder photography is one of the most attractive photography styles becoming more popular nowadays.
You may have already been interested in powder photography, as it is colorful, impressive, and eye-catching. It can create a magical tone with the colors along with the movements. Objects in the middle of the explosion of colors are always a treat to the eye. More interestingly, it opens the doors to immense creativity. But it is not that simple to take such a picture, as it requires an enormous creative effort. Also, knowing the aesthetic possibilities of it will lead you to more heights as a photography lover. Here we are, with a colorful guide to beginners for powder photography.
Before Getting Started
No need to rush, do not ever for a creative job. It needs precise observation, good enthusiasm, and effective planning before taking the camera in your hand. Before getting started, be clear about a few things in your mind.
1-How to use the color?
2- Where to shoot?
3-How to use the camera?
4- How to use the light?
Ask these questions to yourself enough times and be clear with the answers you have found. Even though you can find the help of image editing services, capturing the image is the most vital part where you cannot be careless. If you succeed in doing it, the rest is effortless with portrait retouching.
How To Use the Color?
Deciding the color is so essential in creating the mood of the picture. It must go along with the theme that you should have selected previously. Depending on this theme, you can use a single color or multiple colors for performing the photoshoot. Make different kinds of color powder in separate bowls only when you want to get extra creative. You can throw these in different directions during your shoot. The amount of color getting required will be directly proportional to the time you take for the capture. Also, the color will not allow you for retakes.
The process must need one or two assistants as you cannot take the picture and throw the powder simultaneously. If there are two assistants, the color powder can be through from different angles creating a different tone for the image. But you should not throw the powder directly at the subject because it will make it unclear. Instead of this, throwing it from behind or sideways will help to make it look more attractive and catchier. At the same time, the model can throw the color by themselves, which is a good idea to make it elegant and beautiful. It looks easy but more practice with the model who can perform beautiful dance-like moves to get excellent capture will be essential here.
Where To Shoot?
In general, you will have two options- whether to shoot indoor or outdoor, and both of them will have their hurdles and benefits. In a studio, you will have access to powerful lights that will help you to freeze the action in place. It provides you more control over the subject and the entire process. But as the color powder can ruin your dress, floor, and background, make sure that the place is suitable for it or not. Also, it may require more time to make the setup and clean it up after the photo shoot.
But when we shoot outdoor, the major hurdle is the natural light ( that we will discuss later) and the wind. Adjusting the light is not that easy outdoor, and the powder can fly with the wind, which may be unexpected and out of the plan. A good photographer must be able to use the wind to create beautiful images with color powder. At the same time, avoiding crowded places and public areas are always helpful since not everyone will get to cooperate with the color powders. A beach, woodland, or a hill station would be the best.
How To Use the Camera?
Of course, a camera with a higher shutter speed is good for it. Most cameras will offer sports mode for capturing live moments without getting blurred, but always ensure that the shutter speed is larger than the length of your lens. For example, when using a 50 mm lens, you should adjust the shutter speed 1/50th of a second. The faster it is, the sharper your results will be. Still, you can have the facilities of portrait retouching through which you can enhance the image features.
Use the burst mode in your camera. It will be helpful for sure. Firing several shots at a time will help you select the best from many. Also, be very careful with the lens. Because if any dust gets into it, it will be so hard to fix. The entire process of powder photography is involved with a lot of dust and powder, and it is necessary to be careful with the costly equipment you have. Choosing the focal length with great care will also help. Using different cameras will enable you to make a selection of lens to use.
How To Use the Light?
Whether indoor or outdoor, adjusting the color for your photo is quite essential. The color powder can illuminate with the light contrast, and it must get balanced according to the color of the background. Using a black background instead of using a neutral-colored background is preferred the most. Because it can enhance the color and can lead to getting a more surreal feel with the image, and if the background color, the powder color, and the external light source do not blend, the outcome may become disastrous.
Increasing your ISO number is a good strategy to handle low light. If you are shooting in a well-lit location, the problem for an external source will be comparatively low. All the lighting setup must target to expose the subject more. Thus, more brightness is not so good. Also, the simpler the background, the more eye-catching the object will be. Though, commercial retouching services can be there to help you in this regard.
Wrapping Up
There are some more points to be mentioned here. Color powder or holo powder is not something harmful or chemical. It is a mixture of just flour and color and is biodegradable. But it can ruin your dress and stain clothes if gets wet. Also, make sure that the color does not get thrown into your eyes directly, and be a little more conscious when using fireworks along with it.
Image editing services can enhance the beauty of these images you have taken to a great extent. Since they help you edit, resize, color, and align the photos you have taken, portrait retouching is the final touch of powder photography that you should make. Experienced outsourcing agencies will be good at doing this, help your images to reach up to a different dimension of aesthetic excellence.
Wrapping it up, powder photography is one of the most attractive areas where you can successfully invest your time and effort if you love professional photography by your heart. As an experienced commercial retouching service provider, FotoValley can help you enhance the beauty of your image’s way further.
