Best Times for Storm Photos

A misconception about storms is that the photographs are the best in the heat of it.  Nothing could be farther from the truth.  You would need a very fast shutter speed to stop rain mid fall, which is difficult when the sky becomes dark.  Using a standard shutter speed with rain won't show the beautiful streaky rain coming down, but it will make your image look like it was taken through a dirty lens and all the colors will appear washed out.  Usually the best opportunities for stunning storm shots are right before the rain starts or just after it stops.  Before it starts, you can showcase the contrast of the calm and impending sky.  After the storm, there is usually a fabulous glow and the clearing clouds make for some interesting compositions.  Always be careful that you are not taking any chances getting caught without shelter to get these shots.  The weather can change quickly and lightning can find you if you are not in a covered area.

Using Fill Flash Outdoors

Flash outdoors in the sun?  If you want to balance the light and add sparkle to the eyes of your subject, absolutely!  Flash isn't just for low light situations.  A little fill flash outdoors is a necessity when you are competing with the sun and aiming to balance the background with the foreground.  It will also put those beautiful catch lights in the eyes of your subject, which show life and lessen the "dead eye" effect.  When using fill flash you are usually going to want to position your subjects in open shade.  Open shade is an area which is shaded, but nothing is overhead to block light.  If you have a detachable flash, get it off the camera!  Leaving the flash on camera leads to flat lighting.  The most flattering light for a subject's face is directional.  Directional lighting (slightly above the subject's eyes and at a 45 degree angle) sculpts the face and will leave shadow on one side.  Investing in a light stand (to hold the flash) and umbrella (to soften the light) is well worth the $65.  Shadows are not the enemy!  If your shadow side looks too dark for the effect you are trying to achieve, try a reflector to bounce light back up on that side, or use a second flash set to 1-1.5 stops darker to fill the shadows.  A lot of off camera flashes offer TTL (through the lens) metering and this makes your job that much easier.  If you own a Nikon, the CLS (creative lighting system) make become your best friend in the field.  Using CLS, you can control your Nikon off camera flashes through your camera and set up to 2 at different f-stops.  So get experimenting with some fill flash outdoors and watch your portraits soar to a new level!

Sindi Mueller, CPP

Those three initials wouldn't mean anything if I didn't work so hard to achieve them.  Becoming a Certified Professional Photographer is a journey I began in December of 2010.  My goal was to hold the designation by May, 2011 and I have achieved it.  The process has improved my skills a thousand-fold and I encourage everyone who shoots professionally to earn this qualification.  Less than 8% of the practicing professional photographers in the USA have achieved this accomplishment and this needs to change.  Education and Certification is good for the photography industry and especially for the clients.  When a client comes to a Certified Professional Photographer they know that the Photographer has proven their knowledge in proper exposure, lighting, color, editting, development, printing, equipment and archiving the images.  To become a Certified Professional Photographer you must pass a written exam that is administered in the same way as the SATs and have a portfolio of your work examined and judged by a panel of experts.  These are not easy steps and require intense study and practice, but the rewards to yourself and your clients are immense.

The Importance of Certification

I am currently in the process of obtaining my Certified Professional Photographer Certification.  I have already passed the written test and just have the image submission remaining.

When you hire a photographer, you want the best. Unfortunately, anyone can claim to be a professional photographer. So PPA has made it easier for you to find a true professional via the Certified Professional Photographer program.

The Certified Professional Photographer (CPP) Certification program is recognized throughout the industry as a mark of excellence. When you see a photographer displaying the Certified Professional Photographer seal, you can be assured that he or she is among the less than 8% of all imaging professionals who have successfully completed and maintained our requirements.


What does “Certified Professional Photographer” mean?
Certified Professional Photographer (CPP) is a designation granted by the Professional Photographic Certification Commission, the world’s leading certification agency for imaging professionals.


To assure you of the photographer’s level of expertise and continuance to develop new skills and techniques, those who have earned the CPP designation:

• Pass a comprehensive written exam measuring their technical expertise
• Successfully submit their work to a panel of judges for review and approval
• Renew credentials every 5 years with continuing education, submitting work for critical evaluation, or retaking the certification exam

Your Assurance of Quality
Whenever you enter a studio displaying the Certified Professional Photographer emblem, you will be dealing with a professional who is dedicated to providing you with the highest level of professionalism and expertise available.