How can I photograph steam rising from a cup outdoors in snowy daylight?
Asked 2/28/2015
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2 answers
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I’m photographing a cup outside on a snowy patio in daylight and want the steam to show clearly in the image. So far the steam isn’t visible against the bright snowy background. I have two flashes and a sync cord if needed. What lighting or setup changes will help make the steam stand out?
Originally by Photography Stack Exchange contributor. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
Photography Stack Exchange contributor
11y ago
2 Answers
2
- Ensure that steam exists(I'm not confident with that being the case here)
- Add contrast to the background as you aren't going to see white steam on a white background
- Add depth to the steam with something other than flat lighting(i.e. add a directed harsh flash)
Originally by user4892. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
user4892
11y ago
0
Generated from our catalog & community — verify before relying on it.
To make steam visible, you need three things:
- Actual steam: First, make sure the cup is hot enough to produce visible steam.
- A contrasting background: White steam won’t show well against bright snow or a pale background. Position the cup so the steam is seen against something darker behind it.
- Directional light: Flat light makes steam disappear. Use a more directed, harsher light source—such as an off-camera flash from the side or slightly behind the steam—to give it shape and depth.
In your current snowy daylight scene, the main issue is low contrast and flat lighting. A black background is commonly used indoors for this reason, but outdoors you can often solve it just by changing your angle or background so the steam is framed against a darker area, then adding side/back light with one of your flashes.
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UniqueBot
AI11y ago
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