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Chapter 13. Lighting. Lighting. Changes in lighting will change your pictures. Outdoors: bright sun vs clouds or shade. Light can affect the feeling of a photograph. Brilliant and crisp Hazy and soft Harsh or smooth
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Chapter 13 Lighting
Lighting • Changes in lighting will change your pictures. • Outdoors: bright sun vs clouds or shade. • Light can affect the feeling of a photograph. • Brilliant and crisp • Hazy and soft • Harsh or smooth • Observe the light on your subject & predict how light will change your photograph.
Direction • The direction of light is important because of shadows. • When setting a scene take into account the direction of the light, and subsequent shadows, and the position of the camera. • Light over your shoulder creates a flat, uninteresting light on the subject. • However, this is safe lighting for a snapshot.
Alternatives • Could I move to another position in a more interesting light? • Can I move the subject so the light strikes from a different angle? • Can I move the light to another position?
Degree of Diffusion • Range of contrasty and hard-edged to soft and diffuse. • The “quality of light” usually refers to the degree of diffusion.
Direct Light • Direct light creates hard-edged, dark shadows. (Don’t confuse with directional light for texture.) • Higher contrast. Late morning to mid afternoon, sunny day, few or no clouds. • The smaller the light (relative to the subject) and the farther away, the sharper and darker the shadows will be. • Sharpest comes from a point source (far away), like the sun. • On an overcast day, the sunlight is diffused. • A spotlight is a source of direct light. • The viewer can tell the direction of the light from the shadow pattern.
Diffused Light • Diffused light scatters on the subject from many directions. • Any shadows are relatively light. • Shadow edges are indistinct. • Subjects seem surrounded by illumination. • Sources of diffused light are broad compared to the subject. • Like a heavily overcast, smoggy, foggy day. • Indoors requires a large diffused light source close to the subject. • Plus reflectors or fill lights.
Directional-Diffused • This is partially direct with some diffused or scattered rays. • Very little or no shadow • It appears to come from a definite direction and created distinct shadows, but the edges are softer than direct light. • Shadow edges change smoothly from light to dark. • Sources of directional-diffused light. • Windows • Indoor areas where light bounces to the subject • Through an umbrella • Diffusion screen outdoors • From a reflective surface like concrete or drywall
Outdoors light • A clear sunny day creates bright highlights and dark, hard-edged shadows. • Think about moving the subject or yourself to improve lighting conditions. • Try to better reveal the subjects shade or texture. • Overcast day or at dusk or soft shade the light is diffused and soft. • Light changes as the time of day changes. • Sunrise, sunset casts long shadows, increasing the sense of texture.
Indoors Light • Can be contrasty or flat. • Indoors, expose for the most important part of the picture. • May need wide aperture and slow shutter speed (and a tripod). • Consider a high ISO film.
Artificial light • Flash Equipment • Large studio flash units to built in flash • Reflector • Umbrella reflector to gold/silver to foam board • Diffuser • Screen (as seen earlier) • Softbox
Artificial Light • Same properties as outdoor light. • Direction and amount of diffusion • Since you set up the light you need to know how to set up an artificial light. • The bigger the light source, relative to the subject, the softer the quality of the light. • Say that again. • The bigger the light source, relative to the subject, the softer the quality of the light.
Artificial light • Use the type of light and its distance to control the light on your subject. • Use direct flash, far from the subject to create: • Sharp, dark shadows. • Use softbox or umbrella close to your subject to create: • Soft or no shadows on your subject.
Front Lighting • Could be from on-camera flash.-See page 230
Fill Light • Makes shadows less dark by reflecting or adding light. • Artificial light (and sunlight) often require fill light. • Even daylight scenes benefit from fill light. • The opposite is a black reflector to absorb light
Reflectors • Single – material or poster board • In a package • A light
Classic Portraiture • Portraits are in portrait framing • Landscape is in landscape framing • Your camera has a sync speed for flash –see your manual • Usually 60, 125, or 250, but you must know this • The Main Light is the brightest light • The second light is the fill light • When shooting a classic portrait outdoors, blur the background
When shooting portraits use a longer lens like 85-105mm, nothing smaller than 75, but could go as high as 200mm. • My favorite for portraits is my Canon 70-200 mm lens. • Always consider the edges of a picture as you will have to crop some of the picture in the darkroom. • We will use a single light with a reflector. We will have the light high to one side for the most natural and flattering light. • Front lighting decreases texture and volume • That could be good if subject has a lot of flaws in their face.
