Table of Contents
In this section, we will address types of lighting, natural and otherwise. Students will understand ways to light a subject, as well as resources that can be consulted for further advice.
This is another section where ~20 shots are needed to practice the exercises and see results for yourself. Remember the notebook? Might want to use it here for notes.
Introduction
In this section, students will be introduced to various aspects of lighting like:
- direction
- diffusion
- available light (outdoors and indoors)
- artificial light
- main light
- fill light
- lighting with flash
but most importantly, go out and experiment with light. Changes in light will change the effect on your photograph.
Pick a favorite spot of yours. Have you seen this spot at sunrise, at high noon, at sunset, and at midnight? Chances are if you captured this spot at those times, the mood of the photograph is different in each.
Ralph Waldo Emerson said that light was the first of painters, and since the word “photograph” comes from Greek; “Photo” meaning light and “Graph” meaning to write, let us learn to manipulate light so that we may write with it.
The Importance of Light
Light is all around us. Everywhere we look, light allows us to see things in perspective. When capturing light via photography, make sure you are truly seeing the light.
Quantity of light is important, and this is what we’re most concerned with while taking a snapshot. However, when it comes to photography, we should start to think more about the quality of light. Before you shoot, take a minute to think about alternatives. Is this the best way to light this shot? If I stand elsewhere, how is the shot enhanced? Experiment with the light.
There are different ways to look at light: hard vs. soft light and natural vs. artificial light.
In fact, before you even pick up your camera for this lesson, please take a moment to notice the light around your home. Where is it coming in from? How does it change throughout the day? How does this light fall upon you? Look closely at how light and shadow work together to create texure on the objects around you. Seeing with light and really seeing the light doesn’t happen instantaneously. It happens over time. Sometimes, it’ll stop you in your tracks, and you will be mesmerized by it. Mastering light is the journey of the photographer.
Types of Lighting
Hard Light
This type of light comes directly from the source. Sunlight and on-camera flash are two types of hard light. They’re strong types of light that create strong and distinctive shadows. Strong light can eliminate details, flatten a subject, and produce the harsh shadows.
Soft Light
This type of light is indirect. It can be sunlight coming through curtains or the hazy sunshine we often see on a cloudy day. Shadows are not as harsh with softer light. This type of lighting is ideal for portraits.
Natural Light
Pretty self-explanatory, I know, but worth mentioning. This type of light comes from a natural source. Sunshine is the prime example of natural light.
Artificial Light
Artificial lighting comes from photofloods, halogen, “local” light (the lamps in the room), candlelight, etc.
How to Manipulate Light
Light is everywhere, but how do we get it to do what we want it to do? There are a number of ways to manipulate light, based on the vision you have.
Flat reflectors are great and now they come in various colors. Before you go out and get this as equipment, try it out first. A large piece of white poster board or foam board works well. If you’ve got a live (and patient) subject, that helps to see skin tones. If not, an object works well, too.
When you move the board, how does the reflection from the sun affect the subject? How does it change the look of light on a person’s face? Go from side to side…any difference? Kneel down lower and prop the board on the floor. How does that change the light? What about if you stood on a chair and angled the board downward?
What if the light is too strong and gives off harsh shadows? Unlike tanning, between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. are not good times for photographing with sunlight as your main source. While you can get a strong tan during these hours, the rays are too strong for portraits.
The best thing to do is to diffuse the light. Softening strong light is a great way to soften shadows. Here are some examples:
Umbrellas are a great way to produce a wide and diffused light.
A diffusion screen (like translucent plastic) helps to soften the light.
A softbox encloses one or more lamps and will produce the desired effect.
The more diffused the source, the softer the light will be. Even a white curtain or sheet draped across a window can help to diffuse the light. Anything to soften the light coming in, natural or artificial, will work.
When you envision what you’d like to photograph, are there adjustments to lighting you will have to make? Waiting for early in the morning or late in the afternoon will naturally diffuse the light.
What are you doing to diffuse and enhance the quality of your light?
Mood Lighting
The mood of a photograph can be enhanced by lighting and the position of light. Side lighting has been used for masculine portraits to show off rugged facial features. Front lighting has been used to flatter celebrities because it smoothes the shadows of skin texture, while sculpting facial contours.
Find the light that fits your subject and your photographs will come to life with your vision.
Front Lighting
A light is placed near the lens and directly in front of the subject. This can be a flash unit attached to the camera or a prop light slightly to the left or right of the camera. This lighting seems to flatten out the volume of the subject and minimizes textures.
Side Lighting
A light is placed at a 90-degree angle to the subject. This can look like the face is split in two. One side is completely in shadow, and the other side is lit up. This type of lighting emphasizes facial features and can reveal textures of the skin.
High Side Lighting
A main light stands at a 45-degree angle to one side and 45-degree angle above the subject defines the “high” and “side” lighting. This is a classic lighting shot for portraits. It can be done outdoors with the sun on top and a side light. This is the most natural of light set-ups and is very flattering, as it allows the face to be sculpted into a 3-D form.
Top Lighting
A light shines down directly on top of the subject. With people it creates deep shadows in the eye sockets and under the nose and chin, such as when trying to photograph someone outside at noon.
For product lighting, the shadows are still present, but it can be quite flattering if detail at the top of the piece needs to be highlighted.
Under Lighting
Lit from below, this produces odd-looking shadows because natural light rarely comes from below a subject. Okay, maybe firelight. In fact, this lighting is now best used for a ghoulish look during ghost stories. Think of the “Blair Witch Project” with the flashlight under her nose when she was getting a bit frantic.
Back Lighting
This is a light coming from the back of a subject. The front of the subject can be left in complete darkness unless a fill-flash is used. This might be a flash shot at the front of the subject to light it up. Snow, sunny skies, or bright windows are all back lighting culprits. With fill-flash to compensate, you can make shadows less dark by adding light to them.
Closing
Now you have been introduced to the basics of the camera. All that’s left is to go out there, photograph, and evaluate your own work. With each photograph you take, can you define the type of lighting used? The aperture? The shutter speed?
This is your art and your vision. Go out and create!