Art
Lighting Basics
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Direction of Light
- With the exception of completely diffused light, light casts shadows over a scene which can emphasize texture and depth or diminish them
- The main source of light (the sun, a bright window) will illuminate the side nearest the light and cast shadows on the opposite side
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Directional/Side lighting
Direction of Light cont…
- When looking at the lighting on a scene, you need to take into account the direction the light is coming from and also its relation to the camera (will the shadows be visible to the viewer?)
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Direction of Light cont…
- Three different kinds of lighting are defined as front, side and back lighting
- Front lighting is often applied by beginners because it is “safe” and will illuminate the scene evenly, but this can create flat, less interesting photographs
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Direction of Light cont…
- Side lighting can emphasize texture and adds depth to your photographs
- Back lighting can create dramatic silhouettes against a bright background
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Direction of Light cont…
- This is not to say that front lighting should be avoided, or that side or back lighting will enhance every scene
- Look at the scene you are photographing and look for a way to use the light in an interesting way
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Direction of Light cont…
- Can you move the subject relative to the light, or move the light to another position?
- Outdoors, you have little control in moving the light source except for waiting for another time of day
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Degree of Diffusion
- Next to direction, the most important characteristic of lighting is its degree of diffusion
- When people refer to the quality of light, they usually mean its degree of diffusion
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Degree of Diffusion
Direct Light
- Direct light creates hard edged, dark shadows, striking the subject all from one direction
- The smaller the light (relative to the size of the subject) or the farther the light is from the subject, the sharper and darker the shadows will be
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Degree of Diffusion
Direct Light cont…
- A spotlight is a good example of direct lighting. Think of a performer on stage in a single spotlight. The highlight areas are very bright and the shadows are very hard edged and dark.
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Degree of Diffusion
Direct Light cont…
- The sun on a clear day is another source of direct light. Because of its distance to the earth, it is a small source in a large sky and causes hard, dark shadows as well.
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Degree of Diffusion
Direct Light cont…
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Degree of Diffusion
Diffused Light
- When the suns rays are scattered in many directions by clouds or an overcast day, then it is directional- diffused or even fully diffused
- Diffused light scatters onto the subject in many directions and can show no direction of a source
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Degree of Diffusion
Diffused Light cont…
- Diffused light appears to surround the subject and come in from all directions causing shadows to be relatively light and their edges to be indistinct
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Degree of Diffusion
Diffused Light cont…
- Outdoors, an overcast day produces diffused light
- To fully diffuse light indoors, the subject would have to be placed near a large light source (large window or doorway) and reflectors be used to bounce light into the shadows (tenting is another way)
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Degree of Diffusion
Directional-Diffused Light
- Directional-diffused light is partially direct with some diffused or scattered rays.
- It appears to to come from a direction and creates distinct shadows, but with softer edges that gradually go from light to dark and detail can still be seen in the darkest areas
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Degree of Diffusion
Directional-Diffused Light
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Degree of Diffusion cont…
Source of directional-diffused light
- Windows and doorways that have light bouncing in the room rather than shining directly in
- Lights bounced off of a reflector before hitting the subject
- Hazy days outdoors
- Outdoor sunlight bounced onto a subject in a shaded area (under a tree)
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Overcast Lighting
- A bright overcast sky, usually bright clouds or open shade, can make beautiful light and softens colors while keeping detail in the shadows
- Heavy clouds or rainy days can make moody photos
Overcast Lighting
- Hazy sun and shade or reflected sunlight are great conditions for portraits
- Indoors, portrait photographers imitate this type of lighting with their flash units to produce soft, smooth photographs without having to rely on weather conditions
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Quality of Light
- Sunlight varies dramatically in its qualities and paying attention to its tendencies can help improve your photographs
- Weather conditions, time of day, and time of year all have an influence on the quality of light
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Quality of Light
The Golden Hours
- Sunrise and sunset have been referred to as the “golden hours” for photography
- These two times are wonderful for photographs because of the warm light and low angle of the light source.
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Quality of Light
The Golden Hours cont…
- Morning light is somewhat cooler than sunset, but both times produce warmer tones than at midday
- The low angle of the sun produces long shadows and creates a feeling of depth and dimension in photographs, great for emphasizing texture and detail
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Quality of Light
The Golden Hours cont…
- These two times give better side lighting and backlighting opportunities, and often the light is soft enough so that the shadows aren’t overly dark and contrasty
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Quality of Light
Midday Sun
- In the summer, midday sun is harsh and contrasty, and the shadows it casts fall almost straight down creating a flatter feeling image than one with long, fading shadows
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Quality of Light
Midday Sun
- It can be hard in the summer, if not impossible, to get side lighting or back lighting with a midday sun as well
- As the seasons change however, the sun is more angular even at noon and more interesting light can be found
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Quality of Light cont…
- Autumn skies are often full of dramatic cloud formations that make for more interesting landscapes than a completely clear blue sky
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