Light & Lighting Light Light Quantity Hard Light Soft Light Direction Color Lighting Natural Diffusion Using Reflectors Fill Flash Bounce Flash Direct Flash Although a critical element of photography, light is sometimes inadequately understood by photographers. The Nature of Light Hard Light High contrast between highlights & Shadows Light comes from a Single Point Source (e.g. the sun) The further the light source, the harder the light. Between Highlight & Shadow Harsh Lighting can mean over 4 stops difference between highlights & shadows Images are contrasty Shadows Inky Black Highlights Burnt-out The hardest light is typically found at noon in the desert. Soft Light Lower contrast between highlights & shadows Shadows are diminished, as the light wraps Around the subject. The Sun Soft Light Clouds Hard Light The Sun Light is coming from many point sources Sometimes called flat light Soft light comes from many sources Hard light comes from a single point source. Passing Image 1
Soft Light Examples An Overcast Day Deep shade on a bright day Many aimed spotlights Light diffusing softboxes Bounce Light Banks of fluorescent lights Truly flat lighting is boring, uninteresting Diffusion through the Window Windows are an easy way to get good portraits. Light filtering through is diffused by glass, dust, sheer curtains Butterfly Pavilion By Mike Blevins Diffusion Effects Diffusion makes colors pop. Eliminating the shadows makes them appear brighter. There is less contrast. Tonal gradiations are more gradual. Passing Image 2
Diffusion Works well for Portraits Time of Day Shadows are muted Directional Light Shows dimensionality Early Morning Late Afternoon To get low raking light and orange-yellow color Avoid mid-day Light Direction Light Color White light is made of many colors The concentration of each color can change with the source We measure this as degrees Kelvin Color can be adjusted The Golden Hours Color Casts result from incorrect White Balance 2002, Mike Blevins Passing Image 3
Setting White Balance (WB) Printers Options: Print with your printer Use local printshop Use online printshop If you outsource printing, find a good one and learn what it takes to get quality work. Home printing: Snapshots are easy Quality printing requires a learning curve Additive RGB Color Space Our eyes are sensitive to red, green, & blue. All other colors are combinations of these colors. These are called additive colors. Camera sensors and monitors use additive color space. Subtractive CMYK Color Space A print reflects light in such a way that printing with cyan, Magenta and Yellow ink will allow creation of all colors on the printed surface. Although combining all subtractive primaries will generate black, in practice black ink is used. Hence the term CMYK. Color Space Differences LAB color Space is what the human eye can see srgb Color Space is what the average computer monitor can reproduce CMYk Color Space is what many printers can reproduce AdobeRGB Color Space can be output by many higher-end digital cameras Lighting Pop-Up Fill Flash, Use it frequently Separate electronic flash match to your system Rotating & swivel head Adjustable flash angle Diffusion add-on Reflector folding cloth cardboard/foil Direct Flash Unnatural Deer in the headlights lighting Harsh Shadows, inky blacks, burnt whites Redeye occurs when flash is close to lens Passing Image 4
Ceiling serves to bounce and diffuse light. Using Fill Flash Flash Unit aimed to bounce light off the ceiling. Bounce Flash Subject is illuminated from above. Shadows are natural and diffused. Even a small camera-mounted fill flash will illuminate faces that would otherwise be dark. Fill flash helps because exposure was set for the total scene leaving the face underexposed. TRIPODS Improve Image Sharpness Allow Dawn & Dusk Shots Architecture & Interiors Better Portraits Allows Small f/stop Landscapes Needed for Long Telephotos THE TRIPOD RULE: The minimum shutter speed needed for a sharp negative Is the reciprocal of the lens Focal length. 250 mm = 1/250 sec 400 mm = 1/400 sec Tripod Features Sturdy but strong, 5 -high, 2 -folded Light carbon composite is best Quick release head Pan-tilt or ball head Level (bubble) Under tripod extension Consider: Gitzo - carbon fiber, Slik - low cost Cullman (fold flat &monopod) Heads: Gitzo offset ball Slik small balls End Passing Image 5