A short course in photography: Chapter 7

Chapter 7: Lighting

• direct light:
• high in contrast, bright lights, dark darks
• sharp shadows
• may lose some detail in the darks
• allow you to use fast shutter speeds and shallow depths of field
• try adding fill light to retain details
• directional/ diffused light
• intermediate in contrast
• shadows still present, just softer
• occurs on hazy/ foggy days or in shade
• indoors lit by window or skylight
• using a flash that is reflected off another source
• diffused light
• low in contrast
• colors/ tones appear less vibrant and more muted/ pastely
• light hits subject on all sides
• very overcast day
• does not allow you to use small aperture or fast shutter speed
• use what's available
• if you find a good picture, you can figure out a way to expose it correctly
• high ISO is helpful when light is dim (inside)
• front lighting
• flattens subject
• is similar to flash connected to camera
• fewer shadows
• pointed directly at the subject
• light is usually most pleasing when it resembles daylight and consists on one strong light source
• shadows reveal lighting
• high 45 lighting
• placed high and to the side of the camera
• commercial portraits
• creates roundness
• shows more texture
• side light
• 90 degree angle to the camera
• mimiks sunlight at sunrise or sunset
• sometimes used to dramatize portraits
• backlighting
• also referred to as edge rim lighting
• used in multiple light set ups to bring out texture
• also used to separate subject from background
• top lighting
• when light comes from directly above
• not desired, but not uncommon
• lighting outdoors at noon 
• indoors underneath light
• use fill light to lighten up shadows
• bottom lighting
• looks odd in portrait because light almost never naturally comes from below
• often creates menacing effect
• sometimes seen in ads
• color and b/w negatives are less sensitive to contrast than digital cameras
• when shadows are 3+ stops different than lights, fill light is useful
• better to use fill light than compensate in printing
• outdoors
• use fill light so subject doesn't have to look directly into the sun
• use when photographing small objects up close such as detail in a flower
• a reflector is a good source of fill light
• white sheet
• white card
• aluminized space blanket
• to keep from overpowering subject, fill light is usually farther away than the main light source
• the more simple the set up, the more relaxed your subject will be
• less is more
• indoors a small window will create harder shadows than a large one
• main light plus reflector fill is simplest set up
• main source pointed at umbrella reflector
• another reflector on other side
• continuously burning (incandescent) lamps
• plus into outlet
• excellent for portraits/ still life/ stationary object that allow time to adjust
• exposure determined normally
• flash bulbs
• portable/ battery powered
• each produces one brief powerful flash, then replaced
• older, not used as much
• used by press photographers
• electronic flash
• "strobe"
• most popular portable light
• use to shoot fast moving/ unposed photos
• battery or electrical plug
• come in camera unit, more powerful separate
• cameras with leaf shutters synchronise with flash at any speed
• others can usually synchronise only up to 1/300
• automatic flash
• has sensor that detects amount of light reflected during flash
• flash terminates when exposure is adequate
• may give less accurate reading if too close, too far
• most accurate when subject is centered in frame
• the farther the subject is from flash unit
• the dimmer the light
• the more you need to open the lens aperture
• to calc flash exposure:
• distance light travels to subject
• guide number (rating of flash with specific film speed)
• divide distance by guide number to get f stop
• bounce flash travels extra distance
• same calculation as above, except use distance to reflective surface plus reflective surface to subject
• changing shutter speed does not affect flash exposure
• first time calculating f-stop  use test roll of film with different calculations to see what yields best result
• scene lit by flash may not be evenly lit
• flash bounce from the side gives soft flattering light when taking a portrait
• bounced light from above creates more natural light that mimics daylight
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