Lighting can make a photo or break a photo. And it is up to us as photographers to use the lighting available to us to achieve the end result that we are looking for. I have gone through the last 7 years knowing in my mind that taking photos outside, on a cloudy day, will give you the best results. Why? Well I don't know or at least I didn't know, but I could see the difference in my finished product and I loved the look of any photo I took on a cloudy day, the colors seemed to be so sharp and just right. I also knew in the back of my mind that late afternoon, dusk, or sunset could also give me the look and feel that I wanted in a photo. Again, why? Well as I said earlier, 'I don't know?', but photography class lightened some of the unknown regions in my brain and made things make sense, at least a little bit.
So here is my little explanation about lighting.
There are four different characteristics to lighting and they will all help you to make others love your photos and to make yourself love them even more. Understanding the characteristics and how they show up in a photo can also let you make the same subject look many different ways.
The four characteristics are:
- Intensity - the amount of light. Is it bright, bright, or softer? Look at the intensity and decide how you want your subject to look. Study photos that you have taken and see what appeals to you the most. Most cameras can compensate, especially when there is not enough light.
Directional - this type of lighting we can control, either by moving our subject or moving ourselves.
Degree of Diffusion - lighting may be direct, less diffused, directional diffused, some shadow - soft, or fully diffused - like on a cloudy day or in direct shade. Cloudy days are completely diffused lighting, every thing is even and soft, no hard edges.
Color - different types of lighting will give you a different color cast, for lack of knowing what else to call it, to your photos. A candle will give you rich red tones, sunlight will give you a cold blue light, while tungsten, the lights we put into our fixtures, will give you a red/yellow tone, and florescent lighting will give you a blue/green tone.
When taking photos we need to look for the lighting that is available, is it cold or warm, and know exactly what we want to convey in our pictures. An example is taking a photo in the early morning or late afternoon light will produce a warmer, more reddish color, while taking a photo at midday will give you a more colder, or bluer cast to your photo. Again, we need to decide what we like and what we want to convey.
Now we can move on to '3 Point Lighting'. Sounds fun doesn't it? The deal with '3 Point Lighting' is to use the light that is available and it is most readily used when taking portraits. The three different points of lighting are:
- Key Light - sets the mood
- Fill Light - fill shadows
- Hair or Back Light - separates the subject from the background
By using these different types of lighting you can convey a lot of different moods and feeling in your photos. The most used and dramatic of these types of lighting is 'Key Lighting', in the photo below each face is lit by a different type of Key Lighting.
The four different types of 'Key Lighting' are:
Short - Formed by creating a shadow on the camera side of the nose but not past the lips.
Broad - Creates shadow on the side away from the camera.
Glamour/Paramount/Butterfly - Light is directed to the nose, creates a little butterfly under the nose shining down, and gives a look like the old black and white moves from the 50's. Glamour.
Rembrandt - A Triangle of light on the cheek, more dramatic and more attractive.
'Three Point Lighting' will most likely be used in a studio setting, but if you are aware of the light when you are taking photos you will be more likely to place your subjects in a more pleasing setting. This can be achieved outside by moving your subject or the camera, or inside by using the lighting that you have available, whether that be a lamp or a window. There are many ways of getting light that you want, you can also use bed sheets and cookie sheets to reflect which will act as a fill light. You may also note that when light is directed at the face from below, pointing up, it will convey the feeling of evil, but if you place the light shining down onto the face it will convey goodness.
Fill Light is used to fill in shadows and is created by the key lighting. Hair and backlighting will separate your subject from the background. The direction that the light comes from is where the inspiration comes from. You can also achieve a spark of light in the eye with directional lighting, which can convey an impish or alive impression, whereas no light in the eyes conveys a feeling of lifelessness.
So that is what I have learned so far when it comes to lighting. I know, it's a lot and I am still trying to figure it out myself, remember I took lots of notes that I can always go back to. When I watch movies I look at the faces and see how the lighting is used. This photography class has changed how I look at faces. Right now I find it hard to pick out exactly what type of lighting is used, but I am sure that as I keep looking it will become easier. The point is to look at the lighting around you and as you take photos of the people you love, be aware of the way the lighting is affecting the way they look.
Remeber to ask yourself, 'Is it flattering or is it making them look like an evil, dead vampire?' My vote is to always make them look as young and pretty as possible, they will love you for it.
Love to All,
midRae
