Professional Photography Guide on Lighting Techniques
Understanding the Purpose of Lighting
When planning your lighting, think beyond just achieving proper exposure. Consider how the light can emphasize the form and textures of a building or a product in the studio. It might enhance the dramatic features of a character portrait or soften the wrinkles on an aging subject. Effective lighting can highlight specific elements while suppressing others, or reveal intricate details throughout. It sets the scene by creating mood and atmosphere, guides the viewer’s eye within the composition, and solves technical issues such as excessive contrast in existing lighting conditions.
Observing Existing Light
Learning to observe existing light is crucial. Note the sources and effects of the light in your environment, and how these will translate into a photograph. For example, look around your current setting: is the illumination hard or soft, even or uneven? Identify areas highlighted by the lighting direction and those in shadow. To gauge the contrast and shadow detail that will appear in the final print, try squinting to make shadows appear darker.
Characteristics of Daylight
Daylight quality varies significantly, from the hard light of direct sun to the soft light of a cloudy sky. The color temperature also changes, ranging from a blue 18,000 K in shadows to an orange 3000 K at dawn or dusk. While daylight color film is balanced for 5500 K, which is typical of noon sun, our eyes adapt to these shifts, making them less noticeable. By practicing, you’ll learn to predict how different light conditions affect your color photographs and how to use tools like flash, tungsten light, and color temperature measured in Kelvin for proper color balance.
The Role of Daylight Direction
Daylight direction changes as the sun moves from east to west, reaching its highest point at noon. In the summer, this point is higher, but it is directly overhead only at the equator. For subjects like architecture and landscapes, the strategic use of daylight involves planning, patience, and sometimes luck to capture the perfect moment when all conditions align.
Utilizing Supplementary Daylight
Modifying existing light is often necessary. For example, in outdoor portrait photography, direct sunlight may be too harsh, but moving the subject into the building’s shadow can change the light quality significantly. For color photography, this may cause a blue cast, which can be mitigated by using reflectors or diffused flash. In architectural interiors, supplementary light can balance the contrast between bright windows and darker areas by using powerful lights bounced off walls or ceilings. Ensure the color of supplementary lighting matches the daylight, avoiding reflections off tinted surfaces.
Balancing Mixed Light Sources
When shooting in mixed lighting conditions, different color temperatures can pose challenges. For even lighting, consider switching off or filtering certain light sources to match the film or filter used. Typically, daylight-balanced film works well when both daylight and tungsten light are present, giving tungsten-lit areas a warm cast. Decide which lighting condition is more critical to your composition and adjust accordingly.
By mastering these techniques, you can effectively control and manipulate light to achieve your desired photographic outcomes.
