Let’s talk about light. Bay-Bee!
Light is photography. Photography is light. Did you know that the greek word “Phos” means light? Hence, photo. Graphy is to write. Writing with light eh? Yup.
So. We’re going to talk about light today. The right kind of light is the difference between an average photo and a spectacular one. And really, I could write about 10 pages talking about lighting, the effects, different kinds, where, when how, why, whooza, whatsit…etc. But today let’s focus on the different lighting situations you will most likely be faced with on a day to day basis.
Check it. (The following pictures are Straight-Out-Of-Camera {Sooc} to give you a better reference)
3 pm. Half shade. Half sunlight.
My niece. Cute girl. HORRIBLE lighting. It’s coming in from all the wrong angles. It casts unattractive, uneven shadows across her face. It’s just….blah.
Let’s spin her around.
5:30 pm February. Backlit.
Better right? It was later in the day. She is back-lit, meaning the light is shining right on her back, illuminating her hair. Parts of it are over-exposed but I don’t mind it. I feel it’s an ethereal quality. And with the right edit, you can really make this picture pop. Like so:
Voila! It’s amazing what post-editing can do, BUT the right kind of lighting is absolutely key. If you have crappy lighting, no amount of editing can make it better. Trust me.
Windows. They are the best. When the sun is not shining directly through them they are the ultimate source of natural, diffused, soft light. Indirect light.
My bedroom. 9 am. Sooc.
5 pm. Slight post editing. Window light.
This picture is one of my favorites ever, of my girls. And I took it when I just starting to learn about photography. Light was the last thing on my mind. I just thought it looked cool. Now, I can pick it apart technically, there are some things I would do differently but… I still love it. They are backlit. The window light is coming from behind them, toward me, instead of the other way around.
6 pm early May. Backlit. Light coming from back left corner.
Same time and day as above picture but she is under a shade cover, thus creating smooth, even light. Sooc.
Yup. You guess it. Backlit again. Can you tell I like it??
Indirect window light. 2 pm.
Natural light is your best friend. Know it. Study it. Watch how it falls on people during different times of the day. Take a picture and then spin your subject around and around and around until you know exactly which position gives you the best possible light, or until your subject pukes. Whichever comes first.
A tip? Look for catchlights in the eyes. It will make your subject appear livelier, brighter and fresh. Those are best created when your subject is looking toward a light source like…ahem…windows. Or, if it’s bright sunlight in the middle of the day and you’re outside, have them in shade looking out and up toward the light. Example:
This was taken in the middle of the day. Overhead sunlight does not bode well for pictures. I had her duck under shade created by a nearby building but she was looking out from under the shade, toward the sun. Sooc.
And that is all I have time for on this subject. Until next time!
