Introduction to Lighting,

Design Elements,

& Photographic Techniques

CUVPHI302A

Capture Photographic Images

Session 2 of 8 Aaron.Burton@cdu.edu.au

Housekeeping

Session 1 REVIEW

1. Prepare to capture digital images

1.1. Discuss photographic project with

relevant people and select appropriate camera

and accessories

1.2. Assess digital camera features to

ensure that outcomes meet project

requirements

Camera Technology

Digital Camera Features

CAMERA CHECKLIST:

• Manual mode

• Quality & Compression

• Sensitivity / Film Speed (ISO)

• White Balance (WB)

• Light Meter / Exposure

– Aperture (e.g. f5.6)

– Shutter Speed (e.g.1/125th)

Useful Accessories

Session 2 Plan

1. Prepare to capture digital images

1.3. Plan shots for the project taking

into account digital camera features,

lighting, photographic design elements

and photographic techniques

Session 2 Plan

1. Prepare to capture digital images

Lighting

Photographic Design Elements

Photographic Techniques

LIGHTING

Quality:

(1) Colour

(2) Intensity

(3) Size

(4) Direction Trent Parke

LIGHTING

Quality:

(1) Colour

(2) Intensity

(3) Size

(4) Direction Trent Parke

White Balance

White Balance

White Balance

LIGHTING

Quality:

(1) Colour

(2) Intensity

(3) Size

(4) Direction

ISO - Film Speed / Sensitivity

LIGHTING

Quality:

(1) Colour

(2) Intensity

(3) Size

(4) Direction

Light Size

• Soft Light

– Soft shadows

– Low contrast

– Soften edges

– “Beautiful”

• Shade

• Cloud

• Dusk/Dawn

• Window

Light Size

• Hard Light

– Hard shadows

– High contrast

– Emphasize edges

– “Dramatic”

• Direct sun

• Direct light bulb/flash

LIGHTING

Quality:

(1) Colour

(2) Intensity

(3) Size

(4) Direction

Lighting Direction

Lighting Direction

Lighting Direction

Lighting Direction

"Rembrandt lighting" – position main light 45° from subject

Lighting Direction Three Point Lighting

• Hard direct light

• Difficult to soften i.e.

bounce or reflect

• Head-on position has

no shadows - no

volume

• Foreground often

blown out - difficult to

vary flash intensity

• Only use for ‘fill’

On-Camera Flash

On-Camera Flash

Reflectors & Diffusers

Windows & Shade

Golden Hour

DESIGN ELEMENTS

(1) Proportions

(2) Balance

(3) Brightness & Contrast

DESIGN ELEMENTS

(1) Proportions

(2) Balance

(3) Brightness & Contrast

Proportions

Horizontal

• Left to right

• Stability

• Landscapes

• TV / Computer

James Nachtwey New York, 2001 - Searching for survivors.

Proportions

Horizontal

• Left to right

• Stability

• Landscapes

• TV / Computer

Elliot Erwitt New York, 1974

Proportions

Horizontal

• Left to right

• Stability

• Landscapes

• TV / Computer

Walter Looss Jr, Banzai Pipeline, Oahu, Hawaii, 1990

Proportions

Vertical

• ‘Pull' effect

• Top and bottom

• Vertical lines

Walter Looss Jr, Greg Louganis, 1984

Proportions

Vertical

• ‘Pull' effect

• Top and bottom

• Vertical lines

Benoit Gysembergh, Bamako, Mali

Proportions

Vertical

• ‘Pull' effect

• Top and bottom

• Vertical lines

Carolina Salguero, New York, September 11, 2001

Proportions

Vertical

• ‘Pull' effect

• Top and bottom

• Vertical lines

Dennis Stock, Tokyo, Japan, 1974

Proportions

Square

• Symmetrical

• Diagonals

Diane Arbus, Child with Toy Hand Grenade, Central Park, NYC, 1962

Proportions

Square

• Symmetrical

• Diagonals

Walter Looss, Tiger Woods, 2002

Proportions

Square

• Symmetrical

• Diagonals

Nick Brandt

Proportions

Square

• Symmetrical

• Diagonals

Brent Stirton, fetching water, 2003

Rule of Thirds

• Divide frame

in 3 sections

• Points of

emphasis

Sebastião Salgado Refugees in the Korem camp Ethiopia, 1984

Rule of Thirds

Stefano Rellandini, Kashmir earthquake, 2006

• Divide frame

in 3 sections

• Points of

emphasis

DESIGN ELEMENTS

(1) Proportions

(2) Balance

(3) Brightness & Contrast

Balance

• Weight

• Tone

• Colour

• Texture

• Space

Mary Ellen Mark Falkland Road, Bombay

Balance

• Weight

• Tone

• Colour

• Texture

• Space

Jonas Bendisken, Satellites, Russia, 2000

Balance

• Weight

• Tone

• Colour

• Texture

• Space

Walter Looss Jr, Michael Jordan, 1987

Balance

• Weight

• Tone

• Colour

• Texture

• Space

Shehza Noorani, carbon dust, Dhaka, Bangladesh

DESIGN ELEMENTS

(1) Proportions

(2) Balance

(3) Brightness & Contrast

Brightness & Contrast

Brightness & Contrast

PHOTO – TECHNIQUE

(1) Focus

(2) Depth of Field

(3) Motion

(4) Lens & Perspective

PHOTO – TECHNIQUE

(1) Focus

(2) Depth of Field

(3) Motion

(4) Lens & Perspective

Focus

Focus

Focus

• Title: "Afghan Girl" (detail)

• Photographer: Steve McCurry

• Subject: Sharbat Gula

• Camera: Nikon FM2

• Film: Kodachrome 64

• Lens: Nikkor 105mm f/2.5

• "Afghan Girl" was featured on

the front cover of the June

1985 issue of National

Geographic Magazine.

Tip: Make sure the eyes are sharp

PHOTO – TECHNIQUE

(1) Focus

(2) Depth of Field

(3) Motion

(4) Lens & Perspective

Depth of Field

• Aperture

• Lens focal length

• Subject distance

Depth of Field

Wide DOF

• Small Aperture

• Wide angle lens

• Far subject distance

Shallow DOF

• Large Aperture

• Long lens

• Close subject distance

Depth of Field

• Aperture

• Lens focal length

• Subject distance

Depth of Field

Lauren Greenfield, Prom in the OC

Jonas Bendiksen, Satellites, 1999-2005, Abkhazia

Jonas Bendiksen, Satellites, 1999-2005, Russia

Eddie Adams, Mother Theresa

PHOTO – TECHNIQUE

(1) Focus

(2) Depth of Field

(3) Motion

(4) Lens & Perspective

Motion

Motion

Shutter Speed

1 sec 1/2 1/4 1/8 1/15 1/30 1/60

1/125 1/250 1/500 1/1000 1/2000

Tip: To prevent camera shake set the shutter speed above the focal length of the lens i.e.

use at least 1/500 sec shutter speed with a 300mm lens or 1/60 sec with a 50mm lens

John Mabanglo, Diver Chelsea Davis at Fina World Championships, 2006

Vincent Larofet, Beijing Olympics, 2008

Vincent Larofet, Beijing Olympics, 2008

Sydney Seshibedi

Shutter Speed

• Fast paced sports require at least 1/500 sec for sharp images often 1/1000 or 1/2000 sec

• Slow shutter useful for panning

• Slow shutter for night shoots

• Slower than 1/30 sec will almost certainly result in camera shake - use tripod/monopod

Tip: 1/125 sec a good starting point

Motion

Panning - follow the subject while pressing the shutter so the

subject remains sharp and the background is blurred

Ronald Modra, Ben Johnson, Olympics, 1988

PHOTO – TECHNIQUE

(1) Focus

(2) Depth of Field

(3) Motion

(4) Lens & Perspective

35mm Lens Focal Lengths

• Wide-angle (short lens) – 18mm - 100º | 20mm - 94º | 28mm - 74º | 35mm - 62º

• Normal / Standard (similar to vision) – 50mm - 46º

• Telephoto (long lens) – 85mm - 28º | 135mm - 18º | 300mm - 8.5º | 500mm - 6º

• Zoom

Lens & Perspective

Lens & Perspective

Charlie Cole, The Tiananmen Square Massacre, 1989

Lens & Perspective

Charlie Cole, The Tiananmen Square Massacre, 1989

Lens & Perspective

James Nachtwey, Nicaragua, 1984

Lens & Perspective

Steepening Perspective

• Close to subject

• Wide angle lens

Flattening Perspective

• Large subject distance

• Telephoto lens

Lens & Perspective

Thomas Hoepker, Muhammad Ali, Chicago, 1966

LIGHTING

Quality:

(1) Colour

(2) Intensity

(3) Size

(4) Direction

DESIGN

ELEMENTS

(1) Proportions

(2) Balance

(3) Brightness

& Contrast

PHOTO –

TECHNIQUE

(1) Focus

(2) Depth of Field

(3) Motion

(4) Lens

& Perspective

Session 2

1. Prepare to capture digital images

1.3. Plan shots for the project taking into account digital

camera features, lighting, photographic design

elements and photographic techniques

Session 3 – NEXT WEEK

2. Preview and experiment with image capture

2.1. Operate digital camera according to

manufacturer specifications

2.2. Set digital camera preferences and use

photographic techniques to achieve desired

results