Light & PhotographyDACC Basic Photography

Session 5

Light, Contrast& Texture

Natural lighting

Bright Direct Sunlight Highest Contrast Photographer’s

favorite times: From Sunrise to 10:00 a.m. and from 2:00 p.m. to sunset

Cross Lighting Shows texture Brings three

dimensional look Early morning-late

afternoon brings warmer tones to photos

Color of Daylight Sunlight has

warmer tones in the times before 10:00 a.m. and after 2:00 p.m.

Color of Daylight and digital

White balance with digital must be over-ridden at times to get the effect you see

Overcast Conditions Lower Light

Amounts (re: slower shutter speeds)

Less contrast Less Shadows Great for portraits

Heavy Overcast – Fog Conditions Tricky Exposures Really Low

Contrast Really slow

Shutter Speeds

Overcast conditions More Blue to contend

with. Small corrections can

be corrected in printing Use of 81a or 85a filter

with film Select correct white

balance in digital

Controlling Contrast Choice of Films Altering the Film Developing Choice of Paper prints are printed on Digital – Some cameras have a limit

control Digital – use of photoshop

Altering the contrast of lightThrough DiffusionThrough BounceThrough Reflectors

Natural LightThe Color

of Light

Tungsten & Fluorescent Lighting Labs can make minor

corrections Filters available for

film FLD for Fluorescent 80A for Tungsten Digital has White

Balance corrections settings

Flash Photography Flash is closely

balanced to daylight in color

Camera shutter has to be set to flash sync speed

Flash can “stop” the action

Flash Photography Battery life Distance Red-Eye Dedicated flash

units Auxiliary Flash

units and “flash sync” shutter speed

Bounce Flash More Natural Lighting Fewer Shadows Ability to light more

area Need to use faster film Need to have a little

“fill” flash for the shadows

Bounce Flash Accomplished best with

dedicated flash systems Auxiliary BOUNCE

deflection can add better detail

When using non-dedicated flashes, flash power can be diminished by two stops (at least)

Fill Flash Supplements light in

back-lit conditions Sometimes hard to

meter Goal is to make it look

natural Shutter speed to

control background Aperture controls

subject

More Fill Flash and Bounce Flash

No Flash

Fill Flash

Bounce Flash – No reflector Bounce Flash with card reflector

Other Flash Concerns Photographs in

inclement conditions

Power surge on your digital camera

White Balance Studio Lighting Auto Focus in

Low Light

Studio Lighting Uses two or more

flashes synced together

Need a flash meter Can control contrast

by the lighting ratios Most studio settings

have four lights