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| Light reveals the different shapes of the bottles. |
But not a lot of photographers realize this. Most are oblivious to this fact and go on their ways taking photographs without taking account of the light when in fact, some of the essential questions a photographer should ask before pressing the shutter release button is: Where is the light? After which, the photographer should ask: Where is it coming from? What color is it? How strong is it? How weak? Is it appropriate for the shot? Among others.
To be a successful image creator, one has to see the light and describe it in terms of its direction, source (or sources), power, color, size, duration and most importantly, usage.
All light is not created equal
In his blog, Matt Brandon (The Digital Trekker) did not mince words in saying, “(Photographers) don’t understand that even though light might not be good or bad, all light is not created equal. Natural light changes at any given moment. It can be direct or diffused; it can be a large source or a very small source. Each one of these differences creates a completely different look and thus a completely different feel in an image.”
Once the photographer is conscious about the light, appropriate controlling, enhancing, positioning, shaping and timing can be applied to it. Sometimes, in the absence of better light, artificial lighting such as strobes and light bulbs may be used whether inside a studio or on-location.
Beauty shots, for example, usually need soft (for soft shadows), even and slightly warm (yellowish) lighting may be used. For a portrait of a boxer, harsh and directional lighting creates strong shadows that represent strength and agility. The boxer’s background might be lines of shadows from the ring.
Light search exercises
In your quest to perfect your light-finding ability, scan through newspapers, magazines or books and look at different photos. Describe the light used to capture the image. Is the lighting appropriate for the subject in the photo? Visit museums and galleries also. Paintings, sculptures and other art works also use lights as a major element in their composition or design.
At home, observe the light as it streams down from outside and through the window blinds or how the fridge light softly wraps your face when you open it at night. Note how greenish your pictures are under fluorescent bulbs. And how yellow incandescent bulbs are. Be aware of shadows and the shapes they cast, too. Light is everywhere. Find it. Befriend it.
Happy shooting!
(For questions and comments regarding this column, please email me at ryanmacalandag@yahoo.com or look me up on Facebook. We are conducting regular basic and advanced photography workshops through Sideroom Workshops. Please visit www.facebook.com/sideroom to inquire.)
