The lighting and shadows within a photograph tell a story by creating a particular mood. Learning to control these factors during a shoot is vital to producing an intense image, and will save time when editing. While certainly useful to have, professional lighting is not necessary for every great photograph. If you add the following ideas to your already existing list, and continue to discover your own, you can take stunning photographs just about anywhere, using your camera as your only tool.
Break of Dawn
Dawn is magical, as it introduces the earliest sunshine of the day. The brand new feeling washes over us, and can appear in your photos as well. Plan your timing so that you are ready to shoot a good hour before the sun rises. Head for the trees. Framing the edges of the trunk and branches to allow the new sun to minimally peek through produces a warm and hopeful photo. The sunlight at dawn is very specific, and if you look at landscape objects as a natural picture frame, you will have instant classics.
The Magic Hour of Dusk
Often called "sweet light," the hour before the sun sets is extremely powerful to a photographer. Plan ahead with your location, travel time and preferably an enthusiastic female model. Arrange for the model to wear a simple white dress. A backdrop consisting of a continuous pattern or texture will work beautifully. This could be a tall hedge, solid fence, brick wall or even sunflowers. As your model poses in a relaxed, asymmetrical fashion, watch as the warm sunset bathes her surroundings in a golden glow, allowing the simplicity of her clothing to pop out of the photo.
Film Noir Patterns
The draw of the film noir genre is the contrast and sharply defined lighting it showcases. To capture this quality, it's best to utilize natural lighting that is bright, but not glaring. If you are indoors, be sure to get that vintage shot of a dark interior with blinds partially open, sunlight streaming in. If you have a model, find an intricately patterned object, and ask a friend to hold it in different angles between the sun and your model, as the reflections cover random parts of her clothing and body.
Evening Stars
A couple meanders through town, late at night. It is quiet, mysterious and romantic. A family sits around a bonfire late at night. It might not always be quiet, but it feels mysterious and romantic. Find the light source for each situation and place the subjects around it. Position the downtown couple, preferably in simple evening wear, beneath a fancy old streetlight. Locate this previous to the shoot, for ease and comfort to the models. Ask them to behave naturally, and quietly snap away as they talk to each other. The faces captured in the bonfire idea should be illuminated by the fire source. Use a tripod to keep their faces steady for great detail, and watch as the dark night disappears into the background, making those glowing faces appear as extra special.
Shadow Play
Playful and compelling, a self-portrait taken of your shadow is the easiest photography trick in the book. Try to do this at dusk or dawn, when the sun is very low in the sky, as this will create an elongated shadow. If you position yourself on a brick driveway or sidewalk, you will be creating even more shadows within the photo, making it even more intriguing.
The lighting and shadows within a photograph tell a story by creating a particular mood. Learning to control these factors during a shoot is vital to producing an intense image, and will save time when editing. While certainly useful to have, professional lighting is not necessary for every great photograph. If you add the following ideas to your already existing list, and continue to discover your own, you can take stunning photographs just about anywhere, using your camera as your only tool.
Break of Dawn
Dawn is magical, as it introduces the earliest sunshine of the day. The brand new feeling washes over us, and can appear in your photos as well. Plan your timing so that you are ready to shoot a good hour before the sun rises. Head for the trees. Framing the edges of the trunk and branches to allow the new sun to minimally peek through produces a warm and hopeful photo. The sunlight at dawn is very specific, and if you look at landscape objects as a natural picture frame, you will have instant classics.
The Magic Hour of Dusk
Often called "sweet light," the hour before the sun sets is extremely powerful to a photographer. Plan ahead with your location, travel time and preferably an enthusiastic female model. Arrange for the model to wear a simple white dress. A backdrop consisting of a continuous pattern or texture will work beautifully. This could be a tall hedge, solid fence, brick wall or even sunflowers. As your model poses in a relaxed, asymmetrical fashion, watch as the warm sunset bathes her surroundings in a golden glow, allowing the simplicity of her clothing to pop out of the photo.
Film Noir Patterns
The draw of the film noir genre is the contrast and sharply defined lighting it showcases. To capture this quality, it's best to utilize natural lighting that is bright, but not glaring. If you are indoors, be sure to get that vintage shot of a dark interior with blinds partially open, sunlight streaming in. If you have a model, find an intricately patterned object, and ask a friend to hold it in different angles between the sun and your model, as the reflections cover random parts of her clothing and body.
Evening Stars
A couple meanders through town, late at night. It is quiet, mysterious and romantic. A family sits around a bonfire late at night. It might not always be quiet, but it feels mysterious and romantic. Find the light source for each situation and place the subjects around it. Position the downtown couple, preferably in simple evening wear, beneath a fancy old streetlight. Locate this previous to the shoot, for ease and comfort to the models. Ask them to behave naturally, and quietly snap away as they talk to each other. The faces captured in the bonfire idea should be illuminated by the fire source. Use a tripod to keep their faces steady for great detail, and watch as the dark night disappears into the background, making those glowing faces appear as extra special.
Shadow Play
Playful and compelling, a self-portrait taken of your shadow is the easiest photography trick in the book. Try to do this at dusk or dawn, when the sun is very low in the sky, as this will create an elongated shadow. If you position yourself on a brick driveway or sidewalk, you will be creating even more shadows within the photo, making it even more intriguing.
Low Light Photography Tips
photographylife.com Photography TutorialsLow light photography is not necessarily just night photography, as many people assume. There could be different amounts of light coming from various sources and ...
Light - photo.net - Photography community, including forums ...
photo.net/making-photographs/lightOne can define photography as "the recording of light rays". That's why taking a good picture depends so much on choosing the lighting carefully.
Light and Shadow Nature, Landscape and Macro Photography
light-and-shadow.comLight and Shadow is a photography related resource for articles, tips, tutorials and reviews on photography and digital imaging. Photo galleries of nature and ...
Basic Studio Lighting Setups Photography tips and tricks ...
oneslidephotography.com/basic-studio-lighting-setupsThere are basically five commonly excepted portrait lighting setups in photography. These portrait lighting setup are based on the placement of the main light ...
Photoshop and Digital Photography Tips, Articles & Tutorials ...
www.earthboundlight.com/phototip-archives.htmlEarthbound Light - Nature photography from the Pacific Northwest and beyond
Shadows in the Light Photography - Forest Grove, OR - Artist ...
https://www.facebook.com/ShadowsInTheLightPhotographyShadows in the Light Photography, Forest Grove, OR. 325 likes 3 talking about this. Becoming a mother was the catalyst that caused my love of photography to blossom.
Photography Tips and Tricks: Lighting for Outdoor Photography
cowboystudio.blogspot.com/2009/04/lighting-for-outdoor-photography...Apr 21, 2009 We've discussed some of the tools you can use in the studio, but what happens when you move outside? Suddenly, the elements that you had complete
Light - Photography Tips, Tricks and Techniques
www.photographytips.com/page.cfm/157An understanding of light, what it is, how it behaves and how you can learn to use it, is essential to creating superlative photos.
Backdrop Express Photography Blog Photography Studio Lighting
blog.backdropexpress.com/photography-studio-lighting-set-up-tipsStudio lighting can be a challenge, especially when you are just starting out. Fortunately, you don't have to spend a lot of money to get started with studio portraiture.
0 comments:
Post a Comment