How to Light a Photograph with Sunlight

Natural light can enhance skin tones and natural objects and provide powerful, dramatic lighting without the need for special equipment or a power source. The easiest and most available source of natural light is, of course, the sun.

Instructions

1

Decide whether you want a subtle or dramatic lighting effect. Subtle, natural lighting, known as soft lighting, will produce fewer pronounced shadows, be more flattering to skin tones and give an overall even lighting of your subject. Dramatic lighting, usually known as hard lighting, will produce high contrast, with bright spots on the sunlit side of your subject and deep shadows on the other side. For the most dramatic lighting, create a silhouette, in which your subject is a shadow against the bright light of the sun.

2

For soft lighting, shoot your photo in the early morning, in the late afternoon before sunset, on an overcast day or on a bright day in the shade to minimize the shadows and lines. For soft lighting, the sun should be behind the camera.

3

Hard lighting can be achieved best on a bright, sunny day, during the afternoon, when the sun is high in the sky and shining strongly on the subject. If you want to create particularly striking shadows, sidelight your subject--have your subject stand with his side to the sun. For even more drama, place your subject in a darkened area where sunlight is streaming through at a single point, such as in a dim room near a window or door.

4

Achieve a silhouette by back-lighting your subject during a bright part of the day, preferably when the sun is on a strong angle. Back-lighting is when the light is shining toward the camera from behind your subject, darkening the subject to a shadowy figure in the bright light. You will lose distinguishing features, but back-lighting can create a powerful effect.

5

Use reflected light to even out shadows by propping up--or having someone hold--a piece of white poster board in front of and slightly below your subject. Make sure it is out of the frame. Manipulate the poster board until it reflects light back at your subject, softening the lines and filling in some of the shadows. For an even lighting effect with soft lighting, use two poster boards--one on each side of your subject, placed between the subject and the camera.

6

Use a fill light as a second light source that fills in shadowy areas, such as beneath the ridge of the eye, under the nose and under the chin in a portrait. Your flash can make a good fill light, though you can use any type of electric light source with varying results. Experiment with using a fill light, as well as with reflecting your fill light with poster board. With practice, you can learn to manipulate sunlight to achieve many different effects and create the look you desire.

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Natural light can enhance skin tones and natural objects and provide powerful, dramatic lighting without the need for special equipment or a power source. The easiest and most available source of natural light is, of course, the sun.

Instructions

1

Decide whether you want a subtle or dramatic lighting effect. Subtle, natural lighting, known as soft lighting, will produce fewer pronounced shadows, be more flattering to skin tones and give an overall even lighting of your subject. Dramatic lighting, usually known as hard lighting, will produce high contrast, with bright spots on the sunlit side of your subject and deep shadows on the other side. For the most dramatic lighting, create a silhouette, in which your subject is a shadow against the bright light of the sun.

2

For soft lighting, shoot your photo in the early morning, in the late afternoon before sunset, on an overcast day or on a bright day in the shade to minimize the shadows and lines. For soft lighting, the sun should be behind the camera.

3

Hard lighting can be achieved best on a bright, sunny day, during the afternoon, when the sun is high in the sky and shining strongly on the subject. If you want to create particularly striking shadows, sidelight your subject--have your subject stand with his side to the sun.

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. For even more drama, place your subject in a darkened area where sunlight is streaming through at a single point, such as in a dim room near a window or door.
4

Achieve a silhouette by back-lighting your subject during a bright part of the day, preferably when the sun is on a strong angle. Back-lighting is when the light is shining toward the camera from behind your subject, darkening the subject to a shadowy figure in the bright light. You will lose distinguishing features, but back-lighting can create a powerful effect.

5

Use reflected light to even out shadows by propping up--or having someone hold--a piece of white poster board in front of and slightly below your subject. Make sure it is out of the frame. Manipulate the poster board until it reflects light back at your subject, softening the lines and filling in some of the shadows. For an even lighting effect with soft lighting, use two poster boards--one on each side of your subject, placed between the subject and the camera.

6

Use a fill light as a second light source that fills in shadowy areas, such as beneath the ridge of the eye, under the nose and under the chin in a portrait. Your flash can make a good fill light, though you can use any type of electric light source with varying results. Experiment with using a fill light, as well as with reflecting your fill light with poster board. With practice, you can learn to manipulate sunlight to achieve many different effects and create the look you desire.

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