Photo Lighting – Five Things You Need to Know
Light. Photography isn’t possible without it, but it isn’t appreciated by a lot of photographers. A factor that can have such an impact on our photography is worth to be examined in terms of its primary properties. If you consider the nature of light and what it isn’t, you can utilize it to create exciting photographs.
1. Light is Light
Many photographers get caught up in the differences between artificial light and natural light. The issue is that there’s no artificial light. It’s electromagnetic radiation that is everywhere. Light is the only component of electromagnetic radiation within the visible spectrum. However, it behaves exactly like any other type of radiation. There are two ways to make it. Incandescent light emanates from the electrons of atoms as they emit thermal energy in electromagnetic radiation following heating. Electrons emit luminescence as they release energy in the form of electromagnetic radiation. Both kinds of light can be seen in the natural world – from sunlight, fire as well as fire-flies, and algae.
It is not necessary to consider these issues when you are creating photos. Beware of letting misinformation or myths steer you away from an aspect of light due to its origin. The light is light.
2. Qualitative
Instead of being focused on the source of light, pay attention to the quality of light. Photographers often talk about the quality of light as hard or soft, which is an indicator of the shadows cast by our subjects. This really has to have to do with the direction in which light is reflected and how it is reflected.
Light flows in a unidirectional direction until it strikes something, which results in it reflecting. A light that is directed from one source may cause shadows that are dark and shiny, particularly reflections. A specular reflection occurs when light strikes the surface with a flat shape and bounces off with the same angle (meaning that if it hits the surface at an angle of 45 degrees, the reflection will be at an angle of 45 degrees). Direct light is a hard light.
A diffuse reflection occurs when light strikes an unbalanced object. The light reflects back at the angle of incidence. However, the uneven surface adds more angles, which causes reflection in various directions. This is why softboxes feature an in-front diffuser to diffuse light. When light hits the diffuser, the rough surface alters the direction of certain light particles, which prevents shiny surfaces from filling in shadow areas to produce soft light.
3. Size is Important
The size of the light source, in relation to the subject, determines how soft or hard the light falls to your object. The sun is a huge source of light, but its distance decreases its size in relation to the subject. Contrast this with a softbox that is placed next to you as a more significant source of light compared with your object.
The reason for this is that a diffuser needs to be located close to your subject in order to create soft light. When your diffused light source is further away from the subject, the less diffused light will hit your subject. Why? Because the light is moving in various directions. This leaves you with straight light that is directed towards your subject, possibly even from the softbox. If you’re looking for soft light, you should use an enormous, diffuse source. If you are looking for solid light, you should use a minimal, direct source.
4: Direction
We’ve all been familiar with seeing sunlight coming from above. The sun’s light is mostly its time overhead. Many buildings are equipped with overhead lighting. It’s a natural thing for us. It’s possible that’s why we experience the strong reaction to the sidelight. It’s a surprise and could produce dramatic results. Maybe that’s the reason we love watching the sunset or sunrise. It’s an instant of daylight that signalizes change. It’s strange to see the light coming from the bottom, however, triggering the feeling of fear or worry. In the shadows, under-lighting can create strange shadows in places people aren’t accustomed to being able to detect shadows.
The direction you choose to take can dramatically affect how your scenes are perceived.
5 Color
Temperature influences what color light is and, consequently, how we see it. In the natural world, incandescent luminescence shifts changing from orange to red before changing to yellow when the temperature rises. Our bodies are innately attracted to colors such as cold blue and warm orange. It is possible to make someone look sick with a green cast or the image of health by using daylight. Color influences the way that our minds perceive the scene. This is the reason theatrical productions utilize the color of the stage to establish the mood for a scene. It’s part of our nature to be responsive to color.
The Most Influential Influence
Every image we take is a reflection of light. When we understand and use the fundamental properties of light, it could drastically enhance the quality of our photography.
