Considering the Aspects of Light: Part 1 - Direction
May 15, 2018 03:33:27 #
For me it all depends on what i am shooting, where and what do I want to achieve.
For 'scapes back and sidelighting (think sunrises and sunsets) works well for me.
For sports and action light behind my back makes shooting easy.
For botanicals side and back lighting (as shown in some of the previous posts) works well.
If I do have I favourite it is lighting that comes from all directions, like open shade for portraits or cloudy/overcast/rain or artificial lighting for covering events. It makes shooting very easy as you can shoot from any direction and the 'atmosphere" can add a lot to an image, and there are no unwanted shadows.
The example was shot in pouring rain (it was bucketing down).
For 'scapes back and sidelighting (think sunrises and sunsets) works well for me.
For sports and action light behind my back makes shooting easy.
For botanicals side and back lighting (as shown in some of the previous posts) works well.
If I do have I favourite it is lighting that comes from all directions, like open shade for portraits or cloudy/overcast/rain or artificial lighting for covering events. It makes shooting very easy as you can shoot from any direction and the 'atmosphere" can add a lot to an image, and there are no unwanted shadows.
The example was shot in pouring rain (it was bucketing down).
May 15, 2018 05:45:50 #
RichardTaylor wrote:
For me it all depends on what i am shooting, where... (show quote)
I might add that even when we are shooting in overcast, there are still shadows and those shadows create depth. In you example, the shadow under the car makes the subject pop and the light coming from the headlights brings out details in the grill of the car that might otherwise have been lost. You mentioned that overcast light makes it easy to shoot. I would suggest that this phenomenon has a lot to do with intensity and the fact that the light appears to be coming from all around the subject. Here we can see that clouds are, indeed, natures soft box. A very good example and an engaging shot with the spray coming off the wheels and the driver just visible through the windscreen.
Erich
May 15, 2018 07:28:15 #
May 15, 2018 07:36:08 #
I see Linda's post is off to a good start with lots of Good examples of different lighting effects. I thought I would post a few of my wildlife photographs using the benefits of morning low angle lighting to help illuminate my subjects. I use to photograph birds all during the day but have found morning to late afternoon to be the most beneficial when I want to show detail. I'm facing west with sun to my back, photographing birds on the west side of the lake. Bright light is not always a bad thing..... These are SOOC other than cropped.
After work tonight I'll share some late afternoon light on my subjects.
After work tonight I'll share some late afternoon light on my subjects.
8:30 am
(Download)
9:30am lucky shot as the bird pulled his wings back to be fully exposed
(Download)
Little after 9:30 am, sun is getting to high for these large winged birds if your looking to show Detail..
(Download)
May 15, 2018 08:25:56 #
E.L.. Shapiro wrote:
Ed thank you so much for your generosity of time and education! I had not read (or not remembered, you know how that goes, lol) about the relationship between our "one sun" and direction. ...Chiaroscuro, illusion of dimension, unity of lighting...
I have always been more interested in the creative aspects of photography than the technical, and prior to the "playful pp" I was introduced to after joining UHH, that viewpoint was most often related to the light. Looking forward to your photo examples! btw, I have to confess I am very fond of your term, Lighting Savvy.
Many thanks to those who have shared their images and insights so far, and for those following along and commenting! Rgrenaderphoto, uuglypher and cwilson341 know their subjects well and have spent a lot of time studying those favorite subjects with regards to the direction of light. Would "careful observation and familiarity" be a theme?
ebrunner touches on intensity, which we will cover in depth next week, along with being knowledgeable about the direction of light at his destination. repleo spoke to the oftentimes fleeting conditions. Being aware and prepared!
RichardTaylor, who recently composed a comprehensive light tutorial here, points out why filtered (by weather, in this case) non-directional light is key to the success of his racetrack images.
martinfisherphoto mentions having learned, through experience on location, which direction of light - and times of day - are best for his own favorite subjects.
If you're reading along, please feel free to ask questions, and be sure to tell your friends about the topic
Since much of what has been posted so far has related to familiarity of a subject or location, I wanted to drop in one other idea: flexibility. Examples could be right time/right place at a familiar location or being on vacation when the weather isn't cooperating. Keeping your eye open to a different possibility is aided by prior knowledge and experience of how varied directions of light affect the situation.
With the below photo, if my intent had been to showcase the colors of American magpies, I would have passed on this photo op in favor of different lighting at another time or location. But I enjoy silhouettes, particularly those that are somewhat graphical in nature, so I took several photos "on spec" as it were
Silhouettes allow us to use our imagination to fill in the story. They are often more successful with strong, simple shapes that don't overlap. This was early morning with sun just above a ridgeline about 45 degrees to left of the birds.
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May 15, 2018 08:32:48 #
Excellent. Have you got any tips for finding time to understand it? In a minor way I've been trying to use light more creatively recently. Just shooting into the sun and looking for backlight, or lower light sources such as early morning (not to early) and later evenings. I think I may be able to benefit from this once I've solved the time issue.
May 15, 2018 08:38:32 #
Well you've picked the most important subject you could find for us photographers Linda - Light IS photography, or rather, vice versa. Without it we simply don't have our hobby.
Your example of an industrial scene backlit by the sun gives a dramatic effect often employed by 'industrial' photographers. It shows the importance of direction in achieving the result - and there's already a lot been contributed to this thread explaining that.
So, I won't get bogged-down with the technical aspects, or the artistic ones as such, but would like you to consider the difference between having a choice of light direction and not.
A lot of my photography happens on a day out - usually and fortunately with my wife who also enjoys photography, so she understands the needs that arise and how time can be consumed - but even then its seldom possible to wait for the direction of light to happily be where I'd like it. I have to live with what I'm given or not bother with the shot, and I expect a lot of us find the same. So the art is making the most of what you have. Modern processing allows us to change contrast, intensity, and DIRECTION! Cheating some say - but others simply want to achieve an image, not record the environment of that moment for posterity. Horses for courses as they say.
Of course if a shoot can be planned then the time should be taken to consult a readily available app such as PhotoPils or Photographers Ephemeris, that will give us all the info we need in relation to what is providing the light - sun, moon, stars, milky way - and its direction and height. I reckon everyone following this thread will be more than aware of the good things to be had at either end of the day but it's essential to know how the source of light is going to affect the subject or landscape you're intent on capturing. When I took the train photo below, I'd rushed off early morning without consulting anything other than the steam gala's timetable. When I arrived I found, standing in my favourite spot, the sun was directly in my face and, as the train would be between me and the sun, all I was going to get was a lot of shadow. So, giving up my intended view, I crossed the line and did what I could to make a decent shot of it. It was always going to be quite harsh, but that suited the subject - much as your shot Linda. I should have been aware though.
Later on the same day I was further round our bit of coast and enjoying a view I can never get enough of. In the second shot the light is in an ideal direction to feature the white cliff and the sloping foreground. Cloud is playing its part by keeping other areas in light shadow and the whole thing works nicely - although luckily, as it was just a chance visit and I couldn't have hung around. I could have adjusted things in pp though!!
I'm not a studio photographer but that is the place to gain complete control over direction of the light source - and can of course employ multiple sources so that, with care, the exact desired result is fully controlled. Peter Basch took some beautifully lit studio portrait, glamour and nude photographs that show the mastery of this control, and there are plenty of more modern photographers doing likewise. The only problem is, we cannot bring our everyday photography into the studio - so we have to learn how to live with what we're given and bring it under control as far as possible. Even if that does include using a computer. The artist, with his paint brush, can do as he likes, so why not the photographer? My third image is completely manipulated as far as light direction is concerned and I really don't give a toss whether others agree with using the process, it got me what I wanted from a shot taken at an event and time I couldn't change. Back to horses for courses.
Your example of an industrial scene backlit by the sun gives a dramatic effect often employed by 'industrial' photographers. It shows the importance of direction in achieving the result - and there's already a lot been contributed to this thread explaining that.
So, I won't get bogged-down with the technical aspects, or the artistic ones as such, but would like you to consider the difference between having a choice of light direction and not.
A lot of my photography happens on a day out - usually and fortunately with my wife who also enjoys photography, so she understands the needs that arise and how time can be consumed - but even then its seldom possible to wait for the direction of light to happily be where I'd like it. I have to live with what I'm given or not bother with the shot, and I expect a lot of us find the same. So the art is making the most of what you have. Modern processing allows us to change contrast, intensity, and DIRECTION! Cheating some say - but others simply want to achieve an image, not record the environment of that moment for posterity. Horses for courses as they say.
Of course if a shoot can be planned then the time should be taken to consult a readily available app such as PhotoPils or Photographers Ephemeris, that will give us all the info we need in relation to what is providing the light - sun, moon, stars, milky way - and its direction and height. I reckon everyone following this thread will be more than aware of the good things to be had at either end of the day but it's essential to know how the source of light is going to affect the subject or landscape you're intent on capturing. When I took the train photo below, I'd rushed off early morning without consulting anything other than the steam gala's timetable. When I arrived I found, standing in my favourite spot, the sun was directly in my face and, as the train would be between me and the sun, all I was going to get was a lot of shadow. So, giving up my intended view, I crossed the line and did what I could to make a decent shot of it. It was always going to be quite harsh, but that suited the subject - much as your shot Linda. I should have been aware though.
Later on the same day I was further round our bit of coast and enjoying a view I can never get enough of. In the second shot the light is in an ideal direction to feature the white cliff and the sloping foreground. Cloud is playing its part by keeping other areas in light shadow and the whole thing works nicely - although luckily, as it was just a chance visit and I couldn't have hung around. I could have adjusted things in pp though!!
I'm not a studio photographer but that is the place to gain complete control over direction of the light source - and can of course employ multiple sources so that, with care, the exact desired result is fully controlled. Peter Basch took some beautifully lit studio portrait, glamour and nude photographs that show the mastery of this control, and there are plenty of more modern photographers doing likewise. The only problem is, we cannot bring our everyday photography into the studio - so we have to learn how to live with what we're given and bring it under control as far as possible. Even if that does include using a computer. The artist, with his paint brush, can do as he likes, so why not the photographer? My third image is completely manipulated as far as light direction is concerned and I really don't give a toss whether others agree with using the process, it got me what I wanted from a shot taken at an event and time I couldn't change. Back to horses for courses.
May 15, 2018 09:02:12 #
We’ve all heard the advice “work your subject”. To me this just meant looking for different angles or perspectives that let me shoot the subject’s “best side”. It just occurred to me that the advice is two fold. We are not looking just at the physical features of a subject but also how the light interacts with it from different perspectives, “working the direction of the light”. I do it but had never thought of it in that way.
May 15, 2018 09:09:45 #
BIGRO
Loc: NYC
Not quite sure what the correct type of lighting this would fall under but its natural light coming in from behind and slightly angled on the right. I wouldn't say its backlit as it doesn't have the halo effect i was going for. I appreciate this topic as it is extremely important and i look forward to soaking up your rays of knowledge
May 15, 2018 09:16:12 #
This photo was taken a couple years ago along Rehoboth Bay in Delaware. It quickly became one of my favorite pics. The light from the setting sun way off to the right just kissed the side of the pier and added so much to the pic. To me, it really made everything pop and gave interest and definition all along the side of the pier.
May 15, 2018 09:27:33 #
TomC. wrote:
This photo was taken a couple years ago along Rehoboth Bay in Delaware. It quickly became one of my favorite pics. The light from the setting sun way off to the right just kissed the side of the pier and added so much to the pic. To me, it really made everything pop and gave interest and definition all along the side of the pier.
I really like this, Tom. The very low angle of the light had a dramatic effect. This shot will also be an excellent example when the fourth segment of this series is discussed. It seems to me that the light is a strong compositional element in this shot.
May 15, 2018 09:53:13 #
Cwilson341 wrote:
I really like this, Tom. The very low angle of the light had a dramatic effect. This shot will also be an excellent example when the fourth segment of this series is discussed. It seems to me that the light is a strong compositional element in this shot.
May 15, 2018 10:14:56 #
Great idea, Linda! I think your pond shot, by the way, is a fine example of using the light to emphasize the essence of what you see/feel.
My contribution catches the strong shadows thrown by morning light over a burned forest. The disorder of destruction is emphasized by the many crossing lines of objects and shadows.
My contribution catches the strong shadows thrown by morning light over a burned forest. The disorder of destruction is emphasized by the many crossing lines of objects and shadows.
May 15, 2018 10:28:31 #
I do enjoy morning when the clouds part to allow just a shaft of light to fall on a small area and also the golden hour shooting into the sun as my shot below shows. Driving home stopped just round the corner from where we live, the light on the fence caught my eye. Also winter time when the sun is low creating long shadows of the trees.
May 15, 2018 10:32:38 #
For me light is usually the element of a photograph that sets a mediocre image apart from a great image. There are, of course, different qualities of light itself, but most often the direction of the light is the deciding factor. So no matter what I shoot, I always try to avoid frontlight. Backlight or extreme sidelight, for me, is magic. Here are some examples of images that to me would not have worked nearly as well had the light come from the front, or even from the side. Front light is the worst; it flattens any subject like a pancake. Even 90 degree sidelight, depending on the subject, does not illuminate the shape or provide enought contrast for my taste.
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