imagemeister wrote:
Lighting is somewhat difficult to explain and understand in words only - experience and seeing results are a very necessary part of learning.
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You bring up an important point. I would find it nearly impossible to teach, learn and exchange ideas about lighting without VISUAL examples to work with. Text and diagrams are helpful but the whole idea is SEEING light.
We do, however, need a language of lighting that everyone understands to explain the techniques and communicate effectively.
In another aspect of photography, most of us are familiar with all the terms about exposure, optics, and p[ost processing- there are dozed o if no hundred of terms, acronyms, abbreviations that we all learned da use, however, little is said, known or in common use when it comes to light and lighting aesthetics. None of it is "rocket science" and once folk get the gest of each term or theory, the practice becomes easier.
The biggies are the angle of incidence and the inverse square law. These two important principles are contained in so many techniques and have a wealth of advantages.
Other terms and techniques that may be unfamiliar to some are; unseen secondary light, umbra and penumbra, subtractive lighting, precise feathering methods, lighting direction and its effect on composition, precise vignetting with light, and so much more.
RG's post is very important. He says Pparaphrazed that fol can see and recognize beautiful light but does not know how to replace it. That is try- we see I'm and photograph impressive sunsets, all kinds of romantic or harsh light, each within own mood, feeling and effect. If we analyze how that light occurs and can break it down into understandable terms, it would be somewhat easier to replicate and recognize it.
I think this kinda thing will be FUN and it is not expensive. When I was a young guy, just starting out in professional photography, my first boss and mentor set me straight. I was impressed with his work but surprised that the studio was equipped with older rather "outdated" gear. There was some old well-worn flood and spotlights- we hadn't gone to electronic flash at the time. He told me "If you know your lighting, you can produce a masterpiece with a candle, if you do not know your lighting, you can have enough lighting for a Hollywood stage and all you will have is a big electric bill"!