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HOW LIGHT WORKS
Photography requires light.
Good photography requires understanding light.
This isn't everything you need to know, but it's a start. Like an intro. Light light.
KEY
TAKE-AWAYS
Light, photons, classification of light, qualities of light, diffusion, three rules of light.
| Light: the raw material
5.1: HOW A LIGHT WORKS.
an introduction.
LIGHT.
Understanding how it works is key to understanding how to use it.
Light is one of those things we don't think about much. Switch it on, switch it off. Light. Whatever.
As we spend more time behind the viewfinder of our camera, however, we start to notice and appreciate how nuanced light really is. Since what we are doing is drawing with light, the type of light that is available, and the qualities that the different types of light exhibit are as important to a photographer as notes, pitch, instruments and sounds are to a musician.
Without a solid understanding of your available source, your music will be flat.
READ
Further reading
Cambridge in Colour: Making the Most of Natural Light in Photography
| This video gives an excellent overview of light and how we can define and understand it
First, let's talk about what light is. There are a few ways we can do that, and so we divide the various considerations up as follows:
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classifications of light (direct / indirect)
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quality of light (hard / soft)
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properties of light (strong / medium / low )
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temperature of light (warm / cool )
We generally don't think much about how light is working, but a better understanding of what is happening when we see shadows, how to remove or enhance those shadows, softening the edges of a given shadow and how shadows fall on a subject are all very important skills for a photographer. To be able to manipulate shadow, a photographer must understand light.
In class, we will take a practical look at a single light set up, and how to use a reflector, softbox and other tools to soften, or diffuse light.
PROPERTIES
2
Quality of light.
The classification of light has an immediate impact on the quality of light.
Direct light is classified as hard light
Indirect light is soft(er) light
The process of softening light is called diffusing light.
|Modifying and controlling light are part of the job for a photographer. This means using a range of equipment to bounce, reflect, limit, focus, diffuse and soften light.
1
Classification of
light.
Light can be divided into direct and indirect light. Direct light moves directly from the light source to the subject without being modified. Direct light typically creates strong shadows. Indirect light, on the other hand is either bounced off an object or filtered through an obstacle. Indirect light typically creates soft shadows.
3
Strength of light.
Like rain, light can be strong, medium or light. The strength is determined by how much light is presented by the light source.
4
Temperature of
light.
Finally, light can be warm or cool, depending on the relative composition of the lightwaves the source uses. Warm light uses more red, orange and yellow while cool light is blue-ish or green-ish.
QUESTIONS
HW
Answer the following questions:
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On a cloudy day, why are there no noticable shadows?
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Define diffused light.
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Why would a photographer reduce hard shadows?
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How can a photographer reduce hard shadows?
THE RULES
1
Rule #1: Light travels in straight lines
This one is basic physics. A light source emits light and each beam of light travels in its own direction, continuing in that direction until it hits something and bounces off in a new direction.
3
Rule #3. The larger the light source, relative to the subject, the softer the shadow.
We will cover this topic in class, mainly in studio. The video explains the concept clearly, but typically students get a better sense of this by seeing the changes affect an actual model in studio. A solid understanding of this will help create better portraits in our upcoming unit.
2
Rule #2: The Inverse Square Law
A subject receives less light as the subject moves further away from the light source. As the light from the light source gets further away from its source, it spreads out. This means that fewer of the light beams are actually hitting the subject and thus there is less illumination at the subject. The inverse square law explains the light fall-off mathematically, but you only need to understand the concept, not the math.
MEDIA
| Video This video explains the 3 rules that govern light and shadow
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