Lighting your subject is, obviously, very important for the
successful capture of the ‘perfect’ image. The type
and intensity of the light can dramatically change the mood of the
photograph. Sometimes the effect is not obvious until the picture is
developed. Even with digital cameras, although you can see an
image immediately, the size of the view screen makes it difficult to
notice some of the differences lighting can make.
The best way to learn how light affects the final image is to
experiment. One of the joys of the digital camera is that you
don’t have to wait to get the film developed to see the
results! Try taking pictures with and without the flash. Try using
alternate sources of light. Try using settings other than the camera
default settings.
1. Taking pictures with or without a flash
Many cameras have an
automatic flash setting that most people I know use 99% of the
time. This may not always get you the result you want. For example, on
a very bright day your flash will not fire as your camera senses enough
light. However, you may find that the shadows cast by the sun are very
strong and detract from the photo. Most digital cameras today have a
setting called ‘fill flash’. You can use this
setting to ‘fill’ in the shadows created by the
strong sunlight.
The opposite of this is to not use the flash when the camera wants to
use it. Each year at Halloween I love to carve pumpkins. I try to
create a new design every year and take photos of them. I take them out
to the front step (in the dark), light the candles and position myself
so that the flame is hidden behind the design but the light comes
shining through. If I were to use a flash, all I would see would be an
orange pumpkin with stuff carved out – not what I want. When
I turn off the flash, I can then take a great photo that shows the
design as glowing against the dark pumpkin.
2. Alternate source of additional light (other than your flash)
Instead of using the flash
to illuminate your subject, try reflected light. Aluminum foil is a
great reflector of light and is cheap, lightweight and easy to carry.
During a walk in the woods, I found a small group of delicate pink
flowers growing on a moss-covered stump. There was no direct light on
the flowers and a flash would have completely washed out the colour. I
used my trusty piece of aluminum foil to reflect the light falling to
the ground a few feet away towards the flowers. You can adjust the
amount of light by moving or crumpling the foil.
If you are taking photos indoors, try using the light of incandescent
bulbs. I have a night lamp with an adjustable neck that I
like to use. I can bounce the light of the ceiling, wall or,
in some cases, the floor to add extra light in the right places without
needing the use the flash. My dogs appreciate this when I am
taking a head shot as they are not too keen on the flash.
3. Different settings
The default settings are
not always the best. If you are taking a photo of people with dark skin
(not a portrait but a photo including most if not all the body) and you
use the automatic settings, you may find that there is little detail in
their faces. Opening the shutter by one f-stop (maybe more if they are
really dark) should give you the light you need to show their faces. If
you do not have an SLR camera, using the 'fill flash' as mentioned
above can help in this situation.
On the other hand, let’s say you have a scene where you have
some brightly colored leaves against a dark background. If there is a
fair amount of the dark background showing, using the automatic
settings will most likely overexpose the leaves, losing the vibrancy of
the colour. In this instance, closing the shutter by one f-stop (or so)
will bring capture the bright colours. Remember that your light meter
sets your camera to give you a ‘mid-gray’ exposure.
If your subject and background are quite different in value, then the
default settings are probably not going to give you the best results.
4. Reducing the flash intensity
You can reduce the intensity
of the flash in several ways. If you can adjust the angle of
the flash, you can bounce the light off the ceiling or a wall.
If this is not possible, you could cover the flash with a
handkerchief to reduce the amount of light reaching your
subject. One or two layers should do nicely. To
keep the material away from the lens, use an rubber band to hold it in
place.
For your experiments to have lasting value, record them. I
carry a small coil notebook that I can use to note anything different I
do. Some of the information I include is as follows:
Notes to identify the photos
– In addition to numbering them, for the first photo of a
group of experiments, I describe it so I will know which one it is when
I get around to looking at them. For me, this is the most reliable way
to know to which photos my notes belong as the camera date is usually
set off and I may take photos for days before downloading.
Notes on the light
conditions – indicate the type of light (direct sunlight,
full shade, light overcast, 60 watt bulb etc) and the direction of the
light in relation to your subject (from right to left, front to back,
etc). If you have an SLR camera, note any variations in f-stop or
shutter speed you make from those derived from using your light meter.
When you have developed or downloaded your photos, look at the
results and draw your conclusions about what worked and what did not,
what effects you liked and what you did not. Think about what you were
trying to capture in the photo and whether the lighting you used
enhanced or detracted from it. Make note of your conclusions
so you can use this information the next time you are shooting photos
under similar conditions.
Use your imagination and try these techniques – you
have nothing to loose and you might just have even more fun with your
camera!
