LIGHTING
CHAPTER TEN
Lighting
 You can often achieve all of your lighting controls by
simply working with available light and simple
reflectors and diffusers.
 Obviously the sun is the best natural light source, but
at times this source is way to bright.
 For portraits, too much contrast is not flattering.
 Strong light, produces dark shadows under the eyes,
makes lines and wrinkles more pronounced.
Lighting
 Diffusers: large piece of white cloth that serve to
diffuse light, casting a very soft shadow.
 The best diffusers are the ones that collapse easily to
become portable.
Lighting
 Reflector: Usually a piece of glass that gives you the
ability to bounce light around your image.
 When working with a “silver” or “gold” reflector, one
of the biggest issues is the reflector will bounce too
much light onto your subject.
 Fix this by moving the reflector further away.
Lighting
 Collapsible reflectors are easy to carry and come in a
variety of colors including white, silver, and gold.
 Big pieces of white card board, paper, or foamcore
will work just as well for creating a white fill.
 Don’t forget you can always shoot INTO the sun.
 Position your subject with his or her back to the sun,
which will cause a nice rim light, or halo.
Lighting
 Narrow Lighting: Turning the subject away from the
main light source, and using the shadowy part as the
main source of light.
 Broad Lighting:
The subject is exposed to the main
light source, not the shadowy part of the light source.
Flash Photography
 RANGE OF FLASH IS ABOUT 10 – 15 FEET.
 FILL: Uses the flash to fill in shadows. Typically used for
backlit situations (shooting in bright light, but subject is in
the shadows)
 RED EYE REDUCTION:
Occurs when the light from
your flash bounces off the retinas as he or she looks into
the lens. This mode works by firing a flash, or the camera’s
autofocus assist lamp, to close the subjects pupil.
 CANCEL:
Simply deactivates the flash. Used when flash
is not needed,
Flash Photography
 FLASH EXPOSURE COMPENSATION:
A flash
power adjustment control. Allowing you to increase
or decrease the power of the flash.
 FLASH WHITE BALANCE: Ability to white balance
with your flash.
 You will need to white balance with your flash because
in many situations your flash is not the only light source
in the room.
Flash Photography
 When shooting with a flash in a low lighting situation,
everything outside of the zone of the subject will be
underexposed (dark limbo space)
 If you are gunning for a quick shot, this will be your
only option, but if you have more time you have two
possibilities to improve your shot.
 1. Higher ISO
 2. Slow Sync Flash