My Photos - Lighting

Still Life (I)

• 16 seconds
• AP 8

Test Strip

• 9 seconds
• AP 8

This photo was taken early in the morning and the sun had only been up for about an hour. The result was a soft light and the light is coming at a very flat angle.

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Still life (II)

• 37 seconds
• AP 8

Test Strip

• 22, 24, 26, 28 seconds
• AP 8
  

I used a natural light source for this photo and it was around 2 in the afternoon, so the sun is above the subject. You can tell which light the angle is coming from because of the slight shadows being cast from the edges of the bench.

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Portrait (I)
Fabrizio

• 9 seconds
• AP 8
• Filter 5

Test Strip

• 9 seconds
• AP 8
• no filter
  

This print got messed up while it was drying and i didn't have time to fix it. Though I wish I did because I really like this print because of the darkness compared to the one spot of light on his face.

This is my photo of a hard light. The light is coming directly from one angle and shadows the rest of his face. I needed a filter of 5 because it was grey and i wanted to show the white of his eyes and the light reflections.

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Portrait (II)
Josh

• 8 seconds
• AP 8
• Filter 5
  
  

Test Strip

• 14 seconds
• AP 8

This print also needed a filter of 5 because of the greyness.

This is more of a soft light because the light is more evenly spread across his face and does not cast deep shadows, however it is concentrated mostly on his face.

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Landscape (I)

• 11.5 seconds
• AP 8

Test Strip

• 15 seconds
• AP 8
  

This was tricky because of the direct sunlight coming from behind the tree. It was bleaching out the silhouetted blackness of the tree and fence. So I had to get the time right so that the the sun was bright enough and the tree was dark enough, and keep the detail of the scene.

My favorite part of this print is that you can see the sun rays coming past the fence.

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Landscape (II)

• 9 seconds
• AP 8

Test Strip

• 15 seconds
• AP 8

I think this print lots of good lighting. You can see the clear difference between the water and the algae (which is kind of disgusting). Also the sky is bright, and you can see the details of the trees.

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Contact Sheets

• 9 seconds
• AP 8

• 15 seconds
• AP 8

• 16 seconds
• AP 8

Image Bank - Lighting

Untitled
by Eric Ryan Anderson

Eric Ryan Anderson is a commercial photographer in Brooklyn, NY. He has worked published in Italian Vanity Fair, Vogue Hommes, National Geographic Traveler, and many others. Some of his big clients include Viacom, Atlantic Records, and Alternative Press. He has been shooting full-time for three years. Before pursuing photography full-time, he never actually studied photography in school, but he interned with several well-known photographers in New York.

This is a great example of hard lighting. You can see the light is coming from the left of the subject and it is casting deep shadows on the wall. I just think this is a really cool photo. I love the graffiti on the wall and then the sudden blackness and how his arm just completely contrasts the black.

Untitled
by Robert Dann

Robert is based in the UK and has been in the business of photography for 15 years and has had a really successful career. He has does advertising campaigns. He does mostly contemporary works of weddings, lifestyles, beauty and commercial photography.

I really like this photo because I love the soft lighting here. The light just spreads across his face, making his skin have a glowing appearance and just emphasizes his youth and innocence. His eyes are complimented by the lightness of the background and his skin tone, and they just stand out beautifully.

Untitled

by Clayton Bozard

Clayton is from Orangeburg, South Carolina and this is where he found his passion for photography. His photographic career began as a hobby but over time he honed his skills and has become a professional with his skills in using lighting and surroundings to create his photographs. He focuses on capturing “true emotion, personality, and intensity” in each of his subjects.

I think this is a beautiful photograph and it is aesthetically pleasing to me. I love the back light that almost silhouettes the subject and just shines out from behind her, creating a nice contrast. This, and her face being partially bleached out by the light, creates a sense of ambiguity.

Darkroom Diary - September 17, 2009

This was the first project after summer vacation and I was a little rusty. It took some time to become readjusted and fall back into my normal routines. However, this year I got to try out my new camera (I lost my old camera...). Well, it is new for me, but I don't know how old it is, or who's it was before, or even if it actually worked. Luckily, it does and I love it. I am very happy with the results and it is much better then my old camera.

So for the start of the new school year, we each claimed new enlargers. However, the one I claimed wasn't working (I think something to do with the lightbulb..) and I had to use another one. Hopefully it will be working the next time and it will be just as good as the one I used for this project because i really liked it.

Overall, considering it was the first project of the year, I think it went pretty well. Except for the reshooting (like I said, I was a little rusty at the start) it was all very smooth. Nothing major. I hope that the rest of the year can go smoothly like this and that eventually I will be a faster worker haha.

Theory Notes: Lighting

Hard light is direct and undiffused light on the subject, coming from one direction. Usually the results are dark shadows.

Soft light is even lighting on all sides and does not produce sharp, edgy shadows. It can be compared to the lighting on an overcast day. Soft lights can be produced with umbrellas, softboxes, diffusion panels, etc.

With three point lighting, you have three different lights, the Key light, the Fill light, and the Back light.

The key light is the main light. It usually has the most influence on the scene and the other lights are the support and are placed according to the key light. It could be placed to one side of the object to create a well-lit side of the subject or deep shadows.

Just the key light

Then comes the fill light. The fill light is the secondary light and is placed opposite of the key light to “fill” in the shadows created by the key light. It is usually softer then the key light.

Key light and fill light

The back light is placed behind the subject so that it is lit from behind. It does not provide a direct light (like the key or fill light). Its purpose is to give definition and makes the subject appear three dimensional and to keep it from disappearing into the background.

Key light, fill light, and back light

The finished product has dimension, detail and shadowing contrast.

Creds to www.andrew-whitehurst.net for images.