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| Lesson Archive Lesson 1: Digital Primer Lesson 2: Quality of Light Lesson 3: What's the Picture About? Lesson 4: Position of the Sun Lesson 5: Framing Subjecs Lesson 6: Empty Space Lesson 7: Vantage Points Lesson 8: Capturing Personality Lesson 9: People & Environments Lesson 10: Wide Angle Lenses Lesson 11: Telephoto Lenses Lesson 12: Zoom Lenses Lesson 13: Lines Lesson 14: Details Lesson 15: Textures & Patterns Lesson 16: Be a Director Lesson 17: Experiment Lesson 18: Scouting Locations Lesson 19: Carry Your Camera Lesson 20: Final Thoughts |
The word "photography" derives from Greek, it means to "write with light." When we photograph something, we are not just recording the "thing," or the subject matter that is in front of the camera, we are recording the light that is being reflected back at us from the the subject. Varying qualites of light, such as direction and color temperature, or wamrth and coolness of the light, cause subjects to appear very different in photographs, and it's those factors that are usually the difference between mediocre images and great images. Unflattering light will always make for so so images, but interesting light: rich contrasty shadows, the golden hues of end of the day sunlight, dramtic side lighting, will almost always make the subject look better in the shot. The reason that professional photographs look great, whether they're studio portraits, enticing product shots, or spectacular landscapse is that they are lit with very pleasing light. In the case of indoor shots, they are lit with banks expensive studio lighting, softboxes and reflectors. While most of us don't have access to this type of equipment, we all have completely free access to the most wonderful and diverse light soucre of all- the sun. Direct sunlight is the lighting condition under which most of us take our photographs. Every day, as the sun makes it's journey overhead, it varies in color quality from soft pastel, to rich golden pinkish yellow, to cool shadowed blue, to harsh bright white, and the directional effect from it's movement causes it to cast shadows of all sizes as the hours change. Most of us know that the best time time take pictures is near sunrise and sunset. During those times we have the best of both worlds, the rich colorful light and the long black shadows. Usually, this combination yields the most dramatic, pleasing photographs, and likewise, shots taken at midday tend to lack the rich lighting conditions that can make any subject stand out. However, this does not mean that we should all put away our cameras during the rest of the day between sunrise and sunset. Great photographs can be taken at any hour, and in fact some types of photography lend themselves very well to mid day and even cloudy days, when there is no direct sun. A good photographer knows how to take advantage of these situations and can produce good imagery no matter the time of day. For example, overcast days, which are not always the best for shooting broad landscapse, are great for shooting closeup portraits or nature scenes, as they diffuse and soften the light. They're also ideal for shooting in very high contrast locations like in forests or streets filled with high rise buildings. Windowlight, whether it's sunny or cloudy can yield beautiful results. With the endless qualities of light that each day brings between the sun and clouds, the opportunities for taking great photos are also endless. Experiment with different lighting conditions and subject matter and you'll discover some amazing possibilites.  |
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Next Lesson: What's the Picture About? |
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