Photography Mini-Lesson 5 – Light 1

Make light work for you

In this series of lessons we are assuming that you are using a point and shoot camera. Even if you own an expensive SLR you will find that most of your pictures are shot on Program Mode. The camera’s light meter will calculate the best exposure setting for most situations but it does have limitations.

In this lesson we will learn how to avoid these extreme situations when your camera is likely to make a mess of it and to understand how light will affect mood and composition. There is much you can do to improve exposure by changing settings, but we’ll leave all of that for a later lesson.

In lesson 1, we emphasised the need to look and see, in lesson 2 to make sure that you focus correctly and in lessons 3 & 4, how to compose your shots.

Light is obviously the most important requirement, since without it we cannot take a photograph at all. The quality, or the characteristics of light, will be the most important factor in determining the quality of your picture.

Light will make it possible to see the picture, light will make it possible or impossible for your camera to focus properly and light will play a major role in how you compose your picture.

Obviously, the sun is the major light source but we may also use flash and artificial light. The basics are:

• If you see a shot, consider how your camera will see it before shooting;
• A backlit subject is very often quite atmospheric, but will your camera see it that way?
• The camera will not be able to focus if the subject is too bright or too dark or the detail is washed out;
• The camera’s light meter will be confused if the lighting condition is extreme – either too dark or too light;
• The effectiveness of the composition will be partly determined by the lighting of the main point of interest and the background;
• The quality of light will determine the quality of the picture – whether it is moody, sharp, detailed and colourful, even if the composition is good;
• Diffused light, such as on an overcast day, will often produce more subtle colours;
• If the subject is dark in colour, brighter light will be needed.

Direction

The direction of the light will play a critical role in all aspects of the shot – it will have a major effect on the composition; it will determine the accuracy of the exposure and the degree of colour saturation. The camera’s exposure metre will always try to find the best exposure for the overall picture but, if the subject contains areas of stark contrast such as deep shadow and bright sunlight, the result may be far from satisfactory.

The exposure metre will calculate the exposure most accurately when the colours are even and neutral. Clearly, the circumstances are seldom ideal but you can often achieve a reasonable result by aiming your camera at a neutral area of the subject and then by using your exposure lock function, re-compose and shoot. Make sure you read your camera’s instruction booklet.

The mood of the picture will depend on the way the light falls on the centre of interest. In the Mother and Child picture below, the photographer relied on side lighting to create a warm fuzzy feeling and in the picture of the model, the photographer needed direct light to bring out the beauty of the eyes and the facial structure.

Mother and Baby by Paula Showen. To view her portfolio, click on the image.

Direct light required here to bring out the beauty of the model’s eyes

Backlighting is often very effective but it is difficult to achieve a perfect exposure because the camera is aimed directly at the light source. When using a sophisticated SLR camera you can use Manual mode or you can use Exposure Compensation. This would not be possible on most point and shoot cameras but there are ways to “fool” the camera. By using the exposure lock function you can aim the camera at a neutral point, hold the shutter release halfway down and then re-compose.

Take a number of shots aiming the camera at different parts of the subject and then check the exposure on the LCD. Make sure that your camera is set to lock the exposure, either when holding the shutter release halfway down or with a separate exposure lock button.

A brilliant example of effective backlighting.

Quality and strength

The quality of the light will determine the quality of the picture. The cool, pure light of dawn; slanting sunlight in the morning and at dusk; the dramatic colours of sunset – all these affect the mood and character of an image in distinctive ways. The light at dawn or dusk is not as bright as at midday and will allow you to capture a soft, serene image.

The soft light of sunrise.

Choosing the best natural light conditions is often a question of choosing the right time of day.  However, unique light conditions can occur at any time – just before or after rain when the air is crystal clear or when ominous rain clouds gather on the horizon as shafts of sunlight light up the point of interest or the landscape scene.

When the sun is overhead at midday, there will be very little shadow. At times this is exactly what you want. For example a colourful beach scene such as the picture below is far more effective without contrasting shadows and the brightness or strength of the light enhances the contrasting colours.

Fun on the beach – bright light, bright colours

Flash

In low light conditions, it is often appropriate to use your flash. In fact most point and shoot cameras will automatically use the flash if the light is too low for a good exposure. It is a common mistake, however, for many beginner photographers to ignore the distance from the centre of interest. The flash units on compact cameras have a limited range – not more than 5 or 6 metres. Check the distance to the centre of interest before shooting.

Don’t hesitate to use fill flash, even during daylight. When shooting portraits, even in sunlight, you may achieve a better result  with the flash. The camera will calculate the exposure and combining the available natural light and the flash, so your picture will not be overexposed and the eyes and facial features will very often be much better than if you had just relied on the natural light.

To summarize:

• Extreme lighting such as dark shadow and bright light will “confuse” the camera
• If possible expose on a neutral part of the scene and then re-compose
• The quality and strength of the light will often depend on the time of day
• When shooting a backlit scene, try exposing on different areas of the frame to achieve the best effect
• The light must suit the subject – a moody, softly lit “fun on the beach” scene would not be right
• Don’t hesitate to use flash and fill flash even during daylight

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