Basic Photography Lesson 1c: Lighting

1. Lighting Revealing Eye in Digital Photography DE002A

2. Lights… camera… action… Good lighting not only ensures a successful photo, but also conveys mood, emotion, and depth . The direction, quality, and intensity of the light each have a dramatic effect on your pictures. Revealing Eye in Digital Photography DE002A

3. Direction of Light When it comes to the direction of light, there are 360 degrees of possibilities. When the light isn't working for you, change it by moving your position , your subject's position , or the light itself , if possible. Revealing Eye in Digital Photography DE002A

9. Natural Lighting Contrary to popular belief, the middle of a sunny day isn't the best time to take a picture. Learn to identify different types of natural light and recognize their benefits in various situations. Revealing Eye in Digital Photography DE002A

10. Whatever the weather, weather the weather The weather will affect the mood of your picture. Any kind of weather is suitable for picture-taking, and the worst weather may actually suit your subject best. Revealing Eye in Digital Photography DE002A

13. Quality of Light The quality of light affects the mood of the picture Revealing Eye in Digital Photography DE002A

14. Revealing Eye in Digital Photography DE002A Hard Light Hard light, like that found on a bright, sunny day, creates very bright and very dark areas in the same scene. Another example of hard light is when the camera's flash is the only light source, resulting in bright subjects against a very dark background. Use the dark shadows as design elements or soften them with flash if you're within range.

15. Revealing Eye in Digital Photography DE002A Soft Light Soft light is very camera friendly - smooth, diffuse, even, with few shadows to confuse your camera. Cloudy days and large shaded areas offer soft light with no harsh shadows or intense bright spots.

16. Soft Lighting Revealing Eye in Digital Photography DE002A Light even has colors . Early or late in the day, sunlight has a warm golden glow . Snow-covered landscape can be conveyed with bluish noon-hour light .

17. Other Lighting There are many other types of light, and most of them aren't very conducive to photography. Revealing Eye in Digital Photography DE002A

18. Other Lighting Fluorescent lights create a green hue. Incandescent lights, also known as tungsten (traditional light bulbs) can make a subject look yellow. Revealing Eye in Digital Photography DE002A

19. Flash Lighting Lucky for us, an automatic flash is included on just about every digital camera sold today. That doesn't mean the camera is fail-proof. You still need to know how and when to use these features. Revealing Eye in Digital Photography DE002A

22. Flash off There are occasions when your camera thinks the flash is needed, but in fact it isn't. You probably have a "Flash Off" (or similar wording) setting on your camera. Revealing Eye in Digital Photography DE002A