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WELCOME
Welcome to the second lesson in the Digital Secrets series. In this lesson, well be looking at theamazing power of outside light.
Amateurs dont really think about light, whereas to a professional, its all important.
The quality of light can transform your photographs, so pay close attention to what were going to tell
you today.
And make sure you carry out the Challenge. Its a vital part of this course.
Good luck!
The Digital Secrets Team
1.INTRODUCTION
One of the most profound factors in your quest for taking better photos which is often overlooked by
amateur photographers is the awareness of the lighting around your subject.
This can literally make or break a photograph. The way light illuminates your image varies greatly
depending on:
The type of light source (natural vs. artificial) The angle and strength of light
he Secrets of
Digital Photography
Lesson Two : Outdoor Light
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FIGURE 2.1
When your natural light is filtered completely such as on an overcast day where no shadows are
present the light will beflat.
However, the colours in your image will be much more vibrant and well-saturated with brilliant detail
when compared to an image with hard lighting (see Figure 2.2).
3.LIGHTING ANGLES
You may have noticed that sunlight makes different angles throughout the day. It varies from the low
angle that skirts along the horizon in the evening to being directly above at noon.
You can use these angles to drastically change the colours, depth, and overall mood of a photo.
Since photographs are only two-dimensional, we rely on light to accent the depth of a photograph by
highlighting different textures and casting strong shadows.
These seagulls have been
shot in a hard light. This
highlights how white thei
feathers appear.
You can also see how well
defined the shadows area.
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FIGURE 2.2
When an image is lit from directly behind the photographer, the light is cast in a way that eliminates
any shadows and greatly decreases any sense of three dimensional space.
This front lighting is neither a good thing or a bad thing in itself, but it can be depending on the area of
photography you are pursuing and the mood you are aiming for.
For example, if youre trying to capture a mountainous landscape and want to illuminate the rockyledge, this would not be ideal lighting since you will lose a substantial amount of shadows and texture
in the process.
Figure 2.3 below shows a tree that is front lit; and as you can tell, the texture and shadows are minimal
making the image very dull looking.
This cormorant was
taken on an overcast
day, which provided a
pleasing soft light. See
the incredible detail of
the feathers and a
strong saturation of
colours.
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FIGURE 2.3
However, if you were taking a photo of a horse and wanted even lighting cast over the entire body, a
front lit composition would work quite nicely, as seen in Figure 2.4.
FIGURE 2.4
The front lit
direction of light inthis image is
unflattering if you
wish to obtain a
highly detailed
landscape with an
obvious sense of
three dimensional
space.
In this image, the sun isbehind and above the
photographer.
This casts an even light
over the entire horse.
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FIGURE 2.5
Alternatively, when the sunlight hits your scene from the side (known as side lighting), the shadows
become more visible, since the angle of the sun lights only one side of your subject.
This contrasts nicely with the more powerful highlights that are added to the side facing the sun.
The opposing highlights and shadows add more texture and increases the three-dimensional look ofyour photo, as shown in Figure 2.5.
Finally, when a light source is directly in front of your camera illuminating the other side of yoursubject that you can not see, youre then working with back lighting, which refers to your subject
being back lit.
This can be a highly dramatic way to capture your image especially in portraiture since you are
simultaneously seeing a dramatic sunset (or sunrise) in high contrast to the shadowy outline of yoursubject (Figure 2.6).
Depending upon the angle of your camera, you can also see very stunning and elongated shadows, as
well as a soft, golden hue to your entire image.
Since the sun is cast from
the side in this image, the
highlights on the tree and
lamp post adds to the
overall drama in this
photo.
This plays nicely againstthe strong shadows cast
along the pavement.
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EXERCISE
Wait until theres a sunny day. Take 20 backlit shots of nature, preferably early in the morning or in the
evening.
Print the photos, and draw conclusions as to which worked well, and which did not.
FIGURE 2.6
NOW WATCH A VIDEO
Natural light in travel photography
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ygeixGd8ZMw
4.THE GOLDEN HOUR
When you think of beautiful sunlit images, were instantly transported to our favourite landscape
You can see where the light
source (the sun) is by
following the reflection in the
left-hand side of the image.
Not only is the subject shown
in complete shadow, but the
flowers in the front are
showered with a soft, golden
light that brings the entire
image together nicely.
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whether its a location weve visited in person or have seen in an image.
Depending on what time of day it is and what season were working in, the impact of outdoor lighting
can drastically change. Many photographers choose to shoot their subjects whether theyre models orlandscapes during what is called the golden hour, which refers to the hour after sunrise or before
sunset.
During this time, the outdoor light gradually becomes more golden in its colour as it draws closer to thehorizon. This casts a very pleasing warming effect to the tones of your entire image.
On top of this gorgeous lighting, the angle of your light source (the sun) is much more intense whichprovides some very interesting shadows and highlights to work with.
Figure 2.7 below shows how the dramatic angle of the sun illuminates the subject while giving theentire image a stunning golden hue.
FIGURE 2.7
The angle of the sun during these two hours also has the ability to outline your image with light in themost dramatic way. This almost-white, bold outline to your subject can be especially dramatic if taken
when your scene is wet with dew or frost (for example, a flower taken first thing in the morning after a
frosty night).
The sun - which is directly
behind the giraffe in this
image - is at such a dramatic
angle that no light is visible
on the front side of the scene.
This creates a high-contrast
dark outline to every subject
in this image (the trees and
the giraffe).
In addition, the light of the
sun brings the image
together in a stunning
monochromatic golden-red
hue.
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However, to capture the few moments when the angle of the sun is just right to cast this special lightingtakes a bit of practice, patience, and good timing. The end result as shown below in Figure 2.8 is
quite worth it.
5.OVERCAST LIGHTING
As mentioned briefly in section 2.1, the soft, directionless light of an overcast day can be very flattering
to an image. This is because the saturation of the colours will increase dramatically.
This kind of outdoor light is especially desirable in portrait photography (weddings in particular),
where you would generally benefit from a soft, pleasing light.
FIGURE 2.8
People enjoy their photos free of harsh shadows across their face. These shadows can accent features in
an unnatural way (such as the nose) and also increase the appearance of aging by highlighting wrinklesand shadowing the eye area.
Wedding photographers typically enjoy a day where the sun is completely hidden or at least filtered
somewhat with passing clouds as new brides will enjoy photos that provide them with an even skintone and an overall soft appearance, as seen in Figure 2.9.
As you can see, this
blade of grass is
outlined nicely by the
light of the rising sun.
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FIGURE 2.9
Most rules of photography are not general enough to be applied in every situation you encounter. Youll
notice us repeating this many times throughout these lessons as its very important that you learn this
experimentation is keyin photography, even if it means breaking the rules laid out for you.
These lessons simply present you with information that can take months or even years to research on
your own so that you become aware of the vast world of photography and all the avenues it has to offer.
However, dont be discouraged from applying techniques to certain styles of photography. We just wantto explain how to execute them in a clear and concise manner.
Let's use the previous section on overcast lighting as an example. If its your desire to take portraits
using hard, high-contrast lighting, then by all means experiment with that and see if the results arepleasing to you.
Many photographers have found successful careers by breaking the mold and branching out into areas
of photography previously unexplored, so we implicitlyencourage you to do the same!
Although the day was sunny
as you can see in the
background the
photographer intentionally
placed this happy couple in
the shade, which provided
the soft, pleasing light
needed to capture this type of
image.
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CHALLENGE TWO
TAKE ASTUNNING OUTDOOR PORTRAIT
Using the techniques introduced in this lesson, find someone willing to model for you (or you can do aself-portrait if the pickings are slim) and take their portrait outside on a sunny day.
Make sure to explore the different angles of the sun, or at least pick a time of day beforehand that youwould like to experiment with. Also try turning your model so that the sun reflects off of them at
different angles and see which is the most pleasing to you.
When finished, find a spot of shade (if possible) and take some shots using the overcast, soft light thatis filtered through.
Alternatively, if its a cloudy day, you can just wait for a cloud to pass to obtain some overcast lighting.
Take care to remember the techniques introduced in the previous lesson involving perspectives,
background imagery, foreground interest, etc - they can always be applied to any photograph you take.
Expect to take at least fifty photographs and narrow them down to your top three.
Points to consider:
What thoughts do you have about lighting, perspectives, and the overall mood or imagery youwere aiming for?
What was your thought process behind picking your final three images and why do you thinkthey stand out from the rest?
Make sure to detail any changes you would have made if you had the chance to repeat thisproject.
COMING UP IN THE NEXT LESSON
1. The different types of indoor light.2. Whats the purpose of using indoor light?3. How to use candles and side lights for better indoors shots.4. How to combine light sources.
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5. What are the technical issues that you should consider when using indoor lighting?