IT is a general notion to shoot pictures in available light by general public, amateurs etc...however, using artificial light will increase chances of opening new picture-taking possibilities.....a tungesten lamp or tubelight is the simple and most inexpensive piece of lighting equipment available in the house/working place.....in B&W, it is easier to take photos using this system....but in colour it is different....however, the dcam mfrs. have given the facility of white balance in these lights.....only thing is, the exposure will be longer and tripod is a must....in B&W times, we used two small tubelights in tin reflector and wonderful diffused light we got....
NOW the times have changed....there are photofloods and halogens, but with high intensity of light plus the problem of colour correction does not allow them useable. ..so now comes before us the easy alternative in the form of STUDIO FLASH. this is used by pros. in their studios and outdoors in weddings too....there is a flash tube and model tungsten bulb fitted in flash unit, which shows the accuracy of the flash light on the subject. ..using this will match the colour quality with that of daylight. so no need of colour correction. and next benefit is its high speed (almost 1/1000th of a second, which is sufficient to freeze any subject movement, thus giving the sharpest of image.
TO get DIFFUSED LIGHT, u will need an white umbrella or a soft box(of different sizes). in using umbrella, it is opposite. first the tube will throw light on the umbrella which will be reflected back on to the subject. in soft boxes, it is direct and provides diffused light.....besides there are attachments for concentrated light (such as on hairs/backgrounds as it is or with coloured gelatins), i.e. honeycomb grids and snoots, as suits to ur requirements. ...another thing u will require is white reflectors, may be white sheet or thermocol to fill in the lighting, or a black card sheet to slightly darken the effect, placed close to the face as per intensity, which u can view on ur LCD. ....before the coming of dcams, the pros. used polaroid cameras to preview the effect of light then make changes, if necessary and shoot the pix.....(to continue)....(gshroti@gmail.com).
Wednesday, September 17, 2008
Thursday, September 4, 2008
LIGHTING--PHOTOGRAPHY'S LIFE--5
MEDIUM LIGHT SOURCE:
TILL now u went thru bigger and smaller sources of light. in between these two extremes, there will be a range of infinite light sources. u just imagine a source positioned exactly between the bigger and smaller light sources and which is defined as a medium light source.
Medium light source gives directional light, but with softer shadows than that created by smaller light source. ...........this kind of lighting is excellent for PORTRAITURE as well as table-tops for illustrating gradation and form. Texture also is more distinct. ........shiny objects get especially well-lit as the high-light is well shaped. contrast is generally high and cud be reduced by using a bounce flash.
LET me clear ur curiosity about medium light.........here one of the most easily available medium light source lighting with natural light is a diffused window light. and outside comes the filtered sunlight during monsoon, which comes through a part of giant cloud, which becomes a big diffuser........and we refer as a medium light source....this can be under ths shadow (well-lit) of a tree and in house a covered verandah, where u can do manipulations by turning the subject and using a white thermocol as a reflector for any subject within its reach giving different ratios of light and shade. also can be used near an open door......this light is soft and gradual. this kind of loghting is best for portraiture. under this light, when shooting during morning or evening, a pale blue tinge may be caught......that can be done away with, UV or 1A skylight filter. or that can be corrected in post processing, if necessary......Thanks.......
TILL now u went thru bigger and smaller sources of light. in between these two extremes, there will be a range of infinite light sources. u just imagine a source positioned exactly between the bigger and smaller light sources and which is defined as a medium light source.
Medium light source gives directional light, but with softer shadows than that created by smaller light source. ...........this kind of lighting is excellent for PORTRAITURE as well as table-tops for illustrating gradation and form. Texture also is more distinct. ........shiny objects get especially well-lit as the high-light is well shaped. contrast is generally high and cud be reduced by using a bounce flash.
LET me clear ur curiosity about medium light.........here one of the most easily available medium light source lighting with natural light is a diffused window light. and outside comes the filtered sunlight during monsoon, which comes through a part of giant cloud, which becomes a big diffuser........and we refer as a medium light source....this can be under ths shadow (well-lit) of a tree and in house a covered verandah, where u can do manipulations by turning the subject and using a white thermocol as a reflector for any subject within its reach giving different ratios of light and shade. also can be used near an open door......this light is soft and gradual. this kind of loghting is best for portraiture. under this light, when shooting during morning or evening, a pale blue tinge may be caught......that can be done away with, UV or 1A skylight filter. or that can be corrected in post processing, if necessary......Thanks.......
Wednesday, September 3, 2008
LIGHTING--PHOTOGRAPHY'S LIFE--4
SMALLER LIGHT SOURCE:
THIS light source is directional and casts hard-edged shadows. the sun is a small light source and its rays form harsh shadows.......as opposite to bigger light source, though also this source is bigger light source, it is so far away that it appears to be a smaller light source.
SMALL light sources are excellent in rendering texture and form. used in the right manner, direct sunlight can emphasise parts of a picture or the shape of an object.. on the positive side, smaller light sources inject life into small and simple objects with its direct-throw of hightlights and sharp shadows.......contrasts increase and many interesting effects can be created only with small light sources.
APART from texture, contrast and its ability to pick out natural visual patterns, smaller light sources create pointing and harsh highlights on objects. form tends to be more pronounced with this kind of lighting.. ..however, when the highlights add to the form and depth of an object, strong hightlights can be the cause of glare and distracting the metering system of the camera. despite the drawbacks, the glare can be removed by use of polariser and use of lenshood......this sort of lighting can make colours look brighter and vibrant..........however working with this type of lighting usually needs a certain amount of pre-planning.......(to continue).......(gshroti@gmail.com).
THIS light source is directional and casts hard-edged shadows. the sun is a small light source and its rays form harsh shadows.......as opposite to bigger light source, though also this source is bigger light source, it is so far away that it appears to be a smaller light source.
SMALL light sources are excellent in rendering texture and form. used in the right manner, direct sunlight can emphasise parts of a picture or the shape of an object.. on the positive side, smaller light sources inject life into small and simple objects with its direct-throw of hightlights and sharp shadows.......contrasts increase and many interesting effects can be created only with small light sources.
APART from texture, contrast and its ability to pick out natural visual patterns, smaller light sources create pointing and harsh highlights on objects. form tends to be more pronounced with this kind of lighting.. ..however, when the highlights add to the form and depth of an object, strong hightlights can be the cause of glare and distracting the metering system of the camera. despite the drawbacks, the glare can be removed by use of polariser and use of lenshood......this sort of lighting can make colours look brighter and vibrant..........however working with this type of lighting usually needs a certain amount of pre-planning.......(to continue).......(gshroti@gmail.com).
Monday, September 1, 2008
LIGHTING--PHOTOGRAPHY'S LIFE--3
BIGGER LIGHT SOURCE:
THIS is characterised by light falling on a subject from all directions. this type of light hardly casts any shadow and is generally referred to as soft or diffused light. this light works well for some kind of portraits and table-tops. the lighting, being from all directions is more or less flat. a bigger light source limits depth & reduces the three- dimentional effect..............THE most common example is an overcast sky. the light is soft even and does not throw shadows and hardly creates any sort of highlights on objects. the texture is subdued and the contrast is lower. .....one of the interesting feature of this type of lighting sources is that they create excellent and even reflections on glossy surfaces. a shiny subject and the reflections of the surroundings off the subject can be photographed far more effectively due to almost non-existent highlights on the object as well as in the reflections.
OVERCAST days are ideal for taking pix of people as soft light flattens skin tones. however, this kind of lighting has limitations as well. because there are no shadows, objects tend to appear flat and without depth. general scenes too tend to lose out on depth. the use of a good composition is necessary to depict depth more effectively in such photographs where the light comes from a vast area..................(to continue)..........(gshroti@gmail.com).
THIS is characterised by light falling on a subject from all directions. this type of light hardly casts any shadow and is generally referred to as soft or diffused light. this light works well for some kind of portraits and table-tops. the lighting, being from all directions is more or less flat. a bigger light source limits depth & reduces the three- dimentional effect..............THE most common example is an overcast sky. the light is soft even and does not throw shadows and hardly creates any sort of highlights on objects. the texture is subdued and the contrast is lower. .....one of the interesting feature of this type of lighting sources is that they create excellent and even reflections on glossy surfaces. a shiny subject and the reflections of the surroundings off the subject can be photographed far more effectively due to almost non-existent highlights on the object as well as in the reflections.
OVERCAST days are ideal for taking pix of people as soft light flattens skin tones. however, this kind of lighting has limitations as well. because there are no shadows, objects tend to appear flat and without depth. general scenes too tend to lose out on depth. the use of a good composition is necessary to depict depth more effectively in such photographs where the light comes from a vast area..................(to continue)..........(gshroti@gmail.com).
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