PHOTOGRAPHY IN ARTIFICIAL LIGHT

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).