15 WAYS TO MASTER YOUR RAW MATERIAL, THE LIGHT

Light is the fundamental element of any photograph, without light there is no photo. That is why so that you can obtain surprising results you must learn, its technical peculiarities and also how to model it to your liking. That is why, in today's article, I bring you 15 tips so that you can master your raw material: Light, but before entering each of them, we need to review some concepts that I have touched previously in article “ 23 Ways to Use Light as a Creative Element (For When You're Not Inspired) . ”

WHAT DIRECTION DOES THE LIGHT HAVE?

The light, despite propagating in all directions, has a direction and this depends on where the light source is located, that is, from where the subject or object affected by it is illuminated. In general it could be said that the light can be:

Frontal
Zenith (the light source illuminates the scene, subject or object from above)
Rear
Side
Against Zenith (the light source illuminates the scene, subject or object from below)
Spot (illuminates only part of the subject to highlight it above the rest of the image)

The way in which you illuminate your objects or subjects within the scene of your photography, will radically change the sensations that it will transmit, creating one or the other sensations. Look at the following example:

Light direction

(1) Side light: this type of lighting enhances the textures and gives the scene, in this case a subject, of greater volume thanks to the contrasts between lights and shadows. (2) Semi lateral light: in this case the light source has been placed at 45 degrees and despite continuing to work with lateral light, the sensations change quite a lot. The contrast is much smaller still contouring the face although to a lesser extent because the contrast of this is less. (3) Front light: in this case, the light source is located in front of the subject, which means that the reliefs and textures cannot be appreciated in such detail since the contrast is minimal. This type of lighting is easy to obtain if you shoot the flash built into your camera. (4) Light against zenith: this time, the light source has been placed below the subject, which is why it feels unnatural to see it. Our eyes are not accustomed to perceiving light with this type of direction since it does not appear in this way in nature. (5) Zenith frontal light: unlike the previous photograph, the light source was placed above and in front of the subject, that is to say, so that it strikes head-on but zenithal to it: the illumination comes from above. (6) Zenith light: in this case the light source has been placed just above the subject making it perpendicular to the floor as it would be if you take pictures at noon. In this way, the light causes contrasts that, in this case, are not at all pleasant in our subject, but notice how their eyes have been darkened.

Backlighting

It will depend on where the light comes from, or from where you illuminate it to create one effect or another. Keep in mind that, if the light is frontal, the object will lack shadows so it will lose volume and detail. If the light is rear, the silhouette of the motif of your photograph will be highlighted as in the photograph you have just seen. If the direction of the light is zenithal, lateral or against zenith, on the scene shadows will be drawn that will highlight the textures and reliefs giving the photograph of greater volume and if the light is punctual, only what you have decided to illuminate will be highlighted. Remember that the eyes seek the light, so the way to illuminate a scene or not will be of great help when it comes to giving prominence to your subjects and directing the viewer's gaze .

LIGHT INTENSITY

According to the intensity of the light with which you are working, the results will also vary: it is not the same to work with a powerful light such as midday, which produces very marked shadows, which if for example, you take your photographs in A completely cloudy day. Where is the difference? In the "intensity of light":

Hard light: if the light with which you work is very intense, very marked shadows will be drawn on the scene that will create strong contrasts between light and dark tones, choosing to obtain detail in the lights or in the shadows, but it is very difficult Get detail on both. Why? Take a look at the following article and you will understand: " Detailed Guide: How to Make a Correct Measurement and Exposure in Your Photographs ".
Soft light: on the contrary, if the light you work with is more diffuse, the shadows will be almost imperceptible and diffuse. The contrast in this type of situation is much smaller, which is why this type of light is very popular among photographers thanks to the even light throughout the scene.

Each light situation has its advantages and disadvantages and although the hard light will be very useful when emphasizing textures and soft light to achieve a more uniform illumination, in both situations and using the elements that I will detail later in this article, you can manipulate the light as you like Be patient!

Spot light

LIGHT SOURCES

The intensity of the light is not only given by the power of the source of this but also by its size: the larger the surface of the light source, the softer it will be and the smaller it is, the harder the lights that are draw Think of it this way: the sun, despite being an immense star, in our sky is only a small circle, that is why the light it produces is hard, however, when the light bounces off some clouds, when you have a much larger area (due to its proximity to the earth) the light on cloudy days is soft. If you want to obtain a soft light using a flash (small and intense light source) try to blur it using a diffuser, light window, etc. Do not worry if you do not have one, with the following guide you can manufacture it in minutes and with materials that you would commonly throw away: “ Bricofotografía: How to Mount Homemade Photographic Accessories ”.

The power the light in your hands

LIGHT MEASUREMENT

As I mentioned in the article " Detailed Guide: How to Make a Correct Measurement and Exposure in Your Photographs ":

“The domain of light is what will define you as a photographer and the way to measure it is what will make you a teacher. If the light in the scene is not correctly measured, the exposure will not be correct and therefore, the quality of the photograph will be affected making all the techniques and tricks you have applied in vain. ”

That is why before learning to model the light, it is essential that you understand how to achieve that it is perfectly reflected in your photographs so as not only to achieve the image you were wishing, but also to maximize the quality of all the resulting photographs and This is achieved by performing a correct measurement and exposure. How to do it? The process is something extensive despite being relatively simple and that the only thing it requires is practical, but as the reason for today's article is another, I will refer you to the article I wrote a while ago in which you can understand how to correctly expose all your photographs: “ Detailed Guide: How to Make a Correct Measurement and Exhibition in Your Photographs ”.

MEANS TO CONTROL THE LIGHT

Now that you know more about the qualities of light and as I promised you before, the time has come for you to know how and with what elements you will be able to model the light regardless of its source and intensity. Then I leave a series of elements with which you can, with a little practice, generate, direct, blur and model the light in your photographs:

Flash: Flash is the photographer's number one ally when adding artificial light to a scene. Whether you use the built-in flash in your camera or have an external one on hand, this is the quintessential means to add extra lighting since it takes up little space and can be really powerful. By using one or several flashes, you can achieve excellent results when modeling the light since it is you who defines its intensity and direction for each of your photographs. Be sure to read the following articles if you want to get the most out of your flash: " Everything You Need to Know About the Flash ", " Tricks for Better Use of Flash " and " Did You Know These Creative Ways to Use Flash? "
Spotlights: just as if you use a flash, by using spotlights or extra lights, you can control the direction and intensity but, unlike the flash, by using continuous light (the flash is just a flash) you can model it “in alive ”, that is, you can see the results of applying one or the other lighting in the scene. The main differences with a flash are the color temperature they emit and of course their size and portability.

Spotlights and reflectors

Reflective screens : these screens are surfaces that will allow you to reflect the light that falls on them. You can use a wall, a sheet of paper, a fabric or, if you have extra euros, make one specially designed for photography, they are not expensive at all. Depending on the color and texture of that surface, the light will be reflected in one way or another: its color, intensity and direction will change. You can find very varied photographic reflectors: gold that reflect warm light or silver that reflect colder light, whites that blur it, etc. You can even make them yourself. How? Reading the following article: " Bricofotografía: How to Mount Home Photographic Accessories ".
Diffusers: diffusers are, like reflective screens, accessories that you can use to make the hard light of a flash or a spotlight softer or more punctual. As with the reflector screens, the limit on their use is given by your imagination. There are countless types of diffusers in the market, but with a little creativity you can create them yourself: a curtain, a handkerchief, a sheet of paper, clouds, a plastic bottle and any other element that allows you to decrease the intensity of the light and increase the surface from where it is emitted.
Filters: the filters are lenses or crystals that, once placed in front of the lens, will allow you to achieve endless effects such as: eliminate reflections, filter certain colors, reduce the amount of light that reaches the sensor, etc. I recommend that you read the following article if you want to know the different types and uses that you can give to the different filters available: “ Types and Uses of Photo Filters ”

White reflector

THE CONSTANT SEARCH FOR LIGHT

The obsession of every photographer is to find good lighting that justifies taking the camera and creating spectacular photographs. The constant search for light, whether you have your camera in hand or not is something that, with the running of the photos, will obsess you. But is good lighting found or manufactured? You cannot settle for just the fact that you have not found a lighting according to your expectations, the search for the perfect photograph cannot be limited only to “being lucky” or “being in the right moment”. Luck is made by you and the more you work to capture that picture you want, the closer you will be to get it. A well-lit photograph makes a difference, so, if you are able to put into practice all the techniques and tips that you have been learning during your passage through the Photographer's Blog , your path to success is almost assured. While there are many other factors that make a photograph something spectacular, the domain of light is one of the most complicated to handle, after all, photography is light taken photo. As I mentioned in the article “ 23 Ways to Use Light as a Creative Element (For When You Are Not Inspired) ”, you can work so much with natural light that it is the one that is present in the environment whatever the source of it is (Sun, moon, etc.) or, introducing some external focus, firing a flash, the light of a sign, etc. The challenge is to make the light available in the scene, whatever the source of it, become your ally to enhance the messages that your photographs transmit. Then I leave a series of tips, tricks and techniques so that, the next time you go out to do what you like, take pictures, put into practice: Indoor Lighting 1. The more light, the better: if you are taking pictures indoors, try to clear the path of light so you can enter it: raise the blinds, run the curtains, etc. With more natural light you have when taking your photographs, the better results you will get.

Let the light enter

2. Avoid firing your flash: although I just told you that the flash is your best ally when it comes to increasing the light in a scene, if it is done indoors, the artificial light of the flash will take away the rich tones and everything the charm that natural light produces in these. The flash light, being hard, is usually not appropriate. Anyway, remember that these are tips so that in "the average situation" you get good results, which does not mean that you can get dazzling photos ignoring them. 3. Set the white balance: although in the era of digital photography and even more so if you shoot in RAW format the white balance setting can be done in post production, that is, on the computer, keep in mind that depending on The color temperature of the light in a given scene, the colors will be affected. If you fire your flash, remember to compensate for the cold tone of its light, with a white balance that neutralizes such an effect so as not to distort colors. Outdoor lighting 4. At noon it is not always the best: as I told you before, the intensity and direction of the midday sunlight is so hard and perpendicular that it generates excessive contrasts, so most of the photographs taken at this time are usually very Flat and unattractive. 5. Blue hour: The best times to take pictures outdoors are in the so-called "blue hour" or "golden hour". What do I mean? The twilight hour, which is approximately one hour before the sun sets until an hour after it has hidden on the horizon and also the first hours of the day while dawn, are the ideal time to take advantage of the great variety of shades and colors that the sky has for you.

Take advantage of the blue hour

6. Stability, always: the fact that you take outdoor shots where, a priori, it may be that you have better lighting conditions does not mean that you should forget to use a tripod to prevent your photographs from getting shaken. Depending on the time of day you may need to make longer exposures impossible to do if you do not carry a tripod with you. In the best hours of the day to take pictures like "the blue hour" the intensity of the light is usually of low intensity. 7. Keep the ISO to a minimum: although in the absence of light, the fastest solution that can cross your mind is to raise the ISO sensitivity, keep in mind that by doing so you will introduce noise into your photographs that may end up ruin them Try to keep the ISO to the minimum possible, how? Check out the following article and you will become an expert in it: “ How to use ISO correctly in your photographs? " Light direction When you work with natural light, it is not always possible that the scene is illuminated just as you need it. In these situations you can do two things: either you settle for what you have or, you put all these tips into practice in order to transform a given situation into your ideal situation. 8. Do not fear the backlights: although it is usually quite complicated to obtain photographs in great detail in this type of situation due to the impossibility of obtaining detail both in the lights and in the shadows, this does not prevent you from getting the juice out of your Imagination and get amazing shots with back light.

Backlights and silhouettes

9. Dare to use reflectors: in certain situations, such as a strong backlight, the flash will become your best friend, as long as you know how to get your full potential. If you can't avoid backlight, you can compensate for the difference in tones by firing your flash. Try to bounce it against a surface that works as a reflector or get your own. The results that you can obtain while experimenting with its use will surprise you, but look at the following example:

Possibilities when using a reflector

10. Experiment with the use of filters: although today it is possible to emulate the effects of a filter by editing the photographs on the computer, there are certain effects that are impossible to achieve without retouching the photo (introduce elements that did not exist at the time of take it). An example of this is neutral density filters that take intensity away from the light present in the scene. To make the water in a waterfall look like a mist, it is necessary to make a long exposure (greater than 30 seconds) but, if you are in broad daylight, this is something impossible to do, but not if you place one of your lenses in front of your target. These filters reduce the "amount of light" that reaches the sensor.

Water like silk

11. Avoid the "flare": unless you want to experiment using the "flare" or "reflection" as another element in your photographs, do not forget to place the lens hood to your lens. In this way, you will eliminate all the strange shine and unwanted reflections. If you don't have a parasol, stay calm, they are very easy to make with paper.

The "flare" can be a compositional element or an unwanted error

SPECIAL TECHNIQUES

12. High contrast photographs: I just told you that getting detail in the lights and shadows at the same time is almost impossible for a camera today. As every rule has its exception: HDR mode. What is it about? They are photographs of high dynamic range (high dynamic range) through which, thanks to a series of several photographs with different exposures, it is possible to obtain detail in light and dark tones by joining them all in a single final photograph. How is it done? If you want to become an expert in these types of techniques, take 5 minutes and read the following article “ Steps to follow to get HDR photos ”.

HDR: details in both lights and shadows

13. Long exposures: this type of photography consists of taking photographs using very slow shutter speeds, several seconds or minutes long. By leaving the shutter open, that is, by letting light into the sensor for a long time, the effect on the final photo will surprise you. Dare to experiment with this technique! You do not know how? Reading the following article, of course: " How to Get Long Exposure Photos ".

Long exposure photography

14. Painting with light: Lightpaiting photography or painting with light, is what the technique is called in which, through long exposures and some lights or lanterns, you draw with light directly on the photograph how much form you can get to occur. Air is your frame, the sensor is your frame and your imagination is the limit. The light strokes are captured by the camera sensor and are "drawn" directly in the final photograph. If you want to learn how to do it step by step, read the following article: " Getting Started Guide: How to Make Your First Photograph" Lightpainting ".

Painting with light

15. Stay creative: the best way to develop creativity is to observe photographs and then try to reproduce the techniques when you go out with your camera in search of your next great photograph. Light is an excellent creative element if you know how to get the most out of it. For this, here I leave you “23 Ways to Use Light as a Creative Element (For When You're Not Inspired) ”.

TO END:

You may not have noticed yet, but the light is in the picture what oxygen is to the human being. Without light there is no photo. When you walk the streets, whether or not your camera is at hand, try to take pictures with your eyes constantly looking for light. The best photos are taken with your eyes, take advantage of them constantly for later, when you have your camera in hand, you can mold the light to your liking and pleasure. I hope you liked today's article and don't see when you go out with your camera to put into practice what you just read. Remember to comment and share this article if you think it was useful for you, so that it can be useful for other colleagues. regards