The Definition of Photography Directional Lighting
In the art of photography, lighting is everything. A photographer can make two drastically different images of the same subject by simply altering the available light. Envisioning an end result that includes details and mood will help narrow down the photographer's many choices in directional lighting.
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Manipulation
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In a studio setting, the light direction is easily changed by moving the equipment. Moving a photoflood, which is more intense and narrowly focused, will make a more drastic change than moving a softbox, which covers a larger area and is more diffused. When dealing with natural lighting, the time of day and indoor/outdoor location are the main factors to consider. At dawn and dusk, side lighting is produced. At noon, overhead light may prove an advantage or hindrance in any given image. A subject sitting indoors by a window will appear differently than the subject outdoors on a sunny day.
Mood
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In general, an image that contains high levels of contrast will conjure a sense of drama. An extreme example of this involves using directional lighting from below a subject. Because light commonly occurs in nature from up high, underlighting creates odd, unsettling shadows directly below the eyes and across the nose. A less dramatic scene can be created outdoors on an overcast day. The light is diffused, traveling in infinite directions, reducing contrast and creating a "flatter" image.
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Texture
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The direction of light drastically alters texture in an image. If a photographer needs to convey the rough texture of an object, side lighting is necessary. This emphasizes the shadows and highlights created by the texture. Using front lighting on this subject creates a flat plane with no texture detail. Front lighting can be used to an advantage, however, for a person wanting to eliminate undesirable texture from a facial portrait.
Details
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Though front lighting cuts back on texture, it reveals adequate details of a subject. If more three-dimensionality is needed with this detail, directional-diffused lighting may be desirable. This is found indoors by a sunny window. It allows for details, but creates soft shadows, giving a more natural look than front lighting. Conversely, backlighting creates little to no detail, throwing the subject into darkness and creating a silhouette image. Backlighting can be dramatic, and can also be useful when trying to emphasize the overall shape of a subject.
Shadows
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Directional lighting produces shadows that can make or break an image. Many photographers enjoy shooting during the "golden hour," roughly the first and last hours of daylight. These times produce long shadows, but the light is diffused enough so that they don't lack detail. The contrast to this situation would be a sunny day at noon. Many photographers choose not to work with these conditions, especially when photographing people, as unattractive shadows form in the eye sockets and below the nose. If shadows are key to an image, side lighting, and sometimes backlighting, in either natural or artificial form, is necessary.
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References
Resources
- Photo Credit BACKLIGHT 2 image by Arkaos from Fotolia.com
