How to Set Lighting for Your Amateur Photography

Many people feel like they need to be experts to get expert mood lighting for their amateur camera shots. But whatever the condition, you too can set some brilliant mood lighting for real photography shoots with little more than just you and your camera. The beauty of this technique is that it’s entirely up to you what level of picture you come out with. It doesn't have to do with fancy equipment or fancy technology. The level of commitment and ingenuity you are willing to give is directly related to the final product. Read on to learn how to set lighting for your amateur photography.

Instructions

Difficulty: Easy

Things You’ll Need:

• Camera
• Lights
• Sensory perception

1. Consider natural light. The first and most obvious choice for your photography lighting is natural light. If you are skilled in making shadows play off of your subject and if you are able to manipulate the light in such a way you can really get some great images using only natural light. You need to be sure that you have an open space where you can move with the sun or you need to have a room that has 360-degree windows along your walls so that you are able to use light as it plays off of the room.
2. Know the benefits of a boom arm lamp. You may see this lamp all over the cop shows from "Dragnet" to "NYPD Blue" to "CSI" and beyond as the boom arm lamp has been a detective’s tool for many years. The fact that you can use it to get great light in a room when you are shooting your amateur photography sessions is a benefit indeed. The stark, white, fluorescent light you get from these lamps is particularly suitable to giving your subject the halo effect.
3. Know that you can use hanging lights. This can mean anything from dangling multicolored Christmas lights to any single 60 watt light bulb hanging from a cord but the effect of hanging light can be truly breathtaking. If you need to increase the wattage of your bulb you may be able to increase the effect as well. Often times you can find something like the back light from a boom arm lamp off to the side with hanging lights, like tiny white bulbs from a string of white lights which can create a truly mystical effect.
4. Consider effect lights. Using lights for particular effects can be anything from blending colored lamps to a cumulative effect or using a concentrated colored light to create an ambiance of suspense, mystery, intrigue, rage, joy or any other of the many emotions which you would like to convey in your photograph.

Tips & Warnings

• Use the light around you.
• Be sensitive to natural changes.

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