Last Updated on January 13, 2019
A picture captured using techniques in light photography is often mistaken to be computer-generated due to a display of lights that is nothing short of amazing. What most people don’t know, however, is that lights, when used strategically, create different effects. To give you an idea why professional photography relies greatly on lighting kits, do read on the interesting facts listed below.
Broad and Narrow Light
A broad light source produces soft light, because it reduces contrast, suppresses texture, and lessens shadows. A narrow light source, on the other hand, creates an effect opposite of everything broad light does. It is up to you which type of lighting kit you use in photographic studio. If you prefer more illumination in a particular portrait, for example, your best option is broad light because it will hit the subject on more directions, filling out shadows.
Diffusion
Photography light can be harsh or soft, depending on the equipment used. If what you only have is a broad light source, you can soften it up by moving it close to your subject. The problem with this option, however, is that the heat coming out of the light will make the entire photo shoot uncomfortable and hot. This is especially true if you use continuous lighting. A better alternative is to use a diffuser to scatter the light. You can use a white fabric or translucent plastic as your diffuser.
Light Falloff
In professional photography, two of the essential elements that can make or break an image are the light and background. It then follows that playing with the relationship between these two can also create a different image. If you put a strobe too close to your subject, for instance, the falloff between background and subject will be more pronounced. If you move it further, the opposite effect takes place. Depending on the image that you want to produce, it is important that you choose the position of your lighting kit appropriately.
Shadow Effect
It used to be difficult to imagine a 3-dimensional picture, considering that a photo is often flat. But by positioning lights in different directions, shadows are cast which gives a sense of seeing an object in space. To achieve this, there should be lighting on the side, above, and below to cast a deeper and longer shadow. This then creates volume. If you want to mimic a so-called Hollywood lighting to produce a dramatic portrait, you should position a light high above, angled down, and slightly to the side of your subject.
Frontlighting and Backlighting
As previously mentioned, the position of lighting kits can affect the outcome of a particular photo shoot. Placing a strobe in front of a subject for one can de-emphasize texture. Therefore, if you want to suppress a subject’s skin wrinkles when doing photographic studio portraits, you should keep the light source close to the axis of the lens. If you want to bring out the texture of a subject, however, then you should angle the frontlighting for more emphasis.
Backlighting, on the other hand, is not exactly the opposite of frontlighting but it does create pure silhouette because of the light reflected on the opposite wall, which falls on the subject. To get the best picture, you would have to increase exposure in order to capture the light falling on the subject.
And, because light has color temperature, it is no doubt that it makes for a great light photography, even if it is just appears to be white to a spectator’s eyes.
