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Article Series: Photography Tips
I Want Some Photography Tips and Ideas
How
To Take Pictures In Sunlight
Light is what makes all photography
possible. To "see" light well, and understand
how it records on film, is one of the greatest skills a
photographer can
have. This is an important section of the book, and I'll
start at the beginning.
Sunlight is irresistible to most people, with its connotations
of summertime joys, and most people instinctively want to
photograph in sunlight. This seems easy to beginners, and
in many ways it is. Because bright sun gives intense light,
you can use fine-grain film and still set high shutter speeds.
The result can be super-sharp enlargements with considerable
depth-of-field, and no problems with blurry, fast-moving
subjects or camera shake. Despite these advantages, there
are pitfalls to avoid when making exposures in the sun. Be
aware of them and your sunlit pictures will be fine.
High
Contrast
Contrast
between the darkest and lightest areas in photographs may
cause problems, because
all film
records light and shade differently than our eyes perceive
it. Avoid shooting under midday summer or tropical sun
whenever possible, because overhead sun makes for a harsh "contrasty" light. With any subject, preview what contrast will look like on
film by squeezing your eyes into narrow slits. Viewing the
subject through a deep red, green, or blue filter will help
as well. With either preview method, highlights will appear
brilliant and shadows almost black, about as film records
them. You will then understand why you should not photograph
anything or anyone partly in bright sun, partly in deep shadow.
Sun
and Shadow
Any
mix of bright sun and deep shadows makes shapes confusing
and hard to "read" -
this is the principle behind all camouflage. Avoid photographing
anyone
or anything under the light of overhead sun filtering through
or partly shaded by trees. Sunlight from high overhead on any subject,
known as "toplighting," causes
shadows that, on pictures showing faces, make eye sockets
look like black holes, and create unflattering deep shadows
under noses and chins. If you must photograph people in overhead
sunlight, have them look up if their eyes can stand it. Better
yet is to learn to fill in the shadows.
"Filling" Deep
Shadows
All
shadows record much more deeply on film than they do to
the naked eye. Solve
the problem with "fill" light. To "fill" in
photography means to add just enough light to "open
up" (or lighten) shadows without affecting the overall
exposure. First choose a moderate lens aperture and expose
for the sunlight. Then aim a handy, purpose-built, collapsible
white or silver reflector to reflect the sun back onto dark
areas of the subject. Or, use a sheet of white or silver
artist's board for fill. Aimed correctly, either type of
reflector will do the job fine. Alternately, use flash as "fill" for
daylight exposures. Expose normally, then add flash. The
flash will lighten shadows within flash range, again without
affecting overall exposure.
Directional
light
Late
sunlight is usually the most interesting natural light.
Sunlight is low whenever your own shadow is
longer that you are. "High three-quarter light" is sunlight or any
light shining from over your left or right shoulder down
at about a 45° angle onto a subject. This is the classic
light recommended in "how-to" manuals since photography's
earliest days. The high three-quarter angle is the nearest
thing to foolproof lighting there is - it looks good falling
on almost any subject.
"Sidelight" low sunlight from either side - emphasizes
texture, and it's great for revealing landscape contours
and the shapes of buildings in towns and cities. Sidelight
also makes for strong "character" portraits, especially
of men. Sidelighting works well for most still-life subjects,
revealing details of wood grain, modeling or carving, and
texture of fabric or fur.
"Frontlight," or late-day or winter sunlight,
shining from a low angle onto any subject, is hard, flat,
and posterish. It's dramatic against cloudy skies, and it's
the angle of light that maximizes reflections on water. For
groups of people and portraits, low frontlight can almost
give the "look" of a flash picture. This may be
effective if you overcome subjects' natural tendency to squint.
Backlight
Light
from the sun coming from a low angle behind a subject
toward the camera is called "backlight" and
can be the prettiest lighting of all. Backlight makes water
gleam, turns flowers and leaves translucent, and gives landscapes
a look of great depth and space. If the sunlight is extremely
low, shielded from the lens by the subject, and there is
a dark background to the picture, the resulting halo effect
(called "rim-light") is romantic on people. In
addition, it's especially dramatic on flowers, leaves, and
anything translucent.
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SolveYourProblem.com : 2007
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