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10/04/2004 09:17:06 PM · #1 |
Improving your images
We will start this informal essay with the very soul of the image: light and shadows. This is what defines form and texture. We need to address this first. Rather than explain light theory let us examine the biggest mistake that new comers are guilty of. This serious error happens time after time because some inventor decided to put a flash on a camera. This fact alone has prevented many to excell with good images and many to give up.
A flash mounted on the camera is like a spot light at eye level shooting out across the worst angle to bring about not only harsh shadows but hot spots that burn out the image area in film or sensor. Frontal light has a use but it will ruin most images. I have two digital cameras. I have used the flash once in one year. I often used the minolta flash at one sixth the power to trigger strobes...never as a fill light or worst as a frontal light.
Look at the masterpieces of oil, watercolor etc. what you see in the best is light coming from the sides. Some top left, top right etc, etc..hardly ever from the front.
Yes, you say. But I do not have the means to buy a lighting set up. You do not need to. All you need are three cheap reflectors fixtures which are nothing more than a socket and a reflector and a clamp. These have a limit as to what wattage bulb you can use. This units sell for 10.95 at walmart. Next get some outdoor floods. These are even better because they lend themselves more to being bounced.
First assignment is to take a shot of a cylinder type object with direct light head on. A ceramic mug will do. Next shot move light to top right, then lower light same distance to about middle of object. These will yield similar results when done on the opposite side. Now put the light in back of the object but make sure the lens is not in the direct path of the light. Shoot the mug with these arrangements.
You see, I can shoot these for you and save you time, but my object is not to save you time. You will learn it quicker when you do and examine your own images. In some later essay we will treat the inverse square formula as it applies to light, but for now we avoid all this. Let us go by feel. Examine the shots with the frontal light. Can you see what takes place? The closer the object is to the light the more light it gets. This allows the light to dimimish as it approaches the rear. What you get here is a well lit center with the curvature getting just a bit less because they are further away. This is basically a flat image.
Now examine the shots with the side lighting. Ah, what an immediate improvement with form and texture !
However, there is a little improvement we can add here. The shadows are just too stark for this purpose. So we will use two lights. Say you put the first one 2 feet away, put the other on the opposite side but increase the distance to 4 feet. Take your shot and study it. You have managed to keep the same spirit of the first shot but now you have removed the harshness of the shadows. before you quit make it a point to shoot a single tomato. These pictures are good but they suffer from burn-outs. We'll fix that next.
Next step is to repeat the above using reflectors. Trouble to set up, but hey, you will be so happy with the results that you may hardly trust direct light ever again. Of course you will, but more as an accent on a lit scene rather than a main light.
Anything white will do but you need to use creativity to make them stay where you place them. White poster board is good. You set up is the same. You want two sidelights, so place reflectors on opposituse side and aim the lights at the reflector and make sure the angle throws the light on the subject. They must be aimed because if they slant the light will go elsewhere.
This will have an immediate change in your exposure, but stay in auto to keep things simple. Do the mug and do the tomato. Now look at the difference. The tomato now looks natural and the mug looks so even and smart.
Next, back to direct, because it is easier to manage and begin to play with variations on the placement. Distance is critical in getting what you want. Also change the angle. Instead of coming from the sides aim one top right, the other in the original opposite position and so on until you exhaust yourself.
Once you accomplish the above you are ready to experiment with a third light. Do your set up and place the poster board on back and sides of the object. Place a spot light on the background as close as you can without showing the hot spot. Then set up the side lights to reflect. Experiment and look at your images carefully. Decide if you want a stronger or weaker backlight, etc...
Message edited by author 2004-10-05 01:32:57. |
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10/04/2004 09:35:43 PM · #2 |
Thanks, Daniel, for putting up this lighting guide. Lighting is the next big part of photography that I am trying to learn right now, so I really appreciate advice like this.
Thanks!
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10/04/2004 09:41:04 PM · #3 |
Daniel;
thanks for the lesson - one of my favorite lighting experiences was in a B&W photography class I took last year. I almost never use my onboard flash now. Here's one of the pics I took. Forgive me, it's a 35mm scanned shot, but it's a good sample. My only issue is that the right side of her face is a little washed out. Should have tilted the floor light down a little more.
Photo II B&W |
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10/04/2004 09:43:41 PM · #4 |
Shop light umbrella mounts
Here is some easy to make umbrella mounts for shop lights. A few dollars and some used photo umbrellas and you have yourself a very effective lighting system.
-danny |
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10/04/2004 09:46:30 PM · #5 |
Originally posted by atsxus:
Daniel;
thanks for the lesson - one of my favorite lighting experiences was in a B&W photography class I took last year. I almost never use my onboard flash now. Here's one of the pics I took. Forgive me, it's a 35mm scanned shot, but it's a good sample. My only issue is that the right side of her face is a little washed out. Should have tilted the floor light down a little more.
Photo II B&W |
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A reflector and proper exposure should cure that. Very nice effort, though. You see, the hot spot is the enemy. By bringing a light back 1.3 or 1/2 the distance helps to reduce or eliminate it. |
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10/04/2004 10:14:11 PM · #6 |
First, thanks graphicfunk for the post. Very informative!
Originally posted by crabappl3:
Shop light umbrella mounts
Here is some easy to make umbrella mounts for shop lights. A few dollars and some used photo umbrellas and you have yourself a very effective lighting system.
-danny |
Second, thanks crabappl3. I purchased your set-up awhile back. Works great! |
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10/04/2004 10:46:18 PM · #7 |
Daniel,
what a useful piece, very informative. I along with many other novices will be putting this to good use in search of our first ribbons ;-)
Keith |
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10/04/2004 11:05:20 PM · #8 |
Very good information that is very timely in my photographic learning experience. In fact I was just today perusing several photographic magazines looking for this type of information! I've put this in my watch list to get whatever info that other masters of lighting can add to the discussion.
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