Understanding light

TUTORIAL 7 – WEEK 8
Natural and Artificial Light
Natural light is the light produced by the Sun, Moon (reflected from the sun), stars, candle or a
fire and other natural sources, while artificial light is any man made or manufactured light
like fluorescent bulbs, studio lights and others.

Natural Light:
• So, in noon or midday time, the sun is up at the highest point in the sky causing it to be sunny,
making the incidence angle of the sun rays will be 90 degrees from the horizons level.
• Many photographers finds that it’s the worst time of the day to take any kind of a photo,
although a few may find it not too bad for a landscape shots.
 Natural light doesn’t only
In midday, image will have very
sharp shadows and very strong light mean shooting outdoors, it
will be on the subject. can mean shooting indoors
while your window is
However, if the sky is cloudy and the open, you can get use of
light falling is indirect and defused
that will lead to a totally different the natural light beside
image. other sources if needed.
Some concepts and terms in regard
of light whether natural or artificial:

1. Intensity (Quality) of light:

The Intensity or the quality of light describes how hard
or soft the light is. Soft light is often the most flattering light
for peoples’ faces as well as any other object.
Hard light instantly falls to shadow, whereas in the soft
images the transition is more gradual, so much so that you
can barely see where the highlight ends, and the shadow
begins.
Hard light on the other hand will call attention to any
wrinkles or blemishes on your subject’s face.
2. Color
The light color temperatures are measured in the Kelvin scale which ranges from cool blue
tinged light to the warmer reddish spectrum.
Choosing which time of day to shoot your photo will have the most impact on the resulting
emotions of your shot.
The “golden hour “ is the best example for the changing of the sun color, it is the period
of daytime shortly after sunrise or before sunset, during which daylight is redder
and softer than when the Sun is higher in the sky.
Color temperature and White Balance (WB)
White balance is the processes by which you balance the temperature of the colors in the images you
take using your camera sittings.

In other words, white balance corrects color casts that result from certain lighting situations
especially in the existence of different light sources illuminating your frame.

while shooting indoors using some natural sun light coming through the window, but also you may
have an indoor lamp that has a different color cast compared to the sun light which may end up with
a reddish cast if that lamp is a tungsten one.
Color temperature and White Balance (WB)
How to adjust the WB in
your camera?
Your white balance setting can be accessed either in your
camera's menu system or using a dedicated button labeled “WB”
on your camera's body. Hold it down/press it and you'll be able
to scroll through the different icons representing different
lighting situations.
3- Direction
The changing color of the light is due to the sun moving across the sky which also changes the
direction of the light as where your highlights and shadows are cast.
Each different time of day offers different possibilities for your image as you allow the light to
hit your object from different angles, and that will also help you set the mood in your image.
Depending on where the light is coming from, the amount of shadow on your subject’s face can
change dramatically.
Shadow is necessary to create depth for the object and making things look more three
dimensional, but deep shadows don’t look good at every angle. In direct sunlight you now know
you’ll be dealing with very hard light, but even on overcast days with soft light there is still a
direction to the light if you look closely.
1. Overhead light: 2. Side Light:
So, if you waited later in the afternoon
Shooting in direct overhead sunlight is when it is almost sunset, you may avoid
uncomfortable for everyone; we will all
the direct overhead light. However, due to
really suffer and have a hard time, the
photographer, the subject and the the strong side lighting, now half of the
viewers. model’s face is covered in shadow.
Fill light
A fill light is responsible for exposing the details of a subject that fall in the shadows of the
key light (the main source of light).
In our case here we may be using a simple reflector or a fill flash if we are in outdoor situation
or a second or a fill light while in a studio or indoor.
Reflector
A reflector is simply any surface you may make at home using a foil paper or just a white
paper, or you may buy them from the camera shops, they come in many colors, white, silver,
gold and even black and each of them gives the reflected light a different character
Reflector
Diffuser
A diffuser is simply translucence
(semitransparent) surface you also can make
at home using a transparent paper or a
white cloth or buy from a camera shop.

And while the reflector will be facing the

main source of light ( Key light) to reflect the
light on our subject, the diffuser will be in-
between our subject and the source of light
to defuse the light falling from the key light
on the subject to be softer.
Flash Diffuser
A flash diffuser is a simple
light modifier that attaches
to the upper part of an
external flash unit. It's used
to soften and spread the
harsh, concentrated light
that bursts out of the flash,
creating a more even and
flattering light on the
subject. The larger the
diffuser, the softer the light
will be
Red eye
The appearance of red eyes in photos occurs when the camera
is reflected from the retina. When the light is reflected, it
illuminates the rich blood supply of the connective tissue at
the back of the eye and produces the red color you see in
pupil of the eye pictures.
In order to prevent it: ask your subject not to look directly at
the camera lens. Improve the lighting in the room and Use the
anti-red-eye function in your DSLR.
Fill flash
A photographic technique that is used to brighten deep
shadow areas, typically outdoors on a sunny day.
You either use reflector or fill flash, you can’t use both at the
same time. However, reflector gives calmer and nicer light.
For example, if there is a big event in the street you will have
to use fill flash because you won’t be able to use reflector.
But, if you’re shooting portrait, and want to create soft and
nice light then use reflector.
Studio
Lights
An umbrella actually may play both roles as a
reflector and it scatters and diffuses light
Always keep in mind these two lighting rules in
order to create a soft light:
The larger the light source, the softer the light.
The closer the light source, the softer the light.

Soft light = bigger source + closer to the subject.

1- KEY OR MAIN LIGHTS
A key light
Your main source of light on a set. It should also be the
light with the highest intensity of all the lights being
used.
Your key light will be what shapes your subject in the
image and should fall on your subject’s face no matter
the position your subject is posed. It can be positioned
to the side, at an angle above or below or straight on
your subject depending on the desired result you are
looking to reach.
You will want your key light to be close to your subject,
but just far enough out of the frame of your image. A
good starting point is usually to the right of the camera
at a 45-degree angle, but it really depends on the result
you are looking for in your image.
2- Fill light
A fill light is a light source used to fill in shadows caused by other lights (mainly a key light),
but without creating harsh shadows of its own. That is why your fill light should always be
diffused. You have several options for a fill light sources depending on your budget, the size of
your working space and the key light modifier you are using (soft-box or umbrella).
 Fill light sources
Reflectors. This type of modifier is an inexpensive and convenient way
of creating another light source. You can use a reflector as an additional
light source by bouncing light from another light onto your subject.
Another Strobe. While more expensive and a not-so-portable option,
using a strobe for a fill light does have its benefits. It can be placed
anywhere on the set when used for fill and control it on which angle you
desire, also the amount of light desired for fill can be adjusted,
controlled and diffused with a variety of modifier choices.
Walls/Ceilings. Even your walls and ceilings can act as a large reflector of
light bounced from your key or other light source onto your subject.
A fill light helps to fill in harsh Since it’s such a large light source, the light will be very soft and produce
less harsh shadows.
shadows without causing
shadows of its own.
3- Rim lights
A rim light is a light source placed behind your subject to
create light on the back of your subject, allowing for some spill
to outflow around parts of their body, creating a “rim” of light
or “lighted outline” around their body.
This is typically used to separate a subject from a background
of the similar color to what the subject is wearing, to separate
multiple subjects when they are all wearing similar colors and
to give depth to your image.
A rim light should be positioned behind your subject, but can
be positioned in a few different ways depending on the
characterization of your subject and also the way you want to
show it in the image, so you may position it to the back and on
one of the sides with almost an angle of 45 degree, and also
you may control the elevation to show more separation from
the back ground.
Rim light
Positioning a rim light directly behind a
subject can make for an even rim around your
subject.
4- Hair lights – Top lights
A hair light is also a light used for separation, but one that is positioned to only light the top of
a subject’s head to create depth in an image.
A hair light should be positioned directly above and slightly behind your subject’s head to put
a nice light on the top of the hair. It should not spill onto your subject’s face.
5- Background
lights
They illuminate a background and help
eliminate unwanted shadows falling on the
background, which is extremely helpful
when you do not have the space to bring
your model forward far from the
background.
Week 5 - Tutorial 4 ( Editing tools ppt – Digital format ppt )
Tutorial videos for editing
- Finishing an image with Colour, Contrast and Sharpening on Adobe photoshop.
https://youtu.be/KeFJt5Hfc1M

- Color Correction for BEGINNERS | Premiere Pro 2021 Tutorial

https://youtu.be/yw4186xTa5w?si=QqpIRwrAp3vOFXfu

Week 5 - Tutorial 4 ( Editing tools ppt – Digital format ppt )

 Let’s Practice!

Take a portrait picture outdoor using at

least one lighting technique.
Assignment 1 – Task 4
Task 4 Portfolio Assignment:
2 images from the following options:
• Indoor Product Photography using artificial light or daylight.
• Portrait using artificial light or daylight with a self-made reflector or fill flash.
The 2 images that will be submitted must be edited on Adobe Photoshop or Lightroom, and you
must make sure to submit the before & after of the images. As well as state the lighting
technique you used in your submission. (For ex. I used a reflector for this portrait….)

Deadline on the E-learning under week 8, one day prior to your tutorial at 11:59PM.
Videos to help:
- Understanding how reflectors work:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qoQ4_W3ogFg&t=226s

-How to build a Product photography setup (Light-box)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T6fnHEvLyAE

-How to make your own reflector:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jD4RlLTj_us&t=112s
The end J