Real-life teaching, digital photography, lighting techniques

2026-10-14 04:59

Here are some lighting techniques for digital photography: * * 1. The use of light of different natures ** 1. * * Direct Light ** - In clear and unobstructed weather, direct sunlight will produce a bright light surface and an obvious shadow surface. The contrast between the light and the non-light surface is obvious, which can produce a three-dimensional effect. When the sun was blocked by thin clouds but still spread through the white clouds, the contrast of the lighting was reduced, making it suitable for portrait photography. 2. * * Scattered Light ** - On a cloudy day, the sun is blocked by clouds and then reflected or shone through the intermediate medium to the subject to produce scattered light. The light and shadow were not obvious, the contrast between light and dark was weak, the light and shadow changes were soft, the image lines and tone were soft, and the effect was dull and soft. * * 2. The characteristics and application of light from different directions ** 1. * * Shun Guang ** - From behind the camera to the front of the subject. Most of the subjects were directly exposed to the light. The shadow area was small, the tone was clear, and the contrast between light and dark was weak. The three-dimensional effect of the subject mainly relied on its own ups and downs, which was relatively weak. The color reproduction was relatively high under normal light. 2. * * Front Light ** - From the left or right back of the camera, the camera is cast at the subject. Most of the light produced a bright surface, bright tone, and small shadow area. It could show the light and dark distribution and three-dimensional form of the object, which could retain the bright tone and show the three-dimensional form. It was a common light in photography. 3. * * Side Light ** - From the left or right side of the camera. It would make half of the subject receive light and the other half be in the shadow, which was beneficial to the performance of the subject's undulating state. The shadow area would increase, and the picture would be mixed with light and dark, giving a better three-dimensional performance. 4. * * Side Backlight ** - From the front left or right of the camera. It causes the object to produce a small part of the light and most of the shadow. The shadow tone is darker, and the three-dimensional effect produced is better than the smooth light but still weaker. It can be used to create a special atmosphere. 5. * * Backlight ** - It was shot from the back of the subject and straight into the camera. Most of the subjects were in the shadows. The light was relatively weak, and the three-dimensional effect was weak. The shadow tone was gloomy, but it could be used to sketch the silhouette and outline of the object, emphasizing the texture and shape of the object. It would create a strong contrast when used in clear weather. 6. * * Top Light ** - The light came from above the subject, like the sun in the middle of the day. When used for portrait photography, the nose, eye sockets, jaw, and other parts of the human face would form a thick black shadow. 7. * * Underglow ** - The light source was located below the subject. * * 3. Other Light-related Skills ** 1. * * Automatic filling flash ** - The sensor of a digital camera had a smaller exposure tolerance than film, so it was important to control the light ratio when shooting. The auto-fill flash could reduce the light ratio. The camera automatically calculated the output of the internal or external flash to match the natural light, making the photo natural. Most DSLR systems had multiple modes to adjust the flash output and natural light ratio. 2. * * Softening the light ** - Different light qualities were chosen according to the subject. Hard texture and high contrast light were not suitable for imperfect models. Soft light was commonly used in portrait photography to make the subject look soft and moving. 3. * * Using white satin cloth ** - It was commonly used in portrait photography under natural light. It can be used as a reflective plate to reflect light to the dark part of the subject. It can also be used as a soft light plate to block the strong light from directly illuminating the subject. It can also be used to pull away the light source to obtain a similar soft focus effect. It can soften the light arrangement. Different lengths of white neon cloth have different usages. After using it for a long time, it will turn yellow and need to be replaced. 4. * * Use of Reflecting Plate ** - Foldable reflective panels were a good choice. The white side had a soft reflective effect, the gold side created the sunset effect, the silver side had a stronger reflective effect than the white side, and when the light was strong, the silver side was close to the subject to reflect the light to get the same effect as the flash. 5. * * Dealing with Lust Deviation ** - When using a soft umbrella or a reflective board to reflect light, it will bring its own color into the reflected light. Reflective flash will also cause color temperature deviation. The surrounding environment such as brown or green ceiling and walls will change the color temperature of the white incident light, affecting the photo effect. 6. * * The use of main light, auxiliary light, side backlighting, and background lights (portrait photography)** - With the canvas as the background, turn on a light as the main light to illuminate the character; add an auxiliary light when the dark part is too dark to show the details of the dark part; add a light in the side reverse position to enhance the sense of volume of the character; add a background light when the background is too dark to increase the sense of volume of the space. Read more exciting novels for free