I want to learn about light

[photoguy99]

Yep. There's a pretty regular poster who is a pretty vigorous defender of natural lighting who tend to 'shop the photos until they look strobe lit.

 

[imagemaker46]

Who's that? I'm not sure why anyone would want to shoot available light and then photoshop them to look like a flash was used. That doesn't make any sense to me.

 

[Gary A.]

I shoot like imagemaker46. I don't give a rat's about dynamic range. I work with what's there. Typically, I don't like what flash does to my pre-visualized image. I don't shoot staged stuff in a controlled environment. I find that shooting with a flash gives me a lot of okay stuff. Working with tricky/low lighting I get fewer keepers, but those images are much better than what I get with a flash.

 

[imagemaker46]

Great images Gary. Well said as well.

 

[vintagesnaps]

I'd suggest getting out, just you and your camera, and learning to really see what you're looking at. Notice how light can change colors and tone, how it can change when you turn and face different directions, at different times of day, etc. Practice a lot, a lot, in taking pictures, and just observing and thinking about what you see in your viewfinder. Michelle it seems like you're on the right track, learning to meter and get proper exposures is key.





Gary I particularly like the first one and the one with the guitar, love the way you got the light along the edge of the subject in profile, hitting the frets etc. That's some beautifully done B&W.

 

[Gary A.]

I'd suggest getting out, just you and your camera, and learning to really see what you're looking at. Notice how light can change colors and tone, how it can change when you turn and face different directions, at different times of day, etc. Practice a lot, a lot, in taking pictures, and just observing and thinking about what you see in your viewfinder. Michelle it seems like you're on the right track, learning to meter and get proper exposures is key.





Gary I particularly like the first one and the one with the guitar, love the way you got the light along the edge of the subject in profile, hitting the frets etc. That's some beautifully done B&W.

Thank you Sharon (the other one). My point is working with what you have can often result in an image with more drama than if I had hit the scene with a flash.

 

[Village Idiot]

You just have to learn how to use flashes and not just ambient to be able to get the result you want no matter where you're at.

My point is working with what you have can often result in an image with more drama than if I had hit the scene with a flash.

If this is an opinion on your work, then that's how you feel about what you can shoot, but saying that photos using flash lack drama is an incorrect statement.

 

[photoguy99]

Bit he didn't say that photos taken with flash lack drama.

Strawman argument. Egregious excuse to post own photos. 15 yard penalty. First down.

 

[JoeW]

Welcome!

Okay, first things first, you're going to have to change your name. We have a moderator named Michelle who posts often to avoid confusion you're going to have to become someone else (...okay, I'm kidding).

I second/third the suggestion on Light: Science and Magic. Good detailed book.

Next suggestion is to read up about white balance with your camera and then get a white board with a dry erase marker and eraser. Then chose a product/item that has some angles to it, it's not just one flat side or sheet (it could be a lamp or tool like a crescent wrench). Set it up and the photograph it. But change the WB for each shot. And on your handy little WB, write down the WB setting and maybe a few other exposure details (like if you used exposure compensation or aperture setting since those can also affect the appearance of the light). Yes, you could find all of that data with an exif file reader or in an editing program like Photoshop or depending upon your camera you should be able to see the settings in a review mode. But I'm assuming you don't have those (exif reader or photoshop) right now and what camera you have affects your ability to review shooting data. So what you want to do is to demonstrate to your self in a series of shots where all you do is change one particular setting (like WB or aperture or exposure compensation) and record that in the shot. One you've played with camera settings you next need to start setting your clock and get a tripod. Do shoot in the "blue hour" (pre-sunrise and post sunset when the sun isn't visible yet there is color in the sky). You'll need a tripod for that. Shoot shortly after sunrise and shortly before sundown (the "golden hour"). Note in your shot (handy white board again) how close it was to sunrise and sunset. Shoot a variety of things...length of shadows on the ground (like with a cobble stone street). Water and it's hue during the golden hour. A person's skin tones during the golden hour. Photography a piece of white cardboard and see what the color looks like during the golden hour. Then photograph mid-day on a sunny day. And on a cloudy day. Set up a file and store all of these photos (electronically) in that file. You've now created an instant tutorial and set of reminders on what your camera's photos look like in certain types of light.

 

[Village Idiot]

Bit he didn't say that photos taken with flash lack drama.

Strawman argument. Egregious excuse to post own photos. 15 yard penalty. First down.

Did you read his post? That's why I questioned if his statement was purely about his photography or just a general statement about flash photography because using the pronouns You and I in the same sentence like that doesn't make for a clear meaning.

Thank you Sharon (the other one). My point is working with what you have can often result in an image with more drama than if I had hit the scene with a flash.

 

[photoguy99]

Arguing with the referee. 25 yard penalty.

FIRST DOWN!!11111!

 

[Village Idiot]

Arguing with the referee. 25 yard penalty.

FIRST DOWN!!11111!

Do you have anything worth contributing?

 

[photoguy99]

Yes but I already contributed it.

 

[shaylou]

I would like recommendations on the best ways to learn about light. Books, exercises, whatever you've got. Outside, I understand open shade is the best. I look for the edge of shade closest to the open sky. I take mostly kids and family shots. I'm learning to pay attention to the direction of light and how to use things to reflect it. Any suggestions about the best ways to learn about light?

Here is something I came across a while back and found it an interesting exercise. The project was to photograph light. Not what the light is falling on but the light itself. It is easy to get caught up shooing the shadows that the light produces but try to concentrate on the light itself. I found myself looking at light a lot different after doing this exercise.

I hope that helps.