Do you know
what the difference is between a great photographer and a good one? It’s the
way the photographer makes use of light. A good photographer understands how to
get a unique perspective, how to arrange the elements of an image, and what the
best time is to release the shutter. But, a great photographer knows all of
these basic techniques, and does them in the right light.
“Photography”
literally means “Light writing” in Greek. That’s why light is the most important
thing to consider in photography. As a photographer, you will encounter different
conditions of light, from sunlight to the shine of a single candle. No matter
which photography equipment you use, whether the most modern digital camera or
a home-made pinhole camera, you are the only one who can manipulate, exploit,
and control the light. So, you need to learn how to achieve the best light to
improve your photography.
Natural and Artificial Light
Light divides into two main categories, natural
and artificial. Sunlight and moonlight categorized as natural light, but you
can also find natural light from flames such as a forest fire or a candle. But,
all these types of natural light have greatly different characteristics. For
instance, mid-day sun will produce light with a blue cast while the candle
light produces light that is near to orange. Even the sunlight emits several
types of light, depending on the time of day. The direct sunlight at noon, for
example, produces high contrast and warm light, while the sun at dawn produces diffuse
and cool light.
Human beings create artificial light, which can
range from lighting equipment for photography to noisy fluorescent. Artificial
lights fall into various types. If photographic lighting produces light that
balanced to simulate sunlight, most standard lighting emits yellowish light.
Understand Color
Temperature
Almost every photographer has heard the term “color
temperature”. The meaning of this term isn’t that easy to explain. Put it simple,
different types of light can give different color casts. The sun, for instance,
gives off a cool bluish complexion of light, while lightbulbs can give off a
reddish or yellowish light.
It’s a fundamental photography you need to
understand, even though most of modern cameras are pretty good at dealing with
color temperature in almost any conditions. Besides these things, you can
improve your photograph by thinking over what exposure settings to choose for
great results, how much light intensity you need, and what angles will make
dramatic image.
The key to remember is how important light in
any photograph. It’s an element you need to consider every time you take a
shot, whether you are using light as a focal point, manipulating it, or
compensating for it.
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