LIGHTING: Understanding Light

Light makes Photography.

Embrace light. Admire it. Love it. But above all, know light.

…and you will know the key to photography.

-George Eastman

Lighting

Study the PDF below (only for academic use)

Understanding Light PDF

CHARACTERISTICS OF LIGHT

Direction: Where is the light coming from –front? Side? Behind? Top

Intensity: How bright is each light source? How close is the light source?

Hardness: What do the edges of the shadows look like?

Contrast: Is the transition from the highlights to the shadows subtle or sudden? How do the highlights transition into the shadows. The brightest areas of the image are the highlights. The darkest areas are the shadows. In between, the image will have, midtones.

Colour: What colour is the light—white, red, blue…? Colour can affect the mood and meaning of the images

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