photography light page backup

Learning Goal

- Students will understand the importance and impact of lighting in photography

- Students will be able to effectively use different types of lighting

Being able to see and effectively use light is an important skill for a photographer. In class we will watch the Remember the Egg video and discuss how to apply this technique.

Tip: A white styrofoam cup will work well if you don't have eggs

The Assignment

Practice 'seeing' light in your photos with this rubric.

Any lesson about light wouldn't be complete without mentioning the "golden hour". The "golden hour" or "magic hour" is the first and last hour of the day. This time period usually creates warm and dynamic lighting situations.

After our last assignment, hopefully it is easier for you to 'see' how light affects your subjects. In class we will cover different types of light that we can use in our photos.

Be careful with hard/harsh light, because it is easy to overexpose.

Your light meter is how your camera 'reads' light. If you can control it, think about or consider which metering mode to use.

The Assignment

Practice taking photos with different types of light using this rubric.

This lesson will continue to explore different types of light that can be used in our photos. In class we will discuss side lighting and back lighting (silhouettes) and look at some examples (in school examples below).

For the silhouette pictures you may have to point your camera at the light part of the scene, hold your shutter half way down, then recompose and take your shot. For some cameras, this will 'lock in' the exposure (focus) info.

The Assignment

Practice taking photos with side and back light using this rubric.

Please, use your flash responsibly. It seems natural to use your flash in a darkly lit room, but it can lead to unflattering pictures. So what should you do? Use the tips below as a guide.

- Using a higher ISO number will give you more light to work with (can add noise to photos)

- Many cameras allow you to change your flash settings, turn it down

- Try to diffuse your flash so it's not so harsh

How should you use your flash? I'm glad you asked. One great use of the flash is a technique called 'fill flash'. Your flash is used to reduce shadows in a scene that typically has enough light. Again, be careful not to overdo it. Check out these links for more info on using fill flash.

The Assignment

Become a flash master by completing this assignment.