Lighting Ideas for Photography

Print this articleLighting is a critical creative element in photography. Various photography genres, from glamor to sports, depend on capturing reflected light at the proper exposure. Experienced photographers know to check the light in scenes prior to shooting. They use a variety of tools and techniques to get the light they need to create the desired results.

Related Searches: Light Tents

A homemade light tent can be made using materials such as tent poles, a cardboard box and white fabric or material. They are light weight and easy to travel with, as they can be folded into a small space. A light tent can be set up on location for shooting and can make the subject of a photograph look very bright and intense. The light tent technique is useful for product photography of items such as jewelry, watches, bottles and small items.

Portable Strobes

Photographers use strobe lights for sun-saturated on-location lighting. Unlike built-in flash units, strobe lights may be positioned away from the camera to create a light source from a specific angle to the subject being photographed. Strobe lights can be expensive items to purchase, but used strobe lights can be found at reasonable prices. Portable strobe light flash units are less expensive.

Two Flashes Are Better Than One

When more lighting power is needed, some photographers use two flash units instead of one. Ironically, this technique can be helpful when shooting in daylight conditions with strong sun, modifying the harsh look it creates. The two-flash technique is also useful when using a light-enhancing tool like a soft box or umbrella soft box. In this case, the two flashes help break through the soft light and illuminate the subject.

Sfumato Technique

The painter Leonardo da Vinci created a technique called "sfumato," which causes blending with the interaction of light and shadows. The photography concept of exposing for dark areas and printing for bright color grows out of this technique to recreate "sfumato," or blended light.

Blended Light: Consider the Light Source

Photographers look for sfumato-like blending of light and consider their subjects with the ability of their photographic equipment in mind. The color of a subject is considered as well in relation to the type of lighting used for a photo. They use natural, soft, diffused or hard artificial light depending on where they are shooting and what tools are available. Often a more natural, diffused light is best for creating a sfumato-like effect.

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