Lighting
by Rolando Gomez
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Lighting is one of the most important and creative elements of any photograph. Whether shooting sports photography or glamour photography, without light, there is nothing--correct exposure of an image is based on reflected light. Great photographers know this, and they know how to "feel the light" in their scenes before shooting a single image. Light should be studied carefully. It's good to learn the four basic types of lighting, Rembrandt, Paramount, Loop and Split, but mastering lighting comes from hands-on experience, learning from the masters, studying others techniques, and always being aware of the light in your scenes.
Experienced photographers "feel" shadows interacting with highlights in their scenes. Leonardo da Vinci, a famous painter, invented a technique known as "sfumato," which causes the "interaction of shadows with light to blend." The phrase, "expose for the shadows, print for the highlights" didn't originate without a reason--it relies on "blended" light like sfumato.
Photographers should look for the blending and feathering of light, in relation to the exposure ability of their film or digital mediums. In addition, photographers should remember good lighting techniques for their subjects. Flat lighting should be used for thin faced, poor complexioned models while more directional lighting should be used for rounded, wider faces and better complexions.
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Studio lights are no different, they come equipped with modeling lights to help guide the photographer to see light and shadows interacting when working with artificial light. Even the least expensive sets of studio lights have built in modeling lights--a photographer needs to use them to their advantage. Modeling lights are not meant to judge for a "correctly" exposed image, they are meant to show sfumato and to help achieve a "proper" exposure.
A 16-inch soft box on a studio flash head will produce flattering, diffused light that is not flat, while providing directional control in achieving the "butterfly," soft-shadow under a models's nose for depth. Photography is 2-dimensional and the proper use of light can make it appear 3-dimensional, the way we naturally see things. The larger the softbox, and the closer it's placed to your subject, the softer the lights and shadows, and more blending of the darks with the lights, especially when using another artist's technique, Chiaroscuro.
A 48-inch or 36-inch soft box on a flash head will give the same effect when placing distance between the light source and the subject while using fill cards and black go-betweens (GOBO's) . These same GOBO's, can also act as "flag" panel to create graduation of light on a background. Photographers can adjust this graduation by either moving their GOBO close to the background for a more abrupt look, or father away for a blended look.
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Taking control of the scene and feeling the light in glamour photography is easily achieved by taking time to look for or create sfumato. Glamour photography is not the same as shooting sports. Take time to feel the light, make it work for the scene and subject. Use sfumato. Great glamour photographers will naturally have sfumato in their photographs separating them from those that take pictures.
©2002 Rolando Gomez
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