Assignment 4: Applying lighting techniques

For this assignment, we are required to take 8 photographs of the same object, using different lighting techniques to demonstrate:

• Shape;
• Form;
• Texture; and
• Colour

For 6 of these I have chosen to convert the image to black & white, as I felt that the monochrome look would convey shape, form and texture better than keeping it in colour.

Shape 1

This is a pretty traditional set-up to show shape, with the light in a softbox fired through the white backdrop.  The Speedlite was set to 1/4 power.  I am also using 2 black screens either side of the subject in order to minimise stray light.

Shape 1:  ISO 200, f/11, 1/125 sec

Shape 2

As an alternative to this approach I changed the lighting to be two snoots providing backlighting with a black velvet backdrop as in this diagram:

The result was like this:

Shape 2: ISO 200, f/11, 1/125

Here I have shown the shape of the pineapple, in particular its leaves, by using minimal light.  My greatest challenge here was to balance two dissimilar Speedlites and two different kinds of "snoot" modifiers.  On the left my Canon Speedlite was set at 1/4 power and the Nissin Speedlite on the right was set at 1/16 power.

Form 1

Here, the intention is to show the volume and depth of the subject through using shadows.  In the first case I used a traditional approach with a key light at 45 degrees to the left of the camera with a fill above the camera.  This is shown in the diagram below:

The result of this lighting arrangement was:

Form 1:  ISO 200, f/8, 1/125 sec

Form 2

For the second of this pair, I moved the key light on the left to be at 90 degrees and at the same height to the pineapple and a silver reflector brought in on the right.  This is shown in the diagram below:

I chose this time to come in close and feature just part of the pineapple.  The result is:

Form 2:  ISO 200, f/16, 1/125

Texture

Texture is concerned with showing surface detail, and there is plenty of it on a pineapple!  For both images I have come in close with the lens and discarded the fill light, but retained the silver reflector.  This is shown below:

This resulted in the following images:

Texture 1:  ISO 200, f/16, 1/125 sec

By having the light running along the surface of the leaves, the fine surface texture can be seen.

Texture 2:  ISO 200, f/16, 1/125 sec

Just as well the spikes which can be seen here are not stiff as these look decidedly lethal.

Colour

Having to change to colour for the final part, I chose 3 alternative approaches.  In the first I am using a macro approach to show the different greens in the skin and the leaves.

Colour 1:  ISO 200, f/22, 1/125 sec

In the second one of this sequence, I have used a second pineapple to show the yellow colour which is associated with pineapple.

Colour 2:  ISO 200, f/19, 1/125

Here I have given greater separation between the subject and the white backdrop to achieve this grey colour, which sets off the colours of the pineapple.  The diagram shows the lights arrangement.  This time both the fill light and the modelling, key lights are at full power.

For the third photo of this sequence, I have added a black backdrop, as I discovered this really dramatically changes the vibrance of the image and shows off the colours.  This is something that I have been playing around with, influenced by the way a black backdrop is used for photographing flowers as a still life.

The result is:

Colour 3:  ISO 200, f/19, 1/125

Final thoughts

I became rather absorbed by this part of the TAOP module and could have spent a great deal more time experimenting with different approaches.  I am particularly interested in studio photography and use of Speedlites in all situations as this gives greater control over light.  Seeing the light and how it is used to bring shape, form and most importantly character to the subject is essential in arriving at the desired result.  

Exercise: Cloudy weather and rain

This exercise looks at the way light changes from clear sunny days through to overcast days and the impact on the image. Many years ago, when I first started taking photographs, the general advice was only to take photographs on sunny days.  This has changed somewhat and photography has become an all weather activity.

Successful photographs do not need to happen just in bright sunlight, in fact that could be detrimental to the result as contrast is likely to be high, the dynamic range of the subject is likely to outside of that which can be successfully captured by the sensor.  When there is a thin layer of cloud, this acts as a giant diffuser or light tent, so whilst  there may not be any shadows and texture may not be as visible, it will be possible to see greater detail which would otherwise be blocked out by the shadows.

There are three parts to this section:

• the same scene in sunlight and cloud;
• overcast; and
• rain

Sunlight and cloud

Here I took advantage of fast moving clouds to capture the same scene under both sunlit and cloudy conditions.  Throughout, the WB was set to daylight.

Top:  Sunlight, ISO 200, f/16, 1/125 sec
Bottom:  Cloud, ISO 200, f/11, 1/125 sec

In the above pair, showing the National Maritime Museum at Greenwich and though there is only one stop difference in exposure, the colour difference is quite marked showing a blue tint to the image.

Left: Sunlight, ISO 100, f/8, 1/250 sec
Right:  Cloud, ISO 100, f/8, 1/90 sec

Again, there is a distinct blueness to the photograph taken in cloudy conditions, with nearly a two stop difference in exposure.

Left:  Sunlight, ISO 100, f/11, 1/250 sec
Right:  Cloud, ISO 100, f/11, 1/60 sec

Photographed in the courtyard in Somerset House, the neutral colour of the stone shows a marked blueness in cloud.  I found it quite a startling change which really was not apparent to me as I took the photograph.  The cloud cover was denser than in the previous photographs in this section and this is reflected in the greater difference in exposure of a full two stops.

In this pair, whilst the sunlight provides the right conditions to show texture, clouds remove this contrast and the strong shadows, revealing more detail in the statue.  This is very much the case in such conditions, as will be further shown in the next section dealing with overcast skies.

Overcast skies

Turning to cloudy and overcast conditions, I consider these to as though there is a huge diffuser between me, the subject and the sun, acting much like a light tent.  The brief calls for three photographs which make use of the shadowless light.  The following photographs demonstrate this.

ISO 400, f/9.5, 1/125 sec

This photograph would have been very difficult to take in full sunshine, with so much gloss varnish!  Here the richness of the colours really show through with minimal reflections.

ISO 400, f/8, 1/60 sec

In this shadowless light, the real detail in this statue and the stonework can be seen.  The subtle green moss / colouring is seen at its best.

ISO 200, f/8, 1/125 sec

Here, again, all the subtle colours of the stones can be seen, as well as the detail of the roots.  It is very likely that in full sunshine, whilst displaying texture the subtlety of the colours and the detail would be lost.

Rain

Generally hated by photographers, after all cameras are not really waterproof, but this can provide plenty of opportunity, not only during the rain, but also after, looking at reflections in puddles and raindrops on surfaces.

ISO 200, f/5.6, 1/180 sec

Stoically enduring the rain, a lone spectator protects her 'territory' at an airshow in early May.  Only in Britain!

ISO 200, f/4.5, 1/80 sec

An abstract effect created by lights shining through a car window during a downpour.  Definitely an opportunistic shot!

ISO 200, f/16, 1/50 sec

 Chairs drying out after a downpour.

ISO 800, f/16, 1/60 sec

A sense of urgency in those legs!

In summary, this was a fun exercise, though finding rain at the right time proved difficult.  From this I have come away with knowing the way colour changes in a cloudy sky, how colours become more saturated in overcast skies and the opportunities there are to be had when it's raining!