October Light: A study in the Quality of Light This monthly side challenge is to study Quality of Light. I find that many images fall short because of lighting and not subject matter. I find consistently finding interesting lighting and angles to the light bring the best results to my work.
If you don't want to read all my blathering simply skip to the last line. :)
Studio work and Natural light are all welcome here :-) I would like this challenge to be a chance for us to work on what subject matter we want to, but try to help each other understand how light affects the subjects. So if you want shoot landscapes go for it, if you want to improve your portrait lighting knock yourself out. :) There are no restrictions to what you want to shoot. This is a chance to study different lighting scenarios. Some examples of different type of light to think about are single light source, back lighting, raking light, volumetric light, reflective light, using flash photography as fill light, as well as natural light for street work, portraits, and 'scapes, low light, night photography where different light sources interact to give interesting colors, the play of light and shadows, using reflectors for fill light. There are many more!
You don't even have to do a photo everyday! Upload shots when you can, everyday would be nice and will help you learn the most IMO, but not realistic for many of us.(Even though I am suggesting this challenge for October it is going to be one of my busiest months and may not get to post a lot of shots.) I would ask to not go to far into your catalog of images to find old photos to post just to have something up and think you are "falling behind." 30 images at the end of the month is not necessary or expected. :)
You don't even have to be on the list to join in! Below is a list of those who showed interest in joining the challenge before October, but if you missed it and want to participate just join in no need to ask permission. I will try to add to the list, but knowing myself it will be one of the first things I'll start lagging on, please don't feel offended. :P
Comments Section of your photo Please explain where the light sources are, time of day, maybe even how you metered your shot. If you used external flashes, how you set them up, anything to help others understand what you did or were trying to do to help you get helpful critique to your shots. :)
I would also encourage us to say what we like about other images but to also try and apply a critical eye to the comments given.
Some helpful links I have found or posted in the sign up thread. If you have more, please post them and I will try and keep this updated. :)
Strobist, An excellent resource for quality lighting especially for those on a budget.
Learning Thread-Landscape Photography-from DPC, taught by Bear_Music and helped out by many other excellent Landscape Photogs. In the first page of the post Bear gives a very good example of types of light in Landscapes, if you take the time to read through the thread there is a ton of knowledge to be had.
Rangerfinder magazine: Its current issue online is about mastering light. Semi-inspiration for this challenge.
One Light Setups: From fredmiranda.com thread This thread is a fairly amazing body of work where users all show examples and set up of single off camera strobe or flash. (and there not all examples of black background the studios, they are all different.)
Light: Science and Magic by Fil Hunter and Paul Fuqua. To anyone who is looking for a book to launch a better understanding of lighting.
Lighting Setup Tools. This might be useful to people who want to share their lighting set-up. It is a PSD file with a bunch of different lights and accessories that you can move around. You can then post a picture of your lighting set-up, might be easier than trying to describe it adequately.
Because I am not going to have time tomorrow, I am posting a studio shot I took a couple days ago with detailed editing steps, the original and my lighting setup.
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Standing under a white tent outside Austin City Hall. Beautiful, even, glowing light. Brightly illuminated, sun-lit white tent above us, orange/white stone all around, great light bouncing from every direction but we are both in the shade. Background is in full sun so blows out when exposed for her skin. Huge catchlights from the brightly lit plaza that we were standing on.
All available light, no modifiers (unless you count the big white tent, plaza, windows on adjacent office buildings etc, but I didn't bring those with me ;) )
I went with my hands on this first picture. You can see in the first picture the sun is at my right. I always take my picture in the shade. The small black/gray square is my background for my hand pictures.
See here:
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Here is how the picture tuned out.
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Levels, hue/sat, sel color, highlight and shadow and tons of dodge and burn :).
Standing under a white tent outside Austin City Hall. Beautiful, even, glowing light. Brightly illuminated, sun-lit white tent above us, orange/white stone all around, great light bouncing from every direction but we are both in the shade. Background is in full sun so blows out when exposed for her skin. Huge catchlights from the brightly lit plaza that we were standing on.
All available light, no modifiers (unless you count the big white tent, plaza, windows on adjacent office buildings etc, but I didn't bring those with me ;) )
I really like the lighting you have here along with the composition. This is very nice. I also like it B/W. It just seems to have alot of impact. Nicely done.
Question from Joe about my day 1: Is the 10 degree grid behind Alex? Yep, behind him pointing up at the paper. Sorry for not adding that to the notes in the first place.
Question from Joe about my day 1: Is the 10 degree grid behind Alex? Yep, behind him pointing up at the paper. Sorry for not adding that to the notes in the first place.
Standing under a white tent outside Austin City Hall. Beautiful, even, glowing light. Brightly illuminated, sun-lit white tent above us, orange/white stone all around, great light bouncing from every direction but we are both in the shade. Background is in full sun so blows out when exposed for her skin. Huge catchlights from the brightly lit plaza that we were standing on.
All available light, no modifiers (unless you count the big white tent, plaza, windows on adjacent office buildings etc, but I didn't bring those with me ;) )
A note to people who are punting their lighting descriptions because they're outside. Gordon shows you how it's done!
