I have been wanting to start a thread for images that focus on reflected light and images where the brightest spot in your image has some sort of critical component, usually the subject. There are a few photo groups on Flickr that focus on these subjects and I really enjoy these images.
If reading my ramblings bother you, you can skip to the end for the abridged version of the type of images to post. :P
The first group is based on reflective light, here is a group called "No flash Corner." These images focus on specific type of reflected light where the light is equal or atleast adds highlights to passerbys. It often creates very nice natural contrast.
Here are some DPC examples of reflected light images.
Here is the same Flickr group but presented on flickriver and sorted by the most popular. It shows the best examples first, mine are at the bottom lol!
So how do you find these spots? Outside of large cities it can be tougher but not impossible, you just need to look around for the right things. Often I look for tall buildings with glass windows. The best are facing directly East and West so in the morning and evening the light will bounce off the building like light off of a mirror, or a reflector. Many times you will find splatterings of light as the sun hits windows that aren't evenly shaped and sends the light down onto the street. Are you ever walking down the street and surprised to find yourself momentarily blinded by light? If you are looking down as you walk and see multiple shadows of yourself at different angles? Thats what you are looking for, look on the ground or around you and probably there will be a bright spot on the ground, watch as people pass through these and light comes across their face. I hope this doesn't sound too complicated, its just looking for a specific kind of light. :)
The other light/composition technique I want to see images of is having a critical piece of your image in the brightest part of the photo. Here is a Flickr group called the Brightest Spot and its photostream on FlickRiver. This is Easier to find and is a very effective way to make a dynamic image. Here are some examples from DPC.
And to show this is really effective outside the urban setting look at the recent winner from the mirrors challenge.
If I offered advice on how to shoot these types of shot it can be very easy to get the proper area exposed. Sometimes I just point the camera at the sky and lock that exposure, then look for interesting spots where the light is bright and watch the rest fall into darkness. Or if that doesn't work I will use the spot meter and expose for the brightest spot, maybe the light off the wall and then lock the exposure.
These techniques of looking for reflected light and brightest spots do a few things for me. One, it keeps me attentive for interesting light whole I walk around, I find myself looking for glints of light and how the light filter down between buildings. Second it slows me down, and pre-setting the exposure gets rid of another variable to worry about when the moment arises to click the shutter. Also for those that are worried about shooting candids, it can put a shift in the brain from putting the focus on the people and onto the light. Looking for these spots made it easier for me to shoot people I don't know.
Although I talked mostly about candids, the photos you post do not need to be of people but of reflected light and images that have a focus of interest on the brightest spot.
If you have older photos that you feel fit please post them.
Since this isn't a monthly challenge don't feel you need to comment on everything to post, but it would be nice to leave a few comments if you can.
There is no sign up, just post when you find something that fits.
This is also an area for discussion, if you have tips or links you find please post those also.
Have fun.
Joe
doode, great idea, we should totally make it a side challenge!
here's a few of mine i thought would fit:
and some from my favorites:
damn, actually that's about the only one i found, though they were many i wasn't sure if it was reflected light or not, it's sometimes hard to figure out if it's reflected or just diffused direct light...
eta: nevermind, i guess the ones i posted above are all "brightest spot", so yeah there are more of those in my favorites like
[thumb]540271[/thumb]
still not sure what falls under the "reflected light" rule...
Kinda a brightest spot sort of thing, but more metered and exposed for the dark, yielding the two very bright sections. So maybe not exactly what you were looking for, but a very good use of light just the same.
Alright, some people added some photos!!! Thanks. :)
I was thinking this could be a place to post images of our own as we take them too. These can also be challenge entries posted here. unlike other side challenges that are a month long, I would like this thread to be more like the blur thread which people just post when they find something that fits.
Thanks for posting, I hope more join.
A reflected light shot from SF
I will add that if you have a shot that you think fits, go ahead and post it. I am pretty lax on rules.
The light here is reflected off some christmas decorations strung up in the mall in the city. They are like huge silver reflectors. Very minimal editing on these, slight levels and curves adjustment and a sharpen.
