FEATURE HOW TO USE LIGHT

YOUR GUIDE STEVE BAVISTER

Steve is a photographic journalist and freelance photographer. He is editor of The
Photographer, a leading magazine for pro photographers, and author of ten books
on photography including Digital Photography and Take Better Family Photos

[email protected] PORTFOLIO STEVE BAVISTER

Get light right!

Many photographers take light for granted, and don’t give it a second thought. But, says Steve Bavister,
learning to make use of its many moods is the key to taking great pictures

I
t’s a common misconception among It’s not an exaggeration to say that light is the single most they combine through the day and in
photographers that certain kinds of light are important element in any picture. In many ways it’s our raw different weather conditions that gives
‘good’ while others are ‘bad’. They’ll often glance material. You can have all the cameras, lenses and choice and control.
out of the window, decide the weather isn’t suitable, and accessories in the world, but without light you won’t get One of the principal things to understand
pack their equipment away for another day. very far. The word ‘photography’ derives from the Greek in relation to light is that quality is far more
But all light is useful in certain situations – and the secret work, meaning ‘painting with light’ – which, even in this important than quantity. More doesn’t mean

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of success in photography is simply a matter of matching digital age, is an accurate way to describe what it is we do. better – in fact, the opposite is often true.
the right subject with the right light. One of the best ways to develop and deepen your More evocative results are achieved when the
understanding of light is to pay attention to the many moods light is subtle and directional rather than
of daylight. You can do this at any time – not just when you intense and overwhelming.
WHY WE CHOSE
have your camera with you. You might find yourself noticing While bright sunny days have a lot going for
THIS PICTURE
how beautiful the light is on the shady side of a building, them – with the high levels of light giving the
coming in through a small window, or dappled by the option of fast shutter speeds and small apertures
Natural back-lighting creates a
subtle glow around the hair foliage of a tree. Store that awareness and knowledge away – the fact that everything is lit fully means the
for when you’re out taking pictures in the future. picture lacks shadows, which can bring subjects to
Refected light creates an attractive life. This is particularly true around noon, when
sparkle in the eyes
Understanding angles the shadows are not only short but also heavy.
Lighting from one side adds The most fascinating thing about light is its sheer diversity. That’s why, whenever possible, you should avoid
contrast and highlights features Contrast, intensity, colour and angle are the four attributes of the middle of the day – shooting instead early in
most interest to photographers, and it’s the ways in which the morning and late in the afternoon, when the

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LIGHT FANTASTIC
Different light levels will produce different moods. Take meter
readings from different parts of the scene to see how the
mood changes – and remember to jot the best ones down

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You can capture long rays of sunshine by positioning the sun behind a building or
other object so the rays fan out in a star shape. Use a narrow aperture setting and
watch through the LCD to capture the moment when the light fans out

2 CANDLELIT PORTRAITS
lower angle of the sun produces longer, more hold it in their lap just out of view. It also gives them
photogenic shadows. something to do with their hands.
In winter months, the sun sits low in the sky all With portraiture, the rule about quality being more
through the day, producing a characteristic ‘raking’ light, important than quantity is particularly important, and A great way to produce a romantic portrait is to use candles as illumination. The warm,
which is ideal for bringing textures and patterns to life. the most flattering light for taking pictures of people is soft, wraparound glow they produce is wonderfully atmospheric. Obviously, the more
This is particularly true of buildings and architectural directional but diffuse – the kind you get on a sunny day candles you use the brighter the light will be – and the places you can put them in order
details, which are great subjects for the winter months, with wispy clouds or indoors through a large window to give the best effect. If you have the option of switching off your camera’s white
along with the more barren landscapes you get this covered with a net curtain. Subjects are fully illuminated balance it’s a good idea to do so – otherwise all that attractive mood will be removed.
time of year with no foliage around. The way in which but the shadows are soft.
the light strikes the subject is also important. The However, the conditions under which we have to
narrower the angle, the more detail is revealed. take photographs are seldom ideal, and the results can
Another point to bear in mind is that the colour of sometimes disappoint. If the light is too harsh, one
light around lunchtime, although generally neutral in option is to find a shady area, perhaps under a tree or
tone, can sometimes suffer from an unpleasantly cool, canopy, where the pictures can be taken. Cutting out the
blue tint, especially in the shade. The nearer you are to toplight means you don’t end up with shadows under
sunrise and sunset, the more orange, and more the eyes, nose and chin, and the result is that all the
attractive, the light will appear, which helps subjects light comes in from the front and side, producing a
such as stonework look their best. really attractive effect.
That may not, however, be convenient, and another
Photographing people option is to improvise a little overhead cover by getting
Where you place people in relation to the light is someone to hold a blanket or sheet of card above the
extremely important. If you put the sun behind you they subject for a short while. Another option is to find a
will often end up squinting, while the shadows under building or wall in front of which you can shoot.
their eyes, nose and chin will be rather unattractive. Because the illumination in such spots is reflected,
Placing them sideways to the sun is often not much indirect, it’s wonderfully soft and gentle, and ideal for
better, as one side of the face will be in the shade. With most kinds of portraits – although if you want a
either option, using some kind of reflective material to ‘masculine’ character portrait a more contrasty treatment
bounce light back into the shadows will give a more will be necessary.
balanced result. Diffused lighting is great for close-ups, where you
The great thing about using a reflector is you can see want to preserve the maximum amount of detail.
precisely the effect it’s having. As you move it around – Garden photographers, for instance, tend to avoid sunny
going in closer and pulling away, lifting it up and down days in favour of more cloudy, overcast conditions. Some
and taking it to the side – you can see shadows change. even like to shoot when it’s raining!
Most of the time you want the reflector as close as
possible to the subject without actually appearing in the Still-life photography
picture. With portraits, it will tend to be tipped back at This is a great time of year to improvise some still-lifes –
an angle of 45 degrees. If you’re on your own, and by gathering together a number of related or contrasting
taking head and shoulders portraits, ask your sitter to items. Items of food can make up an appealing theme –
2 bread, fruit, vegetables – or you can have a go with
objects such as tools, crockery and jewellery. Simply find
THE KELVIN SCALE a suitable spot outdoors, spread out an old piece of
The colour of light is described by what is know as the material or sheet of card from an art shop, and arrange
Kelvin Scale, which goes from red at one end to blue your things on it in an interesting way.
at the other, with white light in the middle. While you When it rains, of course, or the mercury in the
might think it’s only of academic interest to know thermometer starts to drop, you’ll find it more
what temperature the light is, it can be useful when comfortable shooting indoors. Here your choice is
you want to compensate for it – and some cameras do between window light; flash and ambient lighting; and
feature Kelvin correction scales. You probably won’t room lighting. Of the three, window light is most likely
want to change the colour of a sunset, though, as to give you the best results because it’s the most
that’s what makes it appealing. controllable. You will, however, need a tripod or some
other means of support to avoid camera-shake.
KELVIN SOURCE Using windows is a great way to learn more about
10,000K Blue sky light, so experiment with various rooms and different
7,500K Shade under blue sky times of day. Large windows give a relatively soft
7,000K Shade under cloudy sky light; with small windows it’s more contrasty. If
6,500K Deep shade in daylight you’re into portraiture, try photographing the same
6,000K Overcast weather person in a range of settings, altering their position in
5,500K Noon daylight/electronic flash relation to the light. Or set up a still-life next to a patio
4,500K Afternoon sunlight door, and see what impact it has when you move
4,000K Fluorescent tube things around.
3,5000k Morning/evening sunlight It can also be fun to explore household lighting,
3,000K Sunset which generally features tungsten bulbs. Most digital
2,500K Tungsten household lamps cameras will compensate for the orange light these give
1900K Candlelight by using the white balance. Ceiling lights rarely produce

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SUNSETS
With its warm orange light and long shadows,
sunset is the perfect time to capture architecture,
landscapes and people. You’ll have to hurry
though – as the light never lasts long

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If you are photographing a sunrise or sunset, and want the sun in the picture, make
sure you take a meter reading of a sunless patch of sky – otherwise you will
underexpose your picture. And never view the sun directly

Raking light
When you find it: Early morning and late evening on a
2 STILL-LIFE PHOTOGRAPHY
bright, sunny day, and in winter when the sun doesn’t The soft tones and shadows of diffused light are ideal for close-up pictures where they
get as high in the sky. expose every inch of detail (top photograph) and can be used to create a more dreamy
What’s good? It’s a photogenic light that produces long ambience (bottom photograph).
shadows that give a strong sense of depth to a picture.
Adds mood to many types of photography, and is
excellent for bringing landscapes to life.
What’s bad? Although not as extreme as harsh light,
raking light is still too contrasty for some subjects,
especially people.
Most suitable for: Texture and patterns, architecture,
landscape, nature, sport, travel.
Not recommended for: Portraits, glamour, close-ups,
weddings, fashion.
Making the most of it: The earlier you go out, and the
later you stay out, the longer the shadows will be – and
the longer the shadows, the more dramatic the shot.
Top tip: Be on the look out for pictures where the
whole point is the shadow.

Bright light with shadows

When you find it: On a sunny day with light cloud..
What’s good? Although still contrasty, it produces softer
The cool blue light of the evening sky is the shadows, and a tonal range that can be accommodated.
perfect foil for the orange glow of the floodlit It’s bright enough to allow small apertures and fast
cathedral and streetlights shutter speeds for maximum creative control.
What’s bad? Nothing really – it’s one of the most
attractive results, but give them a try and see what you versatile kinds of light there is, though it doesn’t
think. If you’ve got a number of table or standard perhaps have quite enough ‘bite’ for some subjects,
lamps, you can arrange them as a mini ‘studio’ around where a hard-edged treatment is more appropriate.
your subject to create some great compositions. Most suitable for: Architecture, sport, textures,
Although it’s quick and easy to use, the built-in portraits, nature, close-ups, glamour, landscape, fashion.
flashgun is probably the least satisfactory approach from Not recommended for: Suits most subjects.
a lighting perspective. There’s plenty of light, but since Making the most of it: This is light that it’s hard to go
you have virtually no control over it, the quality is poor. wrong with. Remember, though, it’s still reasonably
All you can do is vary how far you are away from the contrasty, so you may need reflectors when
subject, but as the illumination will always come from photographing people.
the front and be a neutral white, there’s little in the way Top tip: Get out and make the most of this light.
of shadow or colour to add interest.
Diffused light
Know your light When you find it: On a day when the sun is covered
Harsh light by light to medium cloud, in the shade of a building or
When you find it: Between 10.30am and 2.30pm on a under a tree on a sunny day.
bright, sunny day without clouds. What’s good? It’s soft, even in tone, but still produces
What’s good? Bright sunlight brings colours to life and soft shadows that give some sense of depth.
provides plenty of illumination to allow use of small What’s bad? Light levels are lower, restricting shutter
apertures and fast shutter speeds. speeds and apertures unless you are using a tripod.
What’s bad? With the sun’s high in the sky and very Most suitable for: Portraits, still-lifes, white objects,
intense, contrast is extreme, and too great to be able to flowers, weddings, close-ups, glamour, fashion.
record all shadow and highlight tones. Shadows are Not recommended for: Texture and patterns,
shallow, but very dense. landscapes, architecture, sport.
Most suitable for: Architecture, travel, landscapes, Making the most of it: This is great for photographing
textures and patterns, sport. people. They won’t have to squint, and there are no
Not recommended for: Portraits, close-ups, weddings, nasty shadows under the eyes, nose and chin.
glamour, white subjects. Top tip: Diffused light can sometimes be slightly blue,
Making the most of it: Don’t set up with the sun so you might need to warm up the image later.
behind you – the shadows fall away from you and
produce flat and lifeless pictures. Shoot side-on, or into Flat lighting
the light, to get more modelling. When you find it: On an overcast day, when heavier
Top tip: When photographing people in this light, either clouds fill the sky.
shoot into the light, or side-on with a reflector or flash What’s good? Lack of contrast means tonal range is
fill-in to soften the shadows. easily handled, so no detail whatsoever gets lost. 8

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FEATURE HOW TO USE LIGHT

2 YOUR CAMERA’S WHITE BALANCE CONTROLS

Pete Bobb reveals more about your A major advantage of digital
camera’s white balance controls: photography is being able to switch film
types and invent brand new White Balance
Typical outdoor daylight or studio conditions settings for every picture taken. Whether
can frequently be handled by the camera’s you want to create a golden glow by
automatic white balance setting, but shooting your incandescently-lit subject
sometimes you need to take manual with a ‘full sun’ white balance setting, or
control over it. When you have night you want accurate colour capture, the
subjects illuminated with several different control is in your hands.
types of light, or unusual light, and none of The first six settings (below) are factory-
the pre-set equivalents to the conventional installed settings. The seventh and eighth
types of film meet your needs, the ‘custom’ shots use custom White Balance settings.
white balance setting can be used to adjust Typically, a custom White Balance setting is
the camera to the available light. created by filling the camera view field
To use the ‘custom’ white balance with a white surface such as a piece of
setting, point the camera at a white surface paper. Then the CCD measures the light
illuminated with the available light so that so that it knows how to record white
the white surface completely fills the field light correctly. However in this case,
of view. The CCD can then record the white instead of using white paper to fill the view
light correctly. But using a coloured rather field of the camera, the CCD was ‘tricked’
than white surface has an effect very by using first, a green sheet of paper [7],
similar effect to using a coloured filter on and for the second custom setting, a blue
the camera lens. sheet of paper [8].

8 What’s bad? It’s flat, with no shadows at all, and Natural light from windows is one of the
it can have pronounced blue bias. Lower light levels limit photographer’s greatest tools, creating warmth,
use of fast shutter speeds and small apertures. highlights and interest to this long cathedral corridor
Most suitable for: Close-ups, details.
Not recommended for: Architecture, weddings, people light swamps all other colours.
pictures, landscape, textures & patterns, sport, glamour. Most suitable for: Shots where atmosphere and mood
Making the most of it: The way to bring a picture to are more important than in-yer-face visual impact.
life under flat lighting is to use bright colours, which can Not recommended for: People pictures, landscapes,
reproduce as very saturated, especially if fill-in flash is sport, close-ups, nature, texture and patterns, glamour,
used to increase contrast. architecture, weddings.
Top tip: It costs nothing to take a few shots – get out Making the most of it: You need to choose a suitable
and practice! location in advance.
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Top tip: The blue light period of dusk quickly folds into
Warm light night – so illuminated subjects such as floodlit buildings

2 FUN WITH WHITE BALANCE When you find it: Late in the evening of a sunny day.
What’s good? It’s a beautiful warm light that bathes
everything in a golden orange.
can work well.

Indoor lighting
daylight to fluorescent. The resulting image What’s bad? Light levels are often low, so care must be When you find it: Inside buildings when light is low.
has an eerie, ghostly quality with the pale, taken to avoid camera-shake. What’s good? It’s better than no light at all!
overexposed subject shown in stark contrast Most suitable for: Most subjects. What’s bad? Often lights are on the ceiling, and the
to the much darker background. Not recommended for: Subjects requiring long lens illumination is like that you get midday outside,
settings and fast shutter speeds, such as sport producing hard, contrasty, downward shadows. Tungsten
Making the most of it: Warm light sometimes doesn’t and fluorescent give orange and green casts respectively.
last long, and you have to race to beat the sun as it sets. Most suitable for: Can be good for close-ups and
Top tip: To enhance the effect, use increase saturation portraits if care is taken.
in the computer. Not recommended for: People pictures, sport,
close-ups, nature, texture and patterns, glamour,
The first picture is shot Cool light architecture, weddings.
normally with some fill When you find it: After the sun has set. Making the most of it: Adjust your white balance
flash. The second is What’s good? Has a magnificent blue tone, giving an for Tungsten or Fluorescent – or use flash if it’s
overflashed, but the icy cast to all it falls on. too unattractive.
camera’s white balance What’s bad? Light levels are extremely low, often too Top tip: If possible, switch off ceiling lights and use
control is also changed from low for hand-holding, and a tripod is required. The blue standard or table-top lamps instead.

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