Although this is not something that a person would think about when walking into a room in the first place, it’s something you must do if you are a photographer! Do the fluorescent or incandescent lights in the room you are in? Are the tones cool or warm? Are the lights concentrated at one point or diffused through soft panels? Not all lights are created equal. Each light source has its own unique characteristics, such as brightness, softness, and temperature. Different light sources can be used together or they can be used against one another.
Because of its broad spectrum, natural daylight is considered to be the best light source. Large windows are a great asset. However, direct sunlight can directly hit led lighting your subject so you might need to look elsewhere in the room. In this scenario, the goal is for the sun to bounce around the room and not directly touch your subject.
You’re familiar with the different color temperatures if you have ever purchased light bulbs. You can’t mix and match them. They all look different: bright white, soft white, or cool white. You can find out the actual color temperature of these bulbs by reading the small print. It is measured in units called kelvin. You will need to learn to think in terms of kelvin values as a photographer. The auto-white balance on your camera won’t help you because it can only match one light color to true white. Your shot may be affected if the second or third kelvin light is too bright or too dark.
The sun is the main light source for outdoor photography. It is not advisable to try and overpower the sun using light sources. The exception to this rule is the “golden hour”, when the sun sets at its farthest angle. This time the sun is more intense and gives off a lovely warm glow to subjects.
You’re lucky if it’s cloudy because the sun will already be diffused. Although you won’t see a lot of blue sky, it is important to have your subject well lit. If you’re out in broad daylight, another option is to cover yourself in the shade. If possible, light can be added to the faces of your subjects. It is possible to get blown out if you are shooting in the shade.
Indoors, you will need to control the light. This means that you must be able to use your own light to illuminate the scene. This will be your “key” lighting source. You should also consider turning off lights that distract from your scene. Modern DSLR’s are capable of capturing beautiful images in low light but can’t avoid the effects of mixed lighting.
Contrast is what photographers use to add depth and interest to their images. Contrast is not possible if the image does not include sections that are more brighter than others. While you are creating your image, take a moment to consider what you want in terms of darkness and what you want in terms of illumination. It’s easy to visualize it. Then, position your subjects and lights to create contrast. This will become second-nature over time. We recommend that you have a lamp above your desk, whether you are working on paper or on the computer. If the lighting surrounding the medium is brighter than it is on the paper, your eyes may experience strain.