If you want to capture the personality of a character, you need to find different angles of light, or you need to pay attention to some skin details. The following is a more in-depth discussion of the use of light and dark levels, so that Model can jump out of the screen, and the use of light from the surrounding background to simplify the overly complex background.
The timely use of reflectors to correct the color tone in the picture is also a very important part. Later, I will tell you what to do to make the image of the screen more detached and outstanding!
Table of Contents
Contour Light Highlights the Contour Lines of the Characters
Contour light is used to express the contour lines of the subject, and it is mostly expressed by backlighting. When the subject and background shades overlap, such as when the subject is dark and the background is dark, the contour light can achieve the effect of separating the subject from the background.
In the artificial light source, the contour light is often used in conjunction with the main light source and the auxiliary light source. It can give more layer changes to the tone of the picture and enhance the beauty of the picture.
The picture below was taken in a dark environment at night. The photographer uses artificial light as the contour light to express the contour lines of the subject. The screen is shot with backlighting. In order to avoid underexposure of people, the photographer combined other light sources to fill up the subject.
Background with Light and Dark to Enhance Picture Level
The background is an integral part of the image and an important factor that sets off the subject, and can highlight the subject’s performance more effectively.
In portrait photography, the use of light and dark backgrounds to highlight the characters can enhance the sense of layering of the picture. The background is also one of the elements that express the sense of space in the picture. Combining the foreground or the subject to create a three-dimensional space effect can highlight the subject.
The contrast of light and dark in the background of the picture is strong, and the contrast is large, which makes the picture more layered. The lower shooting angle shows the unique characteristics of the girl. The girl in the picture has a natural demeanor, and the look in the distance adds a dramatic effect to the picture.
Simplify the Picture with the Sky as the Background
Using the angle of upside-down shooting, with the sky as the background, makes the subject more prominent, and also enhances the sense of space in the picture, extending the line of sight to the distance.
People are used as the basis for metering to avoid overexposure of the sky and underexposure of people. The concise background is conducive to highlighting the main character. However, you must carefully choose the object to be exposed during exposure to avoid underexposure or overexposure.
The color of the shooting environment in the picture below is mainly green. In order to avoid the phenomenon of color cast in the picture, the photographer used the silver reflector to fill in the light of the person, and balanced the color of the picture, so that it was restored to normal.
Use a Translucent Plate to Filter the Light When Shooting in the Woods
When shooting in the woods, light passing through the tree canopy easily forms a spot of light, which makes the light distribution uneven. Such light will cause uneven distribution of skin tone. It is recommended to place the light-transmitting board above the character, and the light will be softened by the light-transmitting board, so that the contrast of light and dark is reduced and becomes more uniform.
In the picture below, the photographer placed the light-transmitting plate above the person to filter the light. The soft light makes the person’s skin tone even. Choose a background with a small difference between light and dark and avoid light spots in the background to reduce the picture contrast.
Waterside Shooting to Avoid Strong Reflections on the Water Surface
Shooting young girls at the water’s edge can express the beauty of young girls. But we all know that the water surface is easy to cause reflections under the sunlight, so as to destroy the effect of the picture. The use of a polarizer can eliminate or reduce the reflection of the water surface. In the absence of a polarizer, you should adjust the shooting angle and choose a non-reflective position for framing.
Combine the flash to balance the strong sun rays and make the subject stand out. At the same time, in order to avoid reflections on the water surface under strong light, the photographer chose to shoot at a low angle to obtain an ideal picture effect.
Use Reflectors to Prevent People from Turning Green When Shooting on the Grass
The environment can not only highlight the subject in the screen, but also express the shooting theme. The color of the surrounding environment often easily affects the color of the subject, and even causes the subject to have a color cast phenomenon. The reflector can reflect the light to change or compensate the color of the picture to correct the slight color cast.
In the picture, the main character is located on the green grass and the surrounding environment is green. In order to prevent the environmental color from affecting the color of the main character’s clothes, a reflector is used.
Reduce the Contrast of the Picture Under Direct Sunlight
Direct light is hard light, which can cause strong shadows on the subject. The contrast of light and dark in the picture is strong, and the contrast is big. This kind of tonal effect appears stiff, which is not conducive to the performance of the characters.
In such a light environment, the flash should be used to balance the light and reduce the contrast to enhance the expressiveness of the characters.
The image below was taken under direct sunlight. In order to avoid direct light from causing a strong shadow effect on the picture, the photographer uses a flash to balance the picture so that the picture contrast is relatively reduced and the picture tone becomes more harmonious.
Blue Background Light Adds a Sense of Mystery to Night Portraits
Blue is a cool, pure color, giving people a sense of melancholy, calm, and mystery. When shooting night portraits, using blue light as the background of the picture can create a mysterious atmosphere. When shooting night portraits, you can directly use the night portrait portrait mode provided by the camera, which is convenient and quick. At the same time, manual mode can also be used to express characters more accurately.
The image below is a portrait taken with dim light at night. The use of blue light as the background of the picture creates a mysterious atmosphere and at the same time outlines the outline of the subject.