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The Importance of Shadows in Photography
Walking into a dimly lit room can be the photographer’s worst nightmare. Dark walls, low lighting, and strange shadows are enough to make even the calmest photographer anxious. Does this sound familiar? When I first started, I was considered a nature photographer.
Because we are facing it, I don’t know how to use my flash, and more importantly, I don’t know how to read the light. Yes, I am right. As a photographer, not only can you see the light, you also need to learn to read the art of lighting-the type of light, the quality of the light and how the light affects your final image.
The more people and locations I start to photograph, the more I realize, but finding light in the shadows is not really that scary or daunting.
Master the shadows
Imagine if you could walk into any indoor lighting environment and think about yourself, “Yes, I got it”, you would feel confident. I’m not saying that off-camera flash or flash is used to light up the entire scene like the firework show on July 4th. I mean only use the available light to create some magical photos.
Don’t get me wrong now, I still like photos taken under natural light because they feel really relaxed, ventilate, and invite me. But low-key shooting, embracing the shadows to create some dramatic portraits, is equally interesting and exciting.
In the past few years, I have only taken photos in bright, open, natural light conditions. Living in Chicago, our summer is very short, and autumn is usually a mixture of rain, thunderstorms and rain. I quickly learned that I need to get out of my comfort zone, figure out how to take pictures indoors, and do it creatively.
What I learned quickly is that shadows play a very important role in shaping light, setting mood, rendering depth and creating drama. In the absence of floor-to-ceiling multiple windows, shooting in a well-lit room, embracing the shadows may be the perfect solution to unleash your creativity.
1. Gear Selection
If you choose between the main lens and the zoom lens, choose the former. The material is generally considered to be a fast lens with an aperture of f/1.8 or larger and allows light to reach the camera’s sensor. My Canon 50mm f/1.2 spends 80% of the time shooting indoors on my camera.
Make sure to also measure appropriately. I use spot metering most of the time and set my center point on the brightest area on my subject’s face/skin. This in itself will help to obtain a clearly illuminated image. It will expose the highlights correctly and allow the rest of the scene to provide shadows for various tones.
Make sure you expose it correctly. If the capture is underexposed, trying to correct it in post-processing will only increase the noise. In general, no matter where I shoot, I tend to overexpose at least 1/3 of my photos. I find that this allows me to minimize noise and preserve as much detail as possible in the shadows.
My white balance is set to automatic. You can choose to set the white balance through the custom Kelvin function to reduce processing time later. I found that in most cases, it works well in Auto, and I can make adjustments in post-processing if necessary. Learn to deal with some noise by increasing the ISO, especially if the room is really dark.
2. Single Light Source
A single light source, such as a small window or an open door, can do wonders for your image. When you work in a dark space and limited light, you will be surprised at the light you actually need.
If you have windows facing north, they tend to bring a softer, more targeted light, rather than facing east or west. Depending on where the sun is in the sky at the time of shooting, these lighting will bring intense light.
The magic of backlight
The woman is facing the window, her figure is evenly illuminated. But the black curtain behind it makes the background almost black-I really like the light and dark drama that takes place in this photo-by placing the subject in a specific position.
3. Direction and Quality of Light
The direction and quality of light play an important role in the mood of the image. Therefore, understanding the type, nature and purpose of each method will help you make an informed decision on how to achieve your ultimate goal.
Emphasizing focused light tends to enhance the overall drama of the image, emphasize texture and detail, and produce sharp, sharp-edged contrast shadows. The soft diffused light gives soft shadows, and the feathered edges gently recede (make them tremble), making it smoother and more flexible for human subjects to minimize texture and details (ie defects).
The angle and direction of the light you choose depends on your shooting style and your intentions for the image or session. Normally, I would not place the subject at the position of the light source because it can provide a flat one-dimensional appearance to the features of the subject. I prefer to illuminate the depth and size of my subject from the side to give the subject’s functionality and the rest of the frame.
Backlighting themes have their uses, especially if your purpose is a somewhat abstract theme to get an airy, dreamlike feeling.
On the left, the bride is facing the window, so the light on her face is gentle. On the right, the bride faces the window, but at an angle of 45 degrees. So her portrait is a more dramatic light and shadow.
4. Mathematical Photography
The mathematical law of inverse square describes how the illumination of a light source decreases in distance.
Imagine that the beam of a spotlight widens and dims in the distance. Now focus the beam close to the spotlight, the light will become harsh. But if you move the subject in a straight line 6 feet away from the light, how much light will the subject reduce? As the distance doubles, the light hitting the subject is reduced by three-quarters.
In the real world, suppose you have a background you can use, maybe a surface can reflect light. Add all types of diffusers and filters to modify the light source, and choose the position of the object relative to the background and light source, as well as the placement of yourself and the camera.
Normally, you can add drama to the image by placing the subject close to the light source and away from the background. The light will illuminate the subject, and everything behind you will turn into a shadow. This is a quick and easy way to create a dark background in the camera. Conversely, placing the subject closer to the light source will illuminate the light and shadows more evenly (the background will also become lighter).
On the left, the woman is farther from the light source, so compared to the image on the right facing the window light, she is more in shadow and closer to the light source. So there was more light coming down her face from the window.
5 Modify or Mold Your Light Source
If you find yourself well-lit, using modifiers is an easy way to control the amount and intensity of the object’s lighting.
Tulle curtains and blinds can be used to reduce or diffuse light, making it softer and more subtle. You can reduce the size of the light source by using blackout curtains or partially closing the door to increase shadows and increase drama. Remember, the more light you shine, the less intense the shadow.