teacher: kenji tachibana digital photography i. copyright © 2003 – 2009 kenji tachibana side,...

Teacher: Kenji TachibanaDigital Photography IDigital Photography I.

Copyright © 2003 – 2009 Kenji Tachibana

Side, Beauty, & CatchSide, Beauty, & Catch

LightLight

Teacher: Kenji TachibanaDigital Photography IDigital Photography ISide, Beauty & Catch LightSide, Beauty & Catch Light

PPhotography: Draw with lighthotography: Draw with light

My usual recommendation is to use sidelight. My usual recommendation is to use sidelight. It’s the recommended method for drawing form It’s the recommended method for drawing form and texture. And sidelight also tends to bring and texture. And sidelight also tends to bring depth (dimension) into an image. depth (dimension) into an image.

Although, over doing the sidelight will cause Although, over doing the sidelight will cause important subject detail to be lost into the important subject detail to be lost into the shadows. Therefore, the exact amount of side shadows. Therefore, the exact amount of side lighting is directly tied to your story intention.lighting is directly tied to your story intention.


SSilverback Gorilla:ilverback Gorilla:

He would agree that He would agree that sidelight is making him sidelight is making him look strong. Females of look strong. Females of his kind swoon over the his kind swoon over the catch light in his eyes.catch light in his eyes.

Sidelight also shows off Sidelight also shows off his soft hairs which his soft hairs which contrast well against the contrast well against the pitted boulder behind pitted boulder behind him, his environment.him, his environment.


FFace & Light Direction:ace & Light Direction:

He is facing towards the He is facing towards the light, which makes the light, which makes the lighting more frontal on lighting more frontal on his face. his face.

There is also a modest There is also a modest secondary light source secondary light source on the left side which on the left side which comes from the bounce comes from the bounce (reflected) light source.(reflected) light source.


TThe Lady:he Lady:

She loves him but she’s She loves him but she’s holding her tong about holding her tong about her feelings. her feelings.

The side light is doing a The side light is doing a nice job of drawing her nice job of drawing her beautiful profile. And beautiful profile. And check those gorgeous check those gorgeous catch light in her eyes catch light in her eyes and wonderful wrinkles.and wonderful wrinkles.


MMind Your Own:ind Your Own:

He doesn’t find gorillas He doesn’t find gorillas attractive. He loves his attractive. He loves his own kind…. own kind….

But sidelight has no But sidelight has no prejudice. It even makes prejudice. It even makes him look charming.him look charming.

Oops, I am only Oops, I am only assuming that it is a he assuming that it is a he based on the beard on based on the beard on his face.his face.


EEdge Lighting:dge Lighting:

Extreme sidelight was Extreme sidelight was Used to draw skin textureUsed to draw skin textureFor this lighting classFor this lighting classexample. The sidelight inexample. The sidelight inthis case is coming fromthis case is coming fromthe top.the top.

There is white card justThere is white card justbelow the hand bouncingbelow the hand bouncingback fill-light to separateback fill-light to separatethe hand from the blackthe hand from the blackBackground. It also helps to make the fingers look round. By using Background. It also helps to make the fingers look round. By using reflected (bounced) light, the image retains the single light source reflected (bounced) light, the image retains the single light source look & feel.look & feel.


New Terms:New Terms:

1.1. Bounced light – light reflected off of any Bounced light – light reflected off of any surface. White is the most often used surface. White is the most often used ‘Reflector’. But silver, gold, or even black ‘Reflector’. But silver, gold, or even black might be used. Color reflectors are also used.might be used. Color reflectors are also used.

2.2. Look & feel – a phrase used by image Look & feel – a phrase used by image makers to talk about the overall visual effect makers to talk about the overall visual effect of an image. of an image.

Example –I want a grungy, industrial, or an Example –I want a grungy, industrial, or an elegant look & feel. Please try to visualize elegant look & feel. Please try to visualize

grungygrungy, , industrialindustrial, and , and elegantelegant..


Detail: Tells allDetail: Tells all

Notice how the extreme sidelight, Notice how the extreme sidelight, which happens to be coming which happens to be coming from the top, draw every tiny fold from the top, draw every tiny fold and wrinkle in the skin.and wrinkle in the skin.

The light came from an ordinary The light came from an ordinary household lamp with household lamp with an adjustable headan adjustable headas shown. Becauseas shown. Becausethe light source isthe light source isThe same size as the hand, it’s a The same size as the hand, it’s a broad-source light.broad-source light.


Beauty Light:Beauty Light:

A 6’x4’ soft-box (extreme broad-A 6’x4’ soft-box (extreme broad-source) light positioned above source) light positioned above the camera with an additional the camera with an additional 2’x2’ white reflector below the 2’x2’ white reflector below the camera softening the light and camera softening the light and opening up the shadow.opening up the shadow.

The light height is higher than The light height is higher than normal because it’s not a normal because it’s not a portrait. The story is about the portrait. The story is about the skin.skin.

Front light used to tell the Front light used to tell the flawless skin story. It flattened flawless skin story. It flattened the texture making the skin look the texture making the skin look smooth. That’s what the client smooth. That’s what the client Vidal Sassoon wanted in this Vidal Sassoon wanted in this skin care product ad shot.skin care product ad shot.


Conclusion: Tendencies and requirementsConclusion: Tendencies and requirements

Side light is great for creating strong texture and Side light is great for creating strong texture and dimensionality in an image. Front light is flat and dimensionality in an image. Front light is flat and tends to hide texture. Combining flat front light tends to hide texture. Combining flat front light with soft broad-source can be used to make skin with soft broad-source can be used to make skin look beautiful.look beautiful.

Catch light is a must for portraits. Although many Catch light is a must for portraits. Although many commercial people-shots are not about capturing commercial people-shots are not about capturing people. Catch light can easily take attention away people. Catch light can easily take attention away from the product being sold.from the product being sold.

Image making is always about telling a story…Image making is always about telling a story…

Teacher: Kenji TachibanaDigital Photography IDigital Photography I

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teacher: kenji tachibana digital photography i. copyright © 2003 – 2009 kenji tachibana side,...

Documents

light light slide

light t

gorgeous catch light

light f ace light direction

broadsource light

reflected bounced light

light p hotography

light new terms