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

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

4
of success in photography is simply a matter of matching digital age, is an accurate way to describe what it is we do.
the right subject with the right light. One of the best ways to develop and deepen your
understanding of light is to pay attention to the many moods
of daylight. You can do this at any time – not just when you
WHY WE CHOSE
have your camera with you. You might find yourself noticing
THIS PICTURE
how beautiful the light is on the shady side of a building,
coming in through a small window, or dappled by the
Natural back-lighting creates a
subtle glow around the hair foliage of a tree. Store that awareness and knowledge away
for when you’re out taking pictures in the future.
Refected light creates an attractive
sparkle in the eyes
Understanding angles
Lighting from one side adds The most fascinating thing about light is its sheer diversity.
contrast and highlights features Contrast, intensity, colour and angle are the four attributes of
most interest to photographers, and it’s the ways in which
better – in fact, the opposite is often true.
More evocative results are achieved when the
light is subtle and directional rather than
intense and overwhelming.
While bright sunny days have a lot going for
them – with the high levels of light giving the
option of fast shutter speeds and small apertures
– the fact that everything is lit fully means the
picture lacks shadows, which can bring subjects to
life. This is particularly true around noon, when
the shadows are not only short but also heavy.
That’s why, whenever possible, you should avoid
the middle of the day – shooting instead early in
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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lower angle of the sun produces longer, more
photogenic shadows.
In winter months, the sun sits low in the sky all
through the day, producing a characteristic ‘raking’ light,
which is ideal for bringing textures and patterns to life.
This is particularly true of buildings and architectural
details, which are great subjects for the winter months,
along with the more barren landscapes you get this
time of year with no foliage around. The way in which
the light strikes the subject is also important. The
narrower the angle, the more detail is revealed.
Another point to bear in mind is that the colour of
light around lunchtime, although generally neutral in
tone, can sometimes suffer from an unpleasantly cool,
blue tint, especially in the shade. The nearer you are to
sunrise and sunset, the more orange, and more
attractive, the light will appear, which helps subjects
such as stonework look their best.
Photographing people
Where you place people in relation to the light is
extremely important. If you put the sun behind you they
will often end up squinting, while the shadows under
their eyes, nose and chin will be rather unattractive.
Placing them sideways to the sun is often not much
better, as one side of the face will be in the shade. With
either option, using some kind of reflective material to
bounce light back into the shadows will give a more
balanced result.
The great thing about using a reflector is you can see
precisely the effect it’s having. As you move it around –
going in closer and pulling away, lifting it up and down
and taking it to the side – you can see shadows change.
Most of the time you want the reflector as close as
possible to the subject without actually appearing in the
picture. With portraits, it will tend to be tipped back at
an angle of 45 degrees. If you’re on your own, and
taking head and shoulders portraits, ask your sitter to
2 bread, fruit, vegetables – or you can have a go with
THE KELVIN SCALE
The colour of light is described by what is know as the
Kelvin Scale, which goes from red at one end to blue
at the other, with white light in the middle. While you
might think it’s only of academic interest to know
what temperature the light is, it can be useful when
you want to compensate for it – and some cameras do
feature Kelvin correction scales. You probably won’t
want to change the colour of a sunset, though, as
that’s what makes it appealing.
KELVIN SOURCE
10,000K Blue sky
7,500K Shade under blue sky
7,000K Shade under cloudy sky
6,500K Deep shade in daylight
6,000K Overcast weather
5,500K Noon daylight/electronic flash
4,500K Afternoon sunlight
4,000K Fluorescent tube
3,5000k Morning/evening sunlight
3,000K Sunset
2,500K Tungsten household lamps
1900K Candlelight
a
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
hold it in their lap just out of view. It also gives them
something to do with their hands.
With portraiture, the rule about quality being more
important than quantity is particularly important, and A great way to produce a romantic portrait is to use candles as illumination. The warm,
the most flattering light for taking pictures of people is soft, wraparound glow they produce is wonderfully atmospheric. Obviously, the more
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
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
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.
but the shadows are soft.
However, the conditions under which we have to
take photographs are seldom ideal, and the results can
sometimes disappoint. If the light is too harsh, one
option is to find a shady area, perhaps under a tree or
canopy, where the pictures can be taken. Cutting out the
toplight means you don’t end up with shadows under
the eyes, nose and chin, and the result is that all the
light comes in from the front and side, producing a
really attractive effect.
That may not, however, be convenient, and another
option is to improvise a little overhead cover by getting
someone to hold a blanket or sheet of card above the
subject for a short while. Another option is to find a
building or wall in front of which you can shoot.
Because the illumination in such spots is reflected,
indirect, it’s wonderfully soft and gentle, and ideal for
most kinds of portraits – although if you want a
‘masculine’ character portrait a more contrasty treatment
will be necessary.
Diffused lighting is great for close-ups, where you
want to preserve the maximum amount of detail.
Garden photographers, for instance, tend to avoid sunny
days in favour of more cloudy, overcast conditions. Some
even like to shoot when it’s raining!
Still-life photography
This is a great time of year to improvise some still-lifes –
by gathering together a number of related or contrasting
items. Items of food can make up an appealing theme –
objects such as tools, crockery and jewellery. Simply find
a suitable spot outdoors, spread out an old piece of
material or sheet of card from an art shop, and arrange
your things on it in an interesting way.
When it rains, of course, or the mercury in the
thermometer starts to drop, you’ll find it more
comfortable shooting indoors. Here your choice is
between window light; flash and ambient lighting; and
room lighting. Of the three, window light is most likely
to give you the best results because it’s the most
controllable. You will, however, need a tripod or some
other means of support to avoid camera-shake.
Using windows is a great way to learn more about
light, so experiment with various rooms and different
times of day. Large windows give a relatively soft
light; with small windows it’s more contrasty. If
you’re into portraiture, try photographing the same
person in a range of settings, altering their position in
relation to the light. Or set up a still-life next to a patio
door, and see what impact it has when you move
things around.
It can also be fun to explore household lighting,
which generally features tungsten bulbs. Most digital
cameras will compensate for the orange light these give
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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The cool blue light of the evening sky is the
perfect foil for the orange glow of the floodlit
cathedral and streetlights
attractive results, but give them a try and see what you
think. If you’ve got a number of table or standard
lamps, you can arrange them as a mini ‘studio’ around
your subject to create some great compositions.
Although it’s quick and easy to use, the built-in
flashgun is probably the least satisfactory approach from
a lighting perspective. There’s plenty of light, but since
you have virtually no control over it, the quality is poor.
All you can do is vary how far you are away from the
subject, but as the illumination will always come from
the front and be a neutral white, there’s little in the way
of shadow or colour to add interest.
Know your light
Harsh light
When you find it: Between 10.30am and 2.30pm on a
bright, sunny day without clouds.
What’s good? Bright sunlight brings colours to life and
provides plenty of illumination to allow use of small
apertures and fast shutter speeds.
What’s bad? With the sun’s high in the sky and very
intense, contrast is extreme, and too great to be able to
record all shadow and highlight tones. Shadows are
shallow, but very dense.
Most suitable for: Architecture, travel, landscapes,
textures and patterns, sport.
Not recommended for: Portraits, close-ups, weddings,
glamour, white subjects.
Making the most of it: Don’t set up with the sun
behind you – the shadows fall away from you and
produce flat and lifeless pictures. Shoot side-on, or into
the light, to get more modelling.
Top tip: When photographing people in this light, either
shoot into the light, or side-on with a reflector or flash
fill-in to soften the shadows.
g
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
shadows, and a tonal range that can be accommodated.
It’s bright enough to allow small apertures and fast
shutter speeds for maximum creative control.
What’s bad? Nothing really – it’s one of the most
versatile kinds of light there is, though it doesn’t
perhaps have quite enough ‘bite’ for some subjects,
where a hard-edged treatment is more appropriate.
Most suitable for: Architecture, sport, textures,
portraits, nature, close-ups, glamour, landscape, fashion.
Not recommended for: Suits most subjects.
Making the most of it: This is light that it’s hard to go
wrong with. Remember, though, it’s still reasonably
contrasty, so you may need reflectors when
photographing people.
Top tip: Get out and make the most of this light.
Diffused light
When you find it: On a day when the sun is covered
by light to medium cloud, in the shade of a building or
under a tree on a sunny day.
What’s good? It’s soft, even in tone, but still produces
soft shadows that give some sense of depth.
What’s bad? Light levels are lower, restricting shutter
speeds and apertures unless you are using a tripod.
Most suitable for: Portraits, still-lifes, white objects,
flowers, weddings, close-ups, glamour, fashion.
Not recommended for: Texture and patterns,
landscapes, architecture, sport.
Making the most of it: This is great for photographing
people. They won’t have to squint, and there are no
nasty shadows under the eyes, nose and chin.
Top tip: Diffused light can sometimes be slightly blue,
so you might need to warm up the image later.
Flat lighting
When you find it: On an overcast day, when heavier
clouds fill the sky.
What’s good? Lack of contrast means tonal range is
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
camera’s white balance controls:
Typical outdoor daylight or studio conditions
can frequently be handled by the camera’s
automatic white balance setting, but
sometimes you need to take manual
control over it. When you have night
subjects illuminated with several different
types of light, or unusual light, and none of
the pre-set equivalents to the conventional
types of film meet your needs, the ‘custom’
white balance setting can be used to adjust
the camera to the available light.
To use the ‘custom’ white balance
setting, point the camera at a white surface
illuminated with the available light so that
the white surface completely fills the field
of view. The CCD can then record the white
light correctly. But using a coloured rather
than white surface has an effect very
similar effect to using a coloured filter on
the camera lens.
1 2 3 4
2 FUN WITH WHITE BALANCE
The first picture is shot
normally with some fill
flash. The second is
overflashed, but the
camera’s white balance
control is also changed from
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A major advantage of digital
photography is being able to switch film
types and invent brand new White Balance
settings for every picture taken. Whether
you want to create a golden glow by
shooting your incandescently-lit subject
with a ‘full sun’ white balance setting, or
you want accurate colour capture, the
control is in your hands.
The first six settings (below) are factory-
installed settings. The seventh and eighth
shots use custom White Balance settings.
Typically, a custom White Balance setting is
created by filling the camera view field
with a white surface such as a piece of
paper. Then the CCD measures the light
so that it knows how to record white
light correctly. However in this case,
instead of using white paper to fill the view
field of the camera, the CCD was ‘tricked’
by using first, a green sheet of paper [7],
and for the second custom setting, a blue
sheet of paper [8].
5 6 7 8
daylight to fluorescent. The resulting image
has an eerie, ghostly quality with the pale,
overexposed subject shown in stark contrast
to the much darker background.
8 What’s bad? It’s flat, with no shadows at all, and
it can have pronounced blue bias. Lower light levels limit
use of fast shutter speeds and small apertures.
Most suitable for: Close-ups, details.
Not recommended for: Architecture, weddings, people
pictures, landscape, textures & patterns, sport, glamour.
Making the most of it: The way to bring a picture to
life under flat lighting is to use bright colours, which can
reproduce as very saturated, especially if fill-in flash is
used to increase contrast.
Top tip: It costs nothing to take a few shots – get out
and practice!
Warm light
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.
What’s bad? Light levels are often low, so care must be
taken to avoid camera-shake.
Most suitable for: Most subjects.
Not recommended for: Subjects requiring long lens
settings and fast shutter speeds, such as sport
Making the most of it: Warm light sometimes doesn’t
last long, and you have to race to beat the sun as it sets.
Top tip: To enhance the effect, use increase saturation
in the computer.
Cool light
When you find it: After the sun has set.
What’s good? Has a magnificent blue tone, giving an
icy cast to all it falls on.
What’s bad? Light levels are extremely low, often too
low for hand-holding, and a tripod is required. The blue
Natural light from windows is one of the
photographer’s greatest tools, creating warmth,
highlights and interest to this long cathedral corridor
light swamps all other colours.
Most suitable for: Shots where atmosphere and mood
are more important than in-yer-face visual impact.
Not recommended for: People pictures, landscapes,
sport, close-ups, nature, texture and patterns, glamour,
architecture, weddings.
Making the most of it: You need to choose a suitable
location in advance.
Top tip: The blue light period of dusk quickly folds into
night – so illuminated subjects such as floodlit buildings
can work well.
Indoor lighting
When you find it: Inside buildings when light is low.
What’s good? It’s better than no light at all!
What’s bad? Often lights are on the ceiling, and the
illumination is like that you get midday outside,
producing hard, contrasty, downward shadows. Tungsten
and fluorescent give orange and green casts respectively.
Most suitable for: Can be good for close-ups and
portraits if care is taken.
Not recommended for: People pictures, sport,
close-ups, nature, texture and patterns, glamour,
architecture, weddings.
Making the most of it: Adjust your white balance
for Tungsten or Fluorescent – or use flash if it’s
too unattractive.
Top tip: If possible, switch off ceiling lights and use
standard or table-top lamps instead.