7 Key Ingredients For Light in Photography

7 Key Ingredients For Light In Photography – Parker Photographic
7 Key Ingredients For Light In Photography
https://parkerphotographic.com/7-key-ingredients-for-light-in-photography/[2024-03-26 23:25:01]
The most essential element in all of

photography is light. In fact,
without it, you couldn’t create a
photo!
This lighting guide is the core

foundation you need to know to master
lighting in photography.
In this lighting guide, you’ll

discover the four characteristics of
light and the three behaviors of
light. These seven core concepts will
give you a head start in your journey
as a photographic artist.
If you are ready to learn the

wonderful and magical world of light,
let’s get started.
Table of Contents
Light IS Photography?
Do you know the true meaning of
“photography”?
Get ready to have your mind blown. I hope

you’re sitting down and ready. Here it is…
According to Wikipedia, the word photography
was created from Greek roots…
 φωτός (phōtos)
 genitive of φῶς (phōs), "light"


and γραφή (graphé) "representation using lines" or "drawing"
So, photography is the art of drawing (or

painting) with light.
How cool is that!
She’s taking “seeing” to a

whole new level! Photo
by Gabriel Santos.
Learn To See the Light & Then Paint

With It
We take light for granted. It’s all around
us, and we see it constantly. But, I would
like you to take a moment and just look
around you to consciously “see” the light.
Where is the light coming from, and in what

direction?
Is the light soft or harsh?
What color is the light?
How bright is the light?
As you consciously look at the light, you

will begin to notice the four characteristics
of it. It also behaves (or interacts) in
three distinct ways within our environment
too.
As you learn to see how the characteristics

of light alter your image, you’ll then be
able to paint with it to fulfill your
creative vision. Knowing how light behaves
will give you a better understanding of the
science of light.
Oh, and yes, both will help you become a

better photographer!
The Four Characteristics of Light

In the last section, you did a quick exercise to look at the light around
you.
Those questions I asked you included the four characteristics of light.
You are now going to take a deep dive into these four characteristics to
help you better “see” the light.
ONE.
the Color of Light
Next time you go for a walk what

color is the light? Photo by
Eric Villalobos.
The color of the light changes continuously

throughout the day. This can be seen more
so during sunrise or sunset. At those
times, the color tends to be much warmer
and saturated with blues, oranges,
purple’s, and more.
But, during the middle of the day, you’ll

notice the color is more subdued and white
to blue.
Under the shade of a tree, the color

changes again, and you’ll notice that it
will be bluer.
If you take a look at the artificial

lighting in your home or office, the color
is different again. A lamp will tend to be
more yellow to orange. Fluorescent lighting
is more green to blue.
So the question is, why are all these

different sources of light emitting a
different color?
That’s a great question, and let’s explore
why that is.
This represents the Kelvin Scale. The color of light ranges from 1,000 degrees to 10K.
Mixed lighting. Notice the

color of the light from the bulb
vs. the natural light.
"See" the color of light.
The colors that are being emitted are being

done so at different temperature levels.
Light itself can be measured in what is
known as a Kelvin temperature.
Kelvin temperature is a color scale that

represents, well, the temperature of light.
On a bright sunny day (in the middle of the

afternoon), the Kelvin temperature is
around 5500 degrees, and the color is
white.
But, when the sun sets, the color

temperature will be closer to a Kelvin of
1000 – 3000. Depending on the time of the
setting sun.
A table lamp is on the lower end of the

Kelvin scale as well. This is why it tends
to be more yellow.
Unless, of course, you purchased a bulb

that is “white balanced.” In that case, it
is going to be closer to the color during
the middle of the day (white).
Capture the color of light to shape your stories.
So why is the color of light vital to you

as a photographer?
Well, the color you capture can help you

tell a story based on the mood a specific
color portrays.
White & yellow represents warmth, fun, and

happiness.
Blues and greens could represent cold, sad,
and sick.
Yellow can portray sickness too.
You wouldn’t want to take a portrait of

somebody and use light that’s going to
paint them with blues, greens, or even too
much yellow.
One, it’s going to make their skin-tones

look unnatural
Two, it’s going to make that person look
unhealthy
TWO.
the Quality of Light
Look under the chin of both

images and notice the difference
in the shadows. One is softer
than the other. Click to
enlarge.
Photos by Renato Anati.
There are two properties in regards to the

quality of light. Soft light or hard light.
The quality of it is a direct result of the
intensity of the light.
"See" the quality of light.
The quality of light can be seen in the

highlights and shadows of everything around
us. As well as in the images that we
create.
In regards to highlights, the quality of

light is considered to be hard light when
those highlights are brighter. If they’re
less intense, then it’s considered to be a
soft light.
The quality can be better seen in the

shadows. Take a look at both images to the
left. What do you see?
The shadows in the first image have a

harder edge and are more defined vs. the
second photo.
Change the quality of light.
One of the easiest ways to make your light

softer is by diffusing it. As the sun hides
behind a cloud, it instantly becomes
softer. As soon as the sun peeks around
that cloud, it becomes more intense or
harder.
If you’re using artificial lighting, you

can cover it with a diffuser to make it
softer. Another option for creating soft
light is to bring the light source closer.
If you want to create hard light, then move

the light source away from your subject.
The further the distance, the harder it
becomes.
Use the quality of light to tell a story.
The quality of your light can mean

different things based on whether you’re
using hard or soft light.
 Hard lighting can represent strength or chaos

 Soft lighting could represent elegance or surreal
THREE.
the Intensity of Light
Photo by luizclas.
The intensity of light refers to how bright

or dim it is. The strength is related to
the quality of light as well. Intense
lighting is harsher. Whereas less severe
can be softer.
Although the light from the sun is

constant, it can be more or less intense,
depending on the time of day.
"See" the intensity of light.
At noon, the sun is at its brightest. As

the sun begins to set, it’s not as intense.
Once the sun has set and the stars come

out, we have a new light source.
However, the intensity of the stars is much

lower versus the sun at any time of day.
Then, if we look at the light being
reflected off the moon, it’s much more
intense than the stars.
So the question is, how can you adjust the

intensity of light for your photographs?
Let’s find out.
Change the intensity of light.
When it comes to ambient light in

photography, we are limited in how we can
adjust that intensity. We either have to
wait for the time of day to change, use
reflectors to increase the strength, or use
diffusers to lower it.
With artificial lighting, we have more

control over the intensity of the light.
You can decrease it by moving the light
source closer to your subject. Or to
increase it, move the light source away
from your subject.
Use the intensity of light to tell a story.
Using the intensity of light can also help

you tell a story based on its strength.
Intense lighting can be used for portraying

1
strength or chaos
Less severe light can represent something to be

2
soft, elegant, or surreal
Intense lighting can also be used for

specific types of photography.

Low-key photography is used with less intense lighting
 High-key photography uses more intense lighting
FOUR.
the Direction of Light
Backlighting and sometimes side

lighting (in this image) are
perfect for creating
silhouettes. For this image, I
exposed for the sun which
created the silhouette.
Side lighting can be tricky with

outdoor portraits. It all
depends on your vision for the
shot. Photo by Renato Anati.
Side lighting can also be bold,

strong, or dramatic. Photo
by Máximo.
The direction of light is our fourth

characteristic that you have to consider to
create the type of image that you want.
In essence, there are four basic lighting

concepts in photography in regards to the
direction of lighting.
Side lighting
1
Backlighting
2
Front lighting
3
Overhead lighting
4
These four basic options can dramatically

change the appearance of the subject in
your photograph. This is due to the
direction of light transforming the shadows
on your subjects.
Shadows by themselves can tell a story of

what it is you’re photographing and is
directly affected by the direction of the
light.
"See" the direction of light.
In outdoor photography, your primary light

source is the sun. And of course, the sun
is mostly overhead.
However, depending on the time of day, the

direction of that light can come from
different angles, which can illuminate your
scene differently. This, in turn, changes
the shapes and sizes of the shadows.
When the sun is low, you’ll notice that the

shadows are longer versus shadows during
the middle of the day.
Change the direction of light.
When it comes to the sun, we can’t change

the direction of that light source.
But, if we are photographing people, we can

move them in a way to change the direction
from which they’re being lit. The same is
true of any other object that can be moved.
At least in regards to the front, side, and
backlighting.
When using artificial light, you have more

control over the direction of it. The use
of light stands, boom arms, and more can
help you change the angle and direction of
it based on your creative vision.
Use the direction of light to support a story.
Being aware of the direction of light can

help you shape and tell stories about your
particular photo.

Top lighting for portraits can create a mysterious or
bold type of look
 Side lighting can be dramatic


Front lighting is flat and reveals the subject in detail

Backlighting can be ethereal or surreal and can hide
details
These are general rules, of course. It all

depends on a variety of factors including
but not limited to: additional lighting,
fill light, exposure settings, and more.
Do You Know the 3 Behaviors of Light?

Now that you know the four characteristics of light, it’s now time to
learn the three behaviors of it. These behaviors are part of the 7 key
ingredients to understanding and mastering lighting in photography.
ONE.
the Reflection of Light
Water is a specular reflection.
The eyes are specular

reflections. Take a closer look
at the eyes and you’ll see
people being reflected.
The rest of the face are

diffused reflections.
Click to enlarge.
As you may or may not know, everything

around us is reflecting light. When the
light is being reflected off of a surface
that allows us to see everything in our
world.
Then the different colored wavelengths

reflect back the colors of those objects.
Things can also change based on the type of

surface of that particular object. A
textured surface is going to reflect light
differently versus a smooth surface.
Specular Reflections
When you have a smooth surface like a

mirror, metal, or even water, that type of
reflection is known as a specular
reflection. A mirror reflects 99.9% of the
light, and what you see is yourself or
whatever is in front of it.
If you look at other similar types of

surfaces, like tire rims, water, your eyes,
you’ll see a reflection of yourself more or
less depending on the surface.
But on some level, all objects reflect

light, which is why we can… that’s right…
see them.
Diffused Reflections
When light strikes a surface that is

irregular like paper or skin or something
rough like a stone, you get a diffused
reflection.
So what happens is when that light strikes

that surface, it will be scattered in all
different directions.
In most cases, objects that do not have a

specular reflection are then considered
diffused reflections.
Although most objects have a combination of

both a smooth and a rough surface.
And we can definitely see that in this

photo.
Here we have the specular reflection in the

eyes, and then pretty much the rest of the
face is a diffused reflection.
So when the light strikes your pet, you can

get both a specular and diffused
reflection. It all depends on the surface
itself.
TWO.
the Absorption of Light
Behind the water we can see some

foliage which “transmits” the
color through it.
Surfaces will reflect a certain amount of

light, as demonstrated previously. Any
light that is not reflected is instead
absorbed by the surface. Which brings us to
our second behavior… absorption.
Every object basically absorbs some

wavelengths of light and reflects others.
And as you know, that’s how we’re able to
see the objects and the colors of those
objects.
So the amount of light reflected or

absorbed by something will affect the way
that object looks in terms of brightness
levels.
In the image of our waterfall here, we can

see that we have a lot of tonal ranges from
whites to dark.
The brighter areas like the falling water

are reflecting the most light. The darker
areas of the image are absorbing more of
the light and making them appear darker.
Absorption will also impact how you see

different colors when the light is absorbed
by the surface.
Wavelengths (the color) of light are

absorbed by a surface. Anything that
reflects back is the color of the object.
THREE.
the Transmission of Light
Here the light is being

transmitted through the trees.
You’ll need to be careful for
situations like this.
Otherwise, the color of the
leaves will dominate the skin-
tones. Fixed in post-

production.
Our third behavior is transmission.

Transmission of light is when it hits the
surface and passes through it.
For example, when it passes through a

window that is transmission in action.
Diffused Transmission
There’s also another type of transmission

called diffused transmission, which is
similar to a diffused reflection in that
the light will be scattered.
But the difference is it doesn’t scatter

until it passes through the surface. You
can see this when sunlight passes through a
cloud.
Also, as the light transmits through an

object, the color of the light will change
based on the color (s) of the object.
You can see this when you place a person

under a tree with bright sunlight. The
color of the sun is white at hi-noon. But,
as it transmits through the leaves it takes
on the color of the leaves.
Lighting For Photography Is a

Journey
Now that you know the four
characteristics and the three
behaviors of light, you have the key
ingredients for photography
lighting. But the journey doesn’t
end here. In fact, mastering light
is a lifetime endeavor.
The next step is to learn how to
control light based on your creative

vision for a particular shot with
photo equipment, like:
 Reflectors
 Skims
 Speed-lights
 Strobes
 And more
What's Next?
Here are some more articles to help you create
exceptional photos:
What is Aperture in photography?

What is Shutter Speed in photography?
What is White Balance?
7 key ingredients for light in photography
Parker
A 30-year photography pro with a desire to help you achieve your creative vision! Facebook |
Youtube
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7 Key Ingredients For Light In Photography – Parker Photographic

The most essential element in all of

This lighting guide is the core

In this lighting guide, you’ll

If you are ready to learn the

Get ready to have your mind blown. I hope

According to Wikipedia, the word photography

was created from Greek roots…

 genitive of φῶς (phōs), "light"

So, photography is the art of drawing (or

How cool is that!

She’s taking “seeing” to a

Learn To See the Light & Then Paint

Where is the light coming from, and in what

Is the light soft or harsh?

What color is the light?

How bright is the light?

As you consciously look at the light, you

As you learn to see how the characteristics

Oh, and yes, both will help you become a

The Four Characteristics of Light

the Color of Light

Next time you go for a walk what

The color of the light changes continuously

But, during the middle of the day, you’ll

Under the shade of a tree, the color

If you take a look at the artificial

So the question is, why are all these

That’s a great question, and let’s explore

why that is.

Mixed lighting. Notice the

"See" the color of light.

The colors that are being emitted are being

Kelvin temperature is a color scale that

On a bright sunny day (in the middle of the

But, when the sun sets, the color

A table lamp is on the lower end of the

Unless, of course, you purchased a bulb

Capture the color of light to shape your stories.

So why is the color of light vital to you

Well, the color you capture can help you

White & yellow represents warmth, fun, and

You wouldn’t want to take a portrait of

One, it’s going to make their skin-tones

the Quality of Light

Look under the chin of both

Photos by Renato Anati.

There are two properties in regards to the

"See" the quality of light.

The quality of light can be seen in the

In regards to highlights, the quality of

The quality can be better seen in the

The shadows in the first image have a

Change the quality of light.

One of the easiest ways to make your light

If you’re using artificial lighting, you

If you want to create hard light, then move

Use the quality of light to tell a story.

The quality of your light can mean

 Hard lighting can represent strength or chaos

the Intensity of Light

The intensity of light refers to how bright