Principles of Light

Photography
Fundamental of Photography
 LIGHT – Raw Material of SIGHT

 Features of Light
1. Light travels in Straight Line (within common substance of
uniform composition) until obstructed.
2. Light travels at a great speed (3,00,000 Km/Sec through
vacuum). Inversely dependent on medium’s density.
3. Light moves like waves; like ripples in water. Different
wavelengths give sensation of colours
4. Light contains energy particles called Photons.
Light travels in Straight Line
 This applies only within common substance of uniform
composition. But what happens when it reaches a surface.
Three Cases:

1. Reflection
2. Refraction AIR

3. Absorption GLASS
Reflection

When the reflecting surface is smooth and

polished, the reflection is orderly, or specular.
Specular light is reflected at the same angle to
the surface as the light incident to the surface

When the object surface is not smooth and

polished but irregular, light is reflected irregularly
or diffused; i.e. the light is reflected in more than
one direction.

Practically all surfaces reflect both specular and

diffused  light
Refraction | Absorption

REFRACTION
The change of direction that occurs when a
ray of light passes from one transparent
substance into another substance of different
density is called refraction.

ABSORPTION
When light strikes a medium and is neither
reflected nor transmitted (passed on), it is
said to be absorbed.
Refraction
 Other Cases:
 DIFFRACTION
 DISPERSION
Light travels at a great speed
 Light travels at a great speed (3,00,000 Km/Sec or
186,000 Miles/sec through vacuum). It is inversely
dependent on medium’s density. Therefore the
speed of Light is marginally slower in Air and still
slightly slower in denser substances like water and
glass
Light moves like waves
 What you recognise as light is just a part of an
enormous range of ‘Electromagnetic Radiations’.
Basic wavelengths &The Human
Eye
 The human eye seems to contain three kind of
light receptors responding to broad-overlapping
bands of Blue, Red and Green.

 In the later parts of our discussion

you will find how concept of 3
human receptors together
responding to the full colour
system is adapted to make colour
photographic films too.
But how do we see things?

The rays of light, controlled

by the IRIS, enter our eyes
and hit the LENS present in
the eye. The lens converges
the light which falls on the
retina.
These rays then excite the
nerves (Cones and Rods),
which carry message to the
brain through optic nerve.
How is Photo / Light Captured on
Camera?

Working Of Camera ≈ Human Vision Concept

Both have:
•Lens
•Iris
•Recording Medium
Other Hidden Things

Focus
Just like a camera, our eyes also need
to focus. Ever tried this exercise?
inside our eyes This process is
performed by the lens tissues.
In cameras this is done by Optical
Lenses.
Other Hidden Things

Time of Exposure
Most of us have this belief that our
eyes see continuous motion. NO! This is
Untrue. Eyes capture only a frame at a time
just like a photograph. But when we see
successive frames, we perceive motion.

Cameras capture light by fast action of opening

and closing of a shutter.
Wrapping up
 Principles & Features of Light
 How do we see things?
 Camera v/s Human Eye.

 ANY DOUBTS???