Sequence viewing > Light & Lighting - Resource - ©
Lloyd Godman
Light in Photography - LIGHTING - FLASH
LIGHTING -
STUDIO
FLASH LIGHTING - THE
SECRET
The secret of using the studio flash light or in fact any camera,
is to keep things as flexible in your mind as possible, and learn
to "read" the light and shadow areas of the subject from the
position of the camera the way film will record it, NOT the way our
eye does.
HOW
THE CAMERA SEES
When we substitute a single glass lens and chemical emulsion for the
human eye there is a great difference. The camera can take the photograph
in a fraction of a second or perhaps over several minutes. It is not
capable of scanning the scene or remaining selectively on one area
or another the way the human eye does. The iris does not respond to
light changes during the exposure or to the varying intensity of light
on various parts of the subject. Consider that if the film is black
& white, the sensitivity will not record colour and even the black
and white values will not be relative to the brightness range as seen
by the eye.
Unless
we direct then light onto the subject as we intend and use the aperture
and shutter controls to produce the desired effect, the camera will
record all information with impunity. Nothing will be intensified
nothing will be neglected. It is the photographers responsibility
to notice the smallest details control the scene as they require it
for the photograph.
Because
of the single lens of the camera, dimension will be lacking and, of
course we can not hope to automatically capture the beauty, mood or
aesthetic qualities that may have been observed in the original scene.
These values and other desirable effects must be "created" by the
photographer through their knowledge and skill.
With
experience, it is possible to acquire what is known as a "camera eye".
This is when you have the ability to interpret a scene in terms of
how it will appear on the film and adjust the situation before the
exposure is made.
LOOK
WITH ONE EYE
In developing a "camera eye", it will be helpful if you get
in the habit of viewing the scene with one eye closed. This
takes away the three dimensional effect and the planes of the
picture are as the single lens of the camera sees them. |
Move over image to view roll over image
|
SQUINT
It can also be helpful to squint the eye which has the effect
of compressing the light range of the scene. When doing this,
we see less detail in the shadows, which is more like the way
the film will "see" the scene. When we look at the scene, it
is usually possible to see detail in the shadow areas as well
as the brilliantly lighted areas. However, the photographic
film does not record highlight and shadow detail in the same
relationship as seen by the eye. |
Move over image to view roll over image
|
Want to learn more? - do a workshop or one on one with Lloyd Godman
|