Portrait and Wedding Photography Guide

16
Getting Ready, Continued
Portrait and Wedding Photography Guide
Point Versus Area Light Sources
“Point” light sources are small and “area” light sources, large. Smaller sources naturally generate harder
light and shadows with sharp edges. Larger light sources, on the other hand, produce softer light and
shadows with blurred edges.
The smaller the light source, the harder the light The larger the light source, the softer the light
Lighting Angle
The appearance of your subject changes according to where the light is coming from.
• Direct lighting: Light coming from the same side
as the camera. Details will be clearly visible and
colors vibrant. The lack of shadows does howev-
er tend to flatten relief.
• Side (oblique) lighting: Light coming from the left
or right side. The term “side lighting” is some-
times reserved for lighting coming directly from
one side, with “oblique lighting” used for light
coming at an oblique angle from a source to the
front and side. Side lighting follows contours to
create areas of light and shadow that enhance
relief.
• Backlighting: Light striking the subject from the
side opposite the camera. Light coming at an
oblique angle from behind and to the side is
sometimes referred to as “oblique backlighting”.
Although the light striking the subject from be-
hind throws the side facing the camera into shadow, the edges will be bright. If the main part of the
subject is too dark, you can brighten shadows using exposure compensation or a supplementary
light source such as a flash or reflector panel.
•
Direct lighting Side (oblique) lighting Backlighting
Camera
Side (oblique)
lighting
Side (oblique)
lighting
Oblique
backlighting
Backlighting
Oblique
backlighting
Direct
lighting
Subject