NATURAL LIGHT
| FRONT LIGHT This is when the sunlight hits the subject in full face. You can get a very bright, sharp image, but it tends to look rather flat on the screen, appearing to lack depth. TOP LIGHT This is when the sun is directly above. The shadow area appears in sharp contrast to the lighted area, especially on a clear day. Watch out for a broad-brimmed hat or visored cap, and the shadow under the nose. DIAGONAL LIGHT The sun is halfway between front and top light positions, and a little to the side. This is how we see things illuminated for most of the time. Shots taken in diagonal light looks very natural with proper depth. SHADE When you photograph subjects in the shade, you are getting light from the sun bounced off the sky. This reflective light is slightly blue-tinted and should be corrected with a skylight filter or a warm-up filter. Old hands will know that a skylight filter can be left on the lens for protection as well as correction. It straightens out the excess blue and can partially correct the bluish cast from a heavy sky. (Photos courtesy of Fuji Photofilm Co.) |
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| COMPENSATING With backlit shots you should give extra exposure if you want subject detail in the picture rather than a silhouette. One full stop is a good rule of thumb, but amend this depending on initial results to suit your way of working. |
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