Photography

Finally I'm getting around to that last promised component of a good photograph - the lighting.

Actually, the lighting is really what makes or breaks a good picture. Especially with digital technology, composition can be re-adjusted after the fact, and just about any subject is potential for a good photo, but bad lighting is the death of beauty in photography. If your lighting is bad, it doesn't matter what else you do - your picture is only as good as your lighting.

So, aside from using studio lighting like the professionals, what can you do to get better pictures?

First, indirect lighting is always best. A cloudy day is better than a sunny day; shade is the photographer's friend. Direct flash rarely gives good results. This is because direct lighting tends to be harsh, with high contrast. Some areas are so bright they are almost blown out; others are lost in dark shadows. Diffused lighting is softer and more even, giving light to every part of the subject.

If you are shooting outside, and it is not a cloudy day, try to stick to the shade. You can always create your own shade; be creative! If you must shoot people in the morning or evening when the sun is low, try to arrange them so that the light is coming from a 45˚ angle behind you - so it is not directly in their faces, but not where it can affect your exposure either.

When working indoors, try to stay in evenly lighted areas so that you do not need to use your camera's flash. Indoor lighting tends to be warmer, giving your pictures a yellowish glow. Most cameras have a white-balance setting that will help with this problem. Play around until the colors look right. Mixed lighting (light from a window and a light bulb) is hard to work with and should be avoided unless you like a challenge.

If you must use flash:
The flash on most cameras is worse than useless most of the time. This is because it flashes a bright light directly on the subject, creating strange back shadows and usually a glare on the front. (This looks very bad on people with shiny foreheads.) I like to use bounce flash, where the light is directed at the wall or ceiling and bounced back to the subject, but many cameras do not have that flexibility. (You have to have a flash that is point-able, usually an extra expense and only compatible with higher-priced cameras.) As an alternative, create your own 'flash director'.

You will need a white plastic spoon (the kind you eat at picnics with). Cup it under your flash while shooting. The spoon will direct your light up (to the ceiling) and it will bounce back down on the subject, giving you more even lighting and less weird shadows. Experiment with different tilts of the spoon until you get a nice result.

Finally, your pictures will turn out better if your light source is to the side of and slightly above your subject. Light from directly in front, as mentioned before, tends to create unwanted shadows.

Good lighting makes for better photos. Pay attention as you take pictures and see what else you can discover about lighting and its effects!