How to light your pictures

Primetime:

With tight deadlines looming, Globe photographers often don't have the luxury of dictating what time of day we shoot our assignments. But given the choice, most photographers would prefer shooting early in the morning or later in the day.

An hour or so after sunrise, or about an hour before sunset is typically primetime for photographers. This light, with its warm, diffuse and directional qualities, creates a recipe for good photography.

It's best to try to avoid shooting at mid-day as the sun is directly overhead and is often harsh and unflattering.

Available light vs. flash:

Direct, on-camera flash doesn't usually yield very favourable results (as point-and-shoot users will attest). The light is flat, harsh and boring.

So if you do need to use an artificial light source, it's best to try to position the flash away from the camera - ideally on a light stand. This will create a more pleasing quality of light.

(Note: For off-camera positioning of your flash you'll require a sync cord or a wireless transmitter to fire your strobe.)

Low-light situations sometimes dictate that the only course of action is to use a flash, but when the opportunity presents itself, try switching off your strobe and using available light. It can often be a more effective option and will produce more natural-looking photographs.

Look for windows, especially north-facing windows, which provide beautiful light. This may require increasing the camera's ISO setting in order to attain a higher shutter-speed and avoid blurry frames.

A word of caution here: be sure to not position your subject directly in front of the window or you'll have a backlit subject.

Bounce flash:

'Bounce-flash' is a simple technique that can provide more natural lighting in indoor situations.

Rather than using a direct on-camera flash, simply pivot the flash head toward the ceiling (I usually try to aim the flash head to a spot on the ceiling midway between the camera and the subject). This will 'bounce' the flash off the ceiling and down onto your subject.

Not only does this help diffuse the light source, it also allows the light to fall onto the subject at a much more natural angle.

It is also helpful in this situation to use a small reflector card attached to the flash, which directs a small amount of light forward and fills in shadows, particularly around the eyes. The reflector card will also put a nice catch light in the eyes of your subject which will help give them that sparkle.

Some flashes will also swivel side to side to allow the light to be bounced off a nearby wall, providing more dramatic side lighting.

Shooting a silhouette:

While a backlit scene is often a tricky lighting situation, the results can be visually striking. For example, a silhouette, when properly executed, can be dynamic and dramatic.

In order to shoot a silhouette when shooting a backlit subject, expose for the background (use the camera's spot meter to determine the correct exposure). This will cause your subject to be underexposed and fall into shadow.

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