A good photographer knows light his or her model.
The word "photography" translates to "writing with light." The way a photographer uses light on his or her subjects can set apart a beautiful photograph from a not-so-great one. A good photographer must understand effectively utilize available lighting in outdoor settings as well as position lights in indoor settings to create beautiful photographs.
Instructions
Outdoor Lighting
1. Take photographs when the sun lies low in the sky, either during early morning or late afternoon. Photograph your subject with the sun shining on one side of her face. Walk around your subject and analyze the light to determine the best angle. Avoid photographing subjects with the sun shining directly on them. This will make the image blown-out and flat with little contrast or separation between the subject and the background. Avoid photographing subjects with the sun directly behind them, as this will backlight them, making them appear very dark.
2. Fill in the shadows on your subject, using your camera's flash or light that bounces off a nearby surface to fill in any dark areas. Position your subject next to a white wall and use the light reflected from it to fill in the shadows. To shoot a backlit subject, such as a person with a sunset behind them, use your flash to fill in his face.
3. Shoot your subject when the sun sits behind clouds. On overcast days, the sunlight becomes diffused, providing soft, even lighting. Photograph subjects in the shade to obtain the same effect.
Indoor Lighting
4. Use the three-point lighting system indoors to add depth and shape to your subject. Gather three studio tungsten lights and three light diffusers. Attach the diffusers to the lights, or set them directly in front of the lights. If you do not have professional equipment, use bright household lamps with tissue paper taped loosely to the lamp or to a frame in front of the lamp.
5. The main light illuminates one side of the face
Place the strongest, brightest light at a 45-degree angle from the camera, slightly above the subject's head, to act as the main light. This light needs to sit closer to the subject than the camera.
6. The fill light brightens up the shadows.
Add a second light, known as a fill light, to illuminate the shadowed places on your subject that the first light created. Place the fill light farther back from the subject than the main light, on the opposite side, at a 45-degree angle. This light should shine almost as strong as the main light, only placed farther back, therefore casting less illumination than the main light.
7. The hair light sets the subject apart from the background.
Add an accent light or hair light to separate the subject from the background by highlighting the subject's hair. Place this light high behind the subject, shining down to skim the top of the subject's head. It should face the camera lens without shining directly into it.
Tags: your subject, main light, fill light, 45-degree angle, Avoid photographing, Avoid photographing subjects, behind them