DISCOVERING LIGHT
The purpose of this assignment is to explore the characteristics of light. Even though you’re working with a static situation, you’ll find that a lot of the principles you apply in this assignment, will stick with you and you’ll be looking for it in the field.
Step 1. Preparing for Shooting Materials and Equipment
1. Preparing for Shooting
① Tripod with head for easy angle adjustment
② Camera with 50mm Standard Lens
③ Flashlight and Rolled some paper up as a cone shape
④ Black and White background
⑤ USB Cable and Extension Cable for Tethered Capture
⑥ Subject in terms of shapes and textures
: Purchased a motorcycle figure from HomeGoods
: Purchased a motorcycle figure from HomeGoods
⑦ Lights with diffusers
: Purchased from Amazon, 2 Lights 1 Set $50
: Purchased from Amazon, 2 Lights 1 Set $50
I purchased it about $50 from Amazon, It has 2 Lights 1 Set.
There are many expensive and much better lighting equipment
but I'm a student and I think it's a good product for the purpose of exploring lights.
It can be adjusted the lights angle from narrow to wide range
and also it can be attached with the diffusers.
2. Set up for Shooting
① Connect the USB Cable from Camera to Computer for Tethered Capture
② Camera Turn On
③ Run Adobe Lightroom
④ Adobe Lightroom, Main Menu -> File -> Tethered Capture -> Start Tethered Capture
You can see the pop up window
for Tethered Capture
You can control to Shutter, Aperture, ISO, WB.
Just press the Shutter Button.
Step 2. Take pictures
Camera Basic Settings
① Manual Mode
② Spot Metering on the Subject per each scene
③ Manual White Balance from the White Background under set lights
④ Lens 50mm Fixed
⑤ Keep the distance from subject to the camera
HIGH KEY IMAGE
HIGH KEY IMAGE - Camera Settings : M Mode, Spot Metering, Manual White Balance, 50mm 1/6 sec at f/8.0, ISO 100
Camera setting :
M mode and spot metering on the subject (1/6 sec at f/8.0, ISO 100)
and set up from manual white balance on the background.
Lights setting :
Used 2 lights and attached the diffusers.
To remove the shadow and for a pure white background,
Placed 2 lights on the both sides.
LOW KEY IMAGE
LOW KEY IMAGE - Camera Settings : M Mode, Spot Metering, Manual White Balance, 50mm 1.3 sec at f/5.6, ISO 100
Camera setting :
M mode and spot metering on the subject
(1.3 sec at f/5.6, ISO 100)
and set up from manual white balance.
Lights setting :
Used 1 lights and attached the diffuser.
For the perfect black background,
I have adjust the lighting to lower angle
and made the light reach only the subject.
FRONT LIGHTING
FRONT LIGHTING - Camera Settings : M Mode, Spot Metering, Manual White Balance, 50mm 1/6 sec at f/8.0, ISO 100
Camera setting :
M mode and spot metering on the subject
(1/6 sec at f/8.0, ISO 100)
and set up from manual white balance
on the background.
Lights setting :
Used 1 light without the diffuser.
Placed the light with narrow angle from the front side.
TOP LIGHTING
TOP LIGHTING - Camera Settings : M Mode, Spot Metering, Manual White Balance, 50mm 1/3 sec at f/8.0, ISO 100
Camera setting :
M mode and spot metering on the subject
(1/3 sec at f/8.0, ISO 100)
and set up from manual white balance on the background.
Lights setting :
Used 1 light without the diffuser.
Placed the light with wide angle from the top side.
SIDE LIGHTING
SIDE LIGHTING - Camera Settings : M Mode, Spot Metering, Manual White Balance, 50mm 1/4 sec at f/8.0, ISO 100
Camera setting :
M mode and spot metering on the subject
(1/4 sec at f/8.0, ISO 100)
and set up from manual white balance on the background.
Lights setting :
Used 1 light without the diffuser.
Placed the light with narrow angle from the left side.
BACK LIGHTING
BACK LIGHTING - Camera Settings : M Mode, Spot Metering, Manual White Balance, 50mm 1.0 sec at f/8.0, ISO 100
Camera setting :
M mode and spot metering on the subject
(1/4 sec at f/8.0, ISO 100)
and set up from manual white balance on the background.
Lights setting :
Used 1 lights and attached the diffuser to prevent any flare.
Placed the light with wide angle from the back side.
EMPHASIS ON TEXTURE
EMPHASIS TEXTURE - Camera Settings : M Mode, Spot Metering, Manual White Balance, 50mm 1/4 sec at f/8.0, ISO 100
Camera setting :
M mode and spot metering on the subject
(1/4 sec at f/8.0, ISO 100)
and set up from manual white balance
on the background.
Lights setting :
Used 1 light without the diffuser.
Placed the light with narrow angle from the top diagonal
to emphasize the texture.
CONCENTRATED LIGHT
CONCENTRATED LIGHT - Camera Settings : M Mode,Spot Metering,Manual White Balance,50mm 1/3 sec at f/8.0, ISO 100
Camera setting :
M mode and spot metering on the subject
(1/3 sec at f/8.0, ISO 100)
and set up from manual white balance on the background.
Lights setting :
Used 1 light without the diffuser.
Placed the light with narrow angle from the front left
for concentrated light effect.
DIFFUSED LIGHT
DIFFUSED LIGHT - Camera Settings : M Mode, Spot Metering, Manual White Balance, 50mm 1/8 sec at f/8.0, ISO 100
Camera setting :
M mode and spot metering on the subject
(1/8 sec at f/8.0, ISO 100)
and set up from manual white balance on the background.
Lights setting :
Used 1 light without the diffuser.
Placed the light with narrow angle from the front left
for diffused light effect.
LIGHT PAINTING
LIGHT PAINTING - Camera Settings : M Mode, Spot Metering, Manual White Balance, 50mm 10.0 sec at f/16, ISO 100
Camera setting :
M mode and set 10 sec at f/16, ISO 100
and set up from manual white balance on the background.
Lights setting :
Turned off all lights.
For 10 sec, draw over the subject using the flashlight attached with a paper rolled up like a cone.
REFLECTION
We need a lot of understanding to take good photos. Perhaps the most important aspect is the 'light'. Because photos cannot be created without the light, it is essential for a photographer to have a good understanding about light.
As long as we have an understanding about light, other theories can be said to be nothing more than seasonings for flavor, as an analogy to food.
Light seems easy to understand, but it is really difficult as well. It seems that the beginning and the end of photography is the understanding of the light. Mastering the types and properties of light will take a very long time and experience.
Since exposure and metering are all different depending on the type of light, it is meaningless to study theoretical exposure and metering unless you have a various experience with light.
Light has its own characteristics. We have to decide what to take and what exposure to take depending on the light situation. So, it is very important to decide what kind of light and what kind of characteristics it has in the situation we are shooting.