Chapter 6: Working with Light
The word photography is derived from two Greek words: photos (light) and graphos (writing or painting). Without a doubt light is the most essential ingredient that goes into making a photograph. Light is also the most variable part of the photographic equation. Light can change instantaneously, whether it is by the hand of the photographer or by the force of nature. Ultimately, the way the light interacts with the subject is the defining factor on the tone and mood of the image.
Working with light, as well as learning to control and manipulate it, is one of the fundamental keys to becoming a successful photographer. If you allow the lighting situation to control your photography you will forever be at the mercy of the light and will never truly grasp the art of photography.
Finding the right light or controlling the light to make it right is the key to setting the tone of your image.
Lighting Essentials
The way light interacts with a subject has an enormous impact on the way the camera records the subject. The angle and direction from which the light is coming, as well as the color of the light source and the quality of the light, all play a part in the way the image appears. All of these things combined affect the mood, tone, and feeling of an image, so it’s pretty important to grasp the basic tenets behind using light for photography.
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