more color...

[Dana Grant]

Here's another COLORFUL photo!!

I'm still working on the reflection problem......I have made some progress, but still experimenting!!

What I love about my new camera -- In order to obtain vibrant colors, I don't have to punch up the saturation -- the pictures come out of the camera vibrant and colorful!! I love this!

[Jonathan Long]

Dana,

Some reflections or highlighting is desired... it gives items in the picture depth (a 3D quality). Think of it as a "Catchlight" in a persons portrait, without the catchlight the persons eyes look dull and lifeless.

From the look of the picture.. your light was above the camera and to the left (look around the M & M's and you can see a soft shadow being cast).

Try moving your light so that it's behind the subject and to the left, then use a reflector below the lens and to the right (and as close to the subject as you can get without it showing in the picture). You'll find that the catchlight moves towards the back of the subject - making it appear to be rim light. The reflector will soften the shadow cast towards the camera (below the edge of the M & M's) and provide fill light giving you the sense of the M & M's being 3 demensional.

You can change the size and shape of the catchlight by choosing different light modifiers. I'm guessing that you used a square softbox - based on the shape of the highlight... If you had used an umbrella the highlight would have been round... If you had used a long thin light source - then that's the shape you would see as the highlight...

Get it? LOL....

[Dana Grant]

Well, actually, maybe I do get it........Every time I tried this, I used the light on the same side as the camera -- I really didn't try using it behind the subject, it was usually behind or beside or near ME (the camera). DUHHH.....that really does make perfect sense. In fact, it makes sense when I think of several pictures that I've taken lately -- I might just have to try all of them again!!!

Thanks, Jonathan -- I always learn something from you!!!

Dana

[Jonathan Long]

Directional lighting can make a huge difference in how subjects look.

I knew that you were keeping the light close to the camera position, at one point I mentioned that:

the angle of incidence = the angle of reflection

What does that mean???

1. Try shooting a flash picture facing directly into a mirror and see the results. (Hint, close your eyes when taking this picture.)

2. Try shooting a flash picture facing the mirror at any 45 degree axis angle and see the results.

The results will be very obvious.

Direct light follows a straight path. Indirect light reflects (or bounces) off objects, which diffuses the light and makes it appear softer.

Imagine shooting a portrait outside at 1:00 in the afternoon on a bright sunny day. The sun is glaring down on your subject from overhead, it creates shadows under the chin, nose, and even the eye sockets. Not a very flattering picture????

Now imaging shooting the same picture at the same time of day.... with the difference being that there is a light layer of clouds in the sky or finding a spot in the open shade ( where the light is present but not direct , like under a tree )... You can still see some shadows, but they're much softer. The portrait would turn out better than using the ddirect bright sunlight....

Let's take it one step further..... Light clouds fill the sky, you can see light shadows (like the last setup) under your subjects chin, nose and eye sockets... You know that you want to reduce those even further.... Here comes one of your favorite subjects.... fill flash or using a reflector: If you turn your flash on and adjust the output so it's about 1/2 stop less exposure than the light provided by the sun. Or you can use a reflector to "bounce" or redirect some of the existing light into the shadow areas. The side benefit of either one of these is that they will also provide you with a catchlight in the subjects eyes, avoiding the "dead eye" look.

Everyone of us has taken a picture of light shimmering on the surface of water... it makes the water seem alive. For that picture to be taken the camera needs to be positioned close to the waters surface, otherwise you can't see the glimmer created by the sun. Angle of incidence = the Angle of reflection

Everyone has looked up and seen a rainbow as they were travelling..... at one point the colors of the rainbow seemed more brilliant: the angle of incidence = the angle of reflection.... as you moved the rainbow seemed to have disappeared: the angle of incidence = the angle of reflection

I hope this helps.... Understanding light is a college course by itself for photographers. This was a crash course on one of the most important things you can learn...

Applying what you learn shows that you understand what was taught....

Don't be afraid of making a mistake, you might discover a lighting style that becomes your signature style... Try moving lights around, try using different light modifiers, don't buy anything from a photo store... be creative; tracing paper, silk, car windshield sun screens, foam core sheets,

Are we having fun yet????

[Jonathan Long]

Just to add a bit more info to the above post....

If you use a flexible reflector (such as white poster board) you can "curve" the fill light it provides. That comes in handy when you have an unusual shaped object that you're photographing, it will allow you to keep the distance from the reflector to the objest constant - which in turn keeps the "fill light level" constant.

If you use a colored reflector: the light it reflects will transmit the color of the reflector. If your light source is colored already (such as an evening sky) and you use a flash for the fill in light, you'll notice that the flash produces a light that appears almost blue. This can be corrected by adding a colored gel to the flash to closer match the mainlight source. Or you could use a white or silver reflector to provide the fill light needed.

Photographers also use items called "gobo's". These are used to go between a light source and the object so that no light can travel directly from the source to the object. They're usually used to remove a "hotspot" that shows up on the object. The trick in using them is in the placement of the gobo... to far away from the object and the "hotspot" isn't eliminated... To close to the object and the shadow of the gobo appears on the object... Gobo's don't have to be solid, light blocking items, they could be nylon that will diffuse the light enough to accomplish the task...

Working with light as photographers is a lifelong skill.... After all, As photographers all that we do is capture light.

[Dana Grant]

Yes, I can understand why it's a complete college course by itself......lighting is definitely the biggest challenge in photography, in my opinion!!! Thanks, Jon -- another printout!!!

Dana