1. Shedding Light on the Subject
Film Appreciation/ Basic Photography
Mass Communication Department

4. Form vs Function
 We see what we expect
to see, instead of what
is there.
 We see function, not
form.
 The camera doesn’t
know about function, it
only sees form.

5. To see what the camera sees
 Secret: look not for
function, but for
shapes, forms, the way
lights hit the subject,
highlights, shadows,
contrast, color and
relationship of subject
to other things in the
field of view.

6. Overview
 Light and Shadow
 Light Source Position
 Light Direction
 Light Ratio
 Hard Light and Soft Light

7. Truss Light System

8. Light and Shadow
 Take note of the
following:
 Light Source: where
it’s coming from?
 Where highlights and
shadows fall?

9. Frontlighting
 “Shoot with sun behind
you”
 “safe” lighting: bright and
shadow-free photo
 Flat, shadow-less photo
 No texture and depth, less
dramatic
 Nothing is hidden in
shadows
 (a) Up lighting
 (b) Down lighting

10. Front Lighting

11. Sidelighting/ Rimlighting
 Brings out texture and
shape of subject
 Produces strong
shadows
 Dramatic lighting:
early or late in the day
 Shoot northerly or
southerly

12. Sidelighting
Jim Paredes, 2004

13. Backlighting
 Comes from behind
the subject
 Casts shadows
towards the camera
 Silhouette vs flash-fill
 To light the subject:
use reflector

14. Low Angle Lighting
 Light comes from
below a subject
 Campfires, setting sun
 Good for eerie
Halloween portraits

15. Top Lighting
 Natural lighting effect
 Light source at some
angle above the subject
 Bad for portraits: subject’s
eyes get lost in deep
shadows
 Bad for scenics: shadows
are short and not dramatic

16. Main Light and Fill Light
 Main or key light:
dominant light source/
provides lighting
direction
 Main or key light:
Establishes highlights
and shadows

17. Fill Light
 Fill light: second light
 Direct light into shadow
areas and lighten them to
desired level
 Less powerful than key
lights
 Establishes the lighting
ratio; main light
establishes lighting
direction

18. Lighting Ratio
 Difference in
brightness
between the
highlight area
and shadow
area
 Lighting ratio
for portrait:
2:1 to 4:1
Bong S. Eliab 2008

19. Hard Light and Soft Light
 Hard light: produces
dark shadows and
harsh higlights
 Soft light: produces
weak shadows and
muted highlights

20. Lighting Accessories
 Bounce umbrellas:
reflectors
 Effective in softening
the light
 The bigger the
umbrella, the softer
the light

21. DIY Lighting
 Get a spotlight bulb
from a hardware
 220V, 1000W
 220V, 500W
 220V, 250W

22. Canister
 Use a paint can or mil
can
 Install a standard bulb
socket
 Connect to regular
600V wire
 Install switch/ dimmer
according to wattage

23. Flaps at the Front
 Use regular hinges
 Bold hinges on the can
using 0.5 screw/ nuts
 Paint flaps with black
paint
Mount canister on a
regular tripod head

25. Summary
 Lighting is a very important element of every
photograph. Learning to see and control lighting
will make your photo better.
 The lighting direction creates the overall look of
the photo.
 With natural light, you can control the effect by
moving your subject and camera or by waiting for
the sun to move to a better position for scenic
subjects.

26. Summary
 Built-in electronic flash lighting is
convenient, but not exciting.
 Soft light is more forgiving than hard light.
 When you go out looking for things to
photograph, look for lighting instead of
things.