Just started with flash photography? No idea how to carry on? Here are a few slides on the basics of lighting in photography. Full guide - http://xlightphotography.com/photography-lighting-basics/

1. PHOTOGRAPHY
LIGHTING
BASICS

2. Hello!
I am WS Toh
Being a self-taught photographer, I give
back to the community by giving free
tutorials.
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3. “
We can easily forgive a child who
is afraid of the dark; the real
tragedy of life is when men are
afraid of the light.
- Plato
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4. Two types of lights
▫ Natural Light: Very obviously, everything that
glows naturally. The sun, moon, fireflies, etc..
▫ Artificial Light: Man-made lights. The light bulbs.
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5. 1) NATURAL LIGHT
All that glows naturally
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Different time, different light
Time Light Intensity Color Temperature
Sunrise Very soft Warm
Morning Soft Bluish
Midday Very harsh White
Afternoon Harsh White / Bluish
Sunset Very soft Warm
Twilight Very soft Blue

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What is so exciting?
• Light changes throughout the day.
• Same scene, but different feel at
different times.
• Best time for photography is usually
sunrise/sunset.
• Soft golden light. Also called the
golden hour.
• Use the lights to your best
advantage.

8. 2) ARTIFICIAL LIGHT
Man-made lights
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Many kinds of artificial lights
Incandescent
The old school bulb,
produces warm light.
Fluorescent
Regular Joe you find
everywhere. Warm or cold.

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Many kinds of artificial lights
Halogen
Commonly used in cars.
Very bright, very hot.
Flash
Photographer’s best friend.

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Many kinds of artificial lights
LED Panel
The upcoming new
technology. Getting more
popular.
Strobe
The big guns commonly
used in studios.

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What is the big deal?
Just like natural light, each artificial light produces different light qualities.
Type Light Intensity Color Temperature
Incandescent Soft Warm
Fluorescent Harsh Warm / Cold
Halogen Very Harsh Almost neutral
Flash Very Harsh Almost neutral
LED Soft Warm / Cold
Strobe Very Harsh Almost neutral

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How to measure light
Guide Number (GN): The commonly used quantifier in photography equipment.
Goes by the formula of GN = distance X f-number. Or simply, the higher the
number, the more power the light is.
Lumen and Lux: More commonly used in the industry, but it’s the same higher
number, brighter light.

14. 3) THE ESSENTIALS
Laws of light that you should know
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What happens when light falls on an object?
Shadow: We should already
know this. Dark area where light is
blocked by an opaque object.
Highlight: Opposite of shadow.
Bright area where light directly
falls on.
Core: Transition between highlight
and shadow.

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Hard VS Soft Light
Hard light: Harsh lighting that has
a very defined core and strong
sharp shadows.
Soft light: Gentle lighting that has
a smooth core and soft shadows.

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Square Inverse Law
All serious photographers should
know this. Intensity of light = 1 /
Distance²
Or simply put, the closer the light,
the more focused and stronger it
is.

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Direction of light
Front Lighting Side Lighting
Back Lighting

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Keep Playing With Light!
• Natural light exists almost everywhere.
• Using a flash does not mean natural light no longer exists.
• It just means you have to consider the impact of using flash and
the environmental lights.
• Lighting may seem difficult, but you just have to keep
experimenting!

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THANKS!
That’s all for the short slides.
You can find me at : http://xlightphotography.com
The original article for these slides:
http://xlightphotography.com/photography-lighting-basics/

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CREDITS
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