Momentary - Light that appears for a short time then disappears. Can be natural like lighting or a camera flash. Shutter speeds not as important for exposure as no time to react.
Continuous: Light which is there all the time. Natural (sun) or artificial (tungsten, street lights, building lights etc). Shutter speeds and AP needs to be balanced for good exposure.
In terms of light control photography there are two main types of light. Key and Fill light.
Key - The main light source. Responsible for shadows and highlights. The sun is considered a key light.
Fill - The ambient light that adds a little light to shadow areas allowing them to be seen. Fills in the nature the light is bouncing off. If no fill, one half of our faces would be in a shadow. Sometimes a reflector is used for fill light. The fill is typically placed opposite the key light source.
Reflectors ca be used with fill light. It could be white cardboard or a professional reflector. It could even be your assistant with a white t-shirt that is strategically placed.
The next issue with lighting is contrast or quality of light.
The harsh light of a high contrast can allow you to be focused into one area of the photo. Where the highest contrast exists.
During the day lighting varies from soft to hard to soft again. Strong sun can produce harsher more directional lighting. Overcast conditions soften the light quality and are a better choice for some subjects.
It is posible to affect the contrast of any light by altering it's size.
Quality of Light - Is important as it can create the right 'feeling' within the photograph. It is often necessary to match your idea or subject with an appropriate light quality. A 'softer' style of shadows and highlights is controlled by the height and direction of your key light source.
Typically positioning the key light source slightly above the subject is best. As the main source of light in our world is always shining from above.
Back lighting is always generally nice. Side lighting is when light comes from the side of a subject.
Front lighting is the least interesting source. As it flattens the image. Rather than side or back lighting that creates a sense of depth.
The intensity of light is also important for a number of factors. The output level of the light itself. The distance the light source is from the subject. Use of diffusers or bounce-light techniques can affect the quality of light.
Lighting can be used in landscape photography. This usually requires allot of waiting for something special to occur.
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| Autumn Lighting |
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