{"id":10175,"date":"2018-10-05T06:59:01","date_gmt":"2018-10-05T06:59:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.apogeephoto.com\/?p=10175"},"modified":"2018-10-22T10:43:22","modified_gmt":"2018-10-22T10:43:22","slug":"dont-light-all-of-it","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.apogeephoto.com\/dont-light-all-of-it\/","title":{"rendered":"Don’t Light All Of It"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Joe McNally’s 2010 portrait of John Loengard, photographer and LIFE picture editor. Public Domain\u00a0 Wikimedia.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

“If you want something to look interesting, don’t light all of it.” -John Loengard<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

John Loengard<\/a> is an American photographer, critic, historian and scholar. He was LIFE’s picture editor for 14 years and a significant force behind the rebirth of LIFE magazine as a monthly in 1978. Leongard taught at the International Center for Photography at 1114 6th Avenue in New York City and his book\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span>As I See It<\/span><\/span><\/em> is a fine example of his craft and teaching.\u00a0Mr. Loengard was called\u00a0“LIFE’s most influential photographer” by American Photographer.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Loengard’s photographs often catch the imperfect and the offbeat. <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

He photographed the Beatles. His portraits include pictures of Annie Leibovitz atop the Chrysler building, and an elderly Georgia O’Keeffe at Ghost Ranch in New Mexico. <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Seeing his pictures, I first asked: “how can<\/span><\/span><\/span>\u00a0we apply Mr. Loengard’s wisdom of ‘not lighting all of it’ ?”<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

It turns out that lighting, like water to our bodies, is an essential substance that brings pictures alive. Loengard’s comment inspired an e<\/span><\/span><\/span>xploration of light qualities and directions of light other than harsh front lighting.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Here are ideas for\u00a0diffuse, side light, back light and bright sun lighting in various types of scenes.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

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Diffuse lighting with clouds overhead works well for some nature scenes, such as this picture of the Solduc trail, Hoh Rainforest, Olympic Peninsula, USA.<\/p>\n

1. Diffuse, Overcast, Soft Skylight<\/span><\/span><\/h2>\n

A cloudy day. Perfect for taking portraits, right? Yes!<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Clouds diffuse light. Cloudy skies are ideal for portraits and some nature subjects because the quality of light resembles a huge softbox, at least until the sun reappears. <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Overcast and softly-lit conditions have diffused light that comes in from all directions and illuminates the shadows. <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

If you do not have any cloud cover, you can place your subject near a large north-facing window. The closer the source of light is to your subject, the softer and more beautiful your lighting will be. <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

TIP:<\/strong> Be aware of the qualities, direction, intensity, and temperature of natural light. <\/span><\/em><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Direct sun at high noon is warmer in tone and has higher contrast, and compared with overcast lighting, the direct sun creates unflattering shadows. <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/em><\/p>\n

This is why you’ll see pros back lighting their model and using reflectors to bounce light onto the model when conditions are bright and sunny.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/em><\/p>\n

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Side lighting by window light brings out the textures in this portrait of member of the Mystic Seaport staff in Connecticut, USA. Photography and text by Jim Austin Jimages.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

2. Side Lighting<\/span><\/span><\/h2>\n

Light from the side generates textures on surfaces. Qualities of low-angled side lighting in those golden moments after sunrise and before sundown are especially sought after by photographers. <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

In film production, side lighting is often used as well. The BBC series Peaky Blinders uses a series of\u00a0large controllable HMI lights<\/a>\u00a0<\/span>to add side lighting through windows to create mood and a “Peaky” atmosphere for the actors and the drama.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

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“Dive Suitors” shows two wetsuits drying in the sunset, for an example of how back lighting creates silhouettes.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

3. Backlighting<\/span><\/span><\/h2>\n

Back lighting<\/a> is the stuff of dreams (click the link for more on back lighting). Silhouettes are one result of back lighting and in portraiture, light from behind puts a halo around a person’s hair, called a hair light. This light allows separation between the subject and the scene background.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

To meter a back lit scene, use spot metering. The spot metering camera setting lets photographers increase the overall exposure by up to two F-stops of light coming through the lens to the sensor. This prevents a back lit scene being underexposed. To create a silhouette, however, we can expose for the light with average metering and let the wetsuits, or silhouetted person, go dark.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

For portraits, the adage to “put the sun at your back and have your subject face bright sun” is a 19th<\/sup>-century idea left over from the days of slow film, slower lenses, and cameras on steady tripods. The sun is a harsh, small light source and it is quite difficult to make flattering portraits in bright sunlight.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

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Overhead sunlight brings out the ripples in water, for this picture of a Queen conch in the Bahamas.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

4. Direct Sun Overhead<\/span><\/span><\/h2>\n

While mid-day, bright, overhead sun is a challenge, there are a few subjects that do well in this kind of lighting. <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Clear water is one of them. In overhead sunlight, ocean waters can appear translucent, showing undulating ripples within.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

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For this flower girl portrait, since the sun was bright overhead, I moved into open shade. I asked her to close her eyes, then made a picture the moment she opened them to prevent squinting. It helps to have the camera in a position that frames a picture with no hot spots of sunlight on clothing or a person’s face.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

For portraits, here are a couple of tips I use:<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n