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PGY 2401C PHOTOGRAPHY I

Contrast

CONTRAST is an important term in the language of light. A bright, clear sunny day produces high contrast lighting. Low contrast appears on an overcast day. Clouds scatter the light, so it's more evenly distributed and it's not so bright.

High-contrast light is intense and directional, casting shadows with a hard edge. It's sometimes called "hard" lighting. Most of us take pictures on sunny days with high-contrast lighting. It's ideal for many scenes, such as landscapes. The brightness of the light produces rich, saturated images. Details are sharp, and the shadows are strong and dramatic.

In low-contrast light, shadows have a soft edge, and it's often referred to as "soft" lighting. Also in low-contrast light, differences between tones blend gradually. These gentle shifts from light to dark areas create a more delicate mood.

When you're photographing people, the soft light of an overcast day is ideal. It produces flattering portraits. On a sunny day, you can soften the lighting by moving your subject into open shade. Your subject will be more comfortable and won't need to squint due to bright light.

One way to reduce that contrast is to add light from the flash on your camera. Most people think you don't need flash outdoors in bright sunlight, but it can improve your pictures -- especially in high-contrast lighting. Flash fills in shadows, revealing detail that would otherwise be lost.

Bright sunny days are usually accompanied by clear blue skies (as shown on the left). A blue sky makes a pleasing, colorful backdrop. Overcast skies are not so attractive. On cloudy days, try to point your camera down to keep the sky out of the frame.

On rainy or overcast days, you can concentrate on close-ups. The soft light that's filtered through an overcast sky allows you to capture more subtle variations in color and a wider range of hues.

Lighting Conditions

Different lighting conditions are the primary reason there's a choice of film speeds. When you're taking pictures under a variety of conditions, a 200- or 400-speed film is a good choice. For 35 mm cameras, 400 speed is ideal for most general-purpose photography. It's one stop faster than 200-speed film, and you won't see a difference in print quality unless you make huge enlargements.

Slower-speed films are designed for pictures in bright light. They have high resolution and fine grain structure which means you can make big, sharp enlargements.

Higher-speed films are more sensitive to light, which makes them an ideal choice for low-light conditions. With an adjustable camera in low light conditions, a high-speed film affords the widest selection of shutter speeds and lens openings. High-speed film works in bright sun, too, but its primary purpose is to make it easier to get good results in dim light.
High-speed film is the perfect choice for sunrise and sunset, which are some of the best picture opportunities of the day.

Keep in mind that just as the brightness of sunlight varies throughout the day, so does its color. You may want to photograph the same subject more than once ... to record the way light changes its appearance and mood.

Comparing film to eyes

Film is more sensitive than the eye in registering changes in the color of light. Film's response to color is fixed, but the eye adapts to overall shifts in color. The eye recalibrates automatically so that light looks "white" no matter what color it really is.

Film, on the other hand, records differences in the color of light. This is why daylight color film produces pictures with a slight orange tint under tungsten light sources ... and a greenish tint under fluorescent light. These shifts in color can be corrected during printing or, in the case of slide film, by using color correction filters.

Mastering the language of light adds new dimensions of expressive power to your pictures. It makes photography a richer experience that's more satisfying.

Move in close and let light define the shape. Use the shadow on the right to advantage. Take time to explore each subject visually.

Being aware of light and its dramatic impact opens our eyes to a whole new world of picture possibilities. We see more than the subject itself.
We see the effect of light's direction, contrast and color ... the way light emphasizes shapes or creates silhouettes.

We learn to use light to enrich the way we define and interpret subjects visually.

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