A-Photo Mag

Well, you could do it out of a studio as well! If you remember our last article on what makes shadow less lighting, this one would be much easier to understand, so we really suggest you read that before you get into this one.

As was discussed in the article titled ‘What Makes Shadow Less Lighting’, it is pretty simple to understand the difference between hard and soft, diffused light. Let us now learn how one can create diffused light. Usually, in most photographic applications, diffused light creates much more pleasing an atmosphere, and adds a nice touch to the image.

You must have seen studios with white umbrellas over the flash lights. That’s a fine way of creating diffused light. Alternatively, soft boxes of various sizes that fit on to your studio light create almost perfect diffused light. When you want the minimum shadows and the maximum soft effect of the light on your subject, you need to minimize the soft box-subject distance. Try this as a learning experience – use a small model subject under a soft box if it is available to you. Try photographing the subject with various light-subject distances to see the difference this has on your image. Of course you will need to make appropriate changes to exposure, since the intensity of light is greater at lower distances.

Many readers probably do not have their own studio apparatus. Do not be disheartened, you can create diffused lighting with your portable flash unit as well. If you have one with a swiveling head, turn it towards a wall, or bounce it off the ceiling to create a wonderful soft and diffused light with the flash unit. This is how wedding photographers are often able to provide awe-inspiring lighting with only a simple on-camera portable flash gun. If your flash head does not swivel around to point in various directions and/or angles, you could still do something about it. Use a bit of semi transparent paper over the flash head to diffuse the light. Remember to make adequate changes to exposure to compensate for the light loss. Of course, if you have an auto flash, you need have no worries about exposure, as long as you affix the paper over the flash’s ‘eye’ or sensor as well! It is quite simple to create diffused lighting isn’t it? All you need is a bit of creativity.

Here’s what NOT to do to create shadow less lighting with your flash gun…don’t use the flash on camera – straight on. If you have an adequate flash chord extension, you could even place your flash away from the camera, at an angle. That would give true modeling to the subject. It may not be soft lighting, but at least you will avoid the ugly shadow at the back, and give some modeling to your subject at the same time.

Experience with various kinds of paper and semi-transparent material in front of the flash head to get interesting lighting effects…

As mentioned in the previous article, Ansel Adams introduced the famous ‘zone system’ to black and white photography. Also, we have seen that photographers try and get both extremes of gray (that is the colors black and white) in their print to make it look attractive. There are about 7 shades in between, the middle shade being ‘the middle gray’. The middle gray shade if often used to calculate the exposure, and in modern studios to compare and calculate white balance effects. More often than not, you will hear of the middle gray shade in reference to black and white photography.

These are the zones of Ansel Adams. If you notice, they are a gradual change from pitch black to paper white. As far as photography goes, one could look at that as totally underexposed to totally overexposed. Remember, you need to select the point in your landscape (or whatever subject you are photographing), from where you take your exposure. THIS point will appear as the middle gray in your image. If you want it to appear darker or lighter you need to under or over expose accordingly. Keep in mind that all other tones in the photograph would be equally affected from your exposure. If you have honed the skill of visualizing then this should be not very difficult. In any case you do get used to it over a period of time.  So - when you are photographing a subject, you need to identify the middle gray or the center zone and take your exposure from that area in the scene/subject.

One cannot stress enough on this point - if you follow the camera’s (or hand held meter) meter reading, EVERY image will be similarly exposed. Let us illustrate this with a simple example. Take three cards of black, gray and white shade. Load black and white film into your camera (or shoot using the BW mode). Take meter reading from the different cards and expose accordingly. Every card will appear to be the middle gray in the three images. This is because, speaking in terms of reflected light readings 9which is what the camera does), the meter suggests (+) or (-) depending on the amount of light reflected back to it from the subject. A black subject will obviously reflect less light and that is why it compensates to make it appear the middle gray in your image. So, when you want a black object to appear the same shade in the image, you need to UNDEREXPOSE it adequately. Similarly when you wish for a white subject to appear white, you will need to OVEREXPOSE it accordingly.

Try experimenting with a variety of shades on black and white film (or mode) so as to make them appear the same shade/different shade as per your choice. Also, try and make the same object appear a darker or a lighter shade by controlling exposure. Soon you will begin to feel in control over the tonal range of your black and white photographs.