When it comes to capturing that perfect shot, lighting will make the world of a difference. Some people feel as though they are limited to only being able to take quality photos during a small window of the day, in order to best utilize the natural sunlight. While using natural lighting on a sunny day is my personal favorite, there are multiple other ways to achieve different looks in your photographs through the following lighting techniques.
Let's begin by discussing a few different types of natural lighting which can be used strategically to enhance your photographs. I have also included photo examples for each one, all of which were taken by me!
Front/Flat Lighting
This is when the sun or your light source is directly in front of your subject. Therefore, it is well lit, and there aren't any shadows taking away from the focus being on your subject.
Back Lighting
This is the opposite of front lighting - when the light source comes from directly behind your subject! This technique is commonly used during golden hour (the period of time when the sun is setting or rising), however, it can be used during any time of day. Back lighting can be used to make it appear as though your subject is glowing, or it can be used to create silhouettes (as seen in the first example).
Rim Lighting
Rim light is similar to back lighting, and it certainly falls under the same category. However, rim lighting really highlights the edges of your subject, and almost creates an outline of glowing light around them. This is a great way to separate your subject from your background.
Side/Split Lighting
This is where the source of light is positioned to hit your subject from the side. Exact precision is not necessary for side lighting, however, split lighting is when the light source comes from a 90 degree angle. This creates an effect of having half of your subject lit, and half of it in the shadows.
Now that we have discussed the main kinds of lighting in photography, here are a few types of artificial lighting that can be used if you are feeling inspired to take photos on a rainy day, or even at night time when it's pitch black outside.
The easiest and most simple solution to this is to use the flash option which is built into most cameras. You can easily turn this on, and it will automatically supply a light source to your photos. This is generally not as soft as natural lighting. Instead, it's slightly sharper and more harsh. It can also tend to create a lot of shadows, as seen in the following photo.
Alongside your digital camera's built in flash, you can also invest in more expensive artificial lighting set ups, including ring lights, LED studio lights, or strobe lighting. You can also purchase an off camera flash attachment to clip onto your camera, which provides more options and variation than the standard built in flash.
If you want to play around with artificial lighting sources without spending money, you can always begin by using whatever you have lying around your house! I have used handheld flashlights or iPhone flashlights to provide light for some of my photos. This certainly isn't as good of quality as some of the more expensive techniques, but it gets the job done!
I hope you were able to learn more about the different lighting techniques used in photography, and that you will practice some of these to take the quality of your photos to the next level.
Tune in again next week to learn about the best cameras and lenses to use as a beginner photographer. Don't forget to let me know in the comments what style of lighting is your personal favorite!