Lighting is an important aspect of photography that determines the mood of an image. There are several types of lighting including natural light from the sun, artificial light from studio equipment, ambient light already in a scene, back lighting from behind a subject, directional side lighting, diffused or soft light, and shadows and contrast. The document provides brief descriptions of each type of lighting and their effects on photographs. It concludes with an assignment to take various photos exploring different lighting techniques.

1. Lighting
is an important aspect of photography…
the lighting you use will determine the
mood of your photograph

2. Natural Light
light existing from natural sources such as the sun or moon.
This type of light is generally best for photography because
it is the way our eyes see.

4. Artificial Light
generated from studio lights, built-in or external flash units.
Artificial lighting provides flexibility and creative
opportunities, especially in situations where there is no
natural light.

6. Ambient Light
light that already exists in a scene, either natural (sunlight)
or manmade (artificial). Ambient light works well for a
variety of photographic genres particularly landscape
photography.

8. Back Lighting
light from behind the subject, heading toward the camera.
This type of lighting creates silhouettes easily. Combined
with certain atmospheric conditions such as fog or airborne
dust you can get dramatic effects.

10. Directional or
Side Lighting
coming from a specific
direction, usually the side.
This provides a great deal
of contrast, can create
long shadows and adds
depth to the image. This
type of lighting can add a
dramatic flare to
architectural and
portraiture photography.

12. Diffused or Soft
light that is scattered,
spread out and not coming
from a single point. For
example, light on a cloudy
day is diffused. This type of
lighting reduces contrast
and minimizes shadows.

14. Shadows/Contrast
enhances the mood,
meaning and appearance
of the subject. Without
shadows the object may
appear plain or flat.
Light and shadows creates
contrast (range of difference
between different tones)
which adds depth and
interest to an image.

16. Assignment:
40 Image Contact Sheet plus 2 Best Images
• Natural Light - 10 images
• Artificial Light - 10 images
• Ambient Light - 5 images
• Back Lighting - 5 images
• Silhouettes – 5 images
• Side Lighting - 5 images
• Diffused/Soft Light - 5 images
• Shadows/Contrast – 5 images