The document provides an overview of photography lighting basics, focusing on natural and artificial light types, their qualities, and how to use them effectively. It emphasizes the impact of different light conditions at various times of the day, highlighting the importance of the 'golden hour' for photography. Additionally, it covers essential concepts such as the laws of light, measurement of light intensity, and the characteristics of hard and soft lighting.

1. PHOTOGRAPHY
LIGHTING
BASICS

2. Hello!
I am WS Toh
Being a self-taught photographer, I give
back to the community by giving free
tutorials.
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3. “
We can easily forgive a child who
is afraid of the dark; the real
tragedy of life is when men are
afraid of the light.
- Plato
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4. Two types of lights
▫ Natural Light: Very obviously, everything that
glows naturally. The sun, moon, fireflies, etc..
▫ Artificial Light: Man-made lights. The light bulbs.
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5. 1) NATURAL LIGHT
All that glows naturally
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Different time, different light
Time Light Intensity Color Temperature
Sunrise Very soft Warm
Morning Soft Bluish
Midday Very harsh White
Afternoon Harsh White / Bluish
Sunset Very soft Warm
Twilight Very soft Blue

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What is so exciting?
• Light changes throughout the day.
• Same scene, but different feel at
different times.
• Best time for photography is usually
sunrise/sunset.
• Soft golden light. Also called the
golden hour.
• Use the lights to your best
advantage.

8. 2) ARTIFICIAL LIGHT
Man-made lights
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Many kinds of artificial lights
Incandescent
The old school bulb,
produces warm light.
Fluorescent
Regular Joe you find
everywhere. Warm or cold.

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Many kinds of artificial lights
Halogen
Commonly used in cars.
Very bright, very hot.
Flash
Photographer’s best friend.

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Many kinds of artificial lights
LED Panel
The upcoming new
technology. Getting more
popular.
Strobe
The big guns commonly
used in studios.

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What is the big deal?
Just like natural light, each artificial light produces different light qualities.
Type Light Intensity Color Temperature
Incandescent Soft Warm
Fluorescent Harsh Warm / Cold
Halogen Very Harsh Almost neutral
Flash Very Harsh Almost neutral
LED Soft Warm / Cold
Strobe Very Harsh Almost neutral

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How to measure light
Guide Number (GN): The commonly used quantifier in photography equipment.
Goes by the formula of GN = distance X f-number. Or simply, the higher the
number, the more power the light is.
Lumen and Lux: More commonly used in the industry, but it’s the same higher
number, brighter light.

14. 3) THE ESSENTIALS
Laws of light that you should know
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What happens when light falls on an object?
Shadow: We should already
know this. Dark area where light is
blocked by an opaque object.
Highlight: Opposite of shadow.
Bright area where light directly
falls on.
Core: Transition between highlight
and shadow.

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Hard VS Soft Light
Hard light: Harsh lighting that has
a very defined core and strong
sharp shadows.
Soft light: Gentle lighting that has
a smooth core and soft shadows.

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Square Inverse Law
All serious photographers should
know this. Intensity of light = 1 /
Distance²
Or simply put, the closer the light,
the more focused and stronger it
is.

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Direction of light
Front Lighting Side Lighting
Back Lighting

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Keep Playing With Light!
• Natural light exists almost everywhere.
• Using a flash does not mean natural light no longer exists.
• It just means you have to consider the impact of using flash and
the environmental lights.
• Lighting may seem difficult, but you just have to keep
experimenting!

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THANKS!
That’s all for the short slides.
You can find me at : http://xlightphotography.com
The original article for these slides:
http://xlightphotography.com/photography-lighting-basics/

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CREDITS
Special thanks to all the people who made and
released these awesome resources for free:
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Photographs by Startup Stock Photos