Lighting Secrets

Almost as important as composition is the use of light. Here are some secrets for using light.

• The best outdoors light to be found is at dawn and dusk. Here the light is not as bright as midday, and the sun produces some wonderful reds. Both these help to make a normally ordinary shot look magic by creating a warm glow.


• When you are shooting outdoors, the best way to shoot is away from the sun. Don’t have the sun in your photographs because it will overpower the colors and ensure the side of your subject facing the camera is in shadow. Ensure the sun is behind your back.


• Another thing to watch out for is that your subject doesn’t squint. We all love to see bright wide eyes, so ensure the sun isn’t too bright. This is another reason to shoot at dawn or dusk - you can have the subject facing the sun but not squinting… and you get much better colors in your image at the same time!


• If shooting in sunlight, watch for shadows. Look at the shadow cast by your subject and ensure it doesn’t block anything, or look unsightly. Additionally, ensure your own shadow doesn’t fall into the picture!


• The best night shots are taken just after sunset. This is where scenes are lit up as if it were night, but there is still a tiny bit of sunlight around to help light the scene and bring out the detail.


• When indoors, try moving your lighting sources around. Lights at lower angles are usually more dramatic than plain overhead lighting.


• Remember the secret about using your flash during the day? It’s also possible on most digital cameras to take night shots without a flash. Try setting your ISO speed to 800 or above to ensure the camera is sensitive to very low light.


• Need to use the flash, but it’s a bit harsh? Try taping some wax paper over the flash to diffuse the light.


• Want to light a very small object? If you’re using your macro setting to take a shot, cut up a plastic milk container and place it around the object. It will diffuse the surrounding light.