In this article, Lighting For Photography: Secrets of Lighting, we will examine the different methods and lighting techniques for beginning and amateur photographers with your digital camera. First off, what many people don’t realize is that the way you want the lighting on your subject is really a way of “seeing” your image in your mind before you push the shutter. My primary emphasis with lighting for photographers is to assume that you will be lighting from one person to several people, as compared to scenic photography, etc. However, the basic principles of lighting in photography can be applied in this type of photography as well.

The three main categories of the quality of lighting are:

1. Dramatic Lighting

Dramatic Lighting is a harsh and strong directional type of light–like a spotlight. The spotlight lighting is useful when you need a more dramatic type of effect– such as side lighting on a face, for a dramatic black and white studio portrait lighting, or a full length portrait when you want to create a shadow effect behind the person on the floor or nearby wall. The later lighting is used a lot by lighting technicians for plays.

Another very common type of dramatic lighting is done all the time with a typical strobe light. With strobe photography lighting the strobe is placed on top of the camera and directed right at your subject.

You can achieve a more concentrated type of lighting with a strobe light or regular light when you place it in a small dome. You can use either a grid, that are available in different angles of coverage, or without a grid. Although the grid does require more power from your light source it is usually recommended because you will be able to control the spot light better.

2. Softer Lighting

Softer Lighting is ideal for giving a more complimentary and softer type of lighting for studio portrait lighting. When there are skin irregularities, such as blemishes or lines under the eyes, this softer type of lighting minimizes these type of problems. To create this type of soft studio portrait lighting you need to place a strobe light in either a photographic umbrella or a softbox.

3. Uneven Lighting

Rarely do people like uneven lighting on their faces or their clothes. However, many people take pictures all the time of their family and friends with this type of harsh uneven lighting! There are several things that you can do: First, ask yourself if the lighting is even or uneven on their face? Second, if it is uneven, can you move the person to a better location where the lighting is softer and even? Just by pulling people out of the bright sunlight and photographing people in the shade can make a huge difference in the quality of your photos.

In Conclusion

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We sincerely hope that you enjoyed this article on Lighting for Photography and the Secrets of Lighting. By taking the time to “see” the type of lighting on your subject, or “designing” the type of lighting can make a huge difference when you are photographing your family and friends for special events and vacations.