Understand the concept of Light in Photography
Understand the concept of Light in Photography

Light is one of the essential ingredients in a photograph. The word ‘Photography’ has been derived from the Latin word ‘phot’ which means light thus; the word photography means ‘playing with the light’.

photography is all about light and nothing else. One must know how to use light in photography. 

Photographs originate when light enters into the lens of the camera and the camera captures the light so, basically, without light, no photo can come into being. 

If one knows the skill of harnessing the power of light in a camera, one can do wonders in the field of photography. 

Types of light

Front lighting: This is the simplest form of lighting you can try; place the source of light in front of the object and click the picture, just like your photographer clicks your passport size photo. This type of lighting is used for capturing very basic elements. 

side lighting: In this form, place the source of light to the side of the subject, so the light hits from the side. This technique is good for capturing creative photos, you can play with shadows by changing the position of light and can capture more aesthetic photos. 

Backlighting: This is the most difficult lighting to try, in this form source of light comes in front of the lens and it becomes harder for the amateur to control the incoming light and capture good pictures. but once you’re skilled enough to control and play with the backlight, this lighting can produce spectacular images. It is mostly used for capturing portraits and creating halo effects. 

Natural light and artificial light

Natural light is what we get from nature; the magic hour is an example of this. Just before the sunset and sunrise, nature emits soft orange lights and various photographers use this light to capture beautiful pictures. 

Artificial light is what we use in studios, it can be used as per the convenience. 

so, the concept of light is important in photography. As a beginner, one should start experimenting with sidelights and soft lights, as they can produce creative photos.  Working with a backlight is tricky but as you advance and learn new things, the backlight can be used to create dramatic shots.  

Understand your subject and objective, then use the light as a tool to capture the best shot. 

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