Alicia's Photo Challenge #1: Lighting

Read all about Alicia's Photo Challenge, HERE! 

Good lighting makes a photo. Bad lighting can ruin one. There are pretty much two kinds of lighting: Natural and Controlled lighting.

Natural lighting comes from (you guessed it!) natural sources. The most common source is the Sun, which can come directly or through something like a window, cloud or reflector.

Controlled Lighting comes from a light bulb which can be manipulated. Examples of controlled lighting are, flash, continuous lighting (image on right), or anytime you can control if the light is off or on!

Today I'll focus on one thing:  

Shadows. Don't want them! Especially on the face (make sure you can see the eyes!), or anywhere else that will be distracting.

If you can shoot in the shade, do it! If there is no shade, shoot into (yes, I said into) the sun. This will eliminate squinting eyes, and most shadows. A trick I learned from Photographer, Naomi Masina, is to hold up your hand and see where the light falls.

I recommend shooting portrait style photos when the sun is no longer directly above you. An hour or two (or three) before the sun sets, or just as it's rising, is usually the easiest time to work with your light. 

The Challenge: Practicing taking pictures using the light   around you. Notice the difference it makes in a photo when you take them in direct sunlight vs. filtered sunlight (i.e. overcast, window or in the shade). If you have a source of controlled light, play with it. Use it to highlight the focus of your image. Lighting is the key to an image, so we're starting here. Post your favorite photo on your blog, then come back next Thursday, June 11th and share it!

Don't forget to take a button and put it on your post (Thanks!). Feel free to contact me if you have any questions, and I will do my best to answer them!

Now, go have fun!