Photographic lighting

The next section of this part of the course deals with artificial photographic lighting, i.e. flash and studio lighting. 

This is an area of photography I have dabble with in the past, with not much success. Sometime ago I purchased an Interfit EX150 two head studio light kit. This kit consisted of 2 light stands, 2 portable lights with 60cm soft box and umbrella. 

This set up was one that had been recommended to me by another photographer as an ideal starter kit. 

Each lighting head is 150w with a 60w halogen modelling light. The modelling lamp is used for previewing the lighting on the subject to give you some idea of what the lighting effect from the flash will be. 

This is certainly an area of photography that interests me and I am keen to further my knowledge. 

To supplement the course notes I am currently reading 'Light, science & Magic' an introduction to photographic lighting. ISBN 978-0-240-81225-0 

I have found this book to be an excellent addition to the study notes, the information contained is easy to follow, which is always a bonus for me!




It starts off with an explanation of the key principles of light. 

1. The effective size of the light source is the single most important decision in lighting a photograph.
2. Three types of reflections are possible from any surface, they determine why any surface looks the way it does. 
3. Some of these reflections occur only if a light strikes the surface from within a limited family of angles. After we decide what type of reflection is important, the family of angles determines where the light should or should not be.