LIGHT AND SHADE
Dealing with light in a scene is a matter of balance. The contrast between light and shade can make or break a picture. Paying close attention to the two extremes when composing and framing your images will result in better photos.
Balancing a scene is a case of making sure that where there’s light, there’s also shade. Highlights and bright areas are often referred to as ‘light’ (as in weight), whereas dark areas are described as ‘heavy’. Try composing shots that have light and heavy areas placed according to the rule of thirds. |
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Shutter Speed
Controlling the light in a shot is primarily done by adjusting the camera's shutter speed. Shutter speed refers to the amount of time the camera's shutter is open to the light. Shutter speed is measured in fractions of a second: for example a shutter speed of 1/60 means the shutter is open for a sixtieth of a second.
The longer the camera's shutter is open, the more light comes through, meaning the resulting photo will be lighter. However, the longer the shutter is open, the more chance there is for things in the frame to move, creating blur. In the image below, you can see that the slow shutter speed creates a lighter image, but a more blurred one.
The longer the camera's shutter is open, the more light comes through, meaning the resulting photo will be lighter. However, the longer the shutter is open, the more chance there is for things in the frame to move, creating blur. In the image below, you can see that the slow shutter speed creates a lighter image, but a more blurred one.
Over-Exposure and Under-Exposure
When taking shots, you need to ensure you set the correct shutter speed to avoid the image turning out too light or too dark. Areas that are over-exposed will turn out very bright, and 'flare' the image, meaning they will be too bright to print and no information will appear on the image. Under exposed images are the reverse: they are so dark that all the information is lost and the area will appear black.
BALANCE (and how to create it)
Use the Rule of ThirdsThere are some simple ways to balance light and shade in an image to make it look better. First, use the rule of thirds to place the areas of light and shade.
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Odd numbers work bestThere’s more than just a hint of truth in the phrase ‘three is a magic number’, especially where photography’s concerned. In fact, odd numbers rule the roost when we’re talking about top flight composition. If you want to compose your pictures perfectly, try reducing the amount of subjects to three. Three people or three colors or even three tones – the list goes on. Odd numbers work well because they fit better into a frame that’s symmetrical and has four sides.
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Use textures and patterns
When patterns become the subject, it’s important to look for balance in the frame. Work hard to fill all four corners of the picture.
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