Week 3 - Lighting

The emphasis this week was on how the use of different lighting changes the mood/tone of a photograph. The subject, in this case an apple, was photographed using 6 different uses of lighting while keeping the angle and framing the same.

The first photo was taken using the overhead lighting in the room where the photo was taken. This provided a broad white light from overhead as well as light bouncing off the walls and lighting the apple from all around. This use of lighting shows the subject clearly, and the minimal presence of shadows allows for full focus to be on the subject.

This photo was taken with the overheads lights off, and with the use of my iPhone's long exposure mode. While the setting is dark, the apple remains somewhat lit due to the long exposure of the camera capturing as much light as it can. There is a slight shadow in front of the apple, showing that there is a dull light source coming from behind the apple. This photo has a similar tone to the above photograph, with the addition of a slight feeling of gloom due to the lack of overhead lighting.

This photo of the apple was taken with the use of a bright flashlight lighting the apple from directly above in an otherwise dark room. This lights up the apple a lot from above, casting a dark shadow on the lower half and directly below the subject. This gives the feeling that the subject is important, as if it is lit up using a spotlight. This directs the viewers attention immediately to the subject, evoking the idea that the subject is almost put up on stage and lit up in full display.

This photo was taken using the front flash on my iPhone's camera. The use of a flash lights up the subject very well, casting a shadow behind it. In this case, the flash allows for the full vibrancy of the apple to be on display. This lighting directs the viewers attention to the subject immediately, similarly to the photo before, however does not achieve the same spotlight effect.

This photo was achieved using a flashlight lighting up the apple from the right side in an otherwise dark room. This leads to a stark shadow being cast on the left of the apple. This light source creates heavy shadows, giving the photo a dark and mysterious tone.

The final image was taken with a flashlight lighting up the subject from behind as the only light source. The use of this lighting casts a very dark shadow directly in front of the subject. This gives the photo a similar spotlight effect, however it being lit from behind leads to a different result. With the use of a bright light source from behind, the photo conveys a sense of mystique. Although in this case the subject is an apple, this lighting creates the idea that the identity of the subject is hidden, and a shadow being cast in front of a subject is often associated with an ominous and mysterious tone.

Overall, the direction and quality of the light source in a photograph can greatly influence the tone and mood of a photo. As a result, lighting is by far one of the most important compositional factors in a photo, and a photographer needs to be mindful and intentional with the use of lighting to achieve the desired artistic tone in a photo.