Lesson 4 Using 3 Lights

Examples of MultiLight Approach

3 Light Demonstation with Break Down

Photographs by Phillip Mansfield

Assignment 4 Three Lights
Using classic Rembrandt lights (45 to side 45 up) create a portrait with key (150 watt bulb), fill (75 watt bulb) and backlight (special spotlight bulb or 75 watt bulb).. Check blog under Lesson 4 to see how it should be laid out.

Using three lights invent your own formula.
Post one separate finished photograph for this one


Ratio A Fill Light B Key Light
8:1 4 stops over B 4 stops under A
4:1 2 stops over B 2 stops under A
3:1 1 1/2 stop over B 1 1/2 stops under A
2:1 1 stop over B 1 stop under A
1:1 Even Even
1:2 1 stop under B 1 stop over A
1:3 1 1/2 stop under B 1 1/2 stop over A
1:4 2 stops under B 2 stops over A
1:8 4 stops under B 4 stops over A

Lesson 3 Direction of Light and Using One Light

Diffusion Demonstation

What happens when a point source (like the sun or our Halogen Bulb) falls on a solid white sphere:
1. A highlight is created
2. A cast shadow is created
3. A core is created in the transition of the highlight and the shadow
4. A cast shadow is created
5. A specular or incident highlight is created with the highlight (it is the direct reflection of the light source)



The cube is tilted to reveal 3 sides equally. When a point source (our Halogen bulb) is placed over and as close to the camera lens as possible, all three sides reflect equally. When the light is moved to the left and up, the 3 sides reflect light in unequal ways and appear as 3 different values

Examples of portraits using one light

Production Stills by David Brown

Assignment 3: Use the 250 watt halogen bulb in the Laws of Light Kit. Make a portrait by selecting a quality of light to communicate an emotion that you feel about a person. Make an additional portrait that reflects the opposite feeling you have about the person. Explain in writing the laws of light that were at work in each portrait.

Lesson 2 Angle of Incidence and Straight Line

Using pool as an example of angle of incidence = angle of reflection.

An illustration of how a rough or matt surface effects the angle of reflection.

How a parabolic reflector works.



Light travels in a straight line we used a camera obscura to illustrate the law.

The larger the whole the less sharp the image is.

Demonstation of Light traveling in a straight line.

Production Stills by Gemma Lopez

Assignment 2: Light Travels in a Straight Line, the Angle of Incident Equals the Reflection and the Inverse Square Law

In one photograph using one light source clearly demonstrate the 3 laws of light at work. Include the light source in the photograph. The subject is the light. Think of it as more of a physics project than a photograph. Use a dodging tool to prevent the light from flaring the lens. Not a picture of a light stands, clamps, a framed mirror etc.

This is an example of what the assignment could look like. I do see a clamp. Ooops!

Lesson 1 Inverse Square Law

The inverse square law states that the intensity of a light diminishes inversely square to the distance. i=1/d²

Assignment 1 The Inverse Square Law
1. Using 3 identical 4x5 grey cards set 1 foot apart, overlapping 1"and placed at a 45 degree angle from the camera angle. Make 4 photographs of the cards with the light 2 feet, 4 feet, 8 feet, 16 feet and 32 feet from the middle card. Use an incident meter on the middle card to give the correct exposure. The middle card should have the same value on each photograph.


2. Use 3 4x5 cards a black card in front, a grey card in the middle and a white card in the back. Using the same single point source make all 3 cards appear to be the same value. You can move the cards and the light source until it works.

Production stills by Jessica Bandy

Create a blog for this class in Blogger. All your assignments will be posted to this blog. Follow the class blog.

Class Syllabus

Who should take this class: 

Anyone interested in learning lighting.  No prior knowledge of lighting is required. 

Class Description:

This course is an opportunity to learn the laws of light and to gain an appreciation of how important an understanding of light is to a photographer’s process. The class will begin with an exploration of the physics of light in order to explain its behavior. The weekly sessions and assignments will teach the student how to approach every lighting experience with confidence.  The purpose is to master these concepts and to ensure effective application of this knowledge. The ability to problem solve is a crucial element when faced with challenging lighting situations and without this understanding it is very difficult to move beyond obvious limitations. The ultimate goal is to be able to apply these concepts and then to see all the possibilities. 

Assignments:

Each week there will be a demonstration and a class exercise that will end with a weekly assignment. There will be a total of thirteen weekly assignments and one final project.

Each student will post their weekly assignments on their lighting blog along with a sketch and brief explanation of their results. 

Grading:

A commitment from the students is expected. Being on time, prepared with homework and ready to learn are requirements.  The student’s aesthetic approach to lighting will also be a factor in grading. 

Schedule:

Lesson  1:  Inverse Square Law

Lesson  2:  Angle of Incident, Light Travels in a Straight Line

Lesson  3:  One Light Source

Lesson  4:  Three Light Source

Lesson  5:  One Strobe

Lesson  6:  Strobe and Tungsten

Lesson  7:  Hand Flash

Lesson  8:  Outdoor Flash

Lesson  9:  Light Painting

Lesson 10: Shiny Metal and Glass

Lesson 11: Night Photography

Lesson 12:  Stop Action

Lesson 13:  Size Matters

Lesson 14:  Bring in a lighting problem to solve

Lesson 15:  Review final assignment