In the Spring 2010 issue of Canadian Scrapbooker magazine, I discussed three directions of lighting: front, side and back. This month, we will do something different - I will be discussing both front and side lighting and their different effects! Today we will talk about front lighting.
Front lighting is exactly as described: lighting that is directed toward the front of your subject. It is very easy to use and can come from many sources: on-camera flash, sunlight from behind the photographer, and directed studio lighting to name a few. Front lighting generally results in bright, well-lit photos:
Taken with Nikon D70 at f/6.3, 1/160 sec., ISO 200
Despite its’ ease of use, professional photographers do not tend to use it very often, or only in particular settings. Front lighting will cause your subject to appear flat, losing the illusion of texture. It is for this reason that it is sometimes referred to as “flat lighting”. It is particularly effective in landscape or architectural photos, like these, where there is a need for uniform lighting:
Taken with Nikon D60 at f/9, 1/200 sec., ISO 100
Taken with Nikon D70 at f/10, 1/200 sec., ISO 200
Oftentimes, during portrait photography, front lighting in the form of sunlight will cause your subject to squint:
Taken with Nikon D70 at f/5.3, 1/800 sec., ISO 200
Taken with Nikon D70 at f/10, 1/400 sec., ISO 640
Taken with Nikon D70 at f/4.5, 1/60 sec., ISO 200
Check back tomorrow for the tutorial on Side Lighting and your March/April assignment!
Cheers!
Sue has been behind a camera for more than 25 years, working professionally as a photographer for the last ten years. While she began the hobby of scrapbooking in 2000, as a complement to her photographer career, it soon grew into a rival passion! Sue loves to enlarge one of her favourite photos and make it the focal point of her page, using her supplies to bring the focus onto her photography. She has, in recent years, turned more to scrapbooking "moments" rather than "events", choosing to leave her children more insight into her point of view of their lives.
When using front lighting on a subject that wears glasses how do you minimizes the relection in the glasses?
Such amazing photos! Thanks for the tips.
Thanks for the great tips here, Sue!!!!! Great read!!!!!
yep I could do with a bit of flattering side lighting
Another great lesson…Thanks!
i have to try this out…thanks
love it
Thanks for the info. I didn’t know this!
great photos! I can’t wait to learn more about lighting as I can already tell from my photos I take that it is important.
Cool!
great photos!
You have got some really great shots posted…thanks for the information abour front lighting!
HOPping by!
Thanks for the great info:)
You’ve shared some beautiful photos and great tips here!!!
Thanks for the great tutorial.
I love how this brightens it all up!Thanks for the tips
I love using this …. your pics are superb.
great info on front lighting
I really need to spend more time on this blod with all this great info here.
Wow…what gorgeous pictures!!
I once made the mistake of not only taking a side profile of my mom’s wrinkles, but converting it to black and white made the wrinkles pop even more!! (never printed her a copy!) lol!
Excellent, I am learning a lot and want to go back and try all of these great tips!!
Great tips!
Thanks for the handy info!
Learning lots going through all of the tutorials. Thanks again!
great info- its hard for me to not get sun directly in the subjects eyes though…
Great tips! Love the explanation of the different effects of front vs. side lighting!
i might actually get better at this! thanks
Your building and landscapes are beautiful. I love the composure of the building shot. Lighting is everything really…isn’t it! Thanks again for the wonderful tips.
Sandra d.
Great tips!
So many diferent types of lighting to keep in mind. amazing pics Sue!
I love reading all these great tutorials…and I wonder why I haven’t accessed them before? They are great…thanks so very much!
Thanks for another great tutorial!
great tips, loving the building photo, I’ve tried this in the past with great results!
Yup…don’t like the squinting…lol…great tutorial!
Another great tutorial for me to try. Thanks!
Photos are beautiful
I really like your stuff, I will need to come back and re-read it all!
Interesting!
These are awesome photos…love the Autunm scene!
I have found with my photos that front lighting can definitely cause the subject to look flat. Good information.
Great tutorial – thanks!
I had read this one previously but it’s always great to re-visit. Super photos!
Great tips! Thanks!
Great tips! Thanks!
didn’t know about front lighting. Thanks for the information.
Great tutorial, again. TFS!
Thanks for the great info.
Good tips.
will try to remember not to take subjects photos with direct frontal lighting to avoid a flat look.
a great refresher course!
i don’t remember seeing this one. i am glad i found it
Super photos! Thanks for the tips!
great photos
Geat tips
These are awesome photos. Thanks for sharing these great tips.
great pics:-)
I have the hardest time taking pics indoors without a flash.
Great pics!
Fantastic…thank-you!!!
AHhhh, now I have the reasoning of front lighting!
Learning about light is one of the coolest things about photography I think!! Great explanations on ALL of them!
Beautiful photos and great tips.
Thanks again for the tips!
Ohhhh….very intrigued about using light to lose the wrinkles!!! Now if only I could use that to my advantage in real life!!
Hey, interesting article – you can still develop this theme? Thanks