2020 Photo Challenge #21

May’s theme / technique: It’s all about the Light

The six visual keys to a great photograph are:

    • Patterns
    • Texture
    • Lines
    • Light
    • Depth of field
    • Space

Being Creative with light. Photography literally means writing with light which immediately tells you how important lighting is. And with light comes shadows. Another important feature. An appreciation of light is crucial to making great photographs.

The qualities of light that affect a photograph are:

    1. brightness of light
      this is fairly easy to understand; it is the intensity of light.
    2. lighting contrasts
      is the difference between highlights and shadows in a scene
    3. specular light
      or hard light can be explained by thinking how sunlight strikes an object on a bright and clear day. One side will be lit up, the other in dark shadow.
    4. diffused light
      on the other hand when it is an overcast day the sun lights the clouds and they become the source of light. Light wraps itself around the subject and reflects light into the shadows. The light is soft or diffused.
    5. direction of light
      creating depth in photographs relies on knowing the source of the light. Front light comes from behind the camera and strikes the front of the scene, usually producing a 2-dimensional image. Use bold colours or a strong colour contrast to replace the lack of shadows. Sidelight is most apparent when the sun is low and shadows are long separating foreground from the background and giving a 3-dimensional look. Backlight comes from behind the subject and can create depth and shape. If a subject is transparent then backlighting is a way to make them glow.
    6. colour of light
      Sometimes you can actually see the colour of light. The so-called ‘magic hours‘ before sunrise or after sunset can produce coloured air which can be pink or orange or golden. Everything seems to change colour. There is also the question of white balance (WB). A setting on your camera that makes things that are supposed to be white really look white. This setting can be changed either in the camera, or if you shoot in RAW, in processing.

As I have previously said, I am not an expert in the technicalities of photography. I tend to use auto settings most of the time. I have altered the white balance occasionally when it has been cloudy or when photographing snow, to prevent that blueness you often get. But by all means experiment to see what difference the presets in your camera make.

This week's assignment - Use strong backlighting (i.e. shooting towards the light source, but do not look directly at the sun) to create a contre-jour image where the subject becomes a silhouette, OR shoot the light through flowers or leaves creating a transparent effect.
    • To create a silhouette expose for the background alone – whether the sky or a brightly lit wall – so the foreground objects are recorded as very dark or even black.
    • To be effective, minimal light should fall on the subject. The main point is to capture the shape and not details. 
    • Try to position yourself so the subject obscures the light source to eliminate bright light flaring into the lens.

(1) This photo below is old, but one of my favourite examples of contre-jour (French for “against daylight”), coincidentally the subject is of the Louvre pyramid entrance in Paris, France. It was taken using the low winter sunlight through an entrance archway into the courtyard and capturing the figures walking through as solid shapes; as they get closer to the light you’ll notice more definition.

(2) Something I love to do more often now is to capture people on my favourite beach with the sun behind them

(3) Or silhouetted against a sunset

(4) And another favourite of mine is photographing plants and leaves with the light behind them.

If you would like to join in with the 2020 photo challenge then please take a look at my 2020 Photo Challenge page. No complicated rules, just a camera required 🙂

    • Create your own post with some information about how you composed the shot.
    • Include a link to this page in your post so others can find it too
    • Add the tag #2020PhotoChallenge so everyone can find your entry easily in the WP Reader
    • Get your post(s) in by the end of the month, as the new theme comes out on the first Sunday in June.

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Heyjude

I have lived in the UK for most of my life, but when young I definitely had wanderlust and even ended up living in South Africa for several years which was a wonderful experience. I now look forward to a long and leisurely retirement doing what I like most - gardening, photography, walking and travelling.

77 thoughts on “2020 Photo Challenge #21”

  1. oh these are wonderful you have captured every type . . . . I’ve only gone for one this morning – silhouettes

    1. Sun will be with you tomorrow! My son in Doncaster said it was rather grey and cold up there today. Fortunately here the wind finally died down and I was able to get out into the garden AND go for a walk.

        1. Oh, my, don’t go there. That man hasn’t got a clue how angry people are about that. And it has made everyone realise just who’s running this shambles of a government.

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  5. Goodness me, Becky was uick off the mark 🙂 🙂 (drat! ‘fast’ 🙂 ) And very beautifully, but nothing can outclass that first photo of yours, Jude. Hoping for a less windy Sunday? 🙂 🙂

      2. Any of your gardening pals good with bougainvillea? Pauline I expect but hers will be growing in the soil. So much conflicting advice online. Mine’s in a sizeable tub and I read that it doesn’t mind being pot bound or roots squeezed. Treat it like a cactus and only water when it’s gasping? The flowers have died back and I also read it might have a rest period before starting up again, but that flowers only come on new growth. Most is still green and healthy looking and I don’t want to prune if it doesn’t need it. Any thoughts? The vines are flowering their socks off. Also in big pots and growing up the same pillar. Thank you, Mrs Garden Lady 🤔💕💕

        1. Never grown it myself. Try putting a comment on Fred’s blog as he lives in France and might grow it, or what about Piglet in Portugal?

        3. I’ll put a query on if you like, he is extremely friendly. And I’ll drop one on Piglet too, though you might knie

        6. Hi Jo your bougainvillea should be ok if pruned, in fact over here they can get rampant. I got rid of mine, it had terrible thorns and was taking over. But they do look gorgeous in full flower. You’re right not to give it too much water.

        7. Thanks, Pauline! Not sure if to trim or not. The leaves at the bottom are fresh and green, and there’s a tiny new flower on its way. It’s just the part climbing the pergola is a bit straggly and limp. My expectations may be too high! It is being outperformed by the lovely vine flowers right now. 🙂 🙂 Sorry, Jude, for monopolising 😦

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  8. Beautiful photos Jude – ahh that one of Paris makes me all nostalgic 🙂 I’m afraid I just snap away and hope for the best on auto settings. I do love taking photos though. Hope all is well with you and you’re enjoying a little more freedom take care 🙂

    1. Hope you are safe, saw the horrible weather you are experiencing on the news today. You guys really know how to do extreme weather!

      1. Thanks Jude yes we are all fine – it must be bad to be getting on the UK news!! It’s been very wet and wild since yesterday – thankfully we are safe here and “touchwood” still have our power. We did have a power cut last week but it was fine and sunny then!

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