READ: Introduction to Light

Photography is all about light. Direction, color, hardness, it's all about light. To control what happens in your photograph you must control the light. What does that mean?

Let's look at some examples of where light was used well that made for some great photographs. What did the artists below do to get these photos? Do you think they were just lucky or was it technique? What kind of planning does it take to create photographs like these? 

This image from Barbara Fischer's Flickr stream uses backlight to bring out color and texture of the leaf. Backlight acts to frame the image with light and creates sharp definitions of interest within the photograph. Take a look at the backlight pool on flickr for more examples.

The next photo, also from Spoedman's Flickr stream uses side lighting to paint the little girl's face and side with light. The strong side light creates depth with the shadows it produces. Painting your subject with light is as much about creating darkness and shadow as it is about light. Balance and tension in a photograph can be created by line, texture, color and light.

As light and dark create tension and depth, so do colors that are opposites, or complementary colors.

A true silhouette leaves only shadows of the subject framing the image with light. This photo from Arunan's flickr stream is a good example, as is this second photo from his collection.
Be sure to take some time and browse the Flickr collection of silhouette tagged photos.

When you combine the golden colors available only in the magic hours of early dawn or evening light with back lighting you can get some great photos like the one below from "Your Guide's" Flickr stream.