The balance between light and shadow is one of the building blocks of photography. There are countless tutorials on how to achieve the best contrast, but many photographers have more success when they learn through trial and error.
Experimenting with your camera is part of the fun, which is why we’ve put together a few ideas to try using light creatively.
- Light Tracing
Light tracing is a great way to start experimenting with your camera and getting to grips with light versus dark, as well as changing shutter speeds. This should be done in low light or total darkness. Place your camera on a tripod and point it towards a subject (anything you like).
Set the camera to shutter priority and set the speed at around 30 seconds—i.e., the camera will capture light and movement for 30 seconds, which gives you enough time to trace around your subject with a torch or laser light. To allow for the slower exposure, you should set your ISO as low as possible.
Stand behind your subject and trace the outline as the camera shutter opens. It’s a good idea to wear dark clothing and try to keep your backdrop as dark as possible. Your photo should come out with a dramatic tracing of your subject in bright light.
DIY Reflectors
Most amateur photographers don’t have a studio of their own, and many don’t have access to professional equipment like studio lighting and diffusers. When it comes to playing with light, though, you don’t need fancy gear.
Photographers use reflectors to achieve different effects, and if you have a reflective surface, you can do the same. Anything shiny will do, mirrors, tinfoil or even pots and pans that are reflective. By moving your subject around you’ll be able to create different lighting conditions. Another idea is to shine an external light onto the surface to increase the effect.
Lens Flare
Some photographers see lens flares as imperfections, but they can actually enhance your photos if you get them right. Experiment with your camera by shooting directly into the light and then adjust your position by degrees to compare the amount and type of lens flare you get. Use different aperture sizes to gauge what type of light you prefer. The wider the aperture, the more light it lets in, but smaller apertures can produce an almost star-like flare.
Light spirals
For this experiment, you’ll need your camera, a tripod, a dark room and a torch (or another small light source) and the means to suspend the torch from above. Attach the light to the ceiling and position your camera beneath it, pointing directly towards it i.e.: 90 degrees to the floor. To achieve light spirals, focus the camera on the light, and then give it a gentle push so that it swings around. Using a slow shutter speed, you’ll be able to capture a satisfyingly geometric image.
Bokeh
Bokeh refers to the soft background in photographs, especially out-of-focus circles of light. It can be very rewarding to experiment with Bokeh, whether you’re doing it with the camera or in post-processing.
To achieve the effect manually, you need to set your aperture as low as possible, which increases the depth of field and makes for a nice, soft background. Try posing your subject in front of different light sources, using fairy lights can be very effective.
In Photoshop, you can use the field blur filter to isolate your point of focus and soften the background, hopefully creating some stunning Bokeh if your lighting is right.
Adding Light Streaks
Experimenting with Photoshop is one of the best ways to learn how to use it, especially if you’re creating an online portfolio where you’ll showcase your work. As you improve, you can update your images and show off your improved skill set.
One fun trick is adding in light streaks, which can enhance photos and create fantasy-like images. The first step is to create a new layer. Using the Photoshop pen tool, draw a path where you want your light streak before selecting the brush tool. You can experiment with different brush tips. Once you’ve made your choice, lower the spacing (at the bottom of the brushes palette) to 1%, and set the size control to “pen pressure”—this allows the streaks to taper at each end.
Set your foreground color to white (in the tools palette) and then save your path. Choose the “stroke path” option from the path’s palette and set the tool to brush. Once you click OK the program will create a streak along the path.
This is just a brief description of the process. There are many more options for editing light streaks and fine-tuning them to your preference.
Have Fun
The most important thing is to enjoy yourself as you get to know your camera better. Learning the basics is great. But by experimenting, you’ll have a more thorough and practical understanding of how to take impressive photos of every subject or occasion.