Sunlight Photography: Filming From Various "Sunny" Angles
Light is what makes all photography possible. To "see" light well, and understand how it records on film, is one of the greatest skills a photographer can have. This is an important section of the book, and I'll start at the beginning.
Sunlight is irresistible to most people, with its connotations of summertime joys, and most people instinctively want to photograph in sunlight. This seems easy to beginners, and in many ways it is. Because bright sun gives intense light, you can use fine-grain film and still set high shutter speeds. The result can be super-sharp enlargements with considerable depth-of-field, and no problems with blurry, fast-moving subjects or camera shake. Despite these advantages, there are pitfalls to avoid when making exposures in the sun. Be aware of them and your sunlit pictures will be fine.
High Contrast:
Contrast between the darkest and lightest areas in photographs may cause problems, because all film records light and shade differently than our eyes perceive it. Avoid shooting under midday summer or tropical sun whenever possible, because overhead sun makes for a harsh "contrasty" light.
With any subject, preview what contrast will look like on film by squeezing your eyes into narrow slits. Viewing the subject through a deep red, green, or blue filter will help as well. With either preview method, highlights will appear brilliant and shadows almost black, about as film records them. You will then understand why you should not photograph anything or anyone partly in bright sun, partly in deep shadow.
Sun and Shadow:
Any mix of bright sun and deep shadows makes shapes confusing and hard to "read" - this is the principle behind all camouflage. Avoid photographing anyone or anything under the light of overhead sun filtering through or partly shaded by trees.
Sunlight from high overhead on any subject, known as "toplighting," causes shadows that, on pictures showing faces, make eye sockets look like black holes, and create unflattering deep shadows under noses and chins. If you must photograph people in overhead sunlight, have them look up if their eyes can stand it. Better yet is to learn to fill in the shadows.
"Filling" Deep Shadows:
All shadows record much more deeply on film than they do to the naked eye. Solve the problem with "fill" light. To "fill" in photography means to add just enough light to "open up" (or lighten) shadows without affecting the overall exposure. First choose a moderate lens aperture and expose for the sunlight. Then aim a handy, purpose-built, collapsible white or silver reflector to reflect the sun back onto dark areas of the subject. Or, use a sheet of white or silver artist's board for fill. Aimed correctly, either type of reflector will do the job fine. Alternately, use flash as "fill" for daylight exposures. Expose normally, then add flash. The flash will lighten shadows within flash range, again without affecting overall exposure.
Directional light:
Late sunlight is usually the most interesting natural light. Sunlight is low whenever your own shadow is longer that you are.
"High three-quarter light"
is sunlight or any light shining from over your left or right shoulder down at about a 45° angle onto a subject. This is the classic light recommended in "how-to" manuals since photography's earliest days. The high three-quarter angle is the nearest thing to foolproof lighting there is - it looks good falling on almost any subject.
"Sidelight"
low sunlight from either side - emphasizes texture, and it's great for revealing landscape contours and the shapes of buildings in towns and cities. Sidelight also makes for strong "character" portraits, especially of men. Sidelighting works well for most still-life subjects, revealing details of wood grain, modeling or carving, and texture of fabric or fur.
"Frontlight,"
or late-day or winter sunlight, shining from a low angle onto any subject, is hard, flat, and posterish. It's dramatic against cloudy skies, and it's the angle of light that maximizes reflections on water. For groups of people and portraits, low frontlight can almost give the "look" of a flash picture. This may be effective if you overcome subjects' natural tendency to squint.
"Backlight" - Light from the sun coming from a low angle behind a subject toward the camera is called "backlight" and can be the prettiest lighting of all. Backlight makes water gleam, turns flowers and leaves translucent, and gives landscapes a look of great depth and space. If the sunlight is extremely low, shielded from the lens by the subject, and there is a dark background to the picture, the resulting halo effect (called "rim-light") is romantic on people. In addition, it's especially dramatic on flowers, leaves, and anything translucent.
