Assignment 4 - Languages of light
Revisit one of the exercises on daylight, artificial light or controlled light from Part Four (Ex 4.1, Ex 4.2 or Ex 4.3) and develop it into a formal assignment submission. The submission requirement for this assignment is a set of between six and ten high-quality photographic prints.
There are many ways to edit and the most valuable one is probably to show your work to friends, family and your OCA peers for feedback - you are guaranteed to discover something new in your work. Another tip is to pin the work up on the wall and live with a for a few days. ‘A Quick Guide to Editing Your Photo Series using Stickies’ on the IPO (Invisible Photographer Asia) website, but bear in mind that this is not a narrative assignment - you’re not required to produce a story.
http://invisiblephotographer.asia/2013/11/18/editing101-quickguidestickies/
Assessment of photography in any context is an assessment of images and accompanying words so please Include a written analysis of your work outlining:
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how you have developed the assignment from the original exercise in Part 4
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which practitioners you’ve looked at for inspiration and how their work has influenced you
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your technical approach and any particular techniques you incorporated
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the strengths and weaknesses of particular photographs and your project as a whole (self-
assessment)
Conclude your notes with a personal reflection on how you’ve developed the exercise in order to meet the descriptors of the Creativity criteria. Write 500–1,000 words.
Response to the brief
Choosing which exercise to revisit for this assignment was an easy task. I chose the one that I found most interesting and what I feel I learnt the most from but what I knew I could learn more about too. For this assignment I developed exercise 4.3: Egg or Stone.
For exercise 4:3 I photographed an apple and used a small torch or a bed side lamp to create controlled lighting.
I found this quite fascinating and also was intrigued with the way controlled lighting can change the way an object can look.
I have dabbled with the idea of portrait photography in a small way having come from a theatre background. I have done a headshot shoot in the past for a show that I produced but I only really lit it with two studio lights from the front, not really knowing what I was doing back then. Below are a couple of those images.
I have chosen to develop exercise 4:3 with the use of controlled lighting in portrait photography. Portrait photography is definitely something I want to learn more about and how lighting techniques can shape a face and frame it.
Research
Yousuf Karsh
Before I could plan my shoot for this assignment, I wanted to look at a couple of photographers and the way they use controlled lighting in their shoots. I stumbled across the image below and it immediately caught my attention.
The above image is by photographer Yousuf Karsh. Photographing Albert Einstein was a dream of his and in the February of 1948 he was able to fulfil that dream. What I enjoy about this photo is how the light hits the side of Einstein's face and the tops of his hands. Its almost like he is sitting under the moonlight on a clear night. He has a sort of magical glow about him but seems completely unaware of it.
Karsh was a American-Canadian portrait photographer. Well known for his clientele, he photographed not only Einstein but Grace Kelly, Winston Churchill and Pablo Picasso to name a few. His photos were known for their dramatic lighting and close cropped composition. He had his own style for his portraits which usually included a plain background and he would watch for body language and facial movements to bring out the personalities of those that he was photographing.
Karsh's use of controlled light
Influenced by portrait painter Rembrandt and the way he lit his subjects from a skylight or high window, Karsh would recreate this technique of lighting with artificial light for his portraits. Much of his portraits would contain a lot of shadow on the face to create a mystical glow from the areas highlighted.
Richard Avedon
Richard Avedon's images also interested me. He had a simplistic style of using only one light but making sure it was masterfully placed to highlight his subject. Avedon was one of the most iconic fashion photographers spanning fifty years, although he preferred to refer to himself as a portrait photographer. He photographed many celebrities, politicians and other public figures.
Although his images are unadorned with lighting, they capture the essence of his subjects effortlessly and show us perhaps how keeping things uncomplicated we can still create dynamic and powerful images.
Comparing Karsh and Avedon's work
Both Karsh and Avedon were masters of controlled light. From what I've seen of their work, they both tend to use soft lighting in their portrait photography. Avedon uses less shadow on his subjects faces than Karsh - Karsh was not afraid to highlight certain areas of the face whereas Avedon seemed to want to light as much of the face as he could in most of his photos. Avedon would also use lighter backgrounds compared to Karsh's dark backdrops.
Both photographers predominately use a low key style of photographing their portraits which utilises dark tones to create a more dramatic image whereas, high key photography is usually over lit and cancels out any shadows in an image.
Karsh, Y (1948) Albert Einstein [Online image]. Available from: https://filtergrade.com/best-portrait-photographers-to-inspire-you/ [Accessed 24th Jan 2021]
Avedon, R (1957). Marilyn Monroe [Online image]. Available from:http://www.artnet.com/artists/richard-avedon/marilyn-monroe-actress-new-york-city-6-mai-1957-thwLGSzbhwlXdw_FT8Gs6w2. [Accessed 25th Jan 2021]
Avedon, R (1967). Paul McCartney [Online image]. Available from:
https://www.photographize.co/blog/index_files/5a17db8b1deeef0969d9c89224f8f79b-122.html [Accessed 25th Jan 2021]
Understanding controlled light
Having dabbled with controlled light in a small way for exercise 4.3 and using soft boxes in the past but not really knowing what I was doing, I wanted to research and learn as much as I could about controlled light and the different styles and techniques that can be used.
Lighting set up
Key Light
The main light for the scene. It determines the light pattern.
Fill Lights
Used to fill (lighten) the shadows. Fill lights are generally weaker than the key lights.
Hair/Seperation/Rim lights
Keep the model from blending in with the background. Usually placed to the side, behind model and they highlight parts of his/her figure.
Background light
Useful for high key portraits. Can also be used as a separation light in set ups with several lights. Use with coloured gels to alter background colour.
Below are some sketched diagrams that I drew of lighting patterns.
Split Lighting
-Simplest lighting set up
-Side lighting
-High contrast light pattern often used to create portraits in a low key
-Camera and lighting are at a 90 degree angle
-Light is aligned with models shoulder and head
-For BROAD lighting, turn model 45 degrees away from light
-For SHORT lighting, face model 45 degrees towards light
Hero Lighting
-Similar set up to split lighting but with a second key light placed symmetrically to the first key light.
-Takes its name from the powerful mood it creates
-Creates a strong shadow in the middle of the models face
-Shadow thickness can be controlled by positioning the model in front of the lights. This creates a larger shadow.
-Position model behind the lights for a thinner shadow
Loop Lighting
-Classic one light set up with optional background light to create a soft loop lighting on your model.
-Also known as 'Rembrandt lighting'. Famously used by Yousuf Karsh.
-Suits both male and female models
Butterfly Lighting
-Key light is placed high above model at a 25 degree angle facing towards model to create a small butterfly shaped shadow under the models nose
-Popular in the 1930's with Hollywood photographers
Leaves deep shadows under the chin, cheekbones and nose
- A fill light can be added to disperse shadows
Rim Light set up/Backlight
-Rim lighting can be used to create images with a dark, mysterious and sometimes abstract feeling.
-Rim lighting can also be used as a backlight
Front light/Flat light
-Light source directly in front of your subject
-Light is not at an angle so this can result in a limited number of shadows
-Light will be spread evenly across the photo
Test shots
After reading up on different lighting set ups and lighting patterns, I wanted to take a few test shots to make sure the soft boxes I had were suitable for the assignment and what I wanted to achieve.
I decided upon playing with a split lighting pattern and low key lighting for the test shots and so set up one light and popped my camera on a tripod. I began to examine how the light fell on my subjects face and explored how this changes by moving the light around ever so slightly.
Doing a mini test shoot was beneficial for this assignment as I feel it allowed me to move forward and plan for the assignment in knowing what I wanted to achieve and it allowed me to realise that what I wanted to achieve was doable.
Development
So how will I develop exercise 4.3 into an assignment?
I have chosen to use portrait photography for this assignment, rather than still life. I will also be using two soft boxes and a backlight. In 4.3 to light the apple I used a small torch and a lamp. I also had a very small area to work with - a dining room chair. For this assignment I will have a backdrop and a much bigger space to to work in.
After researching Avedon and Karsh's work I want to focus on woking in the style of low key lighting and how this can make a photo dramatic and engaging but just like Avedon I want to not over complicate the shoot. I am still very much a novice with controlled light and I want to use this assignment to learn and play around with controlled light and studio lighting. Like Karsh's fond use of the 'Rembrandt' style of lighting his subject I want to find a style that suites me and my subject and something that I can adapt and be creative with. I also want to try and capture the true character of my subject and portray that through my images using controlled light.
Languages of Light
Above are my final images for this assignment.
I did a lot of planning for this assignment shoot. It has proven to be a lot more technical and thought out. I had a clear image in my head of the sort of images I wanted to achieve and was pleased with the outcome and I feel that my research into controlled light and looking into the work of Karsh and Avedon has allowed me to learn a lot and put that knowledge into practice for this submission.
As a set of images, I think the above sit well together. There is a mix of different lighting patterns and styles used but also a lot of similarities that make the set an effective collection of images such as the low key style and dark backdrop and especially how the light reflects and bounces of the subjects hair in each shot.
I wanted to capture the character of the subject with this assignment. I know of her to be cheeky and fun, yet elegant and alluring. I feel like the selected images portray that. They are each individual and encapsulate a different characteristic that the subject possesses.
Set up and equipment
For the shoot I used my Nikon D3400 with an 18-55mm lens and set it up on a tripod. For my key lights I used two Neewer 700w soft boxes with diffusers and also used a lamp to act as a backlight in some shots.
When playing around with different colours, I used coloured cellophane and attached these to the soft boxes to act as gels.
Having decided upon focusing on the style of low key lighting, I used a plain black sheet for my backdrop. My subject was also dressed in black as I did not want to distract from how the lighting would fall on her face.
Technical approach
I used this assignment to learn more about controlled light and to develop my creativeness surrounding it. For this reason I wanted to try out as many lighting styles as possible and so planned which styles I would use and where my lights would be placed. The lighting patterns used for this assignment include, split, loop, hero, butterfly, rim and flat lighting. I used these patterns as a base and was able to adjust and develop them as the shoot went on.
My ISO was generally kept low at 200 to keep my images sharp and clear and free from any grain. The soft boxes created enough light to be able to stay at 200. I kept my aperture between f/4 and f/5 as these were quite close up shots. Depth of field wasn't too much of an issue as I was shooting low key and with a dark plain backdrop. I used my light meter to determine my shutter speed and around 1/20sec seemed to work well for the shoot, although not the fastest shutter speed it seemed to be the sweet spot for this shoot and kept images sharp.
Below, I will take a closer look and reflect more on each image.
Contact Sheets
ISO 200 ~ 34mm ~ f/4.5 ~ 1/20sec
This shot is a good example of loop or 'Rembrandt' lighting. The light was positioned above the subject at a 45 degree angle facing down towards her.
The shadowing under her right cheekbone that moves down the right side of her chin and onto her neck gives this shot depth and frames the subjects face in a flattering way.
ISO 200 ~ 28mm ~ f/4.5 ~ 1/30sec
The colours in this image create a theatrical look and the yellow and purple sit well together as contrasting colours.
The lighting style used for this image was Hero lighting which has become a favoured style of mine. I enjoy how it gives the subject that heroic glow around their silhouette and I like the shadows it creates down the centre of the face making the image quite symmetrical.
ISO 200 ~ 34mm ~ f/4.5 ~ 1/20sec
This image was also shot using loop or 'Rembrandt' lighting except this time I asked the subject to look up into the light to create an almost angelic looking image. The reflection of the light in her eyes makes them the focal point of the image and draws your gaze straight to them.
The shadow created under the cheek bone that flows down under the chin gives her face shape and definition.
This image has an illuminance that creates and gives the subject that elegant and refined look.
ISO 200 ~ 31mm ~ f/4.5 ~ 1/30sec
For this image I played around with short lighting to create a great deal of contrast on the subjects face. This has also effectively narrowed the face and dramatises the face creating an air of mystery over the subject.
The lighting pattern used here was hero but I moved the lights slightly behind the subject which resulted in the right hand side of her hair being lit but leaving that side of the face in shadow.
ISO 200 ~ 28mm ~ f/4.5 ~ 1/30sec
Again, for this image, hero lighting was used with the two contrasting coloured gels. I like this shot because of its imperfections. The hands are not in focus but this does not distract from the subjects face and her slight smirk. Instead, once you start to explore the image more you realise that the blurred hands have the opposite colours reflecting off of them. The left hand is purple while the left side of the face is yellow and the right hand is yellow while the right side of the face is purple. This takes away some of the symmetry from the frame and creates more contrast.
ISO 200 ~ 35mm ~ f/4.5 ~ 1/50sec
I prefer taking natural shots of people rather than images that are too posed. I tried a bit of both with this assignment and my chosen set of images displays a mix of posed and natural shots. The subject was caught of guard for this shot whilst trying to give herself a boost of energy by rubbing her face.
The way she has lifted her head slightly has allowed the hero style of lighting here to illuminate her hands, similar to how Karsh would light his subjects hands. There is also a clear shadow flowing down the centre of the subjects face which spreads out across her cheeks and eyes and also her chin creating an upside down 'v' shape.
Reflection in line with assessment criteria
Demonstration of technical skills and visual skills - Materials, techniques, observational skills, visual awareness, design and compositional skills.
This is the first assignment that I have shot completely in full manual mode. Manual mode was something that I was always apprehensive about and could never quite get my head around. Although I am a lot more confident in manual mode now, I still have a lot to learn and understand about my camera. I do rely heavily on my cameras built in light meter but I find manual mode easier to control in good lighting.
For the assignment I used my Nikon D3400 with a 18-55mm lens with a tripod for a steady shot. Two soft boxes were used for key lights and a lamp for a backlight in some shots. I also used coloured cellophane to act as gels and used a black sheet to create a plain backdrop. If there was anything I would like to better or expand on, it would be to introduce the use of reflectors and hair lights but I simply did not have the resources for that.
Each shot was carefully considered. Lighting set up and the observation of how that light fell on the subject and also the position and direction of the subject were taken into consideration as this effected the composition of each shot.
Quality of outcome - Content, application of knowledge, presentation of work in a coherent manner, discernment, conceptualisation of thoughts, communication of ideas.
Looking into different lighting styles while planning for this assignment was definitely a positive and allowed me tp apply that knowledge to each shot. This assignment would not have been so successful if I hadn't of done that research as I had very little knowledge of controlled light apart from what I had learnt when completing exercise 4.3.
The presentation of my work for this assignment is simple yet effective. I try to lay my thoughts down in a logical order and how they happened. I think my blog is easy to navigate and the assignment is presented in a clear way and I have communicated my ideas clearly.
When it comes to discernment, I am my own worst judge. If I don't like something then I simply wont use it but I always will learn from it.
Demonstration of creativity - Imagination, experimentation, invention.
Experimentation played a big part in this assignment. Once I had grasped the basics of lighting patterns, I was able to be inventive and move my lights around and play with colours and contrast. I also tried to be inventive in the way I placed my subject - posing her in certain ways so the light would fall in a specific place on her face and also catching her off guard to create a more natural photo. It took around two hours to shoot this assignment and within that time I gained so much knowledge but was also able to adapt and create within that time.
Context - Reflection, research, critical thinking.
While reflecting on assignment 3 I talked about how I struggle with research. I have found that for this assignment the research I have completed has come a lot easier and has really allowed me to contextualise my work and implement my knowledge into the assignment.
Reflection is something I think , I will always find difficult but I feel I have been able to explain my thoughts on this assignment quite well and I think I have explained the rationality behind my ideas and how they link together to create the assignment as a whole.
I shared the assignment with peers who gave me positive feedback and thought my selected images were very good. I did sit on my images for a while and thought about how to present them. I went from cropping them to portrait but then decided against this and went back to landscape as I felt this gave them a better aesthetic. I also played around with the layout of the images and experimented with how the final set should look and the order they should sit in.