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Frontlighting
Electronic Flash Lighting

Journalist 3 & 2 - Introduction to Journalism and other reporting practices
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Figure 11-13.—Backlighting without a reflector. when  lighted  from  the  side.  Landscapes,  buildings  and people all look better when lighted from the side. This  principle  also  applies  to  color  photography. Color   gives   the   viewer   extra   information   about   the subject   that   may   make   up   for   a   lack   of   texture   in frontlighting,  but  often  the  result  is  much  better  when lighted from the side. Backlighting When   the   sun   is   in   front   of   the   photographer, coming directly at the camera, you have what is referred to  as  backlighting  (fig.  11-13);  that  is,  the  subject  is backlighted. This type of lighting can be very effective for  pictures  of  people  outdoors  in  bright  sunlight.  In bright  sunlight,  when  subjects  are  frontlighted,  or  even sidelighted,   they   may   be   uncomfortable   and   squint. Backlighting helps eliminate this problem. Backlighting may  require  the  use  of  a  reflector  or  fill-in  flash  to brighten  the  dark  shadows  and  improve  subject  detail (fig.  11-14).  Backlighting  also  is  used  to   produce   a silhouette effect. When  you  use  backlighting,  avoid  allowing  sun rays   to   fall   directly   on   the   lens   (except   for   special effects). Use a lens hood or some other means of shading the lens to prevent lens flare. Figure 11-14.—Backlighting using a reflector. EXISTING LIGHT Existing    light    photography,    sometimes    called available or natural light photography, is the making of pictures  by  the  light  that  happens  to  be  on  the  scene. This  includes  light  from  table,  floor  and  ceiling  lights, neon   signs,   windows,   skylights,   candles,   fireplaces, automobile  headlights,  and  any  other  type  of  light  that provides   the   natural   lighting   of   a   scene   —   except daylight   outdoors   (moonlight   is   considered   existing light). Existing light is that type of light found in homes, in offices, in the hangar bay, in the chapel, in the club, in sports  arenas,  and  so  on.  Outdoor  scenes  at  twilight  or after dark are also existing light situations. Photography by existing light produces pictures that look   natural.   Even   the   most   skillfully   lighted   flash picture  may  look  artificial  when  compared  to  a  good existing light photograph. With existing light photography,  the  photographer  has  an  opportunity  to make  dramatic,  creative  pictures.  Existing  light  allows the photographer greater freedom of movement because he   is   not   burdened   with   extra   lighting   equipment. Subject distance, when not using flash, has no effect on exposure, so you can easily photograph distant subjects that could not otherwise be photographed using flash or some other means of auxiliary lighting.   With existing 11-13







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