This a Lecture on Light and flash photography

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Dhaka University photographic society (DUPS)
Teacher Student Center (T.S.C)
UNIVERSITY OF DHAKA
Contact No: 01197260552-54;E-mail :dups.du1999@gmail.com;www.dupsbd.org
Light
The form of radiant energy that stimulates the organs of sight, having for normal human vision
wavelengths ranging from about 3900 to 7700 ångstroms and traveling at a speed of about 186,300
miles per second.
One ångstrom = 10-8
cm
General properties of light
Reflection
The first property of light we consider is reflection from a surface, such as that of a mirror.
when light is reflected, I = R.
When light is reflected off any surface, the angle of incidence ( I ) is always equal to the angle of
reflection ( R ).
Refraction
Refraction is the bending of light as it passes between materials of different density.
Refraction between two substances, n1 being more dense.
If 1 is the angle of the ray relative to the normal to the surface in medium 1, and 2 is the
angle relative to the normal in medium 2, then

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Types of Photography Lighting
Side Lighting
As you might expect Side Lighting is when the lighting is coming from the side. This usually provides
a great deal of contrast can create long shadows and adds depth to the image. This type of lighting can
add a dramatic flair to architectural and portraiture photography.
Back Lighting
Back lighting is when light is behind your subject and is directed at you and your camera. This type of
lighting creates silhouettes quiet easily. Combined with certain atmospheric conditions such as fog or
airborne dust you can get dramatic lighting effects.
Rim Lighting
When light comes in at an acute angle it can create highlights along the edges of your subject. The
stark contrast that it provides highlights shape and form. This type of lighting adds impact to macro,
wildlife, nature and fine art nude photography.
Ambient Light
It lights each and every surface in the scene evenly. A very little amount of ambient lighting can be
used to make a dim surface visible. Ambient light mimics the sun and fills a space with even amounts
of light. Ambient lighting is generally useful in office and school settings.
Soft or Diffuse Light
Soft light is diffuse providing lighting that is even. This type of lighting reduces contrast and
minimizes shadows. Soft light is excellent for portraiture, macro, and nature photography.
Hard Light
Hard light is quite direct and can often be intense in brightness. This type of lighting creates strong
shadows and high contrast. Highlights can be quiet intense under Hard lighting conditions so special
care should be made with ones exposure. Hard light can be stylistically applied to most any
photographic genre, but for many eyes it can be less appealing than other types of lighting.
Spotlight
Very simply Spot Light is when a focused amount of light highlights a particular section of your
subject or scene. This type of lighting can create strong shadows and contrast. Spot light can add
dramatic impact to all genres of photography.
Artificial Lighting
The most obvious type of lighting is artificial lighting. This can be generated from a variety studio
lights, and built in or external flash units. There are few genres of photography that artificial lighting
cannot be used successfully. Artificial lighting provides a lot of flexibility and creative opportunities.
Natural

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Probably the most flattering form of lighting, perhaps because this is the way we see most things and
most people every day.
Window Light
If shooting portraits of people or wedding portraits or church scenes etc, try using any available
daylight, even if it means moving people to another room in their house. Diffused window light, not
direct beams of sunlight, can create a real sense of calm and mood to an image. If the daylight can't
quite reach the subject, use a reflector or two to bounce and throw the light like in this example.If the
daylight can't quite reach the subject, use a reflector or two to bounce and throw the light like in this
example.
Aesthetic lighting:
This type of lighting can itself be described as a work of art. A neon sculpture would be purely
decorative and an example of aesthetic lighting. A spotlight enlightening a statue on a pedestal or
portrait on the wall is also artistic. This type of lighting also needs to be used along with other lighting
types. Our widely popular Mood Light is the latest innovation in Aesthetic Lighting.
General lighting:
It is considered to be the all-purpose type of lighting that creates a comfortable and safe environment.
Generally, incandescent, fluorescent, halogen and other types of bulbs can provide this kind of
Lighting from a wide variety of fixture types. The main consideration in General lighting is to provide
an adequate level of light throughout the room without dark spots or shadows, as well as balancing the
tone of the lights to work with other light sources.
Task lighting:
This type of lighting is used to execute daily activities such as reading, cooking, shaving, putting on
makeup, etc. It needs to be glare-free. Efficient task lighting enhances visual clarity and keeps the eyes
from getting tired. Task lighting provides a direct beam of light for a specific task such as reading at a
table.
Accent lighting:
lighting to a particular direction or lighting that adds interest or highlights a certain object or unusual
architectural feature in a room is accent lighting. A bulb and some kind of shield to direct the light are
all that's needed for this type of lighting. Halogen spotlights and table lamps or floor lamps with
opaque shades are good ways to achieve accent lighting.

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Color Temperature
Color Temperature is a term used to describe the color of a
given light..
It is based on the color given off by a glowing hot piece of
platinum.
For instance, heat the metal to "red hot" and its temperature
describes the red color.Heat it more and you get "yellow
hot," "white hot," eventually even "blue hot."
The Kelvin Temperature Scale
Color temperature is always measured in degrees Kelvin.
FLASH PHOTOGRAPHY
THE BASICS
Before you venture into the world of flash shooting, you need to first understand the basics of
exposure. This guide assumes that you understand how shutter speed affects exposure and motion blur,
how aperture affects exposure and depth-of-field, and how the ISO setting affects exposure and digital
noise. If you don’t yet have at least a theoretical grasp of these concepts, then it’s best to learn about
them before venturing into the flash world.
Flash fact #1: Every flash photograph is two exposures in one
Flash fact #2: Flash exposure is not affected by shutter speed.
Flash fact #3: Flash illumination is dramatically affected by
distance.
Flash fact #4: Your camera measures ambient light and flash illumination separately.
Flash fact #5: With automatic flash metering, the flash illumination is measured after the
shutter button is pressed, and the flash output is adjusted accordingly.
Flash fact #6: Every SLR camera with a mechanical shutter has a maximum flash sync shutter
speed
Flash Fact-3

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Flash Photography Made Simple
Direct Flash
Direct flash is what most people are most familiar with. This is when the flash unit emits its burst of
light directly at the subject. This is common to all cameras that have a built-in flash unit.
Images will normally have harsh shadows directly behind the subject. The photos will also have little
depth to them. Many photographs of people made with direct flash will have a problem with "red-
eye". Also if you have reflective surfaces behind your subject, such as mirrors, frames, or glass, you
will have a "hot spot" where the light is reflected off of the surface.
Fill Flash
The midday sun is a very harsh light source and creates pictures that have high contrast. Highlights
will be vivid and the shadows are usually deep. Fill flash is used to add illumination to your
foreground to help balance the light levels of your subject and the shadow areas
Bounce Flash
The best way to avoid the problems of direct flash is to use a bounce flash. Bounce flashes are flash
units that have the ability to angle the flash head in order to reflect the light off of a ceiling or reflector
connected to the flash unit. This technique will give you a soft diffused light that is very flattering for
portraits. Bounce will also prevent you from having "red-eye" and eliminates harsh reflections from
mirrors and glass because the light is not being reflected directly back at the camera.
Direct Flash Fill Flash Bounce Flash

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Front Curtain Sync
Front curtain sync is the normal style of flash synchronization. This means that the flash fires when the
shutter first reaches its peak opening. Front sync is used whenever you want to freeze motion at the
beginning of the exposure.
Rear Curtain Sync
Rear curtain sync will fire at the end of the peak shutter opening as opposed to the beginning. When
used in the above example with a slow shutter speed, this will create a streak behind your subject with
the subject frozen at the end of the frame (left side). Providing a more natural effect.
Slow Sync
Slow sync is when you combine flash with a slow shutter speed (normally 1/30th or slower). This will
allow you to expose for low light situations and correctly expose for a subject close to you in the
foreground.
Front Curtain Sync
Slow Sync
Rear Curtain Sync