LIGHTING PRINCIPLE THREE: THE COLOR OF LIGHT
We see light usually as a white source, or at least a neutral source.
It isn’t. neutral, it has a color to it and that color can influence all the parts of your image, from shadows to highlights. We don’t see the color of light because our brain changes it to a neutral “white” color as we see it.
Here is a wonderful article that explains the way that the color of light affects your image. Read it now.
When we look at the color of the scene in front of us we can change it globally by changing our color balance in the camera, or using a filter. What “globally’ means is that everything in the photo is changed to the same setting. All the colors are altered by this global change to the color of the light.
On the left is a photograph taken near Mable Canyon. The sun was quite bright, and there was a bit of warmth to the image because of all the warm browns and oranges of the topography all around us.
This image is as shot. I have applied global changes to the color of the light source so you can see what that does to the image.
Below from left to right:
Daylight / Shade / Tungsten / Flourescent
DAYLIGHT
Changing from As Shot to Daylight shows very little difference, although the daylight color balance makes it a bit more warm.
SHADE
Since the color of the light in the shade is a bit more blue, we add some warmth to the overall image to compensate for it. In this shot you can see the global warmth is not going to work because the image was not shot in the shade.
TUNGSTEN
Tungsten light is very orange, so when we apply a tungsten color balance to a shot that is not too orange, we get this very blue looking shot. This is a good reminder of just how ‘warm’ tungsten light is if it takes this much blue to make it correct.
FLUORESCENT
Fluorescent light is blue/green so it makes it difficult to compensate for. In this application of the fluorescent color balance, we can see the sky going a deep blue, while the desert mountains behind become more magenta.
LOCAL LIGHT SOURCE MATCHED TO AMBIENT
Working with a secondary light source that may be a different color presents us with a challenge. We cannot change the image globally because adding a correction to the image to correct for the different light source will affect the entire image.
We must then change the different light source to the ambient (or overwhelming light) in order to ‘balance’ the subject in the ambient setting.
The ambient setting is the overwhelming light that we usually cannot change: the sun, a large warehouse, a home. Bringing in our own lights means we must know how to match what we bring to what is there.
ASSIGNMENTS FOR THIS CLASS:
- Using the color settings on your camera, take the same image with each of them. Shoot with Daylight, Shade, Tungsten, Flourescent at least and do this in places where those colors exist. In other words, shoot some images outside, inside with regular household lamps, and some place that has Flourescent. (NOTE: Many big box stores use a light source known as Mercury Vapor. Mercury Vapor is blue/green so it is very difficult to adequately address. We can add magenta to offset the green, but that turns the blue part of the light to purple. If we address the blue with something warm, we add that to the green part of the light.For Mercury Vapor correction, try “auto” on your camera setting. It is the best I have found for correcting most of that blue/green color shift.
- Using a strobe (speedlight), take a photograph of someone while the sun is going down behind them. Do not alter the strobe setting, just let it keep making the shot as the light turns warmer and warmer. You will then see how “blue” the light source seems coming from the flash.You may have to change the settings as the light gets dimmer, but I think you will see the changes pretty well.
We will be addressing color balance in all of the upcoming classes.
IMPORTANT BREAKING NEWS
The US Forest Service is BANNING all Photography and Videography done with bent iPhone 6's and 6 Plus's. Plan accordingly.
The Internet Changed The Proposition of Value: Here is How to Fight Back
"Where photographers can succeed is if they abandon the consumers and editorial world who has been over-run by these value perception changes, and instead turn towards the same brands that still pay developers premium salaries for exclusive solutions. As Paul Melcher...
One Light Portraits: A Collection
The assignment was to shoot a portrait with one light. Studio Portrait: Clean background, Simple Light; Forceful, Expressive Portrait Specifics: A very clean portrait shot on a flat field background (wall, seamless, cyc, material, cloth, canvas…) Tightly focused and...
Read more“Here is a photographer that is infinitely patient, and interested in the stubborn core of things. Her images are captured in single exposures of up to half an hour, then painstakingly printed in her darkroom on large format, silver gelatin paper. The methodology is unapologetically old-fashioned, and the results extraordinary powerful.”
Photographing the Canary Islands.
"Here is a photographer that is infinitely patient, and interested in the stubborn core of things. Her images are captured in single exposures of up to half an hour, then painstakingly printed in her darkroom on large format, silver gelatin paper. The methodology is...
It’s A Numbers Game: Part Two
“The Numbers”: Part Two It’s a numbers game… part two of our series. Find Part One here. Last time we discussed the numbers of getting people to see your work, and how that is so important to build a business. It’s been two weeks since that post. How many of you: 1....
Ten Free Photographs for Bloggers/Marketers
PHOTOGRAPH ABOVE BY VIRGINIA SMITH: BRIANA AUSTIN AND DON GIANNATTI (NO LICENSE IS GRANTED FOR THE USE OF THIS IMAGE) Briana and I spent a lot of time making photographs all over the country. We have decided to give some of these away to creatives who may want to do...
It’s a Numbers Game, Part One
How to Play “The Numbers” Game Part One We have all heard the words, “It’s a numbers game” before. And most of us know what it means. In order to get to a certain level, more attempts than successes must be used. Selling door to door is a numbers game. The more people...
AWESOME Opportunity to be Exploited! Wow!
Crowdsourcing... that is the new name for spec work, but worse than spec work this involves an outlay by the ones being expected to be used for nothing. FORMER ADVOCATE OF PROFESSIONAL PHOTOGRAPHERS, Photo District News and Rangefinder have decided it is a great idea...
Off Topic Sunday…
Been reading a really interesting book this past couple of weeks... lots to digest. "The Power of Visual Storytelling" by Ekaterina Walter and Jessica Gioglio is about how visuals are beginning to dominate not only our news and information channels, but the ways...
10 Instagram Photographers You Should Be Following But Aren’t
I love Instagram. I should use it more, but I get so caught up with writing and other things that it sometimes skips my mind. However, I love following good image makers there and I am surprised that some of the fun photographers I follow are not being followed by...
What About Critics?
Should We Listen To Critics or Show Them The Door? Ahhh… the world of the artist. A place where we can nurture our ideas and share our bountiful creativity to others who will accept it into their lives with open arms, and smiles of gratitude. Or… not. There seems to...
Read more“Since clients haven’t held me to the lowest bid, other things factor in such as how the photographer allots the budget. How much money is going into casting, scouting, model-making, travel? What kinds of fees are they looking for? What usage are they including?. The creative call/treatment are very important too. Are they connecting with the art director and how are they approaching the job? Are they (or their agent) flexible regarding any changes in usage or scope? Let’s be honest here, if I like working with their agent I am more likely to recommend them for the job.”
On Preparing a Bid
3) We all know there are many reasons for a photographer not getting a project. Besides the obvious of price or creative, can you share some other reasons that they may not be awarded a project? "Since clients haven’t held me to the lowest bid, other things factor in...
One Layout – Many Solutions: The SANDWICH
The Project52 Pros knocked it out of the park with this assignment to shoot "The Infinitely Amazing, Always Tantalizing Sandwich". With layout provided, type in place on a layer, they had to shoot to the specs of the shot and keep it all perfect. That means the type...
From This to That
PHOTOGRAPH BY ALICIA BONTERRE One of the recent assignments at Project 52 PROS was to make the worst photograph they could make. The assignment was designed to make the students think about what makes a good photograph in order to negate that in order to make a...
Shooting Analog with Tomas Jansson
Some beautiful work by my friend Tomas Jansson in Sweden. Tomas began shooting film on our trip up to northern AZ last February. He's hooked.
The Romantic Portraits of Alicia Bonterre
Alicia Bonterre is a photographer in Trinidad. This post on making the romantic portrait is fun and informative. Alicia is a member of Project 52 Pros.
What Do You Charge For… Part Four
What is the value of a photograph? (What Do You Charge For... Part 1 / Part 2 / Part 3 /) Seriously... what IS the value of a photograph? If you need a calculator, go ahead and get it… I’ll wait. What’s that… you need more information to make that calculation? OK,...
Does the Best Photographer Make the Most Money?
Have you ever thought to yourself that as soon as you get to be the best photographer in your area, town, city, state, region, country, universe or whatever, you will be the highest paid? You may be in for a shock - but that ain't how the game is played, my friend....
Smartphone Camera Photography
“Every shift in photography has been linked to a shift in technology,” the exhibit’s curator, Henry Jacobson, told me. “But what makes smartphone photography so different is the instantaneous sharing that this device enables.” -- Henry Jacobson in The New...
“This Boring Old Photo…”
"In total, it took roughly two hours to get a single correct frame. I made every mistake you could make. I forgot to pull the dark slide out so I had at least one totally blank sheet of film. I forgot to dial the aperture back down after focusing so I significantly...
Steve Pamp: Tintypes of Gravestones: Colorado Front Range
Steve is a photographer in Colorado, and a Project 52 Alum. These photographs were taken during a summer project covering the Front Range of Colorado and the grave markers in the old cemeteries there. Steve chose to do these photographs on dry tin type, a very old...
What Do You Charge For… (Part Three)
Working and bidding for small businesses and entrepreneurial startups. (What Do You Charge For... Part One / Part Two) Mom and Pop businesses, self-employed artisans, service providers, entrepreneurs and all of the small businesses that are the lifeblood of the...
Are You a Commodity or a Brand?
Brooke from way back in the day... can you spot the 'brand' we were inspired by? Why Thinking of Yourself as a Brand is More Important Than You Know There are brands and there are commodities. A brand is something or someone that people choose because of what they...
Old Mama Dog – New Tricks…
"I am changing the direction of my photography as I shoot more film. Overall I hate my own results but I love the work itself. I've been all over the place trying to figure out what type of photographer I want to be when I grow up. As I get older I realize the small...