Have You Considered the “Arc of Beauty” in your lighting?
(Image by Tracy Sutherland)
We are going to take a high-level view of lighting today and discuss what I call the “Arc of Beauty“. And while no lighting scheme is going to be directly discussed, what we are to think about is a general tone of the light and what it does.
The “Arc of Beauty“
The Arc is backlight from side to full back. This lighting is one that I think of every time I get ready to do a still life, food, tabletop, or product shoot. It is a go-to lighting at the highest level.
What that means is I haven’t thought about whether it will be a softbox, or an umbrella, or a grid spot… I just want to get the benefits of back / side-back lighting established first.
And I do this usually with a boom or grid-held light instrument that allows me clean vision below it while keeping the light itself above and or behind the subject. While it can be done with a stand, the boom allows me to get the stand out of the picture from behind and not have to limit my angle in order to not see it.
Full on side light is also part of the arc of beauty. And remember, top down lighting is also side lighting since it is oblique to the camera.
Full Side Light is also within the Arc of Beauty and can provide some stunning textural and dimensional presentation.
The arc also extends vertically from lower than the subject to directly over top (also a ‘side light’ in angle from the camera.
From a full on back light oblique to the camera to top down light from above, the arc is also a vertical tool that can help with dimension, texture, color definition and more.
Why do I start here?
Because the tendency of front lighting is to make things flat. Dimension falls away, shadows fall away, and the overall texture is diminished as well.
Here are two shots to show you how it works from a small, intimate image to a large scene.
The pear and grape still life was shot on an 8 x 10 Deardorff and 14″ lens with Ektachrome 64 Transparency film. Light is from camera right and is a 24×36″ softbox shot through a 48×48″ scrim. The light is above the set.
Shot on Canon 6D / 24-105 MM at 30 MM. The back light gives texture to the sand, the wall and the sidewalk. It also creates a much more interesting set of shadows and shapes. Dimension and texture.
Bob Knill used a grid spot from the back.
Billy Walker chose side light to lift the details off of this head of lettuce.
Lisa Narduzzi chose a large soft light to bring out the texture and shape of her farm fresh beets.
Maciel Blaszczuk used a window light directly behind the bowl of onions for this iPhone shot.
James Kern uses light from the back right side to sculpt the texture and dimension of the assorted objects.
Soh Fong chose a diffused side light for her bananas in a corner of a small box.
Are there exceptions?
Absolutely. Shiny objects, liquid, situations where you WANT a flatter, less textural light. Of course there are exceptions and there are also some very talented photographers out there who choose front lighting as a stylistic difference for their work. They make killer images because they have worked with the technique long enough to know where and how to absolutely use it.
However that might be, we are talking about the bulk of our shooting approaches here.
To see it for your own self, set up something as a still life and move your softbox all around it as you make the photographs. You may have to add a little fill to the front (large white card perhaps) but shoot one with side light, back light, side/back light, low back light, high overhead backlight.
And shoot some with the light up front.
I believe you will see the difference and may help you think about your light in a bit of a different way.
Summer is here, and this is the time for more shooting, more portfolio building, and more list building for potential clients. This PROVEN system will help you on your way. These modules are free and there is a premium version on sale for a super deep discount you will read more about on the site. Build a great portfolio while you are building a client list that makes sense. Find Photo Clients NOW
This is the Portfolio Build Class for mid-level photographers. This is not a class for beginners, or for the more experienced photographers. This is a class for photographers working on their portfolio to make it more appealing to art directors, editors, and designers. More information and enrollment.
Your portfolio will be evaluated before acceptance. If you are not accepted, you will be instantly refunded the enrollment fee.
Have you wanted to take a look at the Project 52 workshop without committing for a year?
Well here is your chance. An 8 Week Project 52 Pro Membership is ready for you to get into – NOW. And it is the full deal. All of the resources, assignments, reviews, webinars and more are there for you to work with. This is NOT a truncated offer, but a full opportunity for you to take advantage of the most unique photographic workshop on the internet.
Portrait Class Members Discuss the Workshop
"Imitate. Assimilate. Innovate." - Clark Terry, Jazz trumpet genius. This portrait class (and the companion 102 class) have been huge successes. The students are fired up and some are saying they are making the best images of their lives. We look closely at the work...
24 Frames In May
Begins today. It's a non-contest, and just for fun. Not many rules, but a few guidelines: This is for film cameras only. Black and White or Color is fine, and there are no restrictions on the type of film you shoot. Polaroid is OK. 4×5 or sheet film cameras are OK....
New Photography Books
From Amazon. I love Photography Books, and have a wall of them waiting for me when I have some quiet time and simply want to stimulate my brain. From early works of Steichen and Cunningham to books by Demarchelier and Watson, the photography book is one of my great...
Light Conversation, Volume 2
A new bi-weekly, Lighting Essentials program. I call it "Light Conversation" and we discuss all things photography. Our next discussion will be Monday, May 11. Open to all LE readers. https://youtu.be/_O4uR0bU04Y Some links from this discussion: Canon white balance...
Two New Online Workshops
Project 52 Project: Incredible Egg (Shot to Layout)
The layout was furnished and the photographers had to shoot to a fixed set of parameters. Size and position of the type could not change. [gallery link="file"...
Nicole Fernley: Cookbook Project
Project 52 members sharing recent work. Nicole Fernley: "These four images come from a larger selection of images that I recently shot for The Cheese Lover’s Cookbook, so the common thread is, of course, cheese. The cookbook author made most of the food, and we worked...
David Price: Illustrated Proverbs
David Price: "This project grew out of some recent discussions about drawing inspiration from anyone, anything, and everything around you. I admit, I drew a lot of inspiration for this idea from Irene Liebler’s series she did across last year of Common and Idiomatic...
Learning from the work of Ritts, Lindbergh and Moon; Hiram Chee
Hiram Chee, one of the longest running members of Project 52, shares a post of portraits he did during the 8 Week Portrait Class. Learning from the work of Herb Ritts, Peter Lindbergh and Sarah Moon Check it out for some wonderful portrait work.
Anders Eriksson: “Cars and Drivers”
Anders Eriksson: Anders Eriksson
From the Early Days of Color Photography
The year was 1913. I absolutely love these images. From composition through framing and of course the patina, they are simply lovely. "Mervyn O'Gorman was 42 when he took these pictures of his daughter, Christina O'Gorman at Lulworth Cove, in the English county of...
Carol Rioux “Revealing a Portrait”
Carol Rioux: "I chose to make a series of portraits of a single person. I chose this project because I am very interested in everything that constitutes a person as it is important to me to capture who a person is not just a pretty picture. I photographed parts of...
Jay Chatzkel: “The Neighborhood”
Project 52 members share recent projects. Jay Chatzkel: A Day in the Life of the Neighborhood (PDF) Jay Chatzkel
Anna Gunn “Dreams in a Suitcase”
Project 52 Member shares recent work. Anna Gunn: "Concept: a girl who carries her dreams in a suitcase. These dreams aren’t plans, or in any way constructive – they are merely a distraction from the beautiful, fleeting moments that life places in front of her. Yet...
Read more“I have always been more interested in the power of what a good photograph or film can do – not who created it and what box that creator fits into. I’m interested in the story one has to tell. We are visual communicators and we are all unique but only if we listen to our own voice and create from that voice. Whenever I have trusted and listened to my internal voice and created from my own unique perspective and my life’s experiences, I have been “on purpose” and my work has resonated across genders, race and age. I suppose I could copy or mimic the “style du jour” whether it is HDR or photographing hipsters with tattoos and attempt to be someone I’m not. I don’t have the desire to do that because that is not why I became a photographer or filmmaker. That’s not to say that I don’t like and appreciate photographers who are following these styles but it’s not me and creativity doesn’t come from mimicking others. I’ve seen a lot of styles and techniques over the decades I’ve been in the photo business. They come and they go – just like the photographers who chase after the latest trend.”
“Labels, Finger Pointing, Fear, and the Real Value of Photography”
"I have always been more interested in the power of what a good photograph or film can do – not who created it and what box that creator fits into. I’m interested in the story one has to tell. We are visual communicators and we are all unique but only if we listen to...
Catherine Vibert: Environmental Portraits
Project 52 Members share some of their recent project work over the next five posts. Catherine Vibert: "Environmental Portraits & Personal Branding. Through the course of the year of the Project 52, I found that my favorite subject to shoot is people. I especially...
Portraits Inspired by Gregory Heisler
We spent a couple of weeks studying the work of Gregory Heisler. He is a remarkably talented photographer with a very disciplined approach to image making. The goal was to learn from his approach and find the inspiration to make images from what you garnered from the...
24 Frames In May (2015 Edition)
TWENTY FOUR FRAMES IN MAY Last year the Project 52 folks were invited to a special project: shoot 24 frames of film in the month of May. The idea was to treat a single frame of film with the same deliberate attention we would give it if it were a sheet of 8x10....
Portraits Inspired by David Bailey
Monday I shared the images from the 8 Week Workshop, and today I share some from the Portrait 102 Workshop. These photographers studied the work of David Bailey and were inspired to make some lovely portraits. [gallery columns="4" link="file"...
Ten Things About ‘Creativity’
Occasionally we find ourselves in an argument of whether or not 'creativity' can be taught, or does it have to be born within us? We read all about creativity and how important it is. We award little statuettes to really "creative" people. Creativity is blessed,...
Protected: “Light Conversation” Volume One
Password Protected
To view this protected post, enter the password below:
Portraits Inspired by Jeanloup Sieff
One of the photographers we are studying in the 8 Week Portrait class is Jeanloup Sieff. This master photographer created images in almost every genre from portraits and nudes to landscape and commercial. The idea is not to copy the work of each of the photographers...
These photos are sweeet!
The project 52 group looked at photographing sweets and chocolate this week. Some very tasty images were shot by the gang. I figured since it is Friday, I should let you in on some of them.
An Open Letter to People Who Write Open Letters
Last week an open letter dispute erupted on social media. That could be said of just about any week on social media, but this time it was about a photographer and a band who wanted to use a photograph. I found myself intrigued but after reading both letters I felt...