03. Experimenting with light

The model is a friend, an artist who lives most of her time in India, and who was willing to pose when I visited her. The next day we met by chance in the street and were therefore able to do some more photographs in the park.

   When I arrived at her home, she was just finishing a hair dyeing session, and so had a towel around her head. This seemed an interesting prop and the first photographs were made with her wearing this with afternoon light coming in from a window to one side.

   The next series of images were made with afternoon light from the window coming in from behind the photographer and hence evenly illuminating the model’s face that was however largely hidden by her hair. Nevertheless, one can see what one needs to here and although the effect is slightly comical, it is also quite striking and interesting.

   Another exposure was made by the window with fill flash used to balance the window-light. 


   The next two portraits were taken in direct lighting and in a degree of shade where the light did not shine directly on the model’s face.

   While outside, direct overhead lighting was tried. This did not bring out the best in the model's face being rather harsh though it did provide emphasis.

   In this image, spotlighting created by a gap in trees overhead, was used to provide lighting and drama for the largely facial portrait. This second outdoor image is more pleasant owing to a softer appearance of facial features which the direct light has emphasised. Allowing direct light to fall on part of the face, provides interest to the photograph yet emphasizing a particular feature, in this case the nose, may not be to the advantage of the image as a whole.

In this final image which the subject liked the most, reflected light illuminates the face evenly; although similar to fill flash, the light is here more diffuse and hence softer in effect. The angle of the light though has increased detail in the face which is not so desirable.