INTRODUCTION

Photography is light and can easily be described as “writing with light.” Just as an artist uses a paintbrush to create a painting, a photographer uses light to create or record

an image on his digital sensor or film. Incorporating light modifiers into the lighting mix enables a photographer to control their chosen light, thus creating a photograph that shows depth and dimension with a unique style.

In my first book, Sculpting with Light®: Techniques for Portrait Photographers (also from Amherst Media), you learned how to place your subjects relative to your light source and how and where to place your light to create pleasing portraits. Now it’s time for you to learn how to control the light you have—whether it’s available light or artificial light. To control your light, it is essential to become familiar with light modifiers and the different qualities of light they produce. Only with light modifiers will you be able to take control of your light and start creating a style—or, better yet, your style—of photography.

A light modifier can be described as any apparatus that is placed on a light source, over a light source, or between a light source and the subject to change the original look or quality of that light source. As an example, let’s imagine a scenario in which the sun is our primary light source. On a sunny day, the light illuminating our subject is quite harsh. When the clouds come in, they act as a light modifier, changing the light quality from harsh to soft and diffused. Can you see why using modifiers is essential?

There are many different light modifiers on the market. Some are better than others, but all perform essentially the same task: they change the light’s quality. Light modifiers are a photographer’s paint brush. They assist you in controlling not only the amount of light, but the quality of the light illuminating your subjects.

Each of the different light modifiers for studios and oncamera flash units has its own distinct purpose with regard to

light. My intent is not to confuse you by showing the countless modifiers on the market. My intent is to shed light on the most common light modifying equipment used, my personal favorites, and how they can affect your results by changing the quality of the light within your photographs. Then you, as the photographer, can decipher what “look” you like for your particular photography needs.

Sometimes photographers, myself included, are inclined to go back to what is familiar; when we allow ourselves to do this, however, our art doesn’t grow, change, or become better. For my part, writing this book has forced me to look differently at my photographs and my style of lighting. My hope is that it will inspire you to do the same—that you will gain a more comprehensive understanding of light modifiers and discover ways to refine your own style using them.

THE ROLE OF THE PHOTOGRAPHER

With so many new photographers entering the market, it is imperative that you step up your photographic skills. No longer is it enough to just get a good exposure, to use one light in the studio, or to illuminate your subjects using direct on-camera flash. If you shoot in this manner, your photographs will look just like those produced by amateurs who merely “take” (or “snap”) pictures. Back in the film days, the primary differentiation between professionals and amateurs was the equipment used and use of lighting techniques. Today, it is very common to find yourself shooting a wedding using exactly the same equipment as the guests attending the wedding. Whether you are a seasoned professional who has become complacent or an amateur with aspirations of making a living as a professional photographer, you owe it to yourself—and to your clients—to make photographs, not take photographs.

A professional photographer makes photographs that show depth and dimension—images that are three-dimen-

sional representations of the subjects within a two-dimen- sional print. The only way to do this is through our use of lighting that produces pleasing highlights and shadows. Artists describe this technique as “chiaroscuro,” loosely translated as shadows and light visible in an image. Light modifiers are great tools for controlling the quality of light. This enables you to show depth and texture, to evoke emotion, and to add allure by lighting your subjects in such a way that your images become three-dimensional.

Take, for example, the following two photographs. tograph I-1 is a good image that is well-exposed, sharp, and properly lit. Though it is good, however, anyone could have taken this photo. Now, let’s look at photograph I-2. This photograph, shot in New York with model Gabriel Grier, shows depth, dimension, and a creative use of light—and a certain unique style that the previous image doesn’t possess. Can you see the difference?

Both images were shot within several minutes of each other. The difference between the two is the use of lighting, exposure, and modifiers. Photograph I-1 was shot in program mode with a hot-shoe flash placed off camera at a 45-degree angle to camera left. Photograph I-2, on the other hand, required a conscious control of the existing light and the creative use of flash to create mood. An ambient meter reading was recorded and my shutter speed set one stop below the metered ambient exposure. A single Nikon SB800 flash, fitted with a Ray Flash powered to record –1 stop of flash power, was used as the main source of illumination. My shutter speed was set to record the outside tungsten light that acted as a beautifully warm hair light. Using the available light as a kicker, hair, or accent light source is an easy way to add inexpensive depth to your images.

If you study the two images, you’ll clearly see the difference in the lighting, mood, depth, and dimension in each photograph. The techniques are not difficult to master, but it does require understanding of the most important aspect of any photographic image: light.

PHOTOGRAPH ). SUBJECT: Gabriel Grier. CAMERA: Nikon D300, 24–70mm f/2.8 Nikon lens, Lexar media. SETTINGS: AWB, program mode, 1/50 second, f/2.8, ISO 500.