Table Of ContentMICHAEL FREEMAN
CAPTURING LIGHT
T H E H E A R T O F P H O T O G R A P H Y
MICHAEL FREEMAN
CAPTURING LIGHT
T H E H E A R T O F P H O T O G R A P H Y
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CONTENTS
6 INTRODUCTION
1 WAITING 2 CHASING 3 HELPING
Tis section explores the diferent kinds of In practical professional shooting, "chasing the light" Helping the light means mastering the
lighting that the photographer can expect means working with opportunistic, serendipitous professionals’ techniques for manipulating light.
and plan for, with some unexpected and some light that’s unpredictable. Tis calls for quite a Learn how to modify it, enhance it, reduce it,
redefned categories. Each particular kind of diferent response from the planned eforts in or otherwise control it.
light is celebrated and the opportunities it Waiting; the photographer has to work quickly to
provides for the photographer unveiled. exploit the conditions and catch the light at its best.
8 INTRODUCTION 126 INTRODUCTION 204 INTRODUCTION
10 TIMING THE SUN 128 GOLDEN HOUR 206 FILLED LIGHT
12 SOFT SUNLIGHT 130 EDGE LIGHT 212 REROUTED LIGHT
14 GRAY LIGHT 132 CHIAROSCURO 214 ENVELOPING LIGHT
18 SOFT GRAY LIGHT 136 SPOTLIGHT 216 ENHANCED LIGHT
20 DARK GRAY LIGHT 140 SPOT BACKLIGHT 218 SOFTENED LIGHT
22 WET GRAY LIGHT 142 LIGHT SHAFTS 220 BROADENED LIGHT
28 HARD LIGHT 144 BARRED LIGHT 222 FILTERING LIGHT
40 RAKING LIGHT 146 PATTERNED LIGHT 224 BROKEN-SPECTRUM LIGHT
46 TROPICAL HARSH 150 CAST-SHADOW LIGHT 228 FLARE UP
50 SNOW LIGHT 152 STORM LIGHT 230 FLARE DOWN
52 INTO THE LIGHT 162 RAIN LIGHT 234 PROCESSED LIGHT
58 SHADE TO LIGHT 164 CAUSTICS 242 ARCHIVED LIGHT
60 REFLECTION LIGHT 166 SUNSTARS 248 TIME-LAPSE LIGHT
68 BACKLIGHT 170 FLARED LIGHT
72 AXIAL LIGHT 172 WHITE LIGHT 254 INDEX
78 SKYLIGHT 176 DUSTY LIGHT
82 TOP LIGHT 178 MISTY LIGHT
84 WINDOW LIGHT 182 FOGGY LIGHT
94 GOLDEN HOUR 188 REFLECTED LIGHT
102 MAGIC HOUR 198 SUFFUSED LIGHT
110 BLUE EVENINGS
116 CITY LIGHT
122 CANDLE LIGHT
124 GLOWING LIGHT
INTRODUCTION
realize that the way I’ve organized all these some of it the artifcial lighting that illuminates the sun is low and bright, and it has its well known
lighting situations may seem at frst glance homes, ofces, and cities. As the title explains, name because so many of us favor it and plan for
Ia little unexpected: waiting, chasing, then helping. I’m looking at how to capture lighting over which it. And it features in this book, on pages 94-101.
Why not start, for example, with bright sunlight you have no real control. Constructed lighting, using But why exactly? Why do most people fnd it visually
and then work through the times of day, then move fash or other lights designed for photography and attractive (and they certainly do)? Philosophically
on to diferent amounts of cloudiness? Te reason flming, in studios, on interior and outdoor sets, I don’t think there’s much value in in pursuing
is that while that might make complete sense to a is the subject of another book. Te thought processes that question, and in the history of art and aesthetics
meteorologist, it’s not really the way that light works and working methods are completely diferent. it has never been completely answered. But
for photographers, at least in my experience. Tere’s A very basic idea is the attractiveness of lighting, what we can do very usefully is talk about being
a huge diference in the way most photographers and why some kinds are more desirable than others conventionally pleasing with light, and about
would think about and react to a succession of fne to most photographers. Tis is a tricky subject, doing the opposite, which is to buck the trend
summer days than they would to a day of squalls because it’s really about aesthetics and how people’s and challenging expectations.
passing overhead. Te big diference, it seems to me, taste and judgment can difer—or coincide. Most Although I don’t have any ambitions to add more
is between lighting you can reasonably plan for, of the time, people take it for granted that the light jargon to photography than there already is, the
and lighting that’s unexpected. will look good under these conditions, but not so lighting for any shot has a beauty coefcient, or you
All of the lighting in this book is of the kind that’s good under those. Tink for a moment about what could call it a likeability factor. Te Golden Hour,
handed to you by the place and the time. You could photographers and flmmakers call the Golden Hour. for example, would score overall about 8 out of 10
call it “found” lighting—most of it natural daylight, Te “hour” is just approximate, but it means when on this, and a fat grey sky would come in at around
1 or 2. I’m halfway tempted, but will resist, putting
scores like this on each lighting situation in the book.
We all have our prejudices and expectations about
good, boring, or ugly light, so there’s no need to
hammer it home with a ratings system. What’s useful
about such a beauty coefcient, however, is that it
expresses what most people like. Deep down, it’s
conventional, and that’s why there are many occasions
when you might instead want to be diferent.
More than that, I like personally to think
that most kinds of light are good for something,
if only you think and work hard enough. It’s an
intentionally positive, even charitable way of
thinking about light, and not everyone would agree.
You might think it’s going too far to expect a
miserable, bleak wintry day in England, for example
(we’re famous for weather and our complaining
about it) to ignite any photographic passion.
Loi Krathong celebration, Wat Prhathat Lampang Luang,
northern Thailand, 1989
6
Yet, even now I’m sometimes surprised at the results he maintains that “lacquerware decorated in gold
Wat Doi Kong Mu, Mae Hong Son, northern Thailand, 1982
from what I thought of at the time as disappointing was made to be seen in the dark.” Interesting idea—
light—so long as I persisted in the shooting. less light, not more, and that certain experiences
One book that made a great impression on me, call for a particular light. He writes about light in
and made me think more about the quality, mood temples being dilute, with a pale, white glow. “Have
and overall visual atmosphere of light, was In Praise not you yourselves,” he asks, “sensed a diference in people don’t have that need, and so words to describe
of Shadows, a slim volume written in 1933 by a the light that sufuses such a room, a rare tranquility the ways in which it falls on scenes, people, and
Japanese novelist, Jun’ichirō Tanizaki. I read it when not found in ordinary light?’” Close down and be objects are thin on the ground. Most people simply
I was doing several books about Japanese interiors somber, not unremittingly cheerful. Tanazaki made take it for granted. In this, it shares a common
in an efort to get my head around what may be the me realize how lighting contributes to mood. difculty with other sensory experiences, like taste
most distinct and introverted design culture in the Most of what follows is non-technical, but only and smell. Tere is a professional vocabulary,
world. Tanazaki helped enormously. Te title is if you defne technical as strictly confned to camera although it is by no means as evolved as the two
perfect. He was giving the counterview to Western and lens settings, calculations, and computer big sensory industries—wine and perfume. Tere,
Modernism, with its Bauhaus-bright emphasis on software. Tis ultimately comes down to exposure, the size of the business and the market has forced
fooding life with light and whiteness, with all the and I dealt with that as exhaustively as I know how the professionals to develop a large and precise
associations of progress and optimism. Actually, in Perfect Exposure. Te aim here is to show how to vocabulary, on the way to becoming a common
Tanazaki railed against all of this, writing in a work with natural and available light, and that starts language. Here, with light, I’ll be using terms like
sympathetic but melancholy way of the beauty with understanding its qualities. Tat in turn needs raking, sunstars, barred light, chiaroscuro, fall-of,
and even color in darkness. Specifcally though, a vocabulary if we’re going to work with light rather directional, and fll. Most are self-evident, but where
he was having a go at electricity. At one point than just enjoy it as a sensory experience. Normally, there’s any doubt, I’ll do my best to defne them.
7
WAITING
1
itting around waiting doesn’t sound like much of a If you’re just passing through a new place, and the weather is
management technique, let alone a light-management uncertain, this will probably come as a surprise. But in a location
Stechnique, but done properly it delivers the results. It you know well, and in a bout of predictable sunny weather,
depends, though, on knowing what you’re waiting for, and this that spotlight will be repeated, with a slight diference,
understanding takes things to a diferent level. Natural light, the following day.
which is mainly what we’re dealing with here, comes from Shooting in the kinds of lighting described here in the
a combination of climate, weather, and time of day. Climate Waiting section depends on having reasonable expectations.
means location, and you can plan for that by organizing a trip. It also depends on having a feeling for what the light does
Weather and time of day continue without any possibility of to landscape, people, and buildings. Tis includes the more
infuence from you, and this is where intelligent waiting comes technical matters of contrast: where the shadows fall and how
in. “Intelligent” because waiting involves planning, and it’s a strong they are, how well or not the light separates a subject
very deliberate approach to photography. Most of all, it’s about from its background, and how clearly it explains the shape
knowing what light is possible from all the combinations, and form of things. But it also goes further, into the realm of
what each kind of light is good for in shooting, and how to sensation and atmosphere, which are less easy to pin down, but
extract the most from it in timing, framing, composition, nevertheless powerful components of a photograph. One thing
viewpoint, and a sense of color (or black and white). I’m going to warn about is falling into line too easily with the
Practically, as a photographer, I divide light into the kinds accepted norms of attractive light for photography. Not every
I can expect, and the kinds that take me by surprise. Tis scene has to be gorgeous and lyrical. Imagery means variety, and
makes perfect sense for shooting, because they each prompt hunting for the perfect—and therefore the same—golden light
a diferent way of working. With the frst group—the group in across a pretty landscape actually means giving up on your
this frst section of this book—you can anticipate and use your imagination and following the herd. I’ve done it myself, and
imagination to work out the kind of image you’re about to shoot. it’s often hard to resist. It’s especially common in contemporary
With the second, unpredictable group, you have to react to the published landscape photography. Te problem is that taking
situation as it appears. Naturally, there are borderline cases, this approach means heading in the same direction as others—
such as a shaft of sunlight that spotlights a small part of a scene. a sort of photographic gold rush. Just a caution.
