If you wish to make an image using natural light throughout the day, you need be aware of the sun’s angle, as it will immediately affect your image. Most of the time, the light during sunrise and sunset is softer than the light during the middle of the day when there are no clouds. If you’re taking a picture inside, put your subjects near windows to get more light from the outside.
Artificial light is any light source that can be moved and modified to suit your needs, such as flashes, lamps, and candles and also mostly can be controlled by photographers. Natural or artificial light can come from a variety of sources. In practice, photographers are aware of the directions and determine their position through the objects they capture. In most cases, the light should be coming on the object from the front in order for it to be more noticeable. However, the light should also be coming from the back in order to create a different atmosphere.
Back light source comes from behind the subject. This can create silhouette and long shadows in your photography. But if you still want to see some detail on your subject, then you can choose to add various light sources in front as well.
We are surrounded by a wide variety of natural and artificial (man-made) sources of light, and we have the ability to manipulate this light in many ways to produce a lot of emotions and settings in the photographs we take. There are four basic types of light.
Transmitted light |
Transmitted light is visible light emitted by its source. This indicates that the light source is visible in the image. Such examples include candles and even the sun. Additionally, it is light that has passed through something before to reaching the target. This may be glass, water, or even the atmosphere. |
Reflected light |
This type of light is created when light reflects off of the object that you are illuminating. Almost every shot we take uses reflected light. Sometimes, transmitted light can also be observed in the same scene. For instance, a landscape photograph capturing the setting sun would have both transmitted and reflected light. However, if the sun was not visible in the picture, just reflected light would be present. |
Hard light |
Light that comes from a small apparent light source, such as a light bulb or the sun on a clear day. Hard light is also known as direct light. It often produces very dark and strong shadows as a result. Hard light can be useful for showing the textures of items (when used correctly). |
Soft light |
Soft light is a type of light that generates light that is low in contrast and has few shadows. It can come from any source of light that appears to be a large source from the perspective of your subject. The light from the sun is softer on days when there is cloud cover because the clouds serve to diffuse the light, which causes it to be spread out over a much wider area and so makes it appear to be a larger source of light. |
The direction, hardness or softness, and temperature of light can all affect the mood and atmosphere of a photograph. For example, side light produces emotions of romance and nostalgia, whereas light from underneath produces emotions of fear. Hard shadows are more dramatic than soft shadows, and cool hue tones create more negative feelings than warm light.