Hard & Soft Natural Light- Lesson 7

[Carolyn Cogan]

We travelled to Telluride, CO last week and took some forest service roads. The afternoon was cloudy so the light was always changing from hard to soft. It was challenging.

[Duncan Rawlinson]

Hey there!

Thanks for submitting another image. I can tell right off the top that you have done this assignment properly.

Here is the EXIF data for your images:

[attachment=0:32ibd7nf]Hard Light EXIF.png[/attachment:32ibd7nf]
Date Time Original: 2013:06:05 12:36:28
Exposure Time: 1/640
F Number: f / 13
Exposure Program: Manual
ISO Speed Ratings: 400
Metering Mode: Pattern
Flash: Flash did not fire, compulsory flash mode
Focal Length: 90mm
White Balance: Auto white balance
Make: NIKON CORPORATION
Model: NIKON D7000
LensInfo: 180/10 1050/10 35/10 56/10
LensModel: 18.0-105.0 mm f/3.5-5.6
Lens: 18.0-105.0 mm f/3.5-5.6
Exif Version:
Color Space: 65535
Pixel X Dimension: 2400
Pixel Y Dimension: 3600
Date Time Digitized: 2013:06:05 12:36:28
Subsec Time Original: 30
Subsec Time Digitized: 30
Shutter Speed Value: 9.32
Aperture Value: 7.40
Max Aperture Value: 5
Subject Distance: 0.79
Light Source: Unknown
Sensing Method: One-chip color area sensor
File Source: DSC
Scene Type: Directly photographed
CFA Pattern: 870
Custom Rendered: Normal process
Exposure Mode: 1
Digital Zoom Ration: 1
Focal Length In 35mm Film: 135mm
Scene Capture Type: Standard
Gain Control: Low gain up
Contrast: Normal
Saturation: Normal
Sharpness: Normal
Subject Distance Range: Unknown
ExifIFDPointer: 280
Orientation: 1
X Resolution: 300
Y Resolution: 300
Resolution Unit: 2
Date Time: 2013:06:12 11:53:26
Software: Adobe Photoshop CS5 Windows
Artist: Carolyn Cogan
Copyright: ©Cogan & Cogan Inc 2013
DateCreated: 2013-06-05T12:36:28.003-07:00

[attachment=1:32ibd7nf]Soft Light EXIF.png[/attachment:32ibd7nf]
Date Time Original: 2013:06:05 12:34:38
Exposure Time: 1/320
F Number: f / 6.30
Exposure Program: Manual
ISO Speed Ratings: 400
Metering Mode: Pattern
Flash: Flash did not fire, compulsory flash mode
Focal Length: 105mm
White Balance: Auto white balance
Make: NIKON CORPORATION
Model: NIKON D7000
LensInfo: 180/10 1050/10 35/10 56/10
LensModel: 18.0-105.0 mm f/3.5-5.6
Lens: 18.0-105.0 mm f/3.5-5.6
Exif Version:
Color Space: 65535
Pixel X Dimension: 2400
Pixel Y Dimension: 3600
Date Time Digitized: 2013:06:05 12:34:38
Subsec Time Original: 80
Subsec Time Digitized: 80
Shutter Speed Value: 8.32
Aperture Value: 5.31
Max Aperture Value: 5
Subject Distance: 0.79
Light Source: Unknown
Sensing Method: One-chip color area sensor
File Source: DSC
Scene Type: Directly photographed
CFA Pattern: 870
Custom Rendered: Normal process
Exposure Mode: 1
Digital Zoom Ration: 1
Focal Length In 35mm Film: 157mm
Scene Capture Type: Standard
Gain Control: Low gain up
Contrast: Normal
Saturation: Normal
Sharpness: Normal
Subject Distance Range: Unknown
ExifIFDPointer: 280
Orientation: 1
X Resolution: 300
Y Resolution: 300
Resolution Unit: 2
Date Time: 2013:06:12 11:52:55
Software: Adobe Photoshop CS5 Windows
Artist: Carolyn Cogan
Copyright: ©Cogan & Cogan Inc 2013
DateCreated: 2013-06-05T12:34:38.008-07:00

Your hard light image is exactly that, very hard light. If you take a peak at the shadows on the image you can see just how hard the light is. Those shard edged shadows and the harsh contrast are a dead giveaway. You’ll notice in images like this it’s almost always a challenge to deal with the dynamic range and the intense contrast. People often use filters to knock down the strength of the light in conditions like these.

Whatever the case, you’ve clearly shown you understand what hard light is.

Moving onto your soft light image.

Again just take a look at the diffuse light and lack of shadows. You have managed to distinguish between bright light and hard/soft light which is a bit subtle to grasp but you’ve done that so well done.

My only note here would be about the content images themselves. One of the questions I try to ask myself when taking a photograph is “what’s interesting about this”? In other words, is this worth taking a photo of? Now that’s a highly subjective question and I wouldn’t want to impose that on you but for the purposes of the course you should aim to not only shoot for the assignment, but shoot to have images in your portfolio over the long term.

Now unless you’re a pinecone enthusiast I think you’ll understand what I mean! 😉

Don’t forget your fundamentals, get close and fill the frame.

Like this:
[attachment=3:32ibd7nf]Soft Light Cropped 1.jpg[/attachment:32ibd7nf]

Or even like this:
[attachment=2:32ibd7nf]Soft Light Cropped 2.png[/attachment:32ibd7nf]

I think you get the idea.

I’m glad you’ve understood this. Now try to think about it when you shoot and make the necessary adjustments to create your great images!

[Carolyn Cogan]

Thanks, hard and soft light is complicated I took lots of photos to choose from. I agree on my soft light and would crop it to showing just the leaves. The red leaves are the focus and the pinecone can go.

[Duncan Rawlinson]

Indeed, the trick of course is to do your cropping in-camera. In other words fill your frame and keep it tight!

Nice work here.

Have an awesome weekend!

[Author]

Posts