The use of light to illuminate a subject and create mood and atmosphere in a photograph.
Light sources: Understanding types of light sources, their color temperature, and intensity can help you in determining the type of light you need for photography.
Lighting techniques: This includes various methods of lighting your subject such as three-point lighting, Rembrandt lighting, high-key lighting, low-key lighting, and more.
Light modifiers: Understanding light modifiers such as softboxes, umbrellas, grids, and diffusers can help you shape and control the light to create the desired effect.
Exposure: Understanding exposure is crucial when it comes to getting properly exposed photos in low light conditions. This involves aperture, shutter speed, and ISO that depends on the available light and the desired effect.
Composition: Composition is an essential part of any photograph, and lighting plays a vital role in creating compelling compositions.
Color theory: Understanding color theory can help you in determining color balance in your photos and making a consistent color scheme.
Light metering: Light metering helps you measure the light coming to your camera to get the right exposure.
White balance: Understanding the white balance can help you in ensuring the colors in your photos are accurate and natural.
Light ratios: Understanding light ratios, especially in portrait lighting, can help you in creating depth and dimension in your photos.
Flash photography: Flash photography is a skill that can improve your lighting skills by providing additional light to photographs.
Night photography: Learning night photography can help you in capturing unique and creative twists on everyday scenes by emulating natural light at night.
Light painting: Learning light painting can add a unique and creative touch by painting light on your subject or scene.
Post-processing: Post-processing skills, including adjusting levels, color correction, and contrast, can help you achieve a more polished end result.
Natural Lighting: The use of sunlight or ambient light to illuminate the subject.
Studio Lighting: The use of artificial lighting in a studio setting to accurately control the light source and create the desired effect.
Flash or Strobe Lighting: A burst of bright light from an electronic flash unit or strobe light to freeze motion, add drama to an image, or balance the ambient light.
Continuous Lighting: A constant light source that can be used for video or still photography, with the ability to control the intensity and color temperature.
Reflected Lighting: The use of a reflective surface to bounce light back onto the subject and create a soft, diffused light.
Direct Lighting: When the light source is directly aimed at the subject, creating hard, intense shadows and highlights.
Rim Lighting: A technique used to create a highlight around the subject by illuminating the edges of their body or hair.
Backlighting: Placing the light source behind the subject to create a silhouette or halo effect.
Side Lighting: Lighting the subject from the side to create dramatic shadows and highlights.
Top Lighting: Lighting the subject from above to create contrasting shadows and highlights.
Under Lighting: Lighting the subject from below to create mysterious or eerie effects.
Butterfly Lighting: A type of portrait lighting that involves positioning the light source above and in front of the subject, creating a butterfly-shaped shadow under the nose.
Rembrandt Lighting: A type of portrait lighting that involves positioning the light source at a 45-degree angle from the subject, creating a triangle of light under the opposite eye.
Split Lighting: Positioning the light source to the side of the subject, creating a half-lit and half-darkened face.
Soft Lighting: Using soft, diffused light to create a gentle, flattering effect on the subject.
Hard Lighting: Using intense light to create dramatic shadows and highlights.
Candlelight: Lighting the subject with a warm, yellow-orange glow to create a cozy or romantic atmosphere.
Colored Lighting: Using gels or colored light sources to create a different mood or highlight specific aspects of the subject.
Neon Lighting: A type of lighting that uses fluorescent or LED lighting to create vibrant and colorful effects.
Low-Key Lighting: A technique that involves using minimal lighting and creating deep shadows to create a mysterious or dramatic mood.
High-Key Lighting: A technique that involves using bright lighting and minimal shadows to create a clean, crisp look.
Available Light: Using the existing light source in a scene to capture a natural, realistic image.
Ghosting: A technique that involves deliberately introducing motion blur or lens flares to create a surreal or dreamlike effect.
Zoom Burst: A technique that involves zooming in or out while taking a long exposure to create a dynamic, abstract image.
Light Painting: A technique that involves using a light source to paint or draw images in a dark environment, creating unique and artistic effects.