Seeing and understanding the light, and how it shapes the mood and character of the subject
Taking portraits with available light creates a very natural look. With available light you can shape your subject but also use the mood of the scenery.
Be aware that available light does include any light source, such as artificial light, light that bounces back, a campfire, even the flashlight of your phone,or light filtered and diffused through materials and so on.
Your assignment:
- Try to explore different directions of the light onto your subject. As you cannot move the light source, move your subject and yourself: you can switch from front light, grazing light to backlight and all in between.
- Even if you are working with available light, you can change the light’s character with the use of reflectors and/or diffusers, or by going to a place where the light is shaped by the environment.
- Use as many light sources as possible in one frame.
Encouraging Consideration:
- What worked well?
- What was hard?
- What have you learned?