Narrative Element: Lighting

Front lighting is where the primary light source is positioned directly in front of the subject, illuminating it fully and minimising shadows. It reduces contrast and can flatten textures but is often used to reveal details and ensure a well-lit, evenly exposed image. 

Split lighting "splits" the image in two sections where half is light and half is dark. This high contrast creates juxtaposition and adds drama, intensity and mystery.

This is light that hits a subject from behind. Backlighting a subject creates more depth and shape to a subject. It can also be used to separate the subject from the background or increase dramatic effect. 

Natural light refers to using the available ambient light, such as direct sunlight, light through windows and can include sunlight directed through the use of reflectors. which illuminate a subject without artificial lighting equipment. It can create various moods, soft or dramatic effects and creates authentic and unaltered portrayals of the subject's appearance.

Artificial light involves using human produced light sources, such as studio lights, flash units, phone torches, lamps, strobes etc..to illuminate the subject and scene. This technique provides control over lighting direction, intensity, and mood, allowing photographers to shape and enhance the visual impact of their images. 

Coloured light is technically a subset of artificial light and means when you use light sources with specific hues or filters to cast a tinted illumination on the subject. This technique can evoke distinct emotions, alter the overall atmosphere, and add a creative dimension to the photograph by infusing it with hues that may not naturally occur in the scene. 

White balance is a camera setting where you can adjust the way the camera captures the colour of light to ensure that whites appear neutral and true to life, regardless of the lighting conditions. It helps maintain accurate colour representation by counteracting the hue caused by different light sources, ensuring that the overall colour tones in the photograph appear natural and balanced. Learn to set your white balance here.

High levels of exposure is where the image appears significantly brighter than the average scene due to increased light. This can lead to pronounced highlights and reduced shadow detail, potentially creating a stark contrast between illuminated and darker areas. High levels of exposure can be created through a low shutter speed. When aiming for a bright photo, avoid completely white elements as this may be overexposed.

Low levels of exposure is when an image that appears darker than usual due to limited light exposure. This can result in reduced detail in shadow areas and a potential loss of highlight information, leading to a subdued and potentially moody or mysterious atmosphere. You can achieve this through a high shutter speed. Ensure that there are not fully black elements in a photo like this or it may be underexposed.