essential skills: photographic lighting
Introduction The assignments in this study guide should be attempted after successful completion of the activities in the previous study guides. Creative interpretation of the written brief is strongly encouraged. Assignments should be completed at an individual level in any order. Allowance should be made for the fact that each assignment may need photographing more than once before a satisfactory result is achieved. Special attention should be taken of the medium in which the photograph is to be used. This will determine image format and in some cases composition. See Essential Skills: Studio Photography (Art Direction).
Tim Barker
This series of images should portray an understanding of what lighting and camera technique can achieve in changing the photographer’s perception of the subject and previsualization of the image. Avoid placing a subject on or against a background, taking a normal viewpoint and perspective and lighting for correct color and exposure. This is no different to documentation of the subject. As creative photographic illustrators much more is required. Experiment with viewpoint and lighting. Do not let reality get in the way of creative composition. Perspective, depth, dimension can all be altered to suit the design of the image. The camera will ‘see’ and record anything you want it to. This does not have to relate to human perception. Separate subjects from the background. Dispense with the concept of backgrounds altogether. The area behind and around the subject is only limited by your imagination. Previsualize, experiment and create.
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