Digital Photographer - UK (2019-12)

Opposite top left

Soft shadows

Using a softbox

to soften the light

source means soft

shadows on the

face, where the

light wraps around

and creates barely

visible shadows

Top right

Hard shadows

Ta k i n g a w ay t h e

modifier, leaving a

smaller bare bulb,

you can see the

crisp, visible, hard

shadows across the

face, and punchier

hard light

Opposite far right

Hard light

As the light hasn’t

been softened or

diffused, dark and

dramatic shadows

appear behind the

subject’s head and

set her apart from

the background

Opposite right

Soft light

The light is softer,

less intense, and

there are no

shadows visible on

the background

that the subject

is against

With the use of diagrams and following some well-

placed instructions, it’s possible to place lights in

the correct position, but creating types of lighting is

as much about how the light is shaped and diffused

as to the location to the model.

Modifiers are used to modify the shape, quality

and spread of light. Deciding where and how you

place your light is also influenced by the way it’s

modified. Modifiers control the spread of light. Grids

are used to close down light spill and make it more

directional, which is useful for when you don’t want

different light sources interfering with each other.

The choice of modifier will depend on the feeling

of light you are trying to create. This is where the

hardness or softness of the light meets the modifier

and lighting style to create the feel of the image. For

example, you can have a clamshell image that is

softer or harder depending on the use of modifiers.

The diagram shows the types of modifiers used

for hard and soft light.

Shaping light Flash comes in varying forms, depending on how it’s modified

Deciding which one you will use will have a big impact on your image

Hard vs soft light

When we talk about hard or soft light we are

discussing the quality of the light that the

flash, in this case strobe lighting, produces. A

way to identify the hardness of the lighting

is to look at the shadows. Soft light wraps

around objects, casting a diffused light with

soft edges or no visible shadow at all. Harder

light casts much sharper, defined shadows,

with cleaner and crisper edges.

These types of light are created by three

main factors; the size of the light source, the

intensity of the light, and its distance from the

subject. Typically, the larger the source, the

softer the light will be. A good example of this

is a small on-camera speedlight without a

modifier, compared to a large studio flash with

a large softbox.

The closer the light is to the model, the

softer it becomes. This is because the source

becomes larger relative to the subject the

closer it gets. Turning up the intensity of a

flash will create much harder light compared

to a less powerful, subtle flash.

The shadows, or lack of, are created on the

subject itself as well as on the backgrounds –

be that on studio backgrounds or on location.

When looking for the hardness of the light, you

should consider both.

The benefit of using studio flash and

removing ambient light is that you have

control over the placement of shadows, and

the quality (hardness or softness) can be

manipulated, depending on your preference.

Soft light means gradual transitions in the

shadows. The overall image can still have

areas of shadow and light, but the shadow line

is less abrupt. Considered more flattering, it’s

used to smooth out imperfections and make

the subject look less harsh.

Hard light has higher contrast and can

create hot spots from the intensity. Shadow

edges are defined, and the transition from

shadow to highlight is abrupt. Often used to

create dramatic imagery, it is seen as much

less flattering.

Left

Soft vs hard modifiers

The beauty dish acts as the key light,

seen on the right of the image. It

is gridded, creating hard

shadows under the chin,

while a 1x3 strip box

creates a soft rim/ side

light on the side of

the model, spilling

some light onto the

background paper

Ring

flash

Barndoors

Reflector

Beauty

+ Honeycomb dish + Sock

1.5m octa

Smaller

1.5m octa w/grid

Soft boxes

Large

scrim

Shallow deep With diffuser

Silver white

HARD SOFT

Celling/poly

board bounce

On-camera

flash

Snoot

Umbrella

Studio flash

no modifier

0.6-0.9m soft

boxes w/grid

Modifiers

Larger

or

TECHNIQUES

Oppositetopleft

Softshadows

Usinga softbox

tosoftenthelight

sourcemeanssoft

shadowsonthe

face,wherethe

lightwrapsaround

andcreatesbarely

visibleshadows

Topright

Hardshadows

Ta k i n ga w ayt h e

modifier,leavinga

smallerbarebulb,

youcanseethe

crisp,visible,hard

shadowsacrossthe

face,andpunchier

hardlight

Oppositefarright

Hardlight

Asthelighthasn’t

beensoftenedor

diffused,darkand

dramaticshadows

appearbehindthe

subject’sheadand

setherapartfrom

thebackground

Opposite right

Soft light

The light is softer,

less intense, and

there are no

shadows visible on

the background

that the subject

is against

Withtheuseofdiagramsandfollowingsomewell-

placedinstructions,it’spossibletoplacelightsin

thecorrectposition,butcreatingtypesoflightingis

asmuchabouthowthelightisshapedanddiffused

astothelocationtothemodel.

Modifiersareusedtomodifytheshape,quality

andspreadoflight.Decidingwhereandhowyou

placeyourlightisalsoinfluencedbythewayit’s

modified.Modifierscontrolthespreadoflight.Grids

areusedtoclosedownlightspillandmakeit more

directional,whichisusefulforwhenyoudon’twant

differentlightsourcesinterferingwitheachother.

Thechoiceofmodifierwilldependonthefeeling

oflightyouaretryingtocreate.Thisiswherethe

hardnessorsoftnessofthelightmeetsthemodifier

andlightingstyletocreatethefeeloftheimage.For

example,youcanhavea clamshellimagethatis

softerorharderdependingontheuseofmodifiers.

Thediagramshowsthetypesofmodifiersused

forhardandsoftlight.

Shaping light Flashcomesin varyingforms,dependingonhowit’smodified

Decidingwhichoneyouwillusewillhavea bigimpactonyourimage

Hard vs soft light

Whenwetalkabouthardorsoftlightweare

discussingthequalityofthelightthatthe

flash,inthiscasestrobelighting,produces.A

waytoidentifythehardnessofthelighting

istolookattheshadows.Softlightwraps

aroundobjects,castinga diffusedlightwith

softedgesornovisibleshadowatall.Harder

lightcastsmuchsharper,definedshadows,

withcleanerandcrisperedges.

Thesetypesoflightarecreatedbythree

mainfactors;thesizeofthelightsource,the

intensityofthelight,anditsdistancefromthe

subject.Typically,thelargerthesource,the

softerthelightwillbe.A goodexampleofthis

isa smallon-cameraspeedlightwithouta

modifier,comparedtoa largestudioflashwith

a largesoftbox.

Thecloserthelightistothemodel,the

softerit becomes.Thisisbecausethesource

becomeslargerrelativetothesubjectthe

closerit gets.Turninguptheintensityofa

flashwillcreatemuchharderlightcompared

toa lesspowerful,subtleflash.

Theshadows,orlackof,arecreatedonthe

subjectitselfaswellasonthebackgrounds–

bethatonstudiobackgroundsoronlocation.

Whenlookingforthehardnessofthelight,you

shouldconsiderboth.

Thebenefitofusingstudioflashand

removingambientlightisthatyouhave

controlovertheplacement of shadows, and

thequality(hardness or softness) can be

manipulated,depending on your preference.

Softlightmeansgradual transitions in the

shadows.Theoverall image can still have

areasofshadowand light, but the shadow line

islessabrupt.Considered more flattering, it’s

usedtosmoothoutimperfections and make

thesubjectlooklessharsh.

Hardlighthashigher contrast and can

createhotspotsfrom the intensity. Shadow

edgesaredefined,and the transition from

shadowtohighlightis abrupt. Often used to

createdramaticimagery, it is seen as much

lessflattering.

Left

Softvshardmodifiers

Thebeautydishactsasthekeylight,

seenontherightoftheimage.It

is gridded,creatinghard

shadowsunderthechin,

whilea 1x3stripbox

createsa softrim/side

lightonthesideof

themodel,spilling

somelightontothe

backgroundpaper

Ring

flash

Barndoors

Reflector

Beauty

+ Honeycomb dish + Sock

1.5mocta

Smaller

1.5moctaw/grid

Softboxes

Large

scrim

Shallow deep Withdiffuser

Silver white

HARD SOFT

Celling/poly

boardbounce

On-camera

flash

Snoot

Umbrella

Studioflash

nomodifier

0.6-0.9msoft

boxesw/grid

Modifiers

Larger

or

TECHNIQUES