Using Shadows And Lights For Compositions

As photographers, we will always notice one thing first and that is light. In fact, we often think of light as one of the most important aspects of photography. On the other hand, shadows may seem to be less important or simply a lack of light. This would be a major mistake though, as for light is nothing without shadows. Shadows are not simply a dark mass that borders the light. Rather, shadows are an entity as important as the light. It is the shadows that shape the light, draw attention to the light, and integrate with the light to produce striking photographic opportunities. If we are to reach our full potential as photographers, we must think as much in terms of mastering the shadows, as we do of mastering the light. This article will look into shadows and lights, and how photographs can be created using both the entities.

- Mrinmoy Choudhury

A shadow can be broad or soft, or with a feathered almost imperceptible edge. Not only does the quality of light affect shadows, the distance of the light source to the object casting the shadow changes it’s characteristics, as well as the distance of the object casting the shadow to the object the shadow falls upon. Soft light usually creates even lighting and soft skin tones. If the light is harsh, the shadows created are very harsh and solid, marking definite looking shadow areas and light areas in a picture. We’re often taught to avoid taking pictures in sunny conditions as the harsh light has a tendency to ruin photos. However, you can capture some of the most dramatic shadows if you shoot in strong sunlight. Typically strong shadows and light can be used to create the following: Contrast and drama, Focus, Directing the attention, Revealing form, and Revealing texture.

CONTRAST AND DRAMA: One of the most powerful uses of shadows is for the creation of contrast to produce a dramatic effect in the photograph. If you don't know what contrast is actually, “Contrast is the difference between the lightest and the darkest part of the image, in simpler words the visible difference between the highlight parts and the shadow parts of an image. A viewer’s attention is automatically drawn to areas of high tonal contrast. However, tonal contrast cannot occur without shadows. Thus, it is the mix of light and shadows that creates the attention grabbing contrast.