My lamp post broke recently, but I haven't gotten around to picking up the top of the post that fell off, so it's just been hanging out on my lawn near the walkway. It can't make light on its own now, but it seemed like the ideal subject for this light-themed assignment. This week has been tricky to capture a wide variety of different lighting options because of the rainy weather, but I found a few brief moments when I could get outside and take the following shots. I tried to maintain a similar composition even though I couldn't plant my camera in one place because I wanted the focus to be on the changes in the lighting rather than changes in composition or perspective. I was surprised by how the mood is changed by lighting changes even looking at the same subject in a roughly similar composition.
The first picture has an almost tranquil quality to it with its soft, warm light. The second picture has a much colder and more tragic feel to it. The third also feels somewhat ominous to me because in the bright light of the camera flash I feel like the broken glass is more emphasized, which makes it feel more like a crime scene. I then took a series of photos playing with different angles with a flashlight (my husband was kind enough to hold the flashlight for me as I took photos in the dark). The first flashlight shot almost looks like it is truly lit from above--not from a flashlight but from a heavenly or alien light source. Finally, the last two shots somehow made it look as though the light was coming from the bulb inside this broken lamp rather than coming from the flashlight beaming through the glass, which I thought was an interesting illusion knowing that this lamp is broken and can't possibly produce light now.
5:30 pm with no flash
7:30 pm with no flash
9:30 pm with the flash turned on
Flash(light) Photography
Light from above
Close light source from the right
Close light source from behind
Jen,
ReplyDeleteI think you did a great job of displaying how different lighting affects the image as a whole and I also like how you posted your images in natural progression - it makes it easier to analyze because it looks like a logical process.
I really like the 5:30pm shot with no flash because of what the subtle shadows bring to the image. They aren't hard shadows, but the light creates more contrast between the faces of the blades of grass. I think the image also tells a story: the sun is going down, it's time to get the lantern out but its in the grass, what do we do?!
Great shots here - thanks for sharing!
Wonderful work this week Jen taking pictures that show different lighting affecting the image you are trying to take a picture of. I like your 9:30 shot because it shows how great of a picture you can get out of using flash. Great work, I look forward to seeing more pictures from you.
ReplyDeleteI am actually liking the flashlight shots as they actually appear to mimicking the bulb's own light, which is no longer there. It gives the whole thing a surreal feeling due to the fact that the light itself is on the ground. All of these great examples of lighting.
ReplyDelete-J
I like knowing this is not a staged photo - it gives it even more appeal and tells a story. The 7:30 with no flash I think is my favorite, the natural light makes everything look soft and you can almost feel the sense of "it's going to be a long dark night".
ReplyDeletethis was a great way to show the differences in lightings in a few different scenarios and it made it more interesting..
DeleteI love the last one. It looks like the bulb started working again. Magical. =)
ReplyDeleteThe bottom two shots are a great example of how a little thought can give awesome results. I looked at the pictures before I read your descriptions and I thought that it was a working light sitting on the ground. I feel like your entire photo story could revolve around the second from last shot and how a working lamp ended up laying on the ground. Throw in a picture of an old spooky house and we have a Scooby Doo mystery waiting to happen.
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