Studio Lighting: An Overview

Studio lighting refers to artificial lighting used in a controlled environment, like a photography or film studio, to illuminate a subject. It allows the photographer to manipulate light to create desired effects, emphasize particular features, and achieve consistent results regardless of ambient light conditions.

Why use studio lighting?

1. Provides total control over light intensity, direction, and quality.
2. Enables unique effects like dramatic shadows, soft highlights, or a specific mood.
3. Maintains the same lighting conditions across multiple shots or setups.
4. Helps eliminate unwanted shadows, balance highlights, or fill darker areas.

---

Common Lighting Techniques

1-Point Lighting

Setup: A single light source, typically positioned at a 45-degree angle to the subject.

• Use: Creates dramatic shadows and emphasizes texture or mood.
• Drawbacks: May cause harsh shadows on the opposite side of the subject.

2-Point Lighting

Setup: Two light sources — key light and fill light.

• Use: The key light defines the main source of illumination, and the fill light softens shadows.
• Advantage: Balances the shadows while retaining some depth.

3-Point Lighting

Setup: Adds a third light (backlight) to the 2-point system.

• Key light: Primary source, highlighting the subject.
• Fill light: Reduces contrast and softens shadows.
• Backlight: Separates the subject from the background by adding a rim of light.
• Use: Widely used in portrait photography and videography for balanced, professional lighting.

---

Notable Lighting Styles

Rembrandt Lighting

• Features: A triangle of light under the subject’s eye on the shadowed side.
• Use: Creates dramatic, moody portraits with a natural feel.
• Setup: Key light placed at 45° above and to the side, creating shadows.

My attempt.

Butterfly Lighting

• Features: A butterfly-shaped shadow under the nose.
• Use: Flattering for beauty shots, minimizes wrinkles and skin imperfections.
• Setup: Key light positioned directly in front and slightly above the subject.

Backlighting

Features :High contrast , silhouette , highlights edges, gives glowing outline. Dramatic effect

Use: This method is used to create visually stunning and dramatic effects in photographs.

setup : the technique where the main light source is positioned behind the subject, illuminating them from the back and facing the camera.

My attempt.

chiaroscuro

chiaroscuro lighting is a technique that emphasizes strong contrasts between light and dark to create a dramatic, three-dimensional effect. The term “chiaroscuro” originates from the Italian words chiaro (light) and scuro (dark), and it was historically used in painting, especially during the Renaissance period, by artists like Caravaggio and Rembrandt.

• Features: High-contrast light and shadow, emphasizing dramatic intensity.
• Use: Evokes mood and depth; often seen in film noir and classical paintings.
• Setup: Key light with minimal fill, or a single harsh light source.

In photography and studio lighting, chiaroscuro is achieved by using a single light source or a focused lighting setup to create pronounced shadows and highlights. This technique is particularly effective in creating depth, mood, and a sense of volume in portraits, still life, and conceptual photography.

Artist Reference research

1. Annie Leibovitz: Known for her dramatic use of soft lighting and shadows in portraiture.
2. Richard Avedon: Famous for minimalist lighting in studio portraits, highlighting facial expressions and details.
3. Irving Penn: Renowned for his use of controlled lighting to emphasize form, texture, and elegance.
4. Gregory Crewdson: Uses cinematic lighting setups to create complex, mood-driven narratives.
5. David LaChapelle: Known for vibrant and surreal compositions, utilizing bold lighting techniques for impact.

Further detail on my favourite artist, David LaChapelle

David LaChapelle

David LaChapelle is a renowned photographer and director known for his bold, surreal, and hyper-stylized imagery. His work often combines elements of fine art, pop culture, and social commentary, resulting in vibrant and thought-provoking compositions. LaChapelle’s photography is iconic for its extravagant use of colour, dramatic lighting, and creatively staged sets. He frequently collaborates with celebrities, creating editorial pieces that blur the line between fantasy and reality.

---

• LaChapelle’s work often addresses themes like materialism, celebrity culture, religion, and human vulnerability. His images tell intricate stories through their elaborate setups and symbolic elements.
• Staging and Detail:
  Every element in LaChapelle’s photographs is carefully planned and executed. He uses custom-built sets, costumes, and props to bring his visions to life.
• Colors: His work is saturated with intense, often unnatural colors that make his images pop.
• Lighting: He uses bold lighting setups to create a sense of drama and dimension, often blending hard and soft light for contrast.
• Surrealism: Props, costumes, and sets are often exaggerated or surreal, adding layers of meaning to his work.

---

LaChapelle`s Work

---

My attempts at using Coloured gels in the studio.

---

I used coloured gels and strategic lighting to emphasize contrasts and create a sense of mood and depth in the portraits. Here’s how I approached the process:

Lighting Setup

I placed coloured gels over two types of lights to achieve this effect:

1. Spotlight: Used to direct focused light on the subject’s face or create striking highlights. The gels added bold, saturated colours, like red and blue, which helped shape the mood of the image.
2. Honeycomb Light Modifier: This was key to controlling the spread of light. By narrowing the light beam, I could focus on specific areas of the subject while preventing unwanted spill into the background, allowing for sharp contrasts between light and shadow.

Creative Process

• Colour Selection: I chose complementary colours (e.g., red and blue) to create visual tension and contrast in the portraits. These colours helped highlight the contours of the face and added a dynamic energy to the shots.
• A red gel on the side light created a strong outline of the subject.
• A blue gel from the opposite side added cool highlights.

Camera Settings

1. ISO 100: I selected a low ISO to ensure the cleanest possible image with minimal noise. Studio lighting provides ample light, so a higher ISO wasn’t necessary.
2. Shutter Speed 1/125: Studio flashes have a sync speed limit, and exceeding this (e.g., going faster than 1/125) could result in a partially exposed frame, as the camera shutter might not fully open during the flash. Keeping it at 1/125 allowed me to properly sync with the studio lights without losing any of the exposure.
3. Aperture (f-stop): I set the aperture based on the intensity of the studio lights and the desired depth of field. A moderate aperture (e.g., f/8) helped maintain focus on the subject while keeping the lighting balanced across the face

Shooting Process

• Flash Syncing: The studio flash provided consistent light bursts, so I ensured my settings were in sync with the flash duration for even illumination.
• Colour Gels: The gels absorbed some light, so I occasionally adjusted the aperture to compensate and maintain the correct exposure.

| All original work taken by me|

I took around 170 photos at the market and then used Lightroom to narrow down the selection. This process really helped me focus on the strongest shots, refining the collection to the ones that best captured the environment and energy of the market. In Lightroom, I also made some adjustments to enhance the images, bringing out details and improving the overall look to make each photo stand out. This approach let me transform a large set of images into a more cohesive and impactful series.

I recently went to the market to capture photos of people within their working environments. The experience was both exhilarating and challenging—the constant rush of customers created a lively atmosphere, but it also made it difficult to find the right settings and angles quickly. I was very conscious of the fact that I was on *their* time, not mine, so I had to work efficiently, making adjustments without holding anyone up. Despite the challenges, I love how the shots turned out. Some images came out a bit blurry, so next time I’ll bring a tripod to improve stability and clarity in my photos.

Artists with similar ideas

Jeff wall is a Canadian photographer who also utilised crowded spaces just how my photography does.

Mood board

An environmental portrait is a portrait executed in the subject’s usual environment, such as in their home or workplace, and typically illuminates the subject’s life and surroundings, age, gender, and occupation.

Environmental portrait Analysis ( Mr toft’s photoshoot)

Lighting – Natural / Indoors / Soft Light / Overcast weather / Backlit

Environment – Cattle farm / Workplace / Business

Lifestyle – Farmer / Male / Elderly

No props

Framing – Full length body / Deadpan / Central / positioned in order to stand out from background

Approach – Formal body position ( posed) / unformal facial expression ( unposed )

Gaze – Averted gaze , Not looking at the camera, more natural look.

Cam settings ( Predicted )

Medium aperture ( f/4, f/5.6, or f/8. Those “medium” apertures are small enough to block light from the edges of a lens,) cow behind him is in focus however further back they are out of focus, showing the field of depth is not too deep.

Wide angle lens ( has a focal length of 35mm or shorter, which gives you a wide field of view)

Fast Shutter speed < because you can see that the room is dark and softly lit, meaning the shutter speed was not long enough for the light to be over exposed.

medium ISO, as the image is crisp yet still dark.

August Sander

August Sander (1876–1964) was a German photographer , famously known for his work documenting and capturing German society in the early 20th century.

August Sander’s photography is significant for its organised approach to categorizing people, capturing a wide range of individuals from various parts of life in Germany, often with a focus on class, occupation, and social role.

Social and Class Structures: Sander’s portraits were not just about capturing the physical appearance of his subjects. They were a window into the roles that people played within the larger structure of society. He saw his work as a way to document the complexities of class, identity, and occupation, often exploring how social status and profession were reflected in a person’s appearance and lifestyle

He sought to give respect to the people he photographed, regardless of their social standing. His photography conveys a sense of equality among the subjects in the photographs. He wanted to truly represent the raw reality of life in Germany, from lower class life to high class.

Legacy

Sander’s most famous series, People of the 20th Century, was never fully completed in his lifetime, and much of his work remained unpublished during his career. However, the project has since been recognized as one of the most important photographic projects of the 20th century.

Typologies

A photographic typology is a study of “types”. That is, a photographic series that prioritizes “collecting” rather than stand-alone images. It’s a powerful method of photography that can be used to reshape the way we perceive the world around us.

The concept of Photographic Typologies traces its origins to August Sander’s 1929 portrait series Face of Our Time, which documented the diverse social fabric of Germany between the two World Wars. Sander’s intent was to capture a cross-section of society—its various types, classes, and the relationships that linked them. He recognized that displaying his portraits as a collective series revealed much more than the individual images would convey on their own. Unfortunately his photography had such significance and power that just four years after its creation, the Nazi regime had the photographic plates destroyed and the book banned.

A typology in photography is a study of “types” , a series of images that highlights collective representation rather than isolated, individual shots. This approach shifts the focus to “collecting” and categorizing, and has become a method for reshaping how we view the world around us. The term “typology” itself gained exposure in photography in 1959, when the German artists Bernd and Hilla Becher began documenting the rapidly disappearing industrial architecture of Germany. The Becher’s described their subjects as “buildings where anonymity is accepted to be the style.” Their aim was to document a vanishing landscape, and in doing so, typologies not only captured a moment in time but also invited viewers to reflect on the photographs in the broader context of history and society.

The Düsseldorf School of Photography

The Düsseldorf School of Photography is a renowned institution largely shaped by Bernd and Hilla Becher, whose innovative approach to photography as a typological method left a lasting impact on both their students and the broader photographic world. As professors at the Kunst Akademie Düsseldorf, the Becher’s passed on their meticulous, systematized method of documenting industrial structures ( such as water towers and gas tanks) to a new generation of photographers.

This approach, known as typology, involved photographing similar objects in series to highlight patterns, variations, and subtle differences. The Becher’s emphasized precision and objectivity, treating each subject as part of a larger system rather than focusing on individual characteristics. Their influence at the Düsseldorf School was profound, and their students( such as Thomas Ruff ) , Andreas Gursky, Thomas Struth, and Candida Höfer—took the Becher’s’ principles and expanded them into new directions.

While the Becher’s focused on industrial architecture, their students applied typology to diverse subjects, from urban spaces to portraiture. The Düsseldorf School became a home for photographers exploring the documentary style, with many of their works reflecting an interest in the social, cultural, and architectural landscapes. The school’s rigorous approach to photography turned typology into a significant artistic and intellectual movement, and its influence can still be seen in contemporary photographic practice.

In short, the Düsseldorf School, under the Bechers’ guidance, transformed photography into a tool for analysis and reflection, shaping how we view not just the world around us, but the way we categorize and understand it.

August Sanders Photography Analysis

TECHNICAL ASPECTS

Due to the black and white format of this photograph , it is difficult to pinpoint the type/Origin of the lighting used. However, upon further inspection I am able to infer that the source of light could be natural, emitting from a window in the form of daylight , This is because if you look into the metal bowl grasped by the chef, the lighting seems to be in the shape of a distorted rectangle, which closely resembles a window. Additionally , due to the lighting being softly diffused, and not causing hard tone and definition within the subject/ casting heavily contrasting shadows upon the subjects body and face ( Similar to how artificial light would create a hard light with minimal diffusion) It is fair to say that the lighting is natural due to it having almost identical characteristics to it. Furthermore, due to the angle of the reflection on his head compared to the angle of the light on the bowl, we can also infer that there are multiple windows positioned to the right of the character and in front of him ( due to multiple light sources within the reflections) , all working together to create the scenes lighting and atmosphere.

The tonal range in this shot (the range of tones between the darkest and brightest areas of an image that are captured by your camera.) is wide as their are clearly many points within the image with pure black and pure white , along with a range of shades of grey in-between, This in return creates a lot of contrast within the image which highlights the key features of the chefs face and body outline. Additionally it is easy to tell that this image is perfectly exposed, neither under or over exposed as the detail is still clear and nothing is too dark or too bright, minimising the glare within the shot ( from the reflections).

APERTURE

the Aperture Used to create this shot is most likely quite low in the ranges of f2-4 as these low apertures are great for creating portraits with a shallow depth of field, as seen in the photograph , the subject (chef) is in focus, whereas his background and surroundings are out of focus.

SHUTTER SPEED

Alongside the Low aperture , I predict a fast shutter speed was used in order to combat the amount of light being let in through the lens. ( at least 1/200th of a second handheld or 1/15th of a second on a tripod.) . What supports my prediction is that there is none to minimal motion blur, Meaning either the subject stood incredibly still or a high shutter speed was used to capture the moment in time without any blur.

ISO

The ISO used to take this photo was most likely quite low, as there is no visible grain and the image is crystal clear , additionally the image itself is quite dark meaning a low ISO must’ve been used, which makes sense as the low aperture already lets in plenty of light, meaning that the light sensitivity of the camera doesn’t need to be high, around 100-200 was probably used.

Edward Weston

Edward Weston is a pivotal figure in 20th-century photography, renowned for his ability to transform ordinary objects into visually arresting compositions through careful attention to texture, form, and light.

Weston is most famous for his still-life studies of natural objects, such as seashells, vegetables, and landscapes. He worked primarily in black and white, using large-format cameras to capture extraordinary levels of detail. What set him apart was his commitment to presenting subjects with clarity and precision, which allowed viewers to see familiar objects in entirely new ways. This is where texture becomes key in his work.

Texture as a Visual Language: Texture in Weston’s work acts almost like a language , conveying more than just what the object is, but how it feels, its weight, and its materiality. This was particularly effective in his portraits and nudes, where the texture of skin becomes a focal point, bringing out the softness and imperfections that make each subject unique.

Lighting and Depth: Weston’s mastery of light allowed him to accentuate texture. Whether photographing sand dunes or the rough bark of a tree, his controlled use of light created a strong sense of depth. Shadows played a crucial role in defining textures, giving the objects dimension and life.

lighting plays a crucial role in how texture is perceived in photography. Different lighting setups can either enhance or diminish the visibility and impact of textures in your subjects. Here’s a breakdown of various lighting techniques and how they affect texture:

1. Natural Light

Soft Diffused Light: On overcast days or in shaded areas, the light is soft and diffused. This type of lighting reduces harsh shadows and can make textures appear smoother. This is ideal for capturing the subtle textures of skin or delicate fabrics, as it minimizes the risk of unflattering shadows.

Direct Harsh Light: Direct sunlight creates strong contrasts, accentuating textures and details. This is effective for subjects with rough surfaces (like bark or stone), as it brings out the details. However, it can also create unflattering shadows on smoother textures, so it’s best used with care.

---

2. Side Lighting

Texture Enhancement: Side lighting, where the light source comes from the side of the subject, creates shadows that define and accentuate textures. This technique is often used in portrait photography to enhance facial features and in still life to bring out the texture of objects.

Example: When photographing a crumpled piece of fabric, side lighting can cast shadows in the folds, highlighting the texture effectively.

3. Backlighting

Silhouette and Edge Definition: Backlighting occurs when the light source is behind the subject. This can create silhouettes and emphasize the edges of textured subjects, but it might obscure finer details unless the subject is translucent (like a leaf).

Example: A backlit leaf can show intricate veins and textures if the light shines through it, but a backlit rock may lose its details.

4. Top Lighting

Flat Texture Effect: When light comes from above, it can flatten the texture, making it less pronounced. This is often useful for creating even illumination in food photography, where you want to show the overall look of a dish rather than its texture

5. Low Angle Lighting

Dramatic Texture: Low-angle lighting can create long shadows and enhance textures dramatically. This is especially effective for landscapes or architectural shots, where the texture of the ground or building surfaces is emphasized.

Example: Photographing a rough stone path at sunset with low-angle light can create long shadows, enhancing the texture of the stones.

6. Coloured Light

Mood and Texture Perception: Using coloured gels or filters can affect how textures are perceived. Warmer tones might make textures feel softer or cosier, while cooler tones can give a sharper, more clinical feel. Experimenting with coloured light can help you convey different moods through texture.

Photoshoot + PnX process to slim down options

Finalised Selection of Photographs

Shoot summary

In this series of images, my goal was to capture the intricate textures of the yellow pepper, onion, and lemon. To achieve this, I left them sliced open for a day or so, allowing their skins to dry and develop more pronounced wrinkles and edges. This added an organic, tactile feel to the subjects, which is a nod to Edward Weston’s approach of emphasizing texture in his work. By letting the surfaces age slightly, I could highlight the roughness and imperfections, which contrast beautifully with their smoother interior sections.

I used hard side lighting across the series to accentuate the edges and ridges of the fruits and vegetables. The strong light source really made the textures pop, casting shadows that enhance the contours and fine details of the dried surfaces. It was essential to bring out those natural lines and depth, giving the objects a more three-dimensional quality.

To add a sense of freshness and visual interest, I coated the vegetables, fruit, and the wooden surface with water. This created a dynamic reflection and added to the textures, balancing the dryness of the skins with a sense of moisture and life. The water coating helped elevate the visual impact by introducing contrast between the dry textures and the glossy reflections, giving the series a fresh yet natural feel.

Editing

Just like Edward Weston, I chose to convert my images to black and white, which further emphasizes the textures I wanted to capture. By removing the distraction of colour, it lets the viewer focus more on the contrast between the light and shadows. The monochrome palette heightened the details of the dried skin, the wrinkled surfaces, and the organic forms of the pepper, onion, and lemon. The lack of colour allowed the intricate textures to become the main focus, highlighting every ridge, crease, and line. This decision, inspired by Weston’s approach, helped enhance the sense of form and texture, making the photograph feel more dramatic and rough.

I also decided to turn down the exposure on the original image due to the artificial lighting of my lamp, the lighting is very strong and bright , and i wanted to add a more natural feel and diffuse the light slightly.

---

Visual Elements

Visual elements in photography are a key factor in creating a well composed, eye catching and successful image in photography. These elements include ;

• Line: Lines can guide the viewer’s eye through the image, create depth, and emphasize specific areas. They can be straight, curved, horizontal, vertical, or diagonal, each conveying different feelings and movements.
• Shape: Shapes are formed by the lines in the image and can create visual interest. They help to establish a focal point and can be geometric or organic.
• Space: The use of negative space (the area around the subject) can enhance the composition by providing breathing room and emphasizing the subject. It can also convey isolation or create a sense of balance.
• Repetition: Repeating elements can create rhythm and harmony within a photograph. This can include patterns, shapes, or colours that draw attention and create unity.
• Texture: Texture adds depth and interest. It can evoke a tactile response and make the viewer feel a connection to the subject. Highlighting texture can also enhance the overall mood of the image.
• Colour: Colour influences mood, emotion, and attraction. It can draw the viewer in or create contrast and tension. Understanding colour theory can help in making more impactful choices.
• Value/Tone: The use of light and dark tones helps in defining shapes and adding depth. High contrast can create drama and clear separation, while softer tones can embrace calmness and mood

James Welling

James Welling is a prominent American photographer known for his innovative exploration of texture, color, and abstraction. His work often blurs the boundaries between photography and other art forms, reflecting his deep engagement with the medium.

Welling’s approach to texture is particularly notable in several series, where he uses various techniques to emphasize surface qualities. For instance, in his “California” series, he captures the textures of natural landscapes, highlighting the interplay of light, shadow, and color. This creates a sensory experience, inviting viewers to engage with the physicality of the images.

In other works, like his “Glass” series, Welling uses transparency and reflections to explore the texture of glass itself, playing with the viewer’s perception. His use of layering and digital manipulation further enhances the tactile qualities, making the viewer aware of the medium’s limitations and possibilities.

Overall, Welling’s exploration of texture serves not only as a visual element but also as a means of challenging traditional notions of photography, inviting contemplation about the relationship between image and reality. His work encourages viewers to engage with the physical and conceptual aspects of texture in new ways.

Photoshoot 1

I approached this project by experimenting with various lighting setups on paper to explore how light affects its texture and form. I used different angles, intensities, and even colors of light to create a variety of visual effects. Each shot offered a unique interplay of highlights and shadows, allowing me to capture different moods and visual textures.

Once I had taken the photos, I exported them into Lightroom to begin the sorting process. I used the PNX process to streamline my collection. This method helps me quickly narrow down the shots, highlighting the ones that stand out and removing any that don’t fit vision.

To make things more organized, I also applied Lightroom’s star rating system, assigning ratings to my favourite shots. This makes navigating through my best photos much easier, ensuring I focus on the strongest images as I move forward in editing for the final selection. It’s a practical and efficient way for me to manage a large batch of images and stay focused on my vision.

For this shot, I used a long shutter speed and a low ISO to maintain the image’s quality while allowing sufficient time for the light to fully interact with the subject. The low ISO setting helped avoid introducing noise into the image, ensuring the paper texture remained sharp and clean.

The extended shutter speed was crucial here, as it allowed the camera to capture all the available light. This technique ensured that the image was perfectly exposed, balancing both the highlights and shadows in the frame. The crumpled paper was illuminated beautifully, while the long exposure helped enhance the depth and richness of the colors.

What really makes the image stand out is how the long shutter speed also created the neon red glow above the paper. As I moved a light source—or perhaps used a continuous light like LEDs—over a longer period, the camera captured the movement, which resulted in those dynamic light trails. This not only added a sense of motion but also emphasized the futuristic and abstract feel of the photo. It’s a technique that blends still life with light painting, creating a dramatic yet controlled effect.

In Lightroom, I further enhanced the images by making key adjustments to emphasize the lighting effects. I raised the contrast to create more separation between the highlights and shadows, which brought out the textures of the paper and made the light trails more striking. Lowering the exposure helped deepen the darker areas, creating a moody atmosphere while keeping the lighting sharp and vibrant.

I also increased the white balance, which enhanced the warmth and intensity of the lights, particularly in the red and neon tones. Finally, I deepened the blacks, which made the lights stand out even more against the dark background, creating a stronger visual impact. These adjustments allowed the photos to feel more polished, with the lighting effects taking center stage while still retaining the crisp details of the paper.

In this series of photos, I explored the interaction between light and paper, using long shutter speeds to blend creative lighting effects with crisp, detailed images. Each photo allowed me to play with different lighting setups, whether it was coloured lights, moving light sources, or a combination of both. By using a long exposure, I captured not just the stationary subject ( crumpled paper, in this case) but also the movement of light around it.

The long shutter speeds gave me the flexibility to introduce dynamic lighting effects, such as light trails or glowing neon tones, while keeping the paper itself sharp and textured. The extended exposure times allowed the camera to fully process the movement of light, creating ethereal and abstract patterns that contrasted beautifully with the stillness of the paper.

The key was balancing the technical settings. I used a low ISO to retain image quality and minimize noise, while adjusting the shutter speed to capture the perfect amount of light for each shot. This combination allowed me to achieve a unique blend of crisp textures and flowing light effects, resulting in visually striking images.

Virtual Gallery

I recently created a virtual gallery on Art steps to showcase my photography of paper and lighting. It was exciting to curate a selection of my images that explore the unique interplay between textures and light. Using the platform, I designed an immersive experience that allows viewers to navigate through my work, which feels like a personal journey into my artistic vision.

As I arranged the images, I focused on creating a harmonious visual flow throughout the gallery. For example, I grouped photos with similar colour palettes together, which helped create a cohesive look. This intentional matching not only draws the viewer’s eye across the space but also enhances the overall mood of the exhibition.

GIF!

I decided to create a dynamic GIF featuring a paper ball illuminated by light in motion. To start, I took a series of burst photos while rotating a light stick around the paper ball. This technique allowed me to capture the movement of the light when putting the photos in a repetitive sequence.

Once I had my burst photos, I turned to Canva.com for the editing process. I uploaded all the images into a new project, carefully arranging them in sequence to create a smooth transition. Canva made it easy to adjust the timing between frames, allowing me to fine-tune the speed of the GIF to emphasize the swirling light effect.

After finalizing the design, I exported it as a GIF, and the result was a smooth animation that effectively conveyed the interplay of light and texture.

PHOTOSHOP

ISO is a number that represents how sensitive your camera sensor is to light. The higher the ISO number, the higher your camera’s sensitivity, and the less light you need to take a picture. The trade-off is that higher ISOs can lead to degraded image quality and cause your photos to be grainy or “noisy.”

A lower ISO value indicates reduced sensitivity to light, meaning you’ll need more light to capture a photo. Conversely, a higher ISO increases sensitivity, allowing you to take pictures with less light. ISO is a crucial component of photography’s exposure triangle, which also includes aperture and shutter speed, and significantly impacts the quality of your images.

Using a high ISO comes with a trade-off: while it allows for better performance in low-light conditions, it can also result in degraded image quality, making your photos appear grainy or “noisy.” On the other hand, a lower ISO means reduced sensitivity to light, requiring more light to capture a clear image.

In low-light situations, increasing the ISO is often necessary to achieve a clear picture. However, the downside of raising the ISO is that it can introduce ‘noise’ into the image, resulting in a grainy appearance. We’ll explore this issue further below.

If you are taking a picture in ideal light conditions, you will want to keep the ISO low in order to avoid introducing noise into the image.

Francis Bruguière

Francis Bruguière was an influential American photographer known for his pioneering work in the field of abstract photography. Active primarily in the early to mid-20th century, he was associated with the modernist movement and sought to explore the relationship between light, form, and space.

Bruguière’s work often emphasized texture and abstraction, utilizing techniques such as multiple exposures and experimentation with light to create dynamic compositions. His photographs often resemble paintings, blurring the lines between traditional photography and fine art. He was particularly interested in how light interacts with surfaces, which allowed him to create images that evoke a sense of depth and movement.

One of his significant contributions was his role in promoting photography as a serious art form. Bruguière was involved with various art organizations and exhibitions, advocating for the recognition of photography within the broader art community.

His later work included explorations of the natural world, where he captured the essence of landscapes and organic forms through an abstract lens. Bruguier’s innovative techniques and artistic vision continue to inspire photographers and artists interested in the interplay of texture, light, and abstraction in their work.

My Attempt At ISO based photography

---

When I first started shooting, I set my ISO pretty low, around 100 or 200. The images were coming out dark, which was frustrating at first. But I knew that a low ISO meant less sensitivity to light and that the shots would be clean and crisp, free from that annoying graininess. In bright conditions, that’s perfect. But since I was working with less light, I realized that I’d have to make some adjustments.

As the shoot went on and the lighting conditions changed, I started bumping up the ISO. I went to 400, then 800, and the images started looking brighter. It was great at first because I was getting the exposure I wanted without having to slow down my shutter speed or widen the aperture too much. But after a while, when I cranked the ISO even higher—like 1600 or beyond—I started noticing the grain creeping in.

The images were getting overexposed, and there was this noticeable noise in the darker areas, especially in the shadows. The trade-off for more light sensitivity was that grainy texture, which started affecting the overall quality of the shots. By the end of the shoot, I could see how pushing the ISO too high was making things overexposed and grainy, especially in areas where the light was already strong.

In this shot, I was working with really low light—just that red “ON AIR” and “MIC LIVE” sign lighting up the room. To get a properly exposed image, I bumped my ISO up to 3200. It helped me bring out the details in the dark, but I could definitely see the trade-off. The high ISO made the shot grainy, especially in the shadows and the areas around the sign.

The red neon lights came out sharp and bright, but as I looked at the darker parts of the image, I could see that typical grainy texture creeping in, which is a direct result of the high ISO. I knew that lowering the ISO would reduce the noise, but then the whole image would be way too dark without compensating with slower shutter speeds or more lighting.

So, while ISO 3200 did what I needed in terms of getting the exposure right in this low light, it brought along that grainy look that’s hard to avoid at such high settings.

---

How to go around solving grain?

To fix the graininess in this shot, I could start by lowering the ISO—maybe around 800 or so. That would instantly reduce the noise, but then I’d have to adjust some other settings to keep the exposure right. One way is to slow down the shutter speed, but I’d need to make sure the camera stays completely still, maybe using a tripod, to avoid motion blur.

shutter speed –  the speed at which the shutter of the camera closes. A fast shutter speed creates a shorter exposure — the amount of light the camera takes in —while a slow shutter speed gives the photographer a longer exposure.

Low shutter speeds are used for scenarios where the lighting in the area is low, This is because the camera needs more time to capture the light so that the photo is not too dark or unreadable due to the lack of exposure. As shown in the diagram below, the camera needs more time to properly adjust to the light in the scene in order to avoid over exposure as seen in the photo taken at a shutter speed of 1/2.

On the other hand, Higher shutter speeds are excellent at freezing and capturing fast paced moments which are usually impossible to see just through the use of eyes, for example, attempting to capture water droplets in movement or a car mid f1 race.

A fast shutter speed, say, in the 1/500th second range, will freeze the water and give it a gnarly, crunchy look. A long, multi-second shutter speed will make waterfalls look silky and veil-like. Both looks can work, but what looks best will depend on the subject and your personal preferences as a photographer.

The general rule for the shutter speed when it comes to astrophotography is to go with anything between 10 and 30 seconds depending on your focal length. The longer the shutter speed you use, the lower the ISO you can use but using a shutter speed too long can result in blurry stars due to the Earth’s rotation.

Slow shutter speeds and long exposures enable you to create motion blur in your photos. Again, the speed of the moving object will determine how slow the shutter speed needs to be.

Photographers known for shutter speed.

Eadweard Muybridge

is celebrated for his ground-breaking studies of motion, which laid the groundwork for the development of cinema. He was commissioned to capture a horse’s movement to demonstrate that its hooves are off the ground during a trot.

Between 1878 and 1886, Muybridge conducted pioneering chrono photography of animal locomotion, employing multiple cameras to capture various positions within a stride. He also invented the zoopraxiscope, a device that projected painted motion pictures from glass discs, predating the use of flexible perforated film strips in cinematography.

---

Harold Edgerton 

Harold Edgerton was an American electrical engineer and photographer known for his pioneering work in high-speed photography. He developed techniques and equipment that allowed for the capture of fast-moving subjects, revealing details that the human eye could not see.

His iconic images include a bullet piercing an apple and the moment a drop of milk splashes into a pool, showcasing the beauty and complexity of motion. Edgerton’s innovations in strobe lighting and high-speed cameras not only advanced photography but also contributed to scientific research in fields like physics and biology, making him a significant figure in both art and science.

---

Hiroshi Sugimoto 

Hiroshi Sugimoto is a Japanese photographer known for his striking and contemplative works that explore themes of time, memory, and the nature of reality. His most famous series include “Theaters,” featuring long-exposure images of classic movie houses, and “Seascapes,” capturing the tranquil beauty of oceans across different locations and times.

Sugimoto’s use of long exposure creates a sense of timelessness, blurring the lines between the past and present. His work often invites viewers to reflect on the passage of time and the relationship between the observer and the observed, making him a significant figure in contemporary photography.

---

Francesca Woodman 

Francesca Woodman was a groundbreaking photographer known for her evocative and surreal images, many of which were taken at her family’s farmhouse near Florence, Italy. Her upbringing in a culturally rich environment deeply influenced her artistic development, drawing inspiration from surrealist artists like Man Ray and Claude Cahun.

Woodman honed her skills at the Rhode Island School of Design, where she began to explore complex themes of identity and the human experience. In the 1970s, a time when photography was often undervalued compared to painting and sculpture, her innovative approach helped elevate the medium. Woodman’s work paved the way for future American photographers, such as Cindy Sherman and Nan Goldin, who similarly examined identity and self-representation in their art.

Here’s a quick summary of shutter speed guidelines:

1. Shutter Speed Rule: As a general rule, your shutter speed should be double (or more) the focal length of your lens. For instance, with a 50mm lens, aim for at least 1/100th of a second, and for a 75mm lens, at least 1/150th of a second.

1. Slow Shutter Speed: A slow shutter speed keeps the shutter open longer, allowing more light to hit the sensor. This can lead to motion blur for moving objects and is useful for low-light situations or when you want to capture the sense of movement in a scene.

Shutter Speed Shoot

The focus of this shoot was to experiment with different shutter speed and how it effects movement.

I begun the selection process with 100 pictures, in order to compress this less photos I will use the PnX process to select which photos I want to keep and which I want to discard.

Using the PnX process, I cut down to 24 photos, now I will repeat this process and pick out the best couple photos which I will present.

Here I am using the X/Y feature to compare the two images, once I am satisfied with one I will simply press X on one of them to discard them of the view.

Final set of images which I will use on the blog, the star system also allowed me to decide between images which I prefer and which ones I dislike.

Final Pieces.

Using a fast shutter speed ( 1/125) , I captured the red ball in mid-air, suspended between the trees, creating a striking contrast against the natural backdrop. The high shutter speed froze the motion perfectly, allowing the ball to appear crisp and sharp, avoiding any motion blur and emphasizing the vibrant red against the greenery.

In this image, the use of a 4-second shutter speed creates an ethereal, ghostly effect, capturing multiple overlapping exposures of my model ( Alfie) as he shifts slightly during the long exposure. The soft blur adds a sense of motion, almost as if the subject is moving through time, creating a surreal, dreamlike quality. The background, filled with books and papers, remains relatively sharp, while the subject’s face is duplicated thrice across the frame, producing a unique layering effect that conveys both motion and stillness. The dim lighting enhances the mood, giving the image a mysterious and slightly abstract feeling.

I used a long exposure to capture the subject as they spun around, creating a dramatic, distorted effect. The 4-second shutter speed allowed for the body to blur and stretch across the frame, making the subject appear as though they’re being pulled in multiple directions. The spinning motion produced a swirling effect where limbs and the head melt into each other, resulting in a fluid, abstract form. The contrast between the still background and the distorted body creates a surreal, dreamlike quality, emphasizing the movement in an almost otherworldly manner.

In this attempt, I aimed to capture a subtle motion by having the subject move only their head during the long exposure. However, the experiment didn’t go as planned—the subject moved their head too rapidly and inconsistently, causing the entire head to blur into an almost ghostly smear. Instead of a distinct motion trail or soft blur, the head nearly vanished from the frame, creating a strange, disjointed image where the body remains sharply in focus but the head has become a faint, formless blur. This unintended effect results in a surreal, eerie composition where the absence of a clear head makes the subject appear almost headless, adding an unintentional element of distortion and mystery to the photograph.

In this shot, I used a long shutter speed combined with cold lighting, but unlike previous attempts, there was no movement from the subject. By staying perfectly still throughout the exposure, the subject remains sharp and clear, with no motion trails or blurring. The cool-toned lighting adds a stark, almost clinical atmosphere to the image. The long exposure doesn’t introduce any distortion or ghostly effects—instead, it enhances the stillness. The focus is sharp across the entire frame, capturing every texture and detail in both the subject and the surroundings, resulting in a crisp photograph. The

In this image, the fast shutter speed perfectly captures three tennis balls suspended in mid-air, seemingly frozen against the plain background of the sky. The high shutter speed ensures there is no motion blur, allowing the balls to appear sharp and crisp as if they are floating in a straight, horizontal line. The simple, cloudy sky creates a minimalistic backdrop, drawing all attention to the alignment of the tennis balls, emphasizing their identical positions and uniform spacing. The fast shutter speed essentially freezes time, giving the impression that the balls are defying gravity, creating a balanced and clean composition that plays with movement and precision.

---

The Evolution of Photography: From Camera Obscura to Digital Imaging

Photography has revolutionized the way we see the world, documenting history, and enabling us to capture memorable moments. It’s a fascinating development story that spans centuries, with key figures contributing to the development of photographic techniques and technology. This blog post will walk you through the fascinating evolution of photography from its old fashioned beginnings to the digital equivalent’s.

---

Camera Obscura

The camera obscura is the earliest known device to project an image. Dating back to as early as the 5th century BC, this optical device was described by ancient Chinese philosopher Mozi and later by Aristotle. The term “camera obscura” itself, meaning “dark chamber” in Latin, was coined by mathematician and astronomer Johannes Kepler in the early 17th century.

It consisted of a dark room or box with a small hole on one side, allowing light to pass through and project an inverted image of the outside scene onto a surface inside. While no photographs were taken with this device, the camera obscura laid the groundwork for modern photography by demonstrating how images could be captured using light.

---

Nicephore Niepce

Fast forward to the early 19th century, and we meet Nicephore Niepce (1765–1833), the French inventor who created the first permanent photograph. In 1826, Niepce used a process he called “heliography” to capture an image on a polished pewter plate coated with bitumen. This image, titled “View from the Window at Le Gras”, is recognized as the world’s oldest surviving photograph.

Niepce’s method required an exposure time of about eight hours, making it impractical for widespread use. However, his breakthrough was the first significant step towards modern photography.

---

Henry Fox Talbot

While Niepce was making progress in France, an Englishman named Henry Fox Talbot (1800–1877) was experimenting with his own photographic methods. In 1834, Talbot developed a process using paper coated with silver chloride, which darkened when exposed to light. He created the world’s first negative images ( black and white photography).

In 1841, Talbot improved his process by developing the calotype, which allowed for multiple positive prints to be made from a single negative. This was a significant advancement, as it introduced the negative-positive photographic process that would dominate the field for more than a century.

---

Louis Daguerre : the Daguerreotype

Around the same time as Talbot, another Frenchman named Louis Daguerre (1787–1851) made a major contribution to photography. In 1839, he introduced the daguerreotype, a process that created highly detailed images on a polished silver-plated copper sheet. Unlike Talbot’s calotypes, daguerreotypes were one-of-a-kind and could not be reproduced.

The daguerreotype became incredibly popular, especially for portraiture, and remained a dominant photographic process throughout the 1840s and 1850s. Daguerre’s invention is often credited with bringing photography into the public eye and making it accessible to everyday people.

---

Richard Leach Maddox: Dry Plate Photography

In 1871, Richard Leach Maddox (1816–1902), a British physician, revolutionized photography with the invention of the dry plate. Before Maddox, photographers used wet plates, which required immediate processing after exposure, making photography inconvenient.

Maddox replaced the wet collodion process with dry gelatine plates that could be stored for later development. This breakthrough allowed photographers to work more flexibly, as the plates didn’t need to be developed immediately. It was also a crucial step toward more portable and user-friendly cameras.

---

George Eastman: Bringing Photography to the Masses

George Eastman (1854–1932). In 1888, Eastman introduced the Kodak camera, a simple box camera preloaded with a roll of film that could take 100 pictures. The slogan for Kodak’s marketing campaign was “You press the button, we do the rest.”

Eastman’s innovation made photography affordable and accessible to the general public, allowing anyone to capture their own photographs. This democratization of photography marked a turning point in the field, with millions of people embracing the new medium.

---

The Kodak Brownie

Eastman introduced the Kodak Brownie in 1900. This camera was even more affordable than its predecessors and became wildly popular. Priced at just $1, it was marketed towards children and everyday families, making photography a widespread hobby.

The Brownie played a crucial role in establishing snapshot photography, enabling individuals to document everyday moments for the first time in history. Its simple design and affordability made it a game-changer for the industry.

---

The Rise of Digital Photography

In the 1960s and 1970s, the world saw the emergence of digital photography. Scientists at Bell Labs developed the charged-coupled device (CCD) in 1969, a technology that could capture digital images. This paved the way for the first digital cameras in the 1980s.

The transition from film to digital began in earnest in the 1990s. Companies like Kodak and Sony introduced digital cameras that allowed users to store images on memory cards, eliminating the need for film altogether. By the 2000s, digital photography had overtaken film photography in both professional and consumer markets.

Today, digital photography is the standard. We now have access to high-resolution cameras on smartphones, making photography more ubiquitous than ever before.

What are they?

The primary function of Aperture is to control the amount of light which is utilised by the camera by enlarging or minimising the size of the hole in the back of the lens via F/stops ( numbers which dictate the size of the hole or commonly known as the focal length of the lens). This typically ranges from f/1.8 -f/22.

Depth of field links in directly with aperture, it is recognised by the ability to manage things in focus. Usually a larger f/stop means there will be more things in focus because there is a smaller hole in the lens ( this is called a deep depth of field as the background/focal point and foreground are both in focus) , whereas typically a smaller f/stop setting and a larger hole in the lens ties in directly with a shallow depth of field meaning only a narrow area of the photograph will be in focus( the first thing the camera takes notice off, the foreground or the main focal point). creating an image with a blurred background where only the main object is in focus.

Small aperture / Larger f/stop = Deep depth of field + smaller focal length ( smaller hole) > More things in focus.

Large aperture / Smaller f/stop = Shallow depth of field = Larger focal length ( larger hole) > Less things in focus

Experimenting With Aperture

Here I am using the lowest aperture possible, which in return creates a image with a clear focal point ( the plane) and a blurred background.

---

The image is fully unreadable when using a high aperture without changing the shutter speed, as they work interlinked and always rely on each over to create a aesthetically pleasing image.

---

In order to fix this issue, I balanced out the shutter speed setting to match the aperture being high, they work in correlation to each over, when f/stop is increased, the shutter speed must slow down in order to create a clear image. Here the image has everything in focus, which represents how aperture works.

Experimenting With Aperture.

In order to achieve the effect of blurring the subject, I had to use a smaller aperture and higher f stop to be able to focus in on the background with a deep depth of field.

---

In order to achieve a blurred background I had to use a high aperture and low f stop setting in order for the camera to utilise a shallow depth of field , to create this portrait like affect where the background is blurred and the subject is in focus.

Photographers who utilised aperture depth of field.

is a prominent contemporary photographer known for her explorations of perception and the act of seeing, particularly through her manipulation of aperture and depth of field. Her work often blurs the lines between representation and abstraction, inviting viewers to engage with the subtleties of light, focus, and space.

Barth’s photography frequently employs a shallow depth of field, which creates a sense of ambiguity and encourages viewers to question what they see. This technique can obscure details and shift attention, prompting an examination of how our perception is influenced by focus and blur. In pieces like her series “Ground,” she uses soft focus to emphasize the sensory experience of seeing, rather than merely documenting a subject.

Through her experiments with aperture, Barth highlights the temporal and spatial aspects of photography. By adjusting the settings on her camera, she plays with the viewer’s expectations and experiences, often leading to a more meditative engagement with the images.

---

was a pioneering American photographer known for his vibrant colour work and innovative use of depth of field. Active primarily in the mid-20th century, Leiter’s photography is characterized by a poetic approach to street scenes and urban life, blending abstraction with the everyday.

Leiter often employed a shallow depth of field, which allowed him to create a sense of intimacy and immediacy in his images. By focusing on specific details while leaving other elements blurred, he drew attention to colour, light, and form, transforming mundane scenes into evocative compositions. His unique use of colour was ground-breaking at the time, capturing the atmosphere of New York City with a painterly sensibility.

His work also often features reflections, layers, and obstructions, such as windows or rain-soaked surfaces, which further enhance the feeling of depth and complexity. Leiter’s ability to blend focus and blur creates a dreamlike quality, inviting viewers to explore both the physical and emotional landscapes of his photographs.

---

was an American photographer known for his enigmatic and often haunting imagery. Active primarily in the mid-20th century, Meatyard’s work is characterized by its exploration of themes such as identity, isolation, and the uncanny, often using masks and staged scenes to evoke a sense of mystery.

His approach to photography was deeply influenced by his background in philosophy and literature. Meatyard often created surreal, dreamlike compositions that challenge viewers’ perceptions of reality. He frequently employed shallow depth of field and unconventional framing, which contribute to the otherworldly quality of his work.

Meat yard’s use of masks in his photographs adds layers of meaning, inviting viewers to consider the nature of identity and the roles we play in society. His series often included family members and friends, blending personal narrative with broader themes of existence.

Personal Work inspired by Ralph Eugene Meat yard

I focused on capturing close-up shots of sticks, branches, and the intricate details of tree life. As I adjusted the aperture settings, I chose a wider opening to create a shallow depth of field.

This technique allowed me to keep my main subjects sharp and detailed, while the backgrounds faded into a soft blur. I loved how this made the textures of the plants and the unique shapes of the branches stand out., drawing the viewer’s eye directly to the beauty I found in those small, often overlooked elements of nature.

The blurred backgrounds created a peaceful, dreamy effect, adding a sense of calm to my shots. Making the textured details of the tree life truly stand out.

Focus points and focal length

The focal point is essentially the area of an image that draws the viewer’s attention first; it’s where I want to direct their gaze. Understanding how to choose and emphasize this point is crucial for effective composition.

Focal length, measured in millimetres, determines the lens’s angle of view and how much of the scene is captured. A shorter focal length, like 18mm, gives a wider perspective, which is great for landscapes or capturing more of a scene. Conversely, a longer focal length, such as 85mm or 200mm, allows me to zoom in on specific details, isolating subjects.

When I experiment with different focal lengths, I notice how they affect the depth of field. A longer focal length can produce a shallower depth of field, blurring the background and making my focal point stand out even more. This technique can really enhance the textures and details I want to highlight in my subjects, whether it’s the intricate patterns on a leaf or the roughness of tree bark.