The role of shadow

Shadows are dark areas where light cannot pass through opaque objects. The shape of the shadow changes with the change of light source. The distance and angle from the light source determine the concentration, form and area of the shadow.

This is a well-understood explanation in physics, but the shadow is a little blurred in photography. Through this explanation, we can separate silhouette from reflected light (water reflection, glass reflection, etc.). ), these are beyond the scope of shadow discussion.

Generally speaking, a shadow is a projection of an object. Different objects have different projections, and the same object also has different projections when receiving different illumination.

When the light is hard, the shadow cast will be thicker, and even the details in the shadow will disappear completely, which is called umbra; When the light is soft and scattered, the shadow will be very light and the details in the shadow can be observed. This is called penumbra.

So shadows are constantly changing, and sometimes a suitable shadow can make the picture wonderful enough.

How to use shadows?

1 Simplify the picture with shadows

The umbra can block the environmental elements, which makes the photographer want the viewer to see more prominently.

However, in the real environment, the effect of dead black is rarely seen when seeing shadows, because the night vision ability of human eyes is much stronger than that of cameras, so the effect of completely dead black like the picture below needs to be adjusted later.

But when shooting, we are required to imagine the adjusted shadow effect and guide the early shooting through the final effect formed in our minds.

Clarissa bonet, American female photographer.

2 Use shadows to render the picture atmosphere

Some scenes may be plain, but after adding shadows, the subject will blend into an artistic environment and the picture will come alive immediately.

The following photo, if the ground around the taxi is not set off by these shadows, is actually a very dull photo.

Ordinary street scenes, however, become quiet and attractive under the rendering of shadows.

3 take shadows as the main body of the picture.

Shadow can not only be used as a foil to create an atmosphere or highlight the subject through contrast between light and shade, but also can be directly used as the subject of the picture. It is this "putting the cart before the horse" approach that can often produce wonderful visual and psychological feelings.

For example, the shadow of the camel in the following photo is like an ancient mural, and the shooting angle makes our vision have a sense of conflict in three and two dimensions.

George steinmetz's The Shadow of a Camel Walking in a Dessert in the Sunset.

Shadows are also used as lines to enhance composition.

Sometimes shadows form regular lines. This is very helpful for our composition. Because law is a natural composition material.

This kind of photos will be better with umbra, which will enhance the formal beauty brought by shadow.

Shadows have so many functions, but we all ignore them. How can we find these shadows in life?

How to find the shadow

1 Make good use of strong light

Where there is strong light, it means there will be ghosts. If you find these places, you can try to shoot with shadows.

The golden moment rule: before sunset and after sunrise.

The angle of sunlight before sunset and after sunrise is relatively low, which often forms an aesthetic shadow. So, at this time, pay more attention to the shadows, buildings, streets and pedestrians on the ground.

3 Find and find interesting patterns

The difference between shadow and scenery is that the change of scenery with time cannot be observed with naked eyes in a short time. Shadows change with the direction, angle and intensity of the light source. So pay attention to the shape of the shadow on the ground, and there may be unexpected gains.

Shoot at the window.

Many shadows with strong aesthetic feeling are in front of the window. Pay more attention and you may find a good shooting scene.

5 Use artificial lighting equipment to create shadows

Besides natural light, artificial light can also produce shadows. If you use a flash or some small artificial light, you can also adjust the position and angle of the light source to control the shadow, so as to achieve the purpose of shooting.

Since shadows can make the picture beautiful, why should they be eliminated in some cases? This involves dealing with shadows.

For example, if it is not handled properly, shadows will interfere with the expression of the subject.

This should be a new photo taken by Macey. The shadow on her face obviously uglifies the girl, which is a case of improper use of shadow.

Another example is that the subject is underexposed in the shadow.

The characters are under the eaves and the background is in the sun. Shadows make the girl's face as black as carbon. These situations need to avoid shadows. So how to deal with shadows can contribute to the beauty of the picture?

Method of dealing with shadows

1 decides whether to use shadows.

Determine the subject and whether to use shadows. Do you need shadows to subtly emphasize the theme and highlight the concept of shooting? Whether to create works that highlight shadows. If not, then it is necessary to avoid the interference of shadows on the subject.

Dachuan Ling's Ice

2 Consider the location and intensity of the light source.

If the light source is far away or weak, the shadow will be very obvious. The direction of light directly affects the shape of the shadow.

If the light source is in front of the object, it is difficult for the camera to capture the shadow because it is behind the object. On the contrary, if the light source is behind the object, the shadow appears in front of the object.

But shooting like this is very tricky and will affect the lighting of the lens. But this can also be solved by some tools, such as a hood.

The best way is to find the best shooting angle and make the shadow on the left or right side of the subject. In this case, side lights can be used.