Introduction to the basic knowledge points of SLR photography

Light in photography mainly includes four characteristics-light intensity, light properties, light directionality and light color. Photographic composition is simply the layout point of the photographic object. So what are the knowledge points of composition and light in photography? Come and have a look with me!

First, the use of light.

Photos are artistic products of light and shadow, and it is not an exaggeration to call light the soul of photography. To take good photos, you have to master the key element of light.

1, the properties of light

(1) direct light

On sunny days, the sun shines directly on the subject without any obstruction, and the light-receiving surface will produce bright shadows, while the light-receiving surface will form obvious shadows. This light is called "direct light". Under the "direct light", there will be a very obvious contrast between the light-receiving surface and the non-light-receiving surface, which is easy to produce a three-dimensional sense.

When the sun is blocked by thin clouds, the sunlight will still diffuse through the white clouds, and the resulting illumination contrast will be reduced, which is very suitable for portrait photography.

(2) Scattered light

On cloudy days, sunlight is blocked by clouds, so it can't shine directly on the subject. It can only shine on the subject through the intermediate medium or through reflection, and the light will have scattering effect. This light is called "scattered light". Because the light receiving surface and shadow surface formed by scattered light are not obvious, the contrast between light and shade is weak, and the change of light and shadow is soft, so the effect is flat and soft.

"Direct light" will produce light with strong contrast, resulting in thicker shadows, less tonal changes, and harder lines and tones of the captured image. And "scattered light" will produce light with weak contrast, so the shadow will be lighter, the color tone will change more abundantly, and the image lines and colors will be softer and softer. So photographers should choose the right light according to different situations. First, the use of light.

Photos are artistic products of light and shadow, and it is not an exaggeration to call light the soul of photography. To take good photos, you have to master the key element of light.

2. Different directions of light projection

Shooting the same scene, using light projected in different directions will produce different effects.

(1) Guang Shun

The light coming out from the back of the camera and facing the subject is called "smooth light". The characteristics of "Guang Shun" lighting are: most objects are directly illuminated, the shadow area is not large, and the color of objects is relatively clear. The contrast between light and shade formed by this kind of light is weak, and the three-dimensional sense of an object can not be reflected mainly by illumination light, but by its own ups and downs. So the three-dimensional sense is weak.

(2) Front side lamp

The light from the left or right rear of the camera to the subject is called "front light". Most objects that receive light will receive light, resulting in a brighter surface, so the color tone is brighter, and the area of the object that is not exposed to light will not be too large, but it can already show the light and dark distribution and three-dimensional shape of the object. This kind of light can not only keep the bright hue, but also show the three-dimensional form of the main body.

(3) Side lights

The light from the left or right side of the camera is called "sidelight". It will make half of the subject receive light, while the other half is in the shadow, which is beneficial to show the ups and downs of the subject.

Because the "side light" illumination increases the shadow area of the object, the color of the picture is not bright or dark, and the light and dark are mixed, which is not as bright as the "front light" and "front side light", but it is not too gloomy. Three-dimensional form will be better.

(4) Side backlight

The light from the left or right front of the camera is called "side backlight". It makes the object produce a small part of the light receiving surface and most of the shadow surface, so the color tone will be darker. This kind of lighting will have a better stereoscopic effect on the object than "smoothing", but it is still weak.

(5) Backlight

"Backlight" is the light from the back of the subject and the front of the camera. Most objects are in the shadows. Because the light is weak, the three-dimensional sense is weak, and the tone is gloomy. However, "backlight" can be used to sketch the silhouette and outline of an object, and it can also highlight the texture and shape of the object and clearly show the lines of the object. Using "backlight" in clear weather will produce a strong contrast.

(6) dome light

The light from above an object is called "top light". The sunshine at noon is a good example. "Top light" often causes a strong shadow to the subject. If it is used in portrait photography, it will form a dark shadow under the nose, eyes and jaw of the face.

(7) Bottom lamp

The light source of "bottom light" is located below the subject. This kind of light is rare in daily life experience, so it has weird and dramatic effects and is rarely used in general photography.

3. Contrast of light

"Contrast" refers to the tonal relationship between "brightest" and "darkest" on the subject. The so-called "strong contrast" means that the brightest part and the darkest part of the light on the subject are very different, and the change from the brightest to the darkest is very strong, and the contrast is very strong. Relatively speaking, "weak contrast" means that the difference between the brightest part and the darkest part is not too big, and the change from the brightest part to the darkest part is very smooth, which makes the tone very rich.

Second, the composition of photography

Composition is a process of dealing with the relationship between people, scenery and things in the limited space of photos, and arranging them in the best position in the picture to form a specific structure of the picture.

The main purpose of composition is how to emphasize and highlight the theme scenery, and at the same time, arrange the trivial things as a foil. Good composition makes photos look even, stable, comfortable and regular, and can guide the line of sight to the theme point. Improper composition will lead to disorder, imbalance between left and right, top-heavy, lack of visual focus and other problems because of too many themes.

1, notes for composition

To get a good photographic composition, we must pay attention to the following points:

(1) Don't be too monotonous, otherwise it will look dull. But it can't be too complicated, otherwise it will make people feel very confused.

(2) Choose a suitable background. A good background not only helps to set off the theme and highlight the protagonist, but also enriches the content of the photo and adds color to the picture.

(3) Understand the relationship between people, scenery and things in the photos and make appropriate arrangements, so as to effectively express the theme and avoid usurping the role of the host.

(4) Consider the color contrast of each scene. Sharp contrast helps to highlight the theme, but if the colors are confused, it will have the opposite effect.

(5) It is necessary to master the illumination angle of light and the shadow generated, which will affect the color and effect of photos.

(6) We should make more use of the changes of illumination, perspective, overlap and light and shade, which will help to increase the three-dimensional sense in plane photos.

2. Create different compositions from different shooting angles.

Most themes are three-dimensional, and they present many faces. There are front, side, back, top and bottom. Different shooting angles of the same object will also make the picture show a variety of composition effects. Therefore, before shooting, we should choose different directions and angles to observe the comparison object, find out the best, most expressive and vivid viewpoint, and find the most suitable composition.

(1) Frontal shooting

Frontal photography is one of the most commonly used photography angles. Frontal shooting can produce a solemn and smooth composition effect. However, smooth lines and symmetrical structures will also be dull due to lack of perspective. Moreover, in many cases, because the light receiving conditions of objects are similar, the stereoscopic effect of objects cannot be highlighted.

(2) Side shooting

With the inclined photography angle, the original parallel lines on the picture become diagonal lines, which gives people a sense of depth and can lead people's eyes to the depths and enhance the three-dimensional sense. And the line of sight extending along the diagonal will also make the picture vivid. With the change of oblique azimuth, the perspective effect will also change interestingly.

(3) Looking up and shooting

Looking-up shooting refers to shooting at an oblique angle, which is mostly used to shoot tall scenes. This shooting angle can not only capture the panoramic view of the tall scene, but also form a sense of perspective in which the lines perpendicular to the ground converge upwards. It can also highlight the towering characteristics of objects and increase the sense of oppression.

(4) Shoot from above

Looking down means shooting from top to bottom. Aerial photography can shoot a wide range of scenery, so it is often used for wide-angle landscape photography. Using overhead photography in portrait photography can bring slim effect to the protagonist.