Black and White Photography

ful attention to light, you will soon develop a more intuitive sense of what

works best for a particular scene.

These lighting characteristics apply whether you are photographing outdoors

or indoors. Outdoors, you have limited control over the light, short of moving

yourself or your subject to change position relative to the light or moving from

direct sunlight into the shade. Or, you can wait for the light to change, if you’re

patient enough, or come back to photograph at another time or on another day.

For instance, if you are photographing a house and it’s backlit in the morning,

come back in the afternoon and it may be lit from the front or side. If it’s

cloudy, you can return and make your picture on a sunny day.

Of course, you may not be able to exercise any of these controls in natural

light. If you must take a photograph in a specific place at a specific time, you

have to make do with the light you find. That’s partly why some photographers

prefer to work with artificial light; they can exercise much more control over

the look of the subject and get the picture they want, while circumventing the

vagaries of natural light.

Artificial light is a general term that includes common household lamps or

other interior illumination, as well as certain lights made especially for photography.

The most common is on-camera flash, but a lot of photographers use

various types of studio lighting equipment to create their pictures.

Many professional photographers work entirely with artificial light in a studio,

usually an open room used for controlled picture taking. One of the biggest

advantages of working in a studio is it allows you to set up the lighting exactly

as you want it.

Good studio photography requires a high degree of craft and (often) expensive,

specialized equipment. However, not all studio work takes place in a dedicated

room. Often, photographers employ studio lighting and techniques when

working on location, for subjects ranging from architecture to portraiture.

Many photographers also combine natural and artificial light. If you understand

some simple rules about lighting and have a basic grip of some of the

available tools, you can gain a measure of control over the final look of your

pictures that you can’t get when working only with natural light. And you

might even learn more about the general principles and effects of lighting,

which can serve you with whatever light you are using.

Keep in mind that working with artificial light can limit your ability to work

spontaneously. It’s difficult to photograph as freely or candidly when you have

to set up lights and other equipment. For instance, your subjects may act selfconscious

or mug for the camera when they know they are being photographed.

Therefore, artificial lighting often works best for formal subjects, such

as portraits, interiors, and still lifes.

Types of lights. There are two types of lights used in studios: hot lights and

strobe lights. Hot lights are named for the heat they generate when turned on.

They provide continuous illumination, like household light bulbs. In fact, the

least expensive type, called photofloods (or simply “floods”), looks like an

oversized light bulb. But at 250 or 500 watts or more it is much more powerful

than an ordinary bulb. High-end professional hot lights also are available

for stronger light and more consistent illumination, but they are more expensive

and fit into a more elaborate housing.

A basic hot light consists of a bulb set inside a reflective housing that directs

the light forward. Advanced models attach to a light stand that holds them in

position, but you can buy a simple reflector with a clamp that attaches to the

back of a chair, a countertop, or other such surface to hold the light steady.

Such clamp lights are affordable and found in many camera stores, hardware

stores, and stores selling household goods. They are rated according to the

maximum power bulb (in watts) they will take; for safety’s sake, make sure

your bulb does not exceed this rating. Clamp lights from camera stores should

take bright photofloods, but you will probably be limited to less powerful

household bulbs with units from nonphotographic suppliers.