Direction Light in the Market - is it front, back or side light?

After yesterday’s phototip that talked about the quality of light, it’s time to move onto the direction of light. Once again, I’m using the sun as my lightsource.

Frontlight

Front light is a term that sometimes causes confusion for novice photographers. By front, we mean the subject’s front, that is, behind the photographer. When you position yourself so that the light is coming from behind you and is falling directly onto the subject, you have front light. It tends to be quite safe and a little boring – it’s often worth looking for other options if you can.

Backlight

This is when the sun is behind the subject, and often creates a kind of rim light. This is often used when shooting near sunset, but not shooting the actual sunset. It can minimize texture and shape of the subject, adding an air of the unknown, as it separates the subject from the background.

Sidelight

We often seek out sidelighting as it tends to give a more dramatic, dynamic look. With the sun coming from one side, one half of your subject is brightly lit and the other half is in shadow. Texture and form are emphasized here.

When you come across a good subject, it’s often good to at least visualize if not actually shoot it at different times of the day in order to see which direction of light works best. Sometimes, simply waiting for the sun to move a few degrees can make all the difference.

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