SS1/60 f 4.5 ISO 1000
“Find beauty not only in the thing itself but in the pattern of the shadows, the light and dark which that thing provides.” ~ Junichiro Tanizaki
To see this image in black and white please visit Monochromia for my Thursday post.
The process for creating this photograph and most of my other flower photographs is a bit more complicated than using a white or black backdrop. I have surprised people when telling them that no, it is not a white or black back drop, it is how I used the light that created the effect in my photograph.
To create a white back ground using only natural light, I am using back lighting or side lighting. I meter on the subject, the flower, for proper exposure. This creates a white or blown out effect in the back ground or side area. If I metered on the light, my subject would be under exposed. The angle of my camera determines the amount of haze or flare in my image. If my lens is angled up toward the light more light is going to enter the lens and haze or flare will occur. To avoid this effect, I simply angle my lens down so that light isn’t directly entering it. This is a very simplified description of angle of incidence.
To create a black back ground using only natural light, I use front lighting. The light is hitting my subject so that it is well lit. When I meter on the subject for proper exposure, this makes everything behind the subject dark and creates a dark or black back ground. In this scenario, if I let the camera determine exposure, or if I metered on the area behind my subject, my subject would be over exposed.
I hope you found this information of use, or at least interesting, for your photography journey. Please let m know if you have any questions.
Robyn Graham Photography 