When it comes to lighting, there are many different ways to do things. Some like to use very strong light sources such as powerful tungsten lights or large softboxes that direct light onto their subjects, whereas other artists prefer more natural light, using smaller lamps and diffusers to create softer shadows and highlights.
Some even combine both types of lighting together! These various styles all have their place depending on the image you want to achieve. If you want your images to look professional and beautiful, then knowing how to use several types of lighting is important.
There are many great photographers out there who know how to use every type of lighting technique, and they can take good pictures with any one of them. It is always interesting to see what style of photography an artist uses for their latest picture.
Rembrandt was one of these artistic masters. He knew how to use almost every kind of light source, and his photos always look spectacular. That is why his design style has become famous and popular. Having studied art for years, he picked up some of these tricks from others and modified them to fit his own style.
This article will be talking about one specific way that he used light in his photographs. The term for this is referred to as “softbox lighting” or sometimes just “softbox”. What makes this type of lighting special is that it produces extremely smooth, pretty light that does not get too bright or heavy.
Types of light
Light is one of the most important key ingredients to successful photography. There are several types of natural light you can use in your photographs, and it’s very important to know what they all do!
A lot of people assume that because sunrays are described as ‘light’ then everything with sunlight in it must be considered light for photographic purposes. This isn’t true at all!
Sunset and sunrise are both forms of light that can totally change how an image looks. By experimenting with different types of light, your photography skills will improve!
There are three main categories of light used when taking pictures:
Ambient – These are natural light sources such as sunshine or lamps. A common example of ambient lighting would be taking photos outside during the daytime when the sun is shining directly onto your subject.
– These are natural light sources such as sunshine or lamps. A common example of ambient lighting would be taking photos outside during the daytime when the sun is shining directly onto your subject. Direct – these come from a source directly overhead (think: direct sunlight). An easy way to create this type of light is by using a large white or bright-colored backdrop and filming under a heavy curtain or black cloth.
these come from a source directly overhead (think: direct sunlight). An easy way to create this type of light is by using a large white or bright-colored backdrop and filming under a heavy curtain or black cloth.
Parabolic reflectors
A parabola is an interesting shape because it creates its own light source as it reflects light back toward your subject or camera. This effect can be seen when you look at the sun after a thunderstorm!
The intensity of the reflected light depends on two things: how much light there is of the underlying light, and how close the reflecting surface comes to the light source. The closer the reflection is, the brighter the reflection gets.
By using a wide-angle lens with a parabola attachment, we are creating more distance between the mirror and the light source (the Sun) which means less bright light being absorbed. Therefore, additional brightness is produced in the image!
Rembrandt used this trick in many of his lighting schemes. He would position his lights so that they directly illuminated his models or subjects, then add some extra oomph by adding reflections.
This way, he was able to achieve soft, natural-looking illumination.
Diffusion panels
A more advanced way to achieve soft lighting is by using diffusion panels. These are typically flat or slightly curved pieces of material that contain small light-scattering particles, such as glass beads or fluff.
These materials can be placed directly behind your subject to create softer shadows, or they can be used for additional effects, like creating glistening reflections or adding ambient glow to the scene.
By mixing natural light with artificial light, you can find many uses for diffusion panels in photography. They will become one of your favorite lighting tools!
Rembrandt was a famous painter who incorporated diffusion into his work frequently. He would use thin sheets of white paper as diffusers when painting close-up portraits.
His paintings look very similar to what we call “color palette” photos, where people edit away some of the colors of the photographed object to make it seem less intense. Because color intensity affects how well an image contrasts, this trick works beautifully in landscape and nature photographs too.
You do not have to be a professional photographer to experiment with these types of lights. While most photographers learn basic studio settings like strong directional sunlight or heavy backlighting, there are always new ways to apply different lighting styles to capture beautiful images.
Curtain lights
A very popular lighting option is referred to as a curtain light or backlight. This type of light is typically made by placing several bright white lamps behind the area of your photo that you want to overexpose. The intensity of each lamp is usually lower so they can be positioned farther away, which allows for more creative touches with color and texture.
Rembrandt used this method frequently throughout his career.
Tricolor reflectors
A tricolor reflector is one of the most important lighting tools for any photographer. It comes in three parts, which are all manufactured to be used together or separately.
The top section can be moved up and down to control how much light it reflects back toward the subject. This effect depends on whether you want more overall brightness (increased exposure) or darker shadows (decreased exposure). The longer handle allows you to position this piece closer to the lens than the shorter ones.
The middle part can be rotated around its vertical axis to direct the reflected light where you like it to go. You would use this to either increase the intensity of the light by moving it away from the source or decrease it by moving it toward the source.
The bottom plate works as a diffuser, letting some of the light pass through so that your image does not become too bright. There are several sizes available and they all help reduce the “overexposed” look we discussed before.
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