LightingLighting

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SOURCE OF LIGHT

Natural: – Sunlight– Moonlight– Reflected Daylight

Artificial: – Flash– Lamps– Studio Lights – Street Lights

Natural light

Natural light comes in a wide range & difference between them can be enormous.

The main source of natural light is sun. However it varies in characteristics at different times of the day & weather conditions, turning it into different forms ranging from hard & warm to soft and cool lighting.

Natural light

This image probably represents the most straightforward kind of light the sun gives in terms of character.

Natural light

Being translucent, clouds also have a major impact on colour & character of sunlight.

Light traveling through clouds, is deflected by water particles present in them. This causes rays to bounce around & emerge from it in several directions (diffusion).

Natural light

Midday sunshine

Late afternoon/early evening

Sunset

Dusk

Broken cloud, stormy light, dappled light

Night

Natural vs. Artificial light

Natural light is not necessarily outdoor, nor is artificial light exclusively indoor.

An indoor scene may rely entirely on filtered window light.

Outdoor scenes may rely on artificial lights like lamp post etc.

Artificial & Indoor lighting

Light indoors has a different character to that found outside.

With human beings in control of light source there is an added twist; that a light is often designed for a specific purpose. e.g. household lights are to give appealing, generally diffused light whereas office lighting is more functional & cost-effective.

Indoor Lights

Generally, most artificial light sources are diffused (major exception being spotlights)

This is done to soften light & shadows it produce.

Even sunlight indoors is diffused as it bounces between walls, floors & ceilings.

Mixed Lighting

Its common to see mixture of natural light & artificial light, especially during dawn & dusk leading to an interesting mixtures of colours & intensities

(since natural light & tungsten light have complimentary colours in blue & orange).

Firelight and candlelight

Light that comes from a flame is even redder than incandescent light from light bulbs & we actually perceive it as orange / red.

These light sources are often placed much lower than incandescent lights

Often moving as light from fire & candles flickers.