The jockey picture.
In my part I post on the “Law of the Light” I talked about positioning my 57’Chevy in a position where I could get a “POP” on the front grill. By placing the car in such a way as to have the Angle of Incidence (the light falling on the grill) being the same as the Angle of Reflection (the light reflecting off the grill to the lens).. I also said that it was my favorite way to light …anything!!! Well that, next to backlight, is my favorite way to light people as well.
In my online class with the BPSOP, and in my “Stretching Your Frame of Mind ” workshop I conduct around the planet, I provide my students with a diagram of a clock as I’ve provided here. If you notice, I have my subject right in the center and my camera right above the six. I tell them to imagine this clock on the ground (or behind your subject depending what is easier for you to imagine) and the person they want to photograph standing where I have the subject (in the middle of the clock).
In order to light the person so that they’re in the “Law of the light”, I want the sun, or the light source to be either around 10 o’clock or around 2 o’clock with the camera at 6 o’clock. This would be when the angle of the light source hitting the subject is the same angle as the light sources reflecting off the subject hitting the lens.
As you can see by my clock diagram, the source of the light is coming from about 2 o’clock and from behind the jockey. The angle from the ‘2’ to the subject is the same angle as the subject to the camera.
Here’s a few more examples of shooting people in the “Law of the Light” In each of these photos, imagine the clock superimposed over the photo:
Visit my website at: www.joebaraban.com, and follow me on Instagram www.instagram.com/barabanjoe. Check out my workshop schedule and come shoot in the “Law of the Light” with me.
JoeB
Awesome photography for this post.
I have a question: what about using a reflector in some situations to get this effect? Will it work?
Valeriano,
i suppose if you positioned a reflector so that the light was hitting the face at the same angle it was aimed at the lens, but you would have to position the reflector so that the light source to the reflector matched the light from the reflector to the subject, then from the subject to the lens. That’s way toooooo difficult and time consuming.
In order for this light hitting the jockey, it has to be the actual sun and not a reflector. I use a reflector to add fill light to the subject, not as the main light source. A reflector has to reflect off something. The beauty of the light in my examples is that it’s coming directly from the main source of light, whether it be from a softbox in the clown photo or the actual sun in the others. remember that the sun needs to be fairly low on the horizon to make it look good.
JoeB
Thanks Joe.
So almost all these wonderful portraits were shot only with natural light.
Valeriano,
All of the portraits except for the clown were natural light. The clown was lit by a softbox. Thinking back over a forty-four year career, I would say that virtually all my outdoor portraits were shot with available light!!! That being said, I have been known to use car lights, flashlights, torches, lanterns, television screens, campfires, and even candles to light a person. When I’m outdoors, I use anything except electronic flash. So far, I’ve been ok with it.
Btw, I’m very, very good with electronic flash, I just prefer natural light for the simple reason that it looks natural, and it’s simple.
JoeB
Joe,
I just signed up for your workshop on Whidbey Island in August. I’m really looking forward to learning from you.
Regarding this post, I am a pet photographer and I’ve been practicing some indoor lighting for a session coming up in a couple of weeks (4 cats). I am going to play with this lighting come saturday.
shelle
Shelle,
Wow, kids and animals. I can’t think of two harder things to photograph. You go girl!!!!
Btw, I took a look at your website. Really nice animal portraits…impressive work.
See you soon,
JoeB
Just a quick question Joe. How do you meter for the main light coming into the subject?
Gary,
For the large majority of my forty-four year career shooting pictures, I used a one-degree spot meter made by Minolta; they’re not made anymore, but you can find them on eBay.
When I take a reading, I can read just the light on the face, nothing else. This gives me complete control, whereas the meters in the cameras simply can’t do that. I like to read everything in my frame separately so I know exactly how all the elements that make up my composition are going to look separately and then together…hopefully in harmony.
It’s a form of Gestalt where the parts make up the whole.
If I’m using fill from a white reflector, and part of the face is receiving much brighter direct light, I’ll sometimes go for the fill so I can blow out part of the face that’s brighter…usually the edge of the face. I’m always looking for Tension and/or energy.
JoeB
Joe, Thanks for the info and the tips. Your image of the clock is now burned into my brain. Thank you for sharing your expertise and continuing to be an inspirational teacher.
Florian
You’re welcome Florian.
I’ll put your name in my file as I usually do to let photographers know of upcoming workshops you might be interested in attending at some point. Let me know if that’s a problem and I’ll understand.
JoeB
Love the clock diagram Joe. So now I have both the clock diagram AND your 15 point inspection plan imprinted on my brain! I continue to enjoy and learn from your blog. Hope you can keep it up…….I know it is a lot of work.
Muray
Thanks, Murray!!!
JoeB
Thanks for the tip on imagining a clock face to have the person in the “law of the light”. The color of the light on the girl sitting in the “playground” is amazing, and I also like the one with boy running through the water with the water catching the light too.
Michael,
Once you get use to putting it in your mind, you’re going to be a lot more observant as the where the light is coming from. The light from 9 o’clock to 3 o’clock is the way I always light, and as I always say, LIGHT IS EVERYTHING!!!
Thanks for your comment,
JoeB
Thanks,
JoeB