8
Great Tips for Using Shadows in Photography
You probably don’t think about them
that much when shooting, but shadows can make a scene more dramatic if you know
how to use them.
In this article we have a few tricks
to show you to help you photograph shadows better.

Why Wait for the Golden Hour
Golden hour simply refers to the short
period when the sun is low on the horizon and casts a “golden” glow. However,
the term is quite deceiving because it typically occurs about 20 minutes (not
an hour) after sunrise or before sunset.
Despite the time constraint, however,
don’t hesitate to shoot at sunrise or sunset if you want dramatic shadow
photos. Due to the low position of the sun during this time, it creates long
shadows that look more prominent in your image.
The golden hour also provides a
perfect opportunity to shoot silhouettes. When the sun is directly behind any
object you’re photographing, it naturally creates backlighting.
Consequently, the contrast it produces
eliminates the details in your subject and causes it to look black.

Shoot in Harsh Sunlight
You don’t always have to wait for the
golden hour to end up with cool photos. Sometimes, shooting in harsh sunlight
can actually create dramatic results for shadow photography.
In typical situations, we wouldn’t
really recommend taking photos when the sun is high in the sky. It often
creates undesirable results because it’s usually too bright and creates strong
contrasts.
But for shadow photography, those two
elements are precisely what you want to achieve incredible results.
The harsh sunlight also works well
whenever you’re shooting architecture and other geometrical structures. The
sharp shadows the sun creates add dimension to these their framework which
makes them look quite dramatic.
So walk around your area when the sun
is high up in the sky. See how it interacts with the buildings around you. It
wouldn’t take long before you see shadows casting all sorts of patterns that
look pleasing to the eyes.
Just remember not to take photos at
noontime. Since the sun is directly above you, the shadows it creates typically
look unappealing.
Aim for taking pictures before or
after 12 PM when the sun is at an angle (10 AM or 3 PM are often ideal times).
Why You Should
Experiment With Artificial Light

If you miss the daylight, don’t worry
because you can also create interesting shadows at night using artificial
lights.
In fact, you have more freedom to play
around with them than with sunlight since they’re everywhere and they come in
different colours.
You’ll find this surprising, but one
of the most fascinating light sources you can try for shadow photography are
street lights. They may seem ordinary, but they can be magical in certain
situations, especially if it’s foggy or misty outside.
Nevertheless, that doesn’t mean you
have to wait for inclement weather to create cool photos with street lights.
Even during an ordinary night, the
limited beam of light they produce cast breathtaking shadows on objects below
and around them.
Apart from street lights, you also
have neon lights. They’re bright, they’re colorful, and the shadows they create
always remind you of the sci-fi thrillers you love.
Just walk around downtown, and you’re
bound to encounter a few signs worthy to shoot.
Of course, you don’t have to limit
yourself with just street lights and neon lights. Just about any type of light
source will do. As long as it’s bright enough and shines at a right angle, you
can definitely use it for light and shadow photography.
Use Shapes to
Create Fun Shadows

When photographing shadows, be
conscious of how they appear in your image. Are they easily recognizable? If
they look distracting, you might as well leave them out of your frame.
The secret is to make sure an object
doesn’t cast a shadow that looks like an indistinguishable lump. The best
shadows often feature beautiful patterns or solid contours.
Look for objects that have distinctive
silhouettes, instead. You can try just about anything from bicycles to trees,
as long as they’re easy to identify. Humans also make nice shadows, especially
when their arms and legs are spread apart.
How Chiaroscuro
Can Help Your Shadow Photography

Learning how light in photography
works and how it affects shadows can help you get creative with your images.
That’s why it’s crucial to understand
Chiaroscuro. This is a concept in painting and photography that describes the
contrast between light and dark.
To understand the relationship between
light and dark, it’s best if you look at some examples first. Some of the most
famous paintings that employ chiaroscuro include Vermeer’s Milkmaid and Joseph
Wright of Derby’s The Orrery.
When it comes to photography, some of
Robert Maplethorpe’s portraits and Edward Weston’s still lifes come to mind.
The best use of chiaroscuro is
highlighting the details using light, and leaving the less critical elements in
the dark. The contrast it produces also adds proportion to the subject and
emphasizes textures.
To create some dramatic photography,
you’ll need to use hard, directional lighting. In other words, choose a light
source that has a focused beam which you can move at different angles.
You should also shoot in a dimly lit
location to create interesting shadows.
Shine your light source onto your
subject from different angles until you see nice contrasts and rich textures.
There’s no right or wrong way of doing it. Just experiment with your light and
see what type of results you get.
Use Rembrandt
Lighting to Add Depth to Your Photos
Now that you know how chiaroscuro
works, then you should try how you can use it for different portrait lighting
patterns.
There are a lot of various techniques
out there that you can try, but for shadow photography, the best ones are
Rembrandt lighting and split lighting.
First, let’s discuss Rembrandt
lighting. As you’ve probably guessed, it got its name from the famous Dutch
painter who was a chiaroscuro master. His specific lighting style for his
painting looks so gorgeous that photographers decided to adapt it for their own
use.
To create Rembrandt lighting, position
your light source about 45 degrees in front of your subject. then adjust it so
that it’s above your model’s head and pointing down at them at about 45
degrees.
Due to the specific placement of the
light, the other half o your subject’s face will be in the dark–except for a
small triangle-shaped light on the cheek.
This sliver of light is the defining
characteristic of the Rembrandt pattern, so you’ll need to make sure it appears
in your photo. Otherwise, you can’t really call it Rembrandt lighting.
The next popular lighting pattern for
shadows photography is split lighting. It’s defined by the light source
illuminating only one side of the face, while the other half remains completely
in the shadows.
Simply place your key light directly
beside your subject, and you’ll get a shadowed face.
Of course, there are plenty of other
lighting patterns you can try out there apart from the two I mentioned. All you
really have to do is play around with your lights and capture the exciting
effects they create.
Try Black and
White to Enhance Shadows

Colour can sometimes be distracting,
especially when it comes to shadow photography. To make it effortless for your
viewers to see the shadows, then just shoot in black and white.
Why? Because it tends to make the contrast
between light and dark more prominent. Shades of white, grey, and black are
easier for the eyes to interpret than a broad spectrum of colours.
That’s precisely the reason many of
the images featured in this article are in monochrome.
The simplest way to produce
monochromatic photos is by switching your camera’s shooting mode to black and
white. Just remember that in doing so, you’ll end up with JPEG files that you
can only edit so much before digital artifacts appear.
If you want some flexibility, try
shooting RAW+JPEG. Having a RAW as a backup gives you more options in case
you’re not satisfied with your black and white JPEG.
You can use RAW to edit your file
without the risk of introducing artifacts.
Another option is to shoot in colour
and convert it into black and white in post-processing. All you have to do is
open your file on your favourite editing software and desaturate the image.
How to Edit Your
Shadow Photography

Despite using the right settings, your
camera may not always achieve the perfect exposure. So we always recommend that
you tweak your photos in post.
First, adjust your contrast to make
your shadows look darker and more dramatic. You should also consider increasing
your blacks and shadows to make the dark tones look even richer.
Just make sure not to go overboard, or
you’ll end up with a blown out photo. Remember that when it comes to editing,
moderation is crucial.
Conclusion
Now that you know how helpful shadows
can be in influencing the mood of your images, try to incorporate them whenever
possible.
Always observe how light and darkness
interact each other in your frame. If you keep your eyes peeled, you might just
capture something magical.
Source: https://expertphotography.com/shadow-photography-tips/