When natural light is not ideal, external light can effectively improve lighting conditions. Compared to pure natural light shooting, outdoor lighting has many advantages. The direction, intensity, and color of light can be freely controlled to create the desired light atmosphere for photographers.

The external lighting is arranged behind the character to create a backlight effect, which later brightens the image. Although natural light has the advantage of being realistic and natural, and can appropriately depict the atmosphere of the scene during shooting, it is often affected by weather conditions and sometimes cannot meet the shooting needs of photographers. Using external lighting can help compensate for the lack of natural light and have more relaxed requirements for shooting time and environment.

The external light can freely control the lighting in the shooting scene. By combining the external light with natural light, the photographer can create the lighting conditions they want to express. In addition, adding external lighting under natural light can not only control contrast, but also adjust color temperature, and sometimes serve as styling light. The external lighting presents a strong texture, clear hierarchy, and rich details in the visual effect.

As a point light source, in addition to setting the light value reasonably, photographers can also adjust the brightness and range of the subject by adjusting the distance between the light and the subject. Generally speaking, the closer the external lighting is to the subject, the stronger the light effect on the subject, and conversely, the higher the degree of integration with the environment.

The common single lamp shooting method is bare lamp front lighting. The light is rich in texture, the image is clear and sharp, and it can effectively express the three-dimensional sense of characters. Pay attention to the proportion control of background and subject lighting during shooting. Sometimes a lamp is used to produce a backlight effect. When shooting, the corresponding light values should be set according to the ambient light, and artificial light and ambient light should be integrated as much as possible to avoid damaging the environmental atmosphere.

1. A soft lightbox serves as the main light source.

It was taken on a cloudy day around 4pm in the afternoon, with very dim and soft lighting. The child sat on the deck of the dock and placed an external light with a softbox in front of the character to increase exposure. The light quality is soft and the transition between light and dark is natural, better reflecting the texture of the character's skin.

Aperture: f/1.4; Shutter speed: 1/800 second

Focal length: 85mm; ISO:200

A large aperture blurs the background, separating the character from the background.

2. Single lamp generates side backlight.

On a cloudy night, the light is very dim. Install a bare light on the left rear side of the character, with a spacing of about two meters, to create a side backlighting effect. The light quality of bare lamps is relatively hard, forming a strong transition between light and dark. The background becomes darker, and the face is the bright area in the picture. painting

Aperture: f/2.8; Shutter speed: 1/320 second

Focal length: 85mm; ISO:200

3. Measurement before single lamp construction

Around 4pm on a cloudy day, the light is relatively dim. An external camera light is placed 45 degrees in front of the person on the right side to illuminate the face and increase the level of light and dark transition. Shoot with a small aperture to highlight the reed lines in the background. These upward extending lines fill the picture with upward tension.

Aperture: f/20; Shutter speed: 1/80s

Focal length: 28mm; ISO:200

We used a combination of natural light and artificial lighting for shooting, and added cloud effects in the later stage to enhance the atmosphere of the image.

4. A single lamp produces backlight.

When shooting on cloudy days, in order to create a backlit lighting effect, an external light is placed 45 meters high at the left rear of the character, and a reflector is placed 45 meters high at the right front of the character to fill the light on the face and create a beautiful eye light. Later, the use of a red filter changed the color of the sky, creating a warm feeling of sunset in the image.

Aperture: f/1.6; Shutter speed: 1/320 second

Focal length: 85mm; ISO:100

The large aperture and small depth create a blurred foreground and background, giving the picture a level of interplay between reality and virtuality.