Photography Lighting Principles and Techniques 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: What is the primary difference between hard light and soft light in photography?
- Hard light creates soft gradual shadows; soft light creates sharp shadows
- Hard light produces sharp-edged shadows; soft light produces gradual, diffused shadows (Correct answer)
- Hard light is warmer in color temperature; soft light is cooler
- Hard light requires longer exposure times than soft light
Correct answer: Hard light produces sharp-edged shadows; soft light produces gradual, diffused shadows
Hard light comes from small, distant sources and creates sharp shadow edges, while soft light from large or diffused sources produces gradual shadow transitions.
Question 2: What does a light meter's 'incident' reading measure?
- Light reflected off the subject toward the camera
- Light falling onto the subject from the source (Correct answer)
- The color temperature of the ambient light
- The contrast ratio between highlights and shadows
Correct answer: Light falling onto the subject from the source
An incident light meter measures the light falling on the subject by pointing the meter's dome toward the light source.
Question 3: In portrait photography, what is the purpose of a 'kicker' light?
- To illuminate the background and separate it from the subject
- To add a rim of light along the subject's side or hair for separation from the background (Correct answer)
- To soften shadows created by the main key light
- To raise the overall exposure of the scene
Correct answer: To add a rim of light along the subject's side or hair for separation from the background
A kicker light is placed behind and to the side of a subject to create a rim or edge light that separates them from the background.
Question 4: What is 'Rayleigh scattering' and how does it affect photography?
- It describes how large particles scatter all wavelengths equally, creating gray skies
- It explains why shorter blue wavelengths scatter more in the atmosphere, creating blue skies and warm golden hour light (Correct answer)
- It is the process by which camera sensors capture color information
- It describes lens flare caused by internal reflections
Correct answer: It explains why shorter blue wavelengths scatter more in the atmosphere, creating blue skies and warm golden hour light
Rayleigh scattering causes shorter blue wavelengths to scatter more in the atmosphere, making the sky appear blue and leaving warmer red/orange tones during sunrise and sunset.
Question 5: When using a ring flash for macro photography, what is a distinctive visual characteristic of the resulting images?
- Strong directional shadows that emphasize texture
- Nearly shadowless, flat lighting with a circular catchlight in reflective surfaces (Correct answer)
- A dramatic side-lit appearance that models the subject's form
- Warm, golden tones similar to natural window light
Correct answer: Nearly shadowless, flat lighting with a circular catchlight in reflective surfaces
A ring flash surrounds the lens and produces nearly shadowless, even illumination with a distinctive circular catchlight in eyes or reflective surfaces.
Question 6: What is the 'Inverse Square Law' as applied to artificial studio lighting?
- Light intensity doubles each time you halve the distance to the source
- Light intensity decreases by the square of the distance — doubling distance reduces intensity to one quarter (Correct answer)
- Moving the light twice as far away reduces intensity by half
- The light's color temperature increases as distance from the source grows
Correct answer: Light intensity decreases by the square of the distance — doubling distance reduces intensity to one quarter
The Inverse Square Law states that light intensity is inversely proportional to the square of the distance, so doubling the distance reduces light to one-quarter its original intensity.
Question 7: Which lighting pattern places the main light at roughly 45 degrees to the side and 45 degrees above the subject, creating a small triangular highlight on the shadow-side cheek?
- Loop lighting
- Broad lighting
- Rembrandt lighting (Correct answer)
- Split lighting
Correct answer: Rembrandt lighting
Rembrandt lighting is identified by the characteristic small triangle of light that appears on the shadow-side cheek, named after the Dutch painter who frequently used this effect.
Photography Lighting Principles and Techniques 2
What is the primary difference between hard light and soft light in photography?