andyBATTblog

I teach a lighting class, usually once a quarter, for Newspace Center for Photography. It’s one of the things I do to give back to the photographic community–an opportunity to try and pass on what I know. It also makes me refine and focus my skills. I’m forced to break down my process and really analyze what I’m doing. A lot of my prep time is spent tying my technique to the basic principles of lighting–so I can explain what’s really happening. My students get a “no formulas” approach to lighting. I want them to understand why light behaves the way it does, and not just following a rote behaviour.

For the class I taught this past weekend, we covered principles of dramatic light and natural light. The posted image is a before/after comparison–we added a combination of hard and soft strobelight, mixed with the sunlight to create a feeling of late afternoon light. Here we were striving for a look that is natural, without giving away our use of the strobes.