The “Bound Bride” series I shot this past July was at sunrise. The images were taken 10 minutes after the sun broke the horizon. My window for this series was literally 7 minutes. In that time frame I came away with a number of very pleasing images. I used only the natural light with no reflectors. The sun was at my back at about 5 o’clock which provided a slight contouring of my subject. Camera position was at 6 o’clock.

This method of shooting at sunrise will provide you with results you will be very proud to show. I think it is important to mention that I use a hand held light meter to gauge the intensity of light. After taking the reading I then determine what exposure I want to make. Cameras today have fairly sophisticated metering systems but for me they are never as good as a hand held meter. Get out there and practice with the hand held meter and your own thought process to determine exposures. If you can get away from letting the camera tell you what to do, your photographic knowledge will expand without question. Trust yourself and let the trial and error system work for you. There is more to learn from an image that did not quite work, then from one that is perfect.

Sunset is another time where the light is quite beautiful to work with. In most instances the light is ideal at about 20 minutes before the sun goes down past the horizon. The tones are more golden and have a bit more direction than at sunrise. It is also more intense. If you are looking for a more dramatic affect with the use of natural light then sunset is for you.

By example, the image below was taken at sunset with my subject three feet from a window. The sun light was coming in directly through the window with no diffusion. Notice the harshness of the light. By exposing for the intensity of the direct sun the shadow areas are significantly darker. This is what dramatic lighting is all about; a well lit subject with high contrast between light and shadow.

There is 1 hour a day where the light from the sun is optimal for photography. Most of us do not have the luxury to shoot at the optimal times to create our images. How then do we control the sun light so that we still have images that are pleasing? There are many ways to control sun light. I will talk about two; using a reflector and diffusion disc.

A reflector is used to bounce light to the subject. This is how you fill the shadow area of an image and in some instances you can use reflective light as your main source. The first thing you want to do is place your subject in a position where the natural light has a direction. In the image below the direction of light was through an open area in the trees. The direction of light came from my left side (using the clock method it was at 11 o’clock). I placed the reflector at about 5:30 and low to the ground so that I filled in the shadow areas. Since I was on the ground myself I was shooting into the light source. I obtained a correct exposure on my subject by exposing for the subject only, rather than compensating for the overall scene. If I did not have a reflector on this image the contrast would have been extremely high with no detail at all in the shadow areas. As you can see I have a well balanced image with detail in the shadows. I purposely shot this way to show the joy on the face of my subject while she was being suspended. The images below show the behind the scenes view of the shot being taken and the end result.

When metering an image where you are using a reflector, it is a good idea to first take a reading without the reflector. Add the reflector and take another reading. You will then know the amount

f additional light being reflected onto your subject. You have some latitude here in selecting your exposure. If you expose for the reflected light reading your image should be well balanced. Exposing for the first reading (without the reflector) your shadow areas will show more detail and the highlighted areas will be more brilliant. There is an entirely different conversation about what the correct exposure is here with many different opinions. My suggestion is to try both and see for yourself. I vary my choice depending on the end result I am looking for at the time. Remember that when using a reflector your objective is to create a balance of light whether your reflector is being used as a fill or main light source.

The next method is actually very simple but the least one used by most photographers. Subtracting light with the use of a translucent disc or panel provided a very pleasing and much softer light. This form of controlling natural light cuts down dramatically on the intensity of the sun allowing for an image to be taken almost anywhere. Take a reading in direct sunlight and then place the translucent disc or panel between the subject and the sun and take another reading. There will be a dramatic difference between the two; maybe as much as 3 or 4 f-stops. The disc will also more evenly distribute the light which decreased the contrast from highlight to shadow. This is demonstrated well in the shot of the gargoyle below. Notice that there is harsh lighting in the image without the disc and even light distribution in the image with the disc.

The beauty of this form of controlling light is that you have freedom of choice when it comes to location. Your subject can be almost anywhere from an open area to one that is somewhat concealed. The images below were taken alongside the Delaware River with direct sunlight coming in through an opening in the trees. The shots were taken at about 7:45 AM which was almost 90 minutes after sunrise. To say that the sun light was intense is an understatement. The only way to control the light in this location was to diffuse it. The first image shows the behind the scenes view with the translucent disc visible. I did use a reflector in these images as well so that I could create some highlights from the opposite side. The important thing to see here is that when the sun light was diffused, an image could be created that had a pleasing look and feel to it.

When you look at the two images above notice that the light is evenly distributed and that the ratio from light to shadow is not too dramatic producing an evenly lit image. This is one of the best features of controlling light with a translucent disc. It is simple and easy. Once again let me say that the use of a hand held light meter provides you with more control over your exposures than the in camera metering.

When using reflective or subtractive (translucent disc) lighting you will have to have either someone holding the disc or panel, or a stand that holds them for you. I prefer a person because it allows for modifications to occur much quicker with less interruption to capturing images. Imagine you are on location with stands holding your discs. To modify them you have to go and adjust the height, angle or position taking you away from camera position. When using an assistant you just have to verbally instruct them to modify how the disc is positioned. This is a much more fluid way to work and since you are in camera position you are ready to shoot in an instant.

To sum it all up, let me say that it takes time and practice to achieve a level of technical expertise. Seeing and understanding how to use natural light can be both illusive and frustrating. I know it was for me in the beginning. So whether you are a professional, amateur or casual shooter, the results you produce will be enhanced with some exploration into the world of using natural light. I heard someone say recently that the difference between a professional and an amateur is that an amateur practices till they get it right and a professional practices so they never get it wrong. All of us can produce professional quality images; it all depends on how you approach acquiring the knowledge that is the foundation for the images you want to take.

Lastly, I want to thank you all for taking the time to read this article. I hope it provides you with some insight and direction in your journey as a photographer. You can help me by writing to me about your successes, failures and asking questions that may help to enhance your understanding of photography. Your inquiries may be invaluable to many out there, so please send me your thoughts and comments. They may very well end up as a topic for discussion. Have fun in the creation of new images and remember you are only as good as your last photograph.

Do you have a questing regarding fetish photography or modeling for David? Drop him an email and he may address your question in Fetish Focus. davidlawrence @ shibariartphotography.com Do you have photo you’d like him to critique in the column? If so, he’d be happy to do it but please be aware that due to 2257 regulations in the United States there will be a release form that your subject will have to sign and they will also have to provide photocopies of Government issues photo ID. (sorry, it’s the law). Contact Kayla for information on the procedure for submitting photos. kaylakuffs @ thedomsview.com