BetterPhoto Q&A
Category: New Answers

Sheryl		Lighting I'm a middle school teacher, and I use my digital camera for taking pictures at school dances. Because the gym is dark, I have to use a light, but I don't know what type of light I should use. Should I look for a particular type of bulb? I've used halogen in the past. (I have no photography training -- all suggestions are welcome.) To love this question, log in above March 23, 2002

John A. Lind		Sheryl, What kinds of photographs are you making and how are (were) you using the halogen light? With digital, color balance under tungsten lamps (halogens are a form of tungsten lighting) can be relatively easily corrected. The thoughts that run through my mind relate more to whether you have enough light and the heat generated by tungsten type lamps. These issues are very dependent on what you are photographing and how you're doing it. -- John To love this comment, log in above March 24, 2002

Sheryl		They're posed picture in front of a backdrop the kids make. (We're imitating "prom pictures.") I set the light up on a tripod about ten feet away. I have to move it sometimes depending on the size of the group of students b/c of shadows. To love this comment, log in above March 25, 2002

John A. Lind		This should work fine. With film I would suggest using tungsten balanced such as Portra 100T, but with digital you should be able to perform color correction relatively easily. Tungsten type lighting is inherently easier to correct for than fluorescent, sodium vapor, mercury vapor and other gas discharge lamps. Two suggestions: (a) If you can, get a second light and experiment with with using both. Use one as the "main" or "key" light the other as "fill" to reduce how dark the shadows are. The fill should be less powerful than the main light, either in wattage or by being farther than the main. Look for some studio lighting references that describe traditional lighting methods. A medium to large library should have one or more. There are four or five basic methods, but you will probably find "Rembrandt" (aka triangle) and "loop" more applicable to this type of work. Loop in particular is one of the "fail-safe" methods. This really requires a diagram to show how it's set up, and some examples which show how a subject is illuminated, which I don't have handy. It's not complicated and once you've seen how they work, how a subject is illuminated is unmistakable. Don't worry about the finer points about additional hair lights with snoots and kicker lights. These are "icing on the cake" and much can be done "on location" with only a main and fill. You can work with these on family and friends as vict. . . ummmm, volunteer models. (b) You mentioned working around shadows . . . Ensure you have enough distance between your subjects and the backdrop to let their shadows drop well down behind them. The ideal is not having any showing in the image although you may not be able to do this completely. -- John To love this comment, log in above March 26, 2002

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