Photography
is basically the capturing of light, and the counterpoint to light is the
shadows formed by the light. In
photography, there is the idea that it is essential to capture the detail in
shadow areas. However, it is this
interplay between dark shadows and the light that creates dynamic composition. Allowing the shadows to go completely black
can create mystery as well as drama in your subject, and at times the shadow
can become the main subject of the photograph.
I
have in my photography used shadows as a means of framing or drawing the viewer’s
eye to the subject. This technique
requires you to expose for the highlights and let the shadows go black. I also control the light by using the
exposure compensation dial on the camera by moving it 1 or 2 stops toward
negative on the dial. The following
images in this post are examples of this technique.
The
first image above is an example of where the shadow cast by the fence is the subject
of the photograph. The simple shot of
the lawn chairs leaning against a table become an abstract through exposing for
the highlights ...as well as the figure in a coffee shop that becomes a
silhouette. The one ribbon of light on the garden wall is another example of
the dreamy effect created by dialing down the exposure compensation dial on the
camera. The rest of the images in this
post are further examples where shadows are used to create dynamic effects.
The light here in Arizona is
intense and the shadows are deep black which can make for some dramatic images,
which is both an advantage and a curse in photography.
