Master the art of ‘lighting’

Speaking of light as your main source to make great pictures this is a lighting study undertaken by me during my Reuters Foundation Fellowship Programme at the Missouri University in the Mid West town of Columbia, 1997.
The trick to mastering the art of lighting to make great images is very simple. Follow the instruction below and at the end of your practical session you will know when to get the best picture for your portfolio.
*The Gateway Arch at St Louis (top).

Morning 6 am (left), Late Morning 11 am (right).

Afternoon 1 pm (left), Evening 5 pm (right).

(Please notice the different shades of the light source on the leafs at different times of the day).

Set up your camera on a tripod stand with a normal lens, with a fixed focus subject. For example: Tree, Lamp Post or statue. Set the ISO at a fixed rate of 400 ASA. Set the shutter speed and aperture as required for a balanced picture. (Do not move the tripod let it remain static in the same position for 12 hours- from 6 am to 6 pm). Picture the subject once every hour from the same position and composition. Then compare the 12 pictures taken by you closely and you will see the change in light on your subject. You will get to learn the transition of light from one position to another and the different shades of shadows your pictures would have. On the right are four of the images taken during my study on lighting.

The Morning scene (left) and the evening scene (right) of Carthage town in the Missouri State of USA.

The Afternoon Scene of 'Some Place Eles' (Left), and a early evening scene of the 'Route 66' (right).




The Late evening scene of the Missouri University campus.