V-Slats and Artificial Lighting

As I have stated numerous times photography is all about light. It doesn't matter the source of the light. It could be natural or artificial, how you employ the qualities of that light determines to a large degree the final value of the image. I recently started exploring in more detail the use of artificial lights both studio guns and smaller speedlights. Both have their advantages and disadvantages, but both can also provide a spectacular array of lighting potential. One technique I find intriguing is the use of what are known as V-Slats. They are most often employed in a studio environment and provide a wonderfully soft and compelling light.

First of all V-Slats are very simple to construct, there is nothing fancy about them. I used two sets of two 3x4 foam boards joined along one edge with tape to end up with two V-Slats. The idea is to bounce your light into the V of the folded slats facing away from your subject. The light is then bounced off a larger white wall a few feet behind them. The White wall in effect becomes your light source.

The light coming off the wall presents a huge flood of soft light that envelops your subject. Combine it with say 400 watts of constant lighting set behind and to one side, you end up with an interesting and dramatic soft light effect.

Playing with the exposure values also allows you to introduce motion into the equation without sacrificing the clarity and sharpness required for your subject.

Using Light as the Narrator of Your Image Story

Well, after a long absence I am back. I’ve missed the blogging world sharing photography and outdoor experiences, and I am looking forward to adding to the 200+ stories already posted.

 During my absence I was able to explore more closely certain elements about photography requiring improvement on my part. I watched numerous videos and acquired some extra gear to fill in some of those equipment gaps that constantly haunted my efforts. Also, well I found myself sort of forced into early retirement, well semi-retirement anyway. It’s not such a bad thing.

I discovered again how light in all of its forms is what makes photography fun. Telling a story using light as the narrator became a stronger element. Often stumbling into discoveries like this is like working a crossword puzzle. A word here and one there provides enough hints to help you fill in the gaps. A photo here, a combination of lighting events there, and suddenly you begin to recognize a pattern. Once you see the pattern, compositional gaps are more easily filled.

Take the example image above. It was mostly an overcast morning, but the clouds were breaking apart just enough to allow momentary beams of light to flow across the landscape. The low angle of the sun perfectly filled the image story with beams of light that illuminated the tall grasses in the foreground and lifted the trees in the background toward a separation of contrasts against the sky. The story is one of a country road. The narrator was light who spoke in a soothing language to perfectly express the moment and carried the image beyond the ordinary to become a story with meaning and purpose.

Using light as the narrator of your image story requires one to understand how a story flows. There is a beginning, middle, and an ending. Light, like words, illuminates each part in such a way as to bring importance to each one, but to also tie or bind together the loose ends. Without a good narrator used effectively, the story falls flat. Without effective use of light, your story image will become ordinary. This applies to all forms of photography, and over the next few weeks we will explore more deeply the significance of this concept.