Contrast Control: Filters and Lighting Methods
Use neutral
density graduated filters:
If your camera enables you to use filters (either on a digital SLR or
by way of an accessory attachment on your compact digicam), then the
neutral-density-grad is an extremely useful tool for managing dynamic
range. It is often used by nature and scenic photographers (whether
film or digital). It is typically used to darken the bright sky above
the horizon. The foreground elements are unaffected. This allows you
to keep the sky and cloud highlights without plunging foreground and
middle ground into impenetrable shadow. Neutral density grads come in
several strengths, typically from one stop gradation to a three-stop
gradation (+.33 to 1.0). Personally, I find that the strongest one is
the one I use most often – when you are in a situation that calls
for a neutral density grad, it is more likely to call for a substantial
filtration than for a subtle effect.
Use your on-board
flash to add light:
Use your on-board flash to even out contrasty light by adding fill light
to shadowy areas. In fact, this is the best use for the on-board flash,
which often delivers very harsh light if used as the only light source.
If you are doing close-up or macro work and try to use this for fill,
you may find that it overwhelms the available light. In this case, consult
your user manual to find out if your camera has a setting that allows
you to turn the fill flash output down to one half or one third –
many cameras do, but it’s not a setting that most people use very
often.
Use a dedicated
flash unit for more sophisticated lighting:
Use a dedicated external flash (if your digicam has a hot shoe or plug
for external flash) for a stronger and more customized boost of light
that can effectively reduce the dynamic range in a scene by lighting
up the darker shadow areas. You may want to use a diffuser over the
flash, or some kind of bounce reflector (the common “index-card
bounce”, or bounce it off the ceiling, to soften the light. If
your camera does not support external flash, it may even be possible
to use them anyway by employing slave flash units that are activated
by the light emitted from your on-board flash.
Modify existing
lighting:
If you are shooting inside, it may be possible to turn off overly bright
lights or partially close window shades. Alternatively, put up translucent
material over windows that are directly lit by the sun in order to soften
the incoming light.
Likewise, if the lighting is too dull and flat, either inside or outside,
introduce some portable spotlights to cast shadows and create highlights.
These may be tungsten or daylight balanced bulbs. If they are tungsten,
check your white balance settings to make sure that your image won’t
be shifted into the orange color range.
Use reflectors
to even out lighting:
Use reflectors positioned out of the image frame to bounce ambient light
or flash into dark shadows. Reflectors can be small cards for doing
macro work, medium sized panels for still life or portrait work, or
large collapsible panels for group work. Usually these reflectors are
white, but they can also be silver coated (for a more sharp light) or
gold foil, for a warming effect. I find that foamcore panels (sold in
art supply or graphic supply stores) are lightweight and work quite
well.
Sometimes it's not possible to
modify the lighting for your shot, and a filter won't help. The next
set of suggestions concern timing and positioning for the shot:
NEXT
1:
Contrast Control Overview
2: Filters and Lighting Methods
3:
Timing and Position Methods
4: Camera Settings and Exposure Methods