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| 1-6. Soft light came from slightly behindthe subject, creating a classicshort-light look. |
Another way to control the direction of the light on an overcast day is toplace the subject in what I call a “tunnel of light.” This sounds like a pieceof expensive studio equipment, but it’s just a term for any location that hasan overhang—a doorway, hallway, or anything else that can block the flat,overcast light from above and make it more directional. The further backyour model steps under the overhang, the more directional the light becomes. Because the size of the lightsource is reduced relative to the subject, it also becomes a harder lightsource with more contrast. Feel free to usethe term “tunnel of light” with your friendsand family. Doesn’t it sound more interestingto say that you were shooting all afternoonin a tunnel of light than underneath apedestrian bridge?
Short Light
To create image 1-6, the model stood in thefoyer of an apartment building. It was a smallspace, about 8x8 feet, with light-coloredwalls. It was a rainy day and overcast daylightpoured in from an 8-foot wide, 10-foot higharchway to the right of the camera. The wallsof the foyer bounced a subtle amount of lightback onto the shadow side of the model’sface. In essence, the effect created is similarto using a large studio softbox with a smallamount of fill light from a reflector. Exploreyour neighborhood. The whole world is yourstudio!
The direction of light created in thisimage is classic Hollywood short lighting,used in countless movies—and usually in romanticscenes. Soft light comes from slightlybehind the model to light the side of theirface that is further from the camera (the“short” side). The front cheek is lit, but the front ear remains in shadow. This lighting direction shapes the front cheeknicely and casts beautiful light in the subject’s eyes.
Image 1-7 is a variation of the last shot. Instead of soft light comingfrom slightly behind the model on one side only, it now came from twosides. The model faced a doorway while standing under a long archwayconnecting two buildings. This was like a tunnel with the sides opened tothe sky—an excellent “tunnel of light” location. Overcast daylight wrapped around the side of her face to shapeher cheeks. Since she was standingclose to the building she was facing,the light only partially wrappedaround the front of her face. If shehad stood further back in the archway,closer to the far building, thelight would have come more fromthe front. A long archway like thiscan be effective in creating a varietyof looks.
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| 1-7. Soft light from the rear wrapsaround the subject’s face. |
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