Light is the basic building block of all we perceive. Without light we cannot use our eyes. Without light, we have no way of seeing where we are going and no way to observe the world around us. We are unable to distinguish objects near or far, unable to locate a friend in a crowd, or unable to see whether we are headed for a cliff. Without light, we have serious problems, especially where Photography is concerned. Just like the human eye, light is essential to a camera for it to function at full capacity. In fact, without light, Photography is useless.

Light will encounter a multitude of surfaces. Those surfaces will reflect light in such a way that it appears to a specific type of surface. Those surfaces range from smooth to gritty, solid to almost a state of liquid. Perhaps it looks prickly, furry, or grainy. Regardless, we refer to these surfaces as "texture".

Please view the Power Point on Lighting and Texture

Assignment (30 pts): For this study, the student will shoot a series of images (15 snapshots) that focus entirely on light and texture. It is not the goal to "take a picture" per se, but to build a catalog of different surfaces that may be used for design purposes by another class, the school, or by the photographer themselves. This study also involves the application of light and how it plays with those surfaces. Different color lights will create different effects when it comes in contact with a variety of materials. And, knowing how/when to use the "flash" function on a camera plays heavily with this study.

Lighting:

• Diffused Lighting (3 images)
• Spot/Directional (3 images)
• Backlighting (3 images)
• Flash enabled (interior photos only) (3 images)
• Flash disabled (interior photos only) (3 images)