That light is the fundamental raw material of all photography does not mean that you cannot achieve spectacular photos without it. In fact, the absence of light can cause much more impact than you can imagine.
Shadows are usually a resource widely used by photographers to play with silhouettes and shapes, to convey sensations or even to make them the protagonists of the photographs. You just have to learn to work with them.
To do this, in today’s article, I have prepared a large number of tips so that you can turn your worst enemy, darkness, into a powerful ally. In addition, we have published this mega guide on lighting in photography on the blog, with all the tips and tricks to master the light (and shadows) in your images.
Catching your shadow will no longer be a problem!
Shadows as a composition element
Not all the elements that you can use when composing your photographs must be bathed in light. You can also use shadows as one more element to take into account when framing your photographs.
1. Shadows are an excellent guide to direct the viewer’s gaze and attention within the frame. Try to play with the patterns, the lines and the rhythms that they draw to attract the eye and attract attention. Get the juice out of all the elements that can draw them in your photos.
two. You can also arrange it as you would any other object so that it fills up an otherwise empty space. Doing so will give your photographs greater strength since by occupying said space, you will be able to balance “the visual weight” of your photographs. You can counteract the excessive weight generated by placing a person very close to the edge of the frame by projecting their shadow in the opposite direction.
3. Due to the great contrast that is generated between lights and shadows when the lighting is very harsh, try to keep it simple so as not to distract the eye from what you really want to show. Eliminate from your compositions all those elements that, instead of helping you draw the attention of the viewers, end up dispersing it.
Four. In order to do this most effectively, pay close attention to the intensity and direction of the light. The intensity (hard or soft) and the direction (front, side, overhead, etc.) of the light will be responsible for adding more drama to your photos, so you should not overlook them. The more lateral the light, the stronger the photograph will be. Taking your photos very early in the morning or as soon as the sun begins to go down (blue or golden hour) will guarantee the best results.
5. Depending on how the light falls on the scene, the shapes that the shadows draw on it will vary. The harsher the light, the more definition (contrast) your shadows will have. Take advantage of this phenomenon to draw with darkness in the frame with whatever element you come across: statues, buildings, people, fences, animals, etc. If you accompany a subject or object with its shadow, you will endow it with greater visual force. Take advantage of the silhouettes!
6. And if you want to wow everyone, try changing the perspective or even completely flipping a photo. A simple photograph of a subject with its shadow cast on the ground can go from being just a photo to a great photograph, just by flipping it over. Dare to rotate the images. Viewers will be surprised to see an image that is not presented in an “unnatural” way.
Shadows as protagonists
You can see shadows as a direct consequence of light, or you can see them as a great opportunity to work with new protagonists. Shadows can become your next great protagonist.
7. Shadows are an excellent way to “hide the protagonists”. What do I mean? By drawing the silhouette of a certain subject or object, the shadows awaken in the viewer the need to deduce and imagine the reason that has drawn them. Hiding your subjects in shadows is a great way to keep the viewer’s attention in the frame longer.
8. Similarly, when the shadow of a subject or object is cast in a strange or atypical way, attention will be focused on it. Unusual phenomena such as flipping photos, or strangely shaped shadows tend to attract and direct eyes towards them.
9. If you can’t get the light to fall naturally on your subjects to draw the shadows you are trying to portray, don’t despair, you can always resort to artificial light. It makes no sense for you to grow old while waiting for the sun to position itself in the exact place for your shot, and even less so if you have a spotlight or external flash to give you a hand. You can use diffusers to concentrate or dissipate the light and if you don’t have some on hand, don’t worry, making them yourself is very simple. So now you know, charge the batteries of your flash, reflector or flashlight and start drawing your own shadows.
10. Of course, whether with natural or artificial light, try not to fall into monotony. Shadows are a very fertile field for experimentation, so try to stay active and creative. Dare to innovate by changing the perspective, the angle of the shot or the intensity of the light in order to achieve unique results that leave everyone speechless.
eleven. You can also take advantage of the backlights and the shadows they generate and capture them with your camera. In a backlight, the main protagonist is the shadow that is generated as a result of placing your protagonist between the light source and the camera that is going to portray him. Shadows and silhouettes go hand in hand, don’t separate them.
Use shadows to enhance your messages
As I told you before, you can use the shadows not only to draw in the frame but also to convey sensations and enhance the messages that your photographs implicitly carry.
12. The way in which you arrange the shadows in the frame and their direction will or will not load your photographs with expressiveness. That is why you must evaluate all the possible framing possibilities, in order to enhance the sensations that they transmit.
13. The contrast generated between light and shadow is excellent for conveying the sensation of texture of a given surface. Again, the more lateral the light that falls on said texture, the greater relief it will have. Textured surfaces draw more attention than smooth surfaces, so casting a shadow on a textured surface will have more of an impact. Imagine a woman walking in high heels down a cobbled street: the texture of the floor can even convey the sensation of the creaking noise when taking each step.
14. It is also possible that, thanks to the shadows, your photos are sadder, melancholic or gloomy. How? The key is to know the qualities of light in the various circumstances where these feelings emerge: cloudy days, fog, rain, etc. and in understanding how said light draws the shadows in such circumstances. For example, on a foggy day the shadows will be very diffuse which will convey a more gloomy feeling or on a sunny day, the sun’s rays passing through a forest can give your photos more drama. Keep in mind that the softer the light, the more diffuse the edges of the shadows will be, and the harder the light, the more defined.
fifteen. If, despite knowing and fully exploiting the qualities of light in a certain scene, you are still not satisfied with the shadows you have achieved, you can always add a bit of drama by editing them on the computer. If the shadows of the photos you just took are not dark enough, increase the contrast and strengthen the blacks and shadows in order to correct this situation in post production. But remember that it is always important that you measure and expose your photographs correctly to maximize their quality, so I recommend that you use the “spot metering” mode in the brightest area, in order to maximize contrast and don’t overexpose the shot. If you have any questions about how to do it, don’t worry, take a look at the following article: “Detailed Guide: How to Make a Correct Measurement and Exposure in Your Photographs”.
16. Let your imagination fly and start drawing with shadows!
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