Unit 3 Activity 4

 Photo by Antti Lehtinen

Photo by Daniel Poe

A great depth of field is useful for landscapes and other things which take in a lot of detail. It shows lines and rhythm in the image. A great depth of field is useful when subjects are also very far in the background. It helps show the scenery as well.

 Photo by Michael Zhang

Photo by Rudi Hulshof

A shallow depth of field is useful for a couple different reason. It can focus in on the subject and blur out any distraction things in the background. It also gives a clear, defined subject, and can capture detail much better. Using a shallow depth of field can also add story and lead the subject to a blurry, mysterious background. Shallow depths are also useful for focusing in onto a small subject.

Unit 3 Activity 3

 Photo by Jeremy Cowart

Photo by Brent Stirton

A light source in a picture gives a good gradient of lighting in an image. It shows exactly how a subject is lit, and gives a focal point as well. However, sometimes a light source coming from in front of a camera and behind a subject can drown out the subjects color and crispness.

Unit 3 Activity 2

Photo by Ira Kravchuk 

Multiple light sources are often used in portrait photography. It puts a soft lighting onto the subject and lights them evenly. this makes the image much more smooth, and well, soft. It removes unsightly textures or blemishes as well. 

Photo by Brent Stirton

A single light source gives the image a hard lighting. One section of the subject is light very well, while everything else is eclipsed. This adds roundness to a face or object. It makes the subject more organic. The hard lighting gives it shape and accentuates texture.

Unit 3 Activity 1

 photo by Michael Kanashkevich

Photo by Aaron Lockart

 Here are a couple examples of soft lighting. Soft lighting works well for portrait photography and getting every detail well lit. It shows everything evenly and leaves little out. However, sometimes it can make a subject look flat and without any roundness or edges. without shadows, you cannot see much form and specific detail.

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Photos by Jeremy Cowart

These images show hard lighting. Hard lighting usually only has one light source that focuses on a single section of the subject. Hard lighting really gives character to a face or shows detail and texture of a subject. The shadows can also give the image a bit of mysteriousness. Hard lighting can sometimes leave out important pieces of a subject, however. If you do not intend to have large shadows, hard lighting can ruin a picture.