Softening the light

I used my stripy elephant for the exercise on softening the light as I felt that the slats would be perfect for showing shadowed areas and the curves would show how the light falls on the subject. 

As the first image shows, without a diffuser a dark shadow is created with sharp edges, reflecting the shape of the object; this is quite distracting and takes focus away from the image. The elephant itself shows a good tonal range with bright highlights to the top.  

 

The second image is taken using a diffuser between the light and the subject. The shadow has almost gone from below the elephant which makes the image appear less cluttered. The lighting is also much more even and the stark highlight at the top of the elephant’s back is almost gone.  

 

In many situations, the diffused image would be by far the best. In portrait shots, it is preferable to omit shadows as they can be distracting and make the image look less appealing. The reduced contrast can also be a bonus in many images.

Taking this subject as a specific example, the image I prefer would depend on the context and the reason I was taking the shot. If I were selling the elephant, in order to advertise I would want a clutter free image which shows the subject with no distractions. The reduced contrast enables the client to see the actual colours on the elephant much more clearly.  

If I just wanted to create an interesting image using this elephant, I would be more inclined to go for the undiffused version. The contrast creates interest and promotes the lines and curves of the body and as a result of the slats; the shadow creates added interest reflection the shapes above. 

I know that there is a lot to learn about the technicalities of lighting, however just from attempting this exercise, I have learned that a lot of thought should go into what you are trying to achieve before working out what lighting arrangements could create the effect.