Photography Lighting Principles and Techniques 2

Question 1

What is the primary difference between hard light and soft light in photography?

Accepted Answer

Hard light produces sharp-edged shadows; soft light produces gradual, diffused shadows

Answer

Hard light comes from small, distant sources and creates sharp shadow edges, while soft light from large or diffused sources produces gradual shadow transitions.

Question 2

What does a light meter's 'incident' reading measure?

Accepted Answer

Light falling onto the subject from the source

Answer

An incident light meter measures the light falling on the subject by pointing the meter's dome toward the light source.

Question 3

In portrait photography, what is the purpose of a 'kicker' light?

Accepted Answer

To add a rim of light along the subject's side or hair for separation from the background

Answer

A kicker light is placed behind and to the side of a subject to create a rim or edge light that separates them from the background.

Question 4

What is 'Rayleigh scattering' and how does it affect photography?

Accepted Answer

It explains why shorter blue wavelengths scatter more in the atmosphere, creating blue skies and warm golden hour light

Answer

Rayleigh scattering causes shorter blue wavelengths to scatter more in the atmosphere, making the sky appear blue and leaving warmer red/orange tones during sunrise and sunset.

Question 5

When using a ring flash for macro photography, what is a distinctive visual characteristic of the resulting images?

Accepted Answer

Nearly shadowless, flat lighting with a circular catchlight in reflective surfaces

Answer

A ring flash surrounds the lens and produces nearly shadowless, even illumination with a distinctive circular catchlight in eyes or reflective surfaces.

Photography Practice Test

Photography Practice Test

Photography Lighting Principles and Techniques 2