So this is a corporate portrait. This is outside soft light. And we can see if we look under his chin, we can see where the shadow is there's a light soft shadow under his chin, you're also going to see a little layer of light across the top of his shoulders. But the best place to see and to tell where the light is coming from, is by looking at the shadows around the eyes. So we can see here that the light if we look at his right eye, next to the nose, you're going to see a shadow there. So we can see that the light in this instance is coming from above and creating a shadow inset of the bridge of his nose on his right eye.

So that tells us exactly where the light is coming from the lighting conditions were on this day, it was a little bit of a cool day with clouds, and the sun was behind the clouds. But it gave us a really nice soft portray light, as you can see here. Obviously, we're going to be talking about backgrounds. But I'm just going to discuss this image a little bit, I've been very careful about what's in the background. I'm using the fence he's leaning against to create a sense of depth, that's a leading line that goes into the background. I've also made sure that I've got the telephone box showing in the background as well.

So all these elements start to build up. But the most important thing about all of this, when you look at this image is because of the nice natural light on his face. You're going to be drawn to that. And here's something to understand about photography, you will draw on to the highest point of contrast in an image or is going to be drawn so To the place where white and black is the highest. So in this photograph, your eyes probably drawn to his left color and his shirt because that's what highest point of contrast, but when you look at his face here, there's actually a nice contrast between the skin tone and the eyes. Now, if you're worried about exposing and not blowing out highlights, and this is for maybe a little bit more advanced photographers are watching this course, if you expose for the skin on a white individual, that is usually a perfect exposure.

So if you look on his forehead, you're going to see that the whites have still retained you haven't lost the detail in the white. That means that's a good exposure because we're exposing our skin as a little tip for you if you want to take a quick exposure and understand these are time sensitive issues. I haven't got all day with his clients. He's a busy people during their busy normal working hours they asked me to come in and do the corporate portraiture and I have to be so quick with them. I have to be in and out. That's what they're paying me for.

And I have to get good images real quick. So being able to see the light where it is, and then placing my subject in that light. So we can see here that the lights probably just coming over as a photographer, my right shoulder shining on him and creating this really nice soft light. Because I can see the light, I will move him to lose in the light or find a place where he's in the light. Then I will make sure the background good is clean. And I'll take my image.

This next one, this is slightly in the shadows and this is a technique people use to create really compelling images photographers understand this. When you play someone slightly in the shadow and if you have a look at this tunnel, it's archway. One when a subject is standing, there's bright light and then we have a soft shadow. And then it goes into dark. So what I've done here is I've placed the subject just in the shadow but slightly looking at and what's happened is, as he's just leaned forward a little bit, the light has just hit his face. So now we've created some really high contrast is a great shot to try guys, if you're near an archway, and you've got a nice day or cloudy day, you can even use this with hard light.

And we'll talk about that a little bit later by pushing the subject a little bit further back and using the shadow to soften the light. But what you can see here in this image is the light is coming down. And we've just moved the subject so that the light falls on his face. And it just creates this lovely light on his face. You got real, your eyes drawn to his face and you get this lovely, Shadow, drifting, just darkness drifting into the background. And also then as well you've got the wall and the texture and it all starts to become quite active.

Pelling image. This is one if you're going to pick a project, this is one maybe to try with a friend or something. If you've got a location like this, just remember some, put them in the archway, and then just move them forward slightly until the light really hits their face or move it back until it softens a little bit. Now, this is an interesting shot because it has a soft light shot. But if we have a look, one of the things you're going to find with natural photography is you can't often get a lot of light in the eyes. But what's interesting here in this image, is if you ever look the shadow is under the eyes I've included this so you can see how this actually works.

If you're shooting in cities, or streets with closed buildings, what this is this is actually an alleyway with high buildings. And then we've got a really nice soft sky above the subject now obviously isn't shining down on her face, but it creates a beam of light that basically comes down. So this is actually what's known as beauty lighting, and it borrows is a little bit from what's called Rembrandt lighting. I don't need to get too involved in that keep an eye out for future courses. I'm going to teach you all about that later on. But for now with this, I want you to see how the light is coming down.

And remember, look under the eyes, the eyes is going to tell you where the shadow is. So you can see that soft shadow under the eyes. That's telling you the lights coming straight down. So when I've taken this picture, we're walking along this is a high pressure environment guys. This is a cafe. And as we're walking along, I see these two plant pots I see to see like a see the light.

So get the subject to quickly sit down before the the cafe owner realizes we've just sat down without actually paying for coffee. We didn't have time. So this she sat down and gave us the two orange flowers as focal points of interest. So you got one in the front, one behind a theme that I've seen the lights of thing I've seen this beautiful light. I've seen a nice environment and then I've put my subject in that environment. And then I've just got her to relax and just to be yourself and just express yourself and take the picture.

Now in this shot, it's a again, it's an in shadow shot, what you're gonna see here is they're walking out of a tunnel. This is in London, they're walking out of a tunnel, and we're doing a walking shot. We're doing a typical sort of slanted dynamic walking shot going on here. But what it is, I'm waiting for them just to walk into that little pool of light of soft light that is waiting as they walk out of the tunnel. So this is a really good way to learn find a tunnel, like I said before guys, find a tunnel find it doesn't have to be a tunnel, find a building where you've got the sun shining and as a recessed and as they walk forward, you can see the light changing on the subject and there'll be a point when it's just warm and it glows and it's soft.

And that's what I was going for here. Some timing it the walking. I'm taking loads of pictures here. I've got job done, click tick, tick, tick, tick, click. My camera is a desk. Lack of a good autofocus I can focus as a coming forward to click to click until I get the right picture.

Again, I seen the light I saw the light in this, then I get my subject to walk into the light. I've chosen my background my angle where I want to be what I want to show I'm very intentional here by the way to show these black and white stripes because they just so compelling, so strong in the image. Also want to see the bars come back. Lots of stuff going on in this image. But the important thing is to see that light in this picture, again, if you look at the light, we've got a cloudy day, but it's it's not completely soft, but I've used the light to create light on one side and shadow on the other. So I've seen the light I really like the light.

I can see the light on the bench bringing out the texture. This isn't super soft light, but it is soft. We've got a nice even what we'd call an exposure on his face, and then we've got the shadow on the other side. And we've got a really nice interesting backdrop just to provide some context. So this is just out in sunlight, soft light, seeing the light fall on the subjects face, and then making sure I sit them in the light, making sure I've got the background framed where I want it to be. It's a nice, interesting background.

I really love the bench check, create some real interest. Okay, understand this. There are no professional models in any of my photos. In these photos that we're going to show in this course, these are just normal people. I have to make look good on camera. No professional models, really important to understand it.

So you've got some really nice light here, directional. There's a cloud in the sky, the sun's directly behind it shining down from over my right hand shoulder, the lights coming down. We're getting this really really nice look really pleasing.