Reflection

The fourth assignment challenged me to take multiple images demonstrating what lighting techniques I have learned in this section of the course.

Once I was well into the assignment, taking certain photographs didn’t come easy. This may of been due to my lack of equipment. I don’t own a flash, any reflectors or backdrops and cannot afford these things at the moment, so I improvised. I read through the assignment carefully and noted the items I would need to create the effects required.

• A piece of large black card
• A piece of large white card
• Orange tissue paper
• A piece of large cardboard
• Tin foil
• Scissors
• Tape

With the above items I managed to make my equipment. I used the black and white card to act as backdrops and the orange tissue paper acting as a background for the colour images. I made a reflector by cutting a hole in the centre of my large piece of cardboard and attaching tin foil to the back of it.

I used a desktop lamp as my light source. I’m sure that once I purchase a flash my images will improve but until then, the lamp was my only option.

Considering the items I started with, I feel that my creative skills and new found knowledge of lighting played a big part towards the end results. I feel that this is a strength of mine.

This section of the course has really helped me to grow as a photographer. I think about light in a different way than I used to. When I started this course I had no idea of the impact different lighting can have on an photograph. It sounds silly for me to say that because it seems so obvious now.

I have really enjoyed this section, I’ve found it challenging at times but the rewards far greater. I have enjoyed the fact that I had to make my equipment in this assignment, it felt as though I was creating the images as opposed to just taking a photograph, which, to be honest, in previous assignments I felt like I was doing. This assignment has been so rewarding as I felt that I have learnt a lot, not just creatively but also technically. I’m excited to see what the final assignment will bring.