FORM

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REVEALING FORM.


Form is some what harder to define than shape.
Shape is two dimensional and form is tree dimensional

Where revealing shape is about contrast. Form lighting
is a combination of light and shade.
This means the light should be directional and there for
create and opposite Shadow. The light also needs to
be from a reasonable angle that gives balance between
the light and the shade.


The two main factors in the lighting set up are
that a reasonable contrast between light and dark
on the side of the object and the second is the
shadow on the edge of the subject. The
three ways to effect the strength of the form are
the strength of the contrast from light to dark,
the degree of light diffusion and the direction
of the light.

Planned set up
set up one, diffused side light with white reflector
on shade side. Look at the level of shadow and
alter reflector accordingly.

Set up two look at reflecting shape onto a white
background to create a 3d relief of the shape,

The shell had been cut in half so had some
curve on the flat side but was full flat
on the textured side.

I planned to use light and dark to create
contrast and give the illusion of form
and create a sense of dimension.

The biggest issue I needed to overcome
was the shiny surface of the shell. I used
a diffused studio light but even that was
creating some burn out on the shell
detail.

I used a reflector to bounce some
light onto the front of the shell to
give it contrast from the darker
shadow side. I choose in the end
to change the reflector to gold
not only to enhance to colour of
the shell but to reduced the glare
on the shell surface. The light

1STUDIO FLASH

DIFFUSED

RIGHT

1 BACK CARD RIGHT

1 WHITE REFLECTOR

FRONT LEFT

F25 1/60 SEC

1 FLASH LIGHT LEFT SIDE WITH DIFFUSER

90 DEGREES
1 GOLD REFLECTOR FRONT SIDE LEFT
BLACK CARD RIGHT SIDE TO BLOCK
OUT EXTERNAL LEFT DAY LIGHT

F25 1/250 SEC


This shell is actually flat on both sides as it has been cut in half.
I supported the back of the shell with a stand.

Original planned set up
set up one, diffused side light with white reflector
on shade side. Look at the level of shadow and
alter reflector accordingly.


I followed my original plan but changed the diffuser to gold
to enhance the colour of the shell but to also reduce some glare
that I was getting off the shell shinny surface. The white reflector
was a little bright in places and the silver was too strong
and reduced the contrast between light and dark. I added
the dark diffuser on the shaded site as there was an external
window on the left side of the object which was also reducing
the contrast levels. I think this image represents form as it
shows the contrast of light and dark and gives the shell dimension
which shows the object as rounded rather than flat.

f20 1/60 sec

top image with gold reflector

bottom image

white reflector

Turning the shell on the side

created more issues as it meant

two areas of the shell picking

up the glare of the light.

I liked to composition of the shell on the side

but was finding the lighting very difficult to control

I would like to try this again using natural light

to see if I can reduce the glare on shell

as the light is softer than that of the

studio flash