In photography and cinematography, available light or ambient light relates to any supply of light which is not explicitly supplied by the photographer for the true purpose of taking photos. The word usually makes reference to sources of light which can be already available naturally (e.g. the sunlight, moon, lightning) or artificial light already being used (e.g. to light an area). It generally excludes flashes, although arguably flash lighting supplied by other photographers shooting simultaneously in the same space could be considered available light. Light sources that affect the scene and can be part of the actual frame are called practical light sources, or simply just practicals.Use of available light is an important factor in candid photography in an effort to not ever disturb the subjects.
The usage of available light may pose a challenge for a photographer. The brightness and direction regarding the light commonly is not adjustable, except perhaps for indoor lighting. This may limit the selection of shutter speeds, and will require the use of shades or reflectors to control the light. It can also influence the amount of time, location, and also orientation regarding the photo shoot to search for the desired lighting conditions. Available light can often also produce a color cast with color photography.
Amounts of ambient light are most commonly considered relative to additional lighting used as fill light, in which case the ambient light is usually treated whilst the key light. In many cases, ambient light may be used as a fill, in which case additional lighting offers the stronger source of light, as an example in bounce flash photography. The relative intensity of ambient light and fill light is called the lighting ratio, a key point in calculating contrast from inside the finished image.
Posted from my blog with
