32 Comments
User's avatar
KewtieBird’s Photo Journey's avatar

Nice shadows!

perfectlight's avatar

thank you!

Shital Morjaria (she/her)'s avatar

Great shots!!

perfectlight's avatar

thank you!

Scarlett Freund's avatar

Love this! Which phone app are you using to meter the shadows? Thanks!

perfectlight's avatar

for film photos i use either lightme (which has loads of options for different types of film and focal lengths) or light meter (the icon looks like an old light meter)

Scarlett Freund's avatar

Thank you!

Klamo's avatar

Indeed, I believe exposing for the shadows is a good rule, but then I break it all the time because I like silhouettes. NIce pictures. Especially the last one where I believe a bit of the plant that gives the shadows is in the picture.

perfectlight's avatar

thank you! yes, that is my plant, it is called henry and we have weekly conversation during watering

Klamo's avatar

I’m sure henry is also very happy with your weekly conversations. It’s a beautiful one.

Paul Jenkin's avatar

Definitely the way to go for portraits. The trick I was taught was to point the light meter at the palm of my hand. I've found "My Lightmeter Pro" (Apple phones only, I think) works well when I'm using my unmetered camera or as a second opinion with a metered one.

perfectlight's avatar

i wrote about apps on my iphone a few months ago (i will post the link later) and the ones that i'm using are "lightme" app and "light meter" both working very well. i don't have a proper light meter, never had one, but i have my phone with me all the time. i cannot ask for more.

George Slade's avatar

"Expose for the secrets, develop for the surprises!" That's how I heard someone phrase it back in the analogue/chemical days.

Donn Dobkin's avatar

Nice, and I especially like the chair. I think we should expose for the thing we want to reveal. First, understand, as you do, what the choices are. From there it's all creative choice. And I like the ones you made here.

perfectlight's avatar

thank you!

Luz Mendes's avatar

Simply perfect, perfectlight! I like the last one very much. I knew about that rule of exposing to the shadows and I have also a light meter app on my phone. I think I should make more use of it. Which one do you use?

perfectlight's avatar

thank you for your kindness!

i use both apps. if i have 2 cameras loaded with different films, i use an app for each camera. lightme app has more options for focal lenghts and film types. light meter app is simpler but has cinematic shutter speeds.

Framing-the-Story w/AK's avatar

Excellent, pl!

perfectlight's avatar

thank you!

Chris Humphrey's avatar

You've shown (very well, I might add) how lighter and even softer shadows still have impact.

It doesn't always have to high contrast to be beautiful!

perfectlight's avatar

thank you!

søren k. harbel's avatar

The soft plants are my favourites in this group. Photographing shadows…. Nice!

perfectlight's avatar

thank you!

Lin Gregory's avatar

I remember when I was at college, working with film, being taught to take the exposure off the back of my hand to get the right exposure for natural light portrait photography indoors. Only as a rule of thumb...pun intended!😉 Lovely set of shadow images.😊

perfectlight's avatar

thank you!

Vincent Wagenaar's avatar

It certainly works for these photos, I like their mood!

perfectlight's avatar

thank you!

Juliette Mansour's avatar

My favorite subject of late! Shadows.... lovely shots. Regarding the light meter, I carry an actual light meter. It's very old but works well. I don't use it all the time but it works well.

perfectlight's avatar

thank you! whatever works for you is good .

Lauri Novak's avatar

I love this series of images. I have a similar series and created a couple of chapbooks from it - Everyday Shadows. They are a great way to keep our eyes sharp.

perfectlight's avatar

thank you! i agree with you