The document discusses photographing shadows as a creative subject. It notes that while photography focuses on light, shadows can also be beautiful. It explains that shadows are not fixed shapes and change based on light quality, position, and the object casting the shadow. This opens opportunities for creativity when photographing shadows. The document provides examples of how shadows can emphasize dimensions, convey emotions, introduce new perspectives, and accentuate details through creative use of light and shadow positioning.

2. Photographing shadows is often overlooked as a creative subject for our photography, and we
can understand why. Any photographer will tell you that photography is all about light. That’s
true. But we see beauty in that little ugly duckling called shadows.
Many folks don’t truly understand what a shadow is when viewed in a photograph. We’re not
saying that people don’t know what a shadow is… There probably isn’t a single one of us who
didn’t stand on a playground when we were children and marvel at the late afternoon sun casting
our long shadow across the pavement. We understand shadows as things that happen, but not
as subjects in our photos.

3. SilhouetteShadow

4. SilhouetteShadow
 sil·hou·ette
silo͞ oˈet/
noun
1
 the dark shape and outline of someone or
something visible against a lighter
background, esp. in dim light
 shad·ow
SHadō/
noun
1.
 a dark area or shape produced by a body
coming between rays of light and a surface.

5.  Silhouettes have a fixed
shape that mimics the
object blocking the light.
Shadows are not fixed in
shape.
 A shadow will change in
shape, definition, and color
based on the positioning,
quality, and color of the
light creating it. It will also
change characteristics
based on the object that it
falls upon. This opens up
room for a lot of creativity.

6.  Every beginning
photographer is
taught about the
qualities of light:
soft light, hard
light, broad light,
spot light, etc.
Shadows also
exhibit similar
characteristics.
› A shadow can be
deep in tone and
have a hard
defined edge.
Harsh direct light creates deep shadows
with hard defined edges.

7.  A shadow can also be broad,
soft, and with a feathered
almost imperceptible edge.
 Not only does the quality of
light affect shadows, the
distance of the light source to
the object casting the shadow
will change it’s characteristics,
as well as the distance of the
object casting the shadow to
the object the shadow falls
upon. As you can see, working
with shadows opens up an
almost infinite window of
opportunity.
• A shadow can be twisted and manipulated by changing the shape of the object
casting the shadow. A shadow can be almost translucent. A shadow can be
colored! You can do a lot of cool things with a shadow.

8.  When photographers, (or all artists for that matter), think of modeling a three dimensional object
onto a two dimensional medium, they think of highlights and shadows. It’s these two elements,
which are created by light, that help us to see in three dimensions.
 This photograph is a perfect example of how highlights and shadows emphasize three
dimensions. Picture this in your mind, if the photograph had been taken at noon, with the sun
directly overhead, the sand dune would lose all of it’s three dimensional qualities.

9.  How do we do that? We make the shadows- the
subject of our photograph!
This is a perfect example
of the shadow becoming
the subject. Sure, this is a
picture of a cat, but it’s
the distorted shadow of
the cat that brings interest
to what could have been
an ordinary photograph!

10.  This photographer took
the idea of using
shadows, as subjects, to
a whole new level. He
actually created his
shadows by making the
objects that were going
to cast the shadows.
What a creative
statement! Does that
spark some ideas?

11.  Photography is about
expressing yourself in an
artistic medium. Applying
that to shadows could
mean hunting down
interesting shadows that
already exist. It could
mean creating shadows
that weren’t there. It
could even mean you
manipulating existing
shadows to satisfy your
creative vision!

12.  Shadows can accentuate details
› Perhaps, you have a subject that you’re looking for a
way to direct the viewer’s eye to a certain detail. Why
not create a shadow?

13. What are we supposed to be looking at here? How does the shadow tell us this?

14.  Shadows can convey emotion.

15. What is the emotion displayed in this photo? How does the shadow create that emotion?

16.  Shadows can
introduce another
perspective.
› Even when
there are
recognizable
objects within a
photograph, the
use of strong
shadows can
provide a
creative element
that strengthens
the composition.

17.  Strong light source
 Subtle light source
 Natural/man made
 Flash
 Sun

18.  Identify your light source
 Light source should NOT be behind the
photographer (unless…)
 Shoot in full manual
 Meter to the shadow, not the foreground