Inverse Square Law

[@rellvilleterrace]

Thank you, I shot group pictures of a wedding a couple of months ago and made the mistake of putting the light to the side, I had to become best friends with the Gradient tool in post😂

[@HannahCouzensPhotography]

HAHA! We have all been there my friend! It's there for a reason but better if we can avoid it. Hopefully next time you're good :)

[@jenw9928]

Great explanation, Hannah. Without all the unnecessary flannel that some photographers like to go into to massage their egos!

[@HannahCouzensPhotography]

Thank you Jen! Much appreciated =]

[@BoothKatesPhotography]

I just finished watching 3 of your videos in rapid succession. All were informative and uniquely delivered, therefore I subscribed. Thank you for this content!

[@HannahCouzensPhotography]

Thank you! Very much appreciated =]

[@dopeydad1221]

Excellent video! Really like the sample headshots you did too! Subscribed

[@HannahCouzensPhotography]

Thank you very much! I'm glad you liked it =]

[@thomasriggs2914]

Thank you Hannah - the best light fall-off explanation I have seen! While the distance between Ishana and the wall didn't change in the second shot, the relative distance compared to the source did - dramatically changing the fall-off. Your explanation was better. The multiple heads demonstration cleared up a lot for me. Your second shot of the heads with the light source feathered at a diagonal can work in an outdoor setting with ambient daylight fill but I loved your final recommendation - up high straight on. You're right, it's a sure thing. Thanks so much for sharing your expertise with clarifying examples Hanna! Well done!!

[@HannahCouzensPhotography]

Thank you very much for your kind words Thomas! I'm glad you found it helpful =]

[@Theaaronchris]

Great video! I could care less about all of the math I just want to know how it effects my image and you did a great job explaining that.

[@HannahCouzensPhotography]

Thanks so much! I completely agree with you =]

[@manoharmgr8235]

SUPER. SUPER , THE BEST நன்றாக இருக்கிறது வாழ்த்துக்கள் R.MANOHAR-CHENNAI

[@azshleavia2933]

Thank ye', was looking for something similar for my upcoming corporate headshot. Thanks again 👍🏻

[@JohnChubbSr]

Thank you.

[@HannahCouzensPhotography]

Thank you John =]

[@Ruscombephotos]

Thanks Hannah! This is so helpful. I really liked how you can darken a backdrop easily by bringing the subject away from it. I often have my subjects too close to the backdrop.

[@HannahCouzensPhotography]

You are most welcome! Glad it was helpful =]

[@azshleavia2933]

Thanks 👍🏻

[@HannahCouzensPhotography]

Thank you! =]

[@pjono77]

Brilliant video thanks Hannah

[@HannahCouzensPhotography]

Thank you very much =]

[@andrejames9066]

Thanks for sharing this

[@HannahCouzensPhotography]

You are welcome, thank you for watching =]

[@jordanrice498]

Very helpful, thank you!

[@HannahCouzensPhotography]

I'm glad you found it helpful Jordan =]

[@lightlikeapro]

Fantastic Demonstration.

[@HannahCouzensPhotography]

Thank you so much! Glad it was helpful!

[@roccospotti4763]

increíble video, Greetings from Argentina!!!

[@HannahCouzensPhotography]

Thank you very much! Glad you liked it =]

[@tedebaer1]

Thank you!

[@HannahCouzensPhotography]

You are most welcome Ted! =]

[@aevoss]

Great video! Non of this is a mystery!

[@HannahCouzensPhotography]

Thank you very much =]

[@carcina27]

You're a great teacher....I subscribed 👍🎉🎉

[@HannahCouzensPhotography]

Tank you very much Carcina! =]

[@ronlemelinphotography]

great video

[@HannahCouzensPhotography]

Thank you very much Ron =]

[@johnsmoak8237]

Just a thought, but there at the end you sorta approximate what happens during "cruel sun" noon

[@andrewsidwell6481]

Amazing

[@HannahCouzensPhotography]

Thank you very much Andrew! =]

[@cheric35]

Does this apply for being around crazy people

[@williamshakespeare9815]

So it doesnt affect the light on the model, just the background?

[@HannahCouzensPhotography]

It depends what part of the video you are referring to. If you change the distance of the light from close to the subject and background to further away then it will affect both BUT if you keep the distance from the light to the model the same but move both the model and the light (at equal distance) away from the background then the light on the model stays the same but the background changes.

[@venusstudio2744]

nice

[@HannahCouzensPhotography]

Thank you very much! =]

[@JohnClarke-y3v]

Another way to deal fall off while maintaining the lighting pattern is to feather the light to the most distant subject.

[@Molaleni]

0:49 it’s basic English if people just listen closely and not be scared off that it’s related to math

[@termiitos]

One thing that boggles my mind is, there is a saying the closer the light - ergo, the bigger the light source relative to the subject - the softer the shadows. But as i can clearly see, when the light is moved further away the shadows are more even and less harsh on all the faces. So what gives ?

[@HannahCouzensPhotography]

Ok good question but the reason you’re confused is because they are actually two different things. Soft light / Hard light is defined by how sharp the shadow edges are. The more crisp and defined the shadow edge, the harder the light quality and of course the opposite for soft light. So generally speaking, the smaller a light source compared to the subject, the harder the light will be (more definite edges). Now what I think you’re referring to is contrast which is a whole different deal. How dark the shadows are is all a matter of contrast which is where your choice of modifier colour makes a difference (silver gives more contrast than white for example) the use of grids and also falloff will create more dramatic contrast. I love soft light but I also love contrast so I use big modifiers compared to my subjects but I have them close (sometimes with grids) to add contrast by falloff. I hope that helps a bit so remember, light quality (soft or hard) is a different thing to contrast (how dark / light the shadows abs highlights are). 😊

[@termiitos]

@@HannahCouzensPhotography thank you for the amazingly detailed answer! You are too kind.

[@wanneske1969]

When you move the light further back, you need a lot more light

[@aevoss]

Not necessarily.

[@idrismansoor7993]

Look what just popped up 😆

[@HannahCouzensPhotography]

haha! You'll recognise the slides :)

[@sanubaribishova9241]

Ich liebe dich dich

[@cmichaelanthonyimages2197]

Bottom line. Subject will absorb the light more when closer. Size of your light source also matters in relationship to distance. If you really want to learn this, use smaller light sources. Remember, single subject, you can feather your light to help open up your shadows when working close, with the edge of the light not the center. Remember, shutter using flash will control your falloff and background as well. High shutter, geater falloff. Remember, you are learning light control, keep your extraneous light to a minimum. Light control is what you are learning. Have fun.

[@HannahCouzensPhotography]

You state that shutter using flash will control falloff and background light. How?

[@cmichaelanthonyimages2197]

@@HannahCouzensPhotography all lights must be rqual with no changes. Take a reading at your highest sync, and keep you fstop the same as you change you shutter speed down. Dont use auto iso. Ylu need to have control of you camera. Iso infects the sensitivity for you exposure. Think like you are using film, not digital. Don't think post production, do it in the camera.

[@HannahCouzensPhotography]

If you lower your shutter speed then of course you are going to introduce any ambient / constant light that is in the room, this would happen regardless of flash so I'm. not sure what your point is here.

[@cmichaelanthonyimages2197]

@@HannahCouzensPhotography are you working in a fully light controled enviroment? Thats the key, no pun intended. I'm old school with total light control in the studio. No lights on but what Im using. What your teaching is wonderful, as so many young photographers that I can across never heard of this theory or understand lighting ratios.

[@websitemaintenance]

You remind me of Kristen Wiig

[@HannahCouzensPhotography]

Thank you very much Robert! =]

[@websitemaintenance]

@@HannahCouzensPhotography I opened a photo studio today my first one. Could we chat sometime? Thanks

[@winniduesseldorf]

Very creative experimet, that offers far more information as doing math only. THANK YOU !

[@HannahCouzensPhotography]

Thank you very much Winni! I'm glad you enjoyed it =]