Exercise: How space change with light.

Outline: See how photographing a space in different lighting conditions suggests different viewpoints and compositions.

I attempted this exercise a few times but didn't quite get the dramatic difference I was expecting while taking random shots at home. While out and about christmas shopping, I managed to capture the result and difference I was wanting. I was capturing images for assignment 5 with my trusty little compact camera and was trying to discreetly take a number of shots to capture the use of the shopping centre.

St Davids Shopping centre with mostly artificial lighting

This is an average shot of the upper layer of the shopping centre. Its lit mainly with artificial lights hanging either side of the hall and storefront lighting with added light from a glass skylight.

St Davids centre with low natural lighting

Seconds later, I was able to capture this shot of exactly the same space but in a portrait shot. Here, the artificial lighting seems irrelevant as a low autumn sun shines through the glass skylight, plunging the shopping centre into a dark dramatic shadow and creating a much flatter image.

Conclusion: The artificial lighting in the first image is significant to the space. It gives shoppers ample lighting to see the space and services on offer, as well as window shop and see the window items clearly. The inclusion of the low sun through the glass creates a mass of shadow and in an enclosed space, creates darkness. This makes the shoppers unable to move about and see clearly with the dark and the bright sun light above eye level.