Photo Cafe’ Beach Lounge – Episode #6
“Light and Shadow”
~ Chat Transcript ~
20th November, 2021
H.11:00 AM SLT[ The following Episode #7 will be on:
Sat, the 4th of Dec H.11.00 AM SLT! ]
[11:03] Duraya: Hello and welcome again, glad you all could join us for the sixth episode of our bi-weekly photo café!
[11:04] Duraya: We will be talking about light and shadow in creating photographic art and Kapaan will introduce the theme and then give us some hints how to successfully deal with that inworld and when editing later.
[11:05] Duraya: Before we start Kika has some information for us! Will you please Kika?
[11:05] Kika Yongho: Do you remember? We introduced an ongoing project for you all to join and enjoy: the “Photo-LMs”!
[11:05] Kika Yongho: Basically we have been collecting the Landmarks that you can continue to submit in our red mailbox located near the Info Point behind me. Simply touch the mailbox for a sample notecard that you can use to submit it (CTRL+drag&drop onto the mailbox)!
[11:06] Kika Yongho: So.. We’ve been receiving and collecting, visiting and cataloging LMs for a few and.. Here is the result! You can now grab a copy of the “Photo LMs list” from our Info Point gazebo!
[11:06] Kika Yongho: Located on the right side, and next to the News Board, a pile of magazines on the floor: click it.. Voila’! The list is now yours too!
[11:07] Kika Yongho: Don’t forget to keep us posted with your new LMs to share with your fellow Photographers and enjoy your next photo-visits on the listed locations!
[11:08] Duraya: We hope that so far we met your needs and interests in choosing our agenda. Last time we asked you to suggest themes you would like to discuss here.
[11:09] Duraya: This is not because we have run out of ideas!
[11:09] Duraya: We designed the café as a forum for all of us so naturally we would like to know what YOU are interested in.
[11:09] Duraya: Whenever you stumble upon something please feel free to message us and we will take it up or find someone who can give a lecture on it.
[11:10] Duraya: Light and shadow!
[11:11] Duraya: Kapaan will you start please?
[11:11] Kapaan: Hello everyone 🙂
[11:11] Kapaan: “The eye is always caught by light, but shadows have more to say.” Gregory Maguire
[11:11] Kapaan: Its an interesting quote and I feel there is a lot in it that speaks to me.
[11:12] Kapaan: As photographers we all have the same hobby. Simply stated we stalk and chase light from every angle and imprison it for eternity as a tiny moment in time forever.
[11:12] Kapaan: So, what is the relationship with light and shadow? and what happens when we have one without the other?
[11:13] Kapaan: If we consider this vase of flowers, it is quite bland
[11:13] Kapaan: Well simply stated we have light bland and dark bland as you can see from the examples
[11:13] Kapaan: If we have the light without the shadow the image is somehow not worth viewing
[11:14] Kapaan: I know these are as far as compositions go not exciting and well … still bland.
[11:14] Kapaan: We can however add a light source
[11:14] Kapaan: The light in this instance is a small projector that can be built without needing to buy anything.
[11:15] Kapaan: As you can see the light source and the shadows have completely transformed the still life into something that is more palatable to the eye.
[11:15] Kapaan: What does the combination of light and shadow do for us?
[11:15] Kapaan: The very first thing is that stands out is that we have depth in the image that we have not seen before. This can make any composition look differently.
[11:16] Kapaan: What can we do with this play of light and shadows?
[11:16] Kapaan: 1. It can be used to frame your main subject, or you can change your perspective and even make your shadow the main subject.
[11:16] Kapaan: 2. Use shadows to create pattern that adds mystery to your composition
[11:17] Kapaan: 3. You can introduce new elements into your photos that draws attention to your subject
[11:17] Kapaan: 4. Shadows can be used to create a sense of depth and space
[11:18] Kapaan: 5. Using light and shadows creates contrasts that can add to your subjects
[11:18] Kapaan: Shadow does tell a deeper story of your subject
[11:18] Kapaan: How do we make light and shadows in Second Life?
[11:18] Kapaan: There is two ways to introduce light and shadows in Second Life.
[11:19] Kapaan: BUT before we can do that we need to enable settings to make it work. Please enable the Sun/Moon + projectors under the shadows option.
[11:19] Kapaan: I hope everyone can see the options
[11:20] Kapaan: The first way to add shadows and lights is work at windlights or atmospheric settings to influence your environment and settings.
[11:21] Kapaan: You will see that various elements of shadows appear on inworld which already adds a sense of reality.
[11:21] Kapaan: However I have found that I want to control my light and shadows
[11:21] Kapaan: My view is use make a projector and light up your subject in the way you need.
[11:22] Kapaan: Imagine shining a flashlight at a specific spot or a large are and that is what a projector does
[11:22] Kapaan: On this picture you can see the effect a projector has
[11:22] Kapaan: As you can see that by adding a light source that creates a shadow makes the image completely different.
[11:23] Kapaan: If you need a quick lesson in projectors, please contact me at any time and I will be happy to help.
[11:23] Kapaan: Always remember that light and shadows are part of each other and one without the other is simply not complete
[11:23] Kapaan: Thank you everyone
[11:24] Duraya: Thank you Kapaan 🙂
[11:24] Duraya: For questions or comments please use the q, c and r (retrieve) routine and say ‚done‘ at the end of your comment. Thank you!
[11:25] Duraya: How important is light and shadow for you in your work?
[11:25] Duraya: What is your approach
[11:25] Kika Yongho: c
[11:25] Duraya: Kika please share
[11:26] Kika Yongho: I use lights and shadows much but I must say that – other than a projector / face light (that I use too!) I like much messing up with the environmental settings = Personal Lightning and to create my own settings i.e. moving sun and moon where I need! (done)
[11:27] Jaminda Moon (jaminda): c
[11:27] Duraya: thank you Kika, Jaminda please
[11:27] Jaminda Moon (jaminda): its hugely important it can transform your image…I love to play with lighting the difficulty is sometimes you have to put your graphics on high for it to work and gets laggy but its so worth it. I love to experiment see what you can come up with 🙂 done
[11:28] Duraya: thank you Jaminda
[11:29] Duraya: I sometimes use more than one projector to have more than one shadow – it’s fun to play with that
[11:30] Duraya: do you have any hints for us from your experience?
[11:30] Kika Yongho: c
[11:30] onceagain (manoji.yachvili): c
[11:30] Elfi Siemens: c
[11:30] Duraya: yes Kika
[11:31] Kika Yongho: I just wanted to say that the light sources are really a powerful tool as I learned from a great photo course 🙂 So I recommend to play with all the settings! 😉 done
[11:31] Duraya: 😉
[11:31] Duraya: onceagain you are next please
[11:32] onceagain (manoji.yachvili): I’ve never use any kind of projector, only few times a lace light. I used to create my own settings, moving sun and moon and changing colors and so on. (done)
[11:32] Duraya: thank you – that’s encouraging
[11:33] Duraya: I never dared to touch sun or moon so far
[11:33] Duraya: Elfi, it’s your turn now
[11:33] DaneAlbion: c
[11:35] Elfi Siemens: i often use a combination of all three lighting options in SL: EEP, projectors plus normal prim lights. it gets me fiddling with all the settings and moving the sun around for quite long, sometimes longer than the actual shooting and post processing takes
[11:35] Elfi Siemens: but it’s worth it
[11:35] Elfi Siemens: maybe a note about SL limitations though
[11:35] Duraya nods
[11:36] Kika Yongho: q
[11:36] Elfi Siemens: for projectors: you won’t see more than the two closest projector shadows in your viewer
[11:36] Elfi Siemens: and in general: you won’t see more than the 8 closest prim light sources either
[11:37] Elfi Siemens: so if you’re at a location with a lot of built in lights… things could get complicated 😉
[11:37] Elfi Siemens: done
[11:37] Violette (violette.rembrandt): c
[11:38] Duraya: thank you Elfi – somehow it explains why it is so difficult to get exactly what you want
[11:38] Duraya: Dane, you are next
[11:39] DaneAlbion: I do love pictures with strong shadows and lots of darkness, though i often worry i am overdoing it so perhaps tone it down a little, particularly working in a digital environment where people might be viewing via different monitor settings and what looks like moody lighting to me could be a black screen to them. Its hard to know where to draw the line. Done.
[11:39] Duraya: thank you Dane
[11:39] Duraya: Kika, you have a question …
[11:40] Kika Yongho: Yes thank you! I have a question for Elfi about the difference between “projectors” and “normal prim light” do you mean it like lamps and such? Don’t they technically work the same way? Thanks 🙂
[11:40] Elfi Siemens: no, they don’t
[11:40] Elfi Siemens: if you have a normal prim and activate its light feature, the light simply goes everywhere
[11:40] Elfi Siemens: in all directions that is
[11:41] Elfi Siemens: and if you take the same prim and activate the projector, the light gets bundled in only one direction
[11:42] Elfi Siemens: you can literally move the prim like a spotlight
[11:42] Kika Yongho: Ah so you mean like adding a spot image to the light feature?
[11:43] Elfi Siemens: more replacing the prim light with a spotlight
[11:43] Kika Yongho: I think I get it thank you for patience and explanation 🙂
[11:43] Elfi Siemens: i have a suggestion
[11:44] Duraya: yes Elfi?
[11:44] Elfi Siemens: Kapaan said people should message him for a quick lesson how to make a projector, how about making a workshop for all?
[11:45] Duraya: I think that can be done 🙂
[11:46] Kapaan: I will be happy to assist
[11:46] Duraya: so let’s note that for next time
[11:47] Duraya: I have one more on my list and that is Violette 🙂
[11:47] Violette (violette.rembrandt): I’m using an avatar lighting system ([DE] one) and i play a lot with moon/sun, at time i also add a colored projector to highlight a side of my av , well i play a lot with all the settings ‘^^ and in Black Dragon i take much more time with all the light settings you can change… well it’s a lot of work when it come to light and shadows ‘^^
[11:48] Violette (violette.rembrandt): soooo well as usual it’s always hours of settings for only one photo ‘^^
[11:49] Violette (violette.rembrandt): done ^^
[11:50] Kika Yongho: I think I already asked my question but as I can comment I will just say thank goodness we can stop the sun on SL so it waits for us to take the pic!! 😛 done
[11:51] Elfi Siemens: we can stop everything… and DERENDER!
[11:51] Duraya: yes – I derender half sims
[11:51] Kika Yongho: And people
[11:51] Duraya: ah yes – they go first
[11:52] Duraya: so no one else on my list
[11:53] Duraya: BUT, we have to decide something
[11:53] Duraya: I hope you enjoyed our little‚ industrial‘ fun photo contest as much as I did.
[11:53] Duraya: And getting to know each other by sharing art will go on!
[11:54] Duraya: Surprise, surprise – it will be ‚light and shadow‘ 🙂
[11:54] Duraya: BUT – if we do that course on projectors – maybe we should start that contest afterwards
[11:54] Duraya: what do you think?
[11:55] Kika Yongho: That could come useful
[11:55] Duraya: very good
[11:56] Duraya: so be prepared – no excuses after the course!
[11:57] Duraya: Well – we wanted to be on time with the course since onceagain’s exhibition starts and some of us might want to go there
[11:58] Kika Yongho: If you wish to visit the Sea Exhibit:
Onceagain’s Art Gallery
[11:59] Duraya: The following Episode #7will be on Saturday, the 4th of December!
[12:00] Duraya smiles – thanks for participating, see you on 4th Dec!
