Hard Light Recipe Guide

Hard light attracts the bold photographer who is willing to make a statement with their light and images! Photographers who are beginning their photographic journey are often taught to fear hard light. The result is that an overwhelming majority of photographic artists primarily use softboxes, umbrellas or diffusers in their work. A brave few, however, learn to tame hard light and bend it to their will.

What is hard light?

A hard light source is one that creates a very sharp and defined shadow edge. How do you determine if the light is hard? First, find a shadow that is cast on the subject’s face, perhaps the shadow from the nose or the jawline. How abrupt is the shadow transition? Is it really crisp, abrupt and defined? Or does it fade over a longer, more gradual distance? If it’s defined, you know it is hard light!

This guide is the perfect resource for upping your creative game!

Please note, this is not a physical book. It is a downloadable PDF file.