Light Experiment

Original intent of the project

The goal of this project is to give the shot a tennis feel. The photo has numerous pieces for this, including tennis balls and a racket. The pieces will be organised in such a manner that they create the impression of being after-game, simply laid on the ground and allowing the light to emphasise the traditional tennis ball.

Lighting and composition

I’ll be able to experiment with the shadows and texture of my elements due to the light and composition. The objective here was to have as much natural light as possible and to experiment with different versions of it depending on the hour. The reflector is employed here to direct a second source of light away from the sun, erasing the shadows that have formed on the ground.

Style of photography

The first attempts were to offer Flat lay photography, but due to a lack of space near the window, I had to alter it to something more akin to commercial photography with a hint of Golden Hour Photography to give the composition a warm end of day look.

Shoot organisation

Due to the weather and pandemic circumstances, the shooting was difficult to organise. Indeed, in order to get the optimum luminosity for a golden hour impression, I had to first select a sunny day. I was unlucky because I couldn’t do it outdoors since I was restricted to the house, so I had to make do with what I had at home. Several tests were conducted in various locations before being assigned to shoot at the appropriate time. Similarly, a reflector was constructed out of cardboard and aluminium foil. I tested with other torch lights as well, but without a good result. Overall, numerous photographs were shot at various times of day, as well as exposure to the sun until the perfect moment was identified.

Final Edit

Before the final result, certain changes were required. First, the background and general mood were still rather gloomy and needed a minor recoloring, with the warm hues matching those of the balls. As well as minor adjustments to remove unwanted shadows and reflections. Second, the balls themselves underwent minor contrast and shadow adjustments to enhance the texture without being too saturated. The overall impact is as predicted, with a pleasant mood at the finish of the tennis game and a focus on the AO ball.