As a photographer you can’t seem to help seeing things that maybe most people are not really paying attention to. It’s not that they are not paying attention necessarily but they just don’t see the things you see because it’s part of your job. I mean after all, that’s why people pay photographers. They pay for their ey and skill of seeing and creating images by using light, lines, shadows, reflections and other components all with the perfect composition.

Shadows.

Creating shadows in a studio space is like trying to mimic sunlight with your studio lights. As kids we all look and play with shadows on the pavement on a bright sunny day and it’s sort of the same in studio. To create shadows, you need a hard light. Soft light with a big light modifier helps to minimize shadows, so you definitely want to keep the light source a light harder. Just like the sun, when the sky is overcast, shadows start to disappear and if you shoot in midday sun on a very sunny day, the shadows are the most sharp.

The light source set at an angle to the wall, to cast a strong shadow. You can experiment with the distance and the angle of the light of your subject to achieve the desired effect.

Reflections.

You can find reflections everywhere but you have to look for them as they might not always be obvious. Look down and around to find them. They can add depth and a different perspective to your images. Experiment with angles and distance just like shadows to make the perfect composition. Nature provides lots of opportunities with reflections specially around any body of water. You can even find reflections in urban areas with building, windows or any shiny surface. Play around with perspectives and see what you can create.