Light Wrap...

[film_guy01]

Ok. So sometimes I see a photograph where a subject is up against a window. A blown out window. Completely white. Now about half the time, the persons silhouette is crisp and clean. The other half the time it seems that the light is soft and wraps around the subject. What is the difference between these two shots? Does it have to do with aperture? Distance of camera from subject? Intensity of light?

[zona5101]

Without examples and just imagining from your words, I would say it is the overall exposure. The crisp sillouette where the exposure is based on the light through the window. The one where the lights comes around the sillouette is overexposing the light coming through the window. The subject/sillouette is just a gobo, take that out and imagine how the light would be when the exposure is based on the outside light...and when it is +2 or +3 stops over exposed (blownout).

[film_guy01]

Ok. I understand what you are saying. And that makes sense. I notice it a lot in movies. I watched "Minority Report" the other night and saw both examples in the same scene when switching back and forth between shots.

Heres one example. Notice the crisp outlines. (From the Assassination of Jesse James)

or this one: (From flickr)


Compare that to this one: (From Schindler's List)

or this one: (From There Will Be Blood)

[zona5101]

Yes - exposure...and over exposure. Note how the more the light wraps, the more blown out the window & outside detail is..

[ttosifa]

It's called "flare." It's not necessarily under or overexposed. Flare is when light directly hits the lens. Some people use flare as part of their style.

In the pictures above, the main difference is the position of the camera relative to the source of light.

[zona5101]

Originally Posted by ttosifa

It's called "flare." It's not necessarily under or overexposed. Flare is when light directly hits the lens. Some people use flare as part of their style.

In the pictures above, the main difference is the position of the camera relative to the source of light.

Right. sorry my bad, nevermind film_guy. Exposure has nothing to do with it. just move your camera around till you get what your looking for.