Photography Lighting

Light is very important in Photography. If you have the right lighting, your pictures can be stunning.
Below are some tips on how to handle photography lighting
1. Always light your object. The key light should always be directed on your object regardless what you’re your object is.
2. Try to test your existing light. If you are shooting outside during the day, the sun will be a lighting factor. There are also locations where you can’t control the lights. You should consider such lighting and try to take advantage of it. You should also take advantage of golden hour while shooting outside (which is juts before sunset).
3. You can compensate for the flaws in the existing light using fill lights. Sometimes the existing lighta casts unpleasant shadows. Test the light’s location until the shadows are eliminated .
4. If the object is blending into the background, or the key lights on the object are too strong, you can try adding back lights.
5.You can soften the light using filters, gels, and barn doors
6. Sometimes the lights on your object make the background disappear. To avoid this, you can give the background its own lights. Also if you brighten the background, you usually diminish the need for backlights on your object.
7. you need to choose the kind of effect that you want. For example if you’re picturing standard portraits, you need your objects to stand out without any shadows. However if you’re shooting something artistic, you may need some dramatic lighting. Keep in mind that you can add or subtract lighting to work with your needs.

Hi SmartWeb
Here more 5 Tips for Photography Lighting
HowStuffWorks "5 Tips for Photography Lighting"
Guide to Photography Lighting for Beginners

One thing to remember about natural lighting.......overcast days make for some of the absolute best outdoor photos you will take. Overcast will rid those "hard" shadows caused by bright sunlight. no eye squinting if you are doing portraits. So many people avoid taking photos on overcast days.

The other thing take many, I mean lots of photos at different times of the day, different weather situations ect. Learn by shooting. It is easy to read and think you know what you are reading from everyone's advice and little tricks but the absolute best advice someone gave me was go take photos, play with your camera, take notes. It is cheaper today to make mistakes then it was when it was all film. You pretty much have instant gratification, you know right away what worked what didn't work.

There are many guides out there to help and learn from but the best thing to do is take photos and learn from the photos you take. (important to always takes notes when you are trying or learning something new)