>>SIZE OF THE MAIN LIGHT
>> In this experiment, I am going to show you how the size of the main light affects the photograph using three examples below.
◁ In this photograph, a relatively small light source (a speedlight) was used, and it cast some hard shadows on the right side of the subject's face. This shows how such a small light source produces hard, sharply defined shadows.
-I used a speedlight as a light source for this example because it is relatively small and I could control the power of the light to emphasize how hard the shadow produced by it is compared to the larger light source.
1/320 sec, f/7.1, ISO 100 / Light Source: A Speedlight with a diffuser
(To soften the light a little for the subject's eyes)
◁ In this photograph, a second smallest light source (a single light with no umbrella) was used, and it also cast some rather strong shadows on the right side of the subject's face: yet the shadows are a little bit softer in their contrast. This is another example of how a relatively small light source affects the appearance of the portrait.
-I chose a single light with no umbrella as a light source for this example because the light produced from it is rather small but a little bit larger than a speedlight.
1/320 sec, f/4.8, ISO 125 / Light Source: Single small light source, without an umbrella
◁ In this photograph, a relatively large light source (a single light with umbrella) was used, and the light from it fills the subject's face almost equally: the shadows from the glasses are less than that of the former examples. Also, the colour of the subject's skin is rather natural, compared to the former examples.
-I used a single light with an umbrella to equally light the subject's face by diffusing the light with an umbrella.
1/80 sec, f/4.5, ISO 640 / Light Source: Single small light source(Same as the second example) with an umbrella
From this experiment, I have learned that a larger main light can produce much softer light with softer shadows; it is useful when I want to obtain a light equally and naturally light up the subject's face. Also, I thought that a smaller light source would be useful if I were to take a portrait which emphasizes the contrast of light and dark, etc.