Frontlighting

• Most people believe that having the sun behind the photographer is the best way to light a picture. However, front lighting usually ends up making the subjects squint and makes the photograph look flat and without dimension. it is a good idea to avoid front lighting whenever possible.
  
  

Side Lighting

• Side lighting is just like it sounds. The light comes from the left or the right of the subject. Side lighting works best for architectural, landscape, people, and black and white photography.
  
  Side lighting works well for black and white photography because it emphasizes contrast and tones, not color.
  
  In portrait photography, side lighting can create mystery and drama. A camera with automatic metering will expose for the bright side of the face. The other side will be dark. If you want both sides of the face to be illuminated, you can use a reflector or piece of white cardboard to bounce light back to the subject, according to "Softboxes!" from Pro Photo Resources.
  
  

Backlighting

• Backlighting is when the light comes from behind the subject.
  
  Backlighting produces silhouettes. For instance, a sailboat is on the lake and you want to silhouette it against the sunset. You would expose for the sky. Because the sailboat is darker than the bright sky, it would appear as a silhouette.
  
  Backlighting also eliminates the problem of the sun being in your subject's eyes. To make sure the subject's face is not too dark, turning him into a silhouette, you would need to use fill-flash. The flash will throw light onto the subject and eliminate the shadows caused by the sun being behind his back.
  
  

Diffused Lighting

• Unlike direct light that hits a subject from one direction, diffused light comes from various directions. It produces fewer shadows and is what photographers call "soft" light. Diffused light comes when clouds cover the sun or when the subject is standing in the open shade of a building.
  
  You may also diffuse light by holding a white umbrella between the subject and the light source.
  
  

Artificial Light

• Artificial light is light that comes from a built-in or external flash, a flash or studio lights.
  
  Built-in flash often creates red-eye if the subject is looking directly at the camera. Some cameras have built-in red-eye reduction. If yours does not, you can eliminate red-eye by having the subject look slightly away from the camera.
  
  Some flash units can be adjusted so their light can be "bounced" off the ceiling. If yours cannot be adjusted, you can buy diffusers that can be placed in front of the flash to make it less harsh.
  
  Usually at least two studio lights are used at a time. One is the main light. The second light goes on the other side to eliminate shadows. Diffusers can also be used to soften the light.