Capturing Light

Take a photo that bests represents the word ‘light’.

Use your mobile phone, tablet or camera and take photos that make use of light. For example think about the following:

• Playing with Reflections
• Light and Dark
• Light In Nature
• Patterns In Shadows
• Experimental Overexposure
• Emerging From Shadows
• Celebrating Light in Nature
• Kids and Light
• Good Light
• Everyday Things In A Different Light
• Water and Light

This activity could be run as a class project and involve other classes. It could involve a Centre photography competition and or exhibition with prizes.

Students could create the rules of the competition, timelines, judging criteria, etc.

Things to think about.

• How many images can one person submit? 
• Are individual and group entrants allowed? 
• Are digital cameras and traditional cameras allowed? 
• Can photos be copied from the Internet? 
• What size should the image be? 
• Should the photos be mounted or not? 
• Are different formats allowed? i.e collage, book, poster? 
• Does there need to be a caption or not? And if yes, what information should the caption have on it? 
• When will the competition start and end? 
• Where will they submit entries? 
• Who will judge and how will they choose the best? 
• Will there be special categories? 
• What will the prizes be? Where will the exhibition take place?

To view photographs from an international competition 2015 SPIE International Year of Light Photo Contest

Other websites for inspiration and examples of light photography are

National Geographic – Simple beautiful photos: light

Google Search – ‘capturing light photos’

To learn more about light-based technologies and how they play a vital role in daily life, go to SPIE Education Outreach Resources.