Spotlights

When someone mentions a spotlight people often think of the large, hot and bright lights aimed at stage actors during theatre performances. In photography a spotlight holds an important place when photographing small objects, such as a rose on written parchment. Spotlights keep the subject sharp and aids in color balance with high contrast capabilities.

Photographers enjoy the control that comes from using spotlights in their work. Two adjacent spotlights aimed at the same object in an otherwise darkened room separates the highlights from shadows and creates an unobstructed focus on the subject.

Spotlights come handheld, or on adjustable stands. Rechargeable spotlights include a battery charger that plugs into a wall outlet and a charger made for an automobile cigarette lighter.

Wild safari photographers use an infrared spotlight to photograph animals, such as lions and tigers, after dusk. Also known as an IR spotlight, infrared spotlights give cameras and photographers night vision abilities. This enables a clear shot as if taken during daylight hours. The color range on night vision, or infrared gear has a limited range. Cheaper models produce a grainy black and white, or greenish type photograph.

An LED spotlight used light emitting diodes that produce softer light than other spotlights while using a lot less energy. Add a few LED panel spotlights around a large room for different angle effects.

Table top spotlights aid in photographing smaller objects like jewelry, flowers in a vase, electrical equipment and detailed artwork. Most spotlights emit harsh light that may reflect from hard or shiny surfaces like metal. Grids, snoots and barn doors help to control hard spotlighting. A snoot resembles a long tube. It slides over the light to limit, or help soften lighting effects. A barn door performs a similar action. It is composed of four flaps that make a box. Photographers may move each flap to display more or less light onto their subjects.

Photographs and images of small objects in a single or double light usually is an indication that a photographer used a spotlight type lamp.

Spotlights are available in many sizes from tiny clip on lamps to large area lamps. They range in price starting from a few dollars for a single spotlight to over a couple thousand dollars for spotlight photography kits. Many photographers use spotlight photography in stock photos for personal use and sometimes allow public and commercial use.

Find more information on spotlights for photography use by reading books and seeking out photography forums online.