The Overexposure Effect
Last night, I conducted a fun experiment with lighting my subject, and I came up with a crazy idea—to overlight the subject to the point where it almost looked like it was glowing. I was shocked to see that it actually worked. The result looked like a unique photo effect, something that photo editing apps can’t replicate. It resembled the "glamour glow" effect in Lightroom, but the version I created looked much more natural.
Maybe that’s what happens when you use real-world elements—natural or even artificial ones like a strong light—instead of relying solely on software, which often produces results that feel awkward or unrealistic.
I also realized that the image resembled the infrared effect found in some editing software I’ve used before, but once again, the photo I created looked more defined and detailed. I could clearly see the veins and intricate patterns on the leaf, almost like an image produced by an X-ray machine.
Because of this discovery, I’m excited to experiment with more subjects and different intensities of light to see what other interesting effects I can achieve.
This experiment opened my eyes to the creative possibilities of working directly with light, beyond what software can simulate. There's something uniquely authentic about capturing effects in-camera using real elements. I'm excited to continue exploring this approach and see where it leads in my photography journey.
”To see in color is a delight for the eye, but to see in black and white is delight for the soul.”
Looks like the experiment turned out rather nicely. I haven't really played with lights much but have taken advantage of bright sunlight to similar effect on occasion, there's just something about that high contrast look that I love.
Thanks a lot! Totally agree, there’s something really striking about that high contrast glow. Natural sunlight is such a great tool too.
Hope you get to try some lighting play soon, it’s really fun to explore!
Interesting way to shoot this and innovating to create your frame. When black and white I prefer more dark than lights but thats my personal preference.
Thanks for the feedback! I totally get you—darker tones in B&W do bring a moody, powerful vibe. I might try leaning that way in the next round of experiments.