Exploring the concept of Chiaroscuro

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Chiaroscuro, Italian for light-dark, is a technique in the visual arts defining three-dimensional objects via light and shadow.

My consistent quest for 'good lighting' has posed some limitations to the exploration of Chiaroscuro within my camera roll, with only 2/9000 images displaying a clear contrast between the two.  

The first image is a photograph taken at Wieliczka Salt Mine, Poland. 

The exhibit clearly presents the concept of Chiaroscuro, positioning light to add depth in the scene by providing a focus, foreground and a backdrop. Light and shadow also enhance the definition of the sculpture - as intended by the Chiaroscuro technique.


The second image explores the Chiaroscuro theory within the city landscape. 

Light is evidently used to accentuate the dome of St Pauls Cathedral in the night skyline, but I quickly experimented with highlights and shadows to emphasise the contrast between light and dark in the image, again to accentuate the focal point within the frame. 

 

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