Hard Light vs. Soft Light
by adminHard light can be defined as “high contrast” lighting that brings defined shadows, and noticeable and sometimes overblown highlights. Soft light on the otherhand is less contrasting light that reduces hard shadows and is almost always more pleasing to the eye.
So you might ask where do these sources come from? Well, its quite simple. Hard light is from “small” light sources and soft light is from “larger” light sources such as soft-boxes, umbrellas, etc…Technically, standing next to the sun would be the softest light, but since its so far away the effective size of the source is small when viewed from earth, and thus direct sun light is harsh. To better visualize between hard and soft light, see the image below.
