Experimenting with light - planning

Guildford Castle was the venue I chose to use for this project. On the upper floor there is a large square room which is virtually empty with high windows and relatively plain plastered walls. This provided a location with diffuse daylight, neutral backgrounds and space to move around.

Guildford Castle

On the visit to reconnoiter the castle, I noted that there were two windows on the south wall, one each on the north and east walls, and the entrance door on the west wall. I planned a couple positions where the daylight on my wife's face would be in front, sideways and backlit with a plain plastered wall as background. I also noted a position where light would fall on both sides of her head, replicating the lighting conditions of the earlier photograph of her that I liked. I also planned to go equipped with a reflector to add light and a dark umbrella to provide shade.

I also decided to present the photos in black and white as I felt the light and shadows would be more prominent in a monochrome photograph.