View allAll Photos Tagged dramaticlighting
There’s a moment between breath and thought when the world goes silent and something raw rises to the surface. That is the place this portrait lives. A gaze that refuses to hide, framed in shadow and red, holding equal parts fearlessness and exhaustion. It is the storm behind the eyes that tells the truth long before words ever manage to. A study in stillness. A portrait shaped by darkness and light. A reminder that even quiet hearts burn with their own fierce and complicated fire.
I recently took a trip of a couple days through the Flint Hills of Kansas, looking for old school houses and buildings. One of my intended subjects was the old Lower Fox Creek school house, sitting high on a rolling hilltop along highway 177, near Strong City Ks. It was a very cloudy and windy evening with lightning striking all around. As I neared the old school, a break in the clouds formed, giving the setting sun the opportunity to send out golden rays of light in the direction of the old school. Serendipity! Those rays were still shining on it as I pulled up the drive and leaped out of the car with excitement with my camera around my neck and tripod under my arm, searching for the best vantage point. (Who said old Phooey can't run? Although I am glad there were only one set of eyes there at the time! Hah!) I managed to get a couple sets of exposures before the sun gently faded from view and it became too dark to take photos. As I headed back to the hotel, I knew I would have to re-visit the old school again in the morning, not knowing that I would be rewarded yet again with the prettiest sunrise that the great state of Kansas could offer (my next post; I'm getting ahead of myself!)
Lower Fox Creek school was built of locally quarried (beautiful) stone circa 1880 and served the educational needs of the rural area until the 1930's. After sitting empty for many years, a storm damaged the roof, giving incentive for the area people to renovate the old school in 1968 and it was placed on the National List of Historic Places. It is currently a part of the Tallgrass Prairie Nature Preserve and is one of the most photographed places in Kansas. Hope you all are having a great week!
A lone photographer stands silhouetted against the fading glow of sunset along the shoreline at Jarlsø in Tønsberg, captured by drone during the transition into blue hour. The fjord below is scattered with drifting ice and faint reflections of the last warm tones in the sky, while the dark foreground rocks create a strong, graphic contrast. The human figure adds scale and story to the winter landscape, a quiet moment of observation before night settles over the Oslofjord.
Fun fact: Silhouettes like this often work best when the subject is placed against the brightest part of the sky—making the outline instantly readable even from a distance, a technique frequently used in landscape and drone photography.
A fierce confrontation on a cold winter’s night under harsh stadium lights. One player holds his ground, eyes set, as his opponent charges — determination meeting impact in a frozen moment of youth rugby. The black-and-white tones strip away distraction, leaving only form, force, and focus.
Prints and Canvasses Available
Tramlines through a field of ripe barley blowing in a brisk wind as a heavy squally shower comes over. Thorpe, Lower Teesdale.
Taken from Birgram, Bogra, Bangladesh.
Taken with Nikon D300 & Tokina 11-16mm f/2.8 using GND4 upright & GND2 upside down.
Once the second‑largest slate quarry in the world, Dinorwic began operations in 1787 and powered nearly two centuries of Welsh slate production before falling silent in 1969. Its vast terraces, tramways and abandoned buildings now stand as a striking reminder of the industry that shaped Llanberis and the surrounding communities.
Dinorwic #Dinorwig #SlateQuarry #WalesHistory #Llanberis #Eryri #Snowdonia #IndustrialHeritage #UNESCO #SlateLandscape #AbandonedPlaces #QuarryLife #WalesPhotography #UKLandscapes #Flickr
Another view from this weekend's very pretty sunset at El Matador State Beach. There are so many great rocks and sea stacks and arches at this beach, the comps seem almost endless. The tide was also just right that evening--not too high, not too low--for lots of playing around with water motion.
Prints and Canvasses Available
The remote isolated hill farm at Stoney Hill, Harwood, Upper Teesdale. A hole in the cloud cover lights it up together with meadows coloured pale from recent haymaking. At the rear edge of the sunshine patch are spoil heaps from the Ladys Rake lead mine.
Lit from behind with an SB600 in a snoot, from front right with an SB700 in a softbox, and from front left with an SB600 in a softbox. The light from behind was the hero here, and the sidelight was just to fill in a little. Power levels were adjusted until they looked right. Strobes were triggered by the pop up flash on my D90.
Other plants and flowers that I've photographed using strobes can be seen in my strobe lit plant set. In the description, I list resources that I've used to learn how to do this. www.flickr.com/photos/9422878@N08/sets/72157628079460544/...
Organization: Tim Engle
Photography and Editing: Dirk Dreyer.
Hi-Res pictures and prints available at galleries.dreyerpictures.com
Prints and Canvasses Available
Superb lighting conditions as patches of very strong sunshine create light and shade in Harwood. Marshes Gill farm on the left, Low End on the right,
On Fridays, The British Museum stays open a little later into the night.
I've been mixing up my photo editing process: I first create a monochrome version of my photo, which makes it much easier to figure out shadows, tones, and overall composition. I then bring color back into the image and focus in on warmth, contrast, and range. I don't know if this'll work too well for portraits, but I'm finding it super useful for architecture and landscape photos. I'd love to hear your thoughts!
Prints and Canvasses Available
The briefest of bright intervals highlights the wall leading to a tree on the horizon as a fierce squall blows in.
Farewell, my sister, fare thee well. The elements be kind to thee, and make Thy spirits all of comfort: fare thee well.
~William Shakespeare
Dedicated to my lovely sister, though we may not see each other often, I am so thankful to have her walk with me through life. These are my adorable nieces, shot at the Prime Desert Woodland Preserve, in the south-westernmost tip of the Mojave Desert, California.
Thanks so much for dropping by! Feel free to follow my work on any of these other sites as well:
You know if you rent a house from someone to enjoy your holiday in you'll often find a little book. In this book there are all kinds of notes from people who have enjoyed their holidays in the same house.
This is the book I'm talking about.
My last upload: www.flickr.com/photos/dheuts/3804259707/
The Crimson Queen reigns supreme in this bold and captivating portrait. Dressed in rich red velvet and layered black lace, she exudes gothic elegance. Her confident pose and intricate crown complete the look, making her a true icon of regal allure.
The Flickr gods has apparently changed the rules again on how images are selected for Explore. There was a time when quite a few of mine made it into Explore, and then a long period where none made it. Who knows what causes these apparently random changes. Rotation of the earth, hole in the ozone layer, global warming, rolling of the dice? It's a mystery to me, but this image is in Explore. The ways of Flickr are not for the mere mortal to understand.
Other images of mine that are in Explore can be seen in my Explored Album.
www.flickr.com/photos/9422878@N08/sets/72157618630302105/
This is a black and white version of a previous color image that I posted on flickr earlier this month. I think, and hope, that the lighting I used here lends itself well to black and white.
I lit this with one YN560-III in an 8.6 inch Lastolite softbox above and to camera left. Directional light like this creates the shadows that help reveal shapes and textures. Fill light came from a small hand mirror at camera right. The flash, in manual mode, was triggered by a Yongnuo RF-603N. While the Lastolite soft box is relatively small for a softbox, because it's much larger than the subject and also within 4 inches of it, the light on the flower is very soft. I converted the image to black and white using Nik Software's Silver Efex Pro2.
Other Calla Lily pictures are in my Calla Lilly set. www.flickr.com/photos/9422878@N08/sets/72157626082181550/...
Other black and white images that I've attempted can be seen in my Black And White Album.
When I first started out in photography I photographed my cousins band Humungous Douglas. I would carry all of my medium format film gear and lights down to the practice room where the band rehearsed. The practice room was under an old fort and we would shoot for an hour after practice had finished. Rich was the lead singer of HD and it was great to catch up with him all these years later and to see that he's still making music.
Shot with Bowens and Nikon equipment.
Thanks to Chris W for his assistance on the shoot.
Listen to his new album Decade
here:
There’s power in what’s hidden. In this moment, we’re not invited to see the face, but to feel the presence. The posture isn’t just concealment—it’s protection, tension, defiance, or maybe even peace. The interwoven fingers form a barrier, but not a wall. It’s a quiet stand in a noisy world. What makes it compelling isn’t what we’re allowed to see, but what we’re made to wonder. This is vulnerability in full display, not through expression, but through the act of withholding it.
Prints and Canvasses Available
A blustery day of patches of bright sunshine passing quickly down the dale. One of them lights up a patch of Rosebay Willow Herb and thistles in the foreground, another set is shining on Holwick in the middle distance and a third on Cronkley Fell and Scar in the background. Taken from Stable Edge above Newbiggin.
An out take from the Dephect Spring/Summer 2016 shoot for Dephect clothing.
Model - Thomas Boord James, AKA Brotherman.
Lit with a single Bowens 400 head fitted with an octobank.
“A narrow alley in Termini Imerese, where sunlight slices through the shadows like a blade. The worn cobblestones and balconies whisper stories of Sicilian life, frozen in a timeless interplay of light and darkness.”
Fun Fact
Termini Imerese’s old town is a labyrinth of narrow streets and alleys, many dating back to medieval times. These passages were designed to provide shade and coolness during the intense Sicilian summers.
This is the last photo of my summer sunset-series taken here in South Florida on a wildly colorful night in late August. It was a still night with no wind and it seemed to have all of the elements needed; decent cloud formations, good color, soft mist and great reflections. The scenes seemed to change slowly from minute to minute and it lasted for well over an hour. Hope you have enjoyed my rendition of the evening and thanks so much for looking ~ Florida Everglades U.S.A.
[With complete lack of mountains; it forces us to be
more creative with light, composition and reflection]
(ten more photos of 'this night' in the comments)
Prints and Canvasses Available
Superb lighting conditions as patches of very strong sunshine create light and shade in Harwood. Taken from the Cow Green access road.
Lit from behind with an SB600 in a snoot, and from front right with an SB700 is a softbox. Power levels were adjusted until they looked right. Strobes were triggered by the pop up flash on my D90.
Other plants and flowers that I've photographed using strobes can be seen in my strobe lit plant set. In the description, I list resources that I've used to learn how to do this. www.flickr.com/photos/9422878@N08/sets/72157628079460544/...
There is still color in the leaves, but most are fallen off the trees as October winds down and winter approaches.
Prints and Canvasses Available
Looking over towards part of Langdon Beck, Cronkley Farm in the distance, taken from Lingy Hill
Kuakata, Bangladesh, 2011.
The fight with fate and nature.
The perpetual cycle of poverty carried to the next generation.
..And the only resort called God.
Like some of us believe....
Nature is not a synonym of God here.
Fishermen of Kuakata are stuck in a never ending captivation. Like their fathers, the children must carry on the legacy of sufferings imposed by natural calamity, monetary debt and poverty.
This image captures a quiet, intimate moment — a pair of everyday slippers resting on tiled flooring under a single, directional light source. Shot late at night (18 Jan 2026, 23:51), the composition uses strong contrast between light and shadow to transform a simple domestic object into a minimal, almost cinematic scene.
Photographed with a mobile device (M2103K19I) at 1/33 sec, f/1.79, ISO 156, 4.70mm, the low-light conditions and angled illumination create deep shadows and textured highlights across the tiles. The placement of light draws attention to the geometric lines and negative space, while the slippers subtly anchor the frame — suggesting presence without a person.
Creative intent:
The goal was to explore minimalism, solitude, and quiet human presence through everyday objects. By isolating the subject in darkness and allowing light to reveal only part of the scene, the image invites interpretation — between stillness and story.
📍 Technical Details:
Camera: M2103K19I
Aperture: f/1.79
Shutter Speed: 1/33 sec
ISO: 156
Focal Length: 4.70mm
Lighting: Single-source artificial light
📌 Location: Indoor home environment
This was in my opinion the best sunset of the summer in South Florida. Had a few images left over
so I thought I'd add them here...before the Winter season. Thanks for looking ~ Florida Everglades
Organization: Tim Engle
Photography and Editing: Dirk Dreyer.
Hi-Res pictures and prints available at galleries.dreyerpictures.com
Organization: Tim Engle
Photography and Editing: Dirk Dreyer.
Hi-Res pictures and prints available at galleries.dreyerpictures.com
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Bir Ali is located on the spectacular coast road and it is surrounded by white sand dunes, green rocky mountains and black lava deposits. You can spend your afternoon swimming or relaxing on a white sand beach or spend overnight in beach huts. The surrounding coast is a mixture of volcanic landscape and occasional patches of sand dunes.
Canon EOS 400D DIGITAL, f/22, 0.6 sec (3/5), ISO 100, 18 mm
All rights reserved - Copyright © Lucie Debelkova www.luciedebelkova.com
All images are exclusive property and may not be copied, downloaded, reproduced, transmitted, manipulated or used in any way without expressed, written permission of the photographer.