Shadow & Light is one of my favorite things to teach. I find the benefit in teaching this because it really teaches students how to spot meter effectively. When you seek out highlights, you are naturally seeking out shadow. Not only does this create a much more dramatic image, but it is also creating a much more contrasted image without the crutch of utilizing post production. I typically focus on shadow & light for about a month – which includes the discussion of the zone system, black and white photography, high and low key techniques, and seeking black and white in real spaces that include black being shadows – not necessarily JUST black pigmentation in objects.
This month that I focus within these topics really aid my students work and creativity and push them to the next level in image making.
Paige Young 