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Lesson 5 of 6
  • Year 10

Light and dark in photography

I can review the range of ways photographers have been inspired by light and dark in photography.

Lesson 5 of 6
New
New
  • Year 10

Light and dark in photography

I can review the range of ways photographers have been inspired by light and dark in photography.

These resources will be removed by end of Summer Term 2025.

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These resources were created for remote use during the pandemic and are not designed for classroom teaching.

Lesson details

Key learning points

  1. Photographers can use light and dark to create mood, atmosphere and contrast in photography.
  2. We can find symbolic meanings of light and darkness across different cultures and art movements.
  3. Photographers can experiment with using light and shadow to define form, space and focus in their photographs.

Keywords

  • Silhouette - a dark shape or outline of something against a lighter background, showing only the outline with no internal detail

  • Contrast - the difference between elements (like light and dark or rough and smooth) that makes parts of an image stand out

Common misconception

Light and dark are only used to make things look realistic, not to create mood.

This overlooks how contrast can be used to suggest emotion, tension, calm, or drama, not just realism.


To help you plan your year 10 art and design lesson on: Light and dark in photography, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...

Greater contextual information on the photographer's work can be found in the additional materials. You may wish to alter the imagery to better fit your project themes.
Teacher tip

Equipment

Access to the internet or a library of art books. Sketchbook or paper for recording ideas, pencils, pens.

Licence

This content is © Oak National Academy Limited (2025), licensed on Open Government Licence version 3.0 except where otherwise stated. See Oak's terms & conditions (Collection 2).

Lesson video

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Prior knowledge starter quiz

Download quiz pdf

5 Questions

Q1.
True or false: Shadows in photography are always caused by an object blocking light.

Correct answer: True
False

Q2.
Which of the following is the main source of natural light for photography?

Street lamps
Correct answer: The sun
Camera flash
A phone screen

Q3.
Match the word to its meaning:

Correct Answer:Highlight,The brightest part of an image

The brightest part of an image

Correct Answer:Shadow,The darkest area where light is blocked

The darkest area where light is blocked

Correct Answer:Contrast,The difference between light and dark areas

The difference between light and dark areas

Q4.
True or false: Black-and-white photography cannot show contrast.

True
Correct answer: False

Q5.
Why might a photographer use strong contrast between light and dark?

To create flat and dull images
To make photos more impactful
To remove all details
To blur the whole image

Additional material

Download additional material