~~~~~~~5. Light in Action~~~~~~~The flowers below are a perfect example of reflected and filtered light. When there are this many different colors closely next to one another, things can become complicated. However, notice that the soft light of the scene here makes for softer shadows, even in the deepest, most further back places.
To illustrate, here's a detail shot. There are areas where light is very blocked, and they seem to be very dark, but those are few an far between when the light is so subtle or weak.
I'll also note here that what we perceive naturally as lines is actually cast shadow- from one leaf to the next, and so on. And while we're at it, you see how the top image is further away, and so is more like a pattern or texture? Things in the distance are like this. The bottom image then is closer to us, and we can see it much more clearly. Keep this in mind if you wish to portray scenes, especially with a large range of distances.
This next image is an enlarged collage, so that you can see (pixelated) the effects of reflecting light.
1. The first arrow on the top left points to a bluish tone- a combination of the blue-green leaves below the white flowers and the shadow cast by them. Also, notice how light the shadow is here! It's more of a middle value than a dark.
whee The rest of the arrows show the same thing- a middle value shadow, no black colors, and no deep darks.
The arrow on the bottom right aims at an obvious reflection- there is pink and purple all over the leaves below the pink flowers. This is how vibrant colors add tones to what's around them (more on that in color theory).
