Using Light Effectively

Light is the fundamental substance of photography. It lies at its heart. Some people talk about photography as “painting with light”. Successful photography depends on the quality of light not just the quantity. During the course of the day the direction, color and intensity of light can change dramatically. From the low reddish sunlight of early morning and dusk, to the hard overhead mid-day sun. Following on from my previous article about exposure, let’s look at some of the effects light inevitably has on your photography. A few simple tips can be used to help deal with tricky light conditions.

* Shooting into the light can give dramatic silhouettes or impressive dark skies. This can be seen in many sun rises and sun sets. An image taken into the sun can make the subject stand out against areas of shadow giving a feeling of depth and rich tones. Modern lenses are coated to help reduce lens flare, but it is still advisable to use a lens hood or shade the lens with your hand.

*In very sunny conditions or in high contrast situations use fill-in flash to lighten the shadows. Most cameras will have a fill-in flash mode, some do this automatically. When the camera is in fill flash mode the camera exposes for the composition and adds just enough flash for the main subject. The result is a profession looking image with no dark shadows. This is something wedding photographers routinely use. Alternatively, use a reflector to bounce the light back into the shadows areas.

* For indoor shots natural light can be very effective. Have the subject close to a window where the soft directional light can be very pleasing, especially for portraits. Again, a reflector can be used to lighten any shadows. You don’t need a purpose made reflector. Any white material can be used - a sheet or white card will do.

* When photographing in strong sunlight try using the dark shadows as an integral part of the composition. They can produce interesting shapes and patterns. Long shadows early in the morning or late in the day can be used to great effect.

* Outdoor scenes can be greatly improved by attaching a polarizing filter to the lens. This will reduce glare and enrich the colors. This is especially effective for sunny outdoor scenes reducing the reflection off water and giving the sky a deeper blue. It has a similar effect to wearing Polaroid sunglasses. Polarizing filters can be rotated to minimize/maximize their effect. Outdoor landscapes and portraits can also be improved by changing the default white balance from “auto” to “cloudy”. This will give warmer tones.

* Shafts of light can look spectacular. In woodland, for example, light coming down through the trees are like natural spot lights. The sun shining through a forest canopy can give a dramatic effect. Backlit leaves give a translucent look and can enrich the greens. The sun shining through a sudden break in stormy clouds can be very dramatic.

* Always remember, even dull lighting can give surprisingly good results. So don’t put your camera away just because you are loosing the light. A long exposure can result in a great shot, giving the effect of movement. Especially street scenes. So even in tricky lighting conditions it is always worthwhile taking the photograph. In fact, take a few at different exposures.

Above all else, your photography should be fun – so always have your camera with you and enjoy!