 |
December 2, 2008 |
  |
Created and Maintained by: The Photoimaging Information Council |
|
|
by John Beebe |
|
Light – The Magic Hour “Photograph: a picture painted by the sun without instruction in art.” ~Ambrose Bierce As photographers we are not in direct control of the sun but must instead learn to work with it to create engaging images. There are endless variations on the use of sunlight. In this column we look at how to optimize the beautiful early morning and late afternoon light. Learn From Landscape Photographers If we think of our subjects as mini landscapes it helps to see the light on our subjects. We all have experienced it. That late afternoon light when the sun casts a warm, soft glow that gives everything a magical look. Landscape photographers love it and will go to great lengths to be at the right place at the right moment to catch this light. They want the light raking across the landscape creating interesting shadows and adding depth to their image. That means the sun is coming from their left or right, not from behind or in front of them.  © 2008 John Beebe
In this photograph of a family beside the Hudson River in New York City, I have applied the same principle. The late afternoon sun is coming in from camera left and sculpting the faces. Because it is late in the afternoon and the sun is partially obscured by a thin veil of clouds the sun creates soft shadows. Notice also how the mothers face is turned slightly more into the sun, softening the shadows even more. The father is defined by the sunlight creating a gentle rim effect and clear separation from the background. I arrived at this pose by positioning the family and watching the light on their faces as they slowly turned their faces (this is one thing that landscape photographers can’t do). Even when I am not shooting, I often find myself watching how light and shadows move across people’s faces. Even the simple act of holding your hand up and turning it slowly will reveal important insights into the nature of the light surrounding you.  © 2008 John Beebe
In this picture of Anna in her pink fur coat the late afternoon sun comes in from camera right. While there is direct sunlight on Anna’s face, the light bouncing off all the snow softens the shadows with natural fill. If we think of Anna’s outfit as a landscape with valley’s and mountains, we can see how the side lighting creates a sense of depth with shadows and highlights. Get out and shoot during the magical hours. Move yourself and your subject and notice how even a small change will dramatically impact how the light falls on your subject. “Family along the Hudson” “Anna in Pink” Camera: Nikon D200
|
|
||||||||||||||||||||||
© 2002 - 2008 Take Great Pictures |
||||||||||||||||||||||||
