Top Tip for Beginning Photographers: Look at the Light!

I thought I would begin sharing some tips for those photography enthusiasts to hopefully help you take better photos in your everyday life. I know a LOT of people like to take photos for their friends and family, so I thought I would share a tip or two a month and hopefully it will help. :)

LOOK AT THE LIGHT!

And I don't mean actually look into the sun. But it is good to see what kind of light you are working with. Which way are the shadows falling? Unless you want a silhouette effect, where your subject is black against an interesting background, it's generally best to shoot with the sun behind you.

Here is an example of the sun behind me at mid-day:

How is the light affecting your subject? Is the subject squinting?

Is the light blazing directly and brightly upon your whole subject? This works well if you are in love with the bold colors of your subject. :) 

Here is an example of direct light:

Side lighting, on the other hand, can add drama but can also cause extreme, hard-to-print contrasts.

Lastly, indirect light can be used to make your subject glow soft and pretty. 

I really enjoy shooting in "open shade" where there are no specks of light falling on subjects. This means under a shade tree or an overhang of a roof. Somewhere where it is still bright, but not with direct sunlight. You have to be careful of this, too, however, because it can be too dark and produce cold photos. There is a difference between open shade and complete shadow!

Here is an example of Open Shade (the light is bouncing off of the white blanket, but no flash used):

I try to set my location shoots in the early morning with the sunrise or in the evening before dusk.
Here is an example of a shot at dusk:

In the winter, the afternoon light is different than in the summer, so any time of day really works. Just watch that exposure! 

Also, gloomy days are probably my ABSOLUTE favorite! Maybe it's because I am from Oregon? lol The clouds act as somewhat of a softbox bouncing down diffused sunlight and the possibilities are endless! 

Here is an example of a gloomy, cloudy day (ann natural light, no flash):

I hope this tip helps a little! Stay tuned for more tips!
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