I felt like the last posts were super heavy and I wanted to lighten it up a little–no pun intended:) This post is for anyone with any camera.
**For a printable PDF version of this post click here.
I’m going to start with a few stories that lead into today’s topic–looking for the light in photography.
Story #1 About 6 years ago when I was still shooting on auto, I started looking around other photographers blogs/websites and would often see this: “I shoot only natural light….” I remember calling in my husband laughing and saying, “well, sheesh, that’s funny, anyone can shoot natural light, its the easiest part of photography.” Little, little did I know what the phrase natural light really meant. I only knew that in my auto settings when I was outside, I got better pictures than when I was inside with my flash. Am I right? I think we all know that. I used my flash outside–if the camera thought it needed to pop up–and sometimes I didn’t.
Story #2 I still regularly peruse photographers blogs. I love to look for inspiration and get to know them through their writing. I am very surprised when I read their happiness that they got to shoot on an overcast day. And this isn’t always from the mouth of mediocre photographers (me–6 years ago) but from those that I respect that produce great work. Now don’t get all embarresed if you have thought that or said that before, because I get it. The sun is a very tricky beast! It can be difficult to work around. I am going to give you some tips here on taming that beast–having the sun work to your advantage to where you actually want to have the sun around to give that beautiful golden glow.
With all that said, I now consider myself a natural light photographer. My flash and lightsphere diffuser usually stay at home. I know some photographers also use them outside to even the light on a subjects face or to bring the catch light into the eyes, but I personally don’t. I like to work with just my camera, to achieve the most natural of lights.
Light in the Eyes
I mentioned the catch light. When photographing an individual, always look for the light in their eyes. Turn them around until you get it. If not, you will get what photographers often call, dead eyes (and dark bags under eyes–racoon eyes–often accompany that). Here is an example taken just for this tutorial.
She is standing in the exact same spot. The shot on the left, the sun is behind her. The shot on the right, she is looking in the direction of the sun. Now, she is still in the shade, but what I like to call open shade. It is at the edge of the shade line, just before you hit the sun line. I took a picture of the scene so you can understsand a bit better.
P.S. I am doing a comment appreciation giveaway over on my blog. If you’ve commented there recently, you might be a little happy:)
I have learned more from your last couple of posts than I have in the last 2 years. Thank you. One problem I still have is having blurry pictures even when I set the shutter speed to be quick. It's probably something I'm doing so I am going to play with it.
Great post – very insightful! Here is a photo I took in less than ideal conditions. I was just a passerby and had no control over the model so I did my best and then had lots of fun with the editing to produce the image I saw in my head…
http://lovelybud.typepad.com/lovely-bud/2010/04/wordless-wednesday-garden-landscape-with-belle.html
oh and the image in the banner of my blog is a wonderful day when it was CLOUDY in the garden and I could shoot flowers to my hearts content:)
Thank you! Great tips, I appreciate it.
I love your tips! I so look forward to them. THANKS!!!
I just LOVE using the sun! I used to be obsessed with getting sunsets (my favorite part about the Texas panhandle) and just recently started trying to get them in my pictures in other ways. Thanks for the tips (and the laughs from your silhouette tips!)
can't wait to try some of these out! :)
Wonderful helps. She always makes me want to run outside and take photos!
Thanks for this, Kristen :) Great information and something to look for in my next session. My daughter is having her first communion this Saturday. The weather hasn't cooperated for me to take her outside for some pictures. I'm hoping to get some taken within the next week.
Have you ever photographed a communion session?? I'm looking for some ideas on sites or positioning. I didn't want the standard kneeling with the rosary and a black backdrop… I wanted something different.
I'm nervous! Sure wish this photography thing came naturally! LOL!
thanks again for the info! It's all good stuff :)
amy
I am SERIOUSLY loving these photography tutorials. Thank you so much. I too hate when I hear people say "Oh good it is cloudy!" I am the opposite. I LOVE having the sun in my pictures and I always look for it when taking pictures. :)
great read, thank you!
Thank you so much for all the tips! I am constantly learning new things about photography and I love it :)
This information is so great! I love it! I definately need to learn this stuff. Thank you, Thank you for sharing!
Thank you so much. I appreciate that I can use these tips with my regular digital camera.
I am loving your posts with Kristen Duke. I have learned a ton! I was shooting with a older camera and was wanting to get more into photography so my husband surprised me with a Nikon D90. Hello, overwhelming! I am about to have my 3rd child next week and hope that after that I can continue to learn! Thanks for the posts!
Thank You! I have been struggling with lighting for a while, but I think your tips and techniques will help me out. I will go give it a shot!
-Kelsey
ANOTHER AMAZING post Kristen! Thanks so much for all of the tips and the time and effort you put into helping all of the rest of us!!
Kristen I love these tips. Thanks so much for sharing your smarts with us!
Kristen,
Once again, FABULOUS post. I always look forward to reading your stuff. I think this will help me out a ton and I am going to practice this weekend. I can totally relate when you say the sun is a BEAST! Thanks again and I'm looking forward to another post.
Thank you! This was so helpful!
another great post!
thanks so much for putting all this photography stuff in layman's terms! it's been really helpful and fun to learn!
Alright. One more thing – the pic with the boy on the other end of the tube, how exactly did you get that shot and sometimes when I try to put sun flare in my pics my subjects turn out blurry or almost hazy. What am I doing wrong?
Great tips all of them. I'm gonna having fun trying some of these techniques
I seriously LOVE reading these posts! Thank you to Amy for letting Kristen come on so much.
Brooke Snow has some great advice on how to use the sun at high noon when the sun is supposed to be the hardest to work with.
Her post is here;
http://blog.brookesnow.com/?p=712
I still have yet to master it but I am getting closer. The sun is a beast but once you tame it, it really can be your best friend.
Thanks everyone! I love to hear your feedback and that what I am writing is helping something click for you!
Susan E–The tunnel shot, I exposed my lighting for the bright sun on the other side. As far as focus with the sun, it can be tricky. You have to often get your focus above or below the direct sun and then recompose on the sun…does that make sense? I don't often plan to get sun flare, sometimes its luck, sometimes I see it when I am trying to do something else and quickly grab the flare shot before I go onto the other.
Thank you for a great post! It makes so much more sense with the photos to show what you're saying. Wish the kids weren't at school so I could play with my camera!
Thanks so much for posting your insight here for us to learn. I've learned so much more from these few posts of yours than I have in some classes (that I've paid good money for!). I look forward to seeing what you come up with next ;)
Thank you so much! Very helpful post. I still have trouble with getting the light in the eyes. I will have to try your suggestions and hopefully I can get it down. :)
Thanks again for another great batch of information! I look forward to these posts every week and will be really sad when they end! I have learned so many useful tips and I can already see a difference in my pictures! Shooting in manual mode is FUN!!! I can't wait to try your latest technique for some great "sun" shots! Thanks, thanks, thanks…my photo journal cup runeth over!
I can not thank you enough for sharing all of this!!!! I get so frustrated trying to take a sun picture.
I'm wondering, how do I take a picture full on sun without it looking blown out? By the way, that would be no shade.
Wow…awesome pics here. I like it! ;-)
An intllieegnt answer – no BS – which makes a pleasant change
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