Light
The golden hour sun varnishes the LangjΓΆkull glacier, the mountains and fields, Iceland.
Welcome to the section on Light, fellow photography enthusiasts! In this part of our workshop, we dive into the fascinating world of light and its crucial role in travel and landscape photography.
Light is the very essence of photography, shaping our images, evoking emotions, and breathing life into our visual stories.
The Golden Hour: Unveiling the Magic of Lightβ
Get ready to immerse yourself in the captivating beauty of the golden hour! Ah, the golden hour, that bewitching time right after sunrise or before sunset when the sun gracefully dances low on the horizon. It is renowned for its warm, soft, and diffused illumination, casting a magical glow over landscapes, cityscapes, and subjects alike.
During this special time, the sun sits low on the horizon, resulting in a stunning interplay of light and shadows. The angled light creates long, graceful shadows that add depth, dimension, and a sense of three-dimensionality to your photographs. Colours are intensified, and so is the rush to take the perfect photograph in the fleeting light.
Golden hour on top of the Trotternish Ridge, Isle of Skye, Scotland.
The setting sun basks the clouds and the ground in a soft glow. The mundane colours have transformed into a whole palette of warm red, pinks and oranges. The setting light shapes the outlines of each hill and mountain. The last sun rays are captured in the image almost making the viewer squint as if they were there.
This is the power of the golden hour.
Always check the sunrise and sunset times before you go out. Check how long they'll last. A quick search online or a photography apps should wield you the needed information.
One of the remarkable qualities of the golden hour light is its ability to evoke a sense of warmth, tranquility, and nostalgia. The softness of the light lends an ethereal quality to your images, enveloping scenes in a gentle, romantic ambiance. Landscapes are bathed in a warm, golden hue, making them come alive with a breathtaking glow.
This time of day influences colours by making them more saturated and vivid, especially the yellows, oranges, and reds. The atmosphere filters out the blue light when the sun is closer to the horizon, leaving behind a golden hue that covers everything.
Warm light on a cold evening, Vitosha Peak, Bulgaria.
Here we have a gentle sunset light diffused by the distant haze in the plains below. It creates an ethereal orange glow that reflects on the frozen surface of the mountain peaΠΊ.
Any harsh shadows are subdued from the warm bounce light which mixes with the still mostly blue sky above to create purplish shadows.
Try to scout your locations beforehand. This will give you the knowledge of the best compositions beforehand as well as prevent the hectic rush of trying to find the perfect spot for the limited time the golden hour shows itself.
Embracing Bold Light: Conquering the Harsh Sunβ
Get ready to face the brilliance of bold light as we venture into the world of shooting under intense sunlight! For many, shooting in bright light might seem daunting, but fear not, for within these challenges lie incredible creative opportunities. Rather than call it a day and wait for the golden hour to come, you can use sharp contrast daylight to your advantage.
Looking for compositions and a place to camp on a cloudless day.
Getting a good harsh daylight photo depends on good exposure and putting some work before and after you take the photo.
Here I've positioned the sun to my left side and away from the camera so I can get a smaller dynamic range between the sky and the ground. That means the difference between the lightest and darkest part of the image is smaller. Post processing also plays a big role as it allowed me to lift and smooth the shadows to reduce the contrast.
This photo was actually taken with a phone! Which does some of the post processing live as the picture is captured and saved. It manages to increase the dynamic range without me needing to do it as much in my editing software.
Also, while bright light can be challenging, it also presents the perfect opportunity to embrace vibrant colors, the red pops out of the image here.
A polarizing filter comes very handy in bright light as it cuts the secondary blue bounce light from the sky. More on those in later chapters!
Hazy light separating each hill on the Trotternish Ridge, Isle of Skye.
Mixing bright light with some atmospheric phenomena can create nice separation in your photos. Here we have the bright light being diffused by haze. This, along with the shadows of each hill create a layered landscape photo that seemingly fades into the pure white of the skye.
Another tip here is that you don't always need to fully expose your photo so all the highlights or shadows are visible. Here the sky is blown out to pure white from it's pure blue look and creating a much warmer image as a whole.
To harness the power of bright light, consider using it as a tool to create stunning silhouettes. Position your subject against the radiant glow of the sun, allowing its radiant energy to outline their form, highlighting their contours with a sense of ethereal beauty. Alternatively, explore the mesmerizing interplay between backlighting and translucent subjects, such as flowers or leaves, to create enchanting scenes filled with luminosity and delicate details.
Clouds and hills backlit in a glowing orange duotone on Isle of Skye, Scotland.
Consider backlighting and side lighting and positioning your subject strategically to utilize the dramatic lighting. Experiment with backlighting to create striking silhouettes against a bright background, or explore how side lighting can accentuate textures and direct the shadows horizontally across the image.
Shoot Black and White. Harsh light can be a powerful ally when it comes to creating stunning black and white photographs. It strips away the distractions of color and allowing us to focus on shapes, contrasts, and textures.
With the sun high in the sky, shadows become deep and dramatic, adding a sense of three-dimensionality to the scene. These stark contrasts between light and shadow create bold shapes and patterns that can become the focal point of your black and white images.
The intense sun mixes with the ocean spray at this black sand beach in Iceland.
The Blue Hour: Painting With Twilightβ
As day transitions into night, a magical interlude unfurls, known as the blue hour. This enchanting period, characterized by a serene blue hue enveloping the landscape, provides a captivating backdrop for photography. During this time, natural and artificial lights converge to create a unique symphony of shadows and illuminations.
Tree blossoms and a warm calm evening at the River Cam, Cambirdge, UK.
Here we have the blue hour sky reflecting in the still river alongside the warm lit lights of Magdalene college, Cambridge and the quayside path along the river. A perfect mix of blue, orange and pink to create a serene evening scene.
The longer shutter speed used here helped smooth the water reflections and anonymise the passing cyclist so their face doesn't distract from the image as a whole - as people like to gaze at other people faces, something to keep in mind in your photography!
Imagine a cityscape adorned with vibrant, illuminated buildings during the blue hour. As darkness gradually takes hold, the artificial lights illuminate the urban landscape, weaving a tapestry of colors and reflections. The contrast between the cool, soothing tones of the blue hour and the warm, inviting glow of artificial lights adds depth and dimension to your photographs.
Twilight falls at this small Swedish town. A customer just filled their car at the unattended petrol station.
The contrast of the blue hours versus artificial light can be used to create many different feelings in a scene. In this case the warm lights of the petrol station and their reflection are framed in the middle of this colder blue small town landscape.
In this case it gives the scene a moody almost lonely look, only disturbed by the light streaks of car driving off from the petrol station.
Experiment with long exposures to capture streaks of light from passing cars, blending the serenity of the blue hour with the energy of bustling city life. By embracing the interplay between natural and artificial light, you can create captivating compositions that transport viewers into a world where reality and imagination intertwine.
A perfect opportunity to get out and capture some low-key blue hour scenes is if you live near roadside restaurants, attractions or petrol stations with big glowing neon or neon-like signs.
Cloudy Skies: From Serenity to the Dramaticβ
Cloudy skies create a natural softbox, diffusing light and offering a gentle, even illumination that brings out the subtle beauty of the world around us. This serene lighting presents the perfect opportunity to capture scenes that exude calmness and tranquility. Think of dreamy seascapes with soft waves rolling in, misty forests with an air of mystery, or serene landscapes reflecting in tranquil waters.
Soft moody day at the Lake District, UK.
A complete blanket of clouds provides a very even and soft light. It's a good opportunity to create serene or thoughtful scenes. We have exactly that in this photo. The diffused light combined with the still reflection of the water create a moody scene. The rusty dried out grasses complement the emotion of the picture and contrast the overall dark-grey look.
But don't be fooled by the softness of the clouds! Cloudy skies can also add an element of drama and intensity to our images. Certain shapes of clouds will let different amount if light and create a dramatic sky full of texture that you can take advantage of. Think of a mountain landscape with storm clouds gathering on the horizon far above the tall peaks.
Storm clouds gather near Vestrahorn, Iceland.
The different density of cloud cover lets the light to create dramatic textures in the clouds and sky as a whole. Here we have the sun trying to break through the storm clouds sweeping across the scene. Providing some warmth amid the blue-grey landscape.
The reflection on the black sandy beach as well as the scale of the mountains versus to the one of the clouds further contributes to the drama.
Having clouds roll in on a bright sunny day is an opportunity to escape the sharp contrast of sunlight and instead play with the dappled light that is spread across the landscape.
Autumnal scenes at the Isle of Skye, Scotland
Cloudy days are a great way to reduce the intense and sharp light of the sun. Here the cloud diffuse the light whilst still keeping the scene well lit. The spars clouds cover also creates large areas on the landscape where shadow and light interplay.
A polarizing filter was used to keep the colour of the grass vivid and make the sky a deeper blue.
- Golden hour provides warm, diffused light after sunrise or before sunset, enhances colors and textures, requires planning.
- Shooting in intense sunlight, creates dramatic contrasts and silhouettes, use polarizing filters.
- Blue hour: Serene transition from day to night, captivating colors, cityscapes with artificial light.
- Cloudy skies create natural softbox, serene illumination, ideal for introspective scenes, also adds drama with textured clouds.
- Black and white is powerful in harsh light, focuses on shapes and contrasts.