Photo Boost | Day Three | Lovely Light
Day Three | Lovely Light
Light, lovely light. Photography and light are like milk and cookies, you can have milk without cookies, but add in a good cookie and well, need I say more. Getting the light right in your photos is definitely going to give them a major boost! Light comes in so many different forms, and while there really is no right or wrong light, there is a type of light that’s perfect for beginners. It’s clean, versatile, flattering and very hard to get wrong. So this is the kind of light I want you to look for today. What is this amazing light you speak of? I hear you say. Well, it’s soft light, that delicious smooth light you find in areas of open shade.
Soft light simply means light that is soft and diffuse, with no harsh, sharp shadows or bright “hot” spots. Let me show you!
The light on this egg, is hard. Very dark one side, very bright the other. The transition between the two is very short.
The light on this egg, is soft. Dark one side, bright the other with a lovely soft gradual transition between the two.
Photographing people in hard light is not only unflattering, it makes it really hard for them to look without squinting.
Soft light is almost always easy to find, look for a nice even shaded area, under a patio, the shade of a solid tree, the shady side of the house, inside think right near a nice big window. Cloudy days or even air pollution (perhaps the only positive to air pollution) can also give you a lovely soft light. When you photograph your subject in soft light, particularly people, you’re not distracted by the harsh shadows or bright spots. The tones of the image are more natural, not too dark or too bright for you to see what’s going on.
I have a great blog post if you want to read more about finding good light for family photo’s, check it out before your next event or milestone!
Lovely soft light is so flattering for people!
Hot Tips
Take a look at your subject and the shadows that fall on it, are they harsh or nice and soft. Are there any patches of super bright light, could moving position
The camera doesn’t change the light we see with our eyes, it merely records it. Get in the habit of doing a quick “light look” before you press the shutter.
Inspiration
Soft light is great for portraits, milestone shots, food photography. It’s also great for capturing any item you really want to see details of. Look for soft light under a patio, a large fig tree, the shaded side of a building, or by a doorway or a big window inside.
The Challenge
Choose yourself a subject, take a good look at the subject and see if you can see the