I wasn’t going to burn daylight.
The phrase “burning daylight” is film industry slang and it comes from my days as a director/cameraman. It’s still used to tell the crew to hurry up since the natural daylight is so fleeting. The sun’s position and the quality of the light change so fast that we always need to have continuity from one scene to another; even with the light.
I write this because I’m always telling my online students with the BPSOP and especially in my “Stretching Your Frame of Mind” workshops I conduct all over the place to stop standing or sitting around talking when the light is the best.
Not too long ago I returned from my latest “Springtime” workshop that was held in Berlin. I always find a location that can support ten photographers, and be able to spread out enough as not to step on each other’s toes…or even see each other for that matter.
On more than one occasion I will walk up to a few that have gotten together to chat. Now I don’t mind people talking about what they shot, what they shot it with, where was it, and even what was your lens and exposure; after all, it is their nickel.
That’s all well and good and should be talked about over dinner and or drinks, but not when the sun is starting to get right…that would be called burning daylight.
In the photo above, I walked up to a group and had barely finished my sermon about wasting beautiful light and getting them to break it up when I saw this man leaning against the wall. I raced over and was able to get off a couple of shots, and within twenty seconds the light was gone.
So how does this apply to you? In a matter of speaking the same way. If you’re just out and about shooting during midday, and just enjoying yourself and whatever location you’re at, that’s one thing.
However, if you’re out early in the morning or late in the afternoon (possibly with a friend) and you want that elusive ‘OMG’ shot, think about what you’re doing and why you’re doing it when you’re doing it…as in getting up before the sun comes up.
Don’t stop at a Starbucks for a cold latte and run into a friend and decide to sit down for thirty minutes…then all of a sudden jump up because the light has dropped considerably. More than just likely you will miss what could have been the best photo you had ever taken; at least up to then. At least get it at the drive-thru!!!
🙂
And so my fellow photographers, don’t let the visual world pass you by and take that beautiful light with it. Don’t burn up the best daylight hours of which there’s so little of. Don’t procrastinate and waste precious time getting started, or when you’re out shooting. Above all, don’t waste precious seconds with the settings on your camera.
Or, on the other hand, a tall, half-caf, half de-caf, double half expresso, half cappuccino with low-fat foam, and a twist of lemon might just hit the spot.
Visit my website at www.joebaraban.com, and check out my workshop schedule at the top of this blog. Come shoot with me sometime.
JoeB
