Side light for depth
Louis Daguerre was a painter and Physicist, but he was better known for inventing the Daguerreotype; the first process for making photographs. Actually it was Nie’pce that was the first, and later they both actually became partners working on it together.
One of my all time favorite quotes was made by Daguerre. He said, ” I have captured the light and arrested its flight. The sun itself shall draw my pictures.”
When I first read this quote I was instantly struck by my own thoughts I’ve been carrying with me for the past fifty years of being an advertising and corporate photographer and now that I’m retired those same thoughts are with me when I show my fellow photographers how to “make pictures”, as well as using the light and sun effectively. That is, how critical light is and should be to them when they’re out shooting and more importantly, how the sun affects every aspect of a photographer’s thought process as it relates to his or her imagery.
Back light for energy
I’m constantly advising my online students with the BPSOP, that shooting when the sun is no more than 15 degrees off the horizon offers the optimum light as far as the quality and softness is concerned; known as the Golden Hour. As far as as my “Stretching Your Frame of Mind” workshops I conduct, we might be street shooting midday, but we’re always out there early in the morning and late in the afternoon as well.
If you’re a student of light, you think about the sun and where it is any time you’re holding a camera. I have talked for years about my clock and how I determine what the subject will look like under various conditions. In other words I always let the sun draw my pictures.
Front light for contrast
Where I place myself in relation to the sun will create different visual interest and tension. For example, if I want to add the third dimension to my subject, the illusion of depth, I’ll use light coming in from the side. If I want the feeling of energy and make my subjects seem to be glowing, I’ll back light them. If I’m looking for extreme contrast I’ll place the sun at my back and front light, providing I can get the area behind the subject dark.
So many photographers just don’t give the light and the sun much credence. For them if the sun is out nice and bright and right above their heads that means that it’s beaming down enough to “take pictures”…albeit hot and harsh.
If I had a dollar for every time I saw a photographer look up to make sure the sun was shining as much as possible on their subject, I would be writing this from a lounge chair next to a pool on some Island; a blue and frothy cocktail with an umbrella hanging down on one side, sitting on a table very close to me.
Here’s what I can promise you…if you become cognizant of the light and where the sun is at any time you’re out shooting, and let it draw your pictures, you’re photography will move up at least one notch.
Visit my website at: www.joebaraban.com and check out my 2018 workshop schedule at the top of this blog. Come shoot with me sometime. I’ve a couple of openings in my Springtime in Berlin workshop next May 23rd. A fantastic city with so many great locations we’re going to be shooting.
This coming July 29th will be my 30th anniversary teaching at the Maine Media Workshop. I’ve always picked this time as it’s the week of the Lobster Festival down the road in Rockland. This ofers a unique set of photo ops, different from the Maine Coast, fishing villages and lighthouses. The Lobster Festival is all about color, design, light, energy, people watchng and environmental portraits everywhere you look; some people are there in costumes and loved to be photographed.
In conjunction with The Santa Fe Workshops, October 2nd I’ll be leading a group in San Miguel de Allende. A beautiful oasis and artist colony, and the entire city is a UNESCO site.
Come join me for a week of fun and photography…what could be better?
JoeB
