My favorite Light

Many photography books talk about “Golden Hour” light being the best light for photographers working outdoors. The light an hour or two after sunrise or an hour or two before sunset has a golden color due to the way sunlight passes through the atmosphere at those times. It’s also the most flattering light for people so they tend to buy more photos at that time, but I digress. I like it when the sun is coming from one direction and the subject of the photo is backed by dark clouds. The trick of course is waiting for the alignment of the weather and the sun to come into place. I got this photo today when I ran out at about an hour and a half before sunset. For most of the day, it was a crystal clear, cloudless day. Then late in the afternoon, it pretty much became a solid overcast. I went out anyways as the drive is often therapeutic rather than photographic in intent. I like roaming around and just seeing what there is to see so much more than silly TV or boring chores. The chores will be there when I’m back…

Anyways, here is a great example of the lighting I’m talking about. It was only there for a few minutes as the sun came between some cloud banks. As quickly as it came, it was gone… What’s your favorite light or photo story with fleeting light. Let me know in the comments below!

I loved the light and the frame made by the trees with the barn and silo behind them
I loved the light and the frame made by the trees with the barn and silo behind them

 

3 thoughts on “My favorite Light”

  1. I like the mid morning light in my kitchen window combined with light boards to bounce light onto the front of food subjects.

  2. For me it is more about the softness and direction of the light as opposed to the color, although the color does add a nice glow in the right setting. I’ve found that the softness created by the atmospheric spreading of the light produces beautiful portraits. The direction creates the drama that I look for in my photos. Those two combined – soft and dramatic – make for pleasing images.

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