Working with the Light

The use of light in a photograph can be a major factor in whether a digital photo turns out and makes its way to print or finds instant demise with the delete button. My favorite time to shoot is early morning or early evening because the rising sun or setting sun can have such wonderful tones. I also love reflections and find myself drawn to using them in my subject matter. Different angles can give totally different results so it is a definite plus studying the area and seeing how the light plays out. While I can always click away and hope for the law of averages, the great shot is the one in which I feel connected with the subject matter and there is that intake of breath that says OMG this is so beautiful. Of course there are those instances in which for all due respects a shot should simply not have worked and it does. One day we were shooting Sand Hill Cranes flying overhead. They headed directly into the sun and while I’d rather work with the light than go towards the light the result worked and produced some pretty cool silhouettes! Not everything can be fundamentally and technically right all the time but if it has captured something special then it’s a job well done!