Abandoned, Canyon County, Idaho
Photography means writing with light. If we are going to have quality “writing” we must have quality light. I have had students ask “Why can’t I make photographs like yours?” I nearly always answer with, “You can” followed up with “What time of day did you shoot that one?” I already knew the answer, but needed to ask in order to make the point.
The quality of light changes throughout the day. On a clear day, the warmest and softest light is in the evening, just before the sun sets. Mornings at sunrise are good too. I love working in the evening, as I can watch the light get better and better right through the sunset, and then it changes to a cooler, but still a very soft, moody light. The soft, directional light that happens that last hour before sunset is very sweet. The texture in nature becomes very pronounced. The shadows are deep, yet not blocked up. The warm/cool relationship between highlights and shadows is also more pronounced. It makes for amazing images. Don’t get me wrong, you must still have a vision. The photograph doesn’t create itself, but when vision and light work together you can get some terrific results.
If we want to create images with feeling and power, we must be willing to work when the light is right, even if it is not convenient.
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