Blog
Shooting in the daylight (11.02.2016)
Text and photos Eneli Rahula
The most important and necessary thing to do while shooting is to cooperate with the daylight! We cannot shade the sun or blow away the clouds with an instant. So, it is very important to use the uniqueness and all the special effects that the nature offers. Light can be very different during different times of the day and different seasons. I am going to share some things with you that I have noticed and what I consider when I go into the nature.
BE PATIENT
Nature is not like a studio light that stands patiently and does its job, so you have to be patient and ready for the worst scenarios. Sometimes the sun is hidden behind the clouds or it starts to rain, you have to be ready for that. In this case, you have two options: deal with it and adjust to the new situation or try again on some other day.
BE PREPARED
Follow the weather forecast and be aware of the conditions you are facing at the shoot and what kind of situation you are going to work in. There are different apps and internet pages available where you can follow the movement of thunderstorms and the Aurorae, the sun, its rise and set and the possibilities of rain. You just need be informed to use all that information for your benefit.
LEARN TO COOPERATE WITH THE LIGHT
Look around you constantly; there is no other way to become skilled! Try to find the soft light that would create strong contrasts and shadow onto the photo. You need to observe the nature and understand how the real light works, moves and changes. Even the most mediocre could change into something special if the light has been well caught.
USE HELPFUL TOOLS
Hoods are not expensive and they are comfortable tools to help regulate the harsh sun. When you don’t have a hood, try to observe that the sunbeams would not be directed to the lens. The easiest way is to go into the shade. You could also use the natural shades like the trees, branches or something else that helps to break and soften the sunbeams. Sometimes the shadows that occur can be very interesting.
SUNRISE, MIDDAY, “GOLDEN OR BLUE HOUR“, and SUNSET
Different parts of the day have different specifics in a good and bad way and many photographers have their own favourite times. The nature offers many different light situations – you need try out all the possibilities the light offers and learn to catch the best moments. The most difficult time is definitely the midday when the sky is cloudless because then, the light offers the most contrasts and creates strong shadows.
EXPERIMENT AND DO NOT BE AFRAID TO BE MISTAKEN
People can be good in theory but it is totally different to create something in reality and use the theory in practice. Getting it wrong is totally normal, necessary even to notice different possibilities and sides. The most important knowledge and skills are gained through the experiences. So, shoot all the time, at all places and do it a lot to get experiences!
EXPERIMENT WITH THE CAMERA SETTINGS
Try to get out from the automatic settings and learn your camera’s real abilities. Play with the aperture, shutter speed and all the other unknown buttons that your camera has. In the beginning, everything can be confusing and you might want to turn back to the automatic mode but give yourself time and experiment! If you forget which settings you have changed on your camera, it is always a possibility to restore the factory settings and start changing the settings from the beginning.
