Chasing Light
Photography is built on light. Whether that’s sunset, sunrise or the moments in-between — light changes the story of an image. The best photos are often taken during “golden hour” but that timeframe is subjective to the photographer’s view. Truth is, you can work with any light and still try to get the beauty of it.
Here’s a few tips to catch those swift magic moments that capture a feeling.
Golden Hour
The hour before the sun sets or rises is one of the most magical things to witness every day. It’s also the fastest fading light - constantly changing as you scramble to catch it. Photographers love it and is seen as the best light no matter what style you shoot as it’s a warm and visually dimensional glow. As much as you can, be prepared in what you want to capture. Use it as a backlight for a nostalgic effect, in portraits to add the extra dreaminess or to whole landscapes and play with the directional light and shadows. Don’t be afraid to meet the light head on - and use a filter, a lens hood or even your hand to play with the light. Being around and using water is a great tool too, to deflect light and enhance shimmer.
Soft Light
You know when you look over the opposite side of a sunset and see this alpenglow? When the pale pinks glow and surround you before sunrise or after sunset? This atmospherical phenomenon is called the Belt of Venus or Antitwilight, and it’s similar to the effect of an alpenglow. These fast moving moments enhance the dreaminess and mood of a picture and are most seen on clear days. Because it happens usually in the 30-45 minutes before sunrise or after sunset, this gives you a lot of range to work with as your subject changes so much with the moving light. Be prepared with a tripod or a good camera with a good ISO range as the light will get low! Frame your composition earlier or the day before to get the best chance at capturing the moment.
Blue Hour
Some of my favourite photographs are taken at blue hour. There is an air of calm and tranquility during this time that I love capturing. I often offset blue hour with a warm artificial light source, like a lamp or a bonfire or city lights, paired with the cool of a backdrop of blue sky or a grand landscape, to make a visually engaging photo. Look for pops of colour to accent the ambient light that surrounds this time to contrast the “darkness” around the subject and emphasise the mood.
Fog
A whole landscape changes with fog. Your everyday scenes, natural environments and cityscapes - everything looks almost different. If this creeps up in your particular area, make sure you try and capture it! The specific light may not happen again. Find high places for this, where you can witness the sea of fog from above or if you are near water, this is a great place to sit and document the changing air.
Noon
An unpopular opinion but there’s a charm in midday sun when the light is high and brash. In certain conditions it can evoke a dreamy nostalgic feel and saturate colours. To shoot in these conditions, look for clear bluebird days, minimal landscapes with pops of colour! Finding a central object or figure to focus on also helps draw the eye around.