Why Light Matters SO Much for Photographers
Why Light Matters SO Much for Photographers: Explained. For photographers like me, light trumps most other considerations. But when you’re an engaged couple rather than a photographer why should YOU care about light? How will light impact your session?
Your Portraits
Look through my galleries and portfolios. Go ahead, I’ll wait — haha! You’ll see portraits of a variety of couples in many different settings. What is the main thing that these portraits have in common? Beautiful, natural light.
In my opinion, natural light is vital for the very best portraits. It provides a softness and an airy beauty that flash cannot match, and it is more even and flattering than the light from lamps and light fixtures. If you’re attracted to the style of portraits you see on my site, that probably means that you prefer natural light portraits, too!
Quality of Light
We talk about quality of light a lot in photography. I often use the word beautiful, and tell people that great photos require beautiful light. But what is beautiful light?
To answer that we need to understand that light has many qualities that vary immensely, depending on factors like the light source, time of day, season, and location. Light can be extremely hard (one extreme) or very soft (the other extreme) or anywhere in-between. It takes time to appreciate the nuances and variations of light and learn how to use light that suits both the subject matter, and the style that you are shooting.
I’ve spent a lot of my life analyzing light. I feel very confident arranging my sessions at specific times of the day or year according to light. Like most photographers, I love to shoot during the first and last hour of the day.
Hopefully this article has helped you understand why we provide recommendations for specific meetings times. I will help to plan your session and provide guidance for optimal light!
Looking for more client tips? Visit our Client Resources to view more!
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