More Looking For Light

Note: I published this article back in September. Since then I added some information to this important topic. 

More Looking For Light

by William Lulow

It seems like this might be an unlikely subject, because isn’t light all around us? It surely is, but when it comes to making images, it is one of the most important elements. When I say “looking for light” I mean that we have to train our eyes to look for unusual light, light that only occurs at special times or in special places. The ability to “see” this light takes a bit of practice but a knowledge of artificial light and its applications will change how you look at light forever! I have always told my students that once they learn studio lighting, they will never look at another scene again without noticing the light! I know this to be true because I have seen it over and over again. Once you can recognize the kind of light you’re looking at, you can immediately start making better images of what you see. 

Here’s a recent sunset picture. I waited for the sun to be just below the horizon so that it would illuminate the under sides of the clouds. This kind of image cannot just be made of any sunset. The clouds have to be positioned high enough off the horizon to create a clear strip below them to allow the sun’s rays to poke through, thus providing light to the undersides of the clouds. If you make a picture of a sunset without clouds you will get a brilliant sunset with a clear sky. It always needs the clouds to reflect the sun’s rays.

It took time for the sun to descend in the frame enough to provide the light to the under side of the clouds to produce the amazing colors. Here’s another sunset image. Look at the difference:

In this image, the sun has the water to bounce off of, which adds to an otherwise plain sunset and sky. But there is nothing in the sky to add interest. 

Knowing about the artificial lighting setup called BACK LIGHT, allowed me to see this scene:

As long as your lens is shielded from the light source, you can make these kinds of images. Here, I stood in the shadow of the trees to capture the light coming through them.

This was almost a SIDE LIGHT caused by the position of the sun to the west of Manhattan. Here’s an example of a SIDE LIGHT created in the studio:

This was a STUDY IN SIDELIGHT not only on the subject but the background as well. Keeping the light from illuminating the whole background, only half of it was lit. And I was also careful to separate the light on the subject from hitting the background which would have spoiled the effects. 

Notice the shadows created in both images. Look at what sides of the buildings are lit by the sun.

Here, there is no direct light – only DIFFUSED LIGHT from clouds. But it created a great reflection in the water.

Here is a studio image that make use of REFLECTION as well.

When you learn to see light applied in a studio setting, you will be better prepared to find it in the world as it occurs naturally!