Know+the+Magic+Lighting+Hours

Lighting is crucial in photography. Light can either make or break an image. Knowing the best hours to utilize natural light is key to shooting great photos. The best times of day to use natural light is the hour after sunrise and the hour right before sunset. During these times, the light is at the perfect angle to give good light without creating harsh contrast or shadows. Shooting photos during these hours isn't always possible though, so use the light to as best you can. If you shoot during the late morning or early afternoon, the sun is at its highest point in the sky and can create problems with shadows and stark contrast. Often times shooting during these times you will find your photos somewhat "washed out" because the light seems to steal away the color. If you must shoot at this time, try shooting your subject in the shade or use a filter such as a polarizer. If that isn't possible, you could try adjusting your exposure down a stop or two. Remember, if you are shooting your subject with the light BEHIND them, you will get a silhouette effect. This might give you a cool photo of a cityscape, tree or rock formation, but you won't make many friends with people if you only capture their silhouettes. Shooting into the sun can yield some pretty neat light beams if done correctly, but it can also show nothing but glare.

When shooting subjects indoors or when natural light doesn't provide enough illumination to fully enhance your subject, use your flash. Learning to use a flash properly will give you an added edge beyond using only natural light.

Try creative lighting as well. Sometimes a dim light to the side of a subject will give it a unique look that far exceeds the look from traditional lighting. Backlighting can also provide spectacular results. If you must take a photo is poor light, however, a tripod is a must. Any movement while the shutter is open will be recorded as a blur.

Just remember this: Like anything else, the more you experiment with light, the better you'll become at utilizing its full potential.

When uploading photos to this page, it might be helpful to the viewer if you will include a brief note about the lighting techniques used. The more information we can garner from our photographers, the more we can learn from them.