Seeing The Light

Late afternoon and early morning light tends to be very directional and warm. It creates soft shadows that can define your subject.

Late afternoon and early morning sun tends to be the most beautiful light.  When the sun is close to the horizon, it shines at a low angle and casts long, deep shadows that add interest and define those subjects that catch the light.  The sun takes on a warmer, softer glow due to atmospheric haze when it is at this low angle, making it very pleasing for use in portraits as well as nature and landscape photography.  Add in a reflector to help soften shadows. Fill flash can be used but be aware that flash is much cooler compared to late afternoon and early morning sun.  Using a CTO (color to orange) gel on the flash can help to match the color temperature of the available light. That late day and early morning light is very directional, so depending on where you stand in relation to the sun, you could have front light, side light, or back light. Try all three and compare the quality of the light from each direction.  Each can provide beautiful, yet very different lighting.

In addition to late afternoon and early morning light, there is what is knows as “The Blue Hour”.  This is the time just before the sun comes up in the morning, and just after the sun goes down in

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