Making The Most Of Natural Light

Learning to use natural light efficiently is essential for all photographers; there is no substitute for understanding how light works and appreciating how to use it to one’s advantage within their work.

- Aakansha Agrawal

Learning to use natural light efficiently is essential for all photographers; there is no substitute for understanding how light works and appreciating how to use it to one’s advantage within their work. Working with natural light is not all easy sailing; there are plenty of aspects that need to be understood in order to avoid mistakes.

One does not need a vast arsenal of expensive lighting equipment to create striking photographs. The most powerful source of light one will ever need is free: the sun. But even with all the intensity that the sun provides, it can be a bit tricky to work with. One of the main advantages of using a studio set up is the freedom to move and adjust the height and angle of the light source to meet the photographer’s requirements.

The big problem with working with natural light is that the photographer has no control over it. One cannot adjust its intensity and power, or move it to a different part of the sky, or part the clouds to match their vision. So, careful planning, and knowing how to work with whatever nature provides, is vital for a successful shoot.

One must not expect situations in which natural light remains the same. The quality and the colour of light will change according to the time of the day, season and weather. Some days the natural light will be warm and bright yellow, whereas, on other days, the light will possess a tint of blue. This is where the use of white balance comes to play. One can use the settings to adapt to the conditions in order to achieve the desired tone of light.

SUNRISE AND SUNSET