By Howard Moo Young, Contributor 
Photograph by
Howard Moo Young
MOST PHOTOGRAPHS showing clear, detailed images are usually taken with the sun behind the camera. However, you can accept the challenge of taking your pictures in less conventional lighting conditions by photographing otherwise ordinary scenes into the light. Backlighting always accentuates the outline of the subject, especially with the sun directly behind.
At the right time of day, clear sunlight offers great photographic opportunities. Certain textural details seen in the mid-morning, and again in the afternoon and early evening, are lost in broader light. Shadows become longer and shorter as the position of the sun moves more to the side of the subject. Landscape photographers often exploit the subtle play of light and shade to give modelling and depth. The same lighting effect can be used to give drama and atmosphere to any subject.
BRIGHT LIGHT
The best way to discover lighting effects is to go out with a camera and observe how the colours, forms and moods of a scene change according to the sun's position. Returning to your subject an hour later can make a surprising difference. If you can't wait for the sun to move, change your viewpoint.
Most photographers prefer to shoot in hidden sunlight, with clouds and haze covering the sky. The clouds act as a giant translucent screen offering reduced contrast and softer
shadows. This is often referred to as the ideal light and you should take advantage of it. Colours will appear at full saturation, bright and rich, and you will have maximum flexibility in these conditions.
Of course, breaks in the clouds can provide some of the most dramatic effects as shafts of lights strike suddenly through the clouds. When you have thick cloud cover, however, your pictures will have no little contrast, giving your photographs a flat quality. You may look for subjects with a pale monochrome beauty.
MORNING AND EVENING LIGHT
Pictures taken in the crisp morning light have a distinct atmosphere. These images await those photographers who are prepared to rise at dawn as the sun appears on the horizon. Subtle hues of pinks and blues are created as the pale, red-tinged light mingles with the blue night sky. This can be captured beautifully on colour transparent film (slide film). When the morning mist is cleared, the low sunlight reveals this clarity and emptiness without introducing harsh contrasts of light and shade.
The sun is again low on the horizon, as the day draws to a close. However, the light does not have the crystal-clear sharpness of dawn, but the warm glow and softness make the evening a good time to take portraits. Faces take on an attractive glow in the mellow light of sunset, try it and you will be pleasantly surprised, it adds warmth to the colour of the skin. The light of sunrise and sunset passes quickly, so you must work fast under these conditions.
ARTIFICIAL LIGHT
Artificial lights indoors or outdoors can produce pictures of many moods, from the theatrical effects of spotlighting to subtle interplay of soft light and shade. I usually use whatever light is available. You can try to mix the lighting conditions and shoot, e.g., a cityscape showing artificial lights together with the afterglow of sunset, before the sky becomes completely black. The use of a tripod and slow shutter speed will give movements to the headlamps and
rear lights of traffic, creating interesting lighting effects.
Here are some important points to remember when taking photographs:
Light is possibly the single most important factor in your decision to take a photograph.
The way an object looks its shape, texture, and colour - is greatly affected by the angle at which it is hit by light.
Window light has long been the favourite light source of photographers and painters.
In many cases artificial lighting is set up to replicate the effects that are found with daylight.
Even bad weather can offer great photographic opportunities so it pays to be prepared.
Howard Moo Young is an advertising/graphic design/photography consultant with over 40 years experience.
Email: mooimages@yahoo.com
