If you have recently developed an interest in photography, experiment with how lights and shadows can affect your images. Natural light, in particular, can give your pictures an ethereal quality, but also can be used creatively to produce other effects. The guide below offers advice for taking great images using this natural resource. 

How to Use Natural Lighting to Enhance Your Photography

1. Shoot in the Morning or Early Evening

The hours around sunrise and sunset are the best times to capture natural light because the sun’s rays are softer, producing less harsh contrast. This can help flatter subjects. Therefore, if there is a shot you really want to take, be set up ahead of these “golden hours” to make the most use of your time. Choose a manual setting on your camera so that it does not auto-adjust your white balance, which can filter out the glow you came to capture.

2. Position Your Subject in Reference to the Sun

Put the sun behind your subject—even if that means squatting down to adjust the angle of the shot. This helps pictures of people be evenly well-lit. It also makes for better photos of landscapes and architectural structures by better showcasing the subject and providing added details in the sky.

3. Diffuse Natural Light

During midday, the sun can cause glare and harsh shadows in photographs. To deal with this, many professional photographers utilize additional equipment to scatter and soften the light. For example, a reflector is a type of diffuser used to bounce light in specific directions. Position it above the subject to block the sun; use it from below to add light if you are in a shadow-heavy area. 

4. Follow the Weather Forecast

Clouds, fog, and other overcast conditions can produce ambient light that’s easier to work with and can enhance photos. To make them even better, look to shoot subjects containing pops of color—gray or tan subjects might look washed-out against a similarly neutral sky. 

Choose an area where nearby buildings or trees cast shadows. This will create a contrast that will cause other parts of your picture to look brighter. You can also make the most of the natural light that is available by shooting slightly from below.

Are you interested in expanding your photography skills while touring the world? Wayne Hoover Photo Tours takes their clients to locations like Italy, Vietnam, Greece, and Kenya, where they not only show them the sights but offer advice about how to capture beautiful photos, based on their own professional experience. Preview their upcoming trips online. Call the Lexington, KY-based operation at (859) 983-1382 to learn more.