Using Light to Create Texture in Your Photography
Have you ever heard people talking about the ‘golden hours’ of photography?
It’s usually described as those hours in and around dawn and dusk (particularly dusk) when the light is warm (golden) and coming in on an angle that makes photographing subjects easier (ie the light is coming in from a low angle which makes it more even on a subject’s face for example).
Some photographers exclusively shoot in these times of the day (for good reason) - however in doing so they could be overlooking other opportunities that midday photography presents us with.
One such opportunity of photographing with the sun high in the sky is the way that it highlights texture on vertical surfaces.
I noticed this for the first time when traveling in Tasmania (the island state off the south eastern coast of the mainland of Australia). Tasmania (or Tassie as we call it) is a wonderful place for photographers due to both it’s landscape but also heritage. I enjoyed photographing the old buildings there and noticed the effect that the midday sun had when photographing them.
With the Sun high in the sky the roughness of the walls of these buildings was accentuated as the light cast small shadows along the wall. While the impact was subtle it added a real texture and point of interest to many of the shots - something I wouldn’t have achieved by shooting in the golden hours.
PS: of course it’s not just overhead light hitting walls (or other surfaces) that can create a sense of texture in a shot. Sidelight and uplight can give a similar impact - here’s some examples:
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Light on any textured background accentuates the textures by bringing the nooks and crannies into light. These snaps can be better composed with artificial sources of lighting.
Sunlight low on the horizon very early in the morning or late in the evening will achieve the same thing. That’s why it is my favorite time to do photography. I often photograph old adobe buildings at this time of day, and the low angled light really brings out nice texture in what I am photographing at those times of the day.
Great tip! This is the one good thing about winter. The sun is much lower in the sky, so many more hours of golden time.
I like midday shooting when I’m after black and white photos. I find the contrast is much greater and it allows me to pursue photography all the time rather then waiting for the “golden hour”.
Learning how to see the light is one of the highest skills a photographer can develop. Nice job on these photos. Showing the texture in a photo always brings more realism and art to it.
Bob Dale
Master Photographer
http://www.howtotakedigitalphotos.com
I love the picture with the window and blinds.