Photograph the Light not the Land
Here is a quick quote that caught my attention today when talking to a friend who is a landscape photography enthusiast.
He said:
“Photograph the light not the land.”
His theory is that it’s the light not the actual subjects in a scene that can make or break a landscape image.
While I’m not sure I’d throw out the scene completely (and neither would my friend I’m sure) I think he’s onto something.
Different kinds of light can completely transform a scene from something that you might not take a second look at to something that takes your breath away.
Here’s a few shots which I think illustrate his point pretty well.
48 Responses to “Photograph the Light not the Land” - Add Yours
October 12th, 2007 at 12:38 am
Hey Darren. Inspirational thought. I think light is the most essential thing that transforms scenes into somthing special – or not. So very often the photographer has to wait for the right moment to click the shutter – then, when the light draws colours and athmospheres into the landscape…
October 12th, 2007 at 1:38 am
Those are fantastic photos. I wish to capture those kind of masterpiece. In my opinion land and light must comes together in creating a masterpiece, and of coz Darren was right..the right lighting created it
October 12th, 2007 at 1:42 am
Those are some great examples of “photographing the light”. My biggest challenge with that kind of subject is getting the metering correct. I have not quite figured out how to quickly bump the exposure up or down a stop on my Nikon without going fully manual.
October 12th, 2007 at 1:47 am
Great examples! Any tips on actually photographing the light? ;]
October 12th, 2007 at 1:51 am
Just how do you manage to pick these wonderful example shots, Darren? Not just for this post, but virtually all of tutorial/tips-style posts.
October 12th, 2007 at 2:20 am
You know there’s good light when there’s good shadows. ;)
October 12th, 2007 at 3:55 am
Wonderful images. I will have to try this out.
October 12th, 2007 at 6:59 am
I liked a lot this topic, and of course the examples.
May I suggest to play with the white balance. Sometimes it really gives new alternatives to use the light.
October 12th, 2007 at 10:55 am
Very inspiring images! Sometimes just a few minutes can make the difference between a good photograph and a great one.
October 12th, 2007 at 6:27 pm
Contrast is what usually caughts our sight.
Thanks for food for thought. And samples, too – they are awesome.
October 13th, 2007 at 12:06 am
Amazing photos and no words to describe the beauty of light.
October 13th, 2007 at 12:15 am
I found this a very timely article. On the weekend I woke up in the middle of the night, it was a foggy misty night and there was a light on in a yard behind my home. The rays of the light were shining through the trees and it gave a similar effect to the suns rays through the tree in the first image with this article. These articles certainly open your mind to other opportunites when taking photos. Especially helpful to us amateurs. THANK YOU
October 13th, 2007 at 4:43 am
They are all masterpieces. It is beyond doubt that light is the life of a picture.
October 13th, 2007 at 10:15 am
I keep this concept in mind all the time. One of the things I am always aware of is shadows. When there are long shadows, there is good, interesting light. I also keep aware of what affect clouds are having on the sunlight. If you bracket your shots by about one stop, you are sure to get some great photos. I normally shoot in aperture priority (AV) mode, but sometimes in manual – never auto.
October 13th, 2007 at 10:34 am
Years ago I took a lot of photo classes from an instructor (Charles Mason by name) who frequently asked his students, “What is the subject of every photograph?” The correct response of course was, “light,” a truth so stunningly obvious that we often forget it. It becomes part of the “white noise” of our consciousness. As is often the case, the difference between ordinary and superior photographs is the photographer’s ability to see what they are looking at.
October 13th, 2007 at 11:59 am
Great advice and wonderful example images.. thanks!
October 13th, 2007 at 7:39 pm
This image is very good it give inspiration to all about freshness to share your Photos online
October 14th, 2007 at 4:50 pm
Lovely pictures and my sort of photography – just a pity that mine aren’t as good !
October 15th, 2007 at 8:07 am
Can’t stop looking at the first photo!!
The problem is that you have to know exactly where to meter that photo and what exposure compensations you need to make. then you really have to know your camera and its features. Because the light in this photo is momentary. I dream about taking a photo as good.
I have just finished Bryan Peterson’s book ‘Understanding Exposure’ and it has helped me allot. I have my estimate on how to take this photo from reading this book and think that I could come close.
November 9th, 2007 at 7:24 am
“the subject is irrelevant – photograph the light” i thought this was the catchphrase of one of the great photographers , cant remember which one (but luc bresson rings a bell )
you get a complete idea of what he was on about if you look at many of nasa@s pics – the light in outer space is awesome
yes all great pics here though
November 30th, 2007 at 11:44 am
Great post mate! Some of the example images are amazing.
August 14th, 2009 at 11:25 am
The second last image (peter bowers) reminded me of a recent shot that i took:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/merinashakya/3754374636/in/set-72157622016133090/
I’m still very, very new.. :-) but I love this site; pretty much everything I know is coz of these posts! Keep them coming, Darren!
October 11th, 2009 at 10:45 am
The technique certainly has transformed the ordinary into the extraordinary. Thanks for the tip!
October 11th, 2009 at 1:56 pm
Very true. Stunning photographs that inspire as always. Our photography group (Lightform Filipino Photographers Guild in Dubai) always teaches us to “capture the light”. Photography after all is about light and how much of it you capture on your image.
October 12th, 2009 at 4:07 am
no light, no photo. unless you’re into gloss or matte black pix. hahahaha
October 12th, 2009 at 7:04 am
Great photos I too partially agree with the idea!
October 12th, 2009 at 10:15 am
Great insight and inspiration. Thanks!
October 12th, 2009 at 10:50 am
Your friend is absolutely right. Photography is not all about just things put together in a scene, though it matters, too. But I’m not so sure to what degree. I think light is the most important thing in a scene, howerver low or scarce is. I’ve seen many of mi shots improve substantially when light changes, when a sumbeam happens to wash a part of it right in the moment of releasing the shutter. That happened to me these days when shootng flowers. I thought I had got the best shot of one when a some light shed on it and actually gave me the best. It just would not be the same.
October 12th, 2009 at 11:49 am
These photographs are beautiful. Now I want to head out and capture the light.
October 12th, 2009 at 2:39 pm
I totally agree with this ideology.
October 12th, 2009 at 3:46 pm
Darren, I agree wholeheartedly with your friend’s comments, as many times I have been in situations where the light and mood will change quite dramatically within a few minutes, especially during the ‘Magic Hours’.
Of course, the usually factors of composition, format, leading lines etc. will play a large part, but as someone prior said,’no light, no photo’
I have also gone back to the same location either at different times and different days to find that there is a completely different atmosphere due to many factors, such as Colour Temperature of the light, climatic conditions and position of the sunlight.\
The other thing is just being in the right place at the right time or ‘Divine Appointments’, as some of my most popular captures have come from that scenario, as seen “Here”:http://www.redbubble.com/people/philt/art/665103-9-the-covenant
Regards and thanks for the article.
October 12th, 2009 at 6:14 pm
Nice post. Beautiful photos.
So tell me please, what do you think of this one:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/sw-sm/3874450553/
Thanks.
October 13th, 2009 at 1:52 am
Beautiful and truly inspiring. I took a panorama of Munich’s skyline (with the Oktoberfest celebration somewhere in the background) recently. The light definitely did the trick for me there: http://www.shutteria.com/2009/10/oktoberfest-and-munichs-skyline.html
October 13th, 2009 at 2:20 pm
these are simply awesome!!!
October 14th, 2009 at 3:46 am
Extremely Breath taking. I have been taking pictures for the past 7-8 years, and am not sure when I will be able to take one of this kind. Hats of to these Photographers.
Kris
October 14th, 2009 at 4:37 am
@kris: You can take pictures like these, but you have to take the time and effort to find the place and time. Sometimes, I know there’s a good picture to be had at a certain location and time of day, but I’m just too lazy to pack up my gear and trek my way to the location. :P
October 15th, 2009 at 2:47 am
Nice advice and lovely shots! Thank you Darren!
October 15th, 2009 at 6:44 am
Amazing! A lot of photographers tend to shot the landscape and forget about the light. Very inspirational. I’ll recommend it to a couple of our photographers and see what they have to say.
October 16th, 2009 at 11:02 am
I took me a long time to figure out to shoot with the light and not against it. Basic really but something I think a lot of people struggle with. Those images inspired me to explore what I’ve learned about light since my early days…thank you.
October 16th, 2009 at 11:54 am
Amazing, absolutely fantastic. That’s all I can say.
October 16th, 2009 at 12:43 pm
It isn’t much, but I like it.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/87659272@N00/2773018256/
October 17th, 2009 at 12:02 am
Darren,
Here’s a pic I took a few weeks back that definitely shows what this article is about.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/subconscience_sight/3991522991/in/set-72157622433210901/
It’s a cloudy sunset but the way the light falls you don’t even notice the sunset, only the rays that make this look like a waterfall picture.
October 17th, 2009 at 3:11 am
Hello….I’m an amateur and I have always had the doubt of how to ilustrate the rays of light like that…I mean how can I take a picture at the rays of light like on the first picture…???
thanks
October 17th, 2009 at 3:45 am
i am so into this lately. I take tons of pictures of my son but the light on this one just got me darn right excited to shoot again!
October 17th, 2009 at 8:12 pm
I agree completely with the quote ‘photograph the light ,not the land.’ I take many of my best images while out walking and try to choose times when the light is dramatic. Stormy days often provide exciting photo opportunities which may only last for a few seconds so you need to be out there when it happens. Thank you for all your valuable tips.
Best wishes,
Margaret Chapman
October 19th, 2009 at 1:44 am
awesome shots! very inspiring.. it’s one of the things I’m interested to capture.. It’s the “light.”
Thanks. I hope I can have one and go for many. :)
October 19th, 2009 at 4:30 pm
A very intriguing thought, indeed. Seeing that the majority of what I shoot are landscapes and what little time I do spend thinking about lighting has to do with where shadows are falling, I’ll need to remember this one the next time I go out.
October 19th, 2009 at 9:00 pm
These photos demonstrate your concept exactly, though composition must come into play as well. Beautiful pics; it inspires me to get out soon and take some myself!
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