On Photography: Embracing the Light that You Have

When I was an aspiring young nature photographer studying at the University of Oregon, the world-renowned photographer Brett Weston told me “understanding light is 90% of photography.”  I took Brett’s words to heart and began an eternal quest for the beautiful light to help me make beautiful landscape photographs.

"Magic light" on the Maroon Bells, near Aspen, Colorado

There is no question that “magic light” –that time just before and after sunrise and sunset –can produce exquisite photographs.  I’ve dragged myself out of bed to make numerous lovely images kissed by the early morning sun. I’ve also stressed many a vacation by making my family wait impatiently for their dinner as I worked with the final rays of sunlight or afterglow to help make my photographs special.

Often, my trips were planned around where I would be when the magic light arrived. Also often, I would put myself in place for a dramatic early morning sunrise only to be greeted by a dull gray sky which then would ruin a perfectly great vacation day.

Whenever I photograph now I try to accept and embrace whatever light and conditions greet me. I realize that all different conditions are gifts from the heavens allowing me to make unique photographs that exist only fleetingly.

All of this changed for me during my first trip to Yosemite National Park. Yosemite, for those who haven’t been lucky enough to see it, contains spectacular granite monoliths towering above the valley floor. These monoliths, with evocative names like Half Dome and El Capitan, have graced the images of famous photographers like Ansel Adams and soon they would be mine.

The whole way driving to the park I envisioned the photographs I would make: Dramatic landscapes featuring the monoliths with waterfalls and striking sunlight. Of course when I arrived at Yosemite the valley was overcast and dull looking. It was the beginning of another ruined vacation day.

Soft light on grasses in the Yosemite Valley

Except I couldn’t help but notice the lush, verdant grasses growing in the valley. I realized that they would be too contrasty and harsh in the kind of light I was yearning for. I realized that the overcast sky was acting like a giant soft box—blessing the grasses and flowers with a beautiful diffused light that illuminated every detail without introducing harsh shadows, I concentrated on photographing the grasses and selecting details that were being shown in their best light.

Note: Click on any photo to see the gorgeous full-sized version!

This was the beginning of a revelation for me. Rather than bemoaning that I didn’t have the light to take the pictures I wanted, I let the existing light suggest what could be best photographed. I stopped fighting the light and began to embrace it. I realized that was the true meaning in what Brett had told me years before.

Misty rain clouds swirling around red rocks in Sedona, Arizona

Whenever I photograph now I try to accept and embrace whatever light and conditions greet me. I realize that all different conditions are gifts from the heavens allowing me to make unique photographs that exist only fleetingly.

I’ve since made wonderful photographs of the red rocks in Sedona in pouring rain with wispy clouds of fog revealing only glimpses of the stone. I’ve made close-up details of the rocks of Point Lobos that only came to light in the overcast soft-box light that I used to dread. And I’ve made photographs in Yosemite when it was so overcast that I could barely make out the monoliths in the distance.

I’ve also made many pictures in the magic light and every other type of light as well. Now that I’ve learned to embrace the light that is there I no longer have ruined vacation days.

Here are some tips for using the light that you find:

• Magic light—try photographing just before, and just after, sunrise and sunset. Include large areas of sky in your photos to add drama to your landscapes
• Overcast—concentrate on photographing details. Have little or no sky in your photographs.
• Inclement weather—try to have the weather be a major part of the photograph. It is what is making your photograph unique.
• Mid-day sun—concentrate on using the strong colors and shadows as part of the design of your photographs.
• In all conditions—be open and receptive to what is in front of you. Try to minimize the preconceived ideas that you have in favor of being open to take advantage of what is in front of your eyes.

Rocks at Point Lobos State Reserve, California

Please comment below, and tell me about your favorite places to photograph nature and wildlife, or where and when have you gotten your best shots.

If you have a fantastic but surprising picture that you took with the light that greeted you, you can send it to me at newsroom@defenders.org – please put PHOTO in the subject line. Thanks!