Light in Landscape Photography

Light in Landscape Photography

We often hear that light is a key ingredient in landscape photography.  Light is used to show depth, form, texture, and emotion.  It sets the mood of the scene.  How does it do this? Through contrast, color, and tone.  Without good light the scene can be lifeless and thus, lose attention of the viewer.  But, there are other ways to add interest back into the scene if it must be done in poor light, and let’s face it, sometimes that’s the only option we have.

Types of Light Scenes

Shooting into the light creates very high contrast scenes, which can be used to add power and energy.  Side light is most powerful in revealing complex shadows, thereby increasing texture and shapes.  Front light (such as shooting with the sun to your back) is not good at revealing depth and form but does emphasize color and detail, which can be very unique in golden hour.  Even lit scenes, such as on full overcast days, lack contrast and therefore, depth and form is lacking and the image may seem lifeless and dull.

Examples of Scenes with Side Light

An example of a scene lit by soft light of golden hour at sunrise is shown below:

Notice the colorful, rich shadows and highlights that aren’t too harsh and add texture, depth, and form to these sand dunes set against the mountains.  This was created from side light shortly after sunrise.

Another example below of rich side light at golden hour, creating colorful reflections and captivating contrast:

And finally, an example of soft side light with rich fall lake reflections:

Scenes Aided by Color:

Color can be more pronounced (think green moss, blooming flowers, or fall colored trees) during overcast days.  This is because the light is more diffused and there is less glare.  This can be quite advantageous when you are caught outside of the soft, colorful light of the golden hours.

Aided by Composition:

Composition is another key ingredient in landscape photography.  A boring composition in great light is an incomplete recipe but adding great composition in wonderful light helps produce a masterpiece.  We often find ourselves at that seemingly perfect composition but in poor light.  In that case, wait and see how the light changes.  If you cannot attend that location again, then make the best for that time.  Sometimes something great may still turn out.  Most importantly, enjoy the scene in front of you and the company of any companions you brought along.  If the light is poor and you can return another time, use scout pictures to practice composition and perspective the way that you find most appealing.

Working in Harsh Light:

Preparation:

Shooting in harsh light, such as mid-day sun on a clearer day, reveals harsh contrast and is generally not great for aesthetics.  It is generally best to avoid shooting directly into the mid-day sun, as you lose detail and image clarity.  Avoid looking directly into the sun with your eyes or through your viewfinder and limit the time the camera sensor is directed at the sun, to help prevent damage.  Graduated neutral density (GND) filters are quite helpful to improve undesirable high dynamic range issues. A lens hood helps reduce lens flare from light entering the camera from the side or obliquely.

Think about how you will use the light before you, rather than simply take a picture and decide later.  Once you’ve decided how to incorporate the light, it should be evident in the photo.

Acting upon Harsh Light:

You can still achieve nice silhouettes and black and white photos in harsh light.  Black and white photos are great for helping focus on texture, form, patterns, and detail within a scene and can be abstract.  They also may allow for higher levels of contrast adjustments that add drama to a seemingly dull scene, whereas adding excess contrast to color photos can seem too forced, edgy, and unnatural.  I advocate to shoot in raw, in color form, and then change to B&W later if that’s the direction you choose; it leaves your options open.

Back-lit fall colored foliage can give off a beautiful glow even if there is harsh light nearby.  Though not as commonly used, you can also experiment shooting in high key, adding a different type of ethereal and delectable feel that high key images are often known for.  This is one option, to highlight your main subject if the sky or light is dull and distracting.  In that since it is also a form of minimalism, adding negative space and removing detail in the highlights that could distract the viewer from the main subject.

Other Ways to deal with dull, flat light in Landscape Photography:

As you may know by now, the problem with flat, boring light, is that it lacks form, texture, depth, and emotion.  But if we must shoot in poorer light, it may be acceptable in certain circumstances.  Such as scenes with motion, color, or various abstract scenes.  For now, those examples will be focused on here.

Using Motion or Color:

Motion itself is often very rich and captivating such that it dominates the nature of the scene, like with a river, waterfall, or ripples in a pond.

Color can conquer a scene as well, such as with beautiful fall foliage, flowers, or other intricate details.  This can be excellent on cloudy days. Color can add back some depth if you have good color contrast within the scene.  One example is by using colors that appear to advance, like red or orange, against those that appear to recede, like blue or green.

see the example pictures below, one of a stream and another of a flower:

Using Abstract Scenes:

Abstract scenes that show symmetry (like tree or mountain reflections in a lake), or layering, add more dimension to the scene including reintroducing some depth that is originally robbed by poor light.  In the first example of this overcast glacier scene below, the blue in the ice is stronger than it would be in harsh daylight.  A polarizer is also very helpful.

In the next example, tonal contrast adds depth, form, and structure.

This silhouette of the Blue Ridge Mountains is after sunset but is still a high contrast scene due to facing the fading light.  There is tonal contrast in the mountains as you can see the closest layers are darker than the more distant layers.  There is also color contrast in the scene (blue mountain layers and red/orange sky) that aids in beauty and depth as well.

I hope you enjoy reading this introductory article to light in landscape photography!  Please see more images here: Blue Ridge Mountains Gallery.  Don’t forget to Subscribe!