Photography Tip # 12: Get some direction

Thus far we have looked at 2 main facets of light that are of major concerns to getting good photos. We first looked at quantity, and how we should always consider how much available light we have and how to work around not having enough. Our second consideration was light quality and how we should consider the kind of light we are shooting in, whether it be the light of midday, indoor light, etc. Our last item on the list is Direction.

By being aware of the direction of your light source, you can always use the light to your best advantage. Keep in mind that the sun does move around in the sky. A shot on the beach at 8am is going to look different than a shot on the beach at 12pm, etc. And then there's the question of a beach in Florida or a beach in California. The point here is the direction. If I shoot a picture of a person with the sun behind them, they will most likely be a silhouette. If I shoot a picture of a person with the sun behind me, they might be squinting and grimacing in the shot. In these situations, try to put your subject in a position where the light is still illuminating them (perhaps from the side) but not interfering with ability to see and be comfortable.

Indoors, its always good to utilize natural light, if possible. The most common and favorable indoor light source would be a north-facing window however, I've found that as long as the window is big enough and enough light gets in, then it doesn't matter. The key here is to consider the direction of the light and how it falls on your subject.

This concludes the series on light. The next several posts will concentrate on common "how to" questions that most people have when using their camera.