The Joys of Found Light

tulip b/w, originally uploaded by pr9000.

One thing baffles a lot of "pro-sumer" photographers -- light. Specifically, how do you get the proper light on your subject? (1) Is it a flash? (2) Is it sunlight? (3) Can I turn on the light on the ceiling fan?

Answers: (1) Yes ... (2) definitely yes, with a caveat ... (3) well, you could, but you'd better know what you're doing.

I specialize in natural light photography, which means, in a nutshell, that I don't do studio work. Not that I'm opposed to it; it's just that I don't have a studio, and everything I've learned to this point has centered around using what Mother Nature gave us -- with a little help now and then.

For example: the shot above, of a tulip. I came down from my office around 2:30 p.m. and saw gorgeous sunlight streaming in my dining room. I've learned that Tennessee in January isn't the sunniest place in the world, so I took advantage of the rays, filtered through the blinds of the window, to capture this shot.

So it's all natural light.

I cheated a bit, by positioning the tulip so that not all of the bulb was in direct sunlight ... and when I do black and white, I do it on my computer, not on my camera -- meaning, I used my editing software to make this a black and white shot.

I also knew what not to show you ... I had taken a few shots where the sun was directly on the petals, and only then did I remember that direct light can be a bit harsh at times. It biew out the details of the petals, making for a bland photo.

Light works best when it's diffused. You won't see too many good shots with, say, a bare bulb providing the light, or shots where the sun is blindingly bright. Light diffused -- through a screen, a little plastic thing on the end of your flash, or through clouds -- is light that works.

But -- the point is -- take advantage of the natural light that you see around you. You can get very dramatic effects without investing a penny in lighting equipment.