Light

Posted Thu Aug 21, 2008 in Photography

One of the things I like is the way light plays on objects. I prefer the way natural light works, although I deeply appreciate the way skilled photographers use artificial (and natural) light to illuminate a subject.

Like most folks, I prefer either early-morning or late-evening light. The extra distance the light passes through the atmosphere cuts the cooler colors, allowing the warmer colors to pass. Plus, the angle provides texture to the subject, brining out the interplay of highlight and shadow. For me, it brings the subject to life, whether it’s a still life or an animate subject.

I also prefer the serendipity of discovering subjects instead of staging them. I assembled a few still lives over the years, but prefer the happy accident of just “seeing” something that is interesting, and lit in an interesting fashion. The image at left is a perfect example. This basket is in our living room. I was watching the television (rarely done) and noticed the light crawling across the floor and finally illuminating the basket. The combination of warm colors intrigued me, so I picked up the camera and made a few images.

I like this one the best.