Light and Landscape Photography

As a landscape photographer you are always ‘searching for the great light’; the light and moreso the quality of light is all important. It’s no secret that the best light falls between blue hour to golden hour in the morning and the reverse in the evening; golden hour through to blue hour. Here the light is soft and smooth with subtle gradations from light to shadow and tinged with beautiful tones, textures and colours. In contrast, the middle of the day when the sun is bright and more overhead bring harsh light and sharp, dark shadows. The problem with shooting during these good periods is that you must be at your location early and fully prepared, as the light changes and disappears very quickly – blink and you’ll miss the shot!

Of course there is the other obvious problem for some who think that 5 o’clock comes but once in a day, but there aren’t too many suggestion I could give to help on that one!

Different light, maybe at a different time of the day, can change who entire look and feel of a landscape. Below are three similar shots from Mt Bromo Volcano, from the top as the afternoon sun was setting, secondly at sunrise and at the bottom, slightly earlier just after dawn.