Learn to see and capture good light

Subjects are very seductive and there is a tendency when we are learning photography to get carried away by the desire to capture. 'X' is there before me, and I want of photo it, now! Much of the time, however, 'x' is in poor light. For sure, this matters less if what we want or need is a record, but should it be a fine photo we are after then the light is an essential, but easy to overlook, ingredient.

The light our subject is in is the light that will structure our photo. Good light, photographically speaking, will be kind to your subject. The camera and the media inside it 'sees' differently to us. We need to learn to see good light as the camera sees, and seek such light for our photos. Given time and experience, photographers build a mental list of conditions to look for, reliable kinds of light that will bestow that extra magic. I have heard some experienced photographers say, "find good light, then go find a subject."

What is good light? Window light for portraits, dark skies before the rain for landscapes, diffused light for soft and open shadows, controllable and even strobe light for products, side light for textures - there is quite a list and you will find varieties particular to your chosen photographic genre. There are some nuances to this, but if you are starting out a few simple suggestions can help.

Take a look at your subject and the light that is on it. What is it like? Is the subject in shadow and something else in the frame brighter? Can you avoid this? If the scale is architectural, might another time of day be better? Is there an unpleasant or distracting shadow running across it? Do you have enough light? There is no point counting pixels or bemoaning a lack of sharpness in your pictures if the subject is not well illuminated. Does the light help to describe the subject's shape or is it flattening it undesirably? Is the light too harsh and unflattering?

Keep looking at light without your camera and analyse your photos to understand how your camera 'sees' light.