Technically speaking, when we take a picture, all we are doing is recording light. Therefore, it’s of the utmost importance that we see the light when we take a picture – the contrast range in a scene, the shadows and highlights, the color of light, the quality of light and the direction of light.

It’s also important to know that our eyes see a much greater dynamic range than a digital SLR (about 13 f-stops compared to about 6 stops).

These three pictures illustrate, from top to bottom, the effect of: shooting in harsh sunlight, shooting in the partial shade, and shooting in full shade.

My point: try not to shoot in harsh sunlight – and notice those unflattering shadows when shooting in those conditions.

I hope you enjoy this week’s photos and the tips. If you want some hands-on experience, hope you can join one of my workshops.

If you are interested in joining one of my Cuba Workshops (after it opens and Americans can go legally (you need a license from the U.S Treasury Department now), keep checking my Events page.

Explore the light,
Rick