Light on the Landscape

Tame the power of natural light in landscapes! Nigel Forster details how to can control and craft masterfully lit scenic shots

- Nigel Forster

Light is a landscape photographer’s greatest asset and also our greatest challenge.

It transforms landscapes from the ordinary, often not even provoking a second glance, to a fantastic display. In an instant it can make us want to reach for our camera in the hope of capturing that elusive, once-in-a-lifetime shot we’ve been waiting for – whether it’s a potential competition winner, top score in the local camera club or simply for your personal satisfaction! This article explores the factors which give rise to differing lighting conditions, the type of lighting you may experience, and the technical skills and creative understanding you’ll need to go home with great images. We see many images captured in different lighting conditions, whether it’s dawn or dusk, the golden or blue hours, in our weird, wonderful and unpredictable weather, or simply something unexpected but beautiful taken while out for a stroll.

You’ll also see that photographing natural light is linked to the weather; it’s referenced in most aspects of this article. The first section is about developing some understanding of the weather and the effect it can have on lighting.

Importantly, don’t just see photography as ‘going to somewhere to shoot some images’. When working with natural light, some of the most striking and unusual shots are caught by chance; the secret is just to be out there with your camera, often in the most unlikely of conditions!LIGHT AND WEATHER