Key points of scenery photography under different light conditions

Light isLandscape photographyOne of the most important elements, it is very important to know how to use different light conditions to express the theme you want. In this article, I will summarize and analyze various light conditions and points for attention when using these light conditions.

1. Backlight

Backlight may be one of my favorite lights. In view of its unique and dazzling light atmosphere, it is a common light condition in sunset and sunrise scenes.

Features: The light is radially divergent and changes very quickly; The light ratio of different areas in the shooting picture is very large; The scenery is still three-dimensional.

Note for shooting: In view of the rapid change of light, pay attention to selecting the shooting point in advance. In many cases, it is necessary to combine the surrounding exposure. In some cases, such as snowscape, where the light ratio is not so large, a machine with a good dynamic range can cover the light ratio of the whole scene.

If you want to shoot the solar flare, you must adjust the wide-angle aperture to f16-22. Different lenses have different flare effects within this aperture.

It is well known that many wide-angle lenses have the best star effect in f22, but sometimes, according to the actual situation, the star effect of f16 will also be good, or not the same.

2. Side light

Features: The stereoscopic sense of the scene is strongest under the side light, which is usually the common light conditions after sunrise and before sunset: the light source is outside the shooting picture, on the left or right outside the picture.

Sometimes when the light source is at a certain height and there are clouds, it will produce a mottled light effect (local areas of the scene are illuminated by light)

Shooting attention: pay attention to the influence of light on the elements of the desired scene, and pay attention to whether the light can illuminate the main elements in the shooting picture, so that the main elements have a three-dimensional sense.

So it is also important to find a good shooting point in advance, so that you can have enough time to respond to the changes in light.

3. Twilight/morning light

Features: Twilight and morning light refer to the time when the atmospheric particles can refract the light after the sun sets completely and an hour or so before the sun rises, which is very close to or just when the blue tone is produced. At this time, the light is very soft, which can present a quiet atmosphere. The scenery usually shows blue and purple tones.

Note: In this light, it is very suitable for taking pictures of the moon or things with textures on the ground, especially for taking pictures of landscapes with different colors. The colors and textures will be clearer at this time.

4. Diffuse light

Features: It usually occurs when there are dark clouds on overcast days. The cloud layer is like a huge soft light layer, penetrating the sun’s rays into the whole scene. Occasionally, there are some bright areas.

Note on shooting: It is necessary to establish the subject matter of the scene and the atmosphere to be expressed. This light condition is only suitable for certain specific themes, such as storms, or to express a dark and cold atmosphere.

Occasionally, some bright areas can be added to the picture.

5. Daylight

Features: The light in blue sky and white clouds is hard and dazzling.

Note: Although the light in broad daylight is hard, it can also create better effects if you know how to use it, for example, the shadow generated by the partial cloud cover.

In some unique canyons, daylight is the only best time to take pictures, and the rock walls of some canyons can reflect light very well.

6. Moonlight

Features: When the moon’s profit and loss is more than half bright, it can achieve sufficient lighting effect on the landscape, that is, every month from the seventh day of the lunar calendar to the twenty second day.

Compared with sunlight, the moonlight is the most natural fill light for night scenes.

Note: When shooting at night, you can use moonlight to create some fantastic effects.

For example, the moonlight on Jinshan Mountain in the figure below is considered by many to be a combination of sunshine on Jinshan Mountain in the day and night sky in the night.

The most dreamy light in the moonlight is the light with high color temperature when the moon sets and rises, which is no less than the dreamy light at dusk and sunrise and sunset at dawn. Many excellent moonlight works are shot at this time.

7. Dirty light

Features: What is the dirty light? It’s a very dirty light!

Yes, yes, I mean light pollution. This kind of light is generated by human activities, such as the lights of cities, and even the light tracks of airplanes across the night sky.

This thing still works? Yes, although this kind of light is usually a nightmare for starry sky photographers and a harmful light, it can turn waste into treasure if used properly!

Shooting note: When shooting the night scene, you can use the light pollution in the distance to inject warm colors into the monotonous cold colors of the original picture to create a contrast between the cold and warm colors of the picture and a drama.

But usually the brightness of the dirty light is much higher than that of the dark landscape, so you can use exposure synthesis to balance the light ratio.