It’s All About The Light

It’s all about the Light

People who have done my Australian photography tours or workshops know that I rave on about this all the time; the single and most important key element in photography is the light. It doesn’t matter what form of photography that you do, it is all determined by the light. No single other factor is as important as the light. No light not picture.

Many people don’t understand why we photographers can wait hours, days etc. for the right light to be there. Often I will wait up to 6 hours for the light and at that time it has shifted dramatically and my composition has also altered.

I’ve waited for weeks for the right light for a single shot and although sometimes you are going nuts in the waiting, once you have captured what you were hoping for, the time of endless waiting is soon forgotten.

When I’m out in the field, for example shooting a windmill like this, which was taken at sunrise on the 24^th march 2016. I waited only for about 20 minutes. It wasn’t a long wait but it could have been. Behind me, it was pretty overcast but there were a few gaps here and there. When I thought the sun was going to peep through the gap, it would close up.

This shot came as a wonderful surprise to me as the cloud just parted, the sun shone through and for about a minute which is a long time, normally it is only seconds, but that minute went fast as once have taken the shot, I was able to launch Elvis for a short time. So that was a luxury. (Elvis my drone).

The two pictures that I have posted here are 20 minutes apart. Now as a photographer, when I have taken a shot that is above all else, I call that a PO and all the people that know people and me who have done my photo tours and day workshops know what a P O is.

I wont keep you guessing. A PO is a photographic Orgasm, it’s the high point, the point of no return, it is the climax of the shot, no turning back and this was it. This is a term I made up well over 30 years ago and it still applies in my photographic life today.

I get people messaging from all over the place saying that they have just had a PO, I know that for them to say that, it has to be a stunning shot that they have taken, where all the elements comes together.

Remember, the key for waiting for the light is also having the ability to foresee what it is going to be like when the light pops.

Understanding light is so important, hence I run s workshop called” Light and Composition”

When you have a dark sky behind your subject and the light pops, you will always be rewarded with stunning results. All you have to do is have the patience to wait and for some this is easier said than done.

Now I have to tell you, I was so glad that the light did pop as I was busting to do a poo!!!! Yes, It was getting hard to walk around. have you ever been in a situation where you are busting to do a poo and you are trying to hold it in, oh the pain, well that what was happening towards the end.

You know that feeling when you have managed to keep things in and yet, one move and  your completely undone, well this shot comes with all that stuff and I was so close to having a massive accident, but it was all good in the end and only just!

Was not pleasant, but hey, I was blessed with this awesome shot, a free gift given to me by God this morning and the good thing is, i made it to the loo whooohooooo there have been other times when I haven’t made it hahaha that’;s another story. 🙂

Honestly I could write a book about those moments hahaha 🙂

The Light –it’s all about the light and nothing else but the light.

Remember in the words of Pete Dobré,” the shot doesn’t come to you, you have to go to it”