WORK WITH NATURAL LIGHT
When on the go, you may find yourself restricted to working with only the natural light available
Many photographers swear by the use of natural lighting as the main source of light for their images. There are portrait and fashion photographers who actually refuse to use artificial lights, such as speedlights or studio strobes, unless absolutely necessary. They believe that the quality of natural, ambient illumination is superior in softness, colour and direction. It is also generally easier to work with, since the complexity is reduced compared to a multi-flash setup.
That said, when you are forced to use natural light only, due to the circumstances of your workflow, the location in which you are shooting or some other factor that means you don’t have a choice, you can feel restricted. While it is often soft and beautiful, natural light can actually be harsh, depending on the time of day, which requires you to be able to style it to match your subject. Natural light is also out of your control in its variability, intensity and colour balance. Unlike when shooting in a studio, you cannot gel your light source or turn down the power when the source is the sun. Conversely, you are limited in the duration of your shoot by the longevity of the light – once the sun has set, you need to be able to work unhindered in conditions that challenge your camera as much as they test your photographic abilities.
Unfortunately, professional photography tends not to end when the light fades, so if you need to keep shooting, being able to adapt both your camera settings and your shooting style is a true high-level skill. To make matters worse, when shooting on the move, it is often impossible to use camera support, either due to legal restrictions or indeed practical ones – travelling light can prohibit the use of heavy-duty tripods, for example.
So, let’s take a look at how to keep shooting in any lighting the natural world may offer.