nebulous, answer to this question is that the quality

The Quality of Light of light may mean different things to different

photographers and perhaps hold a different
In a follow-up to a previous article, “A Study in
meaning at different stages in their discovery
Vision, Light, and Shadows”, I decided to share my
process. The truth is that there may not always be a
thoughts and experiences on my most inspiring
“best” quality of light that is applicable to all
topic in photography – light. For simplicity, I
situations or cherished by all photographers.
decided to write about light in a narrow context
from the perspective and experience of a landscape
photographer, since outdoors scenes are what I What are some of the qualities of light that scenic
gravitate to. Much of the analysis and discussion photographers seek? Is there a common
that follows is equally applicable to other genres of denominator? Some photographers may cherish a
photography, such as portraits, macro, still-life, and “warm” scene . . .
commercial photography. In this article, I will cover
broadly what quality of light means for me in
landscape photography as well as discuss a variety
of scenarios where the scenic photographer can use
different properties of light to create a given effect.
Please note that this discussion is based on my own
personal observations and experiences, which may
differ from those of other photographers. My goal
is to help beginning landscape photographers
understand the different qualities of sunlight and
how this instrumental tool can be harnessed to
fulfill the visualization process.

Nikon D5000, Nikkor 55-200mm f/4.0-5.6 G ED VR

or a “cool” scene . . .

Crepuscular light in the West Fjords, Iceland

Nikon D800, Nikkor 24-85mm f/3.5-4.5 G ED VR

As visual artists and photographers, when we hear

or read a reference about the “quality” of light, we Nikon D800, Nikkor 24-85mm f/3.5-4.5G ED VR
may ask, “What exactly does that mean?” Visual
artists (painters, sketch artists, sculptors, Some photographers may prefer to work with so-
photographers) can talk about light at length, but a called “hard” light . . .
consensus on just what constitutes “good light” or
“bad light” can be elusive. The short, if not
 into an image that conveys what the artist was
feeling at the time of opening the shutter. Many
landscape photographers (myself included) may
describe and swear by “magical” light that may be
difficult to express in words, but they surely know it
when they see it. One of my favorite quotes from
the incomparable Galen Rowell is, “My first thought
is always of light“. Mr. Rowell’s philosophy is the
epitome of the technical and aesthetic imperative of
the photographic process. In the video clip below,
please scroll to the 1:45 mark to hear Mr. Rowell
speak with passion about his approach to light.

In the creation of a landscape photograph, I

approach the quality of light with two interrelated
properties in mind: the directionality and the color
temperature. Why these two properties? The
directionality of light determines the all-important
quality of *shadows*, the *contrast*, and the
*textures* in the landscape. Shadows, in turn, are
what create depth, shape, and dimension in the
scene and may also confer a provocative mood and
emotion to the photograph.

Nikon F6, Nikkor 20mm f/2.8 Ais, Kodak T-Max 100,

Wratten #15

or “soft” light.

To help beginning photographers understand the

various properties of light, let’s take a look at a few
controlled demonstrations of the directionality of
light. Consider a plain sheet of crumpled copy
Nikon D800, Nikkor 24-85mm f/3.5-4.5 G ED VR paper. If we vary the directionality of light, would
this influence the physical appearance and mood of
Fundamentally, I view light as the requisite physical this subject? The following photo shows the paper
tool and aesthetic device to translate artistic vision being illuminated solely with an overhead
incandescent ceiling lamp. The directionality of this
lighting is more or less even, but not completely. As
you can see, there are shadows that lend a sense of
shape, dimension, and texture, but the effect is
neither compelling physically nor emotionally.
Actually, it looks somewhat flat because the
shadows are relatively flat.

But wait . . . what happens if we change the

directionality of the light? This is where the drama
unfolds. Let’s turn off the overhead ceiling lamp as
well as the lamps from behind, in font, and from the
right leaving only the paper illuminated from the
left side at a low angle.

Next, let’s adjust the lighting by keeping the

overhead incandescent lamp on and placing a
photoflood lamp in front the subject, directly
behind the subject, and from both sides. Again, the
lighting is roughly even. This is similar to the light
of an overcast sky, for example, where sunlight is
illuminating the scene from all directions (i.e., the
soft box effect) and shadows are being filled in.
Compared to the previous image, this subject
bears a similar physical and emotional appearance
– lifeless and boring.

Wow . . . what a difference. This particular light has

created a starkly different appearance and emotion.
With the source of light now being
unidirectional and raking across the subject at a low shadows and highlights, the mind can now interpret
angle, we can perceive longer shadows, more shape a completely different scene. This rendition bears
and contours, more textures, and a heightened “new” faces and mountains, if not a different
sense of depth that were minimal in the previous identity. Because the shadows are
more evenly lit subjects. With more prominent different, structures that were previously seen with
visual cues of well-defined shadows alternating with side lighting may be less prominent, may be no
highlights, the mind is more inspired to interpret longer appreciated, or be interpreted differently by
and “see” faces, mountains, valleys, hills, defects, the viewer. Conclusion? Two different sources of
and creases. light . . . two different sets of shadows . . . two starkly
different moods and interpretations – all by virtue
What about other forms of the directionality of of directionality of the light.
light? Can the visual artist and photographer still
create this dramatic type of rendition without side OK, what would happen if we keep the light
lighting? To find out, let’s illuminate the paper unidirectional but illuminate the subject from
solely with a lamp from behind at a low angle (i.e., directly in front (i.e., light source behind the lens)?
backlighting): Based on the previous examples, can you predict
the directionality and “quality” of the shadows? That
is, what do you think the lens will “see” from this
type of light? And what physical and emotional
impact would this light have on the image and
therefore on the viewer?

Very interesting . . . compared to the previous image

made with side lighting, there are stark similarities
and differences. For one, the long shadows remain,
which means we can appreciate the same physical
attributes (shape, texture, depth) as well as a
dramatic emotion. The difference is that the As one would expect, in comparison to side lighting
“landscape” itself has changed because of the and back lighting, the front lighting delivers a
change in the direction of the shadows. Instead of starkly different rendition. Because the shadows are
long shadows being cast perpendicular to the axis now headed away from the lens, they are more
of the lens, the shadows are now being cast towards hidden, in much the same way the shadows were
the lens. Thus, with a new pattern of alternating hidden in the first two examples when they were
filled in by more even lighting. With the shadows Now, let’s turn our attention to real life examples of
now more concealed from view, predictably we lose the quality of light in outdoor photography.
much of the physical depth, textures, shapes, and
mood that were prominent with the side lighting
and back lighting. The front of the subject now
1) Side Lighting
appears “smoother” with loss of textures, creases, This is my favorite quality of lighting, as its
and defects. Comparatively, this effect is no more unidirectionality beautifully creates alluring
compelling than the “even lighting” in the first two shadows, textures, and shape as well as imparts 3-
examples. In essence, the front lighting is similar to dimensionality and mood to a scene:
the quality of light that many portrait
photographers use, namely front diffused lighting
(i.e., butterfly lighting) to conceal wrinkles, pores,
creases, and defects on the skin of the face. By
concealing shadows and thus minimizing texture,
the viewer interprets a softer and smoother surface.
For glamour photographers, this quality of light
may be what is desired for effect; but for the
landscape photographer, recording these defects is
*exactly* what we desire. We want to treat our
audience to alluring textures, creases, deep
shadows, and maybe deliver a dramatic mood and
story.

As you can readily deduce from these simulations,

shadows and contrast are an essential visual cue to
the human mind in the perception of shape and
depth in three-dimensional space. Without these
visual cues, the mind would otherwise interpret a
flat scene, which may not be desirable from an
aesthetic standpoint. Further, these
demonstrations strongly infer that the quality of
light that lends itself well for landscape
photography is low angle, unidirectional light from
the side or directly behind the landscape. Hence,
the way in which the photographer uses the
direction of light to create a photograph is Words really cannot do it justice – a visual artist just
essential to creating the overall physical and has to discover and appreciate this light for
emotional impact of an image. This beautiful himself/herself. Consider the following landscape
phenomenon explains how a given photographer scene where the incident sunlight is coming in at a
with a given artistic vision (or two different low angle nearly perpendicular to the axis of the
photographers with different life experiences and lens.
artistic visions) can photograph the same subject
and come away with completely different images. In
my humble opinion, this is the epitome of
photography as a form of art. It really *is* all about
the light; the “latest greatest gear” is irrelevant . . .
 Nikon D800, Voigtländer 40mm f/2 SL II

Ikeda Anba 4×5, Nikkor-SW 75mm f/4.5, Ilford HP5 I made this next photograph after a clearing winter
Plus, Wratten #15 storm in the Eastern Sierra Nevada Mountains of
California (more on this special case of light in a
I crafted this composition such that there would be future article). As you can see, the light is raking
light sweeping across the landscape creating an across the mountain at a low angle and
interplay of shadows and highlights in the perpendicular to the lens. Please note the direction
immediate foreground, in the middle, and in the of the shadows, the overall contrast, and coarse
background. As you can see, the shadows in the textures in the snow and rock. Again, this quality of
sand, the foliage, and in the sandstone rocks create lighting is what really gets me excited about
an illusion of depth as well as an array of interesting landscape photography!
textures extending from near to far. In my humble
opinion, assuming the composition is strong, this
type of light display is one of the more enjoyable
aspects of landscape photography.

In this next photo, made during a chilly but

breathtaking hike through the highlands of Iceland,
the light was coming in at a low angle nearly
perpendicular to the axis of the lens (sound
familiar?). After patiently waiting for a snow/sleet
storm to pass and the cloud cover to gently lift, the
most beautiful quality of light I had ever witnessed
bathed the mountain. “It was glorious!” The Mamiya 7II, 210mm f/8, Kodak T-Max 100, Wratten
shadows and contrast were alluring, as were the #16
sense of dimension and the textures. The mood was
peaceful, uplifting, and radiant . . . As I witnessed Beyond pure landscapes, side lighting can
the beauty unfolding, I was inspired to make a potentially yield the same beautiful physical and
photograph that conveyed all of these attributes aesthetic results with plants and flowers, as the
and emotions. following two images illustrate. Each flower was
illuminated by sunlight coming in low at a nearly 90
degree angle to the lens. The textures of the petals
are nicely elucidated, and once again the interplay
of highlights and shadows create depth and an
element of intrigue.

In the next photo of sand dunes at sunrise at Death

Nikon D5000, Micro Nikkor 60mm f/2.8 G ED Valley National Park, the light is sweeping across
the landscape from behind at a low angle, which
casts the shadows toward the lens. As with side
lighting, this quality of light magically brings out the
textures of the sand and beautifully accentuates
shape and contours by virtue of the interplay of
shadows and highlights.

Nikon FM3a, Micro Nikkor 55mm f/2.8 Ais, Kodak

Ektar 100, 81A

2) Backlighting
Next, let’s consider examples of backlighting, which Nikon D800, Nikkor 28-300mm f/3.5-5.6 G ED VR
is also adept at revealing textures and creating Further, in terms of creating mood and affect in a
shape and dimension with additional attributes in landscape, backlighting can work its magic in a
special cases (more on this below). number of other ways. In order to create an alluring
mood, I often use backlighting to take advantage of
the silhouette effect and translucence.

3) Silhouetting
In the next photograph taken at one of my favorite
landscape subjects, Torrey Pines State Natural
Reserve, the silhouetted pine trees against a radiant
backdrop at sunset created a vibrant and uplifting
mood. As I opened the shutter to make the
exposure, my artistic goal was to juxtapose one of
nature’s rare life forms (the second rarest pine tree
in the world) with vibrant colors to invite the viewer
into a precious and magical world . . .

Mamiya 7II, 43mm f/4.5, Fujichrome Velvia 50, 85C

Further, the composition that the photographer

crafts need neither be grand nor exotic to explore
the silhouette effect. A composition that
emphasizes simplicity may have an equally
Ikeda Anba 4×5, Kodak Wide Field Ektar 100mm
profound aesthetic impact . . .
f/6.3, Fujichrome Velvia 100, 81C

Similarly, this next photo of a cloud formation at

sunset evokes the same physical attributes and
emotion. The mix of deep shadows and strong
highlights creates depth and emotion, and the
backlight skimming the underside of the clouds and
the surface of the ocean creates alluring textures. As
I studied and marveled at this stunning light display,
I felt as if I could reach out and touch the clouds and
feel the light bathing my hands . . . At the decisive
moment of opening the shutter, this was exactly the
emotion that I wished to convey with my
photograph.
 Nikon D800, Nikkor 28-300mm f/3.5-5.6 G ED VR

On a smaller scale, as in close-ups, translucence

may also be used creatively to make an otherwise
prosaic subject appear enticing, as the following
photograph of a delightful pansy flower after a
fresh rain illustrates.

Nikon F6, Nikkor 70-200mm f/4 G ED VR, Kodak

Portra 160, 81C

4) Translucence
Another special case of backlighting involves the
elegant transmission of light through a variety of
media. A classic example is the warm and brilliant
glow of sunlight through foliage in autumn, as the
Kodak Easyshare Z1012 IS
next photo illustrates. Texture and the illusion of
depth notwithstanding, this form of lighting in and
My personal favorite use of translucence in the
of itself may well be the salient feature of such an
creative process involves the glorious radiance of
image.
sunlight through clouds (in particular near sunset).
Provided the photographer skillfully manipulates
the exposure/film development/post-processing to
control the strong highlights, the aesthetic effect
can be very pleasing.
 directionality of light (coming from behind the lens)
effectively *hides* the shadows from the lens, which
for a landscape photographer is not at all desirable.
Hidden shadows have the unfortunate effect of
depriving shape, depth, and textures from a scene,
which in turn results in a flat image, physically and
emotionally. Having said that, I can think of three
scenarios where front lighting can potentially be
used to create a compelling landscape photograph.
The first scenario is where the sunlight (in particular
at early sunrise and late sunset) is illuminating a
distant structure (such as a mountain), and the
resulting glow on the landscape may be
aesthetically rich enough in its own right to create
Mamiya 7II, 43mm f/4.5, Ilford Pan F Plus 50, an inviting image.
Wratten #25A

In addition to solids and gas/clouds, translucence

with water may also confer a pleasant surprise on
the mood of a landscape scene. Consider the
following photograph I had made during a trek
through southern Iceland to photograph the
“Midnight Sun”. Here at an obscure yet delightful
waterfall, the sun’s radiance through the water mist
had an uncanny effect on accentuating the already
glorious scene that was unfolding.

Nikon D3s, Nikkor 50mm f/1.8 D

The second scenario would be photographing a

rainbow, one of the more interesting (yet relatively
uncommon) light phenomena in nature. A
discussion of rainbows is far beyond the scope of
this article, but I would like to invite our Readers to
the following video clip of an interview with Galen
Rowell (please scroll to the 1:32 mark to hear Mr.
Rowell discuss the phenomenon of rainbows). Also,
I highly recommend this excellent article, “How To
Photograph a Rainbow”, authored by our very own
Nikon D800, Nikkor 24-85mm f/3.5-4.5 G ED VR
Nasim Mansurov.

5) Front Lighting
Of all the qualities of light that I have explored, this
is my least preferred quality of light, for the reasons
illustrated in the simulations above. Again, the
 following photograph reveals. For these reasons, I
typically avoid this type of lighting in
photographing landscapes, unless there is
something structurally unusual or unique about the
landscape itself.

Nikon D800, Nikkor 28mm f/2.8 Ais

The third scenario where front lighting may

appeal to a landscape photographer would be to
capture the shadow(s) cast by an object that is
situated directly behind the camera (such as a tree)
in order to create foreground interest in the scene.
Personally, I have yet to feel inspired by this type of Nikon D800, Voigtländer 40mm f/2 SL II
lighting scenario, but it is certainly something that
may be considered if the composition appears weak However, even lighting can potentially be favorable
or if the photographer’s position in the field relative in photographing outdoor subjects up-close, in
to the light cannot be easily changed. particular trees, plants, and flowers, where low
contrast and softer shadows may make the subject
appear more flattering. Consider the following
photograph of a barrel cactus. Here, the skies were
bright overcast (approximately f/8 light intensity
via “The Sunny 16 Rule”) and the lighting was
predictably low in contrast. This was actually the
light that I desired for this subject, because soft
shadows would have conferred a more pleasant
mood to an otherwise coarse subject.

Nikon D3s, Nikkor 24mm f/1.4G

6) Even Lighting
As you might already have experienced with your
landscape photography exploits, even lighting (in
particular from overcast skies), is not as visually or
emotionally interesting as side lighting and
backlighting. Because of the diffuse nature of this
lighting, much of the shadows in the landscape is
filled in, resulting in relatively low contrast and a flat
physical and emotional appearance, as the
 Nikon D5000, Micro Nikkor 60mm f/2.8G
Ikeda Anba 4×5, Kodak Ektar 203mm f/7.7, Ilford
Ortho Copy Plus A third scenario where even lighting may be
advantageous would be in photographing
Another potential advantage of diffuse even waterfalls. Many scenic photographers (myself
lighting in the visualization process would be to included) prefer soft, diffuse, low contrast lighting
capture the brilliance of colors in plants and flowers, (as opposed to the direct illumination of sunlight)
particularly under the illumination of bright for these subjects, as the intense glare and
overcast skies (between f/5.6 and f/8 intensity). I reflections from direct sunlight on the water may
hope many of my fellow photographers have also not be aesthetically pleasing.
discovered the radiance of yellows, reds, and greens
in flowers under overcast skies, as the following two
images illustrate.

Mamiya 7II, 43mm f/4.5, Fujichrome Velvia 50, 85C

One notable exception to avoiding direct

illumination of waterfalls would be the iconic
Horsetail Fall in Yosemite National Park (aka the Fire
Fall), where the direct illumination of sunlight on a
Nikon FM3a, Nikkor 28-70mm f/3.5-4.5 D, Kodak
modest stream of water falling over the eastern face
Ektar 100, 81A
of El Capitan in mid-February creates an uncanny
appearance of lava pouring over the face of the
mountain.
 Sun low in the sky at the extremes of the day

Because of the high position of the sun in the sky at

mid-day (particularly during the summer months in
the U.S. where I mostly photograph), the high
intensity, non-unidirectional light potentially
“interferes” with skylight, which is responsible for
illuminating shadows in open shade. In theory, this
interference may diminish the textural range of the
shadows, minimizing their detail. The short nature
of these shadows also blunts the 3-dimensional
appearance of the scene, making it appear relatively
flat. Conversely, when the sun is lower in the sky at
the extremes of the day (i.e., sunrise and sunset), the
light is more unidirectional and less intense and
Mamiya 7II, 150mm f/4.5, Fujichrome Velvia 50, 81C thus there should be (in theory) less interference
between the incident sunlight and skylight. This
translates into longer shadows that may potentially
7) Mid-day Sunlight have more detail and texture.

As is the case with front lighting, the quality of mid- Another disadvantage of mid-day sunlight is that
day sunlight makes it one of my least preferred the color temperature (more on this below) is more
choices of light in landscape photography. The “neutral”, meaning that it is more “white” in color,
issue with this type of non-unidirectional lighting is which does not lend itself well aesthetically for color
that the shadows it casts are relatively shorter, more landscape photography. For all of these reasons, I
abrupt, darker, and possess less textural detail than typically avoid this quality of light for landscape
the longer, softer, and more detail-laden shadows photography. Nevertheless, there are a number of
of unidirectional light. Consider the following two scenarios where this quality of light may be
schematics that illustrate this problem. desirable for scenic photography. One scenario
would be in black and white architectural
photography, wherein the photographer can make
use of the high contrast and dark shadows to create
abstract photographs, particularly if lens filtration is
used to block blue light. Secondly, for color
landscape photography mid-day sunlight under
clear skies can be used to capture the vibrant blues,
greens, and turquoise in water, as the following two
images illustrate. This lighting responds well to a
Sun high in the sky at mid-day polarizer filter to cut down water reflections and
enhance the color saturation of the water.
Nikon FM3a, Nikkor 28-70mm f/3.5-4.5 D, Fujicolor
Superia XTRA-400, 81A

Mamiya 7II, 43mm f/4.5, Ilford SFX-200, Hoya R72

8) The Golden Hour

“You only get one sunrise and one sunset a day, and
Nikon D5000, Nikkor 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 G VR you only get so many days on the planet. A good
photographer does the math and doesn’t waste
And thirdly, the high intensity light from the mid- either.” – Galen Rowell.
day sun on a clear blue sky (f/16 to f/22 intensity)
has been a cherished tool for the infrared
Ahhh . . . this is perhaps one of the most well-known
photographer, as this is the time of the day when
and cherished qualities of light for many landscape
sunlight is enriched with infrared radiation.
photographers. A formal introduction is not needed
for this quality of light, which is my personal favorite
tool in landscape photography for all of the reasons
already examined above. Finding this light is easy:
shortly after sunrise and shortly before sunset,
although the duration of each “Hour”may vary
depending on your location relative to the Earth’s
equator. Close to the equator, the Golden Hour may
last less than an hour, and far from the
equator it may last much longer than an hour.
Again, words cannot do justice to this special quality
of light. You*have* to see and experience this light
for yourself. This quality of light is rich in emotion,
aesthetics, and beautiful warmth. It is lower in
intensity and more diffuse compared to the light
from the mid-day sun. Of course, the Golden Hour
light boasts the unidrectionality that is essential to For comparison, and to re-enforce the stark
creating long shadows, revealing textures, and difference in the physical appearance and mood of
imparting dimension to a scene. For more a landscape between unidirectional lighting and
background on why this special form of light is even lighting, please closely examine the following
warm in color, I would encourage you to read about photograph of the same sand dunes made minutes
the interesting physical phenomenon of Rayleigh before the “Golden Hour” commenced. Textures
scattering. Near the horizon (i.e., at sunrise and that are clearly appreciated in the sunlit scene
sunset), light must travel a longer distance through above are conspicuously absent in the evenly lit
the atmosphere. Due to selective scattering of light scene. The contrast, shadows, and contours in the
by gas molecules in the atmosphere, shorter sunlit scene are striking, whereas the evenly lit
wavelengths of light (i.e., blue light) are scene appears flat, as skylight alone is illuminating
disproportionately “filtered out”, leaving a higher the scene and filling in all of the shadows. One
proportion of longer wavelength light (i.e., red landscape is warm, radiant, and dynamic; the other
light); hence, the warmer appearance of light at is cold, flat, and lifeless. The same subject . . . two
sunrise and sunset. As Mr. Rowell elegantly stated different qualities of light . . . two starkly different
in the above quote, this light is all there for the photographs. Viewing tip : please click on either of
taking. :) these two photos and use the arrows at the lower
right to toggle between the two to appreciate the
differences.

Nikon D800, Nikkor 28-300mm f/3.5-5.6 G ED VR

Ikeda Anba 4×5, Nikkor-SW 75mm f/4.5, Fujichrome

Velvia 100, 81A
9) Color Temperature
In addition to the directionality of light, color
temperature as a quality of light plays a prominent
role in the visualization process in color
photography. Undoubtedly, many beginning
landscape photographers already appreciate and
enjoy how the relative warmth (or coolness) of a
scene potentially confers a special mood and
emotion to a photograph. Hopefully, many of the
above photographs have illustrated this effect.
Nikon D800, Nikkor 28-300mm f/3.5-5.6 G ED VR Color temperature is an interesting physical
property of light that defines the relationship individualized decision that is predicated on the
between the temperature of a radiation source and photographer’s artistic vision and goals for creating
the color of light that the source emits. In color the photograph. There is no right or wrong . . . For
digital photography, color temperature of light is my landscape and scenic photographs, I prefer a
often synonymous with a principle called white warm rendition. In many of the above color film
balance. For a complete discussion of this topic, I photographs, I relied on warming filters such as the
highly recommend our previously published 81A, 81C, or 85C to lower the color temperature (i.e.,
articles, “What is White Balance?” filter out cool blue light) to create a warm and
and “Understanding White Balance – A Beginner’s uplifting mood. Alternatively, other color film
Guide”, authored by our very own Nasim Mansurov photographers may employ a cooling filter (such as
and John Bosley, respectively. the 80 filter series) to raise the color temperature
(i.e., filter out warm orange light) to create a cool
The color temperature of sunlight cycles during the rendition. In several of the color digital photographs
day, being low in temperature (i.e., visually warm) at above, I preset the digital camera menu to record
sunrise, gradually escalating toward mid-day the exposure with a warm white balance, such as
(i.e., becoming visually cooler, or more neutral), “5600 Kelvin” or “Cloudy”. On the other hand, to
then gradually decreasing again toward sunset create a cooler rendition with a digital camera (a
(i.e., becoming visually warmer), then escalating classic example would be winter scenes), I would
precipitously at dusk. typically preset a white balance by selecting a
specific color temperature in degrees Kelvin. For
example, in the third photograph of this article of
In color digital photography, there is not a native
majestic Jökulsárlón, Iceland, I manually inputted a
white balance that is used to make an exposure; this
color temperature of 4800 degrees Kelvin to
property can be altered. In color film photography,
emphasize the coldness of the subarctic climate.
the white balance of a given film is fixed (i.e.,
daylight balanced vs tungsten balanced), but this
too can be modified for creative purposes. It goes 10) Conclusions
without saying that the most important way for a
photographer to control the white balance is to The take home point from this article is that light is
choose the appropriate lighting. However, if the the most instrumental tool that the photographer
available light is not ideal to fulfill the has to translate artistic vision into a photograph.
photographer’s visualization process, then the The quality of light can be described in different
white balance can be manipulated to achieve the ways and does not always fit into neatly defined
desired effect. For example, color film categories, and there is certainly overlap in
photographers can easily (and directly) alter the descriptions. However one defines this quality, it
color temperature of light before it enters the lens certainly may hold different meanings by different
with the use of warming (or cooling) screw-on lens photographers who have different life experiences
filters. Color digital photographers can easily alter and goals, as we would expect.
the color temperature through the computer
menus within the digital camera. Nasim’s article The directionality of light exerts a powerful
provides an in-depth look at how to set the white influence on how a photographer crafts the
balance on a digital camera. Additional details on composition and makes the exposure. The
the use of warming filters can be found in these directionality of the light, and thus the quality of the
articles on visualization and film photography. shadows, literally shapes how the image is
visualized in the mind’s eye and translated into a
When and how much a photographer should alter physical image and ultimately determines the
the color temperature of light is a highly emotion that the photographer wishes to convey.
There is no one ideal quality of light for all most vintage tools in photography are *still* being
photographers for all scenarios. It all depends on used to create brilliant photographs and works of
what the photographer wishes to construct and art as well as discuss whether perpetual gear
convey. “upgrades” have any impact on the overall quality
and merit of one’s photographs.
The color temperature of light and its relative
warmth (or coolness) can be sought and/or References
manipulated to achieve the desired effect.
Analogous to the directionality of light, how this  Mountain Light: In Search of the Dynamic
property is visualized, crafted, and manipulated lies Landscape, Galen Rowell.
at the heart of the creative and visualization  Galen Rowell’s Inner Game of Outdoor
process. Photography, Galen Rowell.
 Light For Visual Artists, Richard Yot.
In my humble opinion, in lieu of expending precious
time and emotional energy grappling with gear All of these photographs are copyright protected.
acquisition and upgrading to the “latest greatest All rights reserved, Rick Keller © 2016. You may not
gear”, a photographer’s exploits would be far better copy, download, save, or reproduce these images
served by learning and exploring light itself. Use without the expressed written consent of Rick
whatever gear you already have to explore your Keller.
artistic vision, channel your creativity, and hone
your skill set. My best recommendation: scout the
light . . . hunt for the light . . . and be inspired by it!
As an exercise, leave your camera and lens at home
and go out and study the lighting and your subject.
Try going out at different times of the day to About Rick Keller
examine the “quality” of the various properties of Rick Keller is originally from Texas but now resides
light: the directionality, the shadows, the dimension in California. He is an avid hiker, jogger, nature
of your subject, the color temperature, and discover lover, and outdoor photographer and immensely
for yourself how all of these attributes influence the enjoys travel and culture. Rick considers himself a
structure and mood of your scene. Take good field life long student of the art and history of
notes. Pack a notepad, pen, maybe a pair of photography. Deep inside he is a burgeoning visual
binoculars, and a few tools (e.g., a polarizer filter, artist who has chosen the camera as his paint brush.
warming filter, composing card) and study how the He takes pride and joy in educating his fellow
light and shadows evolve so that when the decisive beginning photographers to enjoy the aesthetic
moment of opening your shutter arrives, you will be and technical aspects of creating an image. With
in command to capture what you have visualized more experience and opportunities in photography,
for your photograph. In the end, this will make you Rick is enthusiastic about exploring more deeply
a happier and (hopefully) a more skilled and aesthetics and his creativity, refining his direction
accomplished photographer. So, what are you and skill, and expanding his portfolio. You can visit
waiting for? The light is out there waiting for you. his site and his gallery here.

Please, stay tuned for upcoming follow-up articles

on “The Quality of Light“, including the special cases
of the “second sunset”, fog, and storms as well an
essay, “Does The Latest Greatest Gear Really
Matter?”, where I will examine how the oldest and