The other day I overheard two guys talking about photography in my favorite coffee shop. One of the guys said to the other, "anyone can take a great picture on a cloudy day, it's easy!" That statement is the inspiration for this series of blog posts.
4 Photography Mistakes And How To Avoid Them - Day 1
# 1: Anyone can take great pictures on a cloudy day:
While it is true that the soft light on a cloudy day can make flattering pictures, the pictures are not flattering just because it's a cloudy day. On overcast days the sun is diffused by the clouds but the sun is still giving light, it's just softened by the clouds. Think of a flashlight shining through a sheet of white paper. The paper breaks up the light from the flashlight the same way the clouds break up the sunlight. Now here's the tricky part, on a cloudy day it is VERY HARD to see light unless you LEARN how to see light.
Imagine today's a cloudy day and you want to take pictures at twelve noon of your friends or family. At noon on a bright sunny day, the light is not flattering because it's coming directly from above, On a cloudy day at noon, the sun is still in the same position except it have a thick layer of diffusion to soften the light, but the direction of the sun at this time of day is still not the most flattering and the eyes of your subject will be dark because the light is coming from above.
To avoid this problem, take pictures when the direction of the sun is lower in the sky, like the first 2 to 3 hours or the last 2 to 3 hours, depending on where you are in the world and the time of year. During the winter months this time frame of good light is shorter then in the summer months. Use the Sun Seeker app to learn where the su is and use that information to your advantage. You'll discover how to see light the more you use the app and before you know it, you'll be able to see light on a cloudy day.
To learn more about light and photography, join this weeks webinar/master class which take place this Tuesday at 10:00 a.m. PST
Master Class: How Photographic Lighting Can Increase Your Income In 90 Days
Time: 10:00 a.m. PST (California) / 1:00 p.m. EST (New York)
Always dream big,
Matthew