Despite this area’s name, you cannot take complete control over light (except if you are fortunate to have access to a photo studio), though you can learn to deal with the light in a scene.

This is the toughest light to deal with, since it is so unpredictable. The good news about sunlight is that you get plenty of it. I have never been in a case where there wasn’t enough sunlight, except maybe after dark. Otherwise, you should be able to get more than enough light. The problem? You get alot of light, maybe too much. You could exposethe film at a sorter interval, though that is not the problem. To get an outdoor photo with high definition to it, you must go out during the right time of day. Don’t expect to get dramatic photos during noon. Why? Because the sun is overhead, it creates harsh shadows on your subjects, and most of the shadows that would show texture (such as during the evening or dawn) are hidden from view. Much of the contrast and saturation that you get from the morning or evening are gone. Even though these facts are true in most situations, there are actually times when you can get decent photos in bright sunlight, but try it out for yourself. Don’t forget to pack a flash.

This is the time of day that you should go out photographing in. Many majestic landscapes were taken during this time of day, and you can easily see why. When waiting till dawn/dusk, you will get warm tones of red or yellow, which give your scene high saturation and a dramatic quality that you don’t get during noon. The shadows are also very low, so your subject’s texture can easily be defined. Yes, it may be hard to wait until sunset, though it will be well worth it!

Hey, why put away your camera when clouds start coming in? You will find that when equipped with a roll of black-and-white film, and an overcast sky, you can get some great candids. Because all of the harsh shadows are eliminated due to the clouds (they diffuse the sunlight), this is a good excuse for taking pictures during midday.

Flash

While most people think that you must have a flash for a picture to come out, this is no near to true. In fact, you should avoid using flash most of the time. While the flash is a pretty "big deal" in photography, it does alot to ruin a photo.

Let’s say your in a dark place, perhaps in a room with no light at all in it. While the flash will light up the room, it is also your primary light source, since there is no other lighting. When you see your picture, you find out that your friend’s (who you were hopelessly trying to photograph in the dark) face was washed out. And to make it worse, the flash filled in all shadows, so you cannot define any texture in his face. And there are no interesting objects in the background, just black.

What I am saying is that using a flash as the main light source will give your pictures an ugly, uncreative touch. Remember, our eyes use shadows to define what an object is or looks like, and when they are all filled out, we cannot see a whole lot of definition in the subject.

I suppose now you are thinking that you should throw out your flash. This is not true! Even if it can ruin your photos when you are not careful, it can actually help your pictures if used properly. For instance, if you are photographing a person outdoors, shadows will block any light from coming onto his/her face. If you use a flash, you fill in all of the shadows on the face, while still keeping the background perfectly normal. Great, huh? A flash should be used to fill in shadows, not to light up a very dark place.

Well, guess what? We’re done with light! Next, we will learn about the mechanism that uses light to make a picture.