We have been talking lately about the general idea of perspective. Let's get a bit personal and take a peek into my brain and how I see the world on a daily basis.
To begin with, I see light and shadows everywhere, which is crucial when creating an image. While most people understand when a room is bright or not, I see more than that. I see the shades, nuances, levels, angles, colors, and feeling of light throughout the room. This is easier to see and explain in different situations - one good example is the "golden hour".
Try It Yourself!
If you're interested, here is a simple experiment that shows some dramatic changes in light (weather dependent). About 30 minutes before sunset, step outside, take a breath, and note the feeling the light is giving off. The harshness of the overhead sun is gone, and the light becomes gentler as it now comes in from a sideways angle. In this "golden hour", the world takes on a warm and soft glow.
Want another one?
Wherever you are right now, look at your lights. Are they yellow (not like the bug lights, but a faint yellow)? White? A shade of off-white? What about your lights at home? Does one room have white lights and another room yellow lights? Are your bathroom lights brighter than your other rooms? Does your bathroom vanity have a mashup of white and yellow lights (or differences in brightness?) Do the wall colors make a difference in how the light changes the feeling in each room?
These are just a few examples to show what photographers think about and see when they enter a room.
“It’s one thing to make a picture of what a person looks like;
it’s another thing to make a portrait of who they are.”
– Paul Caponigro
When I say photographers see the world differently, we truly do! I am constantly looking at and evaluating the details throughout the environment to determine the best way to create an image and tell a story. (I see faces everywhere, too - we'll talk about that next time!)
As you go through your day, take a moment to note your current perspective. Try looking at the light - can you see it changing throughout the day? Early morning sunrise. Noon overhead sun. Incoming storm clouds. Clearing skies after rain. Evening golden hour. Lighting helps control the mood of an image, and often our own moods during the day, whether we realize it or not.
Cheers!
Josh
Here is a great example of how a photographer can change your perspective by the way they decide to compose an image, which changes the complete story the image is telling. Click on the image for more examples from this series from Michael Paul Smith.
