Exposure and Lighting For Digital Photographers Only

Chapter 10. MAKING LIGHT AVAILABLE ON LOCATION

In a photographic studio, the photographer has absolute control over every nuance of the lighting for each photograph. However, most photographs aren't taken in the controlled environment of the studio. Instead, the photographer must venture out of the studio to find and photograph subjects, such as figure 10-1 in their natural environments. In most cases, photography at remote locations outside the studio means working with whatever existing light is available.

By necessity, a photographer's approach to available light photography is fundamentally different from studio photography. The emphasis is on analyzing and adapting to the light that is available at the subject's location rather than creating your own lighting scheme from scratch as you do in the studio.

This chapter explores some typical available light sources and situations with examples of how different photographers handled those situations. Although I can't possibly provide comprehensive coverage of the many varied light situations that you might encounter, the images on these pages encompass the work of several photographers in a wide range of lighting conditions.

Adapting to Existing Light

In many cases, working with available light simply means recognizing the good qualities of whatever light is available and making the best of it. In some cases, you may be able to manipulate ...