Stricktly natural light.... mostly!

[Dewman]

I'm one of those fairly rare photographers who seldom uses anything other than natural light unless I'm shooting a still life photograph. It isn't that I don't have any lighting equipment, quite the contrary, but I've always preferred Mother Nature's light. But, should I decide to do some studio work or portraiture, I have the equipment on hand should I need it.

I'm very much partial to "the golden hour" time of the day, early morning or later evening light. I love the dramatic shadows and the modeling it offers as well as the warm tones that comes with the color shift. I cringe when I see photos posted of flowers what have been completely and totally washed out by use of the on-board camera flash. It usually completely destroys any texture that might have been present. There have been so many times that I want to voice my opinion of their technique, but I've always went by the old adage, "if you can't say something good, then don't say anything at all."

In my AWOL bag that I carry in the trunk of my car, there's always several mirrors to help illuminate my subject should it need a little help. I also carry some aluminum foil, several pieces of different colored cloth to use as a background (especially for flowers and such) and I have a small, semi-transparent white umbrella that has saved the day more that once. I also carry a couple of spray bottles filled with water for some "special effects" should I feel the need. I've found that if I add about 20-25% vegetable glycerin to the water, it helps add surface tension to the droplets, which will give me more time to take the photograph before the drops fall off.

This isn't meant to bad-mouth those who have a different approach to photographic lighting, but this is strictly MY approach and preferences. I've seen some amazing work done with all kinds of lighting. Different strokes for different folks, as the old saying goes. I just thought I'd add my two cents and perhaps begin a discussion on the subject.

Make it a great day!
Dewman.

 

[Vtec44]

I shoot both studio strobes and natural light

 

[Derrel]

Yes, good tip on the glycerin and water mix...it's great to add that frosty cold look to glasses and bottles as well. You're one of the people who'd doing the close-up stuff the "right way" though, with mirrors, background fabrics, aluminum foil, and the umbrella for diffusion for the light, so you've got a number of really good tools for close-up work outdoors. It's pretty amazing what even half of a sheet of foam-core board can do for a close-up shot.

 

[mmaria]

I use natural light
I like its quality

 

[soufiej]

Wait just one minute here!


I bought a camera!

A Camera!!!

Now you tell me I need more then A CAMERA?!


Look, I'll willing to try stuff and I certainly don't mind buying more stuff. Lots more stuff would be fine with me.

Can someone please provide a few catalog numbers for this "natural light" stuff?

And, maybe a source for aluminum foil (?) and a squirt bottle?

Is there a size of "foil" I should consider?

How big should the squirt bottle be?

Preferred manufacturers?

"Best" model numbers?

I can't seem to find any camera shop selling this stuff.

 

[tirediron]

Light is light. The source is irrelevent. The control counts for everything.

 

[pjaye]

I'm one of those fairly rare photographers who seldom uses anything other than natural light unless

I cringe when I see photos posted of flowers what have been completely and totally washed out by use of the on-board camera flash.

This isn't meant to bad-mouth those who have a different approach to photographic lighting,
Dewman.

Not sure what gave you the idea that your way is rare, it certainly isn't rare at all.

And you certainly just did bad mouth others.

 

[Vtec44]

Less talk, more photos.

 

[Designer]

I just thought I'd add my two cents and perhaps begin a discussion on the subject.

Here's mine:

The characteristics of light may be perceived differently by each individual viewer.

While you write "natural light", some of us are thinking of bright sunlight, others envision open shade, while others imagine the light that is filtered by a sheer curtain.

I dunno about you, but I would rather evaluate the light more in terms of color, direction, intensity, etc. instead of what made the light.

So with all that is undefined in your statement, perhaps you would be so kind as to define "natural light", please. [/QUOTE]

 

[Derrel]

Not sure why all the fuss here. Ansel Adams made a career off of shooting outdoors with no studio strobes. Same goes for literally hundreds of other famous, successful photographers. In the realms of nature, wildlife,adventure, action, and travel photography there are many,many images which are shot with no supplementary lighting whatsoever. If you shoot retail wedding/portrait/family photography, you'd better have some ways to control light if you want to be fully rounded, but for outdoor work, reflectors and diffusers can handle a huge amount of situations, as the OP has mentioned. Gotta' take a moment to think back and maybe realize that this modern-day obsession with off-camera flash is just that; it's fairly new, and it has risen to the level of obsession among many people active today, but there was a time when "controlling the light" did not automatically bring to mind the idea that what one oughtta' do is to "hook up a radio-triggered speedlight and blast away".

 

[The_Traveler]

I'm one of those fairly rare photographers who seldom uses anything other than natural light unless

I cringe when I see photos posted of flowers what have been completely and totally washed out by use of the on-board camera flash.

This isn't meant to bad-mouth those who have a different approach to photographic lighting,
Dewman.

Not sure what gave you the idea that your way is rare, it certainly isn't rare at all.

And you certainly just did bad mouth others.

Ridiculous.
He was saying that he thought the photographs weren't good and why - exactly what we do here when we do c/c.

If you do ever post a picture, expect negative comments.

 

[Designer]

I cringe when I see photos posted of flowers what have been completely and totally washed out by use of the on-board camera flash.

Well, there's flash, and then there's flash that is more artistically applied. Flash doesn't always have to be the built-in flash.

 

[Derrel]

Hey Dewman, I made a meme just for this post! Hope you like it!

 

[Overread]

The sort of person "photographers" get "angry" at when they say "I only shoot natural light" - are those who make such a statement from a position of ignorance.

Those who have not invested time and resources into properly learning to control light and might not even use a reflector let alone know what one is. They are the sort of person who is inexperienced and who is using "natural light photographer" as a title to excuse their inexperience and give them a self justification to not have to learn the details.

Instead you're the kind of person who has been down the learning road; sure you've not learned it all (no one has- probably) but you've learned enough so that you're now in a position to make a creative choice as to how you approach your photography yourself. You have a choice to use natural(ambient) or artificial and can make that choice given your equipment base and your situation as well as what you want out of it in the end.


I've seen amazing work done in all kinds of conditions with all kinds of gear. Heck I know people who do amazing work who have no idea how they do it (or rather no idea how to articulate their thoughts and process to others in a meaningful way).

 

[imagemaker46]

I use available light.