When we first got started in photography, we heard a lot of photographers say the same thing: It’s all about THE LIGHT!
We’d hear things like… Look! Over there! The light is BEAUTIFUL!
And we looked…
And we LOOKED…
But we just couldn’t see it.
It made us feel kinda stupid.
We were looking at the same scene as them, but we just couldn’t see what they could.
It made us feel like maybe we just didn’t have “it.”
We thought… maybe some people just have “the eye” and some people don’t.
But you know what? We were wrong.
Finding great light can actually be really easy! ANYONE CAN DO IT!
You just have to know what to look for (and what to avoid).
What is “Good Light?”
First, we had to translate what those photographers were saying when they talked about “good light.”
When they said, “Oh my gosh, the light over there is DREAMY!”
What they meant was, “Oh my gosh, the light over there will make my CLIENTS look DREAMY.”
Once we decoded what they were saying, it made “finding great light” a lot easier.
When you’re someone who photographs people, it’s simple.
Great light = the type of light that makes people look great!
Let’s talk about an example of a type of light that does NOT make people look great.
Once you know what to AVOID it’s easy to know what to look FOR. (That’s why we cover all things light in depth in our signature Shooting & Editing Course)
Avoid Spotty Light
We don’t want people to have spots, speckles or splashes of light all over them.
Spotty light is distracting and not flattering (and we want to make our clients look good!)
Even though “Put Me in the Zoo” was one of Jordan’s favorite books as a kid…
As photographers, it’s important to remember that spots are a great look on leopards, not humans 🙂
On the left, you’ll see an example of spotty light taken by one of our students, Katie, before she enrolled in our signature and understood how to find “good light.”
See those spots of light? Distracting, right?
That’s why we prefer to stand our clients in light that’s even and smooth (i.e. no spots).
Look at what Katie’s photos look like now that she’s been through our course and really understands how to see light! (Photo on the right)
(Photos by Katie & Alec from Alabama)
Amazing difference, right?! Making this one small change will help you find great light every time!
Last thing…
The next time you’re out with a client…
And you’re looking for GREAT LIGHT…
Just remember…
Spots are for leopards, not humans 🙂
Free Online Photo Class
If you want to learn more about the other types of light we avoid (and how we find the best light) click here to save a seat to our free class now!
