Natural Light, Available Light, Unnatural Light?

I see a lot of photography websites and Facebook pages popping up these days.  Most are pretty much the same.  Most photograph primarily outdoors, because they don't have a studio.  And most talk about loving natural light.  What they generally mean is they don't use artificial light enhancers, they just use whatever light is available.  Occasionally you can tell one has used flash to light their outdoor subject, usually an on-camera flash.  You can tell it was on-camera by the way the face is lit and by where the shadows fall.

There is a difference between natural light and available light.  I'd define available light is the light that's available whether indoors or out, without any modification.  If not done right, it can be very unnatural.  Natural light starts with available light, but will use modifiers to make sure the scene looks natural.  That means there's a proper balance between the light on the subject and the background.  It also means the light is flattering to the subject, while still looking "natural."

Next time you're outdoors with your family or a friend, look at their face and notice the bright areas of the face and the darker or shadowed areas of the face.  Light is directional.  If the sky is cloudy, or you're in the shade, it may be a little harder to see, but it's still true.  It is normal for there to be an area of the face that is better lit and an area that is a little shadowed.

You can modify the light by adding light or subtracting light.  You can add light with a reflector or a flash.  You can subtract light with a diffuser or by using something dark such as a black panel, a wall or other object, and by how you pose the subject in relation to the light.  If done poorly, it looks as unnatural as no modification at all, but if done well it looks totally natural, but incredibly wonderful, too.  It's difference between a snapshot and a true professional image.  It's the difference between something that is only worth putting on a CD to post on Facebook or print off your at home "photo-printer," and something that you would want to really display in your home and hope it will last to be enjoyed by future generations as well.

There are five lighting patterns that are used in classical portraiture.  Ask your photographer if they he or she knows what they are, when and how to use them to make you look your best, and how to create them before you book your next portrait.

Hey, we all gotta start somewhere.  But if you really value your photographs, make sure your photographer really understands light and how to use it and modify it to make you look incredible!