Platt College Graphic Design Alumni and Professional Photographer, Andrew Serrano, has recently started sharing his photography knowledge with others through tutorials and workshops. In this tutorial Andrew shares with us the importance of lighting for your photography.
The Importance of Light: Tutorial by Andrew Serrano
How important is light when it comes to photography? Very important! Light is one of the most important factors when it comes to shooting. It doesn’t matter the type of subject you’re shooting; whether its portraits, landscapes, or working in the studio.
Today I’m going to explain why light is so important for landscape photography. Since I started shooting I never understood why light was so important. However, photographers have a certain time of day that’s best for shooting. It’s either in the morning before sunrise or in the afternoon during/after sunset. Which is called the Golden Hour! From my experience shooting in golden hour compared to regular daylight can make an 100% difference in the quality of your photos. The best time to shoot during daylight depends on your subject. This is because during certain hours the shadows will be harsh and the color will be flat.
The image below is an example of shooting at different times. The LEFT photo was shot about 10 mins before the picture on the RIGHT. Look how drastic the colors are in just that little time difference. Even though both have great color and definitely send out a different mood I really enjoy the one on the right. When it comes to shooting landscapes, at least from my experience, when the sun starts to fall really pay attention to the sky and the atmosphere around you. Keep on taking pictures until you’re satisfied with the color and composition. Thanks for reading everyone and happy shooting!
Be sure to check out more of Andrew’s beautiful photography work on his Facebook page: Andrew Serrano Photography!