A great photograph is dependant on content, composition and light.

A great image not only needs light but more importantly - quality light.

The sun is our main source of illumination. Every second it sprays energy out in all directions from its surface at over 186,000 miles a second taking about 8 minutes to reach us. But the sun doesn't always give us quality light - a lot depends on weather conditions, time of day location, etc.

Light’s Colours

Imagine a world without colour! Yet, today well crafted black and white photographs are greatly prized and perceived by many as the artistic medium.

Most people see the world in colour - our eye is drawn to certain colours. It can make us feel relaxed, it can even affect our emotions.

The photographer that knows how to use colour well, will move the viewer in a way that a black and white image cannot compete.

Usually light appears white to our eyes because all the wavelengths of visible radiation are travelling together. But when the wavelengths are separated, we can see their individual colours. You may have observed after a rainstorm how the tiny droplets of water in the air have separated sunlight into its basic colours—violet, blue, green, yellow, orange and red—producing a beautiful rainbow.

Light can be separated into many thousands of different wavelengths, each producing a different shade of the basic colours! The eye however, can only distinguish or see a few of these colours.

The main reason that we see objects in colour is not just because the wavelengths are separated, but because objects absorb certain wavelengths of light and reflect back the parts that are not absorbed.

For example, it's possible for a bird to display a number of colours because the molecules of different feathers absorb different wavelengths and reflect others. The same principle applies to plants and everything else - the stem of the plant can be green but the leaves bright red.


Quality light

Landscape photographers know that the best light to photograph in is about two hours before and after sunrise and sunset. The light is soft, producing pleasant shadows and contrast. It is during this time that the golden hour occurs when the sun is near the horizon.

In 1883, after the Krakatoa volcano erupted violently and scattered dust particles through earth’s atmosphere, the world enjoyed a series of remarkably beautiful sunrises and sunsets.
When the sun is near the horizon the sunlight shines through a dust-laden atmosphere scattering light’s longer waves, causing the sky to take on a deep orange and red appearance.

Conclusion

If you are a landscape photographer you must leave your warm bed when most other people are enjoying theirs - if you want to make use of the best light for landscape photography, then at great cost to your comfort you will do it. Afterwards - you'll return home with a smile.