THE EDGE OF LIGHT

USE CONTRAST TO CREATE STRIKING, GRAPHIC IMAGES

If you ask me what is my favorite light for landscape photography, I will say soft light, like on a rainy day. I will say the reasons for this preference are the subtlety of light where harsh shadows are not present and the richness of the colors film records in such conditions. Sometimes though, nature’s lighting is anything but subtle. When the sun is shining, I look for the edges of light.

The most dramatic lighting conditions for outdoor photography often occur when light and shadow work together to define a subject. It is these grand theatrics in nature that gives landscape photographers such a thrill. The contrast of a dark shadow behind a backlit branch of autumn leaves, or a sunset-lit mountain, glowing out from a dark storm cloud, will give power to your images. Shapes and lines stand apart with graphic emphasis. However, the use of such contrast cannot be indiscriminate. If forms are to be accentuated by the light, then one must be highly selective. A branch without grace will only look more so in contrasting light. Extra time spent searching for the best shape or design is always worthwhile.

My image Half Dome and Elm, Winter was photographed on a January afternoon in Yosemite Valley. I was driving into the valley from my nearby home to check my mail. I confess that my timing was based on hopes for some good light, and fortune came my way. Warm afternoon light struck this elm tree as Half Dome, darkened by storm clouds, brooded in the background. I plowed through the snow in the meadow with my 4x5 looking for the right place to stand.

In these spectacular conditions, where an adequate photograph could have been taken blindfolded, I felt that corresponding adrenaline rush of opportunity. Still, I needed time to balance the elements of tree, meadow, and cliff. Fortunately, the light remained long enough for me to find my spot. I placed the tree entirely within the frame but off to the right. By including the entire tree, the wonderful shape of it, which coincidentally echoes the shape of the Yosemite icon, is given prominence in this composition. With the angle I chose, Half Dome was clearly visible but of secondary importance. The dark background of Half Dome and the cliffs sets off the tree’s snow-laden branches. As with many clearing storms in Yosemite, by the time sunset arrived that day, the sky was clear, and the dramatic edge of light was gone.

Sometimes, as with the Half Dome image, these edges of light are caused by weather. Other situations are more predictable, as they are a function of season or time of day in combination with the local geography. I know of meadows in Yosemite Valley where the oak trees become dramatically backlit as the morning sun rises over the cliffs. The cliffs, still in shadow, provide the dark backdrop. The graceful lines of the tree become silhouetted while the leaves are glowing in the light. These more predictable conditions are found everywhere, which is why frequenting your local and favorite landscape will give you the chance to learn its nuances.

Dawn and dusk are times of the day when light is on the edge between day and night. Even though the contrast of light and shadow is not directly seen, the light reflected at a low angle through Earth’s atmosphere gives lovely colors and a glow on the landscape. This time of day, often during that half an hour before sunrise and after sunset, is a magical and productive time to photograph.

In Cottonwoods, Ahwahnee Meadow, the side lighting brings out the texture on the trunks. The group of trees forms an island in the snowy meadow, which, combined with the dark background, sets off the grove as a well-defined graphic shape. The sunlit mist adds to the whole effect. The light is the key element in this image, but the design structure, the graphic underpinnings, holds the image together.

Cottonwoods | Ahwahnee Meadow, Yosemite National Park, California | 2007

Cottonwoods Reflected | Merced River, Yosemite National Park, California | 2014

In Cottonwoods Reflected, Merced River, the trees jump out from the shadows and are reinforced by their reflections in the water. A few autumn leaves still cling to the trees, heightening the sense of changing season. The spotlight lasted only a few minutes, then faded away as the cliff shadows crept across the valley.

When out exploring or photographing, I try to maintain a Zen-like approach of accepting what opportunities I am given, staying in the moment. I am also often thinking about when the light might be better at a given location. There is a great advantage to learning what time of day, or what season, may have the most potential. All three photographs here were completely unplanned, but my instincts from experience in Yosemite lead me to the right spots.

Frequenting local landscapes will give you the chance to learn their special nuances of light and weather and season. If you have learned your location well, the odds of making great images are greatly improved. Give yourself an assignment to create a portfolio based on your favorite nearby stream or lake or forest. I am sure you will become a better photographer in the process.

If you will be visiting a new location, then a little research is helpful. With modern smartphones and apps, such as The Photographer’s Ephemeris and PhotoPills, any location can be researched for the sun or moon’s path, the rising and setting times and angles. We all like to improve our odds of making great images when we travel. With that said, be sure to allow for some serendipity. Unexpected discoveries are often the best ones.

Keep learning the light. There are wondrous photographs to be found at the edge of light and shadow!

Blooming Dogwood and Giant Sequoia in the Fog | Sequoia National Park, California | 1993