Using natural light in commercial photography

Commercial photography covers a multitude of areas; from architecture to products and portraits.  Yet whilst a photographers day to day work can vary dramatically, one thing always remains consistent….their love of natural light.

Here, Cherry Beesley from Simply C Photography, explains how the constant presence of natural light can help to set the scene for creative, candid photography that can really help a business, person or scene stand out.

Getting light ‘right’

Light is one of the most important aspects of photography. It can take years to master, even for professional photographers, and while there may be a number of tools available to ‘aid’ photographers when it comes to creating the right light, from fluorescent bulbs and flashes to umbrellas and diffusers, there really isn’t anything that can beat natural light.

Natural light can, however, change as quickly as the wind, day by day, hour by hour. This is why you will often hear stories of me awaking at the crack of dawn, wandering around at dusk or whizzing off when the sun comes up to start or continue a shoot.

But this is all part and parcel of a professional photographer’s job – in order to convey the right image or message, the quality of the natural light – harsh or soft, warm or cool – has to be right.

Nothing artificial here…

When working with natural light, there are a number of considerations I need to make.

From finding the right position from which to shoot, or which time of day to start, to understanding how each little change to my camera settings will affect the end result.

I’m sure that many people,would question whether this additional time taken to manipulate natural light is really worth it – but, from the range of positive testimonials I have received from clients, I’m delighted to say it really does pay off.

Artificial light can dramatically alter the mood of an image and can often damage the authenticity of a subject – something that is hugely important when it comes to portraying the right impression.

When it comes to head-shots shooting with natural light means no intimidating big lights shining into your face… resulting in much more relaxed, natural and candid images.

Helping your subject to ‘stand out’

When photographing a product, you would be forgiven for assuming that there is always a need for some form of artificial light source in order to highlight key features.

This may be the case for the majority of product photography, particularly products shot on a white background for e-commerce purposes, however, when seeking more of a ‘lifestyle’ feel to showcase your products, natural light can often give you just the look you need.

If you think that this style of photography would work well for you or your business, contact Cherry at Simply C Photography or on 07775 851827.

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