Seeing the Light

 

 A tailor making school uniforms in Totonicopan, Guatemala.

My last two posts have been about solving lighting problems in commercial photography through the use of artificial light; artificial, that is, as something other than daylight. The ability to use artificial light is an essential skill for success as a commercial photographer, because photography is about light. In fact, the word "photograph" comes from two Greek words: photos, which means "light," and grapho, which means "to write." So to photograph really means to write with light.

Actually, learning to see light and use it well is the most basic, but also the most important skill in any kind of photography, professional or amateur. For me, it has also been the most difficult to acquire and I'm still working at it. A true master of photography can find ways to use almost any kind of light, even the harsh glare and black shadows of mid-day. 

But sometimes, beautiful light simply presents itself to us ready-made. A kiss of serendipity. We don't have to do anything to create it, we just have to be able to see it.

Serendipity favors the slanting, directional rays of morning and evening, the softness of open shade, and the warm glow of windowlight, as in this picture of a tailor making uniforms for students at an evangelical mission school in the mountain town of Totonicopan, Guatemala. A large window to his right was the sole and beautifully sufficient source of illumination. 

There was no way I could improve the lighting of the scene; the only thing left for me to do was make a picture of it.

Olympus OM 35mm camera, 85mm f2 Olympus Zuiko lens, Fujichrome 100 film.

Signed copies of the new second edition of Backroads and Byways of Georgia are available. The price is $22.95 plus $3.95 shipping. My PayPal address is djphoto@vol.com (which is also my email). Or you can mail a check to me at 8943 Wesley Place, Knoxville, TN 37922. Include your address and tell me how you would like your book inscribed.

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Photography and text copyright 2023 David B.Jenkins.

I post Monday, Wednesday, and Friday unless life gets in the way.

Soli Gloria Deo -- For the glory of God alone.

Tags:   photography    commercial photography    Olympus  OM cameras     Olympus Zuiko lenses    Fujichrome 100 film     film photography    photographic lighting    Totonicopan    Guatemala