Cloudy Day Photography:
Taking Advantage of Nature's Diffused Lighting.
By: Anita Cross
 Cloudy days are nature's softbox.
Cloudy days can present many
opportunities for great photographs. In fact, once
you discover how easy it is to get great results,
you'll look forward to a cloudy day as much, if not
more, than a sunny day.
The studio photographer's
arsenal includes a number of tools to soften and
redistribute light to the best advantage of the
subject. Among these tools is the Softbox which
provides soft, even lighting by using a diffuser in
front of the light.
In outdoor photography, cloud
cover diffuses the light of the sun much like a
photographer's softbox, producing a soft even light
that results in softer contrasts. While high
contrast can be quite dramatic, the softer contrast
allows for more detail in both the light and the
dark areas of your photograph. The softer light is
also more flattering for portraits or candid shots
of people.
On your first few cloudy day
adventures, consider taking your digital camera. In
spite of the differences in the cameras, what you
learn about how the lighting changes your
compositions and setup will be equally useful with
your film camera. And with the digital, you'll feel
free to experiment without the added cost of film on
your mind.
 Some difficult subjects which
benefit from the diffused light include waterfalls
in shadowy forested areas, sea life caught in a tide
pool and wildlife hiding in the shadows, as well as
close ups of flowers and people.
Diffused lighting is not as
bright as direct light, indoors or out, and you will
need to compensate with a slower shutter speed. Or
widen the aperture and adjust the depth of field.
You should count on needing your tripod for wide or
long shots. The picture can be blurred by even
slight camera movement with really slow shutter
speeds, so use your remote if you have one.
About the Author
Anita Cross is a self-employed Internet Marketing
consultant, professional photographer and amateur
writer. She sponsors the
Call Of The Wild Photo web
site, where you can find more
Digital Photography
Tips from Anita and other professional
photographers.
PictureCorrect Comments:
Cloudy
days create a perfect opportunity for portrait
photos. The diffused light takes most shadows
off of people's faces and allows you to get a very
well composed facial tone. The diffused light
also aids in landscape shots and many other
photographic options. I always keep my camera
close and look for photo opportunities on cloudy
days. Some of the best portraits I have taken
have been on cloudy days.
|
