The Importance of Finding the Right Time of Day for the Light You Want in Photography

Light is everything in photography. If it's good, shooting feels like you just won the lottery. If it's bad, it can be incredibly frustrating to work in. This great video talks about finding the right time of day for the light you're looking for.

Coming to you from Sean Tucker, this helpful video talks about the finding the right light for a photo and being patient enough to come back when it's there. When we talk about the right time of day for working with natural light, the default answer is to always seek out golden hour, and sure, that provides you with a soft, warm, and flattering light, but sometimes, that isn't what you're looking for or what best suits your subject. Sometimes, harder light with higher contrast better suits your image, or if you don't get a choice in the orientation of your subject, waiting for the right azimuth might be key to getting the shot you want. It all comes down to portraying the subject how you'd like and your overall creative vision. Also, as Tucker mentions, apps can go a long way in helping you to figure out where the sun will be at a given time once you know what you're looking for. Be sure to check out his new book as well.