These tips will help get great landscape photos at any time of day

Different times of day give you different light and of course, it’s something to count on when photographing outdoors. In this video from CreativeLive, photographer Frans Lanting shares some tips to remember when you go out shooting landscapes. They will help you get great photos at any time of day, no matter the position of the sun.

Frans points out to different kinds of light to be aware of and gives you examples how to shoot in these lighting conditions.

Indirect light

The first kind of indirect light is when the fog acts as a layer that scatters the sunlight, so there is not a lot of contrast. Another kind of such light happens right before sunrise and right after sunset, which many photographers call “the magic light.” This is when all those gorgeous colors from the sky get reflected onto the surface you’re photographing.

Direct light

When the sun hits the scene, you have direct light. Frans emphasizes that, in this situation, it’s important to be aware of the sun’s position, or where it hits the subject relative to where you are.

• Front light: when the sun is behind you, you’ve got front light. Frans suggests using this kind of light when you want to emphasize colors.
• Sidelight: when the sun hits the subject at a 90-degree angle, it emphasizes texture. If you’re photographing interesting, textured surfaces, it’s best to shoot them in this kind of light.
• Backlight: when the sun is in front of you, you can emphasize shape. Shooting straight into the sun gives you simplified scenes with silhouettes.

Frans also emphasizes that it’s important to be aware of the sun’s position throughout the day. Very early in the morning, he tends to look for the front light. As the sun rises up in the sky, he starts looking for sidelight. When the sun is high up, he starts shooting in backlight.

Keep these tips in the back of your head, so you will decide more easily how to approach shooting in any lighting conditions, even if it seems challenging.

[How To Photograph a Landscape Any Time of Day with Frans Lanting | CreativeLive]