As photographers, we can sometimes be lazy. Unless the light is “right”, we don’t venture out. By right, we often mean beautiful or perfect, and sometimes both! The light available at times other than sunset and sunrise is dismissed and almost forgotten about.
Why? Because in the eyes of many, this light is not perfect or beautiful. However in the west of Ireland, sometimes this is the only light we have to work with. It is often man-made or, not natural and therefore dismissed as inferior. What is often forgotten about is the shadows or darkness. Without these, the light would never exist.
Sometimes, especially now we are in winter, the light evades us. It hides in the shadows, in the rain and often only comes out to play when coaxed by other conditions. Yet despite the lack of “beautiful” light, inside us all there is that itch to go and shoot … to shoot anything! It was one such night last week when the house lay quiet and the people in the town were dreaming of springtime, that I ventured forth. A blanket of fog descended and sneaked through the streets. I gave chase and only managed to capture it when it drew the light out to play.
You see, there is no reason why you should wait for the so called perfect light before you venture forth with your camera. There is plenty of light – you just need to look for it. Sometimes, it is man-made, sometimes not.
The patterns from streetlights will change as the night evolves, illuminating their surroundings in way you will not see during the day. Autumnal leaves take on a different hue in the middle of the night and familiar objects appear mysterious and ominous.
Remember, there is always light. It may be hidden but sometimes we just need to look a little harder to see it. There are no shadows that cannot be illuminated.
Thanks for reading this far.
