Teaser Lesson:

Week ONE - Lesson ONE

Welcome to week one, day one of "Fifty Shades of Autumn". This week is dedicated to light, and we'll cover a different aspect of light photography each day. Look at the Pinterest board, which you can find above this lesson, to get a feel for what you can expect this week.

Light is to the photographer what the brush is to an artist. Each type of light has a different effect on the subject or scene. Used creatively, light is your greatest asset, and it's the main photography recipe ingredient for creating mood

In September, the light is still strong and slow to set, so golden light hangs around for longer, deep in the sky. This makes it the perfect tool to create long shadows, dappled light, or golden subjects and scenes.

We’re kicking the 50 Shades project off with:

Dappled Light

Dappled light occurs when light is broken, for instance, when the sun shines through a tree. It then lands on a surface (a table or a wall) and looks slightly speckly—dappled light.

Light is ever-changing, and I don’t mean it’s sunny one day and cloudy the next. Throughout the year you’ll notice that the light casts shadows in places it doesn’t a few days later. 

For instance, the photo below was taken of my dining room table. At this time of year, the speckled light occurs when the sun shines through the apple tree across from the window. The leaves and branches break the light, creating a dappled effect. 

Use dappled light to transform a boring space into an interesting-looking photography setting.

Dappled light is obviously available all year round, but the late afternoon light is strong at this time of year, and when it shines through your windows at home, the shadows will be strong enough to create interesting settings for your photos.

Exercise One: Light Diary

Look for areas in your home that look enchanting when the light is soft and diffused on cloudy days, as well as golden light scenes, unusual shadows, and dappled light on sunny days. Shadows generally go unnoticed because we live with them, so it’s a great idea to look at your own home with fresh eyes so you don’t miss them in the future.

Grab a notebook and pen and begin noting your observations in a “light diary” dedicated to the light in your home and neighbourhood. Whenever you notice a photo-worthy light situation, note where it was and WHEN you encountered it - this will help you plan your photos in the future. 

For instance, in the early mornings, I often have strong golden light streaming through the living room window, turning the entire room golden (and unfortunately showing the dust, dog hairs, and cobwebs I’m otherwise unaware of 😂). 

Or the light on the table in the image above. I’d been a photographer for over ten years before I realised I only had dappled light on that particular table in September. I look forward to it yearly and have a few ideas for photographs each time.

Make notes of how you will use each type of light in your future photos. 

Exercise Two: Dappled Light Photography

Think of what you would place on my table. What do you like to photograph? Make a list of objects you would potentially include within a scene cast in dappled light.

It's good to know that you should use smallish, low objects for this type of photography. Taller objects will cast long shadows that will distract from the dappled shadows. Too many different types shown within one photo might be too much.

The photo below was taken on the same table. At this time of year, the glass creates enormous shadows.

Depending on your usual photography style, you can soften or strengthen the shadows in post-editing.